12 Fantasy Books Inspired by Mythologies From Around the World
Greek mythology has been having a moment in fiction, from Madeline Miller’s lush, scholarly retellings (Circe and The Song of Achilles) to Jennifer Saint’s feminist rewrites (Elektra, Ariadne) to Rachel Smythe’s genius and recently concluded Lore Olympus series. And that’s wonderful! These stories are iconic for a reason.
But where are the other mythology adaptations? Cultures around the world have vivid and meaningful folklore, stories passed down through the generations. Stories whispered at a bedside or performed beside a campfire, stories told over the dinner table or performed on stage. Retellings are, in so many ways, the continuation of this tradition — another person putting their own modern spin on a story told time and time again.
So why let Greek mythology dominate the conversation? Below I’ve gathered a dozen books that use mythologies other than Greek mythology. Dive into ancient epics, from Gilgamesh to the Ramayana; sample some Russian and Chinese folklore; dip your toes into the world of the Mayan gods. Follow alongside a Navajo monster hunter, a young Nigerian witch, and a detective investigating a case involving angels and djinn. These 12 books will take you around the world — and far beyond it.
Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel
In the epic poem Ramayana, young Ram is the golden prince. Unfortunately, his chances at the throne are dashed when the cruel queen Kaikeyi uses a boon to force her husband to name her own son the heir and banish Ram from the kingdom. She’s one of the iconic villains of epic mythology. And yet — what if she was justified? Vaishnavi Patel puts a new spin on the epic, framing Kaikeyi as a cunning, sympathetic female protagonist who sees her son’s rightful place threatening to be usurped by a violent, frightening young man.
Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan
In Chinese mythology, Chang’e is the woman in the moon, renowned for her beauty. She got her immortality by stealing a potion that was rightfully for her husband, who had earned it for his archery prowess, and so she was banished to the moon. In this debut fantasy, Xingyin is the daughter of Chang’e, lonely and not knowing why they’re all alone up in the sky. But when the Celestial Emperor discovers Xingyin, she has to come down to his kingdom, where she’s determined to use her newfound skills and magic to find a way to free her mother from exile.
Redemption in Indigo by Karen Lord
Karen Lord pulls from and retells the tale of “Ansige Karamba the Glutton” from Senegalese folklore, a story in which a grumpy gluttonous man gets mad at his wife Paama for failing to keep up with his never-ending hunger, which is constantly getting him into trouble. Lord tells the story from Paama’s side, starting from when he arrived at her parents’ village, embarrassing her and begging her to come home. The djombi, undying ones, give her a magical object that will let her control the web of the world. Problem is, some of the undying ones want it back, and she’s thrown into a newly difficult situation.
Deathless by Catherynne Valente
Fans of The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden should check this one out. In Russian folklore, Koschei the Deathless is to be feared. But young Marya Morevna is not about to be cowed by any man, no matter how impossibly immortal and wicked he might seem. The book takes place in 1920s-’40s Russia, depicting the harsh war years and mixing history with folklore brilliantly. Valente depicts the sharp harsh beauty of Russian stories as Marya and Koschei push and pull, love and hate, and struggle for power.
Inanna by Emily H. Wilson
There have not been enough retellings of the epic of Gilgamesh. This is only partially that — it also draws from the myth of Inanna, a goddess of love famous for descending into the underworld. Inanna is paired here with Aphrodite and Ishtar, and she unites the epics, as Gilgamesh first meets the wild man Enkidu, and as a powerful warrior named Ninshubar is cast out of her home by a vengeful mother. It all comes together in this new exciting series featuring myths that don’t get nearly enough retelling attention.
Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
In this lush fantasy novel, Casiopea Tun accidentally frees the Mayan god of death and is forced to help him get his throne back from usurper Xibalba. The longer the god of death lives not on his throne, the closer to death she’ll become. More than anything, Casiopea has always wanted to live, escaping her old family and traveling the world. So they dive into a road trip of 1920s Mexico, negotiating, plotting, and fighting their way into the underworld.
Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse
Roanhorse’s post-apocalyptic world draws on Navajo folklore and tradition, incorporating the trickster Coyote and the legendary Naayéé’ Neizghání, among other great figures. After the majority of the world drowns, Dinétah holds itself against a realm of monsters. Maggie Hoskie is a monster hunter. After a girl goes missing, she ends up setting out to destroy a powerful witch with the help of a medicine man named Kai. This fantasy mystery is satisfying on its own and starts an exciting series as well.
The Wrath and the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh
Shahrzad is determined to get her vengeance. The Caliph of Khorasan kills a woman every night, marrying her and then leaving her dead in cold blood. But after her friend becomes the newest victim, Shahrzad leaves her family behind and brings all of her hidden skills to the palace to be the Caliph’s newest bride. She will lull the Caliph into a false sense of security with her nightly stories — until she’s able to bring him down completely. This adaptation of the iconic tale of Scheherazade and her 1,001 nights of stories is a bestselling young adult trilogy for good reason.
Apple and Knife by Intan Paramaditha, translated by Stephen J. Epstein
A young girl is warned about a terrifying old hag who comes to steal menstrual blood if you’re not careful and clean. A crone gathers the screams of women in bottles; the Queen of the South Sea traps and punishes a man responsible for polluting her waters. These stories, many of which draw on Javanese and Sundanese folklore in Indonesia, are bloody, violent, and often difficult to read. It’s biting feminist horror that retells known stories and twists them to make them subversive and new.
Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor
Okorafor’s “Africanjujuist” story draws on West African mythology and culture, from the writing system of Nsibidi script to the appearance of spirits such as Ekwensu to the mysterious, frightening masquerades. Sunny is a young girl with albinism, facing prejudice due to her skin, but she discovers that she has a gift that can help her to become invisible, shift time, and much more. As she and her friends navigate realistic tween dramas, they also discover and develop their magical gifts and face new, frightening enemies.
The Witch’s Heart by Genevieve Gornichec
We all know the figure Loki, a trickster and enemy of the Norse gods. But what do we know of his wives? Angrboda is the mother of legends, a vital piece in Norse myth, and yet too many don’t know her name. Gornichec wants to fix this. Her novel tells Angrboda’s story, which begins when Odin sets her aflame, infuriated by her refusal to tell him what she knows of the future. Fleeing in the forest, she meets Loki, and from there, her story begins. It won’t be easy to keep her children safe from the gods’ anger, but she’s ready to do what she has to, if it will keep her family safe.
A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark
This alternate-history fantasy draws on the Egyptian pantheon as well as Middle Eastern folklore of djinn, angels, and the Seal of Solomon, a ring that supposedly allowed one to control demons and/or seal away djinn. Dapper detective Fatma el Sha’arawi is off to solve the mystery of a man claiming to be al-Jahiz, the man who opened up the veil between the magical and mundane realms 50 years ago, making Cairo the center of an intensely magical, steampunk world. It’s an exciting, action-packed queer fantasy with a great sense of humor and some fantastic folkloric inspiration.
Want more recommendations? Check out these eight mythological adaptations for adults or our list of 50 must-read classical mythology adaptations. And after all this, if you’re still hoping for some good Greek mythology reads, check out our list of 50 of the best Greek myth retellings.
