A fairy-tale world inhabited by supernatural beings has always attracted man. Myths, tales, legends of all the peoples of the Earth contain stories about such fantastic creatures as werewolves.
The story of a mythical creature
The supernatural ability of a werewolf lies in the ability to transform into an animal. Such stories were very common in the mythology of many peoples. Moreover, in half of the tales the werewolf was a positive character, and his ability did not cause a negative attitude towards him. In Slavic folklore there are many examples when the hero turned into an animal: the frog princess in the fairy tale of the same name, the epic hero Volga Svyatoslavich, who, at his request, took the form of a pike, a lion, an ermine and a bird.
In addition to man, many fabulous creatures had the ability to turn into a beast: brownie, kikimora, witch, demon, evil spirit.
Most often in myths and fairy tales, the werewolf turns into a wolf. In different countries, such a creature is called differently: volkolak, werewolf or lycanthrope. In addition to the wolf, the werewolf can take the form of a fox (kitsune), a raccoon dog (tanuki), a leopard (aniot) and other animals.
Books about werewolves: novels to read
Amazing, scary and attractive stories about mythical creatures that are able to turn into a beast, could not pass by the world of art. In the first place is literature. Books about werewolves are in constant demand among readers.
“Little Red Riding Hood” by Sarah Blackley-Cartwright is an impressive thriller about the girl Valerie, who is threatened with death from a terrible monster who has been terrorizing the inhabitants of her native village for many years. The worst thing is that one of them is that same monster, but the girl does not know how to calculate it. The story of the creation of the novel is very interesting. It was written according to the script of the film of the same name, since its creators considered that the plot of the picture was worthy to become a full-fledged novel.
Books about werewolves are presented by another popular series - “Ice and Fire” by George Martin. In it, these supernatural beings are called “wargs.” These are not classic werewolves in the truest sense of the word. A person with a special gift does not turn into an animal. He can inhabit it and take possession of the mind, while being at a distance. Usually he is able to subjugate an animal with which he has a spiritual connection, but strong werewolves are able to take control of the mind of any living creature and even a person.
Of the collections of works about werewolves and lacanthropes, the werewolf's anthology Steven Jones is most popular. It contains more than 20 stories of famous writers and newcomers to the literary field.
Sabina Baring-Gould's Book of Werewolves is a wonderful attempt to bring together folklore and historical tales of these creatures. The book is interesting because it was written by a cleric in the 19th century. It is still one of the most detailed works on the subject of lycanthropy.
Stephen King, a recognized horror artist, also contributed to the werewolf book. He wrote the shortest novel in his life, called the Werewolf Cycle. For a writer whose volume of books is always impressive, this is strange. The fact is that King was asked to create 12 stories for a calendar dedicated to werewolves and other werewolves. As usual, the writer did not fit into the framework of small stories. The calendar idea failed, and King released his written works as a separate book.
Books about werewolves (novels and novels, stories and fairy tales) cannot leave anyone indifferent. Their plot is always full of bright events and adventures, and the mystical component makes them even more interesting.
Werewolves and vampires: books about famous monsters
In mythology and folklore, these are two different types of supernatural beings. But they have a lot in common. The fact is that vampires are also werewolves, because they are able to take the form of bats.
Werewolves and vampires, books about which are always of genuine interest to the reader, have become the heroes of many popular novels. In the 19th century, Bram Stoker's Gothic novel Dracula made a real sensation. In it, a vampire aristocrat appears in three guises: a bat, a black dog, and fog.
Nowadays, the popularity of works about vampires and werewolves is constantly growing. This was largely due to the emergence of a series of books by Stephanie Mayer, The Twilight Saga.
Romance and love
The theme of love is touched on in almost all works on mystical creatures. Books about werewolves and love are vivid proof of this. Stephanie Mayer devoted a whole series of her novels to this topic, the central characters of which are both vampires and werewolves. Meyer describes in the Twilight Saga not just romantic relationships, but a classic love triangle. Its members are a vampire, a man and a werewolf. The series of novels of the writer became famous immediately after the release of the first book, and their adaptations made the theme of vampires unusually popular with the audience.
Books about werewolves and love are a popular genre of modern novels. Among them, one should highlight Claudia Gray's novel “Doomed” - a beautiful love story of a werewolf and a charming girl, as well as a series of books “Werewolf's Werewolves” by Mary Janice Davidson.
Conclusion
Books about werewolves are one of the popular genres of modern literature. They attract the reader with an interesting, exciting plot, in which mysticism and romance, horrors and adventures are intertwined.