The best fantasy books with a healthy dose of myth

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve always been fascinated by folklore and religious myth. A passion further inspired by my path as an Eclectic Pagan, and my pursuit of a Masters in Mythological Studies. My interest in mythology was first inspired by my mother as she told us bedtime stories filled with the exploits of heroes, of gods, and angels. My upbringing in Christianity introduced me to the mythologies of Judaism, which eventually led me into the greater world of Paganism and an entire universe filled with a multitude of pantheons filled with their own gods, heroes, and legends. 


I wrote...

Angel's Gate

By L. Becker,

Book cover of Angel's Gate

What is my book about?

The souls of mankind can only reach Heaven through the Gate, a Spiritual Portal between the realms, the entrance to which is fiercely defended by the Powers, an elite, ruthless army of dark-winged angels. When the existence of the Gate and the future of Heaven and Earth are threatened by the Shades, DownCast angels who are desperate to return to heaven, A.G. Morris is pulled into a world she never knew existed. A world she was born to be a part of.

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of Dalen Pax and the Beads of Fire

L. Becker Why did I love this book?

The start of an epic fantasy adventure. Filled with djinn, magic, and myth, Dalen Pax and the Beads of Fire pulls you into an engaging fantasy world where time unravels and reforms a world of wild imagine. The protagonist begins his adventure as a normal teenager trying to find his place in the world. A world that expands with the revelation that magic exists, that time is a construct. Joined by a band of engaging characters I highly recommend joining the adventure.

By Will Grey, David Noceti (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Dalen Pax and the Beads of Fire as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Dalen Pax and the Beads of Fire is a delightfully inventive Fantasy novel, a remarkably touching and insightful coming-of-age story, and a philosophical tour de force.

Dalen Pax is a typical high school misfit who has always wished that magic was real. One fateful night, he found that it was when he risked his life to save Mathias, a man he didn't know. A man with the ability to wield real magic. After their meeting, Mathias enlists Dalen to help him retrieve a powerful artifact known as the Beads of Fire, which connects its wearer to the Fire Jinn, a…


Book cover of The Princess Saves Herself in this One

L. Becker Why did I love this book?

One of the most powerful, magical poetic storytelling I have ever read. Amanda Lovelace weaves heartache and magic into a tale of love, loss, and rebirth. Unraveling the magical tropes, this poetic tale proves that the greatest hero is ourself. That the princess can be both victim and heroine, and that wielding a broken heart can be as powerful as any magic talisman.

By Amanda Lovelace,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Princess Saves Herself in this One as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Winner of the 2016 Goodreads Choice Award, the princess saves herself in this one is a collection of poetry about resilience. It is about writing your own ending.

From Amanda Lovelace, a poetry collection in four parts: the princess, the damsel, the queen, and you. The first three sections piece together the life of the author while the final section serves as a note to the reader. This moving book explores love, loss, grief, healing, empowerment, and inspiration.

the princess saves herself in this one is the first book in the "women are some kind of magic" series.


Book cover of Acheron

L. Becker Why did I love this book?

Book 14 of Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark-Hunter series, Acheron is a heartbreaking masterpiece. Delving deeply into the heartbreaking past of Acheron, a demi-god and leader of the Dark-Hunters, we at long last discover his origins and true self. After years of solitude and betrayal, he is given his final redemption and love. My favorite in this stellar series.

By Sherrilyn Kenyon,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Acheron as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Eleven thousand years ago, a god was born. Cursed into the body of a human, Acheron spent a lifetime of shame. But the strongest steel is forged from the fires of hell...Acheron's human death unleashed an unspeakable horror that almost destroyed the earth. Then, brought back against his will, he became the sole defender of mankind. Only, it was never that simple. For centuries, Acheron has fought for our survival and hidden a past he'll do anything to keep concealed. Until a lone woman who refuses to be intimidated by him threatens his very existence. Now his survival - and…


Book cover of Norse Mythology

L. Becker Why did I love this book?

I’ve always been enthralled by the myths and legends of the north. In this collection we get a deep and richly woven retelling of the famous and infamous heroes and gods of Norse mythology. Told in the narrative of a storyteller, Neil Gaiman brings these ancient legends into glorious life with his flowing and dynamic prose.

By Neil Gaiman,

Why should I read it?

10 authors picked Norse Mythology as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Neil Gaiman, long inspired by ancient mythology in creating the fantastical realms of his fiction, presents a bravura rendition of the Norse gods and their world from their origin though their upheaval in Ragnarok.

In Norse Mythology, Gaiman stays true to the myths in envisioning the major Norse pantheon: Odin, the highest of the high, wise, daring, and cunning; Thor, Odin's son, incredibly strong yet not the wisest of gods; and Loki-son of a giant-blood brother to Odin and a trickster and unsurpassable manipulator.

Gaiman fashions these primeval stories into a novelistic arc that begins with the genesis of the…


Book cover of American Gods

L. Becker Why did I love this book?

Bringing life to the old myths and gods of the world, American Gods is a thrilling adventure where the gods of the old world, gods of legend, wage war against the new gods born in this modern world. Weaving pagan, Christian, old world, and new world mythology, Neil Gaiman creates a rich tapestry of new legend infused with the stories of old.

By Neil Gaiman,

Why should I read it?

11 authors picked American Gods as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Now a STARZ® Original Series – Season 3 premiere in January 2021

“Pointed, occasionally comic, often scary, consistently moving and provocative….American Gods is strewn with secrets and magical visions.”—USA Today

Newly updated and expanded with the author’s preferred text. A modern masterpiece from the multiple-award-winning master of innovative fiction, Neil Gaiman.

First published in 2001, American Gods became an instant classic, lauded for its brilliant synthesis of “mystery, satire, sex, horror, and poetic prose” (Washington Post) and as a modern phantasmagoria that “distills the essence of America” (Seattle Post-Intelligencer). It is the story of Shadow—released from prison just days after…


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A Theory of Expanded Love

By Caitlin Hicks,

Book cover of A Theory of Expanded Love

Caitlin Hicks Author Of A Theory of Expanded Love

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

My life and work have been profoundly affected by the central circumstance of my existence: I was born into a very large military Catholic family in the United States of America. As a child surrounded by many others in the 60s, I wrote, performed, and directed family plays with my numerous brothers and sisters. Although I fell in love with a Canadian and moved to Canada, my family of origin still exerts considerable personal influence. My central struggle, coming from that place of chaos, order, and conformity, is to have the courage to live an authentic life based on my own experience of connectedness and individuality, to speak and be heard. 

Caitlin's book list on coming-of-age books that explore belonging, identity, family, and beat with an emotional and/or humorous pulse

What is my book about?

Trapped in her enormous, devout Catholic family in 1963, Annie creates a hilarious campaign of lies when the pope dies and their family friend, Cardinal Stefanucci, is unexpectedly on the shortlist to be elected the first American pope.

Driven to elevate her family to the holiest of holy rollers in the parish, Annie is tortured by her own dishonesty. But when “The Hands” visits her in her bed and when her sister finds herself facing a scandal, Annie discovers her parents will do almost anything to uphold their reputation and keep their secrets safe. 

Questioning all she has believed and torn between her own gut instinct and years of Catholic guilt, Annie takes courageous risks to wrest salvation from the tragic sequence of events set in motion by her parents’ betrayal.

A Theory of Expanded Love

By Caitlin Hicks,


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Interested in myth, Norse mythology, and gods and goddesses?

10,000+ authors have recommended their favorite books and what they love about them. Browse their picks for the best books about myth, Norse mythology, and gods and goddesses.

Myth Explore 81 books about myth
Norse Mythology Explore 61 books about Norse mythology
Gods And Goddesses Explore 38 books about gods and goddesses