Caledonian legends are also given a novel new life
The myths of ancient Greece may well hold an enduring fascination but the fantastical stories of ancient Scotland are also having a moment.
Caroline Logan, 31, is just one of a new generation of writers celebrating Caledonian myths, and is inspired by her love for Scotland’s rugged landscape. She said: “All the mythology in Scotland has been informed by the landscape and by the culture.
“The story of the kelpies were told to keep children from running into water, and we know very recently that Scottish lochs and rivers can be dangerous places. It all fits with the wildness of the Scottish landscape.”
Logan, who resides in Cairngorms National Park, began writing her Four Treasures fantasy series as a bit of fun after she came home from work. When she finished her first book, The Stone Of Destiny, she decided to see if she could get it published: “I just thought it would be interesting to explore these myths and make it into a story like the ones that I have read for English or Greek myths. I don’t necessarily stick to the original myths 100%, I give them a bit of a new spin.”
Her novels follow a changeling called Ailsa who quests to find powerful objects to save her kingdom from ruin. Logan’s background as a biologist meant that she was drawn towards the monsters and creatures of Scottish lore. She explained: “The characters meet lots of different creatures, like kelpies and selkies. Because I am a biologist, that translates over to the mythology side.”
After she completes her Four Treasures series, Logan wants to explore new cultures and mythologies. “I’m really interested in Egyptian mythology, and have a story which is a retelling of the 12 dancing princesses but set in Ancient Egypt,” she said. “I love mythology, and to see what stories different cultures come up with.”