Customer Reviews:
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 Good guide, but title misleading December 16, 2008
Dr. Curran provides much interesting information on general supernatural entities, like werewolves, ghouls, zombies and even the works of H.P. Lovecraft. However, if you define "undead" as humans that physically died and then reanimated as some kind of monster, then you'll find his definition a bit off. Werewolves, for example, are usually _living_ people who turn into wolves; not dead people who wonder around.
Besides that, the book is very well researched and an interesting read for anyone interested in mythology, the supernatural or monsters.
Bring Out Your Dead... or rather, your undead June 17, 2008
Okay, I really loved this book this has such great information. it offers you tons of stuff that I bet (even if you love all things undead) that you've never heard of before... or at least never gotten a proper explanation of before now. The reason that I gave it four stars instead of five is because I had previously read "Vampires: A Field Guide To The Creatures That Stalk The Night" by the same author and illustrator and that book is just outstanding, I mean, truly amazing - so by comparison (to how they are written, drawn, information compiled, etc) I had to drop this one a star because it wasn't quite as good as the vampire one. But nevertheless, this is a most excellent book and I highly recommend it.
 Unfortunatly not what I expected December 2, 2007
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
I was looking for a book that would go into a lot of the mythology around Vampires and Werewolves and when I saw a book with "A Field Guide to Creatures That Cannot Rest in Peace" in the title I thought I was on a winner, not so. Don't get me wrong, it IS an interesting read and Bob Curran gives a lot of examples in history of Vampire-like or Werewolf-like behaviour, but what this book didn't have was how to deal with said beasties.
I would have thought a "field guide" would have spoken to silver bullets, garlic, crosses, etc but it barely touches on these things. Bob does state very early on in the book that a lot of the myth that we are more familiar with is thanks to Hollywood and the Hammer horror films of the 1920s and onwards, but still it would have been interesting to read how to battle against such creatures.
A good example about the lack of field guide feeling of this book is the chapter on Voodoo and Zombies. It's about 50 pages with roughly 48 of them are on voodoo (dealing with actual famous practitioners through history) and the last page and a bit on actual Zombies themselves. Too much back-story, not enough meat.
So if you are looking for a book that really gets into what would best be described as contemporary mythology regarding vampires and the like - detailing their strengths and weaknesses - then you better look elsewhere. If you want a history on the aforementioned topics and how the mythology may have come about over time then you may find this an interesting read.
 No regrets here! November 6, 2006
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Curran has created a book that is not only full of great info, but easily readable. For anyone who has an interest in mythology or the deep, dark and creepy, this is a great book!
A TREASURE TROVE OF MYTH AND LEGEND September 15, 2006
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
Vampires, werewolves, and other things that go bump in the night are the subject of Dr. Bob Curran's "Encyclopedia of the Undead". In this riveting book of myth, folklore, and fact, Curran looks at the history and mystery of these creatures from their earliest mentions in ancient texts right up through modern day. It's fresh and fascinating, a monster lover's dream!
The book begins with the ultimate creatures of the night...vampires! Legends of vampires and vampirism have been around since men first wrote on papyrus thousands of years ago. Ancient Greek mythology abounds with vampiric creatures such as the Lamia, Succubi while Sumeria wrought its tales of Lilith, supposedly the first wife of Adam who spawned many demons called the Lilm. Even if you think you know a lot about vampires, Curran will surprise you with the many tales of vampires throughout history who have plagued mankind. But the tales are not all legend. There are many modern accounts from the past couple of centuries about reputed vampires, or medical afflictions, which were deemed to be vampiric by the peoples of the times. No account of vampires would be complete without a look at two of the most notorious figures from Eastern Europe, Vlad Tepes and Elizabeth Bathory, and Curran covers both figures in detail.
Next up are similar chapters on Werewolves, Voodoo and Zombies, and Ghouls and the Golem. Most of the section on Zombies and Voodoo focuses on those grisly legends of Africa, the Caribbean, and New Orleans. The reader will get up close and personal with several notorious voodoo priests and voodoo queens. You've perhaps heard of one of the most famous of New Orleans' voodoo queens, Marie Laveau, but did you know there actually three Marie Laveaus? You'll get to meet all three...and maybe wish you hadn't!
The last chapter of the book deals with the terrors of H.P. Lovecraft and while I am a Lovecraft fan, the inclusion of his works is slightly curious. While Lovecraft did have his tales of the undead, many of his creations were decidedly NOT dead. Still, it's the inclusion of the Lovecraft chapter makes for a great primer for those who may be unfamiliar with his life and work. Curran provides a biographical overview of Lovecraft's troubled life before delving into his mind-ripping creations such as the Cthulhu Mythos with its tales of Old Ones and Elder Gods, ancient civilizations, and books of forbidden lore that could drive men to madness if they read them. In fact, the Lovecraft chapter ends up being the longest in the book although Lovecraft fanatics will certainly be familiar with most of what's covered.
The Encyclopedia of the Undead is one of those books you just love to pick up and flip through in no particular order. It has broad appeal to those who are interested in myth and folklore, monster films, role-playing games, and horror fiction. Curran does a great job pulling it all together!
Reviewed by Tim Janson
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