BookRank

Best Myths & legends books

The 18 highest-rated Myths & legends books, scored from 16K reader ratings.

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18 results
By year of first publication, 1485–2023. The busiest stretch is 2000–2049, with 11. Select a bar to narrow the list.
  1. The Battle of the Labyrinth
    1
    8.58.5 / 10
    The Battle of the LabyrinthRick Riordan2K ratings
  2. A Psalm for the Wild-Built
    2
    8.58.5 / 10
    A Psalm for the Wild-BuiltBecky Chambers1K ratingsI've only read one book by Becky Chambers before - To be Taught, if Fortunate - which was interesting and contemplative, so I decided to pick this…sahibooknerd on Hardcover
  3. Circe
    3
    8.48.4 / 10
    CirceMadeline Miller3.1K ratingsAfter seeing Circe as the Goodread readers choice for best fantasy book of 2018, I knew I would need to check it out. The story itself follows Circe…adam on Hardcover

Why The Battle of the Labyrinth is #1

The Battle of the Labyrinth (Rick Riordan) scores 8.5/10 from 2K ratings — level with A Psalm for the Wild-Built at one decimal, and ahead on the exact score.

The score is a weighted average across 3 independent rating sources. A title with few ratings is pulled toward the category average, so a handful of enthusiastic reviews cannot outrank a book that thousands of readers have judged. Method →

  1. House of Earth and Blood
    House of Earth and BloodSarah J. MaasNYT bestseller983 ratings
    8.48.4 / 10
  2. Percy Jackson's Greek Gods
    Percy Jackson's Greek GodsRick Riordan · 2014271 ratings
    8.38.3 / 10
  3. The Lightning Thief
    The Lightning ThiefRick Riordan · 2005Filmed 20104.1K ratings
    8.28.2 / 10
  4. The Sun and the Star
    The Sun and the StarRick Riordan · 2023134 ratings
    8.18.1 / 10
  5. The Winter King
    The Winter KingBernard Cornwell · 1995205 ratings
    8.18.1 / 10
  6. The Serpent's Shadow
    The Serpent's ShadowRick Riordan · 2012406 ratings
    8.08.0 / 10
  7. Siddhartha
    SiddharthaHermann Hesse · 1922Filmed 19721.7K ratings
    8.08.0 / 10
  8. The Hero with a Thousand Faces
    The Hero with a Thousand FacesJoseph Campbell · 1949137 ratings
    8.08.0 / 10
  9. The Hidden Oracle
    The Hidden OracleRick Riordan · 2016532 ratings
    8.08.0 / 10
  10. The Denial of Death
    The Denial of DeathErnest Becker · 197362 ratings
    7.97.9 / 10
  11. Grendel
    GrendelJohn Gardner · 1971138 ratings
    7.97.9 / 10
  12. The Red Pyramid
    The Red PyramidRick Riordan · 2010725 ratings
    7.97.9 / 10
  13. The Demigod Files
    The Demigod FilesRick Riordan · 2009305 ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  14. Gods Behaving Badly
    Gods Behaving BadlyMarie Phillips · 200756 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  15. Le Morte d'Arthur
    Le Morte d'ArthurThomas Malory · 148593 ratings
    7.57.5 / 10

Frequently asked questions

What is the best Myths & legends book?

The Battle of the Labyrinth (Rick Riordan) — 8.5/10 from 2K ratings, in the snapshot of September 21, 2026.

How many Myths & legends books are ranked here?

18, published between 1485 and 2023, scored from 16K reader ratings in total.

Which title here has the most ratings?

The Lightning Thief (Rick Riordan) — 4.1K ratings and 8.2/10, which puts it at #6 on this list.

How is the score calculated?

A raw average rewards obscurity: five readers who loved a book would outrank a classic held by a hundred thousand. We use a Bayesian weighted average that pulls every title toward the category mean until enough readers have voted.

How often it updates

Ratings are re-fetched every 3 months and stored as a dated snapshot, which is how the trend arrows and “biggest risers” are calculated.