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Weird Creatures Encyclopedia: The Ultimate A-Z
Here are the facts as we know them on everyTHING and everyBODY that mankind has encountered in fact and fiction, past and present – and in those strange dark places in between!
Grouped into themed Data Files, this book contains more weird creatures than you ever knew existed. From Centaurs and Griffins, to the Mongolian Death Worm, via Goblins, Gremlins and Ghosts, through Hobbits, Dementors, Sea Serpents and even Sunnydale's supernatural Slayer. Only the strangest, most fascinating creatures from real life monster reports. television, fantasy, cinema and science fiction rated high enough on our Weird-o-meter to be included.
This book contains everything you'll need to know during a field trip to Earth. Whether you're a visiting alien or a resident human, this is your essential survivial guide...
Don't leave home without one.
Grouped into themed Data Files, this book contains more weird creatures than you ever knew existed. From Centaurs and Griffins, to the Mongolian Death Worm, via Goblins, Gremlins and Ghosts, through Hobbits, Dementors, Sea Serpents and even Sunnydale's supernatural Slayer. Only the strangest, most fascinating creatures from real life monster reports. television, fantasy, cinema and science fiction rated high enough on our Weird-o-meter to be included.
This book contains everything you'll need to know during a field trip to Earth. Whether you're a visiting alien or a resident human, this is your essential survivial guide...
Don't leave home without one.
218 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
9 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
January 15, 2021
I came upon this particular book first when I was in high school and more than likely through a fortunate find at a garage sale. Unfortunately in the following tumultuous months of that time plus the many moves that marked the same I also lost the book again while having struggled to have re-found it. Now knowing the author is from the UK I can quite understand why this book has been quite a rarity to re-find.
What really captured me with this particular book was the format that the author provided for the book as it was made to resemble a collection of files. This may be some false memories but I feel that the original was more like a collection of physical files while the reprint is more a digital collection. This collection, though, is meant to be a guidebook to fabulous beasts as well as some man-made beings whether classical monsters or those created for television/film. Furthermore at the same time those creatures that are included from Hollywood are notably based on '90s shows thus making it a bit of a time capsule.
The book starts off with a brief introduction that preps the reader for the adventure. From there it includes nine different categories of creatures with the more fabulous and classical ones being towards the front although not all. Each creature name is provided in bold font followed by different sub-titles: Appearance, Location, Lifestyle and Advice while some others have additional ones added to help provide more information for the entrant.
The writing is simple to read and follow along with enough jokes in the advice section to help make readers see the comedy of this read although being English it is a bit on the dry sarcastic side. At the same time there are plenty of black-and-white sketch illustrations that although most aren't cartoonish are rather decent and help to contribute to the content of the book as a guide. To me the illustrations were somewhat a bit of the cream....
The tenth section is the E.A.T. test, which is suppose to show you how ready you are to go on the adventure. As a normal human you are suppose to get 45 minutes to take the test but I was done in about 13 minutes and although I did get a few wrong my score was 410 out of a max of 400.
As much as I enjoyed the book I didn't give it a higher amount of stars since the information isn't always correct. The cockatrice is regarded as the same animal as the basilisk although experts will tell you otherwise. The Jurassic Park dinos were mentioned as having their blood sucked by a fly when it was really a mosquito and a few other minor inconsistencies. To the beginning reader it won't take away from the reading but to those who like such things it will be a noticeable bungle.
Another thing and as mentioned before I may have my original reading memories messed up but I feel there was an entry missing in this one like the M.I.B and that the test results didn't read off the same as the original print. As a result I would like to find a 1999 version just to be able to see if these things were really changed or if I am definitely remembering everything wonky.
All in all, though, this should be a fun read for children and even some adults who like the content. The reading is light and fun while informative while preserving classic monsters both modern and present. But being a stepping stone book this is also one that may encourage you to go out to find your own monsters and get to know them as much as you did these ones.
What really captured me with this particular book was the format that the author provided for the book as it was made to resemble a collection of files. This may be some false memories but I feel that the original was more like a collection of physical files while the reprint is more a digital collection. This collection, though, is meant to be a guidebook to fabulous beasts as well as some man-made beings whether classical monsters or those created for television/film. Furthermore at the same time those creatures that are included from Hollywood are notably based on '90s shows thus making it a bit of a time capsule.
The book starts off with a brief introduction that preps the reader for the adventure. From there it includes nine different categories of creatures with the more fabulous and classical ones being towards the front although not all. Each creature name is provided in bold font followed by different sub-titles: Appearance, Location, Lifestyle and Advice while some others have additional ones added to help provide more information for the entrant.
The writing is simple to read and follow along with enough jokes in the advice section to help make readers see the comedy of this read although being English it is a bit on the dry sarcastic side. At the same time there are plenty of black-and-white sketch illustrations that although most aren't cartoonish are rather decent and help to contribute to the content of the book as a guide. To me the illustrations were somewhat a bit of the cream....
The tenth section is the E.A.T. test, which is suppose to show you how ready you are to go on the adventure. As a normal human you are suppose to get 45 minutes to take the test but I was done in about 13 minutes and although I did get a few wrong my score was 410 out of a max of 400.
As much as I enjoyed the book I didn't give it a higher amount of stars since the information isn't always correct. The cockatrice is regarded as the same animal as the basilisk although experts will tell you otherwise. The Jurassic Park dinos were mentioned as having their blood sucked by a fly when it was really a mosquito and a few other minor inconsistencies. To the beginning reader it won't take away from the reading but to those who like such things it will be a noticeable bungle.
Another thing and as mentioned before I may have my original reading memories messed up but I feel there was an entry missing in this one like the M.I.B and that the test results didn't read off the same as the original print. As a result I would like to find a 1999 version just to be able to see if these things were really changed or if I am definitely remembering everything wonky.
All in all, though, this should be a fun read for children and even some adults who like the content. The reading is light and fun while informative while preserving classic monsters both modern and present. But being a stepping stone book this is also one that may encourage you to go out to find your own monsters and get to know them as much as you did these ones.
December 14, 2012
Entertaining and imaginative with cute humor. Needs to have a second release with bigger budget
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews