A Wizard’s Bestiary (expanded 2nd Edition, 2022)
by Oberon Zell-Ravenheart
Strange beasts of all kinds have crawled, run, swam, and flown through humanity’s imagination and travelers’ tales since the dawn of time. From Gryphons and Unicorns, to Dragons, Mermaids, and even more bizarre and fantastical animals, A Wizard’s Bestiary takes you on a magical journey through the ages and around the world, to discover elusive creatures of myth and legend. Beware–here be Monsters! The first section lists over 1,000 fantastic creatures from every land in an encyclopedic, alphabetical glossary format, from Aatxe to Zyphoeus. Each entry includes a small illustration, as well as cross-references to other related beasts.
Next, the authors present more in-depth features on some of more interesting of these legendary
beasts, such as the Sea Serpent and the Man-Eating Tree of Madagascar. History, myths, and
legends of each creature are presented, with particular emphasis on identifying real-life origins of
mythical creatures in actual living animals, such as the link between the Kraken and the giant
squid. Expanded cryptozoological entries include the Loch Ness Monster, Bigfoot, Mokele-
Mbembe, El Chupacabra, Mothman, and other mystery monsters reported by eyewitnesses but
not yet confirmed by science.
A Wizard’s Bestiary is profusely illustrated with old woodcuts, engravings, and other images
from historical sources, as well as interpretations by modern artists, including the authors. No
other bestiary has been so well-illustrated! Hand-drawn medieval-style maps by Oberon Zell-
Ravenheart show purported locales of different beasts on all continents and seas.
Originally published in 2007, the 1 st edition has been out of print since 2017. This new 2nd edition
is updated with many new graphics, various revisions, and an entire new chapter on “Mighty
Mammals.”
Reviews
A Cryptozoological Classic
Cryptozoological books have evolved much since Charles Gould’s seminal 1886
“Mythical Monsters.” Oberon Zell-Ravenheart’s expanded second edition of A Wizard’s Bestiary
is such a book. Its new “Mighty Mammals” chapter joins a thousand detailed, illustrated
descriptions of fantastic animals and their natural relatives around the world through time.
Oberon’s modern classic is a boon for readers and researchers.
~ Joseph Nigg
author of The Book of Fabulous Beasts
A MASTERPIECE
This book is the one and only resource you’ll ever need for mythical creatures, and
cryptic beings. Don’t let the cover deceive you either, it may look a little unprofessional but
when you open it you’ll find the most extensive analysis(and gorgeously illustrated black-and-
white representations) of creatures you’ve ever seen. Its written by a true professional as well,
who takes the subject matter very seriously. If you’re interested in this stuff, please do yourself a
favor and check this out.
~ Kyle Dinic
This gorgeous, sumptuously-illustrated book is truly a stunning contribution to the
cryptozoological and zoomythological literature, one that is destined to remain a standard
reference work on these subjects for many years to come.
~ Karl P.N. Shuker, PhD
author of The Beasts That Hide From Man
As we stand at the edge of the vast unknown, we all look in to see and for some, to investigate cryptic animate enigmas. Those of us who have been doing this for decades, as Zell-Ravenheart has, view the fantastic world of animal mysteries, ancient living wonders, and accommodating new species in different ways. Cultural insights, ethnic folklore, native traditions, and magical tales mix in and have their place in this phantasmagoria involved in the study of hidden animals. This book shares overlooked insights and incredible clues for the casual reader or the dedicated student of cryptozoology. A valuable resource. Highly recommended. —Loren Coleman co-author, Creatures of the Outer Edge, Cryptozoology A to Z Oberon Zell-Ravenheart’s mighty tome is undoubtedly the one book that, more than any other, I was hoping someone, someday was finally going to write: namely, a definitive, encyclopedic study of the many and varied weird beasts, fabulous monsters, and diabolical creatures that are said to lurk in the darkened corners of our mysterious world. Whether your interest focuses upon those elusive, hairy man-beasts such as Bigfoot and the Yeti; the ghostly, black devil dogs of old England; the bloodsucking, vampire-like Chupacabras of Puerto Rico; or the many and mysterious long-necked serpents of the world’s lakes, lochs and oceans, Zell-Ravenheart’s title is one that I heartily recommend. With entries on a dizzying array of beasts, such as the terrifying, cave-dwelling Aatxe of Spain; and the Boroka of the Philippines—which has the unfortunate habit of dining upon human flesh; as well as much welcome data on monsters of the movies; and a rich array of drawings, photographs, maps, and more, A WIZARD’S BESTIARY is a book that is destined to become a true monster-hunting classic.
~ Nick Redfern
author of Memoirs of a Monster Hunter and Three Men Seeking Monsters