4 Modern Books For Fans Of The Odyssey Full Of Mythology & Epic Journeys

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Seeing a story you've read come to life on screen is truly something special. Whether you're watching an actor play your favorite character from your favorite literary thriller, or the romantic comedy you kicked your feet while reading, some literature demands an entirely different tier of storytelling. Greek myths (and their many retellings which are perfect for book club discussions) are not just ancient tales of gods and monsters, but timeless explorations of human willpower, survival, devastating hubris, and personal sacrifice. 

How do you tell the story of a man who faced the wrath of Poseidon, survived the lure of the Sirens, and spent a decade waging a war against time, just to get back home? Christopher Nolan answered that question with sheer, breathtaking scale. Nolan's interpretation of Homer's "The Odyssey", originally written almost 3,000 years ago and one of the books to read before watching the adaptation in 2026, proved just how electrifying ancient stories truly are.

But what would that story look like in the context of today? You don't need literal deities to experience the weight of the message at hand. At its core, Homer's epic poem is a metaphor for the journey of life, fighting through all its obstacles just to find a place of belonging. Of course, no one can imitate the singular magnitude of Homer's "The Odyssey," but there are modern-day sagas (where monsters are hardships and the voyage is simply a journey of self-discovery) that carry a similar emotional pulse.

When it comes to modern books that will remind readers of "The Odyssey," "Sing, Unburied, Sing" by Jesmyn Ward was a no-brainer for kicking off this list. While the story has nothing to do with vile sea monsters and Greek islands, Ward's award-winning fiction is its own odyssey in every sense of the word. Because a journey, no matter the road taken, is ultimately about what we face and how we make our way back to the place we call home.

This epic takes place across rural Mississippi as a troubled family takes a road trip to pick up their father on the day he's released from prison. A mother struggling with unresolved grief and addiction issues takes an epic journey with her two children, punctuated by Southern Gothic folklore, Hoodoo traditions, and ghosts who decide to hitch a ride. 

The Boston Globe described the 2017 novel as "A furious brew with hints of Toni Morrison and Homer's 'The Odyssey'." And this book is not for the faint of heart. It's dark and unflinching, and Ward holds nothing back as she weaves grief, trauma, and systemic injustice into a gut-wrenching narrative. This book will remind fans of "The Odyssey" that mere mortals face trials of mythic proportions when trying to make their way back home. 

There are countless retellings in Greek mythology, and if you feel like you've read enough of them but love the mythological epic journey of it all, Alexandra Bracken's "Lore" is the book you'll want to add to your TBR. It flips traditional Greek mythology on its head with a fierce female protagonist, and Bracken breathes explosive new life into classical tropes. This story delivers the ideal mix of Greek gods and dystopian games, and is the perfect book to read if you want to scratch "The Hunger Games" itch.

Bracken keeps readers on the edge of their seats in this epic where Greek gods are stripped of their immortality, and mortals carry on the legacy of their heroic bloodlines. The two groups are pitted against each other, and when a former reluctant hunter has no choice but to participate in the blood sport, she must outsmart the gods and monsters alike to survive. 

With the Greek gods in the story reimagined as mortals disguised in modern-day New York, this novel delivers an exciting quest that fans of "The Odyssey" will instantly recognize and devour. A 5-star Amazon reviewer, who mentioned they majored in classics, hinted at the end of their review, "And for those of you who love your Homer, yes, there's at least one mention of that sweet, sweet, wine dark sea." Homer's spirit is embedded into the pages of this modern sci-fi thriller. 

If you were left wanting more of "The Odyssey" and are fascinated with inventing, sharing, and finding meaning in mythology, Erin Morgenstern's "The Starless Sea" is the ultimate modern epic to add to your TBR. Morgenstern reimagines this epic journey not as a treacherous voyage across the seas, but as a descent into a subterranean labyrinth where the stories come alive. 

This narrative is centered around a graduate student who's made to navigate an underground sanctuary filled with hidden doorways, lost cities, and tragic lovers. And it all begins in a library, where he lands on a mysterious book that contains a story from his own childhood. Determined to find out just how his experiences ended up in a book, the student sets out on a quest of a lifetime to find out the truth. 

Similar to Homer's classic, "The Starless Sea" captures the spirit of an epic quest driven by fate, love, and the longing to find home again. A 4-star Goodreads reviewer said, "The twists and turns were like being in a dream that combined fairy tales, myths, video games, a love story ... I was reminded of Harold and the Purple Crayon meets Homer!" If you've wondered what it would be like to step inside a myth, Erin Morgenstern's story will leave you spellbound. 

The final book on this list is the enchanting young adult murder mystery, "Threads That Bind" by Kika Hatzopoulou. It's a whodunnit with elements of Greek mythology that invites readers into a thrilling quest through a sunken city. The book has many similar themes to "The Odyssey", including the power of fate and divine interference.

Io is the descendant of an ancient god, and with the divine gift to see and manipulate the glowing threads that bind human lives and destinies together, she works as a private investigator in a flooded city. Her job was full of solving petty, meaningless crimes, and then everything changed when a case revealed there's a serial killer out and about. Will Io be able to intervene before the serial killer severs the ultimate thread of fate?  

"Threads That Bind" is the first book in a two-book series, and readers praise it for how brilliantly and seamlessly the writer incorporated Greek mythology into its narrative. A 5-star Goodreads reviewer noted, "It combines the golden sheen of Greek myth with the neon edge of a modern fantasy story, and when the colors settle, it creates something truly special." Fans of Greek mythology, like our writer, read it because the characters were loosely based on familiar Greek mythological figures, and were left impressed with the detailed world-building and intense element of mystery. 

Whether you've fallen in love with Greek mythology after watching Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey" or have always been a fan, you can only read so many retellings. As a longtime fan of Greek mythology, our writer knows that there comes a point where even the most brilliant adaptations start to overlap. 

That said, a refreshing, modern story that carries some mythic weight and high-stakes survival isn't a bad alternative. For this list, we opted to skip all the retellings and focused entirely on stories that capture the essence of an epic journey without retelling the same exact myths you already know by heart.

This list features stories that capture the essence of what makes those classical epics so unforgettable: a grand journey, complex encounters, and a higher power intervening in one's fate. Once we gathered a good number of titles, we narrowed down our list based on Reddit discussions, Amazon ratings, and Goodreads reviews to bring you stories that truly deliver.