What do you think?
Rate this book
The World of Lore #1
The World of Lore: Monstrous Creatures
A fascinating, beautifully illustrated collection of stories from the hit podcast Lore - now an online streaming series
They live in shadows - deep in the forest, late in the night, in the dark recesses of our mind. They're spoken of in stories and superstitions, relics of an unenlightened age, old wives' tales, passed down through generations. And yet, no matter how wary and jaded we have become, as individuals or as a society, a part of us remains vulnerable to them. Werewolves and wendigos, poltergeists and vampires, angry elves and vengeful spirits.
In this beautifully illustrated volume, the host of the hit podcast Lore serves as a guide on a fascinating journey through the history of these terrifying creatures, and explores not only the legends but what they tell us about ourselves. Aaron Mahnke invites us to the desolate Pine Barrens of New Jersey, where the notorious winged, red-eyed Jersey Devil dwells. Mahnke delves into harrowing accounts of cannibalism-some officially documented, others the stuff of speculation . . . perhaps. He visits the dimly lit rooms where séances take place, the European villages where gremlins make mischief, and Key West, Florida, home of a haunted doll named Robert.
The monsters of folklore have become not only a part of our language but a part of our collective psyche. Whether these beasts and bogeymen are real or just a reflection of our primal fears, we know, on some level, that not every mystery has been explained, and that the unknown still holds the power to strike fear deep in our hearts and souls.
As Aaron Mahnke reminds us, sometimes the truth is even scarier than the lore...
299 pages, Hardcover
First published October 10, 2017
881 people are currently reading
12629 people want to read
About the author
Aaron Mahnke
27 books1,316 followersOne of the most successful podcast producers in the world, Aaron Mahnke began his career in 2015 with the launch of Lore, which went on to become a breakout hit.
Aside from racking up over 450-million downloads to date, Lore was adapted for two seasons of television on Amazon, and as a three-book set from Penguin Random House. Aaron has also toured extensively, delivering his trademark storytelling experience to thousands of people across the country.
In 2019, Aaron also published his first comic book series, Wellington, through IDW. And in 2021, he launched the first of a new slate of fiction podcasts, beginning with the breakout hit Bridgewater, starring Misha Collins, Melissa Ponzia, Karan Soni, Alan Tudyk, and Tricia Helfer.
Aside from racking up over 450-million downloads to date, Lore was adapted for two seasons of television on Amazon, and as a three-book set from Penguin Random House. Aaron has also toured extensively, delivering his trademark storytelling experience to thousands of people across the country.
In 2019, Aaron also published his first comic book series, Wellington, through IDW. And in 2021, he launched the first of a new slate of fiction podcasts, beginning with the breakout hit Bridgewater, starring Misha Collins, Melissa Ponzia, Karan Soni, Alan Tudyk, and Tricia Helfer.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 919 reviews
September 26, 2017
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
A perfect book for Halloween.
The World of Lore: Monstrous Creatures is a guide to the weird and wonderful bits of folklore and legend that roam our earth surrounding mysterious creatures. Each chapter presents a specific type of 'creature' for examination, before providing a number of local legends that relate to that creature with beautifully illustrated prints throughout.
The author does a good job at 'setting the scene' with these creatures. Each chapter is well defined, and categorised well, which makes the writing easy to follow and very engaging. This is certainly one of those books you can pick up and put down with ease, and the author also does a really good job at creating a decent atmosphere. Reading this late at night, I was certainly creeped out by certain chapters (the dolls and ghost in particular).
As with most books of this nature, I found some chapters more interesting than others. I was less interested in the 'flying animal' stories than I was with the dolls, ghosts and vampires. I also would have at least liked a mention of Whitby when discussing Dracula and Bram Stoker. I felt at times the writing was definitely geared more towards an American audience in this sense.
That said, I thought this was a very thorough introduction into the world of folklore, and it's certainly piqued an interest in this area for future reading material at this time of year.
A perfect book for Halloween.
The World of Lore: Monstrous Creatures is a guide to the weird and wonderful bits of folklore and legend that roam our earth surrounding mysterious creatures. Each chapter presents a specific type of 'creature' for examination, before providing a number of local legends that relate to that creature with beautifully illustrated prints throughout.
The author does a good job at 'setting the scene' with these creatures. Each chapter is well defined, and categorised well, which makes the writing easy to follow and very engaging. This is certainly one of those books you can pick up and put down with ease, and the author also does a really good job at creating a decent atmosphere. Reading this late at night, I was certainly creeped out by certain chapters (the dolls and ghost in particular).
As with most books of this nature, I found some chapters more interesting than others. I was less interested in the 'flying animal' stories than I was with the dolls, ghosts and vampires. I also would have at least liked a mention of Whitby when discussing Dracula and Bram Stoker. I felt at times the writing was definitely geared more towards an American audience in this sense.
That said, I thought this was a very thorough introduction into the world of folklore, and it's certainly piqued an interest in this area for future reading material at this time of year.
October 29, 2024
Mystifying, disconcerting, and riveting.
Aaron Mahnke’s narration of the ominous, the disturbing, and the paranormal is so well told and so well researched it will give you chills whether you read or listen to the accounts. Not only does he bring lore to life, but his dissection and musings on the human psyche accompanying the paranormal plights invite the reader to ponder the legends deeper.
The accounts will taunt you and you will wonder how the absurd could very well be truth rather than a simple folklore. - Sara W.
Aaron Mahnke’s narration of the ominous, the disturbing, and the paranormal is so well told and so well researched it will give you chills whether you read or listen to the accounts. Not only does he bring lore to life, but his dissection and musings on the human psyche accompanying the paranormal plights invite the reader to ponder the legends deeper.
The accounts will taunt you and you will wonder how the absurd could very well be truth rather than a simple folklore. - Sara W.
December 17, 2020
I am a huge fan of podcasts (heck I even have a book shelf called "Also A Podcast"). They make my work commutes so much more pleasant and there are so many high quality ones to choose from. We are sort of in a new golden age of radio, just radio on demand that you can carry in your pocket. One that I quite enjoy is called Lore by Aaron Mahnke. It explores neat little nooks and crannies of folklore, stories that illuminate greater truths about human nature. Mahnke has a lovely voice and is able to weave a compelling narrative around various themes. Themes like the seemingly eternal human fear of the Other or Death that have manifested in multifold ways across just about every human culture. Also, there is apparently a huge tradition of people blaming small magical creatures when things go wrong. Weird, huh? So when I heard he was also coming out with a book I was very excited.
But...when reading this I felt like it was just reading a transcript of the podcast. Most of the stories seemed to be taken straight from the podcast (even with Mahnke's dulcet voice echoing in my mind as I read it). I suppose that shouldn't be surprising given the finite amount of folklore out there and the fact he already has more than 75 episodes of a podcast devoted to folklore, but it still felt very repetitive and was not very value added to a steady podcast listener like myself. I was disappointed and I would guess that if you also listen to the podcast you would be as well.
Don't get me wrong, this was a still a really well done book and very illustrative of the universal human condition. I would say if you are interested in learning about human folklore and culture either read his books or listen to the podcast, both on their own are well worth your time and attention.
But...when reading this I felt like it was just reading a transcript of the podcast. Most of the stories seemed to be taken straight from the podcast (even with Mahnke's dulcet voice echoing in my mind as I read it). I suppose that shouldn't be surprising given the finite amount of folklore out there and the fact he already has more than 75 episodes of a podcast devoted to folklore, but it still felt very repetitive and was not very value added to a steady podcast listener like myself. I was disappointed and I would guess that if you also listen to the podcast you would be as well.
Don't get me wrong, this was a still a really well done book and very illustrative of the universal human condition. I would say if you are interested in learning about human folklore and culture either read his books or listen to the podcast, both on their own are well worth your time and attention.
October 23, 2018
What a fun read for this time of year. Several reviewers have remarked that many of the chapters are almost verbatim from the author's podcasts. As I have not listened to his podcasts, I enjoyed the book and found it quite fascinating.
The "monstrous creatures" range from vampires, werewolves, and goblins to humans who have bridged the earthly and spiritual realms. The author also touched on some of the urban myths such as the Jersey Devil, which I had heard of but was not overly familiar.
I wish there was an index in the back even though the author provided a nice bibliography.
The "monstrous creatures" range from vampires, werewolves, and goblins to humans who have bridged the earthly and spiritual realms. The author also touched on some of the urban myths such as the Jersey Devil, which I had heard of but was not overly familiar.
I wish there was an index in the back even though the author provided a nice bibliography.
January 8, 2018
Actual rating 3.5 stars.
This non-fiction divulges the hidden secrets from the supernatural underbelly of our world. Testimonies from both ancient and modern-day, real-world sightings are used as a basis to explore each of the creatures featured in this anthology. The likelihood of their existence is then probed at, using links from literature, science, and religious and spiritual beliefs to prove or disprove the claims. The author provides no definite answer but rather suggests reasons for and against the existence of such creatures. He also does not makes his personal beliefs on the discoveries explicitly known. Whilst this didn't hamper my enjoyment I would have appreciated a more personal anecdote to end each of the sections.
The writing style, however, was something that could definitely be categorised as personal. The author, Aaron Mahnke, is the host of a hit podcast show that formed the basis of this anthology. I can see how the interior of this book would lend itself well to this spoken format, as much of the writing was of a fantastical and atmospheric vibe and conversational in tone.
Whilst this all combined to make this an entertaining read I found I could remember little of what was detailed, once I had completed my reading of it. It was a fun and, on times, creepy read but one that, for some reason, did not allow me to retain any of the factual information. I can remember my enjoyment of the book, however, if not explicit details of the interior.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Aaron Mahnke, and the publisher, Del Ray for this opportunity.
This non-fiction divulges the hidden secrets from the supernatural underbelly of our world. Testimonies from both ancient and modern-day, real-world sightings are used as a basis to explore each of the creatures featured in this anthology. The likelihood of their existence is then probed at, using links from literature, science, and religious and spiritual beliefs to prove or disprove the claims. The author provides no definite answer but rather suggests reasons for and against the existence of such creatures. He also does not makes his personal beliefs on the discoveries explicitly known. Whilst this didn't hamper my enjoyment I would have appreciated a more personal anecdote to end each of the sections.
The writing style, however, was something that could definitely be categorised as personal. The author, Aaron Mahnke, is the host of a hit podcast show that formed the basis of this anthology. I can see how the interior of this book would lend itself well to this spoken format, as much of the writing was of a fantastical and atmospheric vibe and conversational in tone.
Whilst this all combined to make this an entertaining read I found I could remember little of what was detailed, once I had completed my reading of it. It was a fun and, on times, creepy read but one that, for some reason, did not allow me to retain any of the factual information. I can remember my enjoyment of the book, however, if not explicit details of the interior.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Aaron Mahnke, and the publisher, Del Ray for this opportunity.
July 30, 2021
This was an interesting book with a wealth of information packed inside. How could anyone not find something that grabbed at the edge of an obsession or scratched at the edge of a fear lingering in the back of the mind? Legend, creatures of lore come alive here and sometimes remain a mystery and other times we are left with facts to add, digest, and think over. Sometimes it is just more mystery to add to mystery in the fog.
So far this is an incredible series.
I haven’t heard the podcasts but I have heard of them. I am not the podcast type but these books are great so far. I am already into the next volume.
Highly recommended for inquiring minds, lovers of unanswered mysteries, ghosts, and history.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
So far this is an incredible series.
I haven’t heard the podcasts but I have heard of them. I am not the podcast type but these books are great so far. I am already into the next volume.
Highly recommended for inquiring minds, lovers of unanswered mysteries, ghosts, and history.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
June 7, 2025
Very well-researched and fascinating. While I'd heard about most of the legends and lore he spoke of, he provided new stories and perspectives that kept me enthralled. This was super fun as an audiobook, and I can't wait to finish the rest of the series.
August 28, 2020
As always, Aaron Mahnke is an amazing author in both these books and his podcasts.
January 9, 2020
I have been a faithful listener of Aaron Mahnke's Lore Podcast for years now. I enjoy his stories of the strange and unusual. So, of course, when he started publishing books and even an Amazon series, I jumped on board for those as well. The Amazon series was a dud for me. I enjoyed season one, but for season two they changed the format and it was terrible (in my opinion, of course).
I enjoy the books. They are basically transcripts of the podcast with illustrations. I don't mind that...I love the podcast and enjoy having a hardback version on my keeper shelf. I listened to the audio book version of this (Random House Audio), and it was like listening to earlier seasons of the podcast again. :) Very enjoyable! Plus, it's my way of supporting Aaron Mahnke's work....I listen to his podcast, so buying his books makes me feel like I'm helping him out a bit.
I'm going to pick up the other books in this series (Wicked Mortals & Dreadful Places) so I have a matching set on my bookshelf.
The audio book is well done. Narrated by Mahnke, it's pretty much like listening to back episodes of the podcast. The audio is just over 9 hours long. Very entertaining listening experience!
I enjoy the books. They are basically transcripts of the podcast with illustrations. I don't mind that...I love the podcast and enjoy having a hardback version on my keeper shelf. I listened to the audio book version of this (Random House Audio), and it was like listening to earlier seasons of the podcast again. :) Very enjoyable! Plus, it's my way of supporting Aaron Mahnke's work....I listen to his podcast, so buying his books makes me feel like I'm helping him out a bit.
I'm going to pick up the other books in this series (Wicked Mortals & Dreadful Places) so I have a matching set on my bookshelf.
The audio book is well done. Narrated by Mahnke, it's pretty much like listening to back episodes of the podcast. The audio is just over 9 hours long. Very entertaining listening experience!
December 5, 2021
Absolutna miłość. Jak ja uwielbiam historie przepełnione mrokiem i strachem.
October 16, 2018
I quite enjoyed this book and after reading it I would like to check out his podcast.
I have a fascination with urban legends and how things came to be. I believe it came from my husband, who loves listening to eyewitness accounts on podcasts like this. I'm not sure if I believe it, but I know that our world is so large there is no way we have discovered all there is to discover.
This book is a bit of a background on numerous mythical creatures - from vampires, to zombies, to Mothman and beyond the grave. Stories of how the legends were born and how the legends are similar even in places nowhere near each other.
The author is great adding a bit of humor as well and a bit of insight into the times where the legends were popular. While many of these accounts probably could be explained away, the book on the whole is really well done and makes you think that maybe you shouldn't take that shortcut through the forest. Just to be safe.
I'll definitely be checking out other books by him.
I have a fascination with urban legends and how things came to be. I believe it came from my husband, who loves listening to eyewitness accounts on podcasts like this. I'm not sure if I believe it, but I know that our world is so large there is no way we have discovered all there is to discover.
This book is a bit of a background on numerous mythical creatures - from vampires, to zombies, to Mothman and beyond the grave. Stories of how the legends were born and how the legends are similar even in places nowhere near each other.
The author is great adding a bit of humor as well and a bit of insight into the times where the legends were popular. While many of these accounts probably could be explained away, the book on the whole is really well done and makes you think that maybe you shouldn't take that shortcut through the forest. Just to be safe.
I'll definitely be checking out other books by him.
June 1, 2018
One of the most popular scary story podcast transforms into the written word. Some of my most favorite tales of the unexplained are profiled. Stories of monsters, ghosts, and even a few possessed dolls are featured. I CANNOT wait to read the sequel!
October 22, 2017
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
A comprehensive guide to some of the world's most intriguing 'monsters'.
Firstly, I should state that I'm a massive fan of Lore podcast, and as such, was familiar with nearly all the tales set out in this book. Prospective buyers should be aware that the stories within the book are taken, pretty much word for word, from the podcast.
However, I think it's far fairer to judge the book on the presumption that readers will not be familiar with the podcast, and that thus, the material will all be fresh! On that note, let's continue...
The book covers all manner of strange and monstrous creatures; with fascinating 'real life' stories of supernatural events. It's all accessible, written in the same chatty, down-to-earth tone as the podcast itself; though considerably less frightening (mainly because the music on the podcast is so freaking eerie!).
A great book for those who like to read spooky, 'real life' tales, but who don't want to be too badly frightened late at night. However, if you've listened to the podcast, this might not be the book for you, unless you listened to it all ages ago, and want to remind yourself of how good it is!
A comprehensive guide to some of the world's most intriguing 'monsters'.
Firstly, I should state that I'm a massive fan of Lore podcast, and as such, was familiar with nearly all the tales set out in this book. Prospective buyers should be aware that the stories within the book are taken, pretty much word for word, from the podcast.
However, I think it's far fairer to judge the book on the presumption that readers will not be familiar with the podcast, and that thus, the material will all be fresh! On that note, let's continue...
The book covers all manner of strange and monstrous creatures; with fascinating 'real life' stories of supernatural events. It's all accessible, written in the same chatty, down-to-earth tone as the podcast itself; though considerably less frightening (mainly because the music on the podcast is so freaking eerie!).
A great book for those who like to read spooky, 'real life' tales, but who don't want to be too badly frightened late at night. However, if you've listened to the podcast, this might not be the book for you, unless you listened to it all ages ago, and want to remind yourself of how good it is!
July 30, 2022
tak samo jaką ogromną miłością obdarzyłam podcast, taką samą darze te książkę ♥️
świetnie poprowadzona, pełna interesujących wiadomości i historii, totalnie moje klimaty!
świetnie poprowadzona, pełna interesujących wiadomości i historii, totalnie moje klimaty!
![Profile Image for [Name Redacted].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1347082397i%2F287915._UY200_CR0%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
October 14, 2017
Yes, it is pretty much just transcriptions of the podcast, now arranged topically.
Yes, it does include beautiful illustrations.
Yes, it is worth buying, but mainly if it's been a while since you listened to an episode of the podcast the transcription of which is featured herein.
Yes, it does include beautiful illustrations.
Yes, it is worth buying, but mainly if it's been a while since you listened to an episode of the podcast the transcription of which is featured herein.
October 28, 2018
3.75 stars
Much of the material here is taken from Mahnke's podcast, "Lore," which is very good. Although even with some of the stories in the book I hadn't heard before, Mahnke's writing style makes it seem familiar.
Every introduction follows his formula of setting the stage with a statement along the lines of "we're all afraid of the dark, because what is in the dark is unknown," followed by a historic legend, myth or bit of folklore, which is then followed by a longer historically fact-based story.
This tends to work better in his podcasts because it primes listeners' attention. It's difficult to make a print adaptation fresh when the stories have been told essentially identically in a broadcast medium (Lore has been adapted to a series on Amazon Prime as well).
However, I did enjoy the stories because they're all well-researched and interesting. Unlike good old-fashioned horror fiction, all of the stories have some basis in reality and their details are recorded in official accounts of the period -- whether or not those telling some of the tales can be believed or not, but knowing their implausibility makes the stories more fun to read and think about.
I'd probably stick to Mahnke's podcasts, and there are now three -- two new ones are "Aaron Mahnke's Cabinet of Curiosities," which entail shortened stories very similar to "Lore" and "Unobscured" -- which are longer form episodes that delve more deeply into a piece of history. Right now, the Salem witch trials are the subject.
Much of the material here is taken from Mahnke's podcast, "Lore," which is very good. Although even with some of the stories in the book I hadn't heard before, Mahnke's writing style makes it seem familiar.
Every introduction follows his formula of setting the stage with a statement along the lines of "we're all afraid of the dark, because what is in the dark is unknown," followed by a historic legend, myth or bit of folklore, which is then followed by a longer historically fact-based story.
This tends to work better in his podcasts because it primes listeners' attention. It's difficult to make a print adaptation fresh when the stories have been told essentially identically in a broadcast medium (Lore has been adapted to a series on Amazon Prime as well).
However, I did enjoy the stories because they're all well-researched and interesting. Unlike good old-fashioned horror fiction, all of the stories have some basis in reality and their details are recorded in official accounts of the period -- whether or not those telling some of the tales can be believed or not, but knowing their implausibility makes the stories more fun to read and think about.
I'd probably stick to Mahnke's podcasts, and there are now three -- two new ones are "Aaron Mahnke's Cabinet of Curiosities," which entail shortened stories very similar to "Lore" and "Unobscured" -- which are longer form episodes that delve more deeply into a piece of history. Right now, the Salem witch trials are the subject.
January 3, 2018
I actually enjoyed parts of this book, but it has a huge mark against it. Skeptical of how credulous the author was being, I looked up one of the stories and discovered that the incident came only from one extremely dubious, tabloid-level source. Thus I needed to laboriously check everything that had been written to be sure I wasn't misinforming myself.
Though there are good pieces of the book, nonfiction where you have to constantly check if the author is repeating nonsense isn't acceptable to me. Maybe the book is okay if you just want to hear some spooky stories, but if you want to actually learn about those stories (much less study actual cultural lore), this isn't the book.
Also, the historicity has been much exaggerated. Large portions are basically just repetition of urban legends.
Though there are good pieces of the book, nonfiction where you have to constantly check if the author is repeating nonsense isn't acceptable to me. Maybe the book is okay if you just want to hear some spooky stories, but if you want to actually learn about those stories (much less study actual cultural lore), this isn't the book.
Also, the historicity has been much exaggerated. Large portions are basically just repetition of urban legends.
October 29, 2017
Rating 2.5 Stars
I personally have been a lover of all things supernatural for as long as I can remember. While other kids made pictures and cute stories about unicorns and rainbows, I made stories on ghosts and vampires. My parents were horrified but eh they got over it, especially once they realized that love would never go away and as an adult it still has not.
But I digress, a lot of my rating has to do with my own personal taste. When I pick up a book on all things creepy I want it to not be just full of stories of Bigfoot, Moth Man, Jersey Devil, etc. I'm more interested in the things you can't see, which is what people call ghosts but I like the word spirits it sounds less cliche. Why? Well I have had many terrifying paranormal experiences that has made me have no doubt whatsoever of the possibility of us wandering the earth after death. So, this book was a let down since there was only bits here and there that related to poltergeists, spirits, demonic presence, etc. Most of them I had already heard of as well so it made for another let down but I tried not to get too critical on that part since I have watched every TV show that has to do with the paranormal. I'm bound to know all the well known stories like Robert the Doll. I also watched the first season of Lore as well and those short episodes were also included in this book. I haven't listened to any of the podcasts of Lore but I'm glad I didn't or I probably would have just dropped this audio and moved onto something else since it seems like this book is just a repeat of the podcast episodes.
What also knocked off stars was Aaron Mahnke's narration. I like when narrators of audio express emotions and inflect their voices. But Mahnke's just stayed monotone and flat. I don't know if his voice is like that in his podcasts but it really turned me off and had me zoning out several times.
But, I still had to give some stars since Mahnke obviously has done a lot of research on the supernatural. He added more details to stories and accounts that I had heard of before but did not know much detail about it. So it added some times of enjoyable listening as my fascination with everything spirit and monster came out to play.
I would only recommend this book to reader's who have not listened to his podcasts. I would also recommend reading it in book form since it apparently has illustrations and I think that adds a interesting element and made me regret listening to it on audio. It also probably made it more organized when you can see the breaks in chapters and so on so it doesn't sounds like Mahnke is bouncing all over the place from topic to topic. There is also the fact of terrible narration that I already mentioned so it really is up to the reader. I will pick up the sequel that will be on serial killers and all freaky stuff like that but I will keep in mind to read it in book form next time.
I personally have been a lover of all things supernatural for as long as I can remember. While other kids made pictures and cute stories about unicorns and rainbows, I made stories on ghosts and vampires. My parents were horrified but eh they got over it, especially once they realized that love would never go away and as an adult it still has not.
But I digress, a lot of my rating has to do with my own personal taste. When I pick up a book on all things creepy I want it to not be just full of stories of Bigfoot, Moth Man, Jersey Devil, etc. I'm more interested in the things you can't see, which is what people call ghosts but I like the word spirits it sounds less cliche. Why? Well I have had many terrifying paranormal experiences that has made me have no doubt whatsoever of the possibility of us wandering the earth after death. So, this book was a let down since there was only bits here and there that related to poltergeists, spirits, demonic presence, etc. Most of them I had already heard of as well so it made for another let down but I tried not to get too critical on that part since I have watched every TV show that has to do with the paranormal. I'm bound to know all the well known stories like Robert the Doll. I also watched the first season of Lore as well and those short episodes were also included in this book. I haven't listened to any of the podcasts of Lore but I'm glad I didn't or I probably would have just dropped this audio and moved onto something else since it seems like this book is just a repeat of the podcast episodes.
What also knocked off stars was Aaron Mahnke's narration. I like when narrators of audio express emotions and inflect their voices. But Mahnke's just stayed monotone and flat. I don't know if his voice is like that in his podcasts but it really turned me off and had me zoning out several times.
But, I still had to give some stars since Mahnke obviously has done a lot of research on the supernatural. He added more details to stories and accounts that I had heard of before but did not know much detail about it. So it added some times of enjoyable listening as my fascination with everything spirit and monster came out to play.
I would only recommend this book to reader's who have not listened to his podcasts. I would also recommend reading it in book form since it apparently has illustrations and I think that adds a interesting element and made me regret listening to it on audio. It also probably made it more organized when you can see the breaks in chapters and so on so it doesn't sounds like Mahnke is bouncing all over the place from topic to topic. There is also the fact of terrible narration that I already mentioned so it really is up to the reader. I will pick up the sequel that will be on serial killers and all freaky stuff like that but I will keep in mind to read it in book form next time.
November 6, 2017
I love and have always loved folklore. I especially love folklore when it's told this type of manner: the folk story, the history behind the lore, the science behind why human nature makes us believe certain lore, and again more of the legends themselves.
The only issue I had with this book was the way it was written, because it's very obvious that the language in here was originally used for the podcast itself, and a lot of the time what sounds good when we listen to a story vs when we read a story aren't the same thing. I've never listened to the podcast either, but many of the sentences were just overall kind of cheesy & sounded really weird when reading it. I bet if I listened to the tales, though, it would have sounded much better.
But anyways, what a fantastic book full of mystery and intruige and what goes on behind the veil. There were different chapters based on different types of folktales, such as vampires, werewolves, ghosts, curses, haunted houses, haunted shipwrecks, haunted dolls, zombies, The Jersey Devil, goblins, elves.... really, any kind of folk story with a monster/creature that you can imagine, this book has them all.
I would sit for hours reading each individual tale, entranced by the mystery of it all. I love how there's stories where you can tell that the cause of the folktale is simply humans not understanding their world, (i.e., vampires,) but there are others that make you question whether or not our world really has more to offer than what meets the eye, (i.e., many of the haunted house tales and woodland monsters.)
I'm a firm believer in the supernatural anyways, and I think that there is more going on in this planet than what we can explain away with science. Who am I to say that spirits don't exist? Especially in circumstances that ended in tragedy, where a spirit might be restless if their life ended horribly. This book has numerous tales of such happenings, and each one was entrancing in its own unique way.
I've always loved stories of urban legends and folk stories, and this book has re-captured my love for those things once again. The artwork in this book is also to DIE for (hahaha, puns,) each one invoking a spooky atmosphere.
I also feel like I learned a lot from this book, and the folk tales span all over the world with different eras of time and cultures. It would go from the ancient Egyptians to the Middle East in the B.C. period to medieval Ireland to present day America. I love being able to see & feel & learn about the legends of so many different peoples.
This book was scary & enthralling in all the right ways, and I hope that Aaron Mahnke continues to write more books of folklore because he certainly knows how to craft a wonderful tale.
The only issue I had with this book was the way it was written, because it's very obvious that the language in here was originally used for the podcast itself, and a lot of the time what sounds good when we listen to a story vs when we read a story aren't the same thing. I've never listened to the podcast either, but many of the sentences were just overall kind of cheesy & sounded really weird when reading it. I bet if I listened to the tales, though, it would have sounded much better.
But anyways, what a fantastic book full of mystery and intruige and what goes on behind the veil. There were different chapters based on different types of folktales, such as vampires, werewolves, ghosts, curses, haunted houses, haunted shipwrecks, haunted dolls, zombies, The Jersey Devil, goblins, elves.... really, any kind of folk story with a monster/creature that you can imagine, this book has them all.
I would sit for hours reading each individual tale, entranced by the mystery of it all. I love how there's stories where you can tell that the cause of the folktale is simply humans not understanding their world, (i.e., vampires,) but there are others that make you question whether or not our world really has more to offer than what meets the eye, (i.e., many of the haunted house tales and woodland monsters.)
I'm a firm believer in the supernatural anyways, and I think that there is more going on in this planet than what we can explain away with science. Who am I to say that spirits don't exist? Especially in circumstances that ended in tragedy, where a spirit might be restless if their life ended horribly. This book has numerous tales of such happenings, and each one was entrancing in its own unique way.
I've always loved stories of urban legends and folk stories, and this book has re-captured my love for those things once again. The artwork in this book is also to DIE for (hahaha, puns,) each one invoking a spooky atmosphere.
I also feel like I learned a lot from this book, and the folk tales span all over the world with different eras of time and cultures. It would go from the ancient Egyptians to the Middle East in the B.C. period to medieval Ireland to present day America. I love being able to see & feel & learn about the legends of so many different peoples.
This book was scary & enthralling in all the right ways, and I hope that Aaron Mahnke continues to write more books of folklore because he certainly knows how to craft a wonderful tale.
August 9, 2025
2.5 stars ...
First and foremost, take the book blurb with a grain of salt. Forgive me for expecting a book about "monstrous creatures". What was I thinking?!? 🤷♂️ Granted, there is some of that ... but it's a small part of this "literary podcast". Like less than half. 🙄 The blurb is primarily a marketing tool to suck you in, I get that ... but know that, in this case, it's bait and switch. The majority of this volume is NOT monstrous creature related and quite dull. For example, chapters on curses. There's a chapter on spooky ghost ships, another on a haunted drum. You get the idea. Nary a monstrous creature to be found. Oh, and if you care about such things, the blurb says it's "beautifully illustrated". The start of each chapter has a forgettable small black and white ("pencil") rough sketch. Classic case of false advertising. I *may* check out the next in the series, with recalibrated expectations, but it's certainly not high on my list of literary priorities.
First and foremost, take the book blurb with a grain of salt. Forgive me for expecting a book about "monstrous creatures". What was I thinking?!? 🤷♂️ Granted, there is some of that ... but it's a small part of this "literary podcast". Like less than half. 🙄 The blurb is primarily a marketing tool to suck you in, I get that ... but know that, in this case, it's bait and switch. The majority of this volume is NOT monstrous creature related and quite dull. For example, chapters on curses. There's a chapter on spooky ghost ships, another on a haunted drum. You get the idea. Nary a monstrous creature to be found. Oh, and if you care about such things, the blurb says it's "beautifully illustrated". The start of each chapter has a forgettable small black and white ("pencil") rough sketch. Classic case of false advertising. I *may* check out the next in the series, with recalibrated expectations, but it's certainly not high on my list of literary priorities.
October 24, 2017
A fun late-October book combining stories of uncanny events and encounters with breezy explorations of the folklore related to the various sorts of ghosts, beasties, and peculiar practices covered in each section. Prior to reading this, I was not aware of the “Lore” podcast (potential readers may want to note that some reviewers comment that the stories here are very similar to those presented in episodes of the podcast), and that originally oral presentation is very evident in the book, which is distinctly casual and conversational in style. The author maintains an attitude of friendly skepticism about the supernatural creatures featured in his tales – sea monsters, evil dolls, vampires, mothmen, etc. – but always with a wink and in the cheerful spirit of “Well, we can see that there is probably a perfectly rational explanation for this, but wouldn't it be delicious fun if it really were true that...” The book is not heavily illustrated, but the full page black and white drawings (I think there are ten of these) are marvelous, and the bibliography is also really nice.
February 24, 2018
I can't believe I won a copy. *tears of joy*
Well, considering the fact that I listen to Lore while I'm in the car, might as well have a copy on my shelf.
October 11, 2021
I've literally been putting this off for over a year. I got this on audio around the end of September of 2018, intending on reading it for Halloween that year, but then life declared that it had other plans and it got swept under the rug. Ultimately, I forgot about it, so I put it off for Halloween 2019, but that holiday came and went and this remained unread. So I decided to just read it for Christmas and not let yet another year go by.
And honestly, all this anticipation maybe ruined this. Or maybe this just isn't good.
Perhaps I'm spoiled by well-written analytical nonfiction by actual journalists, because this was low-key a bunch of crap. The content was fine--not even Aaron Mahnke could keep this girl from being intrigued by spooky stuff--but the way it was all delivered? Subpar at best.
If you Google Aaron Mahnke in an attempt to find anything resembling credentials, the only thing you'll find is that he makes podcasts. This book itself is a compilation of one of his more popular podcasts, titled Lore. I've never listened to this podcast of his (I'm not very into podcasts in general) but after hearing him read the audiobook of this book with the inflection equivalent of a dead squirrel, I'm probably never going to. In regards to his ethos, there really isn't any to be found. He just likes spooky stuff, and hey, so do I, so I can't exactly judge the guy for that.
I can, however, judge him for having the organization skills of a seventh grader in this book. And for having the maturity level, on occasion, of that same seventh grader.
This is split largely into several sections, each focusing on a different monstrous creature, hence the title. But actually, it kind of isn't. The first section is entirely about vampires and zombies (very connected in origin, though I'm a little confused why he neglected to mention Richard Matheson's I Am Legend even though he mentioned George Romero's Night of the Living Dead) and the second section is about fairies and sprites and goblins, etc. I'll give him that. But then it deviates wildly for the rest of the book. Almost as if he started organizing them and then just got lazy.
The third section starts off being about werewolves, then talks about curses, then the wendigo. This seemed largely par for the course, but then he talks about sea monsters. I was under the impression that this section would be about humans who turn into creatures. But I guess not. We get a giant bird after this. Then, as if he suddenly remembered, he closes it off with werewolves again.
The fourth section fared about the same. It starts off with haunted dolls, then goes back to strange animals. He talks about the Jersey Devil and Spring-Heeled Jack. And then we get another giant bird. And...vision dreams about Christmas presents and also Chernobyl? (Hilariously, that one was in a subsection titled "Missing the Point" which honestly described me to a T)
Next we got ghosts and possession. Seemed to stay on track for the most part, though it did repeat a lot of the same exact information only with new examples, which was only a little mind-numbing. And then he ends the book with a half-baked, apparently feminist message about how women during the Salem witch trials were probably just "being themselves" and since that was in a strict, authoritarian male-dominated society, they were seen as witches. Which might be true, who knows?--but as the concluding statement in a 300 page folklore analysis, it makes absolutely no sense. I was expecting at least a brief conclusion, maybe a repeat of the whole "humans make crap up sometimes because they're scared" thing he'd been spewing every other page, but I guess he just forgot that he needed to finish the book.
If all that wasn't bad enough, Aaron Mahnke seems to be scared the readers will think he *gasp!* believes in this superstitious nonsense! *faints* He can't go one story without inserting somewhere that he thinks the people involved were either delusional or simply lacking in modern knowledge. He also seems to think that everyone going into a book literally about folklore and cryptids, ghosts, and other paranormal creatures won't know that they are, in fact, folklore. It was also obvious which creatures he thought were interesting, because he seemed to give them a modicum of respect. Otherwise, he spoke about them and to his audience the same way Percy Jackson speaks about the Greek Gods. Only Percy Jackson is 12 and in a middle grade fiction novel, and Aaron Mahnke wrote a nonfiction analysis of folklore, presumably for adults.
There were a few instances where I didn't want to slap Aaron Mahnke in the face for disrespecting my favorite topics and for treating people who have different beliefs than him as idiots. But they were few and far between. At the end of things, I'm disappointed, underwhelmed, and angry. But I bet he would just say I'm actually just mad about the unknown or how deep the sea is or something, and my fear translates into the shape of his face.
And honestly, all this anticipation maybe ruined this. Or maybe this just isn't good.
Perhaps I'm spoiled by well-written analytical nonfiction by actual journalists, because this was low-key a bunch of crap. The content was fine--not even Aaron Mahnke could keep this girl from being intrigued by spooky stuff--but the way it was all delivered? Subpar at best.
If you Google Aaron Mahnke in an attempt to find anything resembling credentials, the only thing you'll find is that he makes podcasts. This book itself is a compilation of one of his more popular podcasts, titled Lore. I've never listened to this podcast of his (I'm not very into podcasts in general) but after hearing him read the audiobook of this book with the inflection equivalent of a dead squirrel, I'm probably never going to. In regards to his ethos, there really isn't any to be found. He just likes spooky stuff, and hey, so do I, so I can't exactly judge the guy for that.
I can, however, judge him for having the organization skills of a seventh grader in this book. And for having the maturity level, on occasion, of that same seventh grader.
This is split largely into several sections, each focusing on a different monstrous creature, hence the title. But actually, it kind of isn't. The first section is entirely about vampires and zombies (very connected in origin, though I'm a little confused why he neglected to mention Richard Matheson's I Am Legend even though he mentioned George Romero's Night of the Living Dead) and the second section is about fairies and sprites and goblins, etc. I'll give him that. But then it deviates wildly for the rest of the book. Almost as if he started organizing them and then just got lazy.
The third section starts off being about werewolves, then talks about curses, then the wendigo. This seemed largely par for the course, but then he talks about sea monsters. I was under the impression that this section would be about humans who turn into creatures. But I guess not. We get a giant bird after this. Then, as if he suddenly remembered, he closes it off with werewolves again.
The fourth section fared about the same. It starts off with haunted dolls, then goes back to strange animals. He talks about the Jersey Devil and Spring-Heeled Jack. And then we get another giant bird. And...vision dreams about Christmas presents and also Chernobyl? (Hilariously, that one was in a subsection titled "Missing the Point" which honestly described me to a T)
Next we got ghosts and possession. Seemed to stay on track for the most part, though it did repeat a lot of the same exact information only with new examples, which was only a little mind-numbing. And then he ends the book with a half-baked, apparently feminist message about how women during the Salem witch trials were probably just "being themselves" and since that was in a strict, authoritarian male-dominated society, they were seen as witches. Which might be true, who knows?--but as the concluding statement in a 300 page folklore analysis, it makes absolutely no sense. I was expecting at least a brief conclusion, maybe a repeat of the whole "humans make crap up sometimes because they're scared" thing he'd been spewing every other page, but I guess he just forgot that he needed to finish the book.
If all that wasn't bad enough, Aaron Mahnke seems to be scared the readers will think he *gasp!* believes in this superstitious nonsense! *faints* He can't go one story without inserting somewhere that he thinks the people involved were either delusional or simply lacking in modern knowledge. He also seems to think that everyone going into a book literally about folklore and cryptids, ghosts, and other paranormal creatures won't know that they are, in fact, folklore. It was also obvious which creatures he thought were interesting, because he seemed to give them a modicum of respect. Otherwise, he spoke about them and to his audience the same way Percy Jackson speaks about the Greek Gods. Only Percy Jackson is 12 and in a middle grade fiction novel, and Aaron Mahnke wrote a nonfiction analysis of folklore, presumably for adults.
There were a few instances where I didn't want to slap Aaron Mahnke in the face for disrespecting my favorite topics and for treating people who have different beliefs than him as idiots. But they were few and far between. At the end of things, I'm disappointed, underwhelmed, and angry. But I bet he would just say I'm actually just mad about the unknown or how deep the sea is or something, and my fear translates into the shape of his face.
August 14, 2019
"No fim, talvez sejamos todos realmente monstros, não?"
This was an interesting book that explores different mythologies and scary tales that fills our imagination. This edition is beautiful and full of illustrations, and it was my mindless read - I often read a couple of chapters about a creature when I wasn't in the mood to read anything else or needed a break.
February 24, 2022
Aaron zabiera nas w podróż niezwykłą, ukazującą kulisy powstania najbardziej znanych potworów, jakie znany dziś. Robi to jednak w sposób niezwykły, bo przytacza fakty, których nie znaliśmy, ukazuje znane już historie w totalnie nowym świetle. Robi to w języku prostym i przystępnym, jednocześnie podsycając nasza ciekawość. Ja sama co chwilę chciałam się podzielić z kimś jakaś historia i pytałam czy zna to i to, a czy wiedział, jak było naprawdę i chyba nawet poleciłaś ta książkę paru osobom. Do tego ma przecudowną okładkę, prostą ale totalnie adekwatną do tematyki.
Co mi zatem nie pasuje? Przede wszystkim zabrakło mi w tej książce obrazków. No zabijcie mnie, ale spodziewałam się, że tak cudownie wydana książka będzie także bogato ilustrowana i skoro dostaję inną stronę znanych potworów to może i poznam jakiś nowy wizerunek? No niestety w tej materii srogo się zawiodłam.
Po drugie ilość historii. A raczej ilość bohaterów, a jest ich niewiele plus do tego nie wszystkie mnie zainteresowały. W pewnym momencie, chyba przy gulach totalnie zgubiłam zainteresowanie i trzymałam kciuki, aby ta cześć jak najszybciej minęła. Stwory, które nigdy mnie nie interesowały owszem się tu pojawiły i niestety nawet Aaron nie zmienił mojego zdanka na ich temat, przez co wynudziłam się momentami srogo. Ale to akurat wina mojej niechęci, nie autora.
No i trzecia rzecz, która zakuła mnie w oczy już po skończeniu książki to fakt, iż jest ona transkrypcją podcastu o tym samym tytule. Podcast ten jest dostępny chociaż na Spotify (sprawdzałam!), więc znając angielski w stopniu komunikatywnym spokojnie zaznajomimy się z podcastem dostępnym za darmo i wydawanie pieniędzy na książce wydaje się tu trochę bez sensowne. W moim przypadku zadziałał fakt, ze dorwałam ja na Legimi, a moje dwa podejścia do podcastów póki co zakończyły się źle i chyba nie jestem stworzona do takiej formy przekazu.
Jednak miko to będę bronić tej książki, bo jest świetna i te niedoskonałości to tylko koje czepialstwo. Czyta się ja dobrze, a historie są ciekawe, choć same szczegóły zbyt długo w głowie mi nie zostały. To jest jedna z tych książek, które wyjmujesz przy każdej okazji o swoje ulubione fragmenty pokazujesz znajomym :). Drugą cześć na pewno przeczytam!
Co mi zatem nie pasuje? Przede wszystkim zabrakło mi w tej książce obrazków. No zabijcie mnie, ale spodziewałam się, że tak cudownie wydana książka będzie także bogato ilustrowana i skoro dostaję inną stronę znanych potworów to może i poznam jakiś nowy wizerunek? No niestety w tej materii srogo się zawiodłam.
Po drugie ilość historii. A raczej ilość bohaterów, a jest ich niewiele plus do tego nie wszystkie mnie zainteresowały. W pewnym momencie, chyba przy gulach totalnie zgubiłam zainteresowanie i trzymałam kciuki, aby ta cześć jak najszybciej minęła. Stwory, które nigdy mnie nie interesowały owszem się tu pojawiły i niestety nawet Aaron nie zmienił mojego zdanka na ich temat, przez co wynudziłam się momentami srogo. Ale to akurat wina mojej niechęci, nie autora.
No i trzecia rzecz, która zakuła mnie w oczy już po skończeniu książki to fakt, iż jest ona transkrypcją podcastu o tym samym tytule. Podcast ten jest dostępny chociaż na Spotify (sprawdzałam!), więc znając angielski w stopniu komunikatywnym spokojnie zaznajomimy się z podcastem dostępnym za darmo i wydawanie pieniędzy na książce wydaje się tu trochę bez sensowne. W moim przypadku zadziałał fakt, ze dorwałam ja na Legimi, a moje dwa podejścia do podcastów póki co zakończyły się źle i chyba nie jestem stworzona do takiej formy przekazu.
Jednak miko to będę bronić tej książki, bo jest świetna i te niedoskonałości to tylko koje czepialstwo. Czyta się ja dobrze, a historie są ciekawe, choć same szczegóły zbyt długo w głowie mi nie zostały. To jest jedna z tych książek, które wyjmujesz przy każdej okazji o swoje ulubione fragmenty pokazujesz znajomym :). Drugą cześć na pewno przeczytam!
July 9, 2018
"life is one long journey down a road, and we walk until it’s over. Some think they see light at the end of it all, while others hope for darkness. And that’s where the mystery of it all comes in. No one knows what’s on the other side; we just know that the proverbial walk ends at some point.”
This was a wonderful but dense book about creatures (especially for being so short!) Some of the stories were about the possible origins of some of our greatest horror stories like Dracula. Others were accounts of things seen in the night (like the white thing with the big head?) or possible origins of urban legends. All in all the stories were fascinating and frightening. I'd heard some of the podcasts so it was great to actually get to read the stories I'd already heard - I definitely think I got more out of them by reading than by listening - but that's not to say the podcast isn't great - It IS great! I just think I tend to absorb more when I read it.
I liked that the stories were broken into sections and each section tended to tell the story of a certain type of creature or event. I loved the drawings and added creativity of each section and the visuals in-between.
Whether you've already heard all the podcasts or never even heard of them, I'd recommend both the Podcast AND the book. There's only a little overlap and the add visuals in the book really add to the experience of the Podcast.
This was a wonderful but dense book about creatures (especially for being so short!) Some of the stories were about the possible origins of some of our greatest horror stories like Dracula. Others were accounts of things seen in the night (like the white thing with the big head?) or possible origins of urban legends. All in all the stories were fascinating and frightening. I'd heard some of the podcasts so it was great to actually get to read the stories I'd already heard - I definitely think I got more out of them by reading than by listening - but that's not to say the podcast isn't great - It IS great! I just think I tend to absorb more when I read it.
I liked that the stories were broken into sections and each section tended to tell the story of a certain type of creature or event. I loved the drawings and added creativity of each section and the visuals in-between.
Whether you've already heard all the podcasts or never even heard of them, I'd recommend both the Podcast AND the book. There's only a little overlap and the add visuals in the book really add to the experience of the Podcast.
October 27, 2020
This is my first acquaintance with 'The World of Lore' series and I'm hooked! I was listening to the audiobook while working, but also bought the physical book - to look at the pictures, mostly :) It's wonderful! First of all, a lot of boring mechanical work has been done painlessly owing to Aaron Mahnke. Second of all, the stories themselves and his manner of reading them do give one the creeps! Perfect Halloween/Samhain reading/listening.
November 5, 2017
As previously stated, these are transcripts of selected episodes from the podcast with added art. The first episode (also the first chapter of the book) states there are transcripts available on its website. I haven't looked into it as I was listening to said episode while skimming through the book. The only benefit I can see of owning this book is if you wanted to get it autographed or are Deaf/HoH and prefer reading it via physical copy.
nieprzeczytane
October 9, 20222022.10.09
Kończę na 30 stronie.
Książka siedziała u mnie na półce 3 lata i jakoś nigdy nie zagłębiłam się o czym ona jest. Dopiero wczoraj, siadając do lektury, zorientowałam się, że to "spisany" podcast (jak mniemam). No dobra, nic w tym złego, ale pierwsza część dotyczy wampirów i tego skąd się wzięły. Autor pisze jak do dziecka zaczynając od starożytności... Żyję już trochę na tym świecie i jak ktoś poświęca kilkadziesiąt stron na oczywistości, które wie każdy przeciętny człowiek i do tego nie ma do tego drygu (wymuszone, dziecinne poczucie humoru - autor w ogóle nie jest zabawny) to jest kaplica. Może wybór innej tematyki na początek byłby lepszym pomysłem.
Książka jest jakby zbiorem różnych krótkich historyjek i ciekawostek na dany temat i czyta się ją trochę jak artykuły w internecie. Taka forma to kompletnie nie moja bajka.
Ta pozycja od razu skojarzyła mi się z "Niewyjaśnione" R. Maclean Smith'a. Tyle, że ta jest bardziej hmmm.... urocza?
Kończę na 30 stronie.
Książka siedziała u mnie na półce 3 lata i jakoś nigdy nie zagłębiłam się o czym ona jest. Dopiero wczoraj, siadając do lektury, zorientowałam się, że to "spisany" podcast (jak mniemam). No dobra, nic w tym złego, ale pierwsza część dotyczy wampirów i tego skąd się wzięły. Autor pisze jak do dziecka zaczynając od starożytności... Żyję już trochę na tym świecie i jak ktoś poświęca kilkadziesiąt stron na oczywistości, które wie każdy przeciętny człowiek i do tego nie ma do tego drygu (wymuszone, dziecinne poczucie humoru - autor w ogóle nie jest zabawny) to jest kaplica. Może wybór innej tematyki na początek byłby lepszym pomysłem.
Książka jest jakby zbiorem różnych krótkich historyjek i ciekawostek na dany temat i czyta się ją trochę jak artykuły w internecie. Taka forma to kompletnie nie moja bajka.
Ta pozycja od razu skojarzyła mi się z "Niewyjaśnione" R. Maclean Smith'a. Tyle, że ta jest bardziej hmmm.... urocza?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 919 reviews