Ghost Stories & Paranormal Encounters

Man-Made Monsters: A Field Guide to Golems, Patchwork Solders, Homunculi, and Other Created Creatures

Book Review by the CareTaker

Many of the fears that most of faced as children involved “things” like ghosts and monsters. Some of the scariest creatures imagined were more likely to be thought of as creations of humans rather than being of supernatural origin. Even still, a creature such as a golem or a “Frankenstein’s Monster” is very often thought of as being demonic or “of the Devil”. The idea was that such constructs could not have a soul from God therefore the life they feigned must have come from something evil.

Man-Made Monsters is full of interesting information and tidbits about the monsters that have been created by mankind ~ at least in our minds, myths and lore. I am sure there are those who believe the story of the so-called Frankenstein monster was based more in truth than others. And perhaps there was more than just a kernel of truth in the story after all.

What about the Golem or the Homunculi? The golem is most well known in Jewish folklore, it was formed from mud or clay and animated to appear alive. Homunculi means “little human,” in Latin and refers to the idea of a miniaturized though fully-formed human or human-like monster.

Man-Made Monsters

Man-Made Monsters is a pretty cool book, it gives you a lot of details and background information on the monsters of mankind and the men who created them. A great addition to your reference library.

From the Publisher:

Life exists all around us, in forms that we can readily and easily identify. But what if there were, lurking in the shadows, other forms of life that are not so familiar, creatures created not by Nature, but by Man? We know their names – Frankenstein, the Golem, the homunculi of the ancient alchemists; they exist in our stories and myths.

But just what are these mysterious creatures, and do they actually have some basis in reality?

In his fascinating and wide-ranging new book, Dr Bob Curran explores man-made monsters and the truth behind the myths.

You’ll learn fascinating details about:

# The 19th century scientist who tried to bring the dead back to life – the model for Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein

# The Man of Clay who lumbered through the streets of medieval Prague at the command of early rabbis

# Tales of robots that may have existed in the ancient world and threatened Greek and Roman warriors.

# Cloning and the artificial creation of life, and what strange and mysterious areas they may be heading into.

Man-Made Monsters is essential reading for anyone who wants to explore artificial beings and peer into the dark recesses of the human mind…where they may indeed be hiding.

Man-Made Monsters: A Field Guide to Golems, Patchwork Solders, Homunculi, and Other Created Creatures is available from New Page Books or wherever books are sold.

Dr. Bob Curran

About the author:

Dr. Bob Curran was born in a remote area of County Down, Northern Ireland. Since leaving school, he has traveled throughout the world, fascinated by the myths and stories that he has found. He has written a number of books looking at culture and lore including Vampires; Lost Lands, Forgotten Realms; Zombies; Encyclopedia of the Undead: A Field Guide to the Creatures that Cannot Rest in Peace; and Werewolves, all for New Page Books. He lives in Northern Ireland with his wife and family.