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A Wizard's Bestiary: A Menagerie of Myth, Magic, and Mystery
Strange beasts of all kinds have crawled, run, swam, and flown through humanity's imagination and travelers' tales since the dawn of time. From Gryphons and Unicorns, to Dragons, Mermaids, and even more bizarre and fantastical animals, A Wizard's Bestiary takes you on a magical journey through the ages and around the world, to discover elusive creatures of myth and legend. Beware--here be Monsters!
The first section lists over 1,000 fantastic creatures from every land in an encyclopedic, alphabetical glossary format, from Aatxe to Zyphoeus. Each entry includes a small illustration, as well as cross-references to other related beasts.
Next, the authors present more in-depth features on some of more interesting of these legendary beasts, such as the Sea Serpent and the Man-Eating Tree of Madagascar. History, myths, and legends of each creature are presented, with particular emphasis on identifying real-life origins of mythical creatures in actual living animals, such as the link between the Kraken and the giant squid. This section is divided into these
* Creepers
* Walkers
* Swimmers
* Flyers
* Demi-Humans
* Animate Plants
Expanded cryptozoological entries include the Loch Ness Monster, Bigfoot, Mokele-Mbembe, El Chupacabra, Mothman, and other mystery monsters reported by eyewitnesses but not yet confirmed by science.
They are grouped into the following
* Primates and Hominids
* Bipedal Monsters
* Carnivorous Mammals
* Herbivorous Mammals
* Sea Serpents and Lake Monsters
* Birds
* Reptiles
* Amphibians
* Living Dinosaurs
* Mystery Monsters
A Wizard's Bestiary is profusely illustrated with old woodcuts, engravings, and other images from historical sources, as well as interpretations by modern artists, including the authors. No other bestiary has been so well-illustrated! Hand-drawn medieval-style maps by Oberon Zell-Ravenheart show purported locales of different beasts on all continents and seas.
The first section lists over 1,000 fantastic creatures from every land in an encyclopedic, alphabetical glossary format, from Aatxe to Zyphoeus. Each entry includes a small illustration, as well as cross-references to other related beasts.
Next, the authors present more in-depth features on some of more interesting of these legendary beasts, such as the Sea Serpent and the Man-Eating Tree of Madagascar. History, myths, and legends of each creature are presented, with particular emphasis on identifying real-life origins of mythical creatures in actual living animals, such as the link between the Kraken and the giant squid. This section is divided into these
* Creepers
* Walkers
* Swimmers
* Flyers
* Demi-Humans
* Animate Plants
Expanded cryptozoological entries include the Loch Ness Monster, Bigfoot, Mokele-Mbembe, El Chupacabra, Mothman, and other mystery monsters reported by eyewitnesses but not yet confirmed by science.
They are grouped into the following
* Primates and Hominids
* Bipedal Monsters
* Carnivorous Mammals
* Herbivorous Mammals
* Sea Serpents and Lake Monsters
* Birds
* Reptiles
* Amphibians
* Living Dinosaurs
* Mystery Monsters
A Wizard's Bestiary is profusely illustrated with old woodcuts, engravings, and other images from historical sources, as well as interpretations by modern artists, including the authors. No other bestiary has been so well-illustrated! Hand-drawn medieval-style maps by Oberon Zell-Ravenheart show purported locales of different beasts on all continents and seas.
357 pages, Paperback
First published December 15, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
November 4, 2023
This amazing collection of fantastic creatures is a must-have on every fantasy author’s shelf. Magical tales and folklore from all over the globe can be found in this lovely illustrated book with insights many others in the genre overlook. If there’s a creature you want to know more about, this is the book to reach for.
December 4, 2012
A very good book by the man who's practically the founder of the NeoPagan Movement and the guy who rediscovered the secret of the Unicorn and learned how to breed them more than 40-years before modern science did it by accident (I still don't think they know how to breed them). He actually outlines how to do this technique and demystifies Magikal creatures throughout history. He also keeps it down to earth and even includes how some mythical creatures are now better classified as animals in zoology, such as the sturgeon.
February 17, 2014
An excellent bestiary, that not only defines a great number of beasts, but also attempts to examine the myths and explain where they might have originated. Did you know that Unicorns are real? They’re just not horses with a horn, after all they are shown with cleft hooves and a beard, much more like a goat or sheep… Excellent, but you won't find a lot of details on more obscure mythologies in here.
June 27, 2013
A resource of all mythical creatures known in throughout the world. Great for the imagination.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews