Mythical Creatures and Magical Beasts: An Illustrated Book of Monsters from Timeless Folktales, Folklore and Mythology: Volume 1 (Legendary Lores)

Mythical Creatures and Magical Beasts: An Illustrated Book of Monsters from Timeless Folktales, Folklore and Mythology: Volume 1by Zayden StoneThis was my first time reading a book by Zayden Stone and I found this book well written and that I enjoyed her writing style with the dual point of view.This was a good book, I liked it a lot. The overall experience is a great way to convey not only the value of the book but also what experience one can expect when reading it. This book is a deep study on unique mythological beasts that dwell in imaginations. The author has done good research and each mythical creature is depicted very well with captivating short stories.The narration of the book is very amazing and makes it a pure masterpiece. We get to know various mythical creatures from Japan, Greek etc. The illustrations were just an added bonus to the whole storytelling.It is executed very well. The author’s narrative style is sometimes very suitable for me. Some scenes are described ,excessive.I recommend it to everyone because it is worth reading! It is very interesting to read.Great job by Zayden Stone , and wishing this book heaps of success! Highly recommended ,Happy reading😌✌️

This book explores the Mythical and Magical creatures across six categories which is quite informative.Each of the creature features an reference to the tale of folklore which encounters the sighting of them.The illustrations are beautiful created by the artist. However it would have been better if it were in full color.The author has clearly mentioned from which mythology these creatures belong too and I quite enjoyed many of them which includes references from the Hindu Mythology too.Each of the creature have a ancient story or a folktale associated with it. Some are worshipped while others are most evasive beats.Although many creatures have their instances in the form of carvings and depiction on the walls, there are some mentions which can only be seen or told as per the stories by people and there exists no actual proof of them.The Japanese , Greek, Indian, Norse, Scottish, Fillipino mythology each have their respective creatures worshipped either as protector or destroyer. Some of them are considered good as God while others are evil as demons.There were many creatures who are interconnected with each other along with other mentions of the Gods, especially Jatayu and Garuda.There are some descriptions of creatures which are missing while mentioning their ancestors or their siblings for instance Medusa which is a setback. It raises your curiosity to know more about it in details.You will also find some lesser known creatures that exists across vast oceans and continents which is a good to know information.There is also the description of creatures having the distinct hybrid forms of human and animal like characteristics which is intriguing.Overall a good book to read if you are fond of learning about these creatures along with their folklore.

ReviewA treasure to any mythology lover. This book presents a well researched and detailed tale or re-telling of the creatures and magical beasts you often find in mythological tales and fantasies. The author Zayden Stone is a self proclaimed folklorist, who has put together his dream and hard work into the pages of this book.It’s a collection of the fantastical creatures in myths, folktales, and legends, from around the world, covering Greek mythology, Hindu mythology, Islamic mythology, Norse mythology and many more. It will be an absolutely exciting read to anyone, because you will meet at least one familiar creature/ beast."We have seen that creatures and gods represent the duality of human nature.." "The majority of the stories that have been recorded have something to say about human behavior, highlighting what is virtuous and what is a vice or folly".I’m not a mythology reader, but still I found this book informative and intriguing at the same time. I had recently visited the Jatayu Tourism center in Kerala (India), which is the largest bird sculpture in the world, and I always wanted to know more about the legend of Jatayu, especially after the visit and this book brilliantly gave me everything I was looking for. A great piece of art, which will be an even greater addition to history and literature.@theindianreads

"MYTHICAL CREATURES AND MAGICAL BEATS" by Zayden Stone is a tremendous book where an author has described many mythical creatures with an excellent research.The book is mainly divided into three sections with thirty-five chapters. It makes us aware about so many different mythical creatures and their beasts such as Japan, India, Greek, Filipino and more.As the title suggests, the book consists of mythical creatures, their appearances, significance, and stories related to them. It talks about various creatures like Jatayu, Garud, Sigbin, Cerberus, and many more. It is accompanied by pictures of the creatures along with a description of which timeline they were seen in and what role they played.It is divided into 6 main sections mainly - Arthropoda, An Ancient Aviary, Cryptic Canines, The Eternal Hiss, Unusual Ungulates, and Aquatic beasts.You will be introduced to a lot of cultures. Norse, Islam, Hinduism, Greek, Japanese; to name a few.This book opened up a whole new world for me. Reading this book made me feel so dumb, yet I was awestruck with all the legends and mythologies. The illustrations were just an added bonus to the whole storytelling. Every new creature started with an illustration and a small incident about the creature, imagining the creature became so much easier for me because of the illustrations.I cannot wait for the Volume II of this book. A definite must read for all those who love mythologies and short stories.

This well researched book serves as a great introduction to a wide array of beasts. The illustrations are soulful interpretations that add depth to the creative stories that accompany each beast. A good read.

My kid and I have been reading about mythical beasts and folklores across the world, so I thought this book (and the series) would be the perfect continuation of our reading adventures.I have never been more wrong in my life.There's a MAJOR typo on the back cover page. The first page of the Introduction has multiple grammatical errors, spacing issues (double spaces where there should be just one), and other items that make it clear that no editor or reviewer has gone near the text.Add to this laundry list the most unforgivable offense: they've got the facts of the mythology wrong. For example, Garuda is named as a "kite". He's a demi-god, revered in Hindu mythology.Yes, I realize that these are stories handed down (most often verbally) through generations, but there have to be overarching "facts" (or let's call them commonalities) that remain constant. Calling Garuda a kite is tantamount to calling Medusa a wig or Maui a fishhook.I usually do not leave such detailed negative reviews, but I thought I should chime in here because there are multiple 4 and 5 star reviews that make no sense knowing what I know now.

Bought as a gift for my 20yr old who is loving this book, finding some new information that they knew little of beforehand. Recommended.

Oh, I loved this book!!! From page one you can tell how much care and love has been poured into the pages of this book! The selection of Mythical Creatures is outstanding and the author has a real talent to tell their stories. One of my favourite parts, as a teacher, is the extensive reference section and the note by the author to be aware of the limitations of a book about folklore. Loved it!!I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

It's worth what you pay if you love around the word stories