Encyclopedia Horrifica
Encyclopedia
Encyclopedia Horrifica: The Terrifying TRUTH! About Vampires, Ghosts, Monsters, and More (also known as E.H. or EnHo_001) is a hardcover book by Joshua Gee.
The book is a nonfiction reference guide exploring "hundreds of fear facts—from aliens
to zombies." It also features Special Investigations in search of real-life x-files such as a haunted house
in New York and P. T. Barnum
's Feejee Mermaid.
In the book and on the Website, readers—usually addressed as "Fear Seekers"—have also discovered a complex hidden story about "Investigator Gee" that has spurred some debate. For example, the endpapers (inside the front and back cover) contain miniaturized scans of more than 80 pages apparently torn from the author's notebook. Similar to the opening credits of the movie Se7en
, each of these notebook pages in turn reveals a new detail about Gee or the subjects covered in the book.
In May 2008, Encyclopedia Horrifica won the Children's Book Council "Book of the Year" Award.
. Although marketed to readers as young as 8 and 9 years old, Encyclopedia Horrifica has also attracted a cult following among teen and adult sci-fi/fantasy/horror fans, receiving favorable reviews from genre publications such as Rue Morgue and Apex Digest
. This is partly due to its (often subtle) tributes to TV shows and movies such as Kolchak: The Night Stalker
, Scream
, Ghostbusters
, The X-Files
, In Search of..., The Shining
, Nightmare on Elm Street , Friday The 13th
and especially The Silence of the Lambs (the death's head moth
on the title page is the "official E.H. mascot").
is "EnHo_000".
Hidden on the back cover is a sequence of letters and numbers reading "EnHo_001", usually pronounced "EN-hoe won." Clues inside the book suggest that this might mean "Encyclopedia Horrifica Book 1".
"EnHo_002" has been revealed to be Joshua Gee's new blog at FearSeekerFiles.com which is still in beta. However, as originally thought, it is revealing secrets within the original book itself.
If one looks at one of Gees' notebook pages in the book, it is revealed that Gee is planning an "EnHo_003", but it has not been revealed what this will be yet.
For the final and most controversial chapter in the book, the author created a miniature replica of his office in order to stage his own death
(or undeath, per page 128). It began as a tribute to Frances Glessner Lee
, a dollhouse-making criminologist who is featured earlier in the book.
According to press materials, it took the author roughly one year to construct and photograph the dollhouse mystery scene, which contains more than 150 meticulously detailed items such as a miniature death's head moth, a grappling hook
, and a tiny comlink headset. In the scene, nearly every miniature item corresponds with another fact or image in the preceding chapters. (For example, a life-sized grappling hook and comlink headset are visible on pages 72 - 73.) One inch in the scene equals one foot in real life (i.e. 1:12 scale).
On October 19, 2007, the author's official website debuted a trailer entitled "Intruder Alert". It simulates surveillance footage of the same dollhouse crime scene
shown and described in the book.
Part II: "That's the Spirit!"
Part III: Every Day Is Halloween
Part IV: Fearsome Fates
The book is a nonfiction reference guide exploring "hundreds of fear facts—from aliens
Extraterrestrial life
Extraterrestrial life is defined as life that does not originate from Earth...
to zombies." It also features Special Investigations in search of real-life x-files such as a haunted house
Haunted house
A haunted house is a house or other building often perceived as being inhabited by disembodied spirits of the deceased who may have been former residents or were familiar with the property...
in New York and P. T. Barnum
P. T. Barnum
Phineas Taylor Barnum was an American showman, businessman, scam artist and entertainer, remembered for promoting celebrated hoaxes and for founding the circus that became the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus....
's Feejee Mermaid.
In the book and on the Website, readers—usually addressed as "Fear Seekers"—have also discovered a complex hidden story about "Investigator Gee" that has spurred some debate. For example, the endpapers (inside the front and back cover) contain miniaturized scans of more than 80 pages apparently torn from the author's notebook. Similar to the opening credits of the movie Se7en
Se7en
Seven is a 1995 American thriller film, which also contains horror and neo-noir elements, directed by David Fincher and written by Andrew Kevin Walker. It was distributed by New Line Cinema and stars Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, Gwyneth Paltrow, R...
, each of these notebook pages in turn reveals a new detail about Gee or the subjects covered in the book.
In May 2008, Encyclopedia Horrifica won the Children's Book Council "Book of the Year" Award.
Critical reception
Reviews to date have been positive with substantial praise devoted to the author's horror-humor writing and the book's design, which includes a holographic cover featuring a skullSkull
The skull is a bony structure in the head of many animals that supports the structures of the face and forms a cavity for the brain.The skull is composed of two parts: the cranium and the mandible. A skull without a mandible is only a cranium. Animals that have skulls are called craniates...
. Although marketed to readers as young as 8 and 9 years old, Encyclopedia Horrifica has also attracted a cult following among teen and adult sci-fi/fantasy/horror fans, receiving favorable reviews from genre publications such as Rue Morgue and Apex Digest
Apex Digest
Apex Magazine, also previously known as Apex Digest, is an American horror and science fiction magazine which began publishing in 2005 out of Lexington, Kentucky. In 2008, Apex Digest ceased printing the American digest size print version and opted to move the magazine online. This free webzine,...
. This is partly due to its (often subtle) tributes to TV shows and movies such as Kolchak: The Night Stalker
Kolchak: The Night Stalker
Kolchak: The Night Stalker is an American television series that aired on ABC during the 1974-1975 season. It featured a fictional Chicago newspaper reporter — Carl Kolchak, played by Darren McGavin — who investigates mysterious crimes with unlikely causes, particularly ones law...
, Scream
Scream (film)
Scream is a 1996 American slasher film written by Kevin Williamson and directed by Wes Craven. The film stars Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Drew Barrymore, and David Arquette...
, Ghostbusters
Ghostbusters
Ghostbusters is a 1984 American science fiction comedy film directed by Ivan Reitman and written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. The film stars Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Harold Ramis, and Rick Moranis and follows three eccentric parapsychologists in New York City, who start a...
, The X-Files
The X-Files
The X-Files is an American science fiction television series and a part of The X-Files franchise, created by screenwriter Chris Carter. The program originally aired from to . The show was a hit for the Fox network, and its characters and slogans became popular culture touchstones in the 1990s...
, In Search of..., The Shining
The Shining (film)
The Shining is a 1980 psychological horror film produced and directed by Stanley Kubrick, co-written with novelist Diane Johnson, and starring Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, and Danny Lloyd. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Stephen King. A writer, Jack Torrance, takes a job as an...
, Nightmare on Elm Street , Friday The 13th
Friday the 13th
Friday the 13th occurs when the thirteenth day of a month falls on a Friday, which superstition holds to be a day of bad luck. In the Gregorian calendar, this day occurs at least once, but at most three times a year...
and especially The Silence of the Lambs (the death's head moth
Death's-head Hawkmoth
The name Death's-head Hawkmoth refers to any one of the three species of moth in the genus Acherontia. The former species is primarily found in Europe, the latter two are Asian, and most uses of the common name refer to the European species...
on the title page is the "official E.H. mascot").
Awards
- Winner of the CBC Book of the Year Award
- A Bram Stoker Award for Best Non-FictionBram Stoker Award for Best Non-FictionThe Bram Stoker Award for Best Non-Fiction is an award presented by the Horror Writers Association for "superior achievement" in horror writing for non-fiction.-Winners and nominees:Nominees are listed below the winner for each year....
Finalist - A YALSA Quick Pick for Young AdultsYouthYouth is the time of life between childhood and adulthood . Definitions of the specific age range that constitutes youth vary. An individual's actual maturity may not correspond to their chronological age, as immature individuals could exist at all ages.-Usage:Around the world, the terms "youth",...
- An NYPL Book for the Teen Age
The EnHo System
According to the official Encyclopedia Horrifica website, Gees' blog on MySpaceMySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
is "EnHo_000".
Hidden on the back cover is a sequence of letters and numbers reading "EnHo_001", usually pronounced "EN-hoe won." Clues inside the book suggest that this might mean "Encyclopedia Horrifica Book 1".
"EnHo_002" has been revealed to be Joshua Gee's new blog at FearSeekerFiles.com which is still in beta. However, as originally thought, it is revealing secrets within the original book itself.
If one looks at one of Gees' notebook pages in the book, it is revealed that Gee is planning an "EnHo_003", but it has not been revealed what this will be yet.
Dollhouse mystery scene
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
(or undeath, per page 128). It began as a tribute to Frances Glessner Lee
Frances Glessner Lee
Frances Glessner Lee was a millionaire heiress who revolutionized the study of crime scene investigation. She founded Harvard's department of legal medicine, the first program in the nation for forensic pathology.-Biography:...
, a dollhouse-making criminologist who is featured earlier in the book.
According to press materials, it took the author roughly one year to construct and photograph the dollhouse mystery scene, which contains more than 150 meticulously detailed items such as a miniature death's head moth, a grappling hook
Grappling hook
A grappling hook is an anchor with multiple hooks , attached to a rope; it is thrown, dropped, sunk, projected, or fastened directly by hand to where at least one hook may catch and hold. Generally, grappling hooks are used to temporarily secure one end of a rope. They may also be used to dredge...
, and a tiny comlink headset. In the scene, nearly every miniature item corresponds with another fact or image in the preceding chapters. (For example, a life-sized grappling hook and comlink headset are visible on pages 72 - 73.) One inch in the scene equals one foot in real life (i.e. 1:12 scale).
On October 19, 2007, the author's official website debuted a trailer entitled "Intruder Alert". It simulates surveillance footage of the same dollhouse crime scene
Crime scene
A crime scene is a location where an illegal act took place, and comprises the area from which most of the physical evidence is retrieved by trained law enforcement personnel, crime scene investigators or in rare circumstances, forensic scientists....
shown and described in the book.
Chapters
Part I: Real Nightmares!- Dracula Lives
- It Came from the Sea
- Alien Invasion
- Howling at the Moon
Part II: "That's the Spirit!"
- Beware of Ghosts
- To Catch a Ghost
- Phantoms on Film
- Permanent Pets
Part III: Every Day Is Halloween
- Odd Shops & Eerie Eateries
- Amazing Brain Waves
- The Black Cat's Path
- The Forbidden Bookshelf
Part IV: Fearsome Fates
- To Be or Not Zombie
- Tricked by Pixies
- The Curse of the Mummy
- Gruesome Good-Byes