If there was ever a good reason for sea and lake monsters not to rear their (arguably) ugly heads, it is that much of the writing that appears on them is shoddy and naïve. Such is demonstrated in this new book: it has good bits, but could have been so much better.

Paul Harrison is well known as a cryptozoological researcher specialising in dracontology (the study of sea and lake monsters) and in this, his second book on the subject, he synthesises British sea and lake monster literature. After a rambling introduction that reads like a stream of consciousness, the sea and lake monsters of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales are reviewed. While some accounts are familiar, others are reported for the first time.

Harrison is to be credited for publishing this new data, collected through correspondence with witnesses and by combing the primary literature. Indeed, his reliance on primary sources (as opposed to synthetic works) casts old reports in a new light and corrects previous errors. Many of Heuvelmans’ citations, in particular, were inaccurate, and Harrison consequently takes him to task. Some accounts - namely those involving dragons or worms in mediaeval England - seem out of place. However, Harrison is conservative when interpreting sightings and often reserves judgement on unlikely or old historical accounts. He is also not afraid to regard dubious reports (such as certain Morgawr sightings from the 1970s) as probable hoaxes.

The two-page ‘conclusion’ appears as an afterthought. Harrison is probably right, though, in regarding giant eels as the culprits behind many sightings and in writing that living plesiosaurs are unlikely.

Besides the problems noted above, this volume fails on two major counts. The first is its zoological accuracy. Scientific names are often written or spelled incorrectly, and facts are often wrong. The palaeontological information appears mostly based on Walking with Dinosaurs and is outdated or incorrect. The word ichthyosaur is consistently misspelt and Harrison’s use of the terms hybrid, species and subspecies suggest that he doesn’t know what these words mean.

Surprising naïvety is displayed in places. When hairs or bristles are reported on a carcass, Harrison states that a shark identity can be dismissed. He accepts coelacanth persistence as evidence for the survival of other Mesozoic groups, with no mention of the ‘red herring’ idea. Most amusing of all is his assertion that scientists display double standards in giving scientific names to mystery cetaceans while not accepting sea serpent reality. The cetaceans concerned are no more ‘accepted’ than are sea and lake monsters. Anyway, a plethora of scientific names have been bestowed (however questionably) on assorted sea and lake monsters.

The second major problem is the deficiencies in grammar, syntax (an otter is said to swim by ‘stroking its hind feet’), spelling and layout. There are no diagrams, no photos and no index.

Sea Serpents and Lake Monsters of the British Isles contains much that will be of use. But the overwhelming technical problems, misinformation and naïvety ruin a work that would have been excellent if done properly.

Overall, a nice compendium ruined by errors and naïvety.