From Flying Toads to Snakes with Wings: From the Pages of Fate Magazine

by Karl Shuker

The world's most elusive and mystifying creatures whose very existence is unrecognized by science, could be dramatic zoological discoveries of the future. The horrific blood-sucking "death bird" of Ethiopia, the winged feathered serpents from Wales, a three-headed river monster from South America, and more.

Genres: Cryptozoology, Nonfiction, Animals, Reference

222 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1997

About the author

Dr. Karl P.N. Shuker BSc PhD FRES FZS is a zoologist who is internationally recognised as a world expert in cryptozoology (the scientific investigation of mystery animals whose existence or identity has yet to be formally ascertained), as well as in animal mythology and allied subjects relating to wildlife anomalies and inexplicabilia. He obtained a BSc (Honours) degree in pure zoology at the University of Leeds (U.K.), and a PhD in zoology and comparative physiology at the University of Birmingham (U.K.). He is now a freelance zoological consultant and writer, living in the West Midlands, England.

Reviews

[Sharon Barrow Wilfong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shuker has written a number of books delving into the mysteries of our world.

He goes back and forth through time pondering whether some creatures ever existed or some creatures believed extinct might still be around.

I found his book a combination of Cryptozoology and collection of myth, folklore and legend of beasts, monsters and other creatures of varying danger.

Anyone interested in either subject will enjoy this book.

[Batsap · Rating 4 out of 5]

Behind the somewhat childish cover of this book lies a serious and interesting collection of essays on lesser known animals of cyptozoological interest. Far from being a sensationalist study of reported sightings from around the world, Dr. Shuker examines such reports with clarity and intelligence. Often he offers alternative explanations for the monsters that are sighted - a few mysteries are even solved by him in the pages of this book. This would definitely be a good book for convincing skeptics of the validity of cryptozoology. It also conveys an important message - we should start taking cryptozoological claims more seriously or risk missing out on major scientific discoveries.

My only complaint about the book would be the accompanying illustrations and photographs. Often the illustrations would be redundant (such as a phtograph of a sea monster ornament), where in other places where photographs of strange animals are specifically mentioned as having been taken, they do not appear in the book.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cryptozoology is interesting. This was a fun book about possible animals

[Mord McGhee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very solid and well-researched.

[Dark-Draco · Rating 5 out of 5]

One for all the Cryptozoologists out there - this is a guide to some of the mysterious animals and creatures that people have believed in for centeries. But not your run-of-the-mill mythological creatures, this is about more specific animals alledgedly seen around the world. From the Ethiopian Death Bird to the hairless blue horse seen in South Africa. Each one is discussed impartially and a few opinions are given as to what other, well known animals it could have been that the witnesses saw, but in the main, the author very much leaves it up to you to decide on the validity of each account. I found this really interesting in a weird kind of way, like reading Fortean Times in book format. Many of the creatures I haven't heard off and some were just so out of this world that it makes you wonder how they can be believed in, but as a firm believer in unicorns, dragons and fairies at the bottom of the garden, this book only makes me want to pack a bag and go searching in some lost corner of the world for the Rainbow Sea Elephant or The Beast of Bodalog.

[Abraham Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/11478009

[Paul Vernon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A chapter on mystery whales... need I say more!!