Fantasy books certainly don't need any mythical creatures thrown into the mix, but doesn't it make it that bit more fun? My first published book with mythical creatures was Unicorns Rule. And, you guessed it, was about unicorns! It followed characters that I had invented back when I was in primary school, but I changed the story since then to make it (what I considered) better. When writing my unicorn character, I was carefully to keep to older myths and legends. None of that pooping rainbow rubbish! As always, I imagined what I would have wanted to read when I was younger. I design the books for a younger me, knowing that if I would have liked it, then there will be other children who enjoyed it too. The levellan, a very localised mythical creature, formed the basis for a story I wrote and serialised for my class in Lockdown. Check local stories to see if there is a creature you could use in your book. Other mythical creatures include the Nemean Lion (my own take on the lion ...
Today was supposed to be a book review day, but with everything that is currently needing attention, I haven't got round to reading my backlist yet and, rather than skim read one of the books, I would rather do it the credit of giving my full attention.
So, I thought, that I would introduce my favourite book from when I was little.
The Moon of Gomrath is a fantasy adventure, which I partially credit with my love of the genre. It is heavily woven with myths and legends from rural England and, while I grew up many miles away from Alderley Edge where the book is set, I could imagine the story happening close to where I lived in another corner of the English countryside.
The book is actually the sequel to The Weirdstone of Brisingamen but I read them out of sync, and it didn't matter. Sure, there were parts that made more sense once I'd read the first book, but I managed well enough. The first book is great, too, but I don't have the same attachment to it.
There are mythical races like elves, and strong link with the Arthurian legends without the need to bring King Arthur back from the dead, and magic... so much magic. What's not to love?
If anyone's looking for a gripping adventure, you can't go wrong with this book!
*** This blog comes with a caveat. Don't read the third book in the series which was written many years later for adults, and is akin to Andrew Lloyd Webber writing a rubbish sequel to Phantom of the Opera.
Alan Garner... it is amazing how all of that masterful worldbuilding can come crashing down so easily. My advice is to do what most readers of the first two books did, and pretend the third doesn't exist. ***
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