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Mythology

Tales' category of mythology contains some of the oldest written texts in history. The mythology books will take you on adventurous journeys through ancient worlds of brave heroes and great gods of the past. Our collection covers myth from all around the world. You can find stories about the Vikings’ Norse gods and sorceresses, but you can also dive into the legendary and heroic tales of Ancient Greece. You can also get wiser on Ancient Egypt and it’s gods and pharaohs. Finally you will find mythology books about Ancient Japan with descriptions of its traditions and customs. Get ready to be inspired by the stories of the past.
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  • Save 12%
    by Elizabeth Cunningham
    £11.49 - 15.99

    The final installment of The Maeve Chronicles.

  • Save 21%
    by Sharon Jacksties
    £14.99

    A History of the World in 100 Stories journeys through world cultures, travelling through time whilst crossing continents.

  • Save 20%
    by Anna Maria Vilhelmina Hellberg Moberg
    £11.99

    Traditional folk tales from Sweden retold by a professional storyteller

  • Save 21%
    by Richard Strachan
    £13.49

    What the years have buried, is about to be exposed... On the Scottish coast, lies the gloomy fortress of Gallondean. Local legend has it that if the heirs to the house hear the howling of a spectral hound nearby, their death will quickly follow. The current owner of the house is Jacob Beresford who, up until the unexpected death of his father, had never set foot within its crumbling walls. Jacob, already haunted by his own demons, has no need of more ghosts, but as the First World War staggers through its last terrible months and he uncovers unsettling details of his new home's past, the shadows seem to be growing around him. Then he meets Esther, a young volunteer nurse, and one of her patients, who was wounded in mysterious circumstances, and their lives come to intersect in horrifying and unexpected ways. Danger stalks the woods and coast around them, but it soon becomes clear that the gravest threats are within.... Both unsettling and evocative, deeply atmospheric and brilliantly engaging The Unrecovered is an unforgettable historical debut inspired by a real life legend and marks the arrival of an outstanding new talent.

  • Save 14%
     
    £9.49

    A magical collection of stories about mermaids and mermen, seductive sirens and shape-shifting sea creatures from around the world.

  • Save 14%
     
    £9.49

    An enchanting collection of stories about magical folk drawn from all around the world.

  • by Kelle BanDea
    £9.49

    Discover the ancient Mother Goddess of the Celts and her relevance for today.

  • Save 10%
    by Sue Lynn Tan
    £8.99 - 13.49

  • Save 10%
    by Sinead Gleeson
    £8.99 - 13.49

  • Save 11%
    by Leia Stone
    £7.99

  • Save 11%
    by Leia Stone
    £7.99 - 15.49

  • Save 10%
    by Leia Stone
    £8.99 - 15.49

  • Save 10%
    by Cyprian Ekwensi
    £8.99

  • Save 15%
    by Richard Litchfield
    £10.99

  • Save 24%
    by Toby Wilkinson
    £18.99

  • Save 10%
    by Costanza Casati
    £8.99 - 14.99

  •  
    £27.99

    "This is a vital and accessible overview of Greek drama from its origins to its later reception, including chapters on authors and dramas in their social and religious context as well as key aspects such as structure, character, staging and music. With contributions by 13 international scholars, world experts in their field, it provides readers with clear, authoritative, up-to-date considerations of both the theory and practice of Greek drama"--

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    £78.99

    This vital and accessible overview of Greek drama from its origins to its later reception includes chapters on authors and plays in their social and religious context as well as key aspects such as structure, character, staging and music. With contributions by 14 international scholars, world experts in their field, it provides readers with clear, authoritative, up-to-date considerations of both the theory and practice of Greek drama. While each chapter can stand in isolation, the overall structure takes readers on a natural progression - beginning with sources of evidence and origins, considering the major genres and their authors, examining the traditional Aristotelean components of drama in the context of performance, and ending with later reception. In doing so, it explores Greek drama as at once a religious act, a stage for political propaganda, an opportunity for questioning social issues and pure entertainment - a stunning melange of poetry, music, dance and visual spectacle, specific to, yet transcending, its immediate context. Written for students, practitioners and a general readership, it forms part of Bloomsbury's Looking at. series, appealing to the same readership and providing context to existing volumes which focus on individual plays.

  • Save 29%
    by Daniel Falconer
    £28.49

    A comprehensive, large-format hardcover offering unparalleled insight into the making of The War of the Rohirrim, and the complete creative journey from concept to finished film told by the artists and filmmakers themselves.

  • Save 21%
    by Brice Stratford
    £13.49

    A curated collection of Halloween folk tales and scary stories, and also an accessible, engaging and accurate collection of chapters about the folklore and history of Halloween and its traditions.

  • Save 20%
    by Colin Urwin
    £11.99

    A collection of traditional folk tales, including history, folklore and nature observations about the coasts and seas of Ireland

  • Save 21%
    by Andrea Eames
    £13.49

  • Save 10%
    by Rebecca Kenney
    £8.99

    He's the most beautiful man I've ever seen...and the most dangerous. Eternally young and full of a brilliant passion that may ultimately be the end of me: my perfect Dorian Gray. The painting that's kept Dorian Gray flawless for over a century is beginning to fall apart, rotted by his life of reckless decadence. Desperate, he seeks out the only person who might be able to save him: a talented young painter descended from Dorian's first love. Baz may have the same magical gift as her ancestor, but she's vowed never to paint anyone's likeness again. Haunted by the memory of the terrible price her talent can exact, she swears she will not be swayed-not even by the seductive words dripping like venom from the lips of the most beautiful man she's ever met. Yet as Dorian tries to persuade Baz by any means possible, they become aware of a darker, deadlier magic awakening around them. Dangerous forces, long dormant, have been stirred by Baz's presence...and are determined to have her no matter the cost. As tensions rise and desire flares ever-hotter, Baz and Dorian become trapped in a complex web of conflicting motives, messy emotions, and a growing, desperate passion that may well consume them both. An addictive and truly original spicy New Adult retelling of The Picture of Dorian Gray with a magical twist. GILDED MONSTERS:Beautiful Villain (The Great Gatsby): Book 1Charming Devil (The Picture of Dorian Gray): Book 2

  • Save 10%
    by Olivia Isaac-Henry
    £8.99

  • Save 20%
    by Lisa Schneidau
    £11.99

    A collection of traditional folk tales, including history, folklore and nature observations about the coasts and seas of England

  • Save 10%
    by Melissa K. Roehrich
    £8.99

    She will not be the same as when she left

  • Save 23%
    by Keshe Chow
    £16.99

  • Save 10%
    by Melissa K. Roehrich
    £8.99

    Show me your darkness, and I'll show you mine.The stars are fading.The shadows are calling.The darkness threatens everything.

  • Save 10%
    by Melissa K. Roehrich
    £8.99

    Shadows always return to the darkness

  • Save 14%
    by Genoveva Dimova
    £9.49

    The Witcher meets Naomi Novik in this fast-paced fantasy rooted in Slavic folklore, from an assured new voice in genre fiction.

Mythology
Mythology is the foundation of many of today's stories, take for example the stories of King Arthur and Merlin, a well-known story that goes back to the celtic mythologies. It has fascinated many writers all around the world and with good reason. Myths take you on fascinating and sometimes even magical journeys and into the ancient worlds of the past. The mythologies build on folklore and you can learn a lot about the ancient lifestyles by reading mythology books. The themes in mythologies are often built around honor and bravery, but the tales also have their own universal moral message. 

Norse mythology books
In the Nordic countries we have a long and proud history of folk tales and some of them can be traced all the way back to the Middle Ages and even before that, to what we describe as the Norse period, where all the Scandinavian countries were connected as one and not divided into nations. The North was instead formed by many smaller societies, who lived comparatively insulated and connected to nature. Such a life could be hard and created fertile soil for folklore and the belief in supernatural creatures, which are found in many folk tales. Most of the tales were part of an oral tradition and were often handed down through many generations. The mythology tales were first written down and converted into mythology books many years after they were told for the first time. 
We cannot mention the Norse period without the Vikings. Vikings are known all over the world for their strength, ships and sometimes brutal conquests, but the Vikings were defined by so much more than that. They had for example a vivid and intriguing tradition for mythology. To the Vikings they were so much more than myths, it was their religion. The Norse religion referred to as Asatru consists of multiple gods, goddresses, brave heroes and volvas, which were strong female sorcerers and fortune tellers. If you want to find your way to get started in Nordic mythology you can find a good description and overview in Penguin Book of Norse myths - Gods of the Vikings

Greek mythology books
Some of the greatest and most famous myths are found in Ancient Greece. You might have heard about the gods Zeus and Prometheus, the goddesses Athena and Aphrodite, and the heroes Hercules and Achilles? They are just a few of the unique figures of Ancient Greek mythology. They are found in some of the greatest classics of world literature; the Iliad and the Odyssey written by Homer. At Tales you can get them as mythology books in their traditional verse form, but we would also recommend you to take a look at Stephen Fry’s interpretations of the classical tales. Fry takes the timeless classics into modern times by rewriting the mythologies in a modern, easy understandable english, but he still keeps the essence of the Ancient mythologies. You can find Stephen Fry’s Heroes and Mythos in our selection of mythological books. 

Egyptian mythology books
Another world of mythologies is found in Ancient Egypt. Here we come across Ancient gods and goddesses with faces formed as animals. One of the central gods in Egyptian mythology is the sun god Ra. Ra was the incarnation of the sun, which was the foundation of life. In Egyptian mythology we also find mummies. Mummies were the deceased faraos, who were embalmed and covered in gaze to restore them for the afterlife. The god Osiris would then help them on their way through the afterlife. The mummies were placed in their own pyramid, who would show the greatness of the faraos for the times to come. The pyramids still stand in Egypt and show the history of the past. Among our egyptian mythology books you find the book Egyptian Mythology, which has collected all the fascinating tales of Ancient Egypt and all its gods, goddesses and legendary creatures. 

Japanese mythology books 
You can also find japanese mythology books in Tales’ selection. The japanese myths are little known to people, but contain many amazing stories. You can for example find the story behind the samurais, an Ancient collection of warriors in the japanese armies. A samurai had to live up to certain virtues in order to keep his status. A samurai should both be loyal and have a high level of endurance, modesty, and honor. You could learn a lot about a country from its mythology, because it is the foundation of the country’s culture, although a lot of changes have found place since then. If you aren’t familiar with japanese mythology, we recommend you to read the Handbook of Japanese Mythology among our collection of japanese mythology books. 

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