The Monster Hunter's Handbook: The Ultimate Guide to Saving Mankind from Vampires, Zombies, Hellhounds, and Other Mythical Beasts [Hardcover]

Ibrahim Amin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 21, 2007

A fascinating, eye-popping, and one-of-a-kind handbook of the monsters that have beset mankind for millennia, and the fabulous weapons with which to battle them.
 
In this incomparable and fully illustrated compendium, classicist Ibrahim Amin reintroduces the ancient art of monster hunting to a whole new generation of intrepid warriors. From a hellhound's three-headed assault to a brain-eating zombie attack, The Monster Hunter's Handbook instructs readers in the background of each creature and the dangers each present. It also includes an impressive catalog of the premodern world's most powerful armament. Illustrated by Richard Horne, the creator of the wildly successful 101 Things to Do Before You Die, this trusty book details everything a new generation of valiant monster hunters needs to know to vanquish antiquity's biggest--and baddest--beasts.   

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Ibrahim S. Amin graduated from the University of Newcastle and is a Ph.D. candidate in Classics and Ancient History at the University of Manchester. He is an expert classicist and is well versed in monsters. He currently lives in Manchester. This is his first book.
 
Richard Horne is a designer of books, album covers, magazines, and greeting cards, and the author of the bestselling 101 Things to Do Before You Die. He lives in London. 

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Bloomsbury USA; First Edition edition (August 21, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1596912383
• ISBN-13: 978-1596912380
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #168,022 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Plain, August 27, 2007

By 

R. Howell "boriskhan" (Medford, OR) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Monster Hunter's Handbook: The Ultimate Guide to Saving Mankind from Vampires, Zombies, Hellhounds, and Other Mythical Beasts (Hardcover)

In the way of (humorous) survivalist handbooks, this one falls pretty flat. This hardbound gothic looking book presents a variety of monsters for which you could... well... umm.. hunt. The book is broken into two sections, Cryptozoology (legendary creatures) and Cryptohoplology (legendary weapons & armor). The author presents a listing of monsters with a description, killing method, weaknesses, strengths, possible souvenirs, and minor literary references. Unfortunately, there's a lot of repetitiveness between the description and killing method for each entry. There seems to be pretty much three 'killing methods': melee combat, ranged combat, and imolation through fire. It's pretty much the same in every listing. The weapons section is a little better and the author is well researched enough in mythologies.

Listing of included creatures:

Basilisk Centaur Chimera Cyclops Djinn

Dragon Fairy Ghoul Golem Gorgon

Griffin Harpy Hellhound Hydra Kraken

Manticore Merman Minotaur Mummy Pegasus

Roc Sasquatch Scorpionman Siren Sphinx

Troll Vampire Wendigo Werewolf Zombie

Amongst the weaponry & armor are Excalibur, Mjolnir, Achilles' Armor, Kusanagi, Blue Blade, and others.

The book had potential, maybe some humor would have helped but ,for me, it fell flat. The cover looks great, it's very quick reading, and from the mythology side it is interesting if brief.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Wish I hadn't wasted my money, August 8, 2009

By 

beyondthegate (Washington, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Monster Hunter's Handbook (Paperback)

I was sorely disappointed by this book. I was hoping for this book to be more encyclopedic, in other-words, closer to a bestiary, but what I got was something I could have thrown together in grade school. The illustrations look like something out of a childrens book, and writing is boring and almost could be described as 'no duh information' (a phrase coined by a high school friend). As for the book's humor...there isn't any. It's plainly written and reminds me of my own writing and trust me that is not a good thing. If it wasn't for the cover looking good on my shelf this book wouldn't be worth its single star.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Cute Book, December 12, 2007

By 

Karina Garcia "Horror_Girl915" (miami, FL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Monster Hunter's Handbook: The Ultimate Guide to Saving Mankind from Vampires, Zombies, Hellhounds, and Other Mythical Beasts (Hardcover)

I am a HUGE Horror fan, so when I stumbled upon this book, I was intrigued. Well I can now say it is a very fun read, and I read the whole book in one sitting. The book thoroughly goes every possible monster from every possible, showing tactics to overthrow and conquer the beasts and rewards that one may reap from it. All in All a fun read.