This Week’s Featured Creature: Monsters

Ok, so a good Halloween-y topic. Monsters! Though when it comes to books I’m interested in, categorizing monsters gets tricky. Some people would stick most of my favorite paranormal beings in this category along with many others. So what am I going to call a monster for our 'Featured Creature’ purposes? Whatever the heck we want to throw in there. Just remember vampires have to have their own week (come on, it’s ME) later, so I won’t be naming any vampires in this mix.

Last week we covered shapeshifters, so we really don’t need to go back over those or werewolves or such, unless you really want to do so. ;)

Well, I got curious what a few things might consider monsters as well. LOL! Here are the different definitions.

Monster:

• any plant or animal of abnormal shape or structure, as one greatly malformed or lacking some parts; monstrosity; a person so cruel, wicked, depraved, etc. as to horrify others (YourDictionary.com)
• an aberrant occurrence, usually biological, that was taken as a sign that something was wrong within the natural order (Wikipedia)
• a creature, usually legendary or imaginary, such as a centaur or harpy, that combines parts from various animal or human forms; a creature having a strange or frightening appearance; a very large animal; one who inspires horror or disgust (Monstropedia)
• huge being (Webster’s Dictionary-it’s old and on my desk and helpful for some things lol)

There are the well known monsters like Frankenstein, King Kong, and Godzilla. There are the ones that fill up urban fantasy and paranormal romance books today, like demons, zombies, fey, etc. Can’t forget about the monsters of legend and mythology like hydra, medusa, giants, I really could go on naming for a REALLY long time. Even what some consider the “prettier” beings are “monsters”, like unicorns, pegasus, and phoenix.

Now what books do I like with monsters? Umm, most. Lol! Seriously, all urban fantasy and paranormal romances have to have some kind of being or creature in them and most have some kind of monster. Now a lot of my favs fall into the shifters and vampire categories, so they don’t really work for this, but some books I’ve loved do. Happy Hour of the Damned by Mark Henry has your zombies. Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien has all kinds of fantasy monster goodness and badness. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling has it’s share of monsters, especially a wizard turning himself into the worst of all.

TV monsters? Buffy, Angel, Charmed, and Supernatural all top the list with both the freaky and fun!

As for movies, there are a bunch of Frankenstein movies and remakes. I personally have a soft spot for older zombie movies, from black & white to the 80s. Evil Dead, Evil Dead 2, and Army of Darkness provide me with much entertainment (plus Bruce Campbell is just awesome). Just expect a running commentary through-out the movie. I just can’t help it with those. Like is the random liquid exploding from the stab wound milk this time. Why? It was ketchup last time. Lol. Ok. I’m getting side tracked here. I’ll take my monsters with action, horror, comedy, or all three. Though I must admit that comedies on accident sometimes are my favorites. ;)

So what monsters do you like? Are you a big monster movie buff? If so, can you recommend some good ones?

This Week’s Featured Creature: Shapeshifters

Sorry I’m a bit late getting this out this week. I got some crazy virus that put me out of commission just a few hours after I got back in town from visiting family over the weekend. Hopefully now I can get back to the schedule. Please read to the end and answer my question. :)

I wanted to start my Countdown to Halloween talking about shapeshifters or weres. They can be the same thing or a bit different depending on the author and their world. Either way, they have become my second favorite paranormal being. My first is no secret obviously (look at my blog name if you’re still unsure). ;)

In mythology, legends and folklore, shapeshifters cover a wide variety of beings. You’re talking about any type of creature or being that can change it’s form, whether it be animal, human, or other. It could be a god, some type of were, or even a vampire that’s able to change into a bat or a wolf or heck even mist. Are you beginning to see why this category’s so freaking big?

Though I do love all the mythology on the Greeks, Romans, and Celtics, what I want to focus on now are the different weres. These are also known as therianthropes, or human-animal shifters. This includes your lyncanthropes (werewolves), skin-walkers (turns into any animal when wearing it’s pelt), etc. Name an animal, and you can probably find some culture somewhere that has it in a legend somewhere around the world.

What have I read or watched something about so far? Werewolves of course. Skin-walkers (the full on pelt wearing ones, and the coyote awesomeness that is Mercedes Thompson). Lions. Jaguars. Panthers. Eagles. Bears. Rats. Swans. Snakes. Getting the picture, I’ve read about a few. Lol. I’m sure I’m forgetting a few too, just wish I could remember them all.

Here are some of my favorite books and series involving shapeshifters.

• Mercedes Thompson series by Patricia Briggs
• They Call Me Death by Missy Jane
• Kitty Norville series by Carrie Vaughn
• Shifter series by Rachel Vincent
•  Nightworld series by L.J. Smith

Now here’s a video from The Shapeshifters! he he

 

So, what makes a good shapeshifter to you? Do you like it when authors stick to stereotypes? Should they follow the full moon, silver bullet lore? Is there a difference between shapeshifters and weres to you? Am I confusing some of you? Lol!

The most important question I need you to answer in this and every following creature feature is your very favorite book concerning that paranormal being. Trust me you wanna do it! So, what’s your favorite shifter or were book, series, and/or author?