History OurWerebeastsAreDifferent / Literature

* ''Literature/ConanTheBarbarian'': In "Literature/QueenOfTheBlackCoast", Conan fights werehyenas who are the minions of the story's BigBad.

* ''Franchise/TheDarkTower'': Mordred is a werespider.

** ''Literature/TheHobbit'' features Beorn, a mysterious "skin-changer" who can shapeshift into a bear at will and uses this ability to kill any threats to his peaceful life, mostly orcs and wars. According to Gandalf he is more likely a man who can turn to a bear, rather than a bear who can turn into a man.

* ''Literature/Twisted2010'': Railrunner is a were-roller coaster.

* ''Literature/{{Twisted}}'': Railrunner is a were-roller coaster.

* ''Literature/TheHobbit'' features Beorn, a mysterious "skin-changer" who can shapeshift into a bear at will and uses this ability to kill any threats to his peaceful life, mostly orcs and wars. According to Gandalf he is more likely a man who can turn to a bear, rather than a bear who can turn into a man.
** ''Literature/TheSilmarillion'' also mentions werewolves and a bat-like creature called a "vampire". These demonic creatures are a {{subver|tedTrope}}sion; it's not that they shift between humanoid and animal forms, but rather that they combine both all the time, and they serve Sauron with whom they apparently share the same origin, or at least the first of each species do, as the immortal spirits named Maiar. Sauron and the other [[OurAngelsAreDifferent Maiar]] like him can "shapeshift", since they have no true form (however, their physical forms are not like mortal bodies: the elves refer to them as "veils", and although they can interact with the physical world, they can leave them or they can be destroyed). However, some Maiar end up permanently restrained in mortal bodies (referred to by the Elvish word "hröar") after they have children with humanoids or animals.
** Finrod and Lúthien use magic to shift their own shape as well as those of their companions, sometimes into animals: however, this is a type of illusion spell, rather than true shapeshifting. This spell requires the skin of the individual monster whose form will be taken.
%%The Maeras, a type of great horse with resistance to evil, are said to be descended from one such Maia: Huan probably is a child of such a Maia as well. These half-Maiar in animal shapes can't shift, but they can talk (though how exactly this works isn't specified, and perhaps it is telepathic). Ents are also examples of this: but with trees. Best not to think about ''that'' too carefully.

* ''Literature/TheSilkie'' features genetically modified people who can transform into aquatic, seal-like creatures or into living spaceships.

** ''Literature/TheSilmarillion'' also mentions werewolves and a bat-like creature called a "vampire". These demonic creatures are an {{asubver|tedTrope}}sion; it's not that they shift between humanoid and animal forms, but rather that they combine both all the time, and they serve Sauron with whom they apparently share the same origin, or at least the first of each species do, as the immortal spirits named Maiar. Sauron and the other [[OurAngelsAreDifferent Maiar]] like him can "shapeshift", since they have no true form (however, their physical forms are not like mortal bodies: the elves refer to them as "veils", and although they can interact with the physical world, they can leave them or they can be destroyed). However, some Maiar end up permanently restrained in mortal bodies (referred to by the Elvish word "hröar") after they have children with humanoids or animals.

* ''Literature/TheAquarathi'': The titular aliens natural form is [[SeaMonster a giant spined seaserpent with clawed fins]] who can change into both human and humanoid (basically human but with multi-colored skin, AnimeEyes and sometimes fangs and claws depending on the individual) forms. [[spoiler: There are also genetically mutated hybrids that, again dpending on the individual can sometimes shift into full Aquarathi form bot others can only make a partial shift.]]

** ''Literature/TheSilmarillion'' also mentions werewolves and a bat-like creature called a "vampire". These demonic creatures are an aversion, its not that they shift between humanoid and animal forms, but rather that they combine both all the time, and they serve Sauron with whom they apparently share the same origin, or at least the first of each species do, as the immortal spirits named Maiar. Sauron and the other [[OurAngelsAreDifferent Maiar]] like him can "shapeshift", since they have no true form (however, their physical forms are not like mortal bodies: the elves refer to them as "veils", and although they can interact with the physical world they can leave them or they can be destroyed). However, some Maiar end up permanently restrained in mortal bodies (referred to by the Elvish word "hröar") after they have children with humanoids or animals.
** Finrod and Lúthien use magic to shift their own shape as well as those of their companions, sometimes into animals: however this is a type of illusion spell, rather than true shapeshifting. This spell requires the skin of the individual monster whose form will be taken.

* ''Literature/JenniferScales'' has {{Were Dragon}}s as well as werearachnids (some turn into giant spiders, others into giant scorpions).

* ''Literature/TheMagicGoesAway'': "The Lion in His Attic" features a werewhale, a [[spoiler: weresealion]], and a discussion of what happens to weres when TheMagicGoesAway -- "true" werebeasts are [[spoiler:animals who take human form, and simply revert during the full moon and as magic vanishes from the world they lose the ability to take human form. Their HalfHumanHybrid children retain human form but go feral.]].

* In ''Literature/{{Saurian}}'', by Creator/WilliamSchoell, the titular character and main antagonist is one of a race of hybrids, descended from alien shapeshifters that arrived on Earth during the age of the dinosaurs, most of which took the form of dinosaur-like creatures to blend with the local strongest lifeforms; others eventually took on mammalian forms. While the extinction event that killed off the dinosaurs left most of the aliens (both in saurian or mammalian form) unable to transform anymore, some of their offspring born afterward retained their shifting abilities. A handful of the descendants of both groups survive into the modern age, and some of them (mostly on the mammalian side, who were born as humans) can still change from human to saurian (or a hybrid form) as needed.

* In ''Literature/TheSookieStackhouseMysteries'', there are a wide variety of "weres" able to turn into an assortment of animals. At least once a buffalo and an owl are seen. There are also "shifters", who are true therianthropes and can change into any animal form, but have a preferred default form they must change into on the full moon. Sookie's brother Jason is abducted and bitten by a were-panther, so he turns into a sort of panther-man at the full moon.

* ''Literature/TigersCurse'' focuses on two brothers who have been changed into tigers, though they can change back for one hour every twenty-four; this does not have to be all at once, and TransformationIsAFreeAction, so they can have conversations with their [[SiblingTriangle shared]] LoveInterest by turning human for a few seconds to answer a question and then switching back. Also, when they become human they're [[MagicPants always wearing the clothes that they had when they were cursed]].
* ''Literature/TrashOfTheCountsFamily'' has [[{{Shapeshifting}} Beastmen]], people who can shift between human and animal forms, of all types. Their transformations aren't determined by moon phases, but they are capable of "berserk transformations" that make them incredibly powerful. [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent Wolves]], [[UnscaledMerfolk Whales]], and Cats are just three of the many Beastmen seen or mentioned in the series.
* ''Literature/TheTurning'' by Helen Ellis has werecats. It's genetic, starts sometime during puberty, then lasts for two weeks every year for five years before stopping permanently. The 'turning' is brought on by contact with a cat (real or 'turned'). [[spoiler:There is a cure, but it only works before the second time you 'turn'.]]

* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'' has skinchangers as humans that don't "turn into" animals ''per se'', but instead are able to put their minds into that of an animal. Unlike in the [[Series/GameOfThrones television adaptation]], the term "warg" refers specifically to someone who skinchanges into a wolf, apparently the most common target amongst skinchangers.

* ''Literature/TheHobbit'' features Beorn, a "skin-changer" who can shapeshift into a bear at will and uses this ability to kill orcs. ''Literature/TheSilmarillion'' also mentions werewolves and a bat-like creature called a "vampire". These are intelligent creatures who can shift between humanoid and animal forms, and they serve Sauron. Finrod and Lúthien use magic to shift their own shape as well as those of their companions, sometimes into animals: however this is a type of illusion spell, rather than true shapeshifting. This spell requires the skin of the individual monster whose form will be taken. Sauron and other [[OurAngelsAreDifferent Maiar]] like him can "shapeshift", since they have no true form (however, their physical forms are not real bodies: the elves refer to them as "veils", and although they can interact with the physical world they are maybe not very substantial). However, some Maiar do make real bodies (referred to by the Elvish word "hröar") for themselves in order to have children with humanoids or animals. The Maeras, a type of great horse with resistance to evil, are said to be descended from one such Maia: Huan probably is a child of such a Maia as well. These half-Maiar in animal shapes can't shift, but they can talk (though how exactly this works isn't specified, and perhaps it is telepathic). Ents are also examples of this: but with trees. Best not to think about ''that'' too carefully.

* ''Literature/TheHobbit'' features Beorn, a "skin-changer" who can shapeshift into a bear at will and uses this ability to kill orcs. ''Literature/TheSilmarillion'' also features some magical shapeshifting, which requires the skin of the monster to be imitated.

* ''Literature/SiliconWolfpack'' includes multiple types of hereditary werebeasts. Including [[ScaledUp weresnakes]].

* ''Literature/MercyThompson'' features Mercy, who is a "Walker" (were-coyote).

* "Literature/TheLionInHisAttic" features a werewhale, [[spoiler:a weresealion]], and a discussion of what happens to weres when the magic goes away -- "true" werebeasts are animals who take human form, and simply revert. Their HalfHumanHybrid children retain human form but go feral.

* ''Literature/TheMagicGoesAway'': "The Lion in His Attic" features a werewhale, a weresealion, and a discussion of what happens to weres when TheMagicGoesAway -- "true" werebeasts are [[spoiler:animals who take human form, and simply revert during the full moon; Their HalfHumanHybrid children retain human form but go feral, and as magic vanishes from the world they lose the ability to take human form]].

* In Creator/TaisTeng's book ''De Wortels van het Woud'' (''The Roots of the Forest''), the brother gains the ability to transform into various animals during battles, usually as a werewolf. He attempts to transform into a ''TyrannosaurusRex'' at one point, but the spell is such that it doesn't work with extinct creatures.

* ''Literature/TheBlackCompany':

* ''Literature/NightWatch'': People who can turn into animals are one breed of Other. Werewolves are always Dark, but the rest can apparently be of any alignment. Specifically, Dark shapeshifters can only take on a single animal form, chosen when they initiate. Meanwhile, Light shapeshifters are actually Magicians who are gifted with shapeshifting magic and can take on numerous forms along the same theme. As Light Others, Tiger Cub can shift into various big cats, while Bear can take on bear forms.