The Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow

Osprey Adventures

by Mark A. Latham, Alan Lathwell (Illustrator)

The legend of Sleepy Hollow is one of the great tales of American folklore, supposedly stemming from Washington Irving's famous short story. But what if there was more to the ghostly fable than meets the eye? What if Irving's account was based on fact? And what if the Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow was not unique, but merely one of a strange line of malevolent spirits sighted across the world, bringing misfortune to all that witness them? Within this book you will find long-forgotten lore about the headless spirits that have plagued mankind for centuries, and perhaps even now seek ingress into our world. The Headless Horseman, and others like him, is at large in the dark places of the world, and should one encounter such a revenant, it is said that tragedy will surely follow…

Genres: Fantasy, Horror, Science Fiction Fantasy

78 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 15, 2015

About the author

Mark A. Latham is a writer, editor, history nerd, proud dogfather, frustrated grunge singer and amateur baker from Staffordshire, UK. An immigrant to rural Nottinghamshire, he lives in a very old house (sadly not haunted), and is still regarded in the village as a foreigner.

Formerly the editor of Games Workshop’s White Dwarf magazine, Mark designs tabletop games, and is an author of strange, fantastical and macabre tales.

Reviews

[Wayne McCoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Osprey Publications. Sometimes you get legitimate military history (I loved their books on medieval soldiers when I was younger), and sometimes you get things like 'The Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow' by Mark A. Latham.

The book starts with the origins of the story by Washington Irving, then goes into how Irving ends up vanquishing the Headless Horseman. With his newfound monster hunting skills, he starts to research other headless horsemen and this leads him to Europe and beyond. He teams up with the Brothers Grimm to take on vengeful spirits. Other similar ghosts from Mexico to Asia are discussed. The book ends with a list of books and film inspired by the story.

There are tons of creepy illustrations of the various headless creatures. I like the idea of Irvingbeing a monster hunter and belonging to secret societies. it was a fun read.

I received a review copy of this ebook from Osprey Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.

[Tabby Shiflett · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25-3.5 Stars
A brief YA historical account of Washington Irving's Sleepy Hollow Headless Horseman and a collection of other headless horsemen throughout history and all over the world. It's very interesting, especially the Grimm Brothers overlap, but I wish it was longer. Some great illustrations are included and there's a short list for further reading and film adaptations at the end of the book. For young readers, supernatural fans, and those of us who enjoy all things Sleepy Hollow.

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[Gaby Cresswell ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mi me dicen "Jinete sin cabeza" y ya me tienen 😂.
Me gustó mucho el enfoque que le dio el autor a la historia de Washington Irving y a Washington Irving como personaje (además de la inclusión de algún que otro nombre de los personajes en Sleepy Hollow (1999) que me hicieron emocionarme mucho je) y luego aprender sobre más fantasmas y entidades decapitadas alrededor del mundo.

[Joe Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable "research" on Washington Irving's career as a ghost hunter of not only the Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow but of also his following research into other headless legends and his battles in defeating them.

[Craig Black · Rating 3 out of 5]

fun read. some interesting folklore

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: ARC via Netgalley
This book is a little strange. It’s partly fiction, but the important aspects aren’t. They are, in fact, a rather good look at the sources and inspiration for Irving’s famous story, “The Headless Horseman”.
Latham portrays Washington Irving a la Gilliam’s Brothers Grimm, as a ghost or supernatural badass hunter, who relies more on his intelligence than his physical ability. It’s this part of the book that falls a little flat for the adult reader. The section might be more entertaining for a teen or pre-teen. The story itself used to frame the information that the book transmits is geared toward the younger audience, an adult might find the story amusing enough, but there is better fiction out there.
Latham makes connections between Irving’s story and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight as well as other European traditions. There is even background itself to the area of Sleepy Hollow and early New York State history.
In short, I can see a teacher using this in a classroom to expand upon the legend of Sleepy Hollow. It also would make a good Halloween present. It also includes a further reading and viewing section.

[Eve · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow, a new book in the Dark series from Osprey Publishing, not only explores the possible truth behind the legend, but also weaves a yarn of author Washington Irving himself as a supernatural investigator.

Here's my full review: http://www.geeksofdoom.com/2015/10/14...

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't know what I was getting into when I started this book, I just knew I was a fan of Sleepy Hollow and wanted to give this book a shot. It was well written and well researched. It was an interesting take on Irving's life and I did find it quite interesting. I would recommend this book to fans of Sleepy Hollow or the supernatural. 4 out of 5 stars.

[Stoic_quin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Relatively short - some decent material as a kick off for a call of Cthulhu or Arcanum style game