In the wake of the sea-serpents; [Hardcover]

Bernard Heuvelmans (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English, French (translation)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 645 pages
• Publisher: Hart-Davis (1968)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0246643129
• ISBN-13: 978-0246643124
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,079,990 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Extremely comprehensive discussion of "sea serpents", November 12, 1997

By 

[e-mail] (Oakland, California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: In the wake of the sea-serpents; (Hardcover)

Very detailed, fascinating review through about 1965 of "sea serpent" sightings. Heuvelmans finally did computer analysis of the sightings and arrived at seven different types, all unrecognized by science, including three archaeocetaceans, two pinnipeds, a giant eel and a large crocodile-like reptile. This book is strictly about marine animals and doesn't include fresh water animals like the Loch Ness monster. The english version is a combined translation of two books in French, one about the giant squid and the other about sea serpents. I have been hoping that Heuvelmans will update this book but so far he hasn't.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The book on sea monsters., April 5, 2002

By 

Sea Monster "Carboniferous" (St. Andrews, Fife United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

This review is from: In the wake of the sea-serpents; (Hardcover)

Heuvelmans book has been heavily used and abused since it first came out in English condensation in 1968. It remains the comprehensive historical treatment of two sea monster phenomena: giant squids and sea serpents.

This book is well worth 5 stars but it has its limitations. This is not a negative criticism merely a statement of fact. It doesn't cover all types of reported sea monster (there are many) and naturally it stops in 1968. Some of Heuvelmans interpretations and conclusions should be open for debate (notably his historical framework for the origin of the Kraken and sea serpent and his classifying of sea serpent types).

Unfortunately many books (but not all) published on this topic since then have been abstracts of this work offering little more by way of material, methods or conclusions. Time to move on, marine cryptozoologists...

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bernard Heuvelmans: Founder of cryptozoology., July 2, 2008

By 

Michael J. Shields (Long Beach, California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This, and its companion volume, "On the Track of Unknown Animals" are the foundation works of cryptozoology, and even today perhaps the best "reads" in the whole field. Very few have prepared so long or so carefully in writing on this subject. The book is richly illustrated with many black and white photos as well as reproductions of dozens of original witness sketches.