Encyclopedia of Vampire Mythology

August 1, 2010

Vampirologist and self-proclaimed skeptic Bane (Haunted Historic Greensboro) offers an expanded sequel to Matthew Bunson's Vampire Encyclopedia. Looking beyond popular Transylvania-focused legends, Bane's approach exemplifies solid cross-cultural scholarship. An illuminating introduction presents a survey of the vampire myth's historical roots and continued evolution. Subsequent entries, organized alphabetically by vampire name, include phonetic pronunciations and define the many tangible and intangible vampiric forms that hail from every continent around the globe. Entries run between several lines and several paragraphs and are consistently followed by multiple-source titles. A thorough resource for dark mythologists and vampire enthusiasts.

Copyright 2010 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 1, 2010

Gr 9 Up-A self-proclaimed vampirologist (who doesn't believe in the creatures) covers diverse beliefs about vampires and their origins, from early accounts through to myths that persist today. Species such as Aluka, Gaki, Ramanga, and Zemu appear in the more than 600 authoritative and clearly written A-Z entries, many of which close with source material and cross-references. Many vampire types are not included, for instance fictional (author-created) or cryptozoological (legendary animal) creatures. As this encyclopedia is limited in coverage to mythology (no mentions of Twilight here), it will appeal primarily to readers intrigued with the broader topic of vampires.-Cara Moffett, formerly at Cumberland University Vise Library, Lebanon, TN

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.