Real Vampires, Night Stalkers, and Creatures from the Darkside

By Brad Steiger

Visible Ink Press

43311 Joy Road #414

Canton, MI 48187-2075

2009, 304 pages, $24.95 US

ISBN-13: 978-1-57859-255-5

Reviewed by Brent Raynes

Brad Steiger carefully, thoroughly, and yet entertainingly examines the vampire legend from multiple levels of perceived reality in order to more accurately and potentially extract relevant data and to more meaningfully define the true implications behind such reported occurrences and states of being, ever mindful to separate fact from fiction in an attempt to better discern the proverbial and all important truth of such matters. A skilled author and a most knowledgeable, seasoned researcher and investigator of subjects dark and mysterious, Brad recounts for his readers reports of frightening encounters with what he calls parasitic spirits that may possess their human hosts, feeding upon their life force, and judging from the lurid descriptions of horrible crime scene murders perhaps even feeding upon the life essences of others. Brad assures us that the real vampire, the parasitic, shape-shifting variety, is nothing like the romanticized, seductive version of popular Hollywood fame. They walk freely in the light of day, crucifixes have no affect on them, and they don’t offer immortality, only pain and death.

But as I stated, Brad explores other levels and categories of reality and perception with regard to the vampire phenomenon and legend. Besides spirit possession and encounters with presumed parasitic entities of various descriptions (and this book has some fascinating first-hand accounts), and exploring in detail the historical background behind ancient encounters with supernatural beings like Lilith, the Jinn and the Nephilim, Brad skillfully traverses with us through numerous other landscapes and scenarios. While the main focus of this book is on the supernatural elements of such matters, we are also introduced to a subgroup of people within our society who call themselves “vampires,” the majority of whom claim to feed on the psychic energy of other humans rather than using their blood. Brad also introduces us to porphyria, the so-called “vampire’s disease,” or Renfield’s Syndrome, or to what psychologists refer to as a werewolf psychosis popularly called lycanthropy, to crazed serial killers who imagine themselves to possess a supernatural need to kill others, for whatever reasons. Growing numbers of psychologists, psychiatrists and clergy though are recognizing that mental delusion, illness and psychosis does not fit the profile of all of these cases. Sometimes it’s of a more inexplicable, supernatural character, and Brad has a lot of those stories too. Be sure and read his chapters Haunted by the Dybbuk, The Secondhand Sofa Came with the Spirit of a Vampire, Vampires from UFOs, Black-Eyed Beings, The Shadow People, and Multidimensional Mimics to further generate an extra little chill going up and down your spine! This book also has 90 illustrations and photographs. Some truly talented artists contributed some great artwork to this volume.

A true must read, though you might want to read it in the daytime rather than late at night on a full moon.

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What on Earth? Inside the Crop Circle Mystery

Produced & Directed by Suzanne Taylor

Mighty Companions, Inc.

1500 Sunset Plaza Drive

Los Angeles, CA 90069

Website: www.WhatOnEarthTheMovie.com.

2009, 83 Minute DVD Video, $24.95

Reviewed by Brent Raynes

Suzanne Taylor, the producer and director of this documentary video, has been involved with film productions for many years. A former actress, she one day decided to cross over to the other side of the camera, and in 2002 produced the award-winning film, CROP CIRCLES: Quest for Truth. Her work on this present film, What on Earth? actually began back in 2003. As you will quickly gather in watching this video, Suzanne has interviewed countless “croppies” (those who study and marvel at the crop circle phenomenon) on the scene in England, where crop circles keep appearing year after year. She has been visiting the British countryside since 1993 and collected an immense film library of these enigmatic crop circles from the ground and from the air, interviewing a staggering range of “experts” and assorted curiosity seekers and eyewitnesses. The full spectrum of stories and theories are entertained, ranging from UFOs, quantum physics, meteorological conditions, to outright hoaxes (which all seem to agree is part of the equation, but then there are those, that for various reasons, do not appear to be simple man-made constructions, and around which people report very anomalous occurrences from strange lights, sensations, unusual electronic and camera equipment malfunctions, etc.)

Just about all of the major authoritative figures in this field were interviewed for this documentary. It’s a genuine tour de force on this complex and controversial subject.