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Encyclopedia of Mythology, Scary Beasts and Creatures: Worldwide Mysterious Legends and Thrilling Tales
Are you curious about the stories behind both common and lesser-known monsters?
Do you want to explore things that are creepy and frightening?
Would you enjoy the thrill of discovering a new creature you never knew existed?
Encyclopedia of Mythology, Scary Beasts and Creatures explores the world of monsters and creatures from their dark roots in the past to their current place in media and society. It is Illustrated with beautiful woodcut style images and includes personal encounters with the world of monsters!
Monsters from America, Europe, Africa, and Asia are revealed from their hiding spots deep in the darkness of human imaginations. See how horror has developed through time.Encyclopedia of Mythology, Scary Beasts and Creatures is your ultimate guide to legends that leap out of horror films and go viral on social media. From ancient folklore to modern dread, this book explores how monsters reflect our desires, fears, and weirdness of being human.
Boss monsters await your exploration! Encounter legendary mythic beings, from Baba Yaga to Yokai.Ready to experience the excitement and mystery that the dark and spooky corners of the night have to offer? Discover what might be lurking under your bed! Why do we create monsters, and what do they mean? Learn how humanity needs monsters.Are you an educator or researcher? Explore how monsters enrich classroom discussions and inspire studies across subjects.This encyclopedia is more than just stories; it reveals personal encounters, tales of terror, myth-busting science, and cultural reflection.Perfect for curious teens, monster lovers, and anyone who’s ever wondered what our fears say about us.
Purchase a copy today!
Do you want to explore things that are creepy and frightening?
Would you enjoy the thrill of discovering a new creature you never knew existed?
Encyclopedia of Mythology, Scary Beasts and Creatures explores the world of monsters and creatures from their dark roots in the past to their current place in media and society. It is Illustrated with beautiful woodcut style images and includes personal encounters with the world of monsters!
Monsters from America, Europe, Africa, and Asia are revealed from their hiding spots deep in the darkness of human imaginations. See how horror has developed through time.Encyclopedia of Mythology, Scary Beasts and Creatures is your ultimate guide to legends that leap out of horror films and go viral on social media. From ancient folklore to modern dread, this book explores how monsters reflect our desires, fears, and weirdness of being human.
Boss monsters await your exploration! Encounter legendary mythic beings, from Baba Yaga to Yokai.Ready to experience the excitement and mystery that the dark and spooky corners of the night have to offer? Discover what might be lurking under your bed! Why do we create monsters, and what do they mean? Learn how humanity needs monsters.Are you an educator or researcher? Explore how monsters enrich classroom discussions and inspire studies across subjects.This encyclopedia is more than just stories; it reveals personal encounters, tales of terror, myth-busting science, and cultural reflection.Perfect for curious teens, monster lovers, and anyone who’s ever wondered what our fears say about us.
Purchase a copy today!
206 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 31, 2025
7 people are currently reading
3520 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
November 3, 2025
When I was a kid I had a set of encyclopedias (who didn’t back in the day?). This is a VERY comprehensive
(plus a little bit extra 💕) book. Which was the perfect
end to spooky season! This is unlike any encyclopedia
I’ve ever read!
This is a world view book from Africa’s Ananci (spider-like creature), to Japan’s Kaiju (a Godzilla-like creature),
to Persia’s Manticore (body of a lion with a human-like
face). There are varying significances that are described that are both political and societal. (Ie. Trolls: “Nordic
Giants of the Untamed”; Doppelgängers challenges
ideas of authenticity and individuality).
The encyclopedia is broken down in several subtitles (depending on the subject) such as: Modern Adaptations, Symbolic Representation, or Cinematic Evolution. There is nothing that was not covered. The references for most of these creatures were phenomenal.
The author invites readers to share their knowledge of all things spooky and fantastic, be it lore, myths or horror!
This is a great concept. This is great stuff and I learned a
lot about different cultural beasts. The author also includes modern-day retelling with examples of podcasts such as “Lore” and “The No Sleep Podcast” to keep the ghoulish creatures in present times.
Thanks to Goodreads and the author for the electronic ARC. This review is my honest opinion.
(plus a little bit extra 💕) book. Which was the perfect
end to spooky season! This is unlike any encyclopedia
I’ve ever read!
This is a world view book from Africa’s Ananci (spider-like creature), to Japan’s Kaiju (a Godzilla-like creature),
to Persia’s Manticore (body of a lion with a human-like
face). There are varying significances that are described that are both political and societal. (Ie. Trolls: “Nordic
Giants of the Untamed”; Doppelgängers challenges
ideas of authenticity and individuality).
The encyclopedia is broken down in several subtitles (depending on the subject) such as: Modern Adaptations, Symbolic Representation, or Cinematic Evolution. There is nothing that was not covered. The references for most of these creatures were phenomenal.
The author invites readers to share their knowledge of all things spooky and fantastic, be it lore, myths or horror!
This is a great concept. This is great stuff and I learned a
lot about different cultural beasts. The author also includes modern-day retelling with examples of podcasts such as “Lore” and “The No Sleep Podcast” to keep the ghoulish creatures in present times.
Thanks to Goodreads and the author for the electronic ARC. This review is my honest opinion.
September 20, 2025
If you have ever wanted to learn more about monsters, their origins, and how they fit into cultures across the world, this book is worth picking up.
This is not your standard encyclopedia. It strikes a fine balance between fact, storytelling, and personality.
We meet figures like Baba Yaga, the Kraken, the Mothman, Dracula, Frankenstein, and the Loch Ness Monster. But it is never just a “here’s the creature.” The author takes us deeper into the myths and the stories behind them. Small details stick in the mind, like Baba Yaga riding through the sky in a mortar while wielding a pestle, or her house standing on chicken legs.
The book also reminds us that the stories we tell reveal how we see life. Now and then, the author adds personal touches, such as anecdotes from her university years and memories of weekly film screenings. There are also links for readers who want to explore further.
Some creatures you will recognize immediately, others may be new to you, but the way they are presented provides a fresh perspective. Frankenstein, for instance, reflects the theme of humanity pushing too far, something that resonates strongly with today’s discussions about artificial intelligence.
If you want more than short, surface-level descriptions of monsters, this book offers much more. It shows how these beings are connected across time and cultures. Mermaids, for example, long predate H. C. Andersen’s tale and appear in myths all over the world. In Japan, the ningyo, or “human fish,” is a creature that looks like a cross between a monkey and a fish. Details like these reveal how stories about monsters bind us together, no matter where we come from.
This is not your standard encyclopedia. It strikes a fine balance between fact, storytelling, and personality.
We meet figures like Baba Yaga, the Kraken, the Mothman, Dracula, Frankenstein, and the Loch Ness Monster. But it is never just a “here’s the creature.” The author takes us deeper into the myths and the stories behind them. Small details stick in the mind, like Baba Yaga riding through the sky in a mortar while wielding a pestle, or her house standing on chicken legs.
The book also reminds us that the stories we tell reveal how we see life. Now and then, the author adds personal touches, such as anecdotes from her university years and memories of weekly film screenings. There are also links for readers who want to explore further.
Some creatures you will recognize immediately, others may be new to you, but the way they are presented provides a fresh perspective. Frankenstein, for instance, reflects the theme of humanity pushing too far, something that resonates strongly with today’s discussions about artificial intelligence.
If you want more than short, surface-level descriptions of monsters, this book offers much more. It shows how these beings are connected across time and cultures. Mermaids, for example, long predate H. C. Andersen’s tale and appear in myths all over the world. In Japan, the ningyo, or “human fish,” is a creature that looks like a cross between a monkey and a fish. Details like these reveal how stories about monsters bind us together, no matter where we come from.
October 30, 2025
This feels I was deeply impressed by the knowledge of the author & how well researched everything was. I LOVED that links to websites & references were included so you could learn more on your own if you wanted to.
This isn’t an encyclopedia that collects as many creatures into one book as possible. Instead it focuses on about 40 of the more prominent ones. You get a brief creature description, sometimes an excerpt from a folktale and then the author traces the cultural impact the creatures have had over the years. This was the most fascinating choice & what kept me flipping through.
The more specific the author was the better the entry. I absolutely wanted to learn the CIA mutilated corpses to look like the Philippine creature Aswang killed them. I also liked the examples of how colonization changed or spread certain creatures around the world or how certain books or movies spawned genres of creatures. It did feel like the author had done so much research that certain entries became very generalized. I think the more specific the entry with concrete examples & snippets of folk tales the better understanding I had of the creature!
This isn’t an encyclopedia that collects as many creatures into one book as possible. Instead it focuses on about 40 of the more prominent ones. You get a brief creature description, sometimes an excerpt from a folktale and then the author traces the cultural impact the creatures have had over the years. This was the most fascinating choice & what kept me flipping through.
The more specific the author was the better the entry. I absolutely wanted to learn the CIA mutilated corpses to look like the Philippine creature Aswang killed them. I also liked the examples of how colonization changed or spread certain creatures around the world or how certain books or movies spawned genres of creatures. It did feel like the author had done so much research that certain entries became very generalized. I think the more specific the entry with concrete examples & snippets of folk tales the better understanding I had of the creature!
October 20, 2025
Perhaps I should have taken the word Encyclopedia more seriously before I began to read it. Well, that is what it is. I was hoping for deep dives, mysterious legends and thrilling tales.
The layout is good, very consistent, with a description, some origins, some history and modern usages.
It just was pretty dry and as a fan of these kinds of things, I didn't really learn anything new.
Plus, there were definitely some typos and grammatical errors that should have been caught and corrected.
I am grateful for the advanced copy though!
The layout is good, very consistent, with a description, some origins, some history and modern usages.
It just was pretty dry and as a fan of these kinds of things, I didn't really learn anything new.
Plus, there were definitely some typos and grammatical errors that should have been caught and corrected.
I am grateful for the advanced copy though!
September 4, 2025
Interesting facts of different beasts and creatures from around the globe. Thrilling
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews