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The Mythic Dream

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Member Reviews

** I was provided an electronic ARC by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**

This was picked up as an amazing forthcoming rec with favorite authors Gailey, Kingfisher, Nivik, and Roanhorse in it. I'm so pleased to say this collection did not disappoint in the slightest! A good solid collection of stories based around/in/with myths, and I've got several new authors I can't wait to try more works from!

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It's rare that I'll give an anthology more than three stars. The quality of the stories usually varies, and I'll find a few stories that I really like, more that are so-so, and some that just don't do it for me. Of the eighteen stories in this volume, I only found one to be sub-par. That's amazing!

I also am a big fan of mythology reinterpretations and this book does that with myths from Greece, Egypt, Mesopotamia, the Tewa, Ireland, China, India, Judaism and Wales. Some were myths I knew well, like the Minotaur's maze or Hades and Persephone. Hades and Persephone opened the book with a story by Seanan McGuire set in a carnival.

There were other stories I was somewhat familiar with, like Deer Hunter and Corn Maiden by Rebecca Roanhorse, retold in a grim horror story mode. Or Kali, one of my favorite stories in the book, of a virtual goddess of destruction created inadvertently by online trolls, which put Indrapramit Das on my radar as an author to watch even after hearing that his book The Devourers was extremely disturbing.

There were other stories I really knew nothing about, like the Sumerian space opera by Arkady Martine, which has me excited to read her "Memory Called Empire". Or Blodeuwedd's retelling by Amal El-Mohtar. I knew the name but nothing of the story, and I liked her take on Blodeuwedd's re-empowerment.

There were some amusing stories from T. Kingfisher and Carlos Hernandez. There was a truly horrific retelling of the werewolf story Lycaon by Stephen Graham Jones. There was a rather touching look at Sisyphus by Jeffrey Ford, an author I'd never read who now has my interest.

All in all, this collection does exactly what you want a good anthology to do. It gives you a introduction to authors you might not have otherwise read, it entertains and makes you think, it's got a little bit of everything as far as tone and themes go. If you like mythology I strongly recommend it. You'll probably find a new author or two to try!

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It took me a while to get through The Mythic Dream because each story was so incredible. Navah Wolfe and Domink Parisien are incredible anthologists and have a gift for choosing stories. Each story is fresh and beautiful and comes at their chosen tale with such wonder and approaches that were surprising. This is a book that belongs on your shelf.

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Unfortunately, I did not get the chance to read this ARC prior to the book's publication, and we did not end up buying it for our library collection.

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I am sorry to say that I just couldn't get into this book. I tried several times to start it, and just couldn't connect with it.

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I am a member of the American Library Association Reading List Award Committee. This title was suggested for the 2020 list. It was not nominated for the award. The complete list of winners and shortlisted titles is at <a href="https://rusaupdate.org/2020/01/2020-reading-list-years-best-in-genre-fiction-for-adult-readers/">

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I came for Seanan McGuire, Naomi Novik, Stephen Graham Jones, and Rebecca Roanhorse, and I wasn't disappointed. There's something very satisfying about short collections and this one delivers.

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A good, solid anthology filled with good, solid stories. I enjoyed every story, which I can't always say with anthologies. I enjoyed learning about some myths I hadn't heard of before too!

#TheMythicDream #NetGalley

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I was provided a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed are my own.

I pretty much sign on when I see Seanan's name on something, but I love the idea of this anthology--reworking myths. (I have a soft spot for retellings.)

Seanan's story is a stunner, of course. I've come to recognize the settings and plot lines she loves, but they're always new and entrancing. Here, we revisit the carnival midway for a retelling of the Hades/Persephone myth. As with all the carnival stories, this one is otherwordly--the carnival making a dream-like world. The twist at the end was pleasantly unexpected, and, as always, tied up like a bow.

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I like to read story collections so I can find new authors to read. Unfortunately I could not find any stories in this collection that interested me.

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The Mythic Dream is a myth based anthology with 18 short fiction re-imaginings, edited by Dominik Parisien & Navah Wolfe. Released 3rd Sept. 2019 by Simon & Schuster on their Saga imprint, it's available in hardcover, paperback, audio, and ebook formats.

I've always had a particular fondness for collections/anthologies because short fiction is spare and technically challenging, so you get a better feel for an author's expertise with the form. Short fiction is less of a time commitment as well, so if one story is not working for you, there's another piece readily available in a few pages. Anthologies are also a rich source for finding new authors so you can search out their other works. Most of the authors included here were familiar, but there were a couple who were new (to me).

This is top shelf fiction and while some stories appealed to me more than others, there wasn't a single story in the lot which wasn't enjoyable and well crafted. The introduction (by the editors Parisien & Wolfe) was interesting and on point, and I really enjoyed the authors' notes after each story with insights and background for their writing process and inspirations.

Wonderful anthology, full of stories from 3-5 stars, weighted heavily toward the top end of the scale.

Four and a half stars. Good stuff. This would be a superlative choice for SF/fantasy readers, and great for gift giving. I can also imagine it being a good choice for a buddy or group read.

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Each author put their own spin on a myth or legend from around the world--some were sci-fi, some fantasy, some horror, etc. I liked the diversity of characters and cultures and enjoyed learning about legends and myths with which I was previously unfamiliar. This was a long collection, but worth reading.

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Every story in this anthology is fantastic! They are based on myths from all over the world, reimagined. It has more than just the usual Greek and Roman myths, which is refreshing. I highly recommend this anthology!

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This is a superb collection of short stories that retell myths and legends from various cultures, including ancient Greece and Rome, India, Jewish tradition, and many more. I absolutely loved it--there are no weak stories here. Every one is interesting and well-written, and they all offer fantastic new takes on previously existing work. I recommend it highly for all readers of SFF and those who enjoy reworkings of traditional tales.

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*I received a digital copy of this title from NetGalley in exhange for an honest review*

This is one of the most impressive short story collections I have every read. With most within this format, it's usually a mixed bag of good and meh stories with a few amazing ones thrown in. I didn't love all of them, but each one at least left me something to think about. My favorites were by Seanan McGuire, Sarah Gailey, and Marmen Maria Machado, if I had to just pick three. I loved the diversity in each story, as well as the interesting path each retelling took.

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The Mythic Dream accomplished the near impossible for an anthology - every story was very good! I loved the wide variety of myths and incredibly diverse takes on those myths. I also loved the diversity of authors included in the anthology. While I truly enjoyed all of the stories, a few were favorites. I particularly liked "Phantoms of the Midway" by Seanan McGuire and "Curses Like Words, Like Feathers, Like Stories" by Kat Howard.
Dominik Parisien and Navah Wolfe have curated a truly outstanding anthology!

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I love the concept of this book! I've always loved stories from around the world and this book gives a fresh take on them.

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These are myths and legends from around the globe re-imagined by some of today's best authors. I'm typically a little wary when it comes to collections of short stories, but these were all very good. A lot of the myths were ones I hadn't heard of before, and there's a little section after each story where the author talks about the myth. I enjoyed that portion as well. Not only did I get to experience some great storytelling, but I also learned a little bit too.

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The Mythic Dream is an excellent collection of short stories by a wide range of authors. Each story re imagines some kind of myth, it leans heavily on Greek Mythology, but there are wonderful offerings from Hindu, Native American, Sumerian, and more. As always, with a collection of such diverse voices, there were a few stories that didn't click with me, but more than not I found fascinating. This is worth picking up even if you're interested in one or two of the authors because it's full of absolute gems.

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This is a terrific collection, with some very accomplished authors giving us modern interpretations of myths from an impressive range of traditions and sources. Space opera from fragments of Sumerian poetry? Tam Lin meets Persephone on the midway of a traveling carnival? Vengeful AI Indian goddesses? Artemis and Actaeon via webcam? YES. To all of the above.

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