Rating: 
Summary: really good
Review: Richard Ellis has written a fantastic book! It is thorougly researched and accurate, yet does not read like a textbook. The chapters are the perfect length - long enough to cover the subject in detail, but not so long that the reader loses interest. Reading this makes you realize how little we landbound humans know about what really goes on in the depths of the sea. Can we really say conclusively that there is no such thing as a sea serpent? Ellis presents every viewpoint - could have been a whale, could have been a squid...but maybe...who knows?
Rating:
Summary: An intruiging look into the mysteries of the sea!
Review: Richard Ellis has written a fantastic book! It is thorougly researched and accurate, yet does not read like a textbook. The chapters are the perfect length - long enough to cover the subject in detail, but not so long that the reader loses interest. Reading this makes you realize how little we landbound humans know about what really goes on in the depths of the sea. Can we really say conclusively that there is no such thing as a sea serpent? Ellis presents every viewpoint - could have been a whale, could have been a squid...but maybe...who knows?
Rating: 
Summary: A thorough survey of myth and scientific evidence
Review: This excellent book covers most of the well known variations of "sea monsters" (sea serpents, giant squids, sharks, leviathan, etc.) by first summarizing the popular myths and legends about each monster.The author then adds up whatever hard scientific facts are available, which in some cases (i.e., the "leviathan" or whale) is a whole lot of material. In other cases (e.g., the giant squid), scientific evidence is harder to come by and is largely speculation. If you have even a casual interest in sea monsters, you'll find this book worthwhile reading, although you might be disappointed by the unfortunate lack of factual and scientific evidence surrounding some of the more elusive creatures (which is no fault of the author).
Rating:
Summary: A thorough survey of myth and scientific evidence
Review: This excellent book covers most of the well known variations of "sea monsters" (sea serpents, giant squids, sharks, leviathan, etc.) by first summarizing the popular myths and legends about each monster. The author then adds up whatever hard scientific facts are available, which in some cases (i.e., the "leviathan" or whale) is a whole lot of material. In other cases (e.g., the giant squid), scientific evidence is harder to come by and is largely speculation. If you have even a casual interest in sea monsters, you'll find this book worthwhile reading, although you might be disappointed by the unfortunate lack of factual and scientific evidence surrounding some of the more elusive creatures (which is no fault of the author).
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