A reading guide
Greek mythology books
Greek mythology books tell stories of gods, heroes, monsters, and dangerous journeys. Start with The Odyssey for a king’s struggle to return home. Read or listen here: eBook, audiobook and 15-minute summary, and paperback, hardcover or large print, printed at cost, free to start.
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Where to start
Start hereThe OdysseyHomerChoose this for a homecoming story with storms, strange creatures, and gods who help or hinder the journey.
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Another way inThe HeroesCharles KingsleyStart here if you want hero stories centred on concrete quests, from Medusa’s head to the Golden Fleece.
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Or tryHomer: The Iliad & The OdysseyW. Lucas CollinsTry these prose retellings if you would rather follow Homer’s war and homecoming stories without starting with verse.
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The books
Free to start one of the free gifts when you start
| # | First published | Book | Kind | Read |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 750 BC | The OdysseyHomer Odysseus faces storms, strange creatures, and meddling gods as he struggles to return home after the Trojan War. | Poems | Free to startRead free |
| 2 | 750 BC | The IliadHomer Achilles’ quarrel with Agamemnon puts his companions at risk during the Greek army’s siege of Troy. | Poems | Free to startRead free |
| 3 | 250 BC | The ArgonauticaRhodius Apollonius Jason leads Greek heroes aboard the Argo on a voyage to seek the Golden Fleece in Colchis. | Poems | Free to startRead free |
| 4 | 300 | The Fall of TroyQuintus Smyrnaeus The siege continues after Hector’s funeral, with new defenders arriving as Greeks and Trojans fight for Troy. | Poems | Free to startRead free |
| 5 | 1856 | The HeroesCharles Kingsley Perseus, Jason, and Theseus face monsters, sea voyages, and dangerous quests in these Greek hero stories. | Stories | Free to startRead free |
| 6 | 1914 | A Book of MythsJean Lang Jean Lang retells stories of quarrelling gods, love, dangerous journeys, and heroes who face monsters. | Stories | Free to startRead free |
| 7 | · | Bulfinch's MythologyThomas Bulfinch Retellings of gods, monsters, and warriors explain mythical stories that readers encounter in literature and art. | Stories | Free to startRead free |
| 8 | · | Homer: The Iliad & The OdysseyW. Lucas Collins W. Lucas Collins retells Homer’s war and homecoming stories in prose, following each poem’s story in order. | Stories | Free to startRead free |
| 9 | · | Hesiod, the Homeric Hymns, and HomericaHesiod Poems about the origins of the Greek gods and the deeds of heroes sit alongside farming and justice. | Poems | Free to startRead free |
| 10 | · | The Seven Plays in English VerseSophocles Sophocles’ tragedies follow rulers, outcasts, and divided families caught between competing duties and loyalties. | Play | Free to startRead free |
| 11 | · | Æschylus: Tragedies and FragmentsAeschylus These tragedies bring together war, family violence, and the demands of gods in struggles over human consequences. | Play | Free to startRead free |
| 12 | · | Aeschylus' Prometheus Bound and The Seven Against ThebesAeschylus A chained Prometheus and a threatened Thebes bring divine punishment and conflict between brothers into Greek tragedy. | Play | Free to startRead free |
| 13 | · | The Tragedies of SenecaLucius Annaeus Seneca Kings, queens, and heroes from Greek myth struggle with anger, desire, revenge, and destructive passions. | Play | Free to startRead free |
Questions
What Greek mythology books should I read first?
Start with The Odyssey if you want a journey with a clear goal: getting home. For hero quests, choose The Heroes. If you prefer prose retellings of Homer’s stories, try Homer: The Iliad & The Odyssey.
Which Greek mythology books are about gods and heroes?
Hesiod, the Homeric Hymns, and Homerica includes poems about the origins of the Greek gods and the deeds of heroes. A Book of Myths offers retold stories of gods in conflict and heroes on dangerous journeys. The Heroes focuses on Perseus, Jason, and Theseus.
Should I read The Iliad or The Odyssey first?
Choose The Odyssey first for wandering and homecoming, or The Iliad for conflict within an army at war. The Odyssey follows Odysseus trying to return after the Trojan War. The Iliad centres on Achilles’ quarrel with Agamemnon during the siege of Troy.
Are there Greek mythology books written as plays?
Yes, this selection includes tragedies as well as poems and prose stories. Aeschylus' Prometheus Bound and The Seven Against Thebes follows a punished god and a besieged city. The Tragedies of Seneca follows rulers and heroes from Greek myth through anger, desire, and revenge.
Which Greek mythology books tell the story of the Golden Fleece?
The Argonautica follows Jason and his crew in search of the Golden Fleece. The Heroes also includes Jason’s voyage with the Argonauts, alongside stories of Perseus and Theseus. Choose the former for the voyage itself, or the latter for a selection of hero quests.
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Read and hear all of them
Every book on this page, and 200,000+ more, as eBook, large-print eBook, audiobook and 15-minute summary, in 25 languages, and any book printed at cost as a paperback, hardcover or large print. 5 accounts for the price of one.
