The World of Lore

This was a fun read with lots of stories I've heard before, but a few things I hadn't. I used to listen to the Lore podcast so this was right up my alley. Thought about starting up the podcast again!

I've been a fan of Aaron Mahnke since Lore first came out. I've loved each of his podcasts and the TV show. Now I can say that I love the Lore books, as well.

Mahnke does a great job of telling folklore in ways that are interesting yet casual. He keeps the stories simple while still illustrating the crazy stories that are part of our world. And with Monstrous Creatures, he excels at giving you the history behind many of the monsters we're familiar with, including vampires, werewolves, and even the Mothman.

If you're a big fan of folklore or just want to learn more about the crazy tales that have happened throughout history, then this is a great place to start.

Interesting enough to want to complete the series.

This is, definitely, one of the best book I read in 2018. The way it's written (and how these spooky and eerie stories are told) is amazing. You feel compelled to read everything and take notes. It's also a successful podcast and an awesome TV show by Amazon Prime, so, it's a great way to learn new things, especially those related to the supernatural. I'm looking forward to read the new upcoming Lore books by Aaron Mahnke.

If you like the podcast, then you will like the book. Owning the book is probably better because you can read the stories at your leisure and enjoy them slowly. This is the kind of book you can read a few minutes at night time and relax. There were chapters that got a little long, so I would have liked to have read it slower. The library wanted it back though.

LOVE ITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT.

‘'The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown.'' H.P. Lovecraft

Starting this book, I had the belief that nothing new was in store for me. That it would possibly prove to be a satisfying read on the Paranormal field but with little new to offer. Well, I was wrong. It was very well-written with some exciting changes from the norms that made it all the more interesting.

The title ‘'Monstrous Creatures'' is a bit misleading. I suppose the word ‘'monstrous'' is loosely used to signify something unnatural, threatening and evil. Something that we cannot understand, something that repels us. In this volume, we find a well-balanced array of traditions from all over the world, folklore from the five continents, although the emphasis is on the Anglo-Saxon world since the written testimonies are heavily broader and properly documented. Vampires, werewolves, the living dead, mysterious creatures of the sea, anthropomorphic being lurking in dark woods, dark entities responsible for dark deeds. There are spirits, superstitions and beliefs that go back ages and ages ago and yet, they are very much alive in our time.

There are two things that I found refreshing and worthy of praise, in my opinion. For starters, the narration is very vivid, very interesting, thoughtful and sincere. The writer comes across as a level-headed person, witty and respectful of the subject. He doesn't downgrade it, he doesn't turn it into a smartarse satire. He walks the thin line between the believer and the sceptic comfortably and I found myself in absolute agreement with his views. What makes this book special, in my opinion, is the fact that it links beliefs and traditions of the past with extremely recent unexplained occurrences. We're talking about phenomena that were reported in the 60s, the 70s, all the way to our decade. The fact that stories whose roots can be found in the past still seem to concern us certainly gives food for thought. I admit that many of the stories- and quite a few were unknown to me- were eerie and chilling. The experience was enhanced by the simple yet effective black-and-white illustrations and I cannot help but give extra points to Aaron Mahnke for the Hannibal (TV series) reference. Nothing beats Mads and his culinary skills. Or any other of his skills and yes, this was totally inappropriate...

So, it takes a lot to impress a reader who has read extensively on the Paranormal subject, but this book managed to do it. I consider myself leaning more towards the believer's side with a significant dose of doubt (because who knows for sure, right....?) and many of the questions Mahnke poses had me thinking. This is a book that sceptics and believers will enjoy since the writer doesn't provide answers. He simply states the facts. Speaking for myself, I was a bit influenced and each night I read it (because I obviously such things in the late hours...), I double-checked to make sure the cross I keep on my bedside table was there. It doesn't hurt to be cautious....

My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com

NOTE: This book is created from the podcast Lore narrated by Aaron Mahnke. The chapters in this book corresponds to episodes in the podcast and the wording is almost identical. The major difference is that these chapters are organized by topic. There are a few illustrations, but no more than 8.

With that out of the way, let's dive into the book.

There's a reason the podcast has been such a success. It's well written, well performed and has an interesting subject matter. It covers everything from vampires, to ghosts, to possessed dolls (I'm referring to you Robert!). Even without Mahnke's narration, the book is enjoyable. How could it not be? The wording is the same as the podcast. The biggest difference is that the book reorganizes the episodes and streamlines them by topic. Some stories are hard to swallow (yes, referring to the vampires and consumption chapter), but they're still interesting.

The way I see it, you have 2 options. Listen to the podcast or read this book. In my opinion, there's no real reason to do either. They're the same. Personally, I enjoy the music and Aaron's narration for the podcast. But with a book, you can read it much faster and everything is presented in a more streamlined order. It's really a matter of which you prefer: book or podcast.

Now what about the TV show? I'd recommend watching it in addition to either the book or the podcast. Even though the stories are covered in the book/podcast seeing it portrayed by actors makes them even more gruesome. But heads up, the first two episodes (vampires and the brain surgeon) are visually hard to watch.