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Memoirs of a Monster Hunter: A Five-Year Journey in Search of the Unknown
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$14.99
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$10.19
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Manufacturer: New Page Books
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Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 001.944
EAN: 9781564149763
ISBN: 1564149765
Label: New Page Books
Manufacturer: New Page Books
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 256
Publication Date: 2007-09-01
Publisher: New Page Books
Studio: New Page Books
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Editorial Reviews:
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For centuries, people across the world have had a fascination with monsters and strange creatures. They marvel at the tales and legends of the Bigfoot of the Pacific Northwest; of the Abominable Snowman of the Himalayas; of the infamous and diabolical Moth-Man of West Virginia; of fire-breathing dragons; and of those dark denizens of the deep: lake monsters and sea serpents. But do such creatures really exist? Can it be true that our planet is home to fantastic beasts that lurk deep within its forests and waters? Memoirs of a Monster Hunter proves the answer is a resounding yes!
In this follow-up to his wildly successful Three Men Chasing Monsters, paranormal investigator and author Nick Redfern chronicles his surreal road-trip through the United States and beyond in search of all-things monstrous. His strange adventures lasted five years and saw him doggedly pursuing a menagerie of creatures, including gargoyles, giant birds, and what some believe are living dinosaurs. Follow Redfern as he:
* Explores the El Yunque rainforest of Puerto Rico in search of the terrifying Chupacabras: a razor-clawed, glowing-eyed beast that is part giant bat and part vampire.
* Seeks out the Goat Man: a menacing creature that evokes imagery of both demons and the fabled cloven-hoofed Centaurs of ancient mythology, and is said to inhabit the forests of East Texas.
* Chases after what many people believe are real-life, flesh-and-blood werewolves that surface from hidden lairs and prowl the countryside when the Moon is full.
Part X-Files, part Crocodile Hunter with a mix of Jurassic Park and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Memoirs of a Monster Hunter takes you on a roller-coaster ride into the unknown. Read personal accounts of the monsters that inhabit your wildest imagination and your worst nightmares. The creatures you were told couldn't possibly exist, really do.
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: Where the Redfern Goes
Comment: Nick Redfern travels the world giving speeches at conferences dealing with UFOs, the paranormal, and cryptozoology. He is a self-employed writer and has several books out. You find this out because he constantly promotes and plugs them in this book. This self-proclaimed monster hunter looks back over a five year period and presents his memoirs which entail meeting a woman at a UFO conference whom he tries to bed down that night but ends up marrying later on, his `investigations' of various phenomenon, and his attachments to several paranormal television shows. There's also an abundant coverage of him hanging out with his fellows and lots of drinking. And let's not forget his lengthy chapter about the family dog which dies and they deal with its lingering spirit.
The book itself is easy to read as there is little prolonged in-depth coverage of much of anything except their dog. Redfern covers lightly some UFO stuff, largely plugging one of his books and various UFO conferences he attends, talks at, drinks at, and gets all his expenses covered along with a nice speaking payment. He travels to Puerto Rico (again all expenses paid) three separate times looking into the Chupacabras legend. And he also travels throughout Texas (where he lives after getting married and moving from his native England) going to the Big Thicket region filled with ghost lights and wildmen, seeks out the Goat-Man in several areas, as well as a ghost of a drowned girl and some surreally large fish and water beasties. And to add to the mix he speaks with a lady in Wisconsin about the Beast of Bray Road which may or may not be a werewolf (another fascination of his along with zombie movies and his apparent love of the word 'diabolical'). Redfern then explains how he feels that all these purported cryptids are not natural occuring creatures but extra-dimensional, spirits, or possibly alien leftovers or government experiments.
Redfern covers lots of material but in such fragmented and disorganized anecdotes that the book seems more like what he would chat about if you sat down with him and knocked back a few beers and had a meandering conversation of rapid topic changes. The book would have benefited from some better organization of the material. He travels a lot at other people's expenses and seems to only be involved in this type of stuff so that he can do just that, travel and not have to pay for it. He gives a presentation and then `has a night on the town'. For all he talks about such phenomenon, at points he doesn't even appear to buy his own shilling of material. To me, he apparently likes being called a `monster hunter', doing the travelling, and getting paid but doesn't truly `believe' in this stuff himself... just my opinion, I've never met the guy.
Overall, light reading but there's nothing in depth, no conclusions, and the stories are too short to get you interested in them. You'll get lots of plugging of his own books, learn his favorite adult beverages, and get more than you care to about his buddy Jon Downes. I doubt I'll be spending my money on anything else of his.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Very Disappointed
Comment: If you are interested in a serious discussion of cryptids, do not buy this book. Redfern spends the majority of the book describing his personal life. The information on monster hunting is limited and ancedotal at best. He comes across as a smug,self-serving free-loader who doesn't feel the need to bother with serious research into a very interesting topic. I'm surprised this got published, it is that bad. To use a very British term to describe Nick's work, bollocks!
Customer Rating:
Summary: His Worst Book Yet
Comment: After reading and thoroughly enjoying Redfern's "Three Men Seeking Monsters" I could not wait to get started on "Memoirs of a Monster Hunter." What a disappointment.
Where "Three Men" was a rollicking good time, a fun trip with three unique and entertaining individuals, "Memoirs" is a self-indulgent disorganized mess. This book is filled with personal anecdotes that would only be impressive to either Redfern's family or his high school drinking buddies. There wasn't even any new information in this book, something Redfern usually delivers on, despite his writing style filled with cliches and terrible synonyms. Boo Mr. Redfern. Please leave your adolescent ego behind and write what I know you are capable of next time.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Nick Redfern - the Elvis Costello of monster hunting
Comment: One of only a handful of true, authentic monster hunters in the world today, his latest literary effort, "Memoirs of a Monster Hunter" affords the reader a glimpse behind the scenes of the experiences which were later chronicled in 2004's instant classic, "Three Men Seeking Monsters". Indeed 'Memoirs' works well as a companion volume, or sequel, to this excellent work. Redfern's fearless approach to both his occupation and his craft makes for a unique and interesting read the likes of which is seldom seen from his counterparts who hail from this side of the Atlantic. In "Memoirs"
Redfern shows that he is also equally adept and at ease discussing off topic subjects such as his love life, or fellow Brit buddy Jon Downs' devastating hemorriod attacks, as he is speaking about his monster hunting exploits. But, never fear, monsters abound inside this book's covers as well as other unexplained phenomena. From El Chupacabras to Bigfoot. From Goatman to ghostlights. Werewolves, vampire bats, HIV infected mosquitos. It's all in here! Redfern, with his affinity for punk rock music, zombie movies, black tee-shirts and good, strong ale, and armed with little more than a drink in one hand and his decidedly British sense of humor - almost casually finds himself repeatedly thrust into the most remote, isolated locations experiencing hair-raising adventures. This book leaves no stone unturned in its quest for answers concerning some of the world's strangest cryptids and comes highly recommended to anyone interested in Fortean phenomena. Humorous and interesting. Great fun! Excellent! 5 stars...
B.M.Nunnelly - author, "Mysterious Kentucky"
Customer Rating:
Summary: An Excellent Book
Comment: Nick Redfern is one of the very best, not too mention most prolific, writers about the paranormal. During the past 5 years, Redfern had been on a quest in the unknown and his latest book chronicles that quest. This very well written book is a most entertaining literary experience. This is a book that will hold your attention to the point where you will find it very hard to but this book down. This book spells out just what it takes to be a monster hunter and an adventurer into the unknown.
This book by Nick Redfern comes highly recommended.
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