The World of Lore: Monstrous Creatures

By: Aaron Mahnke

Narrated by: Aaron Mahnke

A fascinating, beautifully illustrated guide to the monsters that are part of our collective psyche, featuring stories from the Lore podcast—now a streaming television series—including “They Made a Tonic,” “Passed Notes,” and “Unboxed,” as well as rare material.

They live in shadows—deep in the forest, late in the night, in the dark recesses of our minds. They’re spoken of in stories and superstitions, relics of an unenlightened age, old wives’ tales, passed down through generations. Yet no matter how wary and jaded we have become, as individuals or as a society, a part of us remains vulnerable to them: werewolves and wendigos, poltergeists and vampires, angry elves and vengeful spirits.

In this beautifully illustrated volume, the host of the hit podcast Lore serves as a guide on a fascinating journey through the history of these terrifying creatures, exploring not only the legends but what they tell us about ourselves. Aaron Mahnke invites us to the desolate Pine Barrens of New Jersey, where the notorious winged, red-eyed Jersey Devil dwells. He delves into harrowing accounts of cannibalism—some officially documented, others the stuff of speculation . . . perhaps. He visits the dimly lit rooms where séances take place, the European villages where gremlins make mischief, even Key West, Florida, home of a haunted doll named Robert.

In a world of “emotional vampires” and “zombie malls,” the monsters of folklore have become both a part of our language and a part of our collective psyche. Whether these beasts and bogeymen are real or just a reflection of our primal fears, we know, on some level, that not every mystery has been explained and that the unknown still holds the power to strike fear deep in our hearts and souls. As Aaron Mahnke reminds us, sometimes the truth is even scarier than the lore.

The World of Lore series includes:
MONSTROUS CREATURES • WICKED MORTALS • DREADFUL PLACES

Critic reviews

Praise for the Lore podcast

“Truth can often be much scarier than fiction—something [Aaron] Mahnke proves as he dives deep into the world of folklore and the darker side of history in a quest to root out the fragment of truth at the bottom of our fears.”—Entertainment Weekly

“Unlike so much horror that needs over-the-top viscera to scare you, this podcast leans on history—folklore, myth, the stuff people once thought was true—to tell its tales.”—The Atlantic

“Narrated by Mahnke in a style that evokes spooky campfire stories, Lore is a history lesson like no other.”—Esquire

A wonderful collection of monstrous folklore!

Listeners to Aaron Mahnke's LORE podcast will find much of that material repackaged here, so be aware of that before buying it. There are certainly expanded tales, and additional accounts, so LORE fans like me (who always want more) will find it horribly delightful.

Mahnke's extensive research and captivating narrative style makes this an audio book you never want to pause. You'll keep say "I'll just listen to ONE more story" and, before you know it, an hour will have passed. Sit back, dim the lights, and just let the Lore wash over you.

As soon as I finish listening to this, you can bet I will be picking up the next World Of Lore book.

A Solid Listen

I’m a fan of the Lore podcast, so I was very excited about the audiobook. Aaron’s narration was great as always and so were the stories (even though as a constant podcast listener many were repeats), but I didn’t realize how much I would miss the music that plays on the podcast during the storytelling. Any chance we can get some of that moody piano music added to the audiobooks?

I love Lore!!

I will admit to listening to the Lore podcast and loving it. This audiobook recounts previous stories heard but it's no less riveting. If you like true life creepy; give this audiobook a try. Aaron is a very good narrator for his own material.

Very very good.

I love this book. I found it from Aaron’s podcast. Yes it contains a lot of podcast material but it goes deeper tells more stories of where fear comes from and why it keeps pace alongside humanity.

Interesting

If you like the Amazon Prime show you’ll dig the book. Same narrator as the show. I really enjoy the tales he digs up.