|
Books > Fiction > Genre fiction > Myth & legend told as fiction
Aristophanes's satirical masterpieces, immensely popular with the
Athenian public, were frequently crude, even obscene. His plays
revealed to his contemporaries, and now teach us today, that when
those in power act obscenely, patriotic obscenity is a fitting
response. Until now English translations have failed to capture
Aristophanes's poetic genius. Aaron Poochigian, the first
poet-classicist to tackle these plays in a generation, offers
"effortlessly readable and genuinely theatrical" (Simon Armitage)
versions of four of Aristophanes's most entertaining, provocative
and lyrically ingenious comedies, finally giving
twenty-first-century readers a sense of the subversive pleasure
audiences felt when these works were first performed on the
Athenian stage.
Laxdaela saga is a 13th century Icelandic saga, telling the story
of the people in the Breioafjorour area from the late 9th century
to the early 11th century. The saga tells of a love triangle
between Guorun Osvifrsdottir, Kjartan Olafsson and Bolli
orleiksson. Kjartan and Bolli are two lads who are close friends
but they both love Guorun which causes hatred between them and
results in tragedy. Numerous ancient manuscripts contain this saga,
dating back to the fourteenth century and it is second only to the
Njals saga in the number of medieval manuscripts preserved. Laxd la
saga is a popular story because of its poetic beauty and pathetic
sentiment. This version contains an illustration and the original
marginal sub-headings interweaved in the text.
Eager to learn the rules of magic, Lucius agrees to participate in
a shapeshifting spell that suddenly goes awry, transforming the man
into a donkey. His life is abruptly upended as he is attacked,
stolen and sold multiple times before finding relief through divine
intervention. Lucius is enamored with witchcraft and begs a woman
to transform him into a bird. Unfortunately, she fails, and he is
immediately turned into an ass. This leads to a tumultuous journey
that takes Lucius away from his friends and puts him into the hands
of strangers. He is sold by thieves, cooks and farmers, forced to
engage in strange and laborious tasks. With each owner comes a
different set of obstacles and inevitable misunderstandings. A rare
text stemming from Roman antiquity, The Golden Ass is infused with
mythological elements. The story covers a wide range of topics from
witchcraft to adultery and murder. This expansive narrative has
enough twists to keep any reader on the edge of their seat. With an
eye-catching new cover, and professionally typeset manuscript, this
edition of The Golden Ass is both modern and readable.
The next few seconds seemed to be played out in slow motion.
Achmaed couldn't avoid the collision, but he did manage to turn
enough so that the container occupied the space between him and the
two onrushing antagonists. They slammed hard into its surface,
driving Achmaed backwards and loosening his grip on the package.
The container twisted in the air and smashed against the edge of
the yacht yielding a loud cracking noise. Before anyone involved in
the scuffle could react, the container popped open and a Grecian
urn, which had been its contents, flew out, rolling end over end in
the air like a large football. Achmaed felt himself gasping
involuntarily as the priceless piece of antiquity smashed against
one of the sizeable steel spars that projected from the side of the
Aquarius. It was the last Achmaed would see of Asan's prized
treasure. The gritty contents of the urn sprayed into the air as
the urn split into a thousand pieces. Achmaed watched with his last
moment of consciousness as the debris spread into the air like a
flock of migrating birds and then fell into the waters of the
Aegean Sea.
The new complete edition of a timeless classic that includes the
never-before-published Part Four and Last Words by Richard Bach.
This is the story for people who follow their hearts and make their
own rules...people who get special pleasure out of doing something
well, even if only for themselves...people who know there's more to
this living than meets the eye: they'll be right there with
Jonathan, flying higher and faster than they ever dreamed.
A pioneering work that wed graphics with words, "Jonathan
Livingston Seagull" now enjoys a whole new life.
THE FIRST ADULT NOVEL BY THE CARNEGIE PRIZE WINNING AUTHOR OF JUNK
'A spirited retelling... witty and insightful.' i PAPER 'His prose
is electrical, crackling with a mischievous charge.' BUZZ MAGAZINE
'Told with wit [and] verve... it's a book that exerts a curious
charm.' MAIL ON SUNDAY 'Burgess recounts Loki's genius . . . with
great gusto, pulling together many tales into one sometimes
beautifully lyrical masterwork.' SFX MAGAZINE 'a mischievous,
unpredictable and clever book that breathes new life into an
already fascinating character and godly race.' CULTUREFLY Step into
the ancient fir-tree forests of Scandinavia and bear witness to
legends as epic as those of the Greeks and the Romans. Melvin
Burgess revolutionised children's literature with the infamous cult
novels Junk and Doing It. In his first adult novel, Loki, he
breathes new life into Norse myths. Starting with the Norse
creation myths, the trickster god Loki takes the reader on a wild
ride through Norse mythology, from the time the gods - the founders
of Asgard - defeated races of monsters, and hurtling through famous
stories, including Odin hanging himself on the World Tree, the
theft of the corrupting gold ring and the murder of Baldr, the god
of love and the Sun. This narrative may seem familiar enough at
first, but the reader should beware. Born within the heart of a
fire in the hollow of a tree-trunk, Loki arrives in Asgard as an
outsider. He is a trickster, an unreliable narrator, the god of
intelligence and politics. In spite of his cleverness and sparkling
wit (or, perhaps, because of this...) Loki struggles to find his
place among the old patriarchal gods of supernatural power and is
constantly at odds with the god of thunder - Thor. Alongside the
politics of Asgard, it charts the course of Loki's many loves and
families, from his mothering of Odin's famous horse to his intense,
turbulent, and, eventually, fatal relationship with Baldr the
Beautiful - a tender and moving story of love that goes wrong,
jealousy and a transitioning that is forbidden by society. This is
a retelling that is contemporary in tone, at once amusing and
relatable. It is a heartfelt plea to overthrow the old gods of
power and authority and instigate a new era ruled by love and
intelligence.
Book 2 in the absorbing fantasy-trilogy from Linda Williams. 'There
are problems in Daish Shaktay. The young man who should be king
there is called Rajay Ghiry. He's an awesome freedom fighter, and
his enemies can't catch him - so far. They call him the Mountain
Mouse.'Asha, Lee and Ahren are now eighteen. They have spent two
years in Sasrar learning subtle wisdom, and how to awaken the inner
Tree of Life. The boys have learnt how to fight, to enable them to
fulfil their vow to free their country. But first, as part of their
training, they must help the Mountain Mouse - the charismatic Rajay
Ghiry - regain his kingdom. But nothing goes quite as planned,
especially for the ever unpredictable, irrepressible Asha.
A propulsive retelling of the Greek myth, Medea, like you've never
seen her before. A woman wronged will shake an empire Calcutta,
1757. Bengal is on the brink of war. The East India Company, led by
the fearsome Sir Peter Chilcott, are advancing and nobody is safe.
Meena, the Nawab's neglected and abused daughter, finds herself
falling under the spell of James Chilcott, nephew of Sir Peter, who
claims he wants to betray the company . . . for a price. Caught
between friend and foe, Meena and James escape Calcutta, their
hands stained in blood and pockets filled with gold. In Ceylon,
they're cleansed of their sins by Meena's beloved aunt Kiran,
before the young lovers set sail for the Dutch controlled Cape of
Good Hope, with the promise of a new life. Yet past resentments and
present betrayals begin to pile up as they struggle to overcome
their differences. And as Meena yet again finds herself in a
foreign land without anyone to turn to, she is forced to find out
what she is willing to sacrifice when love turns to hate. The
perfect read for fans of The Song of Achilles, Ariadne and Pandora
The life of the travelling musician hasn't changed much over the
millennia. For a prehistoric harper, a medieval fiddler or a modern
guitar player, the experience is pretty much the same: there are
times when everything goes well and others when nothing does. But
it's not just performing that can go wrong - listening can also be
dangerous! Can you stop dancing when you get tired or must you keep
going until the music stops ... if it ever does? What happens if it
carries on past midnight? What if it turns you to stone? Pete
Castle has selected a variety of traditional tales from all over
the UK (and a few from further afield) to enthral you, whether you
are a musician, a dancer, or a reader who likes to keep dangerous
things like singing and dancing at arm's length.
"Jon Swift + Witches of Eastwick + Kelly 'Get In Trouble' Link +
Mean Girls + Creative Writing Degree Hell! No punches pulled, no
hilarities dodged, no meme unmangled! O Bunny you are sooo genius!"
-Margaret Atwood, via Twitter "A wild, audacious and ultimately
unforgettable novel." -Michael Schaub, Los Angeles Times "Awad is a
stone-cold genius." -Ann Bauer, The Washington Post The Vegetarian
meets Heathers in this darkly funny, seductively strange novel from
the acclaimed author of 13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl. "We were
just these innocent girls in the night trying to make something
beautiful. We nearly died. We very nearly did, didn't we?" Samantha
Heather Mackey couldn't be more of an outsider in her small, highly
selective MFA program at New England's Warren University. A
scholarship student who prefers the company of her dark imagination
to that of most people, she is utterly repelled by the rest of her
fiction writing cohort--a clique of unbearably twee rich girls who
call each other "Bunny," and seem to move and speak as one. But
everything changes when Samantha receives an invitation to the
Bunnies' fabled "Smut Salon," and finds herself inexplicably drawn
to their front door--ditching her only friend, Ava, in the process.
As Samantha plunges deeper and deeper into the Bunnies' sinister
yet saccharine world, beginning to take part in the ritualistic
off-campus "Workshop" where they conjure their monstrous creations,
the edges of reality begin to blur. Soon, her friendships with Ava
and the Bunnies will be brought into deadly collision. The
spellbinding new novel from one of our most fearless chroniclers of
the female experience, Bunny is a down-the-rabbit-hole tale of
loneliness and belonging, friendship and desire, and the fantastic
and terrible power of the imagination. Named a Best Book of 2019 by
TIME, Vogue, Electric Literature, and The New York Public Library
For untold generations in countless Irish cottages, in front of
peat-fueled fires, some of the gayest, most fanciful, and most
sparkling folk tales that ever caused young eyes to grow brighter
and young hearts to beat faster have been and still are told.
Advance praise for Beyond the Forests of Yesteryears We meet pain,
fear, shame, uncertainty, and insecurities in her stories. Sharon
has captured those feelings in the allegories she shares with us.
The journey of a thousand miles often begins with a single
step-walk with her; this is a journey you won't want to miss -Donna
Messer, CEO, ConnectUs Communications, Canada A significant
contribution to emerging literature using allegory as an instrument
to persuade the reader toward a journey into the fight of good over
evil. The author's stories are persuasive and compelling . . . this
book will have an enormous appeal inside and outside the
traditional Christian discipline. -Reverend Anita L. Keith, author
of Sacred Children, Sacred Teachers, Sacred Learning, For Our
Children, Our Sacred Beings, and Rise Up Each spiritually
fulfilling allegory in Beyond the Forests of Yesteryears addresses
our essential needs and longings and explores a number of life
experiences, from the desire for acceptance to the regret of
unfulfilled dreams. Sharon Dumas's characters spring to life and
tackle universal anxieties and fears. After searching for courage
and hope throughout life's obstacles, they ultimately find the
strength where it's always been: within.
Irish Fairy Tales is a selection of mythical stories highlighting
themes of love, duty and deception in the magical setting of
ancient and medieval Ireland. Each narrative presents internal and
external conflicts that test the moral code of its leading
characters. James Stephens explores Ireland's cherished history
though the eyes of fabled hunters, soldiers, kings and queens. Many
stories feature the Fianna, a group of tribal warriors, and their
legendary leader, Fionn mac Cumhaill. Other tales include "The
Wooing of Becfola," "Becuma of the White Skin" and "Mongan's
Frenzy." It's a marvelous display of culture and tradition that
balances morality with adventure. With colorful prose and larger
than life characters, Irish Fairy Tales delves into the Fenian
Cycle-a prominent part of both Irish and Scottish mythology. This
spirited retelling captivates readers pulling them into a world of
wonder and mystery. It's one of Stephens' most successful works and
has been a literary staple for generations. With an eye-catching
new cover, and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of
Irish Fairy Tales is both modern and readable.
Prince Charming wants the wrong sister! CEO Alessandro's brand
needs an image overhaul and he's found the perfect influencer to
court. Only it's her plain, older stepsister Liane he can't stop
thinking about! Risking the scandal of a sizzling fling might be
worth it for a taste of the fairy tale... A royal scandal waiting
to happen! After Arielle saved Prince Eirik from drowning their
attraction was instant! Now Arielle faces the ultimate dilemma:
indulge their rare, irresistible connection, knowing her shocking
past could taint his royal future...or walk away?
The Algonquins, Iroquois, the legend of Hiawatha and The Last of
the Mohicans - the tribes of North America and their folk tales are
deeply fascinating because they are unique amongst the mythologies
of the world. The tribes were isolated from outside influence for
thousands of years and developed a fruitful, empathetic
relationship with their landscape, evolving a tradition that
respected and feared nature in equal measure. The retold tales
collected for this new book celebrate the diverse tribal vision of
a rich and powerful land that still resonates today. FLAME TREE
451: From mystery to crime, supernatural to horror and myth,
fantasy and science fiction, Flame Tree 451 offers a healthy diet
of werewolves and mechanical men, blood-lusty vampires, dastardly
villains, mad scientists, secret worlds, lost civilizations and
escapist fantasies. Discover a storehouse of tales gathered
specifically for the reader of the fantastic.
|
You may like...
Hera
Jennifer Saint
Paperback
R477
R436
Discovery Miles 4 360
The Moon Sister
Lucinda Riley
Paperback
(1)
R290
R262
Discovery Miles 2 620
Nettle & Bone
T. Kingfisher
Paperback
R506
R473
Discovery Miles 4 730
Herc
Phoenicia Rogerson
Paperback
R380
R322
Discovery Miles 3 220
Animal Farm
George Orwell
Hardcover
R645
Discovery Miles 6 450
The Heroines
Laura Shepperson
Paperback
R415
R351
Discovery Miles 3 510
|