World Myths

Arguably one of the most provocative, puzzling, and misunderstood organizations of medieval times, the legendary Knights Templar have always been shrouded in a veil of mystery, while inspiring popular culture from Indiana Jones to Dan Brown. In The Templars, author Michael Haag offers a definitive history of these loyal Christian soldiers of the Crusades - sworn to defend the Holy Land and Jerusalem, but ultimately damned and destroyed by the Pope and his church.

Many ancient civilizations have influenced and inspired people in the 21st century. The Greeks and Romans continue to fascinate the West today. But of all the world's civilizations, none have intrigued people more than the Mayans, whose culture, astronomy, language, and mysterious disappearance all continue to captivate people. In 2012 especially, there was a renewed focus on the Mayans, whose advanced calendar led many to speculate the world would end on the same date the Mayan calendar ends.

In the spring of 1940, the Germans launched a military offensive in France and the Low Countries that married superb intelligence, the latest military thinking, and new technology. It was a stunning victory, altering the balance of power in Europe in one stroke, and convincing the entire world that the Nazi war machine was unstoppable. But as Lloyd Clark, a leading British military historian and academic, argues, much of our understanding of this victory, and blitzkrieg itself, is based on myth.

A woman forged by fire. A girl the curse has chosen. A Soldier with a secret. An ancient enemy. A world on the brink of mayhem. Welcome to Brodanna. Only magic or your skill with a blade might save you. Katanya Leshi is one of the most powerful Wielders left in the Kingdom of Brodanna. She spent her life becoming a weapon, as deadly with her magic as she is with a blade. After vowing never to return to Kara's Guild, only a debt to an old friend can bring her back and into the path of Mara Lars. Mara only ever wanted to be a story teller, she never thought she’d wind up the centre in a ...

My life changed the day I tried to take his. Mhavenna is a glorious city but, like every city on the face of Serai, it's run by Dragons. As a human, I'm on the lowest rung of the racial ladder here, as far from an illustrious Dragon as I could be, and I've made me peace with that. I don't like Dragons much, but like or dislike has nothing to do with my work. So when my broker offered me the task of killing the Dragon King, I took it. It was the sort of kill that could make an assassin's career, and I was certain that I had the skills for it. I was wrong, nearly dead wrong. The King caught ...

Relive the magic of captivating legends and folktales in this rich collection on Celtic Mythology. In 58 BCE, when Julius Caesar – the famous Roman general – wrote a commentary on the Gallic wars, he described the “Celt” speaking people who lived in the area then known as the Gaul. These people had their own culture, gods, and beliefs – called Celtic Mythology – which were very different from the Romans. The influence of this mythology, however, was not limited to a small territory.

Two brothers, Heung Bu and Nol Bu, lived as neighbors. One spring day when the brothers were out planting, Heung Bu finds a wounded swallow. He nurses it back to health and is rewarded with a single pumpkinseed. Heung Bu plants the seed and is rewarded for his kindness. Nol Bu, jealous of his brother’s good fortune, seeks out a wounded swallow of his own. Will he be rewarded like his brother?

From the dark reaches beyond mortal eyes, comes a prince. To him, he gathers battle hardened warriors, bought for lust, gold, and power. He has a single vision – to carve an empire out of blood and bones to rival the one of his father – Atlantis! Though this cruel prince commands more power than anyone among the kingdoms in Hyboria, he does not know that those few who will stand against him will upset even the long reach of the gods. Even though his divine mission is to subjugate, enslave, and bend to his will all that come before him, this usurper king underestimates two Cimmerians and...

Greek myths were full of powerful witches, unpredictable gods and sword-wielding slayers. They were also extreme: about families who turn murderously on each other; impossible tasks set by cruel kings; love that goes wrong; wars and journeys and terrible loss. There was magic, there was shape-shifting, there were monsters, there were descents to the land of the dead. Humans and immortals inhabited the same world, which was sometimes perilous, sometimes exciting.

African folktales come in many different types. Some are myths explaining the origins of things, while others are tales of heroes with supernatural abilities. Animal stories are many and varied, and they usually involve some kind of trickster who uses his wiles to get out of sticky situations and sometimes into them. There are also cautionary tales explaining why it is important to behave well and treat others with respect, while other stories have a style and shape similar to that of a fairy tale.

In this ground-breaking history Elinor Cleghorn unpacks the roots of the perpetual misunderstanding, mystification and misdiagnosis of women's bodies, illness and pain. From the 'wandering womb' of ancient Greece to today's shifting understanding of hormones, menstruation and menopause, Unwell Women is the revolutionary story of women who have suffered, challenged and rewritten medical misogyny. Drawing on Elinor's own experience as an unwell woman, this is a powerful and timely exposé of the medical world and woman's place within it.

A Mystery of Magic, Loyalty, and Ancient Secrets Strange things are stirring again in the quiet village of Doona. When a fisherman returns from the dead and whispers of leprechauns begin to spread, twelve-year-old Bridgie Campbell finds herself at the heart of a growing mystery. The Leprechauns of the Western Wild—thirteen in all, led by the cheerful but weary King Rua—have been locked out of their hidden home, Doona Hollow, nestled deep beneath the Sandy Banks. Without the Doona Hollow Key, a powerful magical relic once hidden in a chest of ancient Spanish gold, they cannot return. And...

It's been three months since the Snow Queen and OzCorp infiltrated Maidenkeep. Ryker is still unconscious and the rest of the group is feeling the effects of the prolonged war. Not to mention that Abigail Fey's curse has far-reaching consequences, and many in the Royal States have been using it to stir unrest and hostilities against Avalon. When the Adarna, a firebird-like creature appears in Avalon, the gang discovers it is one of seven magical artifacts that the Snow Queen has been searching for in her bid to open a portal to Buyan—a place that could grant her tremendous power.

While kings and queens quake with fear in the presence of the Brotherhood, there are still those who dare to resist them. Sillavana—half human, half ixolae—was just a child when they came and slaughtered her people. The Brotherhood considered her to be an abomination. How could such a thing be left to live? There was just one problem. She escaped unnoticed... Now alone in the world, she must do anything she can to survive. Jemaex had a perfect life. The son of a rich merchant, his life should have been easy. Swindling coin from common folk was fine for his father, but he dreamed of a ...

A new and exciting portal fantasy adventure. Unable to pursue his dream, Reuben makes a life-changing decision. Years earlier, he discovered a mysterious gateway and now, without knowing what danger may lie on the other side, he chooses to gamble with destiny. What he discovers beyond the portal is a world filled with magic, monsters, and golden opportunities. It’s an alternate realm bursting with amazing potential, which is populated by a wide variety of non-human species that coexist with humans to some extent. Reuben needs to find allies quickly in order to navigate through the alien ...

Mythology is the rich collection of stories called myths from cultures all over the world. They are stories about how the world was created and why certain things happen. Myths tell of gods, heroes, and events that a group believes, or at one time believed, to be real. Studying them is like following a map of the human imagination. At History Brought Alive, we have a passion for everything from the past. The books we write are full of fun facts and even more fun stories that will make you think about the past and our ancestors in new and exciting ways.

This breathtaking, full-color illustrated fantasy is inspired by Chinese folklore, and is a companion to the Newbery Honor winner Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. Pinmei's gentle, loving grandmother always has the most thrilling tales for her granddaughter and the other villagers. However, the peace is shattered one night when soldiers of the Emperor arrive and kidnap the storyteller. Everyone knows that the Emperor wants something called the Luminous Stone That Lights the Night.

Hear the call of Primeval. In pursuit of an enemy, Elaria and her friends enter Primeval—the ancient forest that covers most of Tír na nÓg. But priorities soon shift as a much larger danger arises. Primeval is dying and growing all at once; threatening to consume the Jewel Kingdoms. Can the Spellsinger save the forest or is this only a prelude of the destruction to come?

There is no bigger fairytale box than this one! 200 tales by the Brothers Grimm, 50 tales by Hans Christian Andersen, famous stories by Wilhelm Hauff, and stories from all over the world: More than 300 fairy tales are collected in this box; famous ones, and those you will be happy to discover for the first time! Included: a pdf file with track list!

Greetings, initiate! Carter Kane, here. Congratulations on reaching Brooklyn House in one piece. This accomplishment signals that you're descended from Ancient Egyptian royalty, and you have magic powers. But what good is power without knowing how to use it? That's where this training manual comes in. Packed with quizzes, stories, and insights about Ancient Egyptian deities, creatures (the friendly and the deadly), the mysterious Duat, and more, this primer will prime those with the blood of the pharaohs to take their first steps down the path of the gods.