The Biblomaniac Army (booklovers, UNITE!) v.2

[Lady Sabine]

I have a very odd variety of interests, most of which are demonstrated in all those books. The Norse Mythology one has very different versions of the myths than I'm familiar with, which is odd as pretty much all our knowledge of Norse Mythology is from like four sources...

Four sources is actually pretty good for myths. Many other stories have fewer sources. The Epic of Gilgamesh, for example, has been found in only one original document and one independent poem.
In a way, having more sources is a weakness, as there are more conflicting viewpoints and theories. For example, Sleipnir was the the son of Loki when he transformed into a mare- or did he transform into a stallion and get Sleipnir on a mortal mare? Which one do you count as "canon"? We tend to think of the older one as being more accurate, but since it's fiction we have to accept a sort of parallel universe theory where both are equally correct until one side has overwhelming support..

[Lady Ligeia]

I see exactly what you mean, but The Epic of Gilgamesh is also one story. For forty-some stories, four sources isn't always complete. Also, only one source, The Prose Edda, is really complete. The Poetic Edda is more fragmentary and composed by who-knows-who; and Saxo-Grammaticus refused to even call the Aesir gods in his History of the Danes. It's unfortunate that we have a so few sources compared to the Greco-Roman mythologies, and that all the sources were written by people who no longer had belief in those gods. It would be very nice to hear those same stories in the versions the people of the Viking Age knew.
Four sources is more than a variety of myths, but most of those sources are very contradictory and/or fragmented. The reliability is low, especially for Saxo-Grammaticus. Even the Prose Edda contradicts itself.
I agree with the idea that we have to accept that each version is equally correct, unless we can find much greater support for it.

(Sorry for rambling)

[Lady Sabine]

I see exactly what you mean, but The Epic of Gilgamesh is also one story. For forty-some stories, four sources isn't always complete. Also, only one source, The Prose Edda, is really complete. The Poetic Edda is more fragmentary and composed by who-knows-who; and Saxo-Grammaticus refused to even call the Aesir gods in his History of the Danes. It's unfortunate that we have a so few sources compared to the Greco-Roman mythologies, and that all the sources were written by people who no longer had belief in those gods. It would be very nice to hear those same stories in the versions the people of the Viking Age knew.
Four sources is more than a variety of myths, but most of those sources are very contradictory and/or fragmented. The reliability is low, especially for Saxo-Grammaticus. Even the Prose Edda contradicts itself.
I agree with the idea that we have to accept that each version is equally correct, unless we can find much greater support for it.

(Sorry for rambling)

This is why studying mythology is awesome.
There isn't a set textbook; everything is from sources of various credibility, often secondhand or worse. XD It's a puzzle with no perfect solution.

[Lady Ligeia]

Exactly how I feel! I love the aspect of it that there is no set example; you can change details when telling the stories, but they're still the same stories. Just when you think you've heard every version there's another. It really is amazing, if one thinks about it.

[Lady Sabine]

Exactly how I feel! I love the aspect of it that there is no set example; you can change details when telling the stories, but they're still the same stories. Just when you think you've heard every version there's another. It really is amazing, if one thinks about it.

It's a very fluid medium. ^^ Everyone's retelling is a little different, and there's no guild associated with picking and choosing since all of it is equally right. Myths are also awesome because everyone's telling says a little something about themselves, especially on a cultural level.

[HeartOfCoal]

Ah, I haven't been on here in forever! I've been too busy with school to read. But it's finally break, and I need more book suggestions. I just finished the Michael Vey series (or the books that are out at least), and I've read just about everything in my house. Does anyone have any suggestions? I really like dystopian, fantasy, sci-fi, and anything that fits in that area.

(Some of the series I've read and liked were Harry Potter, Divergent, Mortal Instruments, Inheritance, Percy Jackson, Caster Chronicles.)

Any help is appreciated! I'm going to Florida in a week and I would really like some books for the trip.

[Lady Ligeia]

Ah, I haven't been on here in forever! I've been too busy with school to read. But it's finally break, and I need more book suggestions. I just finished the Michael Vey series (or the books that are out at least), and I've read just about everything in my house. Does anyone have any suggestions? I really like dystopian, fantasy, sci-fi, and anything that fits in that area.

(Some of the series I've read and liked were Harry Potter, Divergent, Mortal Instruments, Inheritance, Percy Jackson, Caster Chronicles.)

Any help is appreciated! I'm going to Florida in a week and I would really like some books for the trip.

I'd recommend the Leviathan trilogy. They're alternate-history steam-punk, and an excellent series with adventure, action, and a little romance.

It's a very fluid medium. ^^ Everyone's retelling is a little different, and there's no guild associated with picking and choosing since all of it is equally right. Myths are also awesome because everyone's telling says a little something about themselves, especially on a cultural level.

It's amazing how much you can tell of a cultural just by their myths! That's always fascinated me!

[kαílσlu]

Ah, I haven't been on here in forever! I've been too busy with school to read. But it's finally break, and I need more book suggestions. I just finished the Michael Vey series (or the books that are out at least), and I've read just about everything in my house. Does anyone have any suggestions? I really like dystopian, fantasy, sci-fi, and anything that fits in that area.

(Some of the series I've read and liked were Harry Potter, Divergent, Mortal Instruments, Inheritance, Percy Jackson, Caster Chronicles.)

Any help is appreciated! I'm going to Florida in a week and I would really like some books for the trip.

I loved all those books, and I liked the Delerium series. Except the last book. Still, it's really good! If you're looking for a semi-girly series and like the Percy Jackson books, the Goddess Test books are great!

[HeartOfCoal]

Okay, thank you both of you! I just got Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, Serephina, and the Mysterious Benedict Society from the library. I think I'll start with Miss Peregrine's tomorrow. But I definitely put those series on my to-read list. I hope my library has those books; I doubt I'll take more than a couple days to read the current ones.

[.:Alaska Young:.]

if you like Egyptian mythology and enjoyed Percy Jackson try the Kane Chronicles (same author as Percy Jackson) they are quite cool but if you hate cliff hangers and do not enjoy the feeling of wanting to go and kill a character hate charterers who have the best of both worlds Do not read this (or do just of the fun of it[oh boy did i see some funny reactions when people read these books]) warning: the end of this book was rather unsatisfactory.