3 Awesome Authors For The Mythology Fanatic

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Jasfiq Rahman
Apr 18, 2019   •  206 views

Do you love epic tales of heroism? Are you enticed by the meddling of gods and demons in human affairs? Tired of the mundane realities of everyday life and wish to take a journey into a world fantastic?

Perhaps you're just a bored bookworm looking for a good read? Or someone who wants to get into the fantasy genre?

Or maybe you just like dragons, I don't know.

If so, then join me in my journey to get acquainted with 3 of the best writers out there, and may our travels lead us to warm sands.

3. Amish Tripathi

Amish was an IIM (Kolkata) educated banker bored with his job. One day, he decided to pick up a pen, or more likely his laptop, and start writing.

Both his series have been smash hits and for good reason. For one, his approach is a very unique one, and very fresh to boot. His protagonists are household names throughout the subcontinent and have deep roots in the country's culture. He takes the greatest gods that Hinduism has to offer and portrays them as mortal men.

In this brilliant mix of historical fiction and fantasy, the gods are but humans who walked upon the Earth ages and ages hence. But so illustrious were they, and so enigmatic, that history forever remembered them as divine personas.

The first series, 'the Shiva trilogy' is a reimagination of one of the holy trinity of Hindu mythology. And the second series, 'the Ram Chandra series', is a reiteration of the Maryada Purushottam.

Though mortal they may be, Lord Shiva and Lord Ram are in no way mere men, and Amish impresses this fact brilliantly. They are however, inherently flawed, like all men are, and this builds an amazing relationship not only with all the other characters but with the readers themselves. This perfect concoction of the divine with the humane makes his books one of the best the genres has to offer and makes for a very interesting read if nothing else.

2. Rick Riordan

Let us take a detour from the myths of our nation, to unravel the other myths the world has to offer. And there is no better person to guide you in this journey than Rick Riordan.

Uncle Rick, as the Fandom lovingly calls him, was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas. He is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of over 20 young adult novels.

Want to meet Zeus, the lord the Universe and master of Lightning, or his Roman iteration, Jupiter? No, not the planet. Then how about his father and arch-nemesis, the titan Kronos, lord of Time? Or perhaps you're interested in hitching riding with a Pegasus over the New York skyline? Then the 'Percy Jackson' and 'Heroes of Olympus' series have got you converted. Based on the Greco-Roman pantheon, Percy Jackson was Riordan's first hit, and he hasn't looked back since.

And if you're not bored of these gods yet (which is never, by the way), then watch the god of the Sun, of Poetry and Prophecy, and so much more that it's enough to rival Mark Zuckerberg's resumé. Watch how Apollo learns to be a human, only to become a god again, in the 'Trials of Apollo', now at your nearest bookstore.

Next, on the list we have the god Ra for you to meet, lord of the Universe (again) and the god of the Sun and Order. Other than that, maybe his timeless enemy, the god of Chaos Apophis, whose serpentine form is larger than most skyscrapers, would be more interesting for you?

'The Kane Chronicles' will take you on a journey alongside Carter and Sadie Kane, as they unravel the mysteries of the Egyptian gods. And if that doesn't impress you, then they also have an albino crocodile called Philip of Macedonia, and a warrior Goddess as a pet. Yes, you read that right.

And our final stop is with the god of Thunder (yes, again), Thor. No, not Chris Hemsworth, this version Thor watches Breaking Bad on his hammer, the Mjolnir. Meet Magnus Chase, son of the God of peace and fertility, rain, and sunshine and all around wholesomeness, Frey. Accompany him and his trusty old talking sword, the Sumarbrander, also called Jack in an adventure spanning the Nine Realms. The 'Magnus Chase trilogy' much likes Rick's other works, will not let you down.

Rick's well-developed and quirky characters, his unique brand of humor, and his ability to mix the gods into modern life and society gives hi work a very distinct flavor. And once you've tasted it, you keep coming back for more.

1. J. R. R. Tolkien

You might've heard of G. R. R. Martin, the writer of Game of Thrones. Now meet the first master novelist with the initials 'R. R.' in his name, John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (pronounced tol-keen).

A writer, poet, philologist, and academic; Tolkien also served his nation during the First World War.

His works are well beyond a step beyond what we've seen so far. While Amish and Riordan used existing mythologies as a palette, Professor Tolkien went a step further, he created his own.

He is regarded as the Father of Modern Fantasy, and not without good reason. You might've come across terms like Elves, Dwarves or Orcs somewhere before. These mythical creatures are quite widespread these days, but these were all made famous, and some even created, by none other than Tolkien. He is said to have take inspirations from ancient British, and other European folklore and legends.

Complete with its own mythology, with its own history and heritage, its own cultures and its own set of myriad peoples, it's own geography and ecology, Tolkien created a world as expansive and thrilling as the one we live in, a world called Middle-Earth. And if he were alive till today, it wouldn't be surprising if his world proved more vibrant than our own.

His most popular work, the 'Lord of the Rings trilogy', is a celebrated epic in its own right. It's a story of the greatest of adversaries, of unwavering will, of chivalrous honor and of untainted love, between men and the world around them. The English world is divided into two parts, one which has read the Lord of the Rings, and one which hasn't. And this is in no way an exaggeration, just a simple fact.

'The Hobbit' and 'The Silmarillion' are other well-known works of the good Professor, and there are so many more, if only you're willing to unravel them.

If Amish is the nostalgia of your Mother's food which made up your childhood, and Riordan the fusion food that's all the craze these days, then Tolkien is a veritable festival in its own right, consisting not only of the foodstuffs but also dances and rituals and everything else. And like I mentioned already, this is no exaggeration.

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