Gods, Heroes and Monsters: Myths and Legends from Around the World

by Mark Daniels

Gods, Heroes and Monsters retells the ancient stories from around the world, which have been passed down by generation after generation of storytellers, each bringing a clearer understanding of life’s biggest questions.Since the dawn of communication, humankind has looked around itself and used myths and legends to make sense of the world. Imaginative tales of goddesses, heroes, villains and beasts bring understanding to the biggest questions in Who made the world? What happens when we die? Where did we come from? How should we live our lives?Gods, Heroes and Monsters invites you to take your place at the campfire that’s been glowing since the first tale was told. Featuring myths and legends from around the world, discover the fascinating variety – and several surprising similarities – of the stories that have been shared for millennia, from one person to another, one lesson at a time.Discover ancient stories on love, death, monsters and spirits and listen to tales of love, revenge and war between the pantheon of gods. Hear the tales of ordinary men and women who have stepped up and overcome life-threatening challenges, from Mulan to Hercules.

Genres: Audiobook, Nonfiction, Mythology, Retellings

193 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 9, 2024

Reviews

[Cherie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was hoping to read more "around the world" stories like Ometecuhtli and Omecíhuatl who created the Sky and Earth in Mexica myths, the Navajo Skin Walker monster, Tore who created the first human in the belief of the Efé peoples of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Instead, I heard about Hercules, Thisbi and Pyramus, Persephone, and her mother, Demeter. The book mentioned the Metomorphoses story multiple times. It just wasn't very original for a non-fiction about gods, myths, and monsters 'around the world.'

[Amber Saleemi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this! I've only ever really read Greek/Roman/Egyption/Norse Mythologys (Big up Rick Riordan), but it was nice to read some different ones! Like Rama and Sita from Indian mythology and the Monkey King from China. It was all written very well, with short and sweet stories, so they were easy to read!

[HeeHee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice and casual read, I had fun learning about new myths and cultures. Sometimes the stories were a bit short with a lot of edited out for brevity's sake which is a bit of a pity. Also could have been a little more diverse, I don't think eg the story of Hercules or Persephone should be in here. But it's a fun intro to different mythologies

[Scott Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

A collection of story stories and legends and tales from around the world that shaped modern societal norms and practices. A great read if you would like to learn about the past and our imagination on how the world began and came to be.

[Lisa Grønsund]

I received an advanced digital copy of this book, courtesy of the author and publisher, via Netgalley, for review consideration.

RTC

[Lyndsay Harwood · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quick overview of various myths and stories from across the world. Interesting to know more about the basis of many of our modern day stories.. but probably would be worth it to just read them.

[Lea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leuk, maar had eigenlijk minder verhalen gewild met meer details

[Carolina · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 ⭐

[BloodyPeach_ · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was okay until he credited the Caribbean instead of Akans of Ghana, Africa for the Anansi folklore. A simple google search would have confirmed this. The stories originated from West Africa to the Caribbean and other areas during the slave trade.

This made me feel doubtful of the credibility of the book. It would have been good to give it better context like the other stories.

[Theediscerning · Rating 3 out of 5]

Come here for a host of snap-shots of the world's thinking, as we gander everywhere and across time, from creation myths to the end of it all. Well, that's not true, for we start with Ragnarok, which – while based in part on the first steps of the Norse myth is very much about the end and re-beginning. Next it's to the Popol Vuh and the faltering attempts of the creator gods to get humans right. Before we come back to the early days – the flood of Gilgamesh – we encounter dramatic monsters, daring lovers with holes in walls (don't ask auntie google on that one) and Herculean labours. We see how the Roman lore was a fire stoked by Greek myth, and how some of these stories must have come about because of a certain daring spider.

The book is great at editorialising about the tales – giving the context, the references we need to understand when and how these works were first brought to life. It's less wonderful at telling the stories, which too often seemed to be in the same voice – a touch awkward with, for example, the Dreamtime, as we see the Australian creation myths briefly, before dropping out into something less narrative and more discursive. Ragnarok is bluntly the seer's report of it all, and not even a word is given about how Odin then spent his life ignoring the prophecy's set-in-stoneness and his efforts to cancel the future it set out for him. Orpheus' story breaks off at a mid-point to discuss why Ovid made sure to tell us he likes boys when he couldn't have his wife.

But this wasn't ever likely to be the most flowing volume ever, patchily taking us from this legend and that founding myth to that dramatic quest. And nothing is done particularly badly, either. This kind of book has been done for decades – I am sure I would have seen some way back when I was at school – and here, pitched at the young teen, and certainly made a strong PG by some activities of a certain Cyclops – this example is not too shabby at all. I did think, as I say, a touch more storyteller could have come in here to differentiate the stories from the context, but this has to be a decent three and a half stars.

[B.S. Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautiful collection of ancient stories from all around the world, stories that have been passed down through generations by word of mouth, song, writing and still survive to this day.

So if you love the folklore, myths and legends of days gone by you will love this collection of tales from that spans time, cultures and continents and curates some of the most historically significant stories that all attempt to answer very human questions; where did the world come from? What happens after we die? Are there Gods, trickers, and monsters? What drives us to go to war?

Along with some beautiful illustrations and a very accessible layout and an understandable way of retelling the stories in a quick, campfire story style that might not have the detail you’re used to in fiction, but tells us all we need to know about legendary stories while staying as true as possible to original references and also providing some factual context around the story and it’s origin. This was so much fun to read with plenty of stories I was already familiar with and some new ones I got to experience for the first time.

History lovers, mythology lovers and just all round story lovers definitely should check this out!

[Gabriella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe I’m feeling nice but this is really cute. It has a nice mix of myths that I’ve never heard of and a few I have. The introduction to each section makes it very easy to get into and would be a really enjoyable intro for people who like mythologies and never truly went full (insert time period) gay.

[Keith Good · Rating 3 out of 5]

A brief look at myth across cultures. I'm unsure of the target audience, but the surface-level telling of the various myths felt lacking, especially those stories such as Aboriginal and Native American that get less attention elsewhere. Would be a very good mythic primer, though, for a tween or teen audience.

[Kimberly Wyatt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love mythology. Some of the stories I had already heard, but in different tellings. I love all the different ways the tellings of the Gods have been passed down. I love how each culture has such similar stories. I recommend this if you want a short, interesting read on different mythology tellings from different countries.

[Kaitlyn Bass · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️. i liked it enough. short & sweet & to the point which i appreciate. i was surprised at what knowledge i already had of many myths & legends that i didn’t even realize. it was a good overview but not if you’re looking for something very detailed & in depth.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Accessible, witty and enjoyable exploration of world myths. Interesting and diverse selection included with the choice to sort by theme rather than area/culture beneficial. Detail is balanced well with summary - would be fascinating to see what Daniels does with more pages and time. Very enjoyable.

[Cortney Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

I felt like someone was reading stories to me (they were) and that was enjoyable. It was also neat to learn about how stories are passed down as well as the connectedness between many of them.

[Tom McGlynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great little compilation of mythological stories from around the world. Descriptive and readable.

[Brittany Hitchcock · Rating 2 out of 5]

I expected the storytelling to be a bit more...story-like? A bit disappointed by this read.

[Zara Barnes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy read informative without being heavy

[Tom Green · Rating 3 out of 5]

it’s fun, not very long or detailed