Man Iliad was my thing about 10 years ago. I was obsessed. I need to read it again. It’s one of those books that sticks with you forever once you finish it.
I am currently reading Mallory's Morte D'Arthur and think it would be worth while for all Fantasy lovers. It seems there is alot of inspiration taken from this tale. Great List!
A brilliant selection! I would like to add the Sagas of Icelanders fully to the list, while you only mentioned them in passing. They have a very immersive low-magic setting, when in the start of the story the characters can be feuding about a complicated divorce, but then it can quickly descend into prophetic dreams, troll lairs, golems and zombie epidemics, only to end back in the mundane world. And their treatment of magic and supernatural creatures is very close to modern fantasy canons.
I really like this video! Good job! Also noticed that some people who leave comments here actually don’t watch everything, and suggest book names that you already mentioned 😀
Great list! If I may also add The Lusiads, for those who liked the odyssey and the Aeneid. I don’t think it’s on par those two, but I enjoyed quite a bit and learned a lot of Portugal’s history on the way
I am an Indian and I luv mahabharata and ramayana (it's ok to say without the 'a' btw). I also want to be a writer and I had a lot of inspirations from these books.It was one of the first sci fi literature too with vehicles that fly through space and all. Really happy that people from other countries also like it :)
Mahabharata and Ramayana are two of the greatest epics ever. There’s such a rich tradition to draw from there, so I wish you the very best in your writing! I’ve read the first book in the Shiva trilogy by Amish, and while I think his writing could improve (maybe it has), he clearly tapped into something that resonates with millions of people. I would be excited to read great fantasy inspired by South Asian lore and settings. Best wishes!
After reading Paradise Lost, I became obsessed with the romantic poets (specifically the satanic school). Incredible poetry!!! I absolutely loved this video! I'll definitely be watching much more of your videos!
Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed the video. Paradise Lost has inspired a lot of amazing creative responses, and my students have always loved it. Thanks for watching and commenting!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy have you thought about doing some spoiler conversations with some of the fantasy books that you read? With your background, I think you could bring an interesting perspective to themes, ideas, and possible influences that you recognize within a story.
@@Dylan13Collins Great ideas! I usually keep my reviews as spoiler free as possible, though I’m sure a spoiler sometimes slips in here and there. However, themes and influences are definitely things I try to include in many of my fantasy reviews. I’m thinking about including a spoiler section in some reviews in the future.
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy I like themes and influences that you go over. As a nerd obsessed with learning (as most are I'm sure), I think talking about specific examoles can help with more depth. While that approach theoretically could negatively impact viewership, my guess is the community your building would embrace the depth. For example: I love The Kingkiller Chronicles, and that story, to me, is begging for societal breakdowns, analysis of how Rothfus makes the reader feel similarly to Khvothe during the story, etc.
@@Dylan13Collins Excellent suggestions, and I like the example you use from the Kingkiller Chronicle! It’s so true that many readers who love the story strongly identify with Kvothe.
Awesome, I am a fantasy lover, but I have always been fascinated with the literature that inspired the genre. The iliad simply obsessed me when I was younger, more than the odyssey. Beowulf is definitely my favorite old tale, I became so mesmerized and invested in the story and the prose that i was almost crying in the final part with Wiglaf´s speech about death and honor and loyalty. I not being english my mother tongue, its very difficult for me to read and specially find good translations (in english) that keep the escense of the originals, so this video really helped me. I would recommend also the Gilgamesh, being one the firsts pieces of literature. One thing I became interested recently is on east epics and literature, like chinese and japanese epics and history. You could do a sequel to this video with more recomendations, it would be great. Keep the awesome content, your channel deserves much more audience. Ps: Sorry if I mispelled something, as I said, english is not my mother tongue :)
Vicente Arellano Thank you for the kind words and the encouragement! You are absolutely right about Gilgamesh, and Beowulf is my favorite too. I would love to read more ancient stories from East Asia as well as Africa, and I think I would enjoy tales from the native peoples of the Americas too. That’s a great idea to do a part two for this video since there are so many wonderful traditions to read from. Thank you for watching and commenting!
Absolutely! That’s an excellent suggestion. There are some great stories in there, not to mention many of the best known classical tales. Thanks for watching and commenting!
I'm a new subscriber and am really enjoying all of your videos thus far! This one particularly gave me a lot of new things to look for and "The Lais of Marie de France" is on my reading list for a middle ages class I'm taking Spring Quarter, so it was really cool to see it mentioned on booktube! Definitely curious to see what I think of it!
Marie de France, whoever she was, left us some of the most dreamlike and beautiful Arthurian poems. I hope you’ll enjoy them. Also, thank you so much for watching, commenting, and subscribing!
Yes, in modern Indian languages the final A drops, it was pronounced in Sanskrit. I recommend the translation of Debroy, he used the Critical edition and the translations follows closely the original.
Thank you for the confirmation of the pronunciation and for the recommendation of the Debroy translation! I read a copy from the library years ago, and while I have several editions of the Bhagavad Gita, I would like to have a good translation of the Mahabharata. Cheers!
What a great video and most importantly quite good recommendations. In my opinion, a good reader should once in a while come back to the roots i.e. the classics. Thank you for making this kind of videos, I find them very insightful. I'm new to your Channel thanks to Mike (from Mike's Book Reviews), and I'm very happy 'cause so far I've found material of good quality! P.S. May I ask what kind of ornamental dagger/knife do you have back there on your bookshelf? Looks awesome!
Thanks, Simon! Mike is awesome, so I’m always happy to hear from folks who come from his channel. The dagger is a Nepali khukuri. I used to live in Nepal, though I never have actually used the khukuri!
I love the Arabian Nights I've been using it to try and get my wife into reading. I've only gotten to Aladdin in the Burrton translation but the tale of the enchanted horse and Sinbad the sailor were both wonderful stories.
Wonderful recommendations! Some stuff I wasn’t aware of that I’m going to have to check out. I’ve never known which version of Beowulf to buy, paralyzed by all of the versions out there, but your recommendation helps me pick one out to finally read it.
I always teach the Seamus Heaney translation of Beowulf. Heaney was a great poet, and that comes through in the lines. I like the aesthetics of his translation a lot.
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy I ended up getting the Beowulf translation by Seamus Heaney, and enjoyed it very much. I was intrigued by his introduction and discussion points to buy a book of his poems from 1965-1975 and they’re absolutely amazing. I’m so pleased to have accidentally stumbled across my first favorite poet. Thank you for indirectly pointing the way. :)
And I'm again late to the party :D Beowulf is still on my reading list but I'm not sure if I would struggle with it because I'm only familiar with Germanic and Skandinavian stuff. As far as I know the Völsunga saga was produced in Norway because the Norwegian King wanted to be more "courtly" and more like the central European countries and therefore requested somebody to adapt the Nibelungenlied into Old Norse. There are also a lot more sagas that were adapted after the Scandinavian Kings wished to have courtly prose as well. At least that's what I was though in uni, haha.
I’m sure you’ll love Beowulf! The Saga of the Volsungs and The Niebelungenlied are different versions of a story that goes much further back than either. In fact, Beowulf, which is older than both of them, makes a reference to the same legend of the Volsungs, which circulated in an oral form among the various Germanic peoples for centuries before being written down. It’s very cool that we have different versions of the story!
If you are interested in foundation myths, I recommend the Popol Vuh (the book, not the krautrock band, though they are worth listening to, too). It is the creation myth of the K'iche' Mayas, plus a few more stories and some history of their kingdom. It is probably not "pure", but has incorporated a few christian elements since it was written after christianisation, but it is the closest original source we have to mayan beliefs (there is another indigenous source from Yucatan, the Chilam Balam, but that is more a lose collection of various texts). It can be a challenging read, since it comes from a very different kind of storytelling tradition, but if you managed the poetic Eddas, then this should be a piece of cake for you ;)
Thank you! That sounds like a fascinating read, and I will be sure to investigate it. I've always loved myths, which, I believe, have a certain kinship with the fantasy genre. I would very much like to be better read in myths from the native peoples of the Americas, so this recommendation is perfect. I appreciate it!
Great video! The Aeneid is an excellent work, the opening book stands as one of my favorite scenes from literature. Considering your love of Beowulf I'm curious if you've ever read The Mere Wife? It's not really fantasy but I picked it up earlier this year and loved it.
Thanks! I have not yet read The Mere Wife, but I thank you for bringing my attention to it! It looks interesting -- certainly something in my wheelhouse. Some of the modern Beowulf "spin-offs", such as John Gardner's Grendel, have been really good. I'm glad to hear you enjoyed The Mere Wife, and it's now on my list!
Great video! I'd be really interested to see some of the parallels between the classics and more modern works. Some of Tolkien's inspiration is really clear (corrupted treasures, arriving home to find all is not well etc.) but I'd love to hear about others too and if any have evolved into common tropes over the years.
Thanks! To give a couple more Tolkien examples, the the Kullervo episode from the Finnish Kalevala inspired the story of Turin (from The Silmarillion). Also, Tolkien based one of his Elvish languages, Noldorin, on the sounds of Finnish. The other Elvish language, Sindarin, was based on Welsh. Apparently, Michael Moorcock used the Kalevala for inspiration as well. One great example of an author being inspired by the Welsh Mabinogion is Lloyd Alexander's Prydain series (the first fantasy I read as a kid, probably in the early 1980's. Neil Gaiman actually published a book that is a retelling of many of the stories from the Eddas, and of course American Gods takes inspiration from them too (at one point, Wednesday (Odin) basically quotes the Havamal, an Eddic poem spoken by Odin as he hung from Yggdrasil). I mentioned Steven Erikson in the video -- the influence from the Iliad and the Odyssey in Malazan Book of the Fallen seems obvious to me as the gods quarrel and manipulate humans in similar ways. I'm sure there are many other examples out there, some conscious and some unconscious, where authors have used archetypes or tropes handed down for centuries. Thanks for the comment!
Your comment has my mind stirring with other tropes of modern fantasy and where they come from. One huge example is dragons and their representation of greed (in Western tradition -- Eastern dragons are different). The mythological origins of dragons and their many manifestations -- now there's something for a PhD dissertation! Magic swords -- they're everywhere in fantasy and quite important in many of these old stories (such as in Beowulf and in the Saga of the Volsungs), and there's even the idea of the sword breaking to herald the death of the hero who wields it. I'm going to stop typing in case this reply turns into a dissertation! Thanks again for the lovely comment!
There's so many to talk about! Just looking at the Greeks there's the Quest (Odysseus / Hercules), Weakness of the Impervious Hero (Achilles/ Superman), Love Triangle (Helen of Troy/ pretty much any Zeus story), Prophecy (Oedipus). The Norse gods were shown to be flawed in many ways, too. Power isn't everything, and everything has a price - common themes is a lot of stories. Odin had to sacrifice an eye to get knowledge, and Loki's shenanigans gave us Thor in a dress, and Mjölnir with a short stubby handle.
Rob Paul The weakness of the impervious hero appears in the Saga of the Volsungs/The Niebelungenlied too as Sigurd bathes in dragon’s blood but misses a spot on his back, which later proves significant. As you say, so many to talk about!
This has got to be my favourite video of yours! I'd love to study these texts in an academical setting! My husband's Greek and I've learned so much about the history of Greece (and the modern Greek language) in the past few years. He bought me both The Illiad and The Odyssey as a Christmas present 2 years ago, but I've yet to finish them. He's not a reader at all, but he does enjoy being read to and The Odyssey is on the list. Right now, we're finishing The Arabian Nights tales we have (I have four volumes that were first translated in French by Antoine Galland in the very beginning of the 18th century - his translation is truly amazing). I was so eager to get to Aladdin's story, but we skipped it because it was the worse haha! We never skipped a story before. :0 I've only read Macbeth (loved it!), but I have the complete Shakespeare plays and an annotated version of Midsummer Night's Dream waiting on my self. :) You talked about Arthurian tales and I was wondering if you've ever read Le Morte d'Arthur (1485). I'd love to read it someday, because I was quite disappointed by Chrétien de Troy's take on the legend.
I’m glad you enjoyed this! Yes, I’ve read Thomas Malory’s Le Morte D’Arthur. Many episodes from it still read well enough, but reading the whole thing grows tedious, to be honest. There’s a lot of repetition of bold knights chivalrously beating their adversaries against the odds (but with little difficulty). I think it’s a great idea to read The Iliad and The Odyssey aloud since they were meant to be experienced as recitations or songs in the first place. There are so many wonderful classics to enjoy, and reading them really enriched our experience of modern fiction too.
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Yes, absolutely, and my Odyssey version is in verse! :D I'll read Sir Gawain then (if I can put my hand on it), because I had similar issues with Chrétien de Troy (disappointing and convenient endings, annoying characters haha).
@@onfaerystories Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is very cleverly written, making gentle fun of its hero in a way that allows the reader to smile at our common humanity. It’s an absolute classic that I love!
That is a great list of recommendations, all of these deserve a lot more love and attention from the fantasy community. Thanks for pointing these out, and for mentioning a couple good translations. Would definitely be interested in follow-up videos with more recommendations - Japan, China and Russia are bound to have good ones, as would Australia, Native Americans and Africa. Or going more in-depth into these stories and some modern fantasy or sci-fi inspired by them. For anyone interested in a maybe easier way of sniffing at some of these stories to see if it's for you, the Overly Sarcastic Productions guys have very funny videos on quite a lot of them. Beowulf, Shakespeare and the Greeks for sure. Also, Neil Gaiman recently released a book on the Norse myths, and Stephen Fry did two books on the Greek myths and heroes. All very much worth reading.
Insightful comments, as always! I completely agree about stories from other parts of the world. In particular, I’d love to read more from East Asia and Africa, and Native American stories for sure. I’ve read Neil Gaiman’s Norse Mythology book, which is a nice retelling of stories from the Eddas. Thanks for the suggestions- I imagine RUclips has some excellent videos on these books for those who wish to delve into them, and I really do feel that some familiarity with these old tales would enrich a fantasy fan’s experience of modern fantasy.
I love that in recent years so many of the classic stories have been getting more attention and retellings - and that the doors have been opened to let other cultures bring their own brand of modern fantasy stories. These stories have so much to teach, in the way they differ from each other, but even more in the ways they are alike. Really hoping this is a topic you'll be doing more on 😊
Rob Paul Well said! One possible example I just bought and am excited to read is R.F. Kuang’s The Poppy War. On my recommendation, my daughter recently read Tomi Adeyemi’s Children of Blood and Bone, which is YA. It’s really an exciting time for fantasy!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy I have the Poppy War here ready to be read as well. 👍 Think you might enjoy looking into James Lovegrove as well, he has this whole 'Age of ...' series where he brings classic gods and heroes into urban fantasy stories - much like Neil Gaiman with American Gods and Anansi Boys before him, but more action packed. Stories like Age of Ra, Age of Odin, Age of Legends. Kylie Chan has the Journey to Wudang series which dives into some Chinese myths - wrapped in a martial arts romance story. Have heard of the Children of Blood and Bone, but was hesitant to get into it.. most YA seems more miss than hit for me. You'd recommend it ?
Rob Paul Though I read Children of Blood and Bone and encouraged my daughter to read it, it is definitely YA in terms of the reading level. Unless you enjoy YA level prose, I would not recommend it. On the other hand, it’s a great take on fantasy for a younger reader!
For those who are afraid to venture into The Mahabharata, try out The Place of Illusions by C. B. Divakaruni - a simply gorgeous retelling/reimagining of the Mahabharata from a woman's point of view. And the audio book is just a feast for your ears.
The book is highly inaccurate & pretty much a feminist fanfiction according to most reviews who actually know Mahabharata & studied it. Not a good way to get into Mahabharata.
Hey Philip, I know this video is older and your primary interest is medieval lit but I was wondering if you have had an experience or considered the 4 classic novels of China? All 4 of them have varying levels of fantasy elements and are quite good. Not only is it one of my favorite works but Romance of the Three Kingdoms is an easy recommendation to anyone that likes military/political fantasy. The fantasy elements are more reserved than epic fantasy but it has more in common with those epic fantasy series than it does with its usual comparisons of the Iliad in its story telling: Large number POVs, multi-sided conflict, grand trans generational narrative etc. The 4 classics don't have much representation on booktube and its a real shame.
Thanks for the recommendations, Nick! I’m most definitely interested in reading fantasy themed stories from China, new and old. Romance of the Three Kingdoms sounds like an excellent place to start. Thanks again!
I would also recommend The Qur'an, The Bible, The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri, Journey to the West by Wu Cheng'en, Kanteletar by Elias Lönnart, The Epic of Gilgamesh, The Book of Invasions, Táin Bó Cúailnge, The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.
For the titles in languages other than English, it's probably a good idea to put the name on the screen, or at least in the description. At some point you could get amazon affiliate links for the books you review/recommend and put them in the description, that way you can make some money and your viewers can easily find what you're talking about!
Somehow, your comment showed up twice. Just in case you didn't see my first reply: "An excellent idea! I started making videos not quite five months ago, and it's been a constant education because, to be honest, I'm something of a social media idiot. Thus, I'm quite grateful for tips like this -- thank you very much! I'll type the names of the books in the description. Cheers!"
I’m not sure about Neverwhere, but I do know that Gaiman wrote a short story called Monarch of the Glen, a kind of sequel to American Gods, and it’s based in part on Beowulf. Also, Gaiman was involved in the script for the 2007 film Beowulf. So, Beowulf is an influence for him, no doubt!
It’s usually classified as a “travel narrative,” which were common in the 18th century, both “real” and fictional - sort of like a modern road trip novel. But it does have elements in common with fantasy.
I love how nerdy you seem to be about this. Fantastic. I wonder, are you educated in this field, or are you simply really interested/have this as a hobby?
Thanks! I'm actually an English professor (with a focus on medieval literature), so I suppose I'm educated in the field, but it's also very much a hobby as well. I appreciate the comment!
For the titles in languages other than English, it's probably a good idea to put the name on the screen, or at least in the description. At some point you could get amazon affiliate links for the books you review/recommend and put them in the description, that way you can make some money and your viewers can easily find what you're talking about!
An excellent idea! I started making videos not quite five months ago, and it's been a constant education because, to be honest, I'm something of a social media idiot. Thus, I'm quite grateful for tips like this -- thank you very much! I'll type the names of the books in the description. Cheers!
Great list! I haven’t read a lot of fantasy but I love ancient texts
There’s something wonderful about the glimpses into the human imagination we get from those old stories!
Man Iliad was my thing about 10 years ago. I was obsessed. I need to read it again. It’s one of those books that sticks with you forever once you finish it.
Definitely true! It's amazing that a story that is something like three thousand years old can still appeal to people.
I agree! Read it 30years ago for the first time and was blown away!
Loved the Odyssey also!
I honestly lost count how many times I've read the two poems by Homer, pure delight.
I am currently reading Mallory's Morte D'Arthur and think it would be worth while for all Fantasy lovers. It seems there is alot of inspiration taken from this tale.
Great List!
Morte D’Arthur is an excellent recommendation. Cheers!
A brilliant selection!
I would like to add the Sagas of Icelanders fully to the list, while you only mentioned them in passing. They have a very immersive low-magic setting, when in the start of the story the characters can be feuding about a complicated divorce, but then it can quickly descend into prophetic dreams, troll lairs, golems and zombie epidemics, only to end back in the mundane world. And their treatment of magic and supernatural creatures is very close to modern fantasy canons.
Agreed! Icelandic sagas are, in my opinion, the best literature to come out of Europe in the Middle Ages.
I really like this video! Good job! Also noticed that some people who leave comments here actually don’t watch everything, and suggest book names that you already mentioned 😀
Thank you! I’m happy that you enjoyed this one. The classics have given us do much, including many of the tropes we see in modern fantasy. Cheers!
Great list! If I may also add The Lusiads, for those who liked the odyssey and the Aeneid. I don’t think it’s on par those two, but I enjoyed quite a bit and learned a lot of Portugal’s history on the way
Very cool! Thank you for adding The Lusiads to the conversation!
Very interesting, My compliments. I think also the Chanson de geste would fit in the list.
Thank you! I love La Chanson de Roland, which I tackled in Old French once upon a time. Definitely a worthy addition to this list!
This is a great idea. Love to hear more suggestions in another video. I'll throw in The Epic of Gilgamesh.
Excellent suggestion! Not only is it the oldest recorded fiction, but Gilgamesh also deals with the timeless theme of mortality.
I am an Indian and I luv mahabharata and ramayana (it's ok to say without the 'a' btw). I also want to be a writer and I had a lot of inspirations from these books.It was one of the first sci fi literature too with vehicles that fly through space and all. Really happy that people from other countries also like it :)
Mahabharata and Ramayana are two of the greatest epics ever. There’s such a rich tradition to draw from there, so I wish you the very best in your writing! I’ve read the first book in the Shiva trilogy by Amish, and while I think his writing could improve (maybe it has), he clearly tapped into something that resonates with millions of people. I would be excited to read great fantasy inspired by South Asian lore and settings. Best wishes!
After reading Paradise Lost, I became obsessed with the romantic poets (specifically the satanic school). Incredible poetry!!!
I absolutely loved this video! I'll definitely be watching much more of your videos!
Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed the video. Paradise Lost has inspired a lot of amazing creative responses, and my students have always loved it. Thanks for watching and commenting!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy have you thought about doing some spoiler conversations with some of the fantasy books that you read? With your background, I think you could bring an interesting perspective to themes, ideas, and possible influences that you recognize within a story.
@@Dylan13Collins Great ideas! I usually keep my reviews as spoiler free as possible, though I’m sure a spoiler sometimes slips in here and there. However, themes and influences are definitely things I try to include in many of my fantasy reviews. I’m thinking about including a spoiler section in some reviews in the future.
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy I like themes and influences that you go over. As a nerd obsessed with learning (as most are I'm sure), I think talking about specific examoles can help with more depth. While that approach theoretically could negatively impact viewership, my guess is the community your building would embrace the depth. For example: I love The Kingkiller Chronicles, and that story, to me, is begging for societal breakdowns, analysis of how Rothfus makes the reader feel similarly to Khvothe during the story, etc.
@@Dylan13Collins Excellent suggestions, and I like the example you use from the Kingkiller Chronicle! It’s so true that many readers who love the story strongly identify with Kvothe.
Awesome, I am a fantasy lover, but I have always been fascinated with the literature that inspired the genre. The iliad simply obsessed me when I was younger, more than the odyssey. Beowulf is definitely my favorite old tale, I became so mesmerized and invested in the story and the prose that i was almost crying in the final part with Wiglaf´s speech about death and honor and loyalty.
I not being english my mother tongue, its very difficult for me to read and specially find good translations (in english) that keep the escense of the originals, so this video really helped me.
I would recommend also the Gilgamesh, being one the firsts pieces of literature.
One thing I became interested recently is on east epics and literature, like chinese and japanese epics and history.
You could do a sequel to this video with more recomendations, it would be great.
Keep the awesome content, your channel deserves much more audience.
Ps: Sorry if I mispelled something, as I said, english is not my mother tongue :)
Vicente Arellano Thank you for the kind words and the encouragement! You are absolutely right about Gilgamesh, and Beowulf is my favorite too. I would love to read more ancient stories from East Asia as well as Africa, and I think I would enjoy tales from the native peoples of the Americas too. That’s a great idea to do a part two for this video since there are so many wonderful traditions to read from. Thank you for watching and commenting!
I think Ovid's "Metamorphoses" would be a worthy addition to this list.
Absolutely! That’s an excellent suggestion. There are some great stories in there, not to mention many of the best known classical tales. Thanks for watching and commenting!
I'm a new subscriber and am really enjoying all of your videos thus far! This one particularly gave me a lot of new things to look for and "The Lais of Marie de France" is on my reading list for a middle ages class I'm taking Spring Quarter, so it was really cool to see it mentioned on booktube! Definitely curious to see what I think of it!
Marie de France, whoever she was, left us some of the most dreamlike and beautiful Arthurian poems. I hope you’ll enjoy them. Also, thank you so much for watching, commenting, and subscribing!
Yes, in modern Indian languages the final A drops, it was pronounced in Sanskrit. I recommend the translation of Debroy, he used the Critical edition and the translations follows closely the original.
Thank you for the confirmation of the pronunciation and for the recommendation of the Debroy translation! I read a copy from the library years ago, and while I have several editions of the Bhagavad Gita, I would like to have a good translation of the Mahabharata. Cheers!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy The printed version maybe a bit hard to get, but there are e-book one and it is very readable.
@@someinteresting Thanks!
What a great video and most importantly quite good recommendations. In my opinion, a good reader should once in a while come back to the roots i.e. the classics. Thank you for making this kind of videos, I find them very insightful. I'm new to your Channel thanks to Mike (from Mike's Book Reviews), and I'm very happy 'cause so far I've found material of good quality!
P.S. May I ask what kind of ornamental dagger/knife do you have back there on your bookshelf? Looks awesome!
Thanks, Simon! Mike is awesome, so I’m always happy to hear from folks who come from his channel. The dagger is a Nepali khukuri. I used to live in Nepal, though I never have actually used the khukuri!
Thank you for this video. Some really interesting stuff to add to my list.
Some of the foundation beneath the genre we love!
I love the Arabian Nights I've been using it to try and get my wife into reading. I've only gotten to Aladdin in the Burrton translation but the tale of the enchanted horse and Sinbad the sailor were both wonderful stories.
Fantastic! I hope you’ll continue to have fun with the tales!
Loved listening to this! More of the same please!
Thanks! I’m doing an “Origins of Fantasy” video in a week or so, so that might be of interest. I appreciate you watching!
Wonderful recommendations! Some stuff I wasn’t aware of that I’m going to have to check out. I’ve never known which version of Beowulf to buy, paralyzed by all of the versions out there, but your recommendation helps me pick one out to finally read it.
I always teach the Seamus Heaney translation of Beowulf. Heaney was a great poet, and that comes through in the lines. I like the aesthetics of his translation a lot.
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy I ended up getting the Beowulf translation by Seamus Heaney, and enjoyed it very much. I was intrigued by his introduction and discussion points to buy a book of his poems from 1965-1975 and they’re absolutely amazing. I’m so pleased to have accidentally stumbled across my first favorite poet. Thank you for indirectly pointing the way. :)
@@kyrilson71 Absolutely my pleasure! Poetry in general deserves a bigger readership these days. I’m so glad you enjoyed Beowulf!
And I'm again late to the party :D
Beowulf is still on my reading list but I'm not sure if I would struggle with it because I'm only familiar with Germanic and Skandinavian stuff.
As far as I know the Völsunga saga was produced in Norway because the Norwegian King wanted to be more "courtly" and more like the central European countries and therefore requested somebody to adapt the Nibelungenlied into Old Norse. There are also a lot more sagas that were adapted after the Scandinavian Kings wished to have courtly prose as well. At least that's what I was though in uni, haha.
I’m sure you’ll love Beowulf! The Saga of the Volsungs and The Niebelungenlied are different versions of a story that goes much further back than either. In fact, Beowulf, which is older than both of them, makes a reference to the same legend of the Volsungs, which circulated in an oral form among the various Germanic peoples for centuries before being written down. It’s very cool that we have different versions of the story!
If you are interested in foundation myths, I recommend the Popol Vuh (the book, not the krautrock band, though they are worth listening to, too). It is the creation myth of the K'iche' Mayas, plus a few more stories and some history of their kingdom. It is probably not "pure", but has incorporated a few christian elements since it was written after christianisation, but it is the closest original source we have to mayan beliefs (there is another indigenous source from Yucatan, the Chilam Balam, but that is more a lose collection of various texts).
It can be a challenging read, since it comes from a very different kind of storytelling tradition, but if you managed the poetic Eddas, then this should be a piece of cake for you ;)
Thank you! That sounds like a fascinating read, and I will be sure to investigate it. I've always loved myths, which, I believe, have a certain kinship with the fantasy genre. I would very much like to be better read in myths from the native peoples of the Americas, so this recommendation is perfect. I appreciate it!
Great video! The Aeneid is an excellent work, the opening book stands as one of my favorite scenes from literature. Considering your love of Beowulf I'm curious if you've ever read The Mere Wife? It's not really fantasy but I picked it up earlier this year and loved it.
Thanks! I have not yet read The Mere Wife, but I thank you for bringing my attention to it! It looks interesting -- certainly something in my wheelhouse. Some of the modern Beowulf "spin-offs", such as John Gardner's Grendel, have been really good. I'm glad to hear you enjoyed The Mere Wife, and it's now on my list!
Great video! I'd be really interested to see some of the parallels between the classics and more modern works. Some of Tolkien's inspiration is really clear (corrupted treasures, arriving home to find all is not well etc.) but I'd love to hear about others too and if any have evolved into common tropes over the years.
Thanks! To give a couple more Tolkien examples, the the Kullervo episode from the Finnish Kalevala inspired the story of Turin (from The Silmarillion). Also, Tolkien based one of his Elvish languages, Noldorin, on the sounds of Finnish. The other Elvish language, Sindarin, was based on Welsh. Apparently, Michael Moorcock used the Kalevala for inspiration as well. One great example of an author being inspired by the Welsh Mabinogion is Lloyd Alexander's Prydain series (the first fantasy I read as a kid, probably in the early 1980's. Neil Gaiman actually published a book that is a retelling of many of the stories from the Eddas, and of course American Gods takes inspiration from them too (at one point, Wednesday (Odin) basically quotes the Havamal, an Eddic poem spoken by Odin as he hung from Yggdrasil). I mentioned Steven Erikson in the video -- the influence from the Iliad and the Odyssey in Malazan Book of the Fallen seems obvious to me as the gods quarrel and manipulate humans in similar ways. I'm sure there are many other examples out there, some conscious and some unconscious, where authors have used archetypes or tropes handed down for centuries. Thanks for the comment!
Your comment has my mind stirring with other tropes of modern fantasy and where they come from. One huge example is dragons and their representation of greed (in Western tradition -- Eastern dragons are different). The mythological origins of dragons and their many manifestations -- now there's something for a PhD dissertation! Magic swords -- they're everywhere in fantasy and quite important in many of these old stories (such as in Beowulf and in the Saga of the Volsungs), and there's even the idea of the sword breaking to herald the death of the hero who wields it. I'm going to stop typing in case this reply turns into a dissertation! Thanks again for the lovely comment!
There's so many to talk about!
Just looking at the Greeks there's the Quest (Odysseus / Hercules), Weakness of the Impervious Hero (Achilles/ Superman), Love Triangle (Helen of Troy/ pretty much any Zeus story), Prophecy (Oedipus).
The Norse gods were shown to be flawed in many ways, too. Power isn't everything, and everything has a price - common themes is a lot of stories. Odin had to sacrifice an eye to get knowledge, and Loki's shenanigans gave us Thor in a dress, and Mjölnir with a short stubby handle.
Rob Paul The weakness of the impervious hero appears in the Saga of the Volsungs/The Niebelungenlied too as Sigurd bathes in dragon’s blood but misses a spot on his back, which later proves significant. As you say, so many to talk about!
This has got to be my favourite video of yours! I'd love to study these texts in an academical setting!
My husband's Greek and I've learned so much about the history of Greece (and the modern Greek language) in the past few years. He bought me both The Illiad and The Odyssey as a Christmas present 2 years ago, but I've yet to finish them. He's not a reader at all, but he does enjoy being read to and The Odyssey is on the list.
Right now, we're finishing The Arabian Nights tales we have (I have four volumes that were first translated in French by Antoine Galland in the very beginning of the 18th century - his translation is truly amazing). I was so eager to get to Aladdin's story, but we skipped it because it was the worse haha! We never skipped a story before. :0
I've only read Macbeth (loved it!), but I have the complete Shakespeare plays and an annotated version of Midsummer Night's Dream waiting on my self. :)
You talked about Arthurian tales and I was wondering if you've ever read Le Morte d'Arthur (1485). I'd love to read it someday, because I was quite disappointed by Chrétien de Troy's take on the legend.
I’m glad you enjoyed this! Yes, I’ve read Thomas Malory’s Le Morte D’Arthur. Many episodes from it still read well enough, but reading the whole thing grows tedious, to be honest. There’s a lot of repetition of bold knights chivalrously beating their adversaries against the odds (but with little difficulty). I think it’s a great idea to read The Iliad and The Odyssey aloud since they were meant to be experienced as recitations or songs in the first place. There are so many wonderful classics to enjoy, and reading them really enriched our experience of modern fiction too.
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Yes, absolutely, and my Odyssey version is in verse! :D
I'll read Sir Gawain then (if I can put my hand on it), because I had similar issues with Chrétien de Troy (disappointing and convenient endings, annoying characters haha).
@@onfaerystories Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is very cleverly written, making gentle fun of its hero in a way that allows the reader to smile at our common humanity. It’s an absolute classic that I love!
That is a great list of recommendations, all of these deserve a lot more love and attention from the fantasy community.
Thanks for pointing these out, and for mentioning a couple good translations.
Would definitely be interested in follow-up videos with more recommendations - Japan, China and Russia are bound to have good ones, as would Australia, Native Americans and Africa.
Or going more in-depth into these stories and some modern fantasy or sci-fi inspired by them.
For anyone interested in a maybe easier way of sniffing at some of these stories to see if it's for you, the Overly Sarcastic Productions guys have very funny videos on quite a lot of them. Beowulf, Shakespeare and the Greeks for sure.
Also, Neil Gaiman recently released a book on the Norse myths, and Stephen Fry did two books on the Greek myths and heroes.
All very much worth reading.
Insightful comments, as always! I completely agree about stories from other parts of the world. In particular, I’d love to read more from East Asia and Africa, and Native American stories for sure. I’ve read Neil Gaiman’s Norse Mythology book, which is a nice retelling of stories from the Eddas. Thanks for the suggestions- I imagine RUclips has some excellent videos on these books for those who wish to delve into them, and I really do feel that some familiarity with these old tales would enrich a fantasy fan’s experience of modern fantasy.
I love that in recent years so many of the classic stories have been getting more attention and retellings - and that the doors have been opened to let other cultures bring their own brand of modern fantasy stories.
These stories have so much to teach, in the way they differ from each other, but even more in the ways they are alike.
Really hoping this is a topic you'll be doing more on 😊
Rob Paul Well said! One possible example I just bought and am excited to read is R.F. Kuang’s The Poppy War. On my recommendation, my daughter recently read Tomi Adeyemi’s Children of Blood and Bone, which is YA. It’s really an exciting time for fantasy!
@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy
I have the Poppy War here ready to be read as well. 👍
Think you might enjoy looking into James Lovegrove as well, he has this whole 'Age of ...' series where he brings classic gods and heroes into urban fantasy stories - much like Neil Gaiman with American Gods and Anansi Boys before him, but more action packed. Stories like Age of Ra, Age of Odin, Age of Legends.
Kylie Chan has the Journey to Wudang series which dives into some Chinese myths - wrapped in a martial arts romance story.
Have heard of the Children of Blood and Bone, but was hesitant to get into it.. most YA seems more miss than hit for me. You'd recommend it ?
Rob Paul Though I read Children of Blood and Bone and encouraged my daughter to read it, it is definitely YA in terms of the reading level. Unless you enjoy YA level prose, I would not recommend it. On the other hand, it’s a great take on fantasy for a younger reader!
For those who are afraid to venture into The Mahabharata, try out The Place of Illusions by C. B. Divakaruni - a simply gorgeous retelling/reimagining of the Mahabharata from a woman's point of view. And the audio book is just a feast for your ears.
Fantastic! I’m familiar with her book Mistress of Spices - great author!
The book is highly inaccurate & pretty much a feminist fanfiction according to most reviews who actually know Mahabharata & studied it.
Not a good way to get into Mahabharata.
Hey Philip, I know this video is older and your primary interest is medieval lit but I was wondering if you have had an experience or considered the 4 classic novels of China? All 4 of them have varying levels of fantasy elements and are quite good. Not only is it one of my favorite works but Romance of the Three Kingdoms is an easy recommendation to anyone that likes military/political fantasy. The fantasy elements are more reserved than epic fantasy but it has more in common with those epic fantasy series than it does with its usual comparisons of the Iliad in its story telling: Large number POVs, multi-sided conflict, grand trans generational narrative etc. The 4 classics don't have much representation on booktube and its a real shame.
Thanks for the recommendations, Nick! I’m most definitely interested in reading fantasy themed stories from China, new and old. Romance of the Three Kingdoms sounds like an excellent place to start. Thanks again!
I would also recommend The Qur'an, The Bible, The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri, Journey to the West by Wu Cheng'en, Kanteletar by Elias Lönnart, The Epic of Gilgamesh, The Book of Invasions, Táin Bó Cúailnge, The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.
Excellent recommendations all - thank you!
For the titles in languages other than English, it's probably a good idea to put the name on the screen, or at least in the description. At some point you could get amazon affiliate links for the books you review/recommend and put them in the description, that way you can make some money and your viewers can easily find what you're talking about!
Somehow, your comment showed up twice. Just in case you didn't see my first reply: "An excellent idea! I started making videos not quite five months ago, and it's been a constant education because, to be honest, I'm something of a social media idiot. Thus, I'm quite grateful for tips like this -- thank you very much! I'll type the names of the books in the description. Cheers!"
Did Neil Gaiman base his Neverwhere novel on Beowolf?
I’m not sure about Neverwhere, but I do know that Gaiman wrote a short story called Monarch of the Glen, a kind of sequel to American Gods, and it’s based in part on Beowulf. Also, Gaiman was involved in the script for the 2007 film Beowulf. So, Beowulf is an influence for him, no doubt!
Would Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels be considered classic fantasy?
It’s usually classified as a “travel narrative,” which were common in the 18th century, both “real” and fictional - sort of like a modern road trip novel. But it does have elements in common with fantasy.
Beowulf is my favorite.
Mine too!
Stories of Vikramaditya should be added as well to this list.
An excellent addition - thank you!
I love how nerdy you seem to be about this. Fantastic. I wonder, are you educated in this field, or are you simply really interested/have this as a hobby?
Thanks! I'm actually an English professor (with a focus on medieval literature), so I suppose I'm educated in the field, but it's also very much a hobby as well. I appreciate the comment!
For the titles in languages other than English, it's probably a good idea to put the name on the screen, or at least in the description. At some point you could get amazon affiliate links for the books you review/recommend and put them in the description, that way you can make some money and your viewers can easily find what you're talking about!
An excellent idea! I started making videos not quite five months ago, and it's been a constant education because, to be honest, I'm something of a social media idiot. Thus, I'm quite grateful for tips like this -- thank you very much! I'll type the names of the books in the description. Cheers!