The White Bull by Fred Saberhagen is a retelling of the Minotaur legend of Greek Mythology with a new twist. The white bull is not an ordinary bull, but a bull that walks and talks like a man and is rumored to be a god.

The bull appears out of the ocean as in the myth, but this one is accompanied by a bronze man named Talus. At least that is what the Cretans think, but Talus is really just a machine, a servant of the bull. As in the myth, King Minos believes the bull is a gift from Neptune and takes the strange creature up to his palace. Daedelus, for a reason he cannot understand, does not trust the white bull. But on the orders of King Minos, his current patron, he builds a maze for the creature to live in.

While building the maze, the Bull tells Daedelus that he has many things to teach the man. But as eager as he is to learn, the artisan is still suspicious of the bull creature. Then a tragedy befalls the master architect, his wife dies in childbirth and the infant follows her soon afterward. Now Daedelus begins to dream and he dreams of flying away with his remaining son, Icarus.

The Bull still discusses learning with Daedelus. Now he pays more attention and but still doesn't take the Bull up on his offer. That is until Theseus, the Prince of Athens, arrives one day. Upon talking with his old friend, he finds that the King of Athens has ordered his son to enroll in the school on Crete.

Now the stage is set for two of the more famous of the Greek Myths, Theseus and the Minotaur and that of Daedelus and Icarus. The main elements of both myths are mixed with a dash of science fiction and a dose of "What if?" to make an intriguing combination of mystery, adventure, and suspense. The reader wants to keep reading just to see what legendary characters will join the story next.