Vampires, Werewolves, Zombies: Compendium Monstrum [Hardcover]

Peter Pauper Press (Author, Editor), Bruce Waldman (Illustrator), David Lindroth (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2010

The situation is grave. Vampires are vamping. Werewolves are shape shifting. And zombies are lurching into the garden. Is this modern-day ferment of paranormal activity, ah, normal? Learn all about it in this nifty new pocket guide to man's best fiends: VAMPIRES, WEREWOLVES, ZOMBIES: Compendium Monstrum.

Collected from the papers of 19th-century monstrologists, this intriguing book includes:

• ''Notes and sketches,'' arranged with some updating
• Transylvania travel section
• Fold-out maps
• ''Tracking the Beasties'' visual aid
• ''For Further Investigation'' resource list
• Index
• ''Sightings Record Pages,'' in which readers can record their own encounters, location, moon phase, weapons, etc.
• Red ribbon marker
• Covers feature foil-enhanced accents
• Gothic/Victorian-style endpapers

Fascinating facts revealed in the book include documented ''sparkling vampires'' in 19th-century folklore (page 26), why wolfsbane is sometimes known as ''Dumbledore's Delight'' (page 92), and much more.

Illustrated by Bruce Waldman, cartography by David Lindroth, additional historical images throughout.

Four sections:

• Vampires: There Will Be Blood
• A Vampire Hunter's Guide to Transylvania: The Land Beyond the Forest
• Werewolves: What Big Teeth You Have!
• Zombies: They. Are. Coming.

Maps:

• Vampires Around the World
• Transylvania
• Were-creatures of the World
• Zombies Around the World
• Additional in-text maps

Handsome, pocket-sized volume is perfect for gift-giving! 4-1/4 inches x 5-3/4 inches.

''It's delightful!'' --Dr. Elizabeth Miller, renowned Dracula scholar

''Adorable.'' --Ellen Datlow

''Exquisite look and feel.'' --Romania (Transylvania) Tourist Board

''Who can keep track of whether or not vampires burn or sparkle in the sun and how many zombies there has to be before you've officially got a horde on your hands? VAMPIRES, WEREWOLVES, ZOMBIES: Compendium Monstrum is a collection of 19th century papers by monstrologists with notes and sketches, fold-out maps, and a Transylvania travel guide. Get lost in the mythology with old world styled maps, hand-written notes, Gothic/Victorian style endpapers and one of those old school red ribbon bookmarks.'' --Cool Material

''There are a lot of recent book releases that take a humorous angle with horror...This one may be one of the cheekiest and the most entertaining...What is the COMPENDIUM MONSTRUM?...It's like a supernatural travel guide. The inside appearance...gives it the aged look of a vintage book...This just adds to the fun factor...Definitely the sort of thing you'd give as a gift to someone. What, you want to give someone a dictionary or encyclopedia? Yeah, but do they have a 'Vampire Hunter's Guide to Transylvania?' I think not!...Go buy it, you know you want to.'' --Book Legion

Editorial Reviews

Review

''It's delightful!'' --Dr. Elizabeth Miller, renowned Dracula scholar

''Exquisite look and feel.'' --Romania (Transylvania) Tourist Board

''Who can keep track of whether or not vampires burn or sparkle in the sun and how many zombies there has to be before you've officially got a horde on your hands? VAMPIRES, WEREWOLVES, ZOMBIES: Compendium Monstrum is a collection of 19th century papers by monstrologists with notes and sketches, fold-out maps, and a Transylvania travel guide. Get lost in the mythology with old world styled maps, hand-written notes, Gothic/Victorian style endpapers and one of those old school red ribbon bookmarks.'' --Cool Material

''Exquisite look and feel.'' --Romania Tourist Board

''Who can keep track of whether or not vampires burn or sparkle in the sun and how many zombies there has to be before you've officially got a horde on your hands? VAMPIRES, WEREWOLVES, ZOMBIES: Compendium Monstrum is a collection of 19th century papers by monstrologists with notes and sketches, fold-out maps, and a Transylvania travel guide. Get lost in the mythology with old world styled maps, hand-written notes, Gothic/Victorian style endpapers and one of those old school red ribbon bookmarks.'' --Cool Material

About the Author

Herr Doktor Max Sturm, Ph.D., B.A.T., has held the title of Professor Emeritus, Unterwelt University, for five hundred years. An esteemed monstrologist and contributing editor of The Journal of Comparative Creature Studies, Dr. Sturm lives in a coffin beneath a schloss outside Hotzenplotz.

Artist and adventurer Baron Ludwig Von Drang had a creature change in his childhood that led to an ongoing preoccupation with the supernatural. ''Mad'' Ludwig lives in a wood near a castle in Bavaria.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 168 pages
• Publisher: Peter Pauper Press (February 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1593596472
• ISBN-13: 978-1593596477
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 3.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #337,256 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #90 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Horror > Vampires
  • #99 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Literature & Fiction > World Literature > Mythology > General

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Another Entry to the Vast Collection of Survival Manuals, June 24, 2010

By 

Jacob Kirby - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Vampires, Werewolves, Zombies: Compendium Monstrum (Hardcover)

This takes a jab at being the supernatural version of the Wost Case Scenario book series. It is a small pocket sized primer for those who aspire to be monster hunter or those who wish not to be hunted by monsters. Unfortunately this is what takes a lot away from the book. The main reading of the book only takes up about 145 pages, so you could read it within a day. But within in those pages they manage to expound on three supernatural beings. Vampires, Werewolves, and Zombies. Vampire take up the majority of the book since there is a lot of legend behind them. There is a lot of lore in this book, but there is a lot of lore made up for the sake of humor. I personally didn't find the made up stuff all that funny, I guess it was the lens I was reading it with. I also think that they wanted to make a book not unlike Max Brooks' Zombie Survival Guide. But Brooks completely sold himself to the joke and took it very seriously, that is what made it awesome and funny at the same time. This book felt like it was taking itself seriously, but then just threw random tid-bits of humor in and it just feels awkward in the text. I don't know maybe it was just me. The rest of this book however, is quite good. I love the illustrations. There is also a hell of a lot of information being thrown at you, so it almost begs you to go read the lore online or get more books on supernatural beings. It's a good book and a nice addition to a collection of survival manuals if you have one.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A thoroughly 'user friendly' and highly recommended guidebook for dedicated students of these creatures of the night!, April 9, 2010

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Vampires, Werewolves, Zombies: Compendium Monstrum (Hardcover)

An elegant 'slip into your shirt pocket' sized compendium of lore and legends, "Vampires, Werewolves, Zombies: Compendium Monstrum" is an impressively informed and informative accumulation of facts and basic data focused on three of the most popular of mythological creature. From clinical lycanthropy, to the dietary habits of the undead, to the descriptive phenomena of these creatures around the world, "Vampires, Werewolves, Zombies" is a fascinating and superbly illustrated browse. Of special note is the 'Tracking the Beasties' visual aid and the 'Further Investigation' resource list. Enhanced with extensive notes, deftly drawn sketches, fold-out maps, a red-ribbon marker, a comprehensive index, and more, "Vampires, Werewolves, Zombies" is a thoroughly 'user friendly' and highly recommended guidebook for dedicated students of these creatures of the night!

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful artwork, February 2, 2010

By 

zen (SFO) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Vampires, Werewolves, Zombies: Compendium Monstrum (Hardcover)

This small book is a gem
Many of the illustrations are etchings by the great Bruce Waldman.
He used intaglio, soft ground and other techniques.
It is gratifying to find such a unique book at a bargain price.