Rating: 
Summary: Entertaining and well-researched intro to Cryptozoology
Review: It's a shame that an author as experienced and respected as Loren Coleman should feel the need to rush and criticise Mr Levy's book. It does smack a bit of professional jealousy. (And that's not mentioning his shameless plug for his own book!)I, for one, was very impressed by "A Natural History of the Unnatural World." That he has been able to bring together such an extraordinary amount of material in such a lucid and accessible manner is no mean achievement. Levy obviously knows his subject, and I found the way he varies the writing style from entry to entry very effective. It's also very entertaining. A definite recommendation for both experts and non-experts alike. I thought I knew a great deal about the whole field of 'cryptozoology' (especially after reading Mr Coleman's book, amongst others), but this book certainly had enough science and factually based information to teach me much more.
Rating: 
Summary: Irreverent, slightly amusing and marginally educational
Review: It's not easy to review a book like this. Anyone with a genuine interest in cryptozoology will certainly be disappointed at the whimsical and irreverent tone, which pokes fun at the visionary pioneers who have conducted scientifically painstaking research into the likes of Nessie, Mokele m'bembe and Bigfoot. A layperson however, will probably find much to amuse them and just possibly enough material to cultivate an interest in this most fascinating of topics. Amongst the silly stuff are some real facts about cryptids. The Chupacabras in particular is fairly well described and depicted. Separating fact from fancy and blatant fabrication however is not always easy and the running gag about some fictional crusty old gentlemens' club (the address given is actually the Royal Academy of Arts) does wear a bit thin after a while. If you are seeking genuine and scientifically researched material about cryptids, you would do far better by starting with Bernard Heuvelmans's seminal work or even dredging the Internet's many cryptozoology sites for references. In that respect, I would only give this book one star. If, however, you are looking for a book to foster an interest in mystery animals in a young relative or friend (my 11 year old son thought it was "cool"), then you could do a lot worse than this. My overall rating reflects the response from both extremes of potential customer.
Rating:
Summary: Irreverent, slightly amusing and marginally educational
Review: It's not easy to review a book like this. Anyone with a genuine interest in cryptozoology will certainly be disappointed at the whimsical and irreverent tone, which pokes fun at the visionary pioneers who have conducted scientifically painstaking research into the likes of Nessie, Mokele m'bembe and Bigfoot. A layperson however, will probably find much to amuse them and just possibly enough material to cultivate an interest in this most fascinating of topics. Amongst the silly stuff are some real facts about cryptids. The Chupacabras in particular is fairly well described and depicted. Separating fact from fancy and blatant fabrication however is not always easy and the running gag about some fictional crusty old gentlemens' club (the address given is actually the Royal Academy of Arts) does wear a bit thin after a while. If you are seeking genuine and scientifically researched material about cryptids, you would do far better by starting with Bernard Heuvelmans's seminal work or even dredging the Internet's many cryptozoology sites for references. In that respect, I would only give this book one star. If, however, you are looking for a book to foster an interest in mystery animals in a young relative or friend (my 11 year old son thought it was "cool"), then you could do a lot worse than this. My overall rating reflects the response from both extremes of potential customer.
Rating:
Summary: Good, dispite the other reviews
Review: This book is very good, but you must remember it is a work of *fiction*, not fact. It should also not be taken as scholarly cryptozoology, either. It is, however, very funny and light-hearted, and has excellent pictures, photos, and mythical descriptions. It includes many mythical creatures (manticores, unicorns, dragons) and makes up pseudo-plausible explainations for them. This is a good fantasy encyclopedia, and does help to open your mind. I personally recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: a story book
Review: This is a fun book for kids or adults - well illustrated and layed out. this is also pure fantasy in the style of a realistic journal by a faux society. if you are looking for any real cryptozoological information look elsewhere. but for kids it's cool.
Rating:
Summary: Buyer Beware
Review: This is a handsomely published book, with thick glossy paper and numerous pictures and illustrations. However, if you get it thinking it is goint to be a serious or archival study of cryptozoology, you will be disappointed. Its greater emphasis is on purely mythological creatures like mermaids, elves, the sphinx, unicorns, gorgons and other creatures of fantasy, only it purports to pass them all off as not only actual living creatutes, but as still surviving in remote pockets of the world. The volume does so with a straight face, and purported eyewitness accounts. If you are fascinated by accounts of creatures that "might be", like bigfoot, lake monsters, mothman, or dinosaur survivors, then stay away from this book, which is basically a treatise on fantasy creatures presented for a junior high audience with liberal dashes of pseudo-science thrown in for good measure. Again, its copious illustrations and colorful format are its best feature. More serious students of mysterious creatures would be better served by "The Unexplained" by Dr. Karl P. Shuker, an equally well-illustrated book that is dedicated to more probable instances of cryptozoology.
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