Although stories of these creatures date back to the earliest history of humanity, they are no less fascinating or popular today as a steady stream of books, games, movies, television shows, and other media revisit their stories and reinterpret the myths. But what lies behind these myths and legends?

In Dragons & Mythical Beasts, discover the fascinating tales behind the most formidable mythical creatures ever imagined. Did these bizarre animals once exist in ancient times, inspiring the accounts and stories that have kept them alive? Or do these creatures large and small reflect the characteristics of the cultures in which they were created?

If you have a love for the myths and want to learn about the unique beasts that dwell within them, this book is a great way to do it. Not only will you learn about ones you may have never heard of, but you will also be able to draw parallels between cultures and see how they interpreted their surroundings through stories of mythical creatures and magical beasts.

Dragons & Mythical Beasts is intricately decorated, packed with beautiful images and full of fascinating tales.

Alastair Horne is a lecturer in Publishing Studies at the University of Stirling, in Scotland. The author of several books, including Graveyards, Abandoned Scotland, Graves of the Great and Famous, Paris: City of Light, and London: Treasured Capital of the United Kingdom – he is currently completing a doctorate on how smartphones are changing storytelling, and a novel set in an unnamed Parisian cemetery in the early twentieth century.