Monsters: An Investigator's Guide to Magical Beings

Rating:
Summary: On Things That Go Bump In The Dark
Review: This is one of the most fantastic books I've read in ages. Note that this has very little to do with cryptozoology; most of the creatures discussed are not always material.

In this surprisingly readable book, we have a discussion of various common preternatural and supernatural monsters. Not all of these would ordinarily be considered monsters (such as mermaids and angels), but are classified as such for ease of use.

Mr. Greer covers a lot of very useful ground, such as investigative techniques for the amateur monster hunter, a detailed explanation of the different levels of reality that is the most internally consistent I've ever seen, and one of the best bibliographies in print today. He freely admits that many so-called monster sightings are, in fact, possibly something much more mundane.

The meat of this, though, is the section on actual monster descriptions. Here, we learn the nature of real vampires, what Nessie *really* is, and what demons might have to do with mental illness (and no, it's not necessarily a cause-effect relationship, either...). Information is given on the history of said monsters, various sightings, and what to do if one encounters said monster...realistically, most are treated as any other rare creature (i.e. be quiet, look, take notes and pictures if you can). Finally, he also discusses vulnerabilities and has a section on quick ritual magic if one does, in fact, have to go all Buffy on that vampire.

In summation, this is one of the best New Age/magical book I've read in years. He writes very well, and very entertainingly, and keeps a very level head. If you're at all interested in supernatural creatures, this is one of the best books for you.

Rating:
Summary: On Things That Go Bump In The Dark
Review: This is one of the most fantastic books I've read in ages. Note that this has very little to do with cryptozoology; most of the creatures discussed are not always material.

In this surprisingly readable book, we have a discussion of various common preternatural and supernatural monsters. Not all of these would ordinarily be considered monsters (such as mermaids and angels), but are classified as such for ease of use.

Mr. Greer covers a lot of very useful ground, such as investigative techniques for the amateur monster hunter, a detailed explanation of the different levels of reality that is the most internally consistent I've ever seen, and one of the best bibliographies in print today. He freely admits that many so-called monster sightings are, in fact, possibly something much more mundane.

The meat of this, though, is the section on actual monster descriptions. Here, we learn the nature of real vampires, what Nessie *really* is, and what demons might have to do with mental illness (and no, it's not necessarily a cause-effect relationship, either...). Information is given on the history of said monsters, various sightings, and what to do if one encounters said monster...realistically, most are treated as any other rare creature (i.e. be quiet, look, take notes and pictures if you can). Finally, he also discusses vulnerabilities and has a section on quick ritual magic if one does, in fact, have to go all Buffy on that vampire.

In summation, this is one of the best New Age/magical book I've read in years. He writes very well, and very entertainingly, and keeps a very level head. If you're at all interested in supernatural creatures, this is one of the best books for you.