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Being a werewolf enthusiast, when I spied The Complete Idiot's Guide to Werewolves by Nathan Robert Brown in the metaphysical books section, I had to pick it up. I knew it would be bad, given that the cover boasted a coyote yapping at a full moon when they undoubtedly intended it to portray a wolf howling at the moon. I hoped it would be a funny read at least, maybe something along the lines of the amazing dry wit of The Werewolf's Guide to Life: A Manual for the Newly Bitten by Ritch Duncan. Alas, no. The attempts at levity fall flat, particularly after having finished The Werewolf's Guide to Life: A Manual for the Newly Bitten prior to reading The Complete Idiot's Guide to Werewolves.
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Werewolves is a clumsy mixture of Cliff'sNotes type versions of oft-cited historical facts and lore, urban legends, descriptions of a few werewolf-themed movies, books, comics, anime, and games, "Native American werewolves and shapeshifters", relatives of the werewolf, therianthropes of the East, clinical lycanthropy, physical illnesses that may have spurred the idea of werewolves, and two chapters tossed in the mix that are attempts at humor (and boast prominent warnings that they are, in fact, humor, and not intended to be enacted on) -- Chapter 15. Once Bitten... Then What? and Chapter 16. How To Kill a Werewolf. These chapters are jarring, as suddenly it's goofy fantasy sandwiched between non-fiction chapters. I implore anyone who wants the subject matter of those two chapters presented in a skillfully written, witty, and thorough manner, that never breaks character and broadcasts no warnings (because--duh!--it's a parody), please order the amusing and vastly superior The Werewolf's Guide to Life: A Manual for the Newly Bitten by Ritch Duncan.
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Werewolves offers a few references, but not as many as most well done Complete Idiot's Guides do. Is this a book of personal conjecture? Is this a work of fiction? Is this a serious expose of werewolves in history and pop culture? The book vacillates awkwardly between all three. The back of the book states it provides:
A brief history of werewolves around the world.
Beyond-beastly explanations of werewolf phenomena.
A selection of savagely entertaining werewolf facts and stories.
A fascinating look at how humans transform into werewolves.
I suppose it does what it says, but without proper references it's difficult to cross-check. Much of it can easily be discovered on-line. This is why I was dismayed when certain "facts" were offered that can be easily disproved, or at least called into question, if one does a good web search. How hard is a thorough Google search for both pro and con sites for each factoid/myth/urban legend/etc.? I just did so for a few days while writing this.
I could seriously spend weeks nitpicking each chapter and giving references to either discount the "facts" presented or to offer more widely accepted, different, or more thorough lore. Instead, I'll merely address a few things that made me scoff:
( Read more... )
I don't think I'll be placing The Complete Idiot's Guide to Werewolves by Nathan Robert Brown on my shelves of werewolf/shape-shifter non-fiction or fiction. To me it deserves a place of rest among neither, nor will I be lending it out to anyone with an interest in the subject.
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Werewolves is a clumsy mixture of Cliff'sNotes type versions of oft-cited historical facts and lore, urban legends, descriptions of a few werewolf-themed movies, books, comics, anime, and games, "Native American werewolves and shapeshifters", relatives of the werewolf, therianthropes of the East, clinical lycanthropy, physical illnesses that may have spurred the idea of werewolves, and two chapters tossed in the mix that are attempts at humor (and boast prominent warnings that they are, in fact, humor, and not intended to be enacted on) -- Chapter 15. Once Bitten... Then What? and Chapter 16. How To Kill a Werewolf. These chapters are jarring, as suddenly it's goofy fantasy sandwiched between non-fiction chapters. I implore anyone who wants the subject matter of those two chapters presented in a skillfully written, witty, and thorough manner, that never breaks character and broadcasts no warnings (because--duh!--it's a parody), please order the amusing and vastly superior The Werewolf's Guide to Life: A Manual for the Newly Bitten by Ritch Duncan.
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Werewolves offers a few references, but not as many as most well done Complete Idiot's Guides do. Is this a book of personal conjecture? Is this a work of fiction? Is this a serious expose of werewolves in history and pop culture? The book vacillates awkwardly between all three. The back of the book states it provides:
I suppose it does what it says, but without proper references it's difficult to cross-check. Much of it can easily be discovered on-line. This is why I was dismayed when certain "facts" were offered that can be easily disproved, or at least called into question, if one does a good web search. How hard is a thorough Google search for both pro and con sites for each factoid/myth/urban legend/etc.? I just did so for a few days while writing this.
I could seriously spend weeks nitpicking each chapter and giving references to either discount the "facts" presented or to offer more widely accepted, different, or more thorough lore. Instead, I'll merely address a few things that made me scoff:
( Read more... )
I don't think I'll be placing The Complete Idiot's Guide to Werewolves by Nathan Robert Brown on my shelves of werewolf/shape-shifter non-fiction or fiction. To me it deserves a place of rest among neither, nor will I be lending it out to anyone with an interest in the subject.
