12th
Mar
Mar
This weekis Maureen’s Books 4 year Blogiversary and I’m super excited to share some awesome stuff with you
this week. To start this week of good I’m
excited to welcome Aislynn on the blog. Aislynn is a fellow blogger, reviewer
and author on Port Jericho and she was kind enough to write a guest post for all
of you to read to help celebrate this fun occasion. Keep on checking out this
week’s posts.. There will be a cool Blogiversary giveaway
this weekend.
Favourite Mythic Beasts:
I love the
strange and unusual. The paranormal. The preternatural. Ghosties and cryptids,
and everything in between. Here are
seven of my favourites that have made their way into modern
literature.
strange and unusual. The paranormal. The preternatural. Ghosties and cryptids,
and everything in between. Here are
seven of my favourites that have made their way into modern
literature.
Chupacabra
Chupas are
fascinating critters because of how they’ve spread, and changed. These beasties
first appeared in Puerto Rico. The name means ‘goat sucker’s, for the
purported habit of draining the blood from livestock, especially goats.
Chupas have been described as lizard-like, with a row of spines along the
back, and glowing red eyes. They’ve also been described as dog-like, though not
any known type of dog. Some even consider them alien
creatures.
fascinating critters because of how they’ve spread, and changed. These beasties
first appeared in Puerto Rico. The name means ‘goat sucker’s, for the
purported habit of draining the blood from livestock, especially goats.
Chupas have been described as lizard-like, with a row of spines along the
back, and glowing red eyes. They’ve also been described as dog-like, though not
any known type of dog. Some even consider them alien
creatures.
A great
book featuring chupacabra is Michael F Stewart’s Keep in a Cold Dark Place.
book featuring chupacabra is Michael F Stewart’s Keep in a Cold Dark Place.
Here’s my review for it! (https://wp.me/p6C2DX-wq)
Dragon
Okay, so,
as mentioned above, dragons are my thing . And ‘dragon’ can encompass a
wide variety of creatures, from South America’s feathered serpents, to
Europe’s wyvern, China’s lung or long, to the rainbow serpents of
Oceania.
as mentioned above, dragons are my thing . And ‘dragon’ can encompass a
wide variety of creatures, from South America’s feathered serpents, to
Europe’s wyvern, China’s lung or long, to the rainbow serpents of
Oceania.
Naomi
Novik’s Temeraire series explores many different dragons around the world,
as does Marie Brennan’s Memoirs of Lady Trent series.
Novik’s Temeraire series explores many different dragons around the world,
as does Marie Brennan’s Memoirs of Lady Trent series.
Here is my
review for A Natural History of Dragons (https://wp.me/p6C2DX-8g)
review for A Natural History of Dragons (https://wp.me/p6C2DX-8g)
Griffin
Griffin,
also spelt gryphon, is a creature most likely conjured when our distant
ancestors stumbled across the bones of dinos like protoceratops, who had
a beaked head, and four-legged body.
also spelt gryphon, is a creature most likely conjured when our distant
ancestors stumbled across the bones of dinos like protoceratops, who had
a beaked head, and four-legged body.
A series I
enjoyed that heavily featured griffins is KJ Taylor’s Fallen Moon Cycle)
enjoyed that heavily featured griffins is KJ Taylor’s Fallen Moon Cycle)
Padfoot/ Cu Sith
Legends of
great black dogs abound throughout the UK and much of Europe. These
preternatural hounds are generally regarded unfavourably, and considered
omens of death. Sirius Black aka Padfoot from JK Rowling’s Harry Potter series takes the form of a shuck dog. Another quite famous Grim can be found in Sir
Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Hound of the Baskervilles:
great black dogs abound throughout the UK and much of Europe. These
preternatural hounds are generally regarded unfavourably, and considered
omens of death. Sirius Black aka Padfoot from JK Rowling’s Harry Potter series takes the form of a shuck dog. Another quite famous Grim can be found in Sir
Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Hound of the Baskervilles:
Black Dog
© Aislynn
d’Merricksson
d’Merricksson
Black dog,
Derry dog, Shuck and Cu,
Derry dog, Shuck and Cu,
Gabriel’s
hounds hunting after you.
hounds hunting after you.
Whist
hounds, Arawn’s hounds, Barghest and Grim,
hounds, Arawn’s hounds, Barghest and Grim,
See a
black dog, prospects look dim.
black dog, prospects look dim.
Black dog,
Gytrash, Padfoot, Ki Du,
Gytrash, Padfoot, Ki Du,
Coinn
Iotair chasing after you.
Iotair chasing after you.
Hellhound,
Mauthe Dhoog, Skirker and Grim,
Mauthe Dhoog, Skirker and Grim,
See a black
dog, luck turns dim.
dog, luck turns dim.
Cait Sith
The cait
sith or cait sidhe is the feline equivalent of
the cu sith. These are large black cats, often sporting a white
spot on the chest, and less often, a white blaze on the face. Cait Sith can
be found in Seanan McGuire’s October Daye
series. Here’s my review of The Brightest Fell. (https://wp.me/p6C2DX-TP)
sith or cait sidhe is the feline equivalent of
the cu sith. These are large black cats, often sporting a white
spot on the chest, and less often, a white blaze on the face. Cait Sith can
be found in Seanan McGuire’s October Daye
series. Here’s my review of The Brightest Fell. (https://wp.me/p6C2DX-TP)
Kappa
Kappa are
a type of yokai (think Japanese ‘fae’). They look kinda like bipedal turtles,
with a shallow indent in the top of the head, and can be
aggressive. The indent holds water, and is the source of their strength.
They may arbitrarily attack humans, and will certainly if provoked. Kappa
are strict with protocol. If you bow to one, they met bow back, and will
spill the water, and so lose their strength. The Pokemon Golduck bears a
passing resemblance to a kappa. In JK Rowling’s Harry Potter series, kappa make an appearance, being part of Harry’s trials in Goblet of Fire (book).
a type of yokai (think Japanese ‘fae’). They look kinda like bipedal turtles,
with a shallow indent in the top of the head, and can be
aggressive. The indent holds water, and is the source of their strength.
They may arbitrarily attack humans, and will certainly if provoked. Kappa
are strict with protocol. If you bow to one, they met bow back, and will
spill the water, and so lose their strength. The Pokemon Golduck bears a
passing resemblance to a kappa. In JK Rowling’s Harry Potter series, kappa make an appearance, being part of Harry’s trials in Goblet of Fire (book).
Kitsune
Kitsune
are another type of yokai. They are fox spirits, and generally full of
mischief. Most of the time it’s playful, but they can have a dark side. The Pokemon Vulpix/
Ninetales are based on kitsune. These mystical Japanese fae feature
heavily in the Red Winter Trilogy by Annette Marie.
Check out
my review for Red Winter. (https://wp.me/p6C2DX-j2
) One of my own characters in World Shaper is a kitsune.
my review for Red Winter. (https://wp.me/p6C2DX-j2
) One of my own characters in World Shaper is a kitsune.
About Aislynn:
For more
information about Aislynn and her site please visit website. Or visit her on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.
information about Aislynn and her site please visit website. Or visit her on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.
Thank you for visiting!
You might also like:
Maureen is a mom, wife, nurse, and Ravenclaw living in the Netherlands. She spends her days juggling mom-life, reading, blogging, planning date nights with her husband and working as a nurse. Maureen also is a big Anglophile, loves cooking, Gilmore Girls, Bridgerton and Harry Potter.. Always! Facebook | Instagram
Thanks!
You're welcome! Thank you for writing this post and letting me share it 😉
Gotta love a polite, though vicious, turtle balancing a shallow pool of water on his head. :-b
True 😀 😉
Kitsune is very cute!
Definitely 😉
great way to celebrate! I love padfoot too 🙂
Thanks Daniela. Padfoot is definitely a great one 😉
Aw, I love Padfoot. Interesting collection of creatures – I didn't know all of these.
-Lauren
http://www.shootingstarsmag.net
Awesome right?! I didn't know a lot these either.
Thanks for stopping by!