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Book Review: Shapeshifters: A History by John B. Kachuba

Shapeshifters: A History by John B. Kachuba

Reaktion Books Ltd, 2019

ISBN-13: 978 -1789140798

Available: Hardcover

 

 

Do you know the origin of the word berserk?  Have you heard about a community of vampires in Buffalo, New York? Do you think of Jesus as a shapeshifter? These are some examples of information from the ancient past to the present that you will find in John B. Kachuba’s Shapeshifters: A History. This is a short book packed full of interesting details from myths and legends from around the world, historical research that sifts through the beliefs about shapeshifters in different cultures, and many brief stories of the exploits, drama, and dangers associated with these sometimes frightening creatures whether animal, human, or supernatural in form.

 

Kachuba presents a wide-ranging array of shapeshifters that stretches the definition of the word from physical transformations to psychological anomalies. He branches out to consider masks and costumes as ways people attempt to shape shift. Individual chapters suggest narrow categories such as the shapeshifting powers of gods, goddesses, and faeries, even gender transformations, but within the chapters, there is an attempt to pull in so many different categories, time periods, cultures, and religions that some sections become descriptive lists interspersed with storytelling and repetitive analysis. The vampire and werewolf chapters contain mainly information that will be familiar to most seasoned readers, but even so, there are fresh perspectives and analysis.

 

As Kachuba takes us back and forth through the centuries, he provides historical perspective and takes time to examine the origins of the beliefs and how they have been related to morals, values, education, and parenting. He notes the positive and negative influences that a belief in shapeshifting has had around the world and over time. The section on literature and the media provides young adult readers with information on related books, films, art, and television shows that will reveal how shapeshifting is still interesting to us today. Overall, this entertaining book is the type you’ll want to dip into according to your whims and use to further your own explorations on the topic. Recommended.

 

Reviewed by Nova Hadley

 

Editor’s note: Shapeshifters: A History was nominated to the final ballot of the 2019 Bram Stoker Award in the category of Superior Achievement in Non-Fiction.

Posted on April 7, 2020 by , Reply

Book Review: Vampires of Lore: Traits and Modern Misconceptions by A.P. Sylvia

Vampires of Lore: Traits and Modern Misconceptions by A. P. Sylvia

Schiffer Publishing, 2019

ISBN: 978-0-7643-5792-3

Available: Hardcover

 

Vampires of Lore: Traits and Modern Misconceptions by A. P. Sylvia is a readable, concise deconstruction of vampire legends. Sylvia compares vampires in modern-day fiction to superstitious beliefs about vampires in folklore. The author describes vampires in literature and movies of the 1800s and later, such as Bram Stoker’s 1897 Dracula, the German 1922 movie Nosferatu and the 1990’s television series, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, as well as creatures in folk tales from around the world.

 

Sylvia defines vampires in fiction and folklore as “undead corpses of once living people, who are harming the living is some way, and are killed via taking action against the corpse itself”. The author examines 18 traits of modern-day fictional vampires, ranging from blood-drinking to transformation into bats and other animals. Surprisingly, fangs are inventions of fiction, whereas compulsive counting, exemplified by Sesame Street’s Count Von Count, is described in folklore.

 

The book has 120+ pages , footnotes and handsome illustrations on its cover and pages. However, it is not a dense, scholarly book. The author’s style is conversational and wry. Sylvia’s book would be a good addition to any vampire fan’s library. Highly recommended.

 

Reviewed by Robert D. Yee

Posted on December 2, 2019 by , Reply

Graphic Novel Review: Brothers Dracul, Vol. 1: Blood of the Dragon by Cullen Bunn, illustrated by Mirko Colak

Brothers Dracul Volume 1: Blood of the Dragon by Cullen Bunn, illustrated by Mirko Colak

Aftershock, 2018

ISBN-13: 9781935002473

Available:  Paperback, Kindle, comiXology

 

The first volume of Brothers Dracul contemplates the answer to the question of what could have possibly made Vlad Tepes, or Vlad the Impaler, one of the most disturbing killers in history. Cullen tells the story of a teenage Vlad, when he and his brother Radu were held hostage by the Ottoman Empire in 1442 so that the Sultan Mehmed II could solidify their father’s loyalty to the empire. Despite their imprisonment, they were taught combat, politics, and how to hunt vampires. The brothers are tasked with accompanying the son of the sultan who is himself taught to be a strong force against vampires. However, the young Mehmed does not live up to this, and Vlad and Radu end up saving him from the creatures that he is supposed to kill. This leaves a bad taste in Vlad’s mouth, as he is protecting someone who he sees as a not only a weakling, but a whining royal as well. The brothers are placed in awkward situations as Radu is offered a way to freedom, and Vlad falls in love with a young woman who may have a strange connection to the vampires plaguing the land.

I thoroughly enjoyed this volume. Bunn referenced real places in his story, rather than relying on the existing Dracula canon and mythos. He provides a great story and characters. The reader can sympathize with both brothers at different times, as they are both facing their imprisonment and treatment in vastly different ways. Radu is more willing to play nice with the Ottoman Empire, while Vlad remains angry at their predicament, and feels betrayed by his brother at times. Vlad’s willingness to hunt and kill vampires acts as a means to work out his aggression. Colak’s artwork is vibrant, and his character design is fantastic. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a strong plot, plenty of political intrigue, and blood and guts in their horror comics. Highly recommended.

Volume 1 collects Brothers Dracul, issues 1-5.

 

Contains: blood, gore

Reviewed by Lizzy Walker

Posted on November 23, 2019 by , Reply
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