Mythology
The Mythical Creatures Book: Dragons, Vampires, Werewolves, and the Monsters of World Folklore
Dragons, Vampires, Werewolves, and Krakens
A field guide to the monsters of the human imagination: the dragons of East and West, the vampire and the werewolf, the kraken and the sea serpent, the phoenix, the griffin, and the beasts that nearly every culture, somehow, dreamed up on its own.
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Inside this book
What you will read
- 11 chapters, primary sources
- Instant PDF download
- Original ink illustrations
- Inline citations to bestiaries and folklore
- Designed for print quality
See all chapters +
- 01Why Every Culture Builds Monsters
- 02Dragons of the West: Hoard, Fire, and the Wyrm
- 03Dragons of the East: Rain, Rivers, and Luck
- 04The Vampire: From the Slavic Revenant to Dracula
- 05The Werewolf and the Shapeshifters
- 06The Kraken and the Monsters of the Deep
- 07The Phoenix, the Firebird, and the Reborn
- 08The Griffin, the Sphinx, and the Hybrids
- 09The Giants, Trolls, and Ogres
- 10The Unicorn, the Basilisk, and the Bestiary
- 11Cryptids: The Monsters We Still Look For
About this book
About this Mythology mythology guide
A field guide to the monsters of the human imagination: dragons, vampires, werewolves, krakens, and the beasts every culture somehow dreamed up on its own.
Every culture builds monsters. A serpent that hoards gold and breathes fire. A dead thing that climbs out of the grave to drink the living. A man who becomes a wolf when the moon is full. A creature so large that sailors mistake it for an island until it drags them under. The shapes repeat across the whole world, which is one of the most interesting facts about the human mind.
This book is a guided tour of the great bestiary. Eleven chapters cover the dragons of the West and the very different dragons of the East, the vampire from the Slavic revenant to Dracula, the werewolf and the shapeshifters, the monsters of the deep, the phoenix and the firebirds, the griffin and the sphinx and the hybrids, the giants and trolls, the beasts of the medieval bestiary, and the cryptids people still hunt today. Every chapter cites its sources.
Delivered as a print-quality PDF within 24 hours of purchase.
What you will discover inside
- Why dragons guard hoards in the West but bring rain in the East
- The vampire's real roots: the Slavic revenant long before Dracula
- The werewolf, the berserker, and the long human fear of the shapeshifter
- The kraken, the Leviathan, and the monsters sailors swore were real
- The phoenix, the griffin, the unicorn, and the beasts of the bestiary
- The cryptids we still hunt: from the sea serpent to the thing in the woods
Mythology mythology book at a glance
| Tradition | Mythology mythology |
|---|---|
| Chapters | 11 chapters |
| Length | 170 pages |
| Sources | Drawn from the primary sources, cited inline |
| Reading level | Beginner-friendly. Every name and place is explained from scratch |
| Format | Print-quality PDF |
| Delivery | PDF within 24 hours |
Formats and editions
| Edition | What you get | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Instant PDF | Print-quality download, readable on any device. PDF within 24 hours. | $7.99 |
| Paperback | A paperback edition is on the way. Sign up on this page to hear when it lands on Amazon. | Coming soon |
About the author
Guillaume Henry
Founder & Editor-in-Chief, Mythologis
Guillaume Henry founded Mythologis to make the world's mythologies readable without losing what makes them strange. Every Mythologis book draws on the primary sources first, cross-references multiple translations, and avoids inventing details that aren't in the originals.
More about the authorKeep exploring Mythology mythology
Prefer to read before you buy? These free, fully sourced guides cover the same gods, myths and sources you will meet in the book.
Questions about the Mythology mythology book
When will I receive my PDF?
Within 24 hours of purchase. Your download link arrives in your inbox automatically.
Is this book based on primary sources?
Yes. It draws on the medieval bestiaries (the Aberdeen Bestiary) and Pliny's Natural History, the Norse and Greek sources, the folklore behind Bram Stoker's Dracula, and the comparative folklore record (Stith Thompson), with references to the standard editions.
Does the book cover creatures from many cultures or just Europe?
Many cultures. While dragons, vampires, and werewolves loom large in the European imagination, the book deliberately sets them beside the dragons of China, the sea-monsters of Polynesia and Scandinavia, and creatures from around the world, because the cross-cultural echoes are the most interesting part.
How long is the book?
Eleven chapters, around 170 pages depending on the final layout. Designed to be read in evenings or in one long sitting.
Is this book for beginners or specialists?
Beginners welcome. The book explains every name and creature from scratch. Specialists will find the source citations useful for further reading.
Will there be a paperback on Amazon?
The PDF is available immediately. A KDP paperback edition follows once the book has been validated by readers.
What formats is this book available in?
Every title is available as an instant PDF, downloaded the moment you buy it: the link appears on the confirmation page and lands in your inbox. Selected titles also have a paperback edition on Amazon. Where the paperback is not out yet, you can sign up to be notified the day it does.
What is the return policy?
The PDF is delivered instantly by Mythologis. If a download ever fails or a file looks wrong, get in touch and we will make it right. Paperbacks bought on Amazon are handled under Amazon's own returns and refund policy.
Can I order from outside the United States?
Yes. The PDF is a digital download, so it works instantly anywhere in the world, with nothing to ship. Where a paperback edition exists, it is sold across Amazon's international marketplaces, with shipping rates and delivery times depending on your country.
