From Tolkien’s elves to Pullman’s daemons, mythical creatures are often the backbone of fantasy. I’ve talked quite a bit about how they can pull me into a story, but I’ve never said which are my *absolute faves*- though never fear, that day is here!
Dragons– let’s just get the obvious one out of the way, shall we? 😉 These fire-breathing, war machines are easily my favourites. I will admit that when it comes to dragons, I am biased- for me, the perfect dragon is very Smaug-like. Clever, greedy, possibly evil… but completely badass!
Ghosts– even though I’m totally afraid of scary stories, I can’t help but be drawn to ghosts in stories (a bit like how I’m scared of heights, but love rollercoasters). I can’t say that I have a definite favourite here, but I did realllly like the version in The Girl in the Tower, possibly because the Russian atmosphere gave me the chills in more ways than one.
Phoenix– I mean, it’s another creature that is fiery and can fly. Plus, it’s got powers often linked to resurrection- I think it’s fairly obvious looking at this list why I like them. Now for a lot of people, the first phoenix that will come to mind is the rather lovely Fawkes from Harry Potter, but recently I’ve discovered an even MORE EXCITING representation of this mythical creature… say hello the phoenix riders in Crown of Feathers! This definitely goes above and beyond any other depiction I’ve seen before!
Kitsune– when I first heard about these mythical creatures, I was falling straight down the rabbithole/foxhole of research, because they are so fascinating! Cunning and magical, they easily crept onto the list. And when it comes to the best version I’ve seen- well, that’s obviously Shadow of the Fox.
Fae/Faeries/Fey– this one is quite on vogue lately- and I am living for it! I had so many options here for examples I could go with- I loved the evil Phaeries in Wooding’s Poison and I was tempted again by Kagawa’s portrayal in Iron Fey. Ultimately though, I decided to go with Holly Black’s Darkest Part of the Forest, for an atmospheric take that falls somewhere in between the two styles.
And the last one that feels like a bit of a cheat…
Witches and wizards– I’m not sure I even count these as magical creatures- especially because their conception is so vast. And yet it would feel remiss not to mention them. Best by far that I’ve seen lately is Madeline Miller’s Circe– she takes the idea of talent and hard work, then melds them together in the most interesting version I’ve come across in recent history.
And that’s all I’ve got for now! What do you think of these creatures? And what are your favourites? Let me know in the comments!
Kitsunes! A definite favorite for me, too (and I’m glad there are more books featuring them that are coming out!)
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So glad you agree! Me too- it’s so exciting!!! 🙂
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Kitsune are fascinating, and I also have a love for werewolves–actually just a general love for the idea of humans shapeshifting into any animals, or vice versa. Among some people who live near the Amazon (the river, not the online retailer) there are legends of freshwater dolphins who transform into humans and come onto land to dance with girls. You can tell them because they wear hats to cover their blowholes, so if you’re near the Amazon and meet someone who won’t take off their hat they could be a dolphin. I draw the line at King Nebuchadnezzar II, though–he thought he was a cow and ate grass.
I also like gryphons, or griffins, if you prefer the simplified spelling. There’s a funny short story called “The Griffin & The Minor Canon” by Frank Stockton.
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I really agree- I like the concept of humans shifting into animals (everything from werewolves to selkies- although kitsune are my favourite). That is sio interesting!! I didn’t know that!! hehehe love that! hahhahaha!!! That’s hilarious!!
Ah griffins are such a good one!!
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Dragons and Fae all the way!
I’m a poet and dont know it!!!
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hehehe!!
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Fae are fun for sure! They would probably be my favorite.
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hehe fair enough- they can be pretty scary!
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I like phoenixes and centaurs 🙂
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Ooh those are good ones!! I really like both of those 😀
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Dragons are my favorites, but I’m also a fan of changelings.
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Ooh changelings are a great one!!
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Oooo! Have you read Dragon Springs Road by Janie Chang? If I’m recalling correctly, I believe one of the characters is a kitsune!
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No I haven’t- but that’s so cool- putting it on my tbr now!!
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Hope you enjoy it!
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My favorites are fairies. I really liked the fairies in Artemis Fowl! Read the series when I was in high school, and I’m excited to see it as a movie.
Phoenixes are cool, too, but I’ve only ever known Fawkes. I think I’ll look into Crown of Feathers after I get through the insanely large TBR pile of books I have.
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Ahh I loved the faeries in Artemis Fowl too- me too!!
Fair enough! haha I can relate- hope you like crown of feathers if you get a chance to check it out!
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Yes to witches/wizards, dragons, and phoenixes!! What a fun post 🙂
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So glad you agree!! Thank you!! 😀
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Being a bit specific but Falkor the Luck Dragon from The Neverending Story holds a special place in my heart.
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Ahh I love him so much!! Falkor definitely holds a special place in my heart too 😀 ❤
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Those are all great ones! I personally love mermaids/sirens most, but kitsune and dragons are right after that. And who doesn’t love witches? Witch books are some of my absolute favorites.
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Thank you!! Ooh they’re both great ones!! Yes!! Totally get what you mean!
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You’re welcome!
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What I love about witches is how much variety there is. Good witches, bad witches. Witches in our world, high fantasy witches. Spell witches or elemental witches. No two books do witches the same way.
I don’t care about fae. They’re just this decade’s vampires, imo.
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Ahh I totally get what you mean!!
Ah that’s fair- they have become a bit of a fad- but the thing is I kind of see them as going back further and having strong links to Tolkien’s elves- so I see it in the broader appeal than just “oh here’s another YA fae story” (I guess I’m not making such a strong argument if you think about vampires going back further as well 😉 but somehow I’m not put off and would rather see a faerie in a modern fantasy than a ripoff Tolkien elf)
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I don’t particularly care who is featured in the fantasy stories, and tend to like humans the best anyway. I just like some variety. As long as it’s not the same thing over and over and over I’m up for anything. 🙂
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Wow…I want a daemon so badly 😂
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haha so relate!!
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If we’re talking about mythical beings, I prefer the hero. I haven’t seen one of those in a book in a LONG time. Nothing but villains and anti-heroes as far as the eye can see
😉
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hehehehe that’s a very good point!
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It just feels like I’m seeing “grimdark” everywhere and “grim and gritty” and “this character would be the villain in any other story” kind of thing, in the majority of reviews I see nowadays. This worldwide bent towards hopeless despair in even our escapist literature is really starting to bother me…
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hehe well I have to admit to being guilty of liking that- although that’s no secret 😉 But I will also say I can understand the frustration from people who want a mix of stories and that there isn’t really as much on the other side as there used to be- which is a crying shame.
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My favourites are definitely faeries, elves and pixies. I would really love to see a book focussed on pixies because they are so cheeky and fun…natural born tricksters.. my favourite kind of character!
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Those are awesome!! Ah yes I totally understand that!
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Thanks for the reminder that I really need to read Girl in the Tower!
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Glad I could help 😉 Hope you like it!!
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I love faeries, especially when they’re all dark and cruel lol. Dragons are amazing of course too!
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Me too!! Yes!!
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You’re about to send my down my own rabbit hole of research—Kitsunes? I watched a Kdrama a long time ago called My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho, and gumihos seem to be the Korean equivalent of kitsunes. It might be fun for you to watch, for research of course, whilst I read Shadow of the Fox for the first time 😁. I also need to read Crown of Feathers! That scene of Fawkes dying and being reborn in the Chamber of Secrets movie is imprinted in my mind and phoenixes have been my favorite ((mythical)) bird since then 😁.
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hehe awesome!! Ahh brilliant- definitely want to check it out now!! Oh hope you like it!! YES!! Totally get what you mean!
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I used to be obsessed with phoenixes! Especially how the Chinese and Western ones are so different.
If you like kitsune, you should check out other yokai like Tanuki. Miyazaki has a really fun film that stars them (:
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Oh that’s cool!!
Oh brilliant- thank you so much for the recommendation!! Definitely checking them out!!
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I’m with you on the dragons, fairies, and witches. Not so much the ghosts because they scare the shit outta me. Doesn’t matter how friendly they are.
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So glad you agree! hehe totally understand that- they terrify me too- but somehow fascinate me in equal measure- which is how I end up pulled into ghost stories, though I won’t risk horror or any scary film.
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Great list! My favorites are probably elves and fae: the versions that are immortals similar enough to us be interesting reflections of humanity. Elves have a nobler/wiser bent toward good and fae are on the other end of the spectrum as completely amoral, selfish, and possibly a bit mad.
I’m also a fan of dragons, but more as antagonists than heroes/allies. I like them intelligent, devious, and spiteful like Fafnir, Smaug, and Glaurung.
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Thank you! I completely get what you mean and love that description of them and their differences- that’s such a good way to put it!!
Ahh yes I completely get what you mean and (for the most part) agree!
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All of these are fantastic choices. Who doesn’t love dragons? They’re just so majestic in their badassness. Though dragons are probably the coolest of the mythical creatures, I think I’d have to say faeries/ the fae are my favorite. I was introduced to a darker sort of fae from Kagawa’s Iron Fey series, but then I discovered Holly Black’s Tithe and determined she was the queen of dark fae. I love her depiction of the Fair Folk the best. And I love how you included kitsune! I discovered them from Kamisama Kiss and then did a bit more research afterward. There’s also a cool short on Netflix’s Love, Death + Robots that includes a kitsune character! I have yet to read Shadow of the Fox, but thank you for the reminder. Wonderful list! 😀
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Thank you! I know right?! Yes!! Ah fair enough. And I absolutely love the fae in Kagawa’s Iron Fey series and Holly black is definitely the queen of dark fae!! Me too!! Thank you!! Ah that’s so cool- I’ll have to check that out. Awesome- I’ve been meaning to watch Love, Death + Robots. Hope you like it! (if you liked Iron Fey, I’m sure you will 😀 ) Thanks!! 😀
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I love Ghosts dragons phoenix. I haven’t read many books with kitsune… Faes are sometimes mean..
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Glad you agree! hehe yes they are- but that’s kind of why I love them 😉
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What a great post! I love books about dragons and witches. I used to love vampire books too – thanks to Anne Rice and Charmaine Harris! Ghost stories are great – I read a lot of middle grade and the best depiction I’ve ever seen of a ghost is in Celine Kiernan’s Little Grey Girl – there are witches too!
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Thank you! Oh I understand that- I liked vampires for a while. Yes!! ooh that’s cool!! Thanks for the recommendation- definitely want to check it out now!!
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I like to pretend my dogs are dragons :p
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hahaha I love that!!
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Love most of these but have to confess the only Kitsune I’ve come across was in Vampire Diaries (I think). Totally agree that Holly Black writes the best Fae.
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Ah I quit watching that, so I don’t know, sounds like something that’d be in that 😉 Yes!!
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Was actually thinking about the books rather than the show. I gave up on the show and the books but I definitely remember a fox like trixster character.
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I love all of the above you mentioned, but I also love selkies and will-o-wisps.
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Ooh such brilliant picks! Love those too!
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All Hail Smaug!
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hehe yes!!
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I think my favorites are phoenixes! 🔥
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Awesome pick!!
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I love all kinds of mythical creatures but from your list I would say witches and fae are my favourites! I have a huge soft spot for mermaids (in all their variety) as well!
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Ah I’m glad you agree! And mermaids are awesome too!! 😀 Love them!
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Such a great post!
As a potterhead, any mythical creature from the wizarding world would be a contender for a favourite. But I would say my favourite mythical creatures are definitely phoenixes and hyppogriffs, but I also love nifflers and pygmy puffs!
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Thank you!
Ah I totally understand that- and especially like nifflers and hippogriffs 😀
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GAAAAHHH I need to make a list like this… actually my list would probably contain all of these!! I’m on the opposite side… I like friendly dragons. I love all Japanese Mythology and any sort of fae! I probably wouldn’t have included witches and wizards but I can totally see why you did. ❤️
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hehe I can understand that!! And awesome!! 😀 ahh fair enough!! 😀 ❤
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Ghosts! I love a good scare!! 😃
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hehe totally get that!
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I’m (slightly) obsessed with dragons. 😍😍😍
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hahaha me too!!
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Great post, dragons are the best and I love anything Fey related 💜😀😀
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Thank you!! Me too 😀 ❤ ❤
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Fantastic post 😀
Love the idea of the phoenix!
And hobbits… do they count as mythical?
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Thank you!! 😀
Me too!! Ooh that’s a good one- I think they do- though they’re entirely a Tokien invention. Great choice!
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My favorites are Vampires, Fae, Dragons, Kitsune, and Mermaids!!!
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Awesome choices!! Love mermaids as well!
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I love all of these as well! 😀 Great post!
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Thank you!
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Dragons and Phoenix would definitely have my vote.
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So glad you agree!
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Dragons! And I’m not picky, I like all kinds of dragons. Evil dragons like Smaug, good dragons like in Pern, doesn’t matter. I’m also rather fond of kitsune and selkies.
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Ah fair enough!! Ooh yes to selkies- I love those as well!
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I’ve recently read some stories with other skin shifters, but selkies were the ones I knew about first.
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Urrrgh I need to read Circe so bad! There are too many books!
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Recommend it so much!!
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I don’t know about ghosts but i like all other mythical creatures in your list. and Pegasus!
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Thanks! Oh and that’s a good one!
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I’ve never heard of Kitsune but I have a Copy of Shadow of the Fox ❤ So hopefully I find out soon 🙂
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Awesome- hope you like it!! 😀 ❤
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Never heard of Kitsune. Thanks for the tip.
Ghosts are so sad and poignant. You would like to help and comfort them … but, you know, they want to destroy you.
I am partial to Nordic type creatures … gnomes, trolls, giants. I like the cute/ugly vibe and the forest dwelling aspect.
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Great!
They are- but that’s what makes them fascinating to me. hehe too true!
ooh those are all good!! Totally understand that- great choices! 😀
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I LOVE Kitsune. I think Vampires are my top fave followed closely by Dragons and Unicorns. 🙂
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Ah glad you agree! I used to be obsessed with vampires (before Twilight lol- probably cos of buffy 😉 ) so I get that! Great picks!
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Thanks! Vamps have always been a thing with me, since I was in elementary school! I think they’ll always be my number one lol. 🙂
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I love dragons, Phoenix, witches & wizards! ❤ I kind of hate faeries!
Um, Ghosts?!
I'm scared of heights too!
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haha fair enough! Yeah ghosts is a weird one- I don’t get it either- cos I end up really scared, but I get pulled towards them anyway 😉
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I love dragons and phoenixes! If you haven’t read it already I really recommend Pratchett’s Carpe Jugulum- witches, vampires and an interesting take on phoenixes that I really enjoyed reading
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I love Carpe Jugulum!!! Such a great one!! Now I want to reread it!
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