Apophenia: Myths, Tales and Legends from an Imaginary World

by Yanko Tsvetkov, Alphadesigner (Illustrator)

A genre-bending short story cycle inspired by classical mythology and folk tales from around the world.

Best-selling author and cosmopolitan mythographer Yanko Tsvetkov effortlessly subverts classical narratives about psychotic messiahs and damsels in distress, only to reinvent them as postmodern meta-myths about gender-fluid deities that not only struggle to control, but are often trapped within their own amusing creations.

Half psychedelic romance and half political satire, Apophenia will immerse you into an eclectic universe of parallel worlds and competing pantheons that defy the expectations of the most adventurous readers.

This extended edition combines the previously published volumes Sex Drugs and Tales of Wonder and Codex Hyperboreanus along with thirteen brand new tales from yet another, previously unexplored corner of the Apophenia universe—the village of Caudilla and its hypnotic wheat fields, grumpy olive trees, and bulls that lay golden eggs.

Genres: Fantasy, Mythology, Fairy Tales, Short Stories

252 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 9, 2022

About the author

Yanko Tsvetkov is a Bulgarian-born interdisciplinary artist who lives in Spain, writes in English, and publishes books in France, Germany, Russia, Italy, Turkey, China, and South Korea. He has visited several continents, traversed thick jungles, picnicked in scorching deserts, and booked a few taxis in crowded metropolises. He leads a second life as a caped superhero who fights prejudice with his giant laser.

Reviews

[Audrey Buckhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the first book from these series years ago and I was delighted. It was an eclectic collection of stories that blended well with each other in tone and subject. A while after that I read the second volume, which had a similar but grander concept, with much longer stories. This edition combines both of these volumes and adds brand new material. I assumed the new stories would be even longer but actually, the author chose the opposite direction. Some of them are just a page long and feel like flash fiction. There's an Extras section with information about the world, separated in categories.

All in all, it's a great edition that combines everything from the series in a format that's physically larger than the single volumes. The additional content is really worth it, especially the whimsical maps and illustrations. It's a pretty unique and very beautiful book that I recommended to everyone who likes fantasy.

[Salim Almaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short stories with an epic scope and a truly unique worldbuilding!

[Nora Staal · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a free copy of the Kindle book from a Goodreads Giveaway. I tried to read this book, I really did. I thought it would be fun. I even tried again weeks later after I didn’t get very far the first time. Anyone who uses “curvaceous” that many times in the first few pages just lacks the vocabulary for truly creative or imaginative writing. I just couldn’t keep going. I felt like the author was trying too hard and it felt like an effort to keep going. I suspect his sense of humor would work well for someone else but just not for me.

[Antonio · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have followed this series from the very beginning and it's absolutely amazing how much it has grown. The imagination of the author is endless and there are so many worlds to explore. And finally the book has a map! This is a great edition and I hope it's not the last!