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‘They rave for food with unceasing frenzy, being always ahungered and never abating the gluttony of their terrible maw.’ Pliny the Elder
 
 This fascinating exploration of the sea monster in all its tentacular forms is a deep dive into the world of sirens, mermaids, Scylla and the kraken from the 3rd century BCE to the modern day, told through writings from ancient myths to early scientific natural histories and iconic literature, intertwined with wonderful contemporary engravings, woodcuts and illustrations. Through these accounts we get a unique perspective on the histories of societies and cultures around the world, taking in significant events like the Age of Sail, the Enlightenment and Darwinian evolution.
 
 With their excess size, claws, tentacles and bloodlust, monsters represent our greatest fears: of the unknown, the dark, the natural world, even ourselves. As stories were passed from generation to generation, they were analogues for dangerous weather events, foreign invaders, enemy nations, physical phenomena and even real animals. They expressed our profound horror of the unknown dangers of the ocean through tales of ships swallowed whole, they explored how the world was created, and they celebrated the dominance of nations through triumphant stories of battle with serpents.
 
 Author Prema Arasu brings together excerpts from Pliny the Elder’s The Natural History, Homer’s The Odyssey, Filipino, Polynesian and Aboriginal Australian myths, Beowulf, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Moby Dick and many other writings by authors such as Tennyson, Browning, Edgar Allan Poe, Jules Verne, HG Wells… Each is brought to life with a lively introduction and beautifully gory woodcuts, diagrams and paintings, making this a gorgeous book that’s sure to draw you in and drag you down…

The Book of Sea Monsters

  • By Prema Arasu

    A fascinating and beautifully illustrated journey through the centuries and around the world in search of the sea monster.
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  • Book Details

    Imprint: Adlard Coles | Pub date: September 2025 | Format: 235 x 210mm | Extent: 224 pages | Word Count: 30,000 words
  • About the Author

    Dr Prema Arasu is a postdoctoral research fellow at the Minderoo-UWA Deep-Sea Research Centre. Prema’s research considers the representation of the deep sea in the popular imagination and the significance of sea monsters across different cultures and mythologies. @prema_arasu

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