Mythical Monday (12)

It seems there are many books based on or influenced by Myths and Mythological Beings.

There are so many different Mythology and Mythological Beings recorded. Some are very popular and well known, others not so much. There are many similar beings, yet different depending on the culture it’s based in.  The definition of Myth covers about anything in the Urban Fantasy/Fantasy realm to me.

I’ve invited authors to share briefly the Mythological being or Myth that influenced their character(s) or story, or what their character(s) are based on influencing their books.  Hosting here, one author and being or myth per week.

This week we have:

Fantasy author Rachel Neumeier

Talking of the Griffins.

Zoological Museum, Copenhagen

So, why griffins?

Griffins were actually an obvious choice for me.  I’m not saying griffins are my favorite mythological creature.  I sure don’t have anything against dragons, for example.  In fact, dragons appear in two of my own books (The Floating Islands and House of Shadows), though the dragons in each book are certainly very different.

But I’ve always had a soft spot for griffins. 

Not because of any particular symbolism associated with griffins, though.  I mean, I know that griffins have had all kinds of associations, in all kinds of cultures.  Take, for example, the Pisa Griffin.  (It’s the same Pisa as the one with the Leaning Tower.)  This huge bronze statue may be in Pisa, but it was made by an Islamic sculptor in the 11^th Century.  Around its chest and body, there’s an Arabic inscription saying:  “Perfect benediction, complete wellbeing, perfect joy, eternal peace and perfect health, and happiness and good fortune for the owner."  That’s quite a load for one statue to carry, even if it is the largest bronze statue known from that era.

The Pisa Griffin

And in European heraldry, griffins are supposed to symbolize strength and valor and nobility.  This makes sense, because after all a griffin combines in one creature both the “king of beasts” and the “king of the air.”  In his book System of Heraldry (1722), Alexander Nisbet described griffins thus:  "The griffin represents wisdom joined to fortitude, but wisdom should lead, and fortitude follow."   And – here’s an interesting tidbit – the griffins shown in heraldry are almost all female!  Because in European heraldry, only female griffins have wings.  Male griffins are instead shown with bursts of spikes, which are supposed to represent the rays of the sun.

But did I know any of this when I wrote The Griffin Mage trilogy?  Actually, no.  I learned most of it just now, when looking up stuff about mythological creatures for this very post.

When I decided to include griffins in a story of my own, I actually wasn’t of thinking of griffins from a historical or symbolic or heraldic perspective.  I was thinking of the griffins I have loved in other people’s stories.  The griffins in Diana Wynne Jones’ Year of the Griffin, for example.  I love Kit and Callette and Elda and the other griffins in that story!

Or how about O’Donohoe’s wonderful griffin, Asturiel, from The Magic and the Healing trilogy?  Has anybody else read this excellent trilogy?  If you haven’t, you’re missing out.  Asturiel isn’t the main character, but he’s certainly memorable.  He’s a bit rigid and more than a little ruthless – in fact, he reminds me more than a little of Inspector Javert from Les Miserables.  But then, I always did sympathize with Inspector Javert.  I actually had O’Donohoe’s griffin in mind when I first thought of including griffins in a book of my own, which only goes to show, because of course my griffins are absolutely nothing like Asturiel.

What happened was, I wrote the first couple of paragraphs of Lord of the Changing Winds, and those paragraphs came out more or less this way:

                The griffins came to Feierabiand with the early summer warmth, riding the wind out of the heights down to the tender pastures of the foothills.  The wind they brought with them was a hard hot wind, with nothing of the gentle Feierabiand summer about it.  It tasted of red dust and hot brass.
                Kes . . . saw them come:  great bronze wings shining in the sun, tawny pelts like molten gold, sunlight striking harshly off beaks and talons.  One was a hard shining white, one red as the coals at the heart of a fire.  The griffins rode their wind like soaring eagles, wings outstretched and still.  The sky took on a fierce metallic tone as they passed.  They turned around the shoulder of the mountain and disappeared, one and then another and another, until they had all passed out of sight.  Behind them, the sky softened slowly to its accustomed gentle blue.

And this was completely unexpected.  I’m serious.  I honestly had no idea I was going to make griffins into creatures of fire until, check it out, there they are bringing a desert with them into the ordinary countryside.  Who knew?

But I liked the idea at once.  I didn’t just keep it, I ran with it.  Right away it was obvious that if griffins were going to be creatures of fire, this could set them up as different from ordinary human people, who I immediately decided were creatures of earth.  And if griffins were going to be different from humans, I decided I’d make them different – different not only physically and in the magic they use, but also psychologically.  Though I hope readers will enjoy my griffins, and sympathize with them, and more or less kind of understand them, my griffins aren’t human – and from that difference arises the underlying conflict that drives the whole griffin trilogy.

Could I have used dragons instead of griffins?  Of course .  But everybody who reads fantasy has already got a favorite dragon, isn’t that right?  Or at the very least a clear picture of what a proper dragon ought to be like, whether a dangerous monster, or basically a regular person, or a wonderful plot device.  We already know plenty about dragons.  But griffins don’t come with such firmly attached images or associations.  I had fun taking a less well-known mythological creature off in a direction even I couldn’t predict.  And I hope my readers have fun with that, too!

You can find Rachel Neumeier:
Blog:  Rachel Neumeier
Twitter:  @RachelNeumeier


You can now find the complete The Griffin Mage Trilogy in one neat book:

Or you can purchase each book separately:

Looking Forward To... (26)

There are so many amazing books already on the shelves and new ones coming out.

For a list of books yet to be released I'm looking to get, you can also look on my right Sidebar at the ever growing list titled Desired Reads - just scroll down.  Of course there are tones of other new books to come out that are amazing as well, but these ones are part of series I have already started or for one reason or another caught my eye (and haven't seen much on other blogs yet). But I will highlight one here each week.

(mentioned in order of Release Date then Alphabetical if there are more than one book coming out on the same date.)

The Next Book Is..

Law of the Broken Earth

By:  Rachel Neumeier

Due Out:  December 1, 2010

I have read the first two books in this trilogy and enjoyed reading them as they have a classic fantasy feel with a new twist of Griffins.  The first two books could possibly be read individually as they kind of struck me as individual stories fore they where in two different areas of the same world.  So, I am curious to get to the last book in the trilogy.  And since I started the trilogy, I just have to finish it.  And the griffins are determined to not be stopped or mistreated by mankind in any way.  I have to see what happens with the griffins and mankind.  Will the work out an agreement or not...  Will they all survive or destroy each other?

Good Reads Synopsis:
In Feierabiand, in the wide green Delta, far from the burning heat of the griffin's desert, Mienthe's peaceful life has been shaken. Tan - clever, cynical, and an experienced spy - has brought a deadly secret out of the neighboring country of Linularinum.

Now, as three countries and two species rush toward destruction, Mienthe fears that even her powerful cousin Bertaud may be neither able nor even willing to find a safe path between the secret Linularinum would kill to preserve and the desperate ferocity of the griffins. But can Mienthe?

And, in the end, will Tan help her . . . or do everything in his power to stand in her way? 

Book Review: Land of the Burning Sands

Land of the Burning Sands
The Griffin Mage: Book Two

By:  Rachel Neumeier

Publisher:  Orbit Books

Publish Date:  June 2010

Genre:  Fantasy

Format:  Paperback, 441 pgs - pocket sized

Series:  2nds Book in The Griffin Mage Trilogy, Review of Book 1 Lord of the Changing Winds ~ HERE

Recommendation:  If you enjoy straight forward journey fantasy reads, with some strategy of fighting with out warring and a new element of Griffins.  This is definitely a book for you.

Book Synopsis:
Gereint Enseichen of Casmantium knows little and cares less about the recent war in which his king tried to use griffins and fire to wrest territory from the neighboring country of Feierabiand.  Now, his kingdom's unexpected defeat offers him a chance to escape from his own servitude.

But now that the griffins find themselves in a position of strength, they are not inclined to forgive and the entire kingdom finds itself in deadly peril.  Willing or not, Gereint is caught up in a desperate struggle between the griffins and the last remaining mage...

First Sentence:
Gereint Enseichen sat on a narrow pallet in the lowest cellar of the Anteirden townhouse, waiting.

My Review and Summary:
For a day, a night, and a day slave Gereint hide in the two story deep basement while the desert claimed the newly abandoned city of Melentser, hoping to lose the geas connection he felt to his master.  On the second night Gereint sat in the broken sandy city and watched the sun set.  As he did, he saw the bright griffins fly over him.  Feeling no pull on his geas, Gereint heads North East, opposite of the other refugees and his master.  Only to fall under geas to another man and see more griffins fly by.

We start off with a whole new story.  We follow Gereint through his journey after the destruction of Melentser.  We learn more of his life, how he fell into the trap of slavery of the geas.  But most of all, we learn of the person Gereint is.  I started to understand more of the country Calmantium.  If you read the first book, you will remember this is the country where the Griffins first resided, and now have come home.

Through the book you get the feel for how the people and Cold Mage are apposed to the griffins.  In more than just dislike.  Their is a deeper feeling that these two different magics don't mix very well, and this is shown to you through the acts and feelings of the characters.  I learned more of the Cold Mage and of the Makers that are from Calmantium.

This book struck me as it could be read on its own, not having to have read the first book in the trilogy since we are placed in Calmantium instead of Feierabiand and the story doesn't revolve majorly on the happenings of the first book.  I felt this book was a story of its own.  We do start to touch on the happenings in Lord of Changing Winds around page 72, but remember the people of Calmantium really don't know what happened in Feierabiand, and what you need to know for this story is given to you.

I didn't interact much with the griffins in this read.  They are a constant and are visual through the book.  But not much interaction between the characters and griffins until close to the end of the book.  In this way there is some suspense built to wonder what they are doing and what will happen.

Along with the griffins there is a few characters who come back in this one.  The one main character, which I enjoyed in Lord of the Changing Winds, was Lord Bertaud.  And we have many new characters.  I came to enjoy these new characters very much by the end of the book.

In all I enjoyed this read and will look for the third book of this trilogy.  A wonderful classic fantasy style with a new element...griffins.



I purchased this book for my reading enjoyment

This book qualifies for my Speculated Fiction Challenge hosted by Book Chick City.

Book Review: Lord of the Changing Winds

Lord of the Changing Winds
The Griffin Mage: Book One

By:  Rachel Neumeier

Publisher:  Orbit Books

Publish Date:  May 2010

Genre:  Fantasy

Format:  Paperback, 367 pages

Series:  First book of The Griffin Mage Series

Recommendation:  If you would like to read a straight forward fantasy style read, with magic, and the amazing creatures of griffins.

Book Synopsis:
Little ever happens in the quiet villages of peaceful Feierabiand.  For Kes, the course of her life seems set: she'll grow up to be an herb-woman and healer, never quite fitting in but always more or less accepted.  And she's content with that path - or she thinks she is.  Until the day the griffins come down from the mountains, bringing with them the fiery wind of their desert and a desperate need for a healer.  But what the griffins need is a healer who is not quite human...or a healer who can be made into something not quite human.

First Sentence:
The griffins came to Feierabiand with the early summer warmth, riding the wind out of the heights down to the tender green pastures of the foothills.

My Review and Summary:
Kes is a quiet shy (almost backwards) young girl who lives with her sister Tesme on their horse breeding farm, along with Jos the quiet man who has been with them for six years helping around the farm.  Kes is up in the woods collecting herbs for her stock when she spys the Griffins flying in the distance, and is distracted by their beauty.  After Kes returns home, she goes into the small village with her sister to celebrate the birth of magnificant horse of Tesme's.  While there a man comes looking for Kes, asking for her help.  Kes realizes something different about this man, that he must have a connection to the griffins by what she sees and feels. Kes willingly goes with this man and learns she can heal griffins, without her herbs.

The countries have divided themselves by the people and their abilities.  The setup of these abilities, or different magics, is started in this book as you learn a little about all of them and more of a few special ones.  The abilities are categorized as; Makers, Legists, and Animal Affinity.  These abilities are separated between three countries.  Makers, build things and are the best at their craft - to make the strongest and best walls, bridges, roads and such.  Legists, are amazing with words - making contracts that can not be broke or even with poetry.  Animal Affinity, have a connection with a specific type of animal and will possess control over it.  The Animal Affinity is the ability Kes's country folk possess, for example Tesme has an affinity for horses and Kes has accepted that she will not have an affinity and is talented with her herbs.  But Kes is about to learn a wonderous secret of herself...

Then there are Mages present as well; earth, cool, and fire.  And they all have a strange affect on each other.

I have not read many books of griffins.  So, I couldn't wait to get this book for just that reason.  There are no mysterious turns to the story, this story is a solid fantasy style read. 

I enjoyed reading the beauty drawn through words of the griffins and learning of them as the story went on.  In the first 100 pages I only felt for Bertaud and of his friendship with the King.  I wanted to connect with Kes and the griffins, yet they seemed... standoffish.  But, somewhere between 125 and 200 pages something happened, and I feel for Kes and the griffins and started to understand more of their personalities.  I think part of the connection I didn't feel was because I didn't trust the Griffin Mage.  I didn't like him in the first half of the story, but I came to understand him in the second half, and even start to like him in the end.  I think the author wants you to not trust Kairaithin along with finding it harder to connect with him and the griffins.  I started to realize it may be part of their nature since they are creatures of fire.  But in the end I accepted them for who they are and liked them.

The only thing about the read I had a hard time with were the names of the griffins.  It was hard for me to keep them separate at first as the names were rather long and similar to each other, example: Eskainiane Escaile Sehaikiu.  What did help was the author did usually give a description of the griffin by color with the names to help differentiate them, and after giving them nicknames I started to do well with them.

After reading this book, I am curious to see where the rest of the trilogy goes.  In the end of the story I felt I started to understand what makes all the characters work and would like to read the next book to see where they all go and what falls upon them.


I will be posting a contest tomorrow for the second book I have.  So, stay tuned and stop back around.

This review qualifies for the Speculative Fiction Challenge @ Book Chick City.
I received a copy of this book from the author for review, after stressing my desire to read it.  Thank you.

Looking Forward To...

I just read an eye catching post over at Orbit Books, on a new Fantasy series starting with the first book in May.  It appears from this post the three books will be out this year; May, June, and December.

What is it about you ask?  Griffins!

Would you like to read the post that caught my eye?  Here is the link.  I hope you enjoy it.

This is Book 1, out May 2010.

Book 2, out June 2010.

 Book 3, out December 2010

I THINK I NEED THESE BOOKS!!!