Mythologis
The Trickster Gods Book: The Tricksters of World Mythology

Mythology Themes

The Trickster Gods Book: The Tricksters of World Mythology

Loki, Hermes, Anansi, Coyote and the Shapers of Chaos

The complete guide to the trickster: Loki of the Norse, Hermes of the Greeks, Anansi the spider, Coyote and Raven of the Americas, and the mischievous figures who break the rules and remake the world.

180 pagesPDFEnglishMythologis Library

$14.99

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Inside this book

What you will read

  • 11 chapters, primary sources
  • Instant PDF download
  • Original ink illustrations
  • Norse, Greek, African and American tricksters
  • Designed for print quality
See all chapters  +
  1. 01The Necessary Rule-Breaker
  2. 02What Is a Trickster?
  3. 03Loki: The Trickster Who Dooms the Gods
  4. 04Hermes: Thief, Messenger and Inventor
  5. 05Anansi the Spider
  6. 06Coyote and the Tricksters of Native America
  7. 07Raven and the Shaping of the World
  8. 08The Theft of Fire
  9. 09Egyptian and Eastern Tricksters
  10. 10The Trickster as Bringer of Culture
  11. 11Why Every Mythology Needs One

About this book

About this Mythology Themes mythology guide

Every mythology needs a rule-breaker. This is the complete guide to the trickster, from Loki and Hermes to Anansi the spider and Coyote, the figures who break the rules and remake the world.

Every mythology needs a rule-breaker. While the great gods uphold the order of things, the trickster slips underneath it: lying, stealing, shape-shifting, breaking taboos and getting away with it, or not. The trickster is the troublemaker of mythology and its agent of change, the figure who steals fire for humankind, who insults the gods at their own feast, who is both the cause of disaster and, often, the bringer of culture itself.

This is the complete guide to the trickster across the world. Loki of the Norse, charming and catastrophic, whose tricks doom the gods; Hermes of the Greeks, the thief born at dawn who invents the lyre by lunchtime; Anansi the spider, who carries the wisdom of West Africa across the ocean; Coyote and Raven of Native America, who shape the world by misbehaving in it; and the tricksters of Egypt, of India and of the wider world.

The book gathers the tricksters and asks what they are for, drawing on the Eddas, the Homeric Hymns, the folklore collections and the sacred texts, and every chapter cites where it comes from.

Delivered as a print-quality PDF within 24 hours of purchase.

What you will discover inside

  • Loki, the charming and catastrophic trickster who dooms the Norse gods
  • Hermes, the thief born at dawn who invents the lyre by noon
  • Anansi the spider, who carries West African wisdom across the ocean
  • Coyote and Raven, who shape the world by misbehaving in it
  • The recurring myth of the trickster who steals fire for humankind
  • Why the trickster is both troublemaker and bringer of culture

Mythology Themes mythology book at a glance

TraditionMythology Themes mythology
Chapters11 chapters
Length180 pages
SourcesDrawn from the primary sources, cited inline
Reading levelBeginner-friendly. Every name and place is explained from scratch
FormatPrint-quality PDF
DeliveryPDF within 24 hours

Formats and editions

EditionWhat you getPrice
Instant PDFPrint-quality download, readable on any device. PDF within 24 hours.$7.99
PaperbackA paperback edition is on the way. Sign up on this page to hear when it lands on Amazon.Coming soon

About the author

Guillaume Henry, founder of Mythologis

Guillaume Henry

Founder & Editor-in-Chief, Mythologis

Guillaume Henry founded Mythologis to make the world's mythologies readable without losing what makes them strange. Every Mythologis book draws on the primary sources first, cross-references multiple translations, and avoids inventing details that aren't in the originals.

More about the author

Questions about the Mythology Themes mythology book

When will I receive my PDF?

Within 24 hours of purchase. Your download link arrives in your inbox automatically.

Which tricksters are included?

The major ones from across the world: Loki, Hermes, Anansi, Coyote and Raven each get full treatment, with chapters on the theft of fire, the Egyptian and Eastern tricksters, and what the trickster is for in a mythology.

Is this book based on primary sources?

Yes. It draws on the Poetic and Prose Eddas, the Homeric Hymn to Hermes, the West African and Native American folklore collections, and other sources, with references to the standard editions.

How long is the book?

Eleven chapters, around 180 pages depending on the final layout.

Will there be a paperback on Amazon?

The PDF is available immediately. A KDP paperback edition follows once the book has been validated by readers.

What formats is this book available in?

Every title is available as an instant PDF, downloaded the moment you buy it: the link appears on the confirmation page and lands in your inbox. Selected titles also have a paperback edition on Amazon. Where the paperback is not out yet, you can sign up to be notified the day it does.

What is the return policy?

The PDF is delivered instantly by Mythologis. If a download ever fails or a file looks wrong, get in touch and we will make it right. Paperbacks bought on Amazon are handled under Amazon's own returns and refund policy.

Can I order from outside the United States?

Yes. The PDF is a digital download, so it works instantly anywhere in the world, with nothing to ship. Where a paperback edition exists, it is sold across Amazon's international marketplaces, with shipping rates and delivery times depending on your country.

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