Are you a big fan of Rick Riordan? The Olympians? The Gods of Asgard and Egypt? Can you just not get enough of epic fantasy series based on ancient mythologies?
Well, you're not alone! Mythological Fantasies have always been popular and continue to be so today thanks to awesome authors like Mr. Riordan himself!
But did you know that there's so many more mythologies and folklores to explore than those of Greece/Rome, Egypt, and Scandinavia? There's a WHOLE WORLD of awesome mythologies out there and there are lots of authors writing awesome books that tell those tales. Today I'm going to share some of those authors and titles with you so get your to-be-read list ready!
First of all, we need to talk about a small and recent imprint of Disney-Hyperion Publishing:
Rick Riordan and his editor; Stephanie Lurie has joined forces to publish and promote Middle Grade (ages 9-12) fantasy and sci-fi novels with the goal of publishing authors from underrepresented cultures and backgrounds. In alignment with the #OwnVoices movement Rick Riordan Presents aim to give these authors the space to tell their own stories inspired by the mythology and folklore of their own heritage.
Among others, Rick Riordan Presents has worked with diverse authors to publish the following mythological fantasy series:
The Pandava Series by Roshani Chokshi
Mythology - The Mahābhārata epic of ancient India
- Aru Shah and the End of Time
- Aru Shah and the Song of Death
- Aru Shah and the Tree of Wishes
- Aru Shah and the City of Gold
The Storm Runner Series by Jennifer Cervantes
Mythology - The Mayan Gods of Central and South America
The Thousand Worlds Series by Yoon Ha Lee
Mythology - Korean
- Dragon Pearl
- Tiger Honor (coming in 2022)
The Tristan Strong Series by Kwame Mbalia
Mythology - Black American Folklore & Ashanti African
- Tristan Strong Punches A Hole In The Sky
- Tristan Strong Destroys The World
- Tristan Strong Keeps Punching (coming October 2021)
The Paola Santiago Series by Tehlor Kay Mejia
Mythology - Mexican Folklore
The Sikander Aziz Series by Sarwat Chadda
Mythology - Mesopotamian
(More Titles in this Series to Come)
But just so you know, while it's awesome to have a publisher putting out nothing but Mythological Fantasies, you don't want to box yourself in! There are lots of others publishers releasing this awsome genre of books too.
These are some great series based on unique mythologies that are not Rick Riordan Presents titles/authors.
The Love Sugar Magic Series by Anna Meriano
A Mexican American girl discovers her family of gifted bakers are all also talented brujas (witches) in this cozy pastry-infused fantasy. Start with A Dash of Trouble!
The Gauntlet Series by Karuna Riazi
Bangladeshi Farah and her two best friends are sucked into a mechanical board game and forced to defeat its diabolical architect in order to free themselves. Start with The Gauntlet!
The Dragon Warrior Series by Katie Zhao
Twelve-year-old Jade Society member Faryn Liu may be destined to command the Jade Emperor's army of demon-fighting dragons, but first she must complete a daring quest across San Francisco's Chinatown before the Lunar New Year. Start with The Dragon Warrior!
The Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond Series by Sayantani DasGupta
When a rakkhosh demon attacks her family on the morning of her 12th birthday, Kiranmala discovers that her parents' fantastical stories about their ties to royalty are true and is whisked away by two crush-worthy princes to a parallel dimension filled with magic, winged horses, moving maps and talking birds. East Indian mythology abounds. Start with The Serpent's Secret!
The Girl Giant Series by Văn Hoàng
Vietnamese Thom Ngho is keeping a secret: she’s strong. Freakishly strong. And it’s making it impossible for her to fit in at her new middle school. In a desperate bid to get rid of her super strength, Thom makes a deal with the Monkey King, a powerful deity and legendary trickster. Start with Girl Giant and the Monkey King and get ready for the sequel coming December 2021!
The Misewa Saga by David Robertson
Morgan and Eli, two Indigenous children forced away from their families and communities, are brought together in a foster home in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They each feel disconnected, from their culture and each other, and struggle to fit in at school and at their new home -- until they find a secret place, walled off in an unfinished attic bedroom. Start with The Barren Grounds and look forward to more titles in the future!
The Supernatural Investigations Series by B.B. Alston
Thirteen-year-old Amari, a poor Black girl from the projects, gets an invitation from her missing brother to join the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs and join in the fight against an evil magician. Start with 2021's Amari and the Night Brothers and look forward to more titles in the future!