Reflections on Myth and Media
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Shadows of Legend: Sifting Bones of Myth from the Grishaverse, Part 1
Considering the popularity of Netflix’s new Shadow and Bone series, I thought it might be interesting to talk about the Grishaverse. For those not familiar with the term, the Grishaverse is a fantasy world where some people—Grisha—are born with the ability to manipulate parts of the physical world, including air, iron, shadows, and light. Leigh… Read more
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Liebster Award from Nicole
I received a Liebster Award nomination from Nicole! If you’re not familiar with her site, Nicole’s Book Thoughts, head on over and check it out! Nicole reviews a nice variety of books, managing to give key details for those wondering if a book is right for them while still avoiding or clearly marking any major… Read more
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Steady Light, Many Names: Five Faces of Venus
After several months as the Morning Star, Venus has returned to the twilight side. It’s still low in the Northern Hemisphere sky, but you might be able to catch a glimpse near sunset. Back when I kept a star journal, this bright light was one of the first I learned to identify and track. It… Read more
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Quarterly Bestiary: Trolls: From Hostile Magic to Lovable Goofs
Let’s talk about trolls. No, not the online hater type; it’s the original ones from mythology I want to cover today. You probably have your own go-to image of a troll, whether it’s big or small, deadly or cuddly. Yet the name has been applied to a surprising range of creatures, mostly from Scandinavian mythology.… Read more
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Hey, Tolkien, Where’d You Get Those Elves? Part 2: Build an Elf
The road goes ever on…especially when you dig into the origin of Tolkien’s Elves! At this point, I’ve pretty much concluded that there is no single model for the Elves of Middle-earth, but rather that Tolkien incorporated bits and pieces from a variety of influences. And some elements, of course, were original inventions. In Part… Read more
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Hey, Tolkien, Where’d You Get Those Elves? Part 1: Stars and Swans
J. R.R. Tolkien’s tales of Middle-earth have had a profound impact on the fantasy genre, especially his Elves. Rather than the tiny, mischievous sprites found in cookie commercials and some children’s media, his Elves are near human-sized. Immortal and possessing an ethereal beauty, they are generally shown as wiser, more sensitive, and more in-tune with… Read more
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March 2021 Updates
Spring is here! I hope all of you are getting a chance to enjoy some sign of new life and returning light. I’ll admit my hay-fever gives me mixed feelings about spring flowers, but so far things haven’t been so bad. I even got to enjoy some lovely spring rain, which tends to put me… Read more
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Of Cu Chulain and Cowboys: Reflections on an Irish Epic and Westerns
It’s the week of St. Patrick’s Day, which means it’s time for an Irish-themed post! I’m part Irish and feel a strong connection to that heritage. So every March, I’ll be covering a topic related to Irish mythology, history, or media—or even all three. Erin go bragh! What would you do for a cow? Probably… Read more
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Red Thread Reblog: Oh, Maya Gods! — VoVatia
Welcome to Red Thread Reblog, a feature that pairs a post about media inspired by mythology with a post about the mythology shown in the media. Gods of Jade and Shadows draws inspiration from the Mayan Popol Vuh. In addition to the Mayan creation story, this collection includes a tale where the Hero Twins face… Read more
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Red Thread Reblog: Fall in love with a Maya Death God in Gods of Jade and Shadow — Living in Libros
Welcome to Red Thread Reblog, a feature that pairs a post about media inspired by mythology with a post about the mythology shown in the media. Let’s start off with a tale of stars and gods, bones and roads. In Gods of Jade and Shadow, Silvia Moreno-Garcia brings 1920s Yucatan together with the Mayan underworld… Read more
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