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Creatures 1: The Silla Monster Pirate Wars: Artisan Chapter 1
Creatures 1: The Silla Monster Pirate Wars: Artisan Chapter 1
Description
Book Introduction
The vast sea of ​​imagination,
A story about a monster swimming freely

"Creatures" is the ambitious work of Kwak Jae-sik, a monster doctor(?) who has been obsessively collecting native monsters from our traditional tales, folktales, and literary records for a long time.
As if determined to tell a more interesting story than ever before, Kwak Jae-sik summons mysterious and vibrant native monsters before us.
The lively wit of writer Kwak Jae-sik has met with writer Jeong Eun-gyeong and illustrator Ahn Byeong-hyeon, who have written numerous animation scenarios, to create the first volume of the Korean fantasy series, 『Creatures』.


Sososaeng, a young boy who wants to succeed as a jokester who makes others laugh, believes a suspicious man who promises to make him a great jokester and gives him a valuable treasure.
The one who swindled a young boy was the legendary conman and peerless pirate, Cheolbulga! Cheolbulga, with a dazzling history of fraud, was already being hunted by other pirate groups. Soso-saeng, who was chasing Cheolbulga, is suddenly mistaken for one of Cheolbulga's gang and becomes the number one target of this fearsome pirate group...
How on earth did I end up entangled with such a nemesis? Without even the time to lament my fate, I find myself fleeing the seas to escape a band of pirates, only to find myself facing even more bizarre monsters: a white dragon that lashes out with violent storms and lightning, a red-crowned fish that impales drowning humans on its horns and devours them, and a craftsman so tall he can't be seen in one glance, even if I tilt my head back.
Will they be able to return home safely, or even survive?

"Creatures" is a novel that maximizes the audiovisual experience, as if watching a video.
The wit that suddenly reverses the tension in the midst of fast-paced events and tragic scenes with humor, and the illustrations that recreate a fantastical worldview by blending historical research and the power of imagination, provide an immersive experience that transcends the limitations of text.
This will be a great choice for teenagers who enjoy fantasy novels, as well as fans who have been waiting for a new Korean creature film.


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index

Prologue… 4
Chapter 1 … 8
Chapter 2 … 30
Chapter 3 … 45
Chapter 4 … 57
Chapter 5 … 72
Chapter 6 … 80
Chapter 7 … 90
Chapter 8 … 107
Chapter 9 … 121
Kwak Jae-sik's Monster Encyclopedia… 135

Detailed image
Detailed Image 1

Into the book

Under the starry night sky, Cheolbulga and I stood precariously on the railing of a pirate ship, a noose around our necks.
Both hands were tied behind his back and both feet were tied with rope.
Looking down at our feet, we saw monster fish with long, sharp horns like spears in the dark sea, waiting for us to fall.
They leaped out of the sea like bloodthirsty sharks, ready to stab us to death.
If you cut the rope, you will be impaled by the monster's horns and die, and if you pull the rope, you will be strangled and die.
How did I end up getting involved with Cheolbulga and dying?
Even in this yard, the author is whistling and looking at the stars, which is frustrating.
I'm only seventeen!
I, who lived an ordinary and good life!
I just wanted to be popular as a gossip!
I will tell you the sad and unfortunate story of how he died.
--- p.4~5

Something with thick black hair was walking between the dark clouds and the wind and rain.
It was dark and windy, making it difficult to open my eyes, so I couldn't see clearly.
Thump thump. With every step it took, the ground shook and the water in the puddle rippled.
“It’s… a monster!”
The merchant said, trembling.
“……Have you ever heard a strange story about me?
“They say there is a country inhabited by giants on an island in the east.”
The black, furry monster crushed three pirates to death like ants with its palms as thick as mountains, and skewered six pirates to death with its long, spear-like claws.
“That guy has long fingernails.
“Its teeth are sharp like saws and it is said to eat people.”
The monster's eyes, having missed its prey, turned towards the iron man and the merchant.
“His name is… Jang-in…….”
Before the trader could finish speaking, the monster's hand snatched him away.
--- p.27~29

“These are red flags.
It means a fish with red horns.
Do you know why they call them red horns when they're white? If you get pricked by one of their horns, you'll be impaled like a skewer and dragged around alive until you die.
It is called a red horn fish because its white horn turns red when stained with blood.
Being impaled on a horn, pierced through the organs, and eaten by this guy and that guy.
“To the point where I’d rather die? Hahaha.”
The black tuna, laughing coldly in the darkness, truly looked like a grim reaper, just like its nickname.
Soso-saeng's legs were shaking so much that he almost slipped off the railing.
Seeing that, Black Samchi's subordinates held their stomachs and laughed.
As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I could see that the horns of the red-crowned crane were indeed stained red with blood.
The larger the creature, the more severed human limbs it had stuck into its horns like skewers.
Every time the red-crowned crane flapped its wings, the severed limbs also appeared to be alive and wriggling.
“I can’t kill you guys easily.
“I’ll make you tremble all night long and beg for me to kill you.”
--- p.82

As soon as the ferry entered the narrow passage between the reefs, a whooshing gust of wind blew.
The wind was so strong that it was difficult to open my eyes.
Whale's hair fluttered in all directions.
Even the black tuna had a hard time opening its eyes due to the sudden wind.
The sea scorpion raised its arm to block the wind blowing towards its face.
At that moment, something long and white appeared between the sky and the sea.
“……White Dragon?”
Soso-saeng couldn't believe what was happening before his eyes and muttered to himself.
But it was definitely a white dragon.
A white dragon rose from the sea into the dawning sky, its body rising like a dragon.
“It’s Lady Jang! Lady Jang has appeared!”
The pirates shouted.
The pirates panicked and began to steer their ships in the opposite direction.
“The pirates are running away!”
Sososaeng shouted as he saw the pirates turn their bow.
The white dragon that was flying into the sky turned its body and quickly approached the boat carrying Cheolbulga and Soso-saeng.
“Eww!”
Due to the strong wind and high waves, Sososaeng could not open his eyes.
--- p.115~118

Thud thud.
Sticky raindrops fell.
Soso-saeng wiped the rain that fell on his face with his hand.
My palms turned a bloody red, and a pungent, bloody smell vibrated through my nostrils.
"blood?"
Two huge pillars covered in black fur appeared.
At first glance, a large monster that looked to be over twenty feet tall was standing on two legs and looking down at Sososaeng.
The red rain was falling from a great height.
Blood dripped from the teeth of whoever had eaten him, falling like rain.
No matter how much Sososaeng raised his head, he could not see his father-in-law's face.
Cheolbulga threw the oar he was relying on in the water at the craftsman and started running away on his own.
He tried to run away, splashing water, but a large hand grabbed him.
“Eww!”
The hand that had snatched the iron Buddha had several human heads dangling from each fingernail like finger puppets.
--- p.132~134

Publisher's Review

Monster Doctor Kwak Jae-sik,
Discover the freshest and most original materials!

These days, the whole world is crazy about Korean-made creature movies like [Train to Busan], [Kingdom], [Sweet Home], and [All About Our School].
However, in most works, the characters and backgrounds are set in Korea and Korean, and it is difficult to find our own unique creatures.
Why doesn't anyone pay attention to Korean creatures? Why do we rattle off the names of monsters from Western tales and folktales, yet are dumbfounded when asked to name a single native creature? Korea, too, had its monsters; we simply long ago forgot about them.
And here, there is someone who has been stubbornly collecting native monsters that no one has paid attention to for so long.


Author Jae-sik Kwak, who holds a PhD in engineering from KAIST and is known as a science fiction novelist who covers a wide range of topics including science, history, and fantasy, is more familiar to us as a 'monster collector' in addition to his eye-catching resume.
He has been widely informing the public about Korean monsters through books such as Encyclopedia of Korean Monsters and Monsters, Another Landscape of Joseon, based on actual historical records (Goryeosa, Dongguk Yeoji Seungram, Samguk Yusa, Seongho Sasul).
The monster data compiled by the author in this way became the foundation for creating the unique worldview of ??Creatures??, and presents us with monsters that are vicious yet somehow human, and unfamiliar yet somehow lovable.

Humor and satire, offering a timeless connection!

The main characters in ??Creatures?? are pirates who claim to be the new masters of the sea after Jang Bogo's death.
The three forces, Black Samchi, a female grim reaper known for her cruelty, Sea Scorpion, a fighter with a venom stronger than a scorpion's, and Whale Eye, a righteous thief who distributes the plundered wealth to the people, are engaged in a battle surrounding the three seas.
Why Pirates? Based on the historical research of the Silla pirates (Silla pirates) in the Samguk Sagi (History of the Three Kingdoms), author Kwak Jae-sik unflinchingly portrays the corrupt Silla royal family and the tyranny of high-ranking officials.
It can be said with certainty that the weak and feeble people are not responsible for the decline of a nation's fortunes, whether past or present, regardless of East or West, past or present.
Through pirates who rebel against the order of the Silla royal family, the author presents us with a thrilling and refreshing reversal that breaks through the absurd reality.
Moreover, the clumsy but poignant words of wisdom from the wise man Sososaeng convey warm comfort to us who live today.

Kwak Jae-sik's imagination becomes a 4D image!

The age of text is over, the age of video has arrived? They say we're living in the golden age of video, but there's a book that offers both the joy of reading and the pleasure of watching! ??Creatures?? is a fantasy work that offers a synesthetic experience, almost like watching a movie.
Writer Eun-kyung Jeong, who has written texts that are realized through video through numerous animation scenarios, systematically composes visual descriptions and auditory effects in each scene, showing the limits of imagination that can never be contained within the limitations of a square video frame.
In addition, artist Ahn Byung-hyun recreates the dynamic appearance of native monsters reinterpreted in a modern way, and depicts protagonists freely roaming and exploring imaginary worlds.


You won't be able to take your eyes off the thrilling action scenes of unique pirates!

The thrilling action scenes of pirates are also one of the main points of enjoyment in Creatures.
The unique pirates freely use weapons from ancient literature, such as the 'magpie blade with a body carved like an magpie that can fire arrows in rapid succession', the 'five-scabbard sword', and the 'sangno', which is placed on a table and fired to inflict fatal blows on the enemy, to display a scale that is impossible to take your eyes off.
And the graphic novel-style action comics inserted in the middle of the text add to the vividness and immersion of the story.
GOODS SPECIFICS
- Date of issue: August 11, 2022
- Page count, weight, size: 144 pages | 214g | 128*188*20mm
- ISBN13: 9788950908461
- ISBN10: 8950908468

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