Stealing Fire from the Gods: The Complete Guide to Story for Writers and Filmmakers

by James Bonnet

A revised and expanded sequel to Stealing Fire from the Gods, this 2nd edition includes important new revelations concerning the ultimate source of unity, the structures of the whole story passage, the anti-hero's journey, the high-concept great idea, the secrets of charismatic characters, and the analyses of many important new stories and successful films.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Film, Mythology, Crafts

269 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1999

Reviews

[Rebecca]

I found this book to be half-finished. Bonnet would set up this great thesis, and then get distracted by something shiny early in his explaining. Despite the fact I took several notes, I feel like I actually got very little from the book (and this will probably show when I go to reflect on the notes and shamelessly delete the vast majority of them).

If you're just learning to craft a story, this might help you think about structure and archetypes, but you're better off going straight to mythology and classical books.

[Michael]

If you are going to read one book on writing this is it.

[Brian Ging]

Bonnet's work is absolute genius. I have always had this burning conviction inside myself as a writer to tell the TRUTH. To pull realism from the aspects I see in life and craft my characters to be real and true and human. I knew I had an even more important goal to achieve as a storyteller, but I couldn't put my finger on it. When watching films that had it, I of course could point it's quality out, but I did not know how those film's invisibly touched me. Unlike most films, I related to these few great ones somehow and "got" what the filmmaker's were trying to say in such a way that they moved me. But why?

I read the first ten pages of Stealing Fire in a bookstore, and my jaw dropped..... This was it!!!! This is what I've been working toward in all my stories. This is the REAL truth. Bonnet has shown me how I always wanted to tell stories and gave me the easy ways to break them down into the blocks necessary to build them. The secrets to those movies I'd see that touched me, are no longer invisible and I understand them now. This story model literally breaks down any story and helps you understand the energies at work, and when applied to your own storys, it helps act as your compass to tell you what is working and what is not genuine. .

This book has taught me that to be a Great Writer, I need to teach my audience the ancient lessons I have learned in my life, and enlighten them as I would a friend. The Great Stories are how we've always shared this wisdom and how we evolve as humanity. Fascinating!!!!

[Abner Rosenweig]

This book contains some of the best explanations of what story is and why it matters. Writing books like this, the kind that give insight into the nature of myth, psychology, and the meaning of narrative and life itself, are most helpful to me as a writer and most deeply satisfying to me personally. Through my own reading of Jung, Campbell, Vogler, and countless other usual and unusual suspects, in addition to my own thinking, I have reached some similar conclusions, but Bonnet lucidly articulates the material and offers some strikingly original revelations of his own. At times I felt the book was trying to do too much and it became bogged down, splintered, fragmented, and overly prescriptive in its attempt to be so comprehensive. It also superficially retreads some familiar ground covered by Campbell and Vogler, detracting from the book's own unique insight. Despite these minor frustrations, this is a fantastic book that, like Ariadne's thread, guides the reader through the labyrinth of story. An essential addition to the library of every serious storyteller.

[Ke]

Although I am aware that the message of most writing guides is that the writer should spend time writing instead of reading these said guides, I found this book helpful because it helped me to think of stories from a writer's perspective instead of an academic one.

[Arend Anton]

Recommended if you're currently writing, or even planning to write, a screenplay. The ideas presented in this book force you to think about the motivations of your characters, and the events that spur them to take action.

[Kara Jensen]

This book is not just a peek behind the curtain of good writing and filmmaking. After reading, there is no curtain. Life is different, and my priorities have changed.

Welcome to the modern aged bible...yeahhhh I said it ;)

[Luke]

I can't tell whether this book is pure genius or an overly convoluted rehash of the obvious. I suppose I better read it again - because one thing is certain, the author has spent decades studying great stories and he's certain that has has them fully worked out.

[Sai]

amazing

[Therese Gilardi]

another contribution from the world of film. i love the straight talk in this book, and the easy to understand examples.

[Brian Callahan]

The author does a very good job describing the structure of stories. He is not just describing stories but life itself.

[Debby Zigenis-Lowery]

A useful addition to the canon on story structure and the hero's journey.

[Steve Bishop]

Mind blowing. It's all so clear now!

[Conrad Zero]

Weapons grade writing wisdom. A must read for storytellers of all mediums.

[Tom Weissmuller]

Must read. Period.

[Stephen Simpson]

Although this book claims to be offering up various "insights" about writing, I found nothing new here. Sure, if this is the first or only book you've read about mythopoeia, story structure, and similar topics, maybe it will be new to you, but there's nothing here that isn't in many other books (or in jr high, high school, and/or college English classes).

[Taylor Napolsky]

This one is tough. I took away so many things from it! Learned a lot.

[Peggy Bechko]

A good book, an excellent book in fact when it comes to content. Much wisdom for the new and established writer. Food for thought and to initiate new ideas.

However, the reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is reader beware. It can get very dense in places and even dry to read. Still, very much worth rereading sections and pushing through.

[Carole]

I gave it a 4 for content; I would give it a 3 for presentation. Definitely could have used an editor. I get frustrated when writers, particularly those telling others how to write do not know when to use ",which" and "that".

[Imran]

amazing!

[Daftwullie]

I still don't think it's definitive, but he uses Campbell and McKee, etc. well. And what he says against the three act structure is interesting.

[Brian Laliberte]

Another excellent source of inspiration and methodology for creating memorable stories.

[Paul]

Recommended in A Whole New Mind

[Adriana Iris Boatwright]

Inspirational and honest.

[Gisele Thomson]

This is a great book to give you an overview of the meta aspects of story telling and story craft. Bonnet's presentation and explanation of the Golden Paradigm (story wheel) makes sense and helps inform you as a creator about the kind of focus your story has. This was one of the first books I read some 4 years ago when I started my journey to understand and internalize the crafting of compelling stories. It's the kind of book you read over and over again as you progress in your development as a storyteller, as the insights seem to unfold for you precisely where you are at and what you need in your development in that moment in time.