Shadowhunters & Myths: Discovering the Legends Behind the Mortal Instruments

Book excerpt: The demon-slaying rebel teens of the Mortal Instruments have hit televisions everywhere as Freeform's Shadowhunters. Like Harry Potter and other beloved fantasies, the epic story's secrets lie in the real-world myths and legends that fuel its adventures. Shadowhunters use runes of angelic power from The Book of Raziel - inspired by its earthly counterpart and many a medieval codex. Real angelologies and demonologies supply the monsters and divine guidance as Lilith, Abbadon, and Asmodeus strike. Nephilim, parabatai, iratzes and the Sword of Heavenly Fire arrive straight from the Bible. Idris is from the Qur'an and the Silent Brothers from the mystical The Book of Enoch. Reaching wider, world folklore offers the nixies, djinn, warlocks, vampires, and fairies, along with oni, kappa, rakshasas and all the other magical peoples. Now learn more of them all, read from Dante, Milton, and Pseudomonarchia Daemonum, and discover the truths behind the Shadowhunters' deepest secrets.