A Wizard's Bestiary: A Menagerie of Myth, Magic, and Mystery (Paperback)

by Oberon Zell-Ravenheart (Author), Ash Dekirk (Author)
Key Phrases: lake monsters, winged cat, lizard men, United States, South America, North America (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Strange beasts of all kinds have crawled, run, swam, and flown through humanity's imagination and travelers' tales since the dawn of time. From Gryphons and Unicorns, to Dragons, Mermaids, and even more bizarre and fantastical animals, A Wizard's Bestiary takes you on a magical journey through the ages and around the world, to discover elusive creatures of myth and legend. Beware--here be Monsters!

The first section lists over 1,000 fantastic creatures from every land in an encyclopedic, alphabetical glossary format, from Aatxe to Zyphoeus. Each entry includes a small illustration, as well as cross-references to other related beasts.

Next, the authors present more in-depth features on some of more interesting of these legendary beasts, such as the Sea Serpent and the Man-Eating Tree of Madagascar. History, myths, and legends of each creature are presented, with particular emphasis on identifying real-life origins of mythical creatures in actual living animals, such as the link between the Kraken and the giant squid. This section is divided into these categories:

* Creepers

* Walkers

* Swimmers

* Flyers

* Demi-Humans

* Animate Plants

Expanded cryptozoological entries include the Loch Ness Monster, Bigfoot, Mokele-Mbembe, El Chupacabra, Mothman, and other mystery monsters reported by eyewitnesses but not yet confirmed by science.
They are grouped into the following categories:

* Primates and Hominids

* Bipedal Monsters

* Carnivorous Mammals

* Herbivorous Mammals

* Sea Serpents and Lake Monsters

* Birds

* Reptiles

* Amphibians

* Living Dinosaurs

* Mystery Monsters

A Wizard's Bestiary is profusely illustrated with old woodcuts, engravings, and other images from historical sources, as well as interpretations by modern artists, including the authors. No other bestiary has been so well-illustrated! Hand-drawn medieval-style maps by Oberon Zell-Ravenheart show purported locales of different beasts on all continents and seas.

From the Back Cover
"Oberon Zell! Who better to write such a book than this living legend from the magickal world. Here is the man who recreated living unicorns, who traveled to the remote South Seas in search of genuine mermaids."
--Amber K, author of True Magick

"This valuable resource shares overlooked insights and incredible clues for the casual reader or the dedicated student of cryptozoology. Highly recommended."
--Loren Coleman, coauthor of Creatures of the Outer Edge and Cryptozoology A to Z

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Product Details

• Paperback: 357 pages
• Publisher: New Page Books (December 30, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1564149560
• ISBN-13: 978-1564149565
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 6.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #270,664 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential Reading For Anyone Interested In Monsters, Mystery Beasts And The Macabre, December 30, 2007

By	Nick Redfern "Author, journalist, lecturer" (Dallas, Texas, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Earlier this year, I was asked if I would write an inside-cover blurb for a forthcoming book titled A Wizard's Bestiary by Oberon Zell-Ravenheart (with Ash DeKirk).

Well, at the time of the inquiry Oberon (a renowned wizard in his own right and the author of Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard) sent me a Word document of various sections of the book; and after reading them, I knew that this was going to be a good one, and so I quickly sent off my blurb.

And the book has just now been published. For a very reasonable price you get a 360-page title that is as magical as it is fascinating, and that is as informative as it is thought-provoking.

I don't joke or exaggerate when I say that A Wizard's Bestiary is likely to become one of the most talked about cryptozoological books of the next few years.

Not only that: Oberon's book is packed (and I do mean packed) with cool drawings, old woodcuts and ancient engravings on all things bizarre and monster-driven. Indeed, I'd say that the book averages about 5 illustrations per page. That's right: not 5 per chapter, but 5 per page.

Picking up and reading the book is very much like delving into some ancient magical tome of a type that would sit very well within the pages of a classic tale of Lovecraftian proportions.

So, with all that said, precisely what is the book about? Well, basically, it's an encyclopedic study of countless unknown beasts that range from the cryptozoological to the fantastic and the magickal.

The mainstream cryptozoologist will find much of interest here, including (A) detailed sections on such hairy man-beasts as Bigfoot, the Yeti, the Almas, and the Yowie; (B) a wealth of data (and great imagery) on sea-serpents and lake-monsters; (C) tales of mystery big-cats; (D) sightings of unidentified flying winged things of both a giant bird and pterodactyl-style; (E) reports of the devilish Black Dogs of old; and (F) encounters with still-living dinosaurs and much more.

Reports of magical entities such as Unicorns, Basilisks, Gryphons, the Phoenix, Satyrs and Centaurs are all addressed in-depth; as are the "Plantimals" - animate-plants, as the book describes them, and which yet again create wonderful Lovecraftian-style imagery in the mind's eye.

I could go on and on about this book all day long. But, suffice to say, this is definitely one of the most significant monster titles of recent years and one that, in terms of both its subject matter and its approach, is unlikely to be eclipsed.

Magical, informative, monstrous and engaging, A Wizard's Bestiary is one to read late at night, when the wind howls and the moon is full...

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THe Bestiary Tradition Continues..., February 25, 2008

By	Oracle "~Oracle~" (FL) - See all my reviews

Wizards have always observed the natural world around them; recording down for posterity the wonders and mysteries of the world so that magick would not truly disappear from the mind of humanity. Following in the traditon of our wizardly ancestors, Oberon Zell-Ravenheart, Headmaster of the Grey School of Wizardry, adds this insightful compendium of the weird and enigmatic for the new generation of magick-users today. This is a plus for any wizard's library! With awesome illustrations, pictures and chock-full of surprising information, I can think of no one better to author this. Oberon-Zell has, after all, brought to us the secrets of the Living Unicorn, swam with mermaids, explored the deep jungles of our past, and trod the Paths of the Dead. This book is sure to both entertain and inform the magickal community.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A "must-have" for paranormal and magickal bookshelves, January 6, 2008

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

A Wizard's Bestiary is an amazing, encyclopedia-style reference describing over 1,000 fantastic creatures - far beyond the traditional phoenix, pegasus, unicorn, and dragons to legends such as the Loch Ness Monster, Bigfoot, Chupacabra, and Mokele-Mbembe, to Aataxe, Zyphoeus, and just about every mythological beast in between. Black-and-white woodcuts, engravings, and other images from historical sources illustrate the accessible yet matter-of-fact text, accessible to readers of all backgrounds. A "must-have" for paranormal and magickal bookshelves, as well as anyone interested in expanding their knowledge of fabled creatures.