Mythological creatures that don't get enough play in modern fantasy fiction?

[Jefferson]

So, vampires, werewolves, elves and dwarves have been left on the fire for far too long, right? They're so over-done they're charred and crumbly. Faeries and unicorns are probably getting a little crisp, too. But it's a big wide world out there, so tell me about your favorite mythological beast that isn't getting much attention in popular fiction these days. And it would be particularly interesting to hear about creatures that aren't from the western European mythology tradition.

[Carolyn]

Griffins and phoenixes!
They were each used once in a HP, but other than that, nothing else recent...

[Becky]

I like the twist Jim C. Hines used in his Goblin Hero series. He took a mostly cranky beast and made them the good guys. In this delightful series , Jig the Dragonslayer is a runt of a goblin who accidentally becomes the hero of the story. Jig and his best friend, a Fire Spider named Smudge, get into all kinds of precarious situations.

[Jim]

Unicorns haven't been in any of the books I've read lately, especially the old style, 'I-like-virgins' variety. Come to think of it, virgins seem to be a mythological creature now too.
;-)

[Elise]

Don't see minotaurs around in books too often.

[Chris]

LOL @ Jim.

How about kobolds? Not seeing a lot of kobold love out there.

[Pauline]

I would really like to see Wyverns or any large snake-esque creature in more books.

In non-western type creatures, I would love to see something using the Oni that are prevalent in Japanese myths.

[Terri]

hydra

[Carolyn]

For some recent not-your-typical unicorn stories, I have these on my TBR:
Zombies Vs. Unicorns
and there's one about killer unicorns, can't remember the title at the moment...

[Destructo]

Hippogriff.

[Brandt]

Manbearpig ... They are out there !

[A.E.]

Nagas: A snake woman with 4+ arms. Talk about multitasking.

[Shanshad]

Carolyn wrote: "Griffins and phoenixes!
They were each used once in a HP, but other than that, nothing else recent..."

Dang, there's a griffin book I read somewhere last year . . . kind of interesting. Other than that the last time I saw much on griffins was Mercedes Lackey's stuff.

[Kerry]

Pauline wrote: "I would really like to see Wyverns or any large snake-esque creature in more books.

In non-western type creatures, I would love to see something using the Oni that are prevalent in Japanese myths."

Wen Spencer has Oni in her Tinker books, Tinker and Wolf Who Rules.

My vote is for gargoyles.

[Marc]

Carolyn wrote: "Griffins and phoenixes!
They were each used once in a HP, but other than that, nothing else recent..."

That isn't quite correct. I have two short stories which feature griffins in major roles, as well as trolls who speak Elizabethan English, and homicidal elves. Needless to say they are not well known.

[Niel]

Gargoyles would be awesome!

[[deleted user]]

I definitely agree! Gargoyles get my vote!

[Mark]

Gargoyles, Nymphs and Chimera. Imps too.

[Mark]

Abassy, Abarimon,Abaia,Acheri, Adoro,Afanc, Aigikampoi,Akhlut, Namazu,Nobusuma,Nuckelavee,Nue, Nyami Nyami,Zburator, Zhulong, Zilant,Zlatorog,Zorigami,Yagyo-san,Yale,Yamata no orochi,Yowie/yahoo,Wanyudo,Wa-won-dee-a-megw,Werecat,Werehyena,White Lady,Valkyrie,Tarasque,Talos(the real version), Teju Jagua, Taurokampoi,Typhon,Satyr,Simargyl,Simurgh, Rompo, Pardolokampoi, Omukade,Ophiotaurus, Ouroboros, Djinn, Leokampoi, Longana, Karura, Kiyohime,Ichneumon,Harionago, Hecatonchires, Gagana, Gamayun, Girtablilu, Gui Shu, Gumiho, Emere, Encantado, Enfield, BasCelik, Basilisk (The real version),Buraq. That is all for now

[Amelia]

Mark wrote: "Abassy, Abarimon,Abaia,Acheri, Adoro,Afanc, Aigikampoi,Akhlut, Namazu,Nobusuma,Nuckelavee,Nue, Nyami Nyami,Zburator, Zhulong, Zilant,Zlatorog,Zorigami,Yagyo-san,Yale,Yamata no orochi,Yowie/yahoo,Wa..."

Wow! That is quite the list. You really know some world myths. Just from the names, it looks like a lot of them come from African mythology.

Where did you find all these creatures? Some of them sound very interesting. I'd like to find more about them. I only recognize a couple of them. (Valkyrie, Basilisk, Satyrs, Djinn, Werecat and that's about it for me.)

[Bill]

Carolyn wrote: "Griffins and phoenixes!
They were each used once in a HP, but other than that, nothing else recent..."

There's been Griffins before - Mercedes Lackey wrote an entire trilogy about them. She also wrote a novel about a phoenix as have others.

I don't understand the need for "recent"? Most treasure hunters explore the past.

I'd like to read more with Pans, Satyrs, Priapri, Sileni, Fauns, Succubi, Urisks...

[Jesslyn]

Carolyn wrote: "Griffins and phoenixes!
They were each used once in a HP, but other than that, nothing else recent..."

The Griffon Mage Trilogy had griffins and was finished recently. You get to live with them in Book 1

Lord of the Changing Winds Land of the Burning Sands Law of the Broken Earth

[Jesslyn]

I'd like to see some mers. Not much under the sea action these days.
Dragons that are somewhere between an intelligent dog and a ravening beast.
And decent weres with a viable history, culture, etc.

[Erika]

Chris wrote: "LOL @ Jim.

How about kobolds? Not seeing a lot of kobold love out there."


There's a kobold in Fablehaven: Rise of the Evening Star. I'm not sure if the creature's description or background is accurate, since it was the first time I heard of it :P

[Erika]

I would like to see some kelpies or banshees.

[Elizabeth]

Jim wrote: "Unicorns haven't been in any of the books I've read lately, especially the old style, 'I-like-virgins' variety. Come to think of it, virgins seem to be a mythological creature now too.
;-)"

I think unicorns have become a bit of a no-no for fantasy these days. i can't remember the last book I read with them in it. If a fantasy book has unicorns in it I tend to assume it's going to be a bit corny and steer away from it. It would be good to see a story that uses unicorns in a fresh and interesting way.

[Jim]

You may be right, Elizabeth. Sort of like time travel in SF, some subjects get overdone. Like chicks-with-an-attitude, vampires & werewolves are now all the rage. Seems I can't pick up a book without stumbling over that combination. While I like them, they are getting a bit old.

[Mark]

There was a unicorn in HP.

[Martin]

Jefferson wrote: "So, vampires, werewolves, elves and dwarves have been left on the fire for far too long, right? They're so over-done they're charred and crumbly. Faeries and unicorns are probably getting a little ..."

I can agree that dwarves have been part of many fantasy books, but they are usually used as side-kicks and I haven't ready an where they are the main characters and where we see anything of dwarves culture and everyday lift. Suggestions are welcome.
It's one of the reason I really liked Grunts, that you get another perspective on cliche that high fantasy can be on occasion.

[Elizabeth]

Tad Willliam's Shadowmarch series has a dwarf as one of the main characters. They aren't called dwarves, they are called Funderlings but they are basically the same even down to their love of mining. They way Williams paints their culture makes them very interesting and fresh.

[Bill]

Martin wrote: "Jefferson wrote: "So, vampires, werewolves, elves and dwarves..."

:-) I was recently reading about how Tolkien's original publisher 'corrected' his manuscript and changed 'dwarves' to 'dwarfs' which created a brouhaha. I think it was in The Ring of Words: Tolkien and the Oxford English Dictionary

I can agree that dwarves have been part of many fantasy books, but they are usually used as side-kicks and I haven't ready an where they are the main characters and where we see anything of dwarves culture and everyday lift. Suggestions are welcome.

There are a couple of dwarf series where they are the major race. One was a Salvatore series, I think the Legacy of the Drow trilogy. It is a war between the Dwarves and the Drow. The other I cannot remember.

[Shannon]

I'd like to see more gargoyles...does anyone know of any books featuring gargoyles?

[Sandra]

Unicorns are used in Wurts Wars of Light and Shadow in a totally unique way. Also centaurs.

[Brandt]

Martin wrote: "Jefferson wrote: "So, vampires, werewolves, elves and dwarves have been left on the fire for far too long, right? They're so over-done they're charred and crumbly. Faeries and unicorns are probably..."

check out The Dwarves it's in my TBR pile so cant say how good it is.. i like the premise though..

[Jim]

The last couple of Hollows books by Kim Harrison have a gargoyle in them. Not a huge part, but it's becoming important. They have a neat pixie family in them, too.

[Kerry]

I believe Rampant by Diana Peterfreund and its sequels have homicidal killer unicorns.

[Erika]

There's a couple of gargoyles and other type of living statues in Stoneheart.

[Martin]

Griffins can be found in http://www.goodreads.com/series/45692... ... as well as a talking terrier among other things.

[Danielle The Book Huntress]

Pegasus.

[Pauline]

Kristopher wrote: "Kil Johnson's short story "Ponies" had a really interesting, rather unsettling take on unicorns. You can read it for free here: http://www.tor.com/stories/2010/11/po..."

Just read this, very eerie and packs quite a punch for a short story.

[Danielle The Book Huntress]

Djinn is another one. I have seen a few of these, but I'd love to see more. I also think the golem is pretty interesting (or homunculus in general).

[Carolyn]

Kerry - Thank you! Rampant is the killer unicorn book I was thinking of, but couldn't remember the title - it was driving me nutty!

For all those who suggested the Mercedes Lackey books, thank you, but a) I have read all of those and b) they were all published in the mid-90's, I'm looking for more recent stuff Kernos, (like in the last decade), so that I can hopefully get suggestions for things I haven't yet read.

Jesslyn, thanks for reminding me of the Griffin Mage series - I saw it in my library and put it on my huge tbr but forgot all about it. Now it's back on my radar! = )
Also, for a very good book that featured mer people, I highly recommend In Great Waters, which is an alternate history.

Lady Danielle TBH - I recently read a YA book called Pegasus, the first of a trilogy, that I enjoyed.

[Danielle The Book Huntress]

Carolyn, I have Pegasus on my tbr. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[Marc]

Lady Danielle "The Book Huntress" wrote: "Djinn is another one. I have seen a few of these, but I'd love to see more. I also think the golem is pretty interesting (or homunculus in general)."

The Word and Void series by Terry Brooks has a golem as a familiar to the main character. The Xanth series has a number of obscure creatures, including a golem and a manticore.

[Danielle The Book Huntress]

Oh good. I have The Word and the Void. Thanks for the heads up, Marc.

[Marc]

Lady Danielle "The Book Huntress" wrote: "Oh good. I have The Word and the Void. Thanks for the heads up, Marc."

You're welcome. It's a great series.

[Kerry]

Lady Danielle "The Book Huntress" wrote: "Carolyn, I have Pegasus on my tbr. I'm glad you enjoyed it."

Apparently Pegasus is really the first half of a book that got too long and ends on a cliffhanger, so if you don't like that sort of thing, wait for the sequel to come out before reading.

McKinley is an autobuy for me, so I have Pegasus, but after getting caughter with Connie Willis's Blackout/All Clear, I'm going to wait to have the whole story before I start reading.

[Danielle The Book Huntress]

That's good to know, Kerry.

[Jesslyn]

Carolyn - In Great Waters gave me the heebee jeebies, but was indeed a good book. I didn't like the take on mers though. I've also had Pegasus on my TBR forever (Kindle $ too high) and had forgotten about it.

Sandra- Thank you for mentioning centaurs! I think the last time I saw one was in the Percy Jackson books and that wasn't enough for me

[Joseph]

Lady Danielle "The Book Huntress" wrote: "Djinn is another one. I have seen a few of these, but I'd love to see more. I also think the golem is pretty
interesting (or homunculus in general)."

Iron Council by China Miéville has an extremely nonstandard take on golems. They also figure in several Discworld books -- I don't remember the exact titles, but they're in the Night Watch/City Watch subseries.