Mythology

Ologies #5

by Dugald A. Steer, Hestia Evans (Psuedonym)

Presenting the newest discovery in the series with the Midas touch — a mythical exploration fit for the gods

In the early nineteenth century, an English nobleman embarked on a tour of the sites of ancient Greece. He brought as his guide a primer on Greek myths written by his friend Lady Hestia Evans, a devotee of Lord Byron who had recently taken the same voyage. In the true Romantic spirit, Lady Hestia’s book was not only lavishly illustrated but also boasted many paper crafts and novelties, including a card game featuring the twelve Olympians, an oak-leaf oracle of Zeus, a pop-up Pandora’s box (with hope still inside), a booklet retelling the tale of Odysseus, a piece of the Golden Fleece, a gold OBOLOS coin to pay the ferryman on the River Styx, and many more flaps, foldouts, and other surprises. The nobleman added his own witty comments and drawings along the way, but seems to have wished for something odd at the Delphic oracle: as the book nears its end, it slowly begins to turn . . .to gold. Now, for lovers of Greek myths and those just discovering their timeless power, this fascinating volume is faithfully reproduced with all its Romantic ambience, clever wit and novelty features intact.

Genres: Mythology, Fantasy, Greek Mythology, Fiction, Childrens, Reference, Picture Books

29 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Until recently, Dugald A. Steer worked as an author and editor at Templar Publishing. He is the writer behind Candlewick's widely acclaimed New York Times bestsellers, DRAGONOLOGY, THE DRAGONOLOGY HANDBOOK, and EGYPTOLOGY, as well as the forthcoming EGYPTOLOGY HANDBOOK. Dugald has now given up his editorial job to concentrate on writing full-time, especially more books with "ology" in the title. Dugald Steer lives near London and has far less free time than he imagined he would.

Pseudonyms:
Emily Sands
Lady Hestia Evans
Captain William Lubber
Professor Allen Gray
Sir Henry Hardcastle
Marshal Lancelot
Dr. Ernest Drake
Master Merlin

Reviews

[hala · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I was younger, I was obsessed with Greek mythology. I moved on for a time, but now the old obsession is back with a vengeance :)
Anyways, this book was great, because it told Greek myths and legends in a way that was understandable to my 9-year-old brain (that's about how old I was when I first read this book). And the pictures are cool :) Anyway, this is a very kid-friendly book, and for the younger readers out there, I recommend it. It might be too easy for older readers or people who know a lot about Greek mythology already. But I thought it was good.

[Melana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mythology by Lady Hestia Evans is about the myths of Greece. If you like Zeus and the myths of the golden fleece, then you should read this book. This book has life like things that can thouch as your touching the real things. There are games you can play and muck more. It is great for all ages but trust you have to believe to think its the real thing. So if you like greek mythologies then this the book for you.

[Lucinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story in the margins was actually interesting, and all the Greek mythology info was good. ^_^ A good book for children, as it doesn't speak down to them. ^_^

[Laura Bone]

I have always loved this series of books. I'm enjoying reading the ones I was not able to read as a child. It's a combination of nostalgia and discovery.

[Palinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

WL halu tiap event Big Bad Wolf di kota manapun. Sempet muncul di BBW Jakarta 2017 dengan stock melimpah. Udah pegang-pegang karena tertarik tapi malah nggak jadi dibeli. Terus nyesel. Terus meratapi penyesalan berlarut-larut LOL. Sampai akhirnya nyerah dan mikir yaudah lah emang bukan rezekinya abis di Peri+ harganya nggak murah sih dan kalo beli bekas dr LN jg males nunggunya. Setelah nggak pake wanting, akhirnya buku ini muncul di BBW Kuala Lumpur 2019. What a beautiful surprise! Thank you Mbak Ella yang selalu inget WL haluku :)

Isi bukunya beda dengan yang Mythology Handbook. Tapi informasinya masih sama. Nggak nyesel deh koleksi Ology Series!

[Sidney (aka Sidsbooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so fucking epic and intriguing the entire way through. I absolutely loved reading it alongside my current read, the first book in the Percy Jackson series, The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan. How awesome is greek mythology !!!

[Jorge Criado · Rating 5 out of 5]

Una bonita manera de iniciarse en la mitología griega. Como es lógico, no profundiza mucho, pero lo suple de sobra con su presentación, ilustraciones y contenido, presentado de forma muy amena.

[Kyla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good introduction to Greek mythology for kids. It surprisingly manages to tell the ancient stories without sharing gruesome details from wars or sexual details as in Hephaestus’ trick on Aphrodite and Ares.
I’m kind of disappointed because I got this book used and every single removable piece which is supposed to be kept inside the little envelopes is missing. Even the golden quill in the back of the book is missing. I wish that it at least included the 13 knowledge cards of the gods, but, alas, it doesn’t. Lesson learned. Don’t get a book with removable pieces used.

[Jenks · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent series. These books have caused bickering in the family fighting over which copies belong to who because they are so good. The layout of the book is brilliant the notes the images etc are so intriguing for children and teaches them whilst being enjoyable !

[Misbah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Basic info on Greek mythology, a rundown of their gods, beliefs etc.

I always thought Zeus was their ultimate god, the first one in the series but turns out they believed in a big bang that created all these other gods way before Zeus.

Will definitely read more

[Some Guy Who Writes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book started doing something which was a little unique for the series. The main book itself was an eductional account/field guide to the topic, however, supplementary material was added which told a story about a protagonist who recieved a copy of the said book in-universe. It makes the book twice as exiting as an interesting narrative is formed, tying into itself the information presented to us in the real book.

In this case the book itself is an illustrated guide through gods, heroes and monsters of Greek mythology, from the almighty Zeus to the creeping gorgons, with a plethora of fun retellings of famous myths with fun twists the series is known for. The side story recored on it's margins, however, is a cautionary tale of an archeologist who recieved a copy from the book's in-universe author, Lady Hestia Ewans, to serve as a field guide on his voyage through Greece collecting artifacts for a newly established archeological museum. He's driven mad with suspicion and indeed starts to believe in the stories of Greek mythology, ending in a tragic manner.

If you're fascinated by archeology, Greek history, culture and mythology, this book will certainly provide some neat insights into these topics. It's not a particularly detaild read, but as someone who reads everything and anything mythology related, I was ok with information provided, and even learned some new things upon first reading them. It reminded me quite a lot of Egyptology, with it's combination of supernatural, mythologycal and historical educational elements, tied together with a cohesive narrative story.

[Siri Olsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the original Danish translation of this book, published in the early 2000's. As with Dragonology, Mythology has a very appealing format with many beautiful illustrations and small "samples" of things to touch and interact with. The book provides an introduction to the most important Gods, Goddesses, creatures, and heroes of Greek mythology, but it also details the exploits of a Victorian treasure-seeker travelling to Greece in search of antiquities. The book is intended for a younger audience, meaning that the subject matter is only superficially explored, but it's an enjoyable read with a lot of entertaining tidbits of information and activities with which to engage. Overall, while I personally preferred Dragonology to Mythology, I would recommend Mythology to the young and young at heart with an interest in the Greek myths.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always had a real love of Greek mythology. As a kid I saw this in a bookstore and immediately nagged my dad to buy it for me, despite the fact that the last copy in the store was pretty battered and I'm very particular about my books being in pristine quality. That was how much I wanted this book.

I read it and was not disappointed. This is one of my favourite books in the Ology series. It's very engaging and the information is presented in a fun way. I definitely recommend this to kids with a love of mythology or even just a thirst for information.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I was a kid, this book captured my imagination even more than its sister book, Egyptology. I liked all of the cool mythology stuff in it, which seemed more accurate than other books like Percy Jackson. There were some interesting fake artifacts to play with in this book, and when it started turning to gold at the end with the Midas Touch, it scared me to pieces.

[Isobel · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent collection of Greek myths to excite children's imagination. This book would be good for a teacher to read to her class during a history lesson, they could discuss with the children what the ancient Greek believed.

[Lydia Randewijk · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best holiday-buys ever. Kept me entertained for years, reading and re-reading. Many of the stories I remember to this day. I was so disappointed to have sold it that I recently bought it again. Love this book!

[Daniel Bruce · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book for Greek Mythology lovers! The material in the books are very entertaining. There's a Pop-Up of Pandora's Box, the Labyrinth, a game to play with friends and family, and many other things to do!

[MegaBiblion MegaKalon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was pleasantly surprised during my own visit to Greece as a college student that I, too, gained the power to turn things into gold and then petrified myself as an allegory for hubris and greed. Very accurate book

[Lia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfecto 😍

[Plebiscite · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Sebastian · Rating 4 out of 5]

TONS of info.
You’ll like it if you already know a decent amount about Greek Myths.
Or if you’re like me...😶😶😶

(Kidding...)

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

So fun. I don't care if this is a children's book. Enjoying the cute accesories along the reading. Love to see the illustrations, maps, and other cute details together.

[Ludor · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fun book, some appropriately censored mythology (it's meant for age 6 and up), and a mystery that I'm sure would be much more surprising to young readers.

[Susan Liston · Rating 4 out of 5]

These Candlewick press books are cool, beautifully done and full of fun little tidbits. I would have loved these as a child, obviously I bought this, so I still do.

[Shaina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super fun book, my only wish is they would have gone more in-depth with the stories. A great introduction to Greek mythology.

[Silvia Brusadelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Molto bello

[Diego Alessandro Lopez Ramirez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cut up every single little illustration and poster and pop up in this and taped it to my walls when I was 10

[Katie]

A childhood favourite!

[herzenti · Rating 5 out of 5]

🇬🇷🗡️🐲

[ampi · Rating 5 out of 5]

el libro más visualmente hermoso que leí en mi vida y la cantidad de detallitos 😭😭😭😭