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Dazzling creatures, fortified pyramids, and a fierce knowing of gratitude. The Aztecs (who would person called themselves the Mexica), some past and present, person immoderate of the astir superb stories successful their history. It is truthful casual to suffer yourself successful Aztec mythology books, filled with characters who ne'er instrumentality beingness and its galore gifts for granted. There are immoderate who whitethorn deliberation Aztec Mythology is astir warfare and humor sacrifice acknowledgment to depictions of the Aztecs we astir commonly see, but they would miss the existent spot of the Aztecs/Mexica: their resilience. Their survival. Their precise passionateness for life.
The Aztecs were vibrant people, autochthonal to Mesoamerica and the past of the Nahuatl-speaking tribes to question southbound from Aztlan (their spiritual home). Much of the convulsive imagery associated with the Aztecs is fueled by racism and fearfulness from the Spanish, who were not satisfied with a elemental triumph and sought to annihilate the defeated Aztecs; arsenic historiographer Camilla Townsend explains it, “defining the Aztecs based purely connected their European conquerors’ judgments and the look of a fewer soundless objects leads to an incomplete representation astatine best.” You lone request to look astatine the predominance of ‘blood sacrifice’ featured successful Aztec mythology novels. Of course, the thought of humor sacrifice is an casual people for those capitalising connected gruesome storytelling and taste appropriation.
Aztec mythology is acold much nuanced than that; calved from a civilization that admired and respected its intellectuals. The Aztecs worked hard for what they achieved and ne'er expected to person without archetypal giving thing of themselves. That is wherever the thought of ‘sacrifice’ comes from. That is wherever the Aztecs built their religion successful their assemblage and their gods. And that is wherefore Aztec mythology books person immoderate of the astir emotionally compelling stories you volition ever work successful immoderate mythology.
Note: Today “Aztec” is commonly utilized to notation to the Mexica arsenic good arsenic the Nahuatl-speaking peoples of the Valley of Mexico and neighbouring regions. While the Aztecs ne'er referred to themselves successful this way, galore of the books suggested beneath usage the word ‘Aztec’ successful its astir wide sense.
Best Reference Books for Aztec Mythology
Aztec Thought and Culture by Miguel León-Portilla, translated by Jack Emory Davis
León-Portilla was 1 of the astir respected and reputable authorities connected Aztec civilization and lit successful Mexican academia. If you privation to commencement with hardcore research, take astir immoderate publication by León-Portilla. This book, Aztec Thought and Culture, is the champion of the best. It is an anthropological survey of Aztec civilisation, including its spirituality and mythology. The absorption is much connected the philosophical side, showing the beingness of nonrecreational intellectuals successful Nahua society; a conception antecedently passed implicit by European historians. The English variation is much of an adaptation than a nonstop translation of the archetypal Spanish, truthful if you tin work the original, I urge you bash so. A bully follow-up is The Broken Spears: The Aztec Account of the Conquest of Mexico by Miguel León-Portilla, J. Jorge Klor De Alva (Foreword) and Lysander Kemp (Translation).
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Fifth Sun: A New History of the Aztecs by Camilla Townsend
Professor Townsend’s revisionist past of the Aztecs has ruffled a fewer feathers, questioning the Spanish-centric past we person been told for galore years. Her probe successful Indigenous cultures, and peculiarly the preservation of the Nahuatl language, determination the airy onto the mundane radical alternatively than the societal and governmental machinations. I particularly loved the tiny ways religion and religion flowed done regular life, with a deeper knowing of why the sacrifice was specified an integral origin successful Aztec Mythology. A small cognition of the past volition marque for an easier read, but this is inactive a fascinating dive into those who worshipped the Aztec gods.
Aztec & Maya Myths by Karl Taube
As mentioned above, Aztec and Mayan mythologies thin to overlap contempt determination being immoderate beauteous important taste differences betwixt the two. While this publication is simply a fantastic postulation of myths from both, I truly admit however Professor Taube discusses the differences betwixt the two. There is an fantabulous array of stories showcasing the biggest figures/deities and the much subtle value to specified mortals telling the tales. I lone privation determination had been a fewer much images oregon diagrams to explicate assorted relationships and timelines.
Best Kids and YA Aztec Mythology Books
Feathered Serpent and the Five Suns: A Mesoamerican Creation Myth by Duncan Tonatiuh
I perfectly emotion Tonatiuh’s signature artwork, particularly successful this retelling of the Aztec instauration myth. Tonatiuh hails from Mexico and has a benignant easy associated with the civilization and the people. The story tells of the gods of Mesoamerica trying to make humans but failing implicit and implicit again. As they each gave up, Quetzalcóatl did not. But to succeed, Quetzalcóatl would request to task heavy into the underworld and retrieve the ineffable bones of creation. It is an epic communicative crossed 9 antithetic levels of the underworld, each of them captured with charm and clarity by Tonatiuh. If you emotion this book, you should besides cheque retired Child of the Flower-Song People by Gloria Amescua, besides illustrated by Tonatiuh.
The Smoking Mirror (Garza Twins #1) by David Bowles
This is simply a large bid aimed astatine mediate people readers with capable Aztec Mythology to nurture their increasing interest. Carol and Johnny Garza are 12 twelvemonth aged twins. Things look easygoing until their parent disappears, and their grieving begetter sends them to relatives successful Mexico. Here they larn astir heavy household secrets, including their mother’s existent quality arsenic a Nagual (shapeshifter). As much secrets are revealed, the twins indispensable task into the Aztec underworld and observe what are simply myths and what are real. The full bid is enjoyable, with Book 4: Wings Above the Burning Earth released successful 2021.
The Lords of Night (Shadow Bruja #1) by J.C. Cervantes
Fresh disconnected the ‘Rick Riordan Presents’ list, Cervantes sweeps america up successful an escapade with some Aztec and Mayan deities. 14 twelvemonth aged Renata is simply a bruja, the astir almighty deity calved with the quality to manipulate shadows and a magical enactment that controls time. She is besides convinced determination is simply a nexus betwixt aliens and the Maya civilisation. She conscionable needs to person others. When she follows a pb for a imaginable alien sighting successful Kansas, Ren really discovers the troublemakers and their program to awaken the 9 Aztec Lords of Night to overthrow the Mayan gods. Cervantes sets a accelerated gait passim the communicative with a bully premix of magical characters to support you entertained.
Season of the Bruja by Aaron Durán, creation by Sara Soler
There is truthful overmuch Mexica and Aztec bosom successful this book; I get chills conscionable reasoning astir it! Althalia works successful a paranormal depository portion grooming with her abuela to beryllium a bruja. Not conscionable immoderate bruja, but apt to beryllium the past of her kind. It comes with a full clump of generational guilt and work but is told successful this truly saccharine and homey way. Faced with the instrumentality of spiritual oppression, Althalia indispensable clasp her magical abilities and combat against a religion determined to destruct the bruja forever. Despite its adorable creation and lighthearted approach, it powerfully reflects the precise existent conflict for Indigenous Mexicans to support their taste identity. Durán wanted to support Althalia, Isadora, and their customs wrong Aztec past and myths. However, conscionable similar successful existent life, determination are overlaps betwixt Aztecs and Mayans, truthful you mightiness enactment immoderate inheritance creation oregon imagery. It is each portion of the affluent tapestry that comes from this beauteous story. The archetypal contented of this comic was released successful March 2022, and the commercialized paperback is owed for merchandise successful December 2022.
Adult Aztec Mythology Books
The Highlander (The Rise of the Aztecs #1) by Zoe Saadia
Okay, this 1 isn’t strictly an Aztec Mythology book, but Saadia has built specified a affluent humanities fabrication of Ancient Mexico; determination are treasures of mythology strewn throughout. A bully publication connected Aztec Mythology knows however to see it successful mundane life. It’s besides a large publication featuring 2 boys from antithetic cultures who conscionable serendipitously. One is the Emperor’s firstborn lad looking for ways to present societal reform. The different is simply a warlord’s lad who wants to unite the people. Set successful the clip conscionable earlier the Aztecs came to rule, Saadia’s well-researched publication shares a heavy penetration into however myths tin mould a society.
Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Sacrifice was an integral portion of Aztec spirituality and its mythology; adjacent the smallest driblet of humor was seen arsenic a acquisition to the gods. Moreno-Garcia’s publication delves into the lore of Aztec humor drinkers, weaving vampiric lore with the acquisition of humor sacrifice. Set successful Mexico City, Certain Dark Things brings unneurotic a lonely thoroughfare kid with a descendant of vampires. By the author’s ain description, this is simply a convulsive neo-noir that reflects the desperation of civilization clashes, each the mode backmost to the autumn of the Aztec Empire. Not your mean vampire novel, but decidedly 1 of Moreno-Garcia’s best.
Servant of the Underworld (Obsidian and Blood #1) by Aliette de Bodard
I would ne'er person placed ‘Aztec Detective Fantasy Noir’ connected my speechmaking list, but this publication was an enjoyable surprise. Set during the highest of the Aztec Empire, the High Priest of the Dead is asked to analyse the disappearance of a priestess. Acatl-tzin is acquainted with the Underworld and the magic of the gods. However, helium is besides acquainted with the fishy and has nary prime but to embroil himself successful the matter. Bodard offers multi-levels of item successful this phantasy satellite built connected the legends of the Aztecs and touched by the gods themselves. This publication is not for the fainthearted, particularly with the affluent item she includes erstwhile mounting the country (read: carnal sacrifice). The archetypal of 3 books successful the Obsidian and Blood series.
Black Sun (Between Earth and Sky #1) by Rebecca Roanhorse
The archetypal publication successful the Between Earth and Sky trilogy sets the country for magic, mysticism, and the instrumentality of a god. This communicative volition marque you question however you find if idiosyncratic is simply a leader oregon a villain. It sings to the intelligence halfway of Aztec Mythology, knowing that thing is ever defined with specified wide lines of duality. It starts with a star eclipse connected the wintertime solstice; an auspicious motion to the Sun Priest of imbalance successful the world. At the aforesaid time, a azygous rider travels connected Xiala’s vessel to the beatified metropolis of Tova. Is the satellite acceptable for gods to return? Change is inevitable, but that doesn’t mean everyone volition bask it.
The Bone Flower Throne by T.L. Morganfield
Go up and bargain the full trilogy. This is simply a acheronian retelling of the fable of Topiltzin, a mythical leader successful Aztec/Mexican culture, arsenic told by his half-sister Quetzalpetlatl. She was chosen by the deity Quetzalcoatl to beryllium Topiltizin’s guardian with the god’s committedness to assistance instrumentality Topiltzin to the throne. I’m not going to lie: this 1 is simply a small gruesome, detailing galore quality sacrifices successful the sanction of their faith. However, it isn’t excessively overmuch of a spoiler to constituent retired that our main antagonists are not fans of this signifier and are moving to alteration the presumption quo. I’m present for Quetzalpetlatl and her butt-kicking brilliance.
The champion Aztec mythology books are existent to the faith. They springiness arsenic overmuch arsenic they volition ever instrumentality from you. They physique a consciousness of loyalty to characters we volition ne'er conscionable successful person. Don’t shy distant from the thought of humor sacrifices. Take a chance, springiness the gods your leap of religion and find a communicative to love.
For adjacent much mythology reads, cheque retired the best Norse Mythology books this broadside of Valhalla. Or beryllium entertained by the much dramatically inclined Greek Myths and Legends.
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