A Mythic Fiction Reading List

The field of mythic fiction consists of contemporary works that draw on the timeless themes and symbolism of world mythology, medieval romance, folklore, fairy tales, and the oral stoytelling tradition. Mythic fiction is set in the modern (or historical world), not in a far–off Nevernever land. But it portrays a world infused with mythic archetypes, mystery, and magic. Works of mythic fiction can be found on the mainstream fiction shelves in the form of magic realism and surrealism, as well as in genre fiction, Young Adult fiction, and other parts of the bookstore.

The prevalence of mythic fiction today is due, we believe, to several factors: the influence of Latin American magical realism, the renaissance of adult fairy literature fostered by feminist writers such as Angela Carter and Anne Sexton, a re–awakening of interest in world mythology due to the works of Joseph Campbell and other scholars, and a decrease of cultural prejudice against nonrealist forms of storytelling in generations weaned on C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and J.K. Rowling.

The following list contains 100 fine novels by 100 fine writers of contemporary mythic fiction. The books on our list range from charming, entertaining confections to powerful novels that rank among the best works of modern literature. The authors on our list range from promising first novelists to modern masters of mythic fiction. For more information, the title link will take you to the book's page on Amazon. (Please bear in mind that if you purchase a book through these links, a portion of the money you pay will be donated to our children's charity.)

For recommendations for younger readers, see Mythic Fiction for Young Adults by Julie Bartel.

Kathleen Alcala, Spirits of the Ordinary Isabel Allende, The House of the Spirits Kim Antieau, Coyote Cowgirl Kate Atkinson, Human Croquet A.A. Attanasio, The Moon's Wife  Peter S. Beagle, A Fine and Private Place Judith Berman, Bear Daughter James P. Blaylock, Winter Tides Richard Bowes, Minions of the Moon Paul Brandon, Swim the Moon Kevin Brockmeier, The Truth About Celia Judy Budnitz, If I Told You Once Jack Cady, The Off Season Angela Carter, Nights at the Circus Ana Castillo, So Far From God Michael Chabon, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay (winner of the Pulitzer Prize) Vikram Chandra, Red Earth and Pouring Rain Susanna Clarke, Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell (winner of the World Fantasy Award and the Mythopoeic Award) Rick Collignon, The Journal of Antonio Montoya John Crowley, Little, Big (winner of the World Fantasy Award and the Mythopoeic Award) Achmat Dangor, Kafka's Curse Catherine Temma Davidson, The Priest Fainted Gail Anderson–Dargatz, The Cure for Death by Lightning Kathryn Davis, The Thin Place Marele Day, The Lambs of God Seamus Deane, Reading in the Dark Louis de Bernieres, The War of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts Charles de Lint, Someplace to Be Flying Bradley Denton, Lunatics Lilas Desquiron, Reflections of Loko Miwa Chitra Bannerjee Divakaruni, Mistress of Spices Keith Donohue, The Stolen Child Marcia Douglas, Madame Fate Louise Erdrich, The Antelope Wife (winner of the World Fantasy Award) Laura Esquivel, Like Water for Chocolate Sia Fiegel, They Who Do Not Grieve Heinz Insu Fenkl, Memories of My Ghost Brother Karen Joy Fowler, Sarah Canary Jeffery Ford, The Girl in the Glass Neil Gaiman, Anansi Boys Alan Garner, Strandloper Molly Gloss, Wild Life (winner of the Tiptree Award) Lisa Goldstein, Tourists Hiromi Goto, The Kappa Child (winner of the Tiptree Award) Richard Grant, Tex and Molly in the Afterlife Brian Hall, The Saskiad Elizabeth Hand, Mortal Love Joanne Harris, Chocolat Peter Hoeg, The History of Danish Dreams Alice Hoffman, The Ice Queen Nina Kiriki Hoffman, A Fistful of Sky Linda Hogan, Power Robert Holdstock, Mythago Wood Nalo Hopkinson, The Salt Roads Janette Turner Hospital, Last Magician Keri Hulme, The Bone People (winner of the Booker Prize) Graham Joyce, The Facts of Life (winner of the World Fantasy Award) Thomas King, Green Grass, Running Water Elizabeth Knox, The Vintner's Luck Larissa Lai, When Fox is a Thousand Megan Lindholm, Cloven Hooves Rob Levandoski, Fresh Eggs Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Love in the Time of Cholera Regina McBride, The Nature of Water and Air Patricia A. McKillip, Stepping From the Shadows Nega Mezleki, The God Who Begat a Jackal Ib Michael, Prince Steven Millhauser, Martin Dressler N. Scott Momaday, The Ancient Child Christopher Moore, Coyote Blue Pat Mora, House of Houses Haruki Murakami, Kafka on the Shore Lilian Nattel, The River Midnight Ben Okri, The Famished Road (winner of the Booker Prize) Louis Owens, Bone Game Gisèle Pineau, The Drifting of Spirits Susan Power, The Grass Dancer Tim Powers, Last Call Eden Robinson, Monkey Beach Matt Ruff, Fool on the Hill Salman Rushdie, The Satanic Verses (winner of the Booker Prize) Geoff Ryman, Was Rafik Schami, Damascus Nights Han Shaogong, Dictionary of Maqiao Steven Sherrill, The Minotaur Takes a Cigarette Break Will Shetterly, Dogland Leslie Marmon Silko, Almanac of the Dead Carol Ann Sima, The Mermaid Who Came Between Them Johanna Sinsalo, Troll, A Love Story (winner of the Tiptree Award) Nancy Springer, The Blind God is Watching Sean Stewart, Mockingbird Amy Tan, The Hundred Secret Senses Amos Tutuola, The Palmwine Drinkard and My Life in the Bush of Ghosts Jane Urqhart, Away Luis Alberto Urrea, The Hummingbird's Daughter Catherynne M. Valenta, Yume No Hon: The Book of Dreams Alfredo Vea Jr., La Marravilla Jeanette Winterson, Sexing the Cherry Gao Xinghian, Soul Mountain Mia Yun, House of the Winds

Art: "Merlin Beguiled" by Sir Edward Burne-Jones, 1874.