Hello everyone and Happy Friday! Over the next three weeks, we’re doing something a little different to celebrate the release of hybrid fictional biography/codex of the strange book, The Resurrectionist: The Lost Work of Dr. Spencer Black by E.B. Hudspeth.
Each Friday, we’ll reveal an exclusive set of images from Doctor Black’s magnum opus, The Codex Extinct Animalia – a Gray’s Anatomy for mythological beasts (including dragons, centaurs and the like). Our mythological beast of focus is the Mermaid (Siren Oceanus) – we’ll unveil 3 series’ of 3 images each week, leading up to our review of the book on May 17. Each week, we’ll also be giving away a poster and final copy of The Resurrectionist.
Without further ado, we are very pleased to give you…
Siren Oceanus
About The Mermaid:
From author E.B. Hudspeth:
Some interesting aspects of the mermaid developed as I was trying to figure out how it might work. It was important for me to stay tuned into the traditional depictions of the mythological animals, as though the folklore was steeped in truth and all I was doing was dissecting it. The obvious hurdle was the fact that these creatures aren’t real. Some of the greater challenges with the mermaid, aside from physical, was the physiological anatomy. Do they breathe air like a dolphin or are they more like a fish? Knowing I was not too limited with reality I explored the options. In the book, Dr. Black concludes that there are many variations of waterborne humans, however, I only illustrate the fish variety.
The first real challenge was the lungs. In other depictions of mermaids the gills are placed in the back of the neck, this never really made sense to me. If the mermaid has primate mixed into it, then the existence of the ribcage should be justified. My mermaid posses a hybrid respiratory system that allows water to pass through lungs then out through the gills were oxygen is absorbed. When above water the lungs would operate normally with the use of the diaphragm. This system allows the mermaid to surface, speak, and of course sing its fabled song of seduction.
About the Book:
Philadelphia. The late 1870s.
A city of cobblestone sidewalks and horse-drawn carriages. Home to the famous anatomist and surgeon Dr. Spencer Black. The son of a “resurrectionist” (aka grave robber), Dr. Black studied at Philadelphia’s esteemed Academy of Medicine, where he develops an unconventional hypothesis: What if the world’s most celebrated mythological beasts—mermaids, minotaurs, and satyrs— were in fact the evolutionary ancestors of humankind?
The Resurrectionist offers two extraordinary books in one. The first is a fictional biography of Dr. Spencer Black, from his humble beginnings to the mysterious disappearance at the end of his life. The second book is Black’s magnum opus: The Codex Extinct Animalia, a Gray’s Anatomy for mythological beasts—dragons, centaurs, Pegasus, Cerberus—all rendered in meticulously detailed black-and-white anatomical illustrations. You need only look at these images to realize they are the work of a madman. The Resurrectionist tells his story.
Check out the book trailer below for more about the book:
If you’re still not satisfied, you can read more about the book on the official page HERE. And you can read more about E.B. Hudspeth on his website, too.
The Giveaway:
We have ONE POSTER and ONE FINAL COPY of The Resurrectionist up for grabs! The contest is open to addresses in the US and will run until Thursday, May 9 at 12:01am EST. To enter, use the form below.
GOOD LUCK!
54 Comments
Trina Burton (The Bookinista)
May 3, 2013 at 12:57 pmThis looks like such a great book! So excited…..
My favorite mythical creature has to be the unicorn (I know boring!) I just love the thought of beautiful gentle white creature.
Sarac
May 3, 2013 at 1:05 pmFor some reason, I like selkies.
laurenbusybeth
May 3, 2013 at 1:09 pmThis looks so cool! I can’t wait to read it!
Alice
May 3, 2013 at 1:25 pmMy favorite was the chinese mythological shapeshifters like the vixens/foxes, or the white snake.
Michelle @ In Libris Veritas
May 3, 2013 at 1:25 pmI don’t really have a favorite to be honest unless you count vampires, but they don’t look all that different. I love dragons and N?ga as well.
Chris
May 3, 2013 at 1:39 pmThis looks very interesting… love the logic built into fantasy.
Have to go with stanard, boring dragon. Hope that this book touches more on the anatomy of dragons than “A Brief History of Dragons” ended up doing.
Kate K.F.
May 3, 2013 at 1:45 pmI love books like this. It reminds me of The Thackeray T. Lampshead Cabinet of Curiosities, a beautiful anthology with illustrations and stories full of great stories. I love books that do this blend of fiction with a strong historical tinge to it and when it works, they’re some of my favorites.
Kate K.F.
May 3, 2013 at 1:47 pmAck and I commented without answering the question. I think pooka and kitsune are my favorites. I love shapeshifters. Sorry for the second comment but I can’t edit.
Vanessa
May 3, 2013 at 1:56 pmThe pegasus, especially as depicted in Robin McKinley’s pegasus.
Lisa Schensted
May 3, 2013 at 1:58 pmMy favorite mythological creature is most certainly the DRAGON. Holla!
rachelh
May 3, 2013 at 4:34 pmI was pretty taken with Anderson’s Mermaid, so I suppose I’d go with Mer. This book looks amazing!
E.Maree
May 3, 2013 at 4:49 pmDragons are my favourite mythological creature, though I also have soft-spots for various more unusual ones. Right now I’m on a Wendigo and Leviathan kick.
Love the look of this book! I think I’ll definitely be picking it up. 🙂
Catherine
May 3, 2013 at 4:58 pm“a “resurrectionist” (aka grave robber)” hehe
This book sounds really interesting; hopefully it works out!
I’m not in the US, but another Robin McKinley fan over here, and I really loved her interpretation of the Kraken in Water: Tales of Elemental Spirits.
Allison
May 3, 2013 at 6:48 pmKelpies! I love Kelpies. They are the most fascinating of the mythological creatures I have come across in my readings(:
Jordan R.
May 3, 2013 at 7:09 pmMy favorites have always been water related. Mermaids. Selkies. The Kraken!
Brendan
May 3, 2013 at 8:11 pmThis looks like a pretty amazing and interesting book.
DebraG
May 3, 2013 at 8:46 pmI have always like the phoenix. Fascinating pictures.
Hannah H
May 3, 2013 at 9:13 pmI’ve always loved trickster characters. I also love shapeshifters, and the two often go hand in hand. At the moment, my favorite is a kitsune.
Kayla
May 3, 2013 at 9:47 pmSounds interesting! My favorite mythological animals would be the sphinx and the Phoenix!
Heidi
May 3, 2013 at 9:52 pmAh!! I am SO excited for this book, the art looks spectacular, I must have it. I feel like Quirk Books puts out some really unique books, and I love them for it. My favorite mythological creature is probably selkies, though that’s unlikely in this book. 😛
JS Daly
May 3, 2013 at 10:22 pmSounds exactly like what the Monstrumologist’s notebooks would look like! Love the Victoriana!
Lashawn
May 3, 2013 at 11:11 pmBig dragon fan here!
Kate & Zena
May 3, 2013 at 11:14 pmI love phoenixes.
erinf1
May 4, 2013 at 12:04 amDragons!!! 🙂 Thanks for the fun post and congrats to EB on the new release!
Lise
May 4, 2013 at 3:16 amFaeries, because of their ambivalent nature, sometimes described as tto bad foor Heaven, too good for Hell.
Ashley @ The Bibliophile's Corner
May 4, 2013 at 11:58 amThis book looks absolutely wonderful. My favorite mythological creature is probably a dragon. 😀
Ariana A.
May 4, 2013 at 12:38 pmThis looks completely awesome. Can’t wait to read it. My favorite mythological creature is the manticore. Monstrously beautiful with composite features of animal and man and voice to lure victims in…
SueCCCP
May 4, 2013 at 3:00 pmIt has to be dragons: especially if they are big and can be tamed to allowing riding! 🙂
MarieC
May 4, 2013 at 3:36 pmThe book looks awesome! My fave mythical creature is the griffin.
Tim R
May 4, 2013 at 6:15 pmLet’s go with Polyphemus.
Victoria Zumbrum
May 4, 2013 at 6:56 pmI love unicorns, pegasus and mermaids. Thanks for the giveaway. Tore923@aol.com
Lexi
May 4, 2013 at 7:15 pmDragons are my favorite, all sizes and all cultures, and I want one.
scribe kira
May 4, 2013 at 7:34 pmzombies (also unicorns)
Matthew
May 4, 2013 at 8:16 pmHmm.. Favorite creature is so hard. Perhaps selkies? I’ve always loved stories of beings that straddle two worlds.
Tonya C
May 4, 2013 at 10:24 pmMy favorite mythological creature is the Centaur!
Rebecca @ Crunchings and Munchings
May 5, 2013 at 1:15 pmI live in Philadelphia and love to go the the Mütter Museum and look at all the creepy medical samples, so I’m really excited about this book! My fave mythological creature? Team Kraken, all the way.
Pabkins
May 5, 2013 at 2:41 pmDefinitely dragons…they will always be my first and favorite.
Devon
May 5, 2013 at 2:54 pmI’ve always been rather fond of chimeras, though I did have a few obsession with dragons when I was about ten.
Lauren
May 5, 2013 at 3:43 pmI’ve always been slightly obsessed with Ancient Egypt, so I’m going to have to say the sphinx, although I don’t think I would be able to answer the riddles very well…
Elizabeth Bevins
May 5, 2013 at 4:16 pmThanks for the entry. I’m fond of the mermaid!
Lauren Sila
May 5, 2013 at 4:25 pmLooks like a really fantastic book! I’m excited to see what other creatures will be in it, aside from my favorite (sirens) which has already been shown!
pamela
May 5, 2013 at 6:15 pmlately, my fave are probably succubi
Justine
May 5, 2013 at 7:37 pmI like the symbolism of the phoenix.
Maya S.
May 5, 2013 at 9:42 pmGotta go with dragons. Dealing with Dragons WAS my childhood!
hapax
May 5, 2013 at 10:31 pmI’m an absolute sucker for tengu, or any sort of mythological or magical crow.
superbwg
May 6, 2013 at 11:31 amI love all watery creatures, mermaids, selkies, kelpies, anything to do with water and I am on board. This book sounds amazing and right up my ally, so very very excited to get my hands on it.
Emma
May 6, 2013 at 12:47 pmI have to go with dragons, any shape or size!
Anna
May 6, 2013 at 3:39 pmI’ve always loved sphinxes!
Stephanie T.
May 6, 2013 at 11:27 pmDragons. Its always been dragons!!!
Kate
May 6, 2013 at 11:49 pmYou know, I honestly can’t choose between the sphinx and the Stymphalian Birds…
Michelle
May 7, 2013 at 1:23 pmOh my gosh the mermaid. TOO PERFECT! I tend to have a thing for pretty and gorgeous creatures that can turn to monsters at any second, or could be twisted into something monstrous. The skeleton just makes that easier but ahhh…
ANATOMICAL DESCRIPTIONS OF MERMAIDS HOW DO YOU GET MORE PERFECT THAN THAT?
Mermaids, mermaids.. so pretty and yet so deadly. Beautiful.
Kate
May 8, 2013 at 12:21 pmThese images are remarkable. They remind me of the kinds of things one finds at the Mutter Museum…
Anonymous
May 8, 2013 at 5:12 pmMy favorite mythological beasts are easily werewolves!
Rhapsody
May 8, 2013 at 8:44 pmI guess it has to be the chimera right now – due to my love of Daughter of Smoke and Bone.