The Book of Sea Monsters

A fascinating and beautifully illustrated journey across the world and through the centuries in search of the sea monster.

‘They rave for food with unceasing frenzy, being always ahungered and never abating the gluttony of their terrible maw.’ Pliny the Elder

This absorbing exploration of the sea monster in all its tentacular forms is a deep dive into the world of sirens, mermaids, Scylla, and kraken from the 3rd century BCE to the modern day. Told through writings from ancient myths, early scientific natural histories, and iconic literature, tales are intertwined with wonderful engravings, diagrams, and paintings. These accounts provide a unique perspective on the histories of societies and cultures around the world, highlighting significant events like the Age of Sail, the Enlightenment, and Darwinian evolution.

With their excessive size, claws, tentacles, and bloodlust, monsters represent our greatest fears: the unknown, the dark, the natural world, and even ourselves. As stories passed from generation to generation, they became analogues for dangerous weather events, foreign invaders, enemy nations, physical phenomena, and real animals.

Prema Arasu brings together excerpts from Beowulf, Moby-Dick, and many other works by authors such as Homer, H.P. Lovecraft, Edgar Allan Poe, Jules Verne, and H.G. Wells. Each is brought to life with an introduction and beautifully gory artwork, making this a gorgeous book that’s sure to draw you in and drag you down…