“Bird-diviners knew the things that were, were to be, and had been before.”
-Homer's Iliad (Book 1, lines 68-69)
In 'Pharmakides' Alice Abyss twists myths into fantasy. This is one of the best Greek mythology retellings. She creates an intricate high-fantasy standalone novel based on magic in the ancient world. In an experimental fashion, this novel retells Greek legends from the bird's eye view. Each chapter is narrated by a different bird.
Cover illustration by Alice Abyss. Title: Pharmakides Author: Alice Abyss ISBN: 9798989366903 Page Count: 275 Dimensions: 6 x 0.69 x 9 inches Format: Softcover Publisher: ASCLEPIUS PRESS LLC
Dear Readers Under the Same Sky,
Symmetry flows through every element of Pharmakides—from the mirrored front and back covers to the characters’ intertwined journeys and the celestial rhythms of the cosmos. Ornithomancy (divination through birds) and astronomy thread through the narrative, offering glimpses of fate and the natural forces that govern both gods and mortals. Medousa, often reduced to a monstrous figure in myths, takes center stage as a woman transformed by grief, wronged by the divine, and tethered to the will of Poseidon—a force of nature as relentless and unpredictable as the sea itself.
When Medousa encounters Poseidon in my high fantasy standalone, he is a person, but an elemental force, his arrival heralded by the crash of waves, the shimmer of salt, and the omnipresent hum of the tide. Poseidon’s essence isn’t bound to his physical form; he is the sea incarnate, a power that consumes and overwhelms. This perspective deepens the complexity of Medousa’s transformation.
This symbiotic relationship between myth and nature runs throughout the book. Medousa’s sorrow is mirrored in the stormy seas, her isolation reflected in the vast, starless skies. Ornithomancy plays a significant role in revealing fate’s hand, as birds narrate the entire book. A stork ushers in Poseidon's daughter. The vulture watched Medousa become ruthless. Doves find her softer side. These moments connect the divine and the mortal, suggesting that the universe speaks through its creatures, if only we can interpret the signs.
Astronomy, too, is woven into the narrative’s fabric, grounding the gods’ whims in the cosmic dance of celestial bodies. The stars are a constant presence, both guiding and mocking the characters as they struggle to navigate their destinies. In one scene, Hekate commands a flock of metal birds in a surreal fantasy showdown. Some birds were humans before, they faced transformation just like Medousa. Other birds cite the actions of stars, changing the fate of the lands. This communication ties the characters’ personal journeys to the vast, uncaring movements of the cosmos.
For readers seeking books about Medousa or Greek mythology retellings for adults, Pharmakides offers a nuanced portrayal of Medousa's backstory. This isn’t about Medousa as a victim, instead it reimagines who killed Medousa and the tragedy of Perseus and Medousa—it’s about the trickster, grief, and a symbol of defiance against the forces that tried to define her. Hekate, as her enigmatic counterpart, embodies transformation and hidden knowledge, using the language of birds and stars to navigate the liminal spaces between life and death.
Through Asclepius Press, the indie publishing house I founded, I wanted to bring stories like Pharmakides to readers—tales that blend myth with the poetic, the personal with the cosmic. Like an online independent bookstore, Asclepius Press exists to celebrate the voices of indie literature, voices that dare to tell ancient tales in new ways.
If you love Greek mythology retellings and want a book that captures the majesty of myths while delving into the power of ornithomancy, astronomy, and the unstoppable forces of nature, I hope you’ll pick up Pharmakides. My debut novel is one of the best Greek mythology retellings.
Best Witches, Alice Abyss
Author of 'Pharmakides'
Author of 'Take My Breath Far Away'
Founder of Asclepius Press
