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Myths and Legends Podcast - by Jason Weiser

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As a podcast, I know this is a bit of a stretch, but I'm going to treat it like an audiobook. They are stories I have or would like to read someday. 

Brief synopsis (no spoilers) - "This show brings you folklore that has shaped our world. Some are incredibly popular stories you think you know, but with surprising origins. Others are stories that might be new to you, but are definitely worth a listen." Modern retellings (In that he uses modern English and not the original source language) of myths, legends, and fairy tales.  

Category: Myth, Legend, and Fairy Tales

Why I chose this book: This podcast was specifically recommended by a friend, but I have always had an interest in fairy tales and the like. 

My personal opinion: These stories have been really interesting to listen to. I have gotten to hear both the "real" version of stories I thought I knew as well as be introduced to new stories I never would have known about. Jason does a really good job of giving enough background information to understand the story but not bog them down. His voice is not too bad to listen to either. :)

I like that he covers a wide variety of cultures. There have been the traditional Greek and Norse Mythologies, Hans Christian Anderson and Grimm Brothers stories, and King Arthur tales. But he also includes American Indian, Russian, Asian, and African tales. 

He is also very good at telling the story as it is, but not being too graphic about it. For example, he talks about how Zeus is terrible and sleeps around with lots of women. However, in most cases it doesn't get more graphic than that. Most action scenes are not gory,and he doesn't use foul language. Knowing that some people listen to the podcast with their kids, he usually gives a warning at the beginning that says something like, "There are some adult themes in the story today. Check out the warning on the website for more info before listening with kids." In general, I wouldn't listen to this podcast with kids under 13 years-old. It really depends on the episode though. 

There is also a creature of the week at the end of each episode. These are 2 minute explanations of a creature from folklore that is not in any way related to the larger story. 

Warnings
Language: Not usually
Violence: LOTS but not graphic
"Adult" situations: Plenty 
Death: Yep. 

Movie rating equivalent - PG to R depending on the story

Protagonist description: We meet epic heroes like Hercules and Thor, along with characters like Coyote and a trickster turtle, as well as protagonists such as Pocahontas and a Chilean Princess. 

Point of view of story: Usually 3rd person

Book length: Episodes typically last 40 minutes and some stories span multiple episodes. Usually I'm pretty engaged in the story, so they don't feel long. 

Story flow: Usually fluid

Grammar and spelling issues: None

Character connection (no spoilers): None specifically, but it has been interesting to learn the real stories behind some of the characters I thought I knew. For example, Mulan was not a weak scared girl, but had actually been trained in the fighting arts by her father.  

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