Medieval Myths

The 10 enlightening (and often humorous) lectures of Medieval Myths and Mysteries will show you how far from the “dark” times of legend these centuries were. Uncover the facts about the Knights Templar. Reveal the truth behind the tales of legendary creatures like the Questing Beast and the unicorn. Trace the events of the Black Death and the ways it altered the world in its wake, and much more. With Professor Armstrong, you will dig deep into the ways that later generations reshaped the narrative of the medieval years and perpetuated the myths.

In this volume I turn to the myths that survive from the medieval period: the myths of Persia, Japan, the Celts, and Scandinavia.These stories reflect the cultural, religious, and historical contexts of the societies that produced them. They, explain natural phenomena, providing moral and ethical guidance, and reinforce social structures. These myths have left lasting impacts on literature, art, and popular culture, influencing storytelling traditions across the world.

Captured centaurs and satyrs, incompetent seers, people who suddenly change sex, a woman who remembers too much, a man who cannot laugh—these are just some of the colorful characters who feature in the unforgettable stories that ancient Greeks and Romans told in their daily lives. Together they created an incredibly rich body of popular oral stories that include, but range well beyond, mythology—from heroic legends, fairy tales, and fables to ghost stories, urban legends, and jokes. This unique anthology presents the largest collection of these tales ever assembled.

Gripping tales that abound with fantastic characters and astonishing twists and turns, Greek myths confront what it means to be mortal in a world of powerful forces beyond human control. Little wonder that they continue to fascinate readers thousands of years after they were first told. Gods and Mortals is a major new telling of ancient Greek myths by one of the world's preeminent experts.

Explore Captivating Viking Tales and Sagas Two captivating manuscripts in one book: Viking Sagas: The Captivating Tale of Ragnar Lothbrok, Ivar the Boneless, Lagertha, and More, in Their Historical Context Tales from the Viking Age: Captivating Legendary and Historical SagasThe period between the end of the eighth century CE and the middle of the eleventh is often called the “Viking Age” because this is the period in which Scandinavian people expanded their contacts with the outside world through trade, raiding, exploration, and colonization. The first manuscript of this book presents a...

Introducing book one in the CELTIC LEGENDS SERIES, a star-crossed lovers tale from the RITA-nominated author of passionate, magical romances Conor has lived a hundred lives…but loved only once Born to a powerful Irish priestess, Conor knows he is no ordinary warrior. Some whisper he’s not human at all. He seeks out Brigid of Morna, a reclusive, woodland seer, the only woman who can unveil the truth of his everlasting strength. But Brigid refuses to help him—or to yield her hungry heart. For she knows that a man cursed to live a thousand lives must never fall in love… "An enthralling...

Each story in this 11+ hour collection is woven with the finesse to soothe your mind and whisk you away from the stresses of the modern world. As you delve into tales of heroes and their epic quests, you'll find yourself journeying alongside them, exploring lands of imagination and wonder. The narrations are designed to calm your mind, with a pacing and rhythm conducive to relaxation and sleep.

Are you brave enough to enter a world where the line between reality and nightmare is impossibly thin? The Horror Files beckons you into a realm where legends stir from the past, and every corner hides a terror waiting to strike. This is no ordinary collection, it's a descent into darkness, where fear takes on many faces, and no secret stays buried for long. Ancient myths claw their way into the present. Unsolved mysteries evolve into chilling realities. Brutal horrors of today collide with the restless whispers of forgotten legends. With 18 heart-pounding stories, The Horror Files will ...

Death walks beside me. Two weeks ago, I was hired by the Dragon Prince of Zaru to help his brother, the King, deal with their dead. Not that there is an abundance of corpses in their kingdom, but those who die aren't staying in their graves. As a necromancer, I'm one of the few people on Serai who can put the dead to rest and discover why they are rising. As a Raltven, I'm particularly good at it. Good enough that the King of Zaru sent his brother across the sea to find someone like me. At first sight, desire sparked between Prince Racmar and me. On the way to Zaru, our attraction for each ...

Scholars, journalists, and politicians uphold Muslim-ruled medieval Spain - "al-Andalus" - as a multicultural paradise, a place where Muslims, Christians, and Jews lived in harmony. There is only one problem with this widely accepted account: It is a myth. In this groundbreaking book, Northwestern University scholar Darío Fernández-Morera tells the full story of Islamic Spain. As professors, politicians, and pundits continue to celebrate Islamic Spain for its "multiculturalism" and "diversity", Fernández-Morera sets the record straight.

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.

"Narrator JD Jackson addresses his listener as "bro" in this decidedly contemporary retelling of the classic saga...His brilliant performance captures all the artistry, wit, and immediacy of this fresh translation, and breathes new life into what for most has been a literary fossil." --...

Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable and quiet life. His contentment is disturbed one day when the wizard, Gandalf, and the dwarves arrive to take him away on an adventure. Smaug certainly looked fast asleep, when Bilbo peeped once more from the entrance. He was just about to step...

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?

The acclaimed author of Sistersong transforms the story of Herla and the Wild Hunt into a rich, feminist fantasy in this stunning tale of two great warriors, a war-torn land, and an ancient magic that is slowly awakening. Britain, 60AD. Hoping to save her lover, her land, and her people from...

This is a story of the days of chivalry in England and of young Myles Falworth, son of a lord unjustly disgraced for treason, who was forced to make his fortune as best he might in the days when men seemed made of iron. How he entered the service of a powerful lord, rose to knighthood, defeated his father's old enemy in thrilling combat, and at last won the friendship of the king is told against a background of the dangerous times of the 14th century that makes them live again.

The retelling of an ordinary woman who had no voice in the literary classic of Beowulf. When a young girl’s life takes a crushing dark turn, she’s sacrificed to the dragon for shaming her community. Alone in the wild, she discovers special skills that enable her to survive, gives birth, and raises a child who has both physical and mental abnormalities. Grendel's Mother is an evocative story of a young woman whose life is shattered by circumstances beyond her control and paints a poignant picture of the history of one of the most infamous monsters of Norse mythology. - Amazon reader

Queen Ran, Norse goddess of the deep, prefers her men prepared like a platter of meat--Raw. After casting her magic net into the ocean, she snares quite a catch to sate her sexual pleasures. She is determined to tame the strong-willed Viking using the darkest means of seduction that she can conjure. Viktor Bjornsson will not go down without a fight. After all, he is a fierce Viking who will not show weakness under any circumstances. In order to save his crew from death, he makes a deal with the infamous Queen Ran. He is escorted to her castle for a sexual feast that no red-blooded Viking ...

A blood-red moon. A cursed hoard. A Viking warrior caught between destiny, desire, and a beast that stalks the shadows. When the crimson moon rises over the North Sea, Vidarr the Vengeful knows it can only mean one thing: fate is shifting. Determined to claim the legendary treasure of Jarl Saksbøjrn, he leads his band of hardened warriors to Lofoten Island—despite warnings from Tyr, his trusted friend, and the desperate urging of Ingunn, the woman he believes is loyal to him alone. But beneath the surface of their alliances lies a dangerous secret: a forbidden night of passion and ...

The assault on the city of Shadowfen has taken its toll. With so many lives lost, the people have begun to rebel while the king desperately searches for answers. How did this happen? Who is to blame for so much bloodshed? Someone must be held accountable. But while the king is doing everything he can to calm his people, barely able to hold his kingdom together by a thread, a deadly force has risen in the north. Unseen, unnoticed, it silently threatens the world of Ayrith from the shadows. Now Viola and her friends must make a choice. Do they defend the humans from this latest threat, or ...