As she kicked off Werewolf Appreciation Month it only seems appropriate that she gets to round it off as well. Here is @Madnad with the final review.
A witty, entertaining, satirical guide to life after becoming a werewolf. Although it might not seem ideal to have werewolf-dom imposed by a fiendish bite, there are in fact thousands of werewolves out there – living normal lives. The only difference is that three times a month they double in size, triple in strength and grow a mane of fur. Now this guide shows all new werewolves how to cope with this transition with life-saving tips on how to avoid detection, safeguard your home and deal with the aftermath of attacking someone!
Originally released in 2009, The Werewolf’s Guide to Life is not unique by any means, there are several humorous parodies of guide books to the supernatural, but it is unique in that it is the first one I have read. I have never felt the call to read any of them before, even the other Werewolf guides, but after spending several days dipping in and out of this guide, I enjoyed the experience and may have to look at others. I feel confident that should I ever be bitten, I will cope with the trials and tribulations of Lycanthropy with greater ease.
The book is split into three main sections. The first dealing with the fact you are a newbie Lycan, the second deals with living as a Lycanthrope, and the final section is survival and how to avoid the inherent dangers. It is a comprehensive guide covering diverse topics from the various kinds of Werewolves and how to build a safe room; to dietary requirements and how to tell your loved ones.
“I have good news and bad news. The good news is I’m not a vampire.”
What impressed me the most about this guide, is the vast amount of information and the immense level of detail. For instance, there is a handy ready-reckoner to help you calculate just how much red meat is enough for your hungry wolf-form during a change. It seems that every aspect and concern has been covered, and it is a well written and witty insight into the day to day problems a newly bitten Lycanthrope could face. Not only does the manual address important issues such as how to thrive as a Lycanthrope, but it also serves to dispel many of the common myths. A silver bullet, for instance, can indeed kill you – but mainly because it’s a bullet!
Scattered throughout the chapters are small cartoonish images to illustrate further the advice within the book, often to comedic effect. Their style is that of a newspaper cartoon, but they succeed in conveying the message and compliment the tone of the book well. Some of the more grotesque ones are by far the funniest.
Other enhancements include excerpts from interviews with ‘real’ Lycanthropes, some of which are famous historical figures, and this helps give the book that air of authenticity it is aiming for.
The book succeeds in taking away the pop culture glamour of being a Werewolf as, despite being written with its tongue firmly in cheek, it addresses the issues of Lycanthropy as if it were indeed a real condition. The humour is subtle, occasionally straying into corny, but on the most part – well done. As I read the book, I found myself considering the day to day issues and wondered such things as where I would build my safe room? How would I obtain copious amounts of raw meat without raising suspicion? Could I live with increased facial hair at ‘that time of the month’? It has a very useful appendix at the back that contains dates of the 3 days a month you will be in your wolf form. Unfortunately, this calendar only runs until December 2011, but they have the dates right up to 2015 on the website. Phew!
Having been a Werewolf fan for years (worryingly, according to the book, I am a potential fur chaser), I could kick myself for not reading it sooner. If you are a fan of fur and fangs, you will enjoy this book immensely, and you never know – one day you may need it.
Don’t forget to pick up your copy before the next full moon, and remember kids – Ignorance creates monsters, Lycanthropy does not.
Interview with The Authors
Werewolfs guide to Life – The Talk
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