The Occult Review is a monthly column featuring some of the best customer reviews on books of Magic, Mysticism, Esotericism and more. Reviews featured in this article are submitted by verified owners of the books or products from our site. While all approved reviews earn points, these reviews have earned an additional 250 points for inclusion in this article. If you’d like to have your review considered as part of this ongoing series and earn points towards future purchases, please read about our review program.
SATURN RISING & INTO THE VOID BY J.T. Kirkbride
Written in an accessible and conversational prose, Kirkbride takes the Saturnian enthusiast through the writer’s own personal journey before embarking upon a treatise on Death. Eschewing a necromantic process, the author instead focuses his intention on the contemporary influence Kronos/Saturn imparts on our daily lives.
A Qabalistic quality underlies much of the writing here and a significant portion of the work is dedicated to sacred geometry and the 72 Angels of the Shem Ha-Mephorash with corresponding invocatory psalms.
The book is preparatory in nature, in that it works to build a magical foundation of knowledge for the reader before moving onto the final ritualistic section. Saturnian correspondences to plants, wood selections, minerals, the tarot and ritual tools are discussed at length and the work is well referenced throughout with nods to Crowley, Jung, Levi, Chumbley, etc.
Publisher Aeon Sophia has included the text from Kirkbride’s “Into The Void” to round out this sizable volume. The text concerns the ego-death required to evade the trappings of the liar within us all.
Paring this book with Arthur Moros’ “The Cult of the Black Cube” and/or Frater Acher’s “Holy Daimon” would allow the new initiate to cross-reference elements within the current to develop their own understanding, and most importantly, to foster a level of respect and discipline before undertaking their own Saturnian praxis.
—feroxocculta
PORTAL PAPERS OF THE GOLDEN DAWN
Easily one of the most important publications of Golden Dawn teachings to date. An essential text for every GD Adeptus, but the title Portal Papers of the Golden Dawn makes that fairly clear. What many occultists may not realize is that this information is not available really anywhere else. Even if you search through archives or hunt down digital copies that may be held by some, you would be missing out on Dr Tony Fuller’s introduction which is truly worth its weight in gold.
There has always been and still is a mystery around the speed at which so much of the GD/RRetAC material was produced. Within only a few years, by 1893, the majority of both Outer and Inner Order curricula, initiations and rituals were developed by MacGregor Mathers & W.W. Westcott alone, almost. While debate continues, Dr Fuller’s outline of this previously muddied history of textual development and magical pedagogy in the formative years of the Order of the GD suggests an answer to this Mystery of Mysteries.
The obvious benefits of this text is to see the original and only Portal Grade curriculum, initiation and practices of the members of this probationary grade for the Inner Order, after the initiate has completed their Golden Dawn training. This is it, and I hope you do not miss out. Many who follow the GD system as published by Regardie will also be surprised to see the kinds of things Regardie left out that are standard magical techniques in the grades of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn.
—Frater R.C. “Hermetic Podcast”
ANARCH by Gast Bouschet
An excellent set of occult photographs that weaves together reasons for engaging with one’s environment and working with nature, no matter how gritty it gets, for one’s personal praxis. Reminds me of the concept of the goês as discussed by Frater Acher. If you’re someone that gets into darker shades spirituality and enjoys graphic grimoires, definitely worth checking out!
—mep767
GOETIC ATAVISMS by Frater Acher & Craig Slee
This was my first purchase from Miskatonic Books, a leap of faith, buying a book of high value and I am happy that I made the decision. I ordered Goêtic Atavisms Deluxe Leather Bound Edition from Miskatonic Books on the July 19th and received the packaged by August 2nd, the shipping speed was fast considering that it was coming from the other part of the world as I’m living in Malaysia. The packaged was very well packed with craft papers within cushioning the actual book that comes in another protective book shipping carton box: There was plenty of space on the cushioning to prevent book damages and that was job well done.
The book itself is bound in really good quality leather with visible leather grains throughout, the slipcase was well-made with red cloth covering it neatly. The book is numbered and signed by the author.. and not to forget to mention about the endpapers, they are gorgeous! The pattern reflects the raw forces of chthonic sorcery perfectly.
Since the author has fragranced the book with perfume and left the book in his temple for a while before distributing them to Miskatonic Books, I could smell a hint of incense which complimented the perfume nicely; it was a sensual experience every time I opens and read it. Oh, and the book came with freebies too, it came with customized Goetic Atavisms stickers (also perfumed) and other stickers relating to the author’s website Theomagica, which, was a nice touch by the author.
The writing style of the author is conversational and easy to understand, the theme of the content of the book is no doubt reflecting his values on the integrity of magic (like many of Frater Acher’s books) and exploring chthonic sorcery with the conscious experience of our own bodies. Each chapter came with fresh insights on what goêtic magic is and restoring a craft that is so primal that utilizing our human bodily senses are sufficient to allow us to experience the radical others in nature (through connecting our sentient body and the Chthonic Current) with minimal tools and without orthodoxy.
—danielmong33
A DRUID IN PSYCHOLOGIST’S CLOTHING by Ian C. Edwards, PhD
Anathema Publishing has always been one of my absolute favorites publishers, which says a lot considering how many are out there. The top notch quality of work they produce is always consistent, and this absolutely includes A Druid in Psychologists Clothing. The collectors edition of this title is stunning in itself, with quality material used to produce the spine/covers, beautiful silk like end papers, and smooth thick paper used for the text block. The content itself is also phenomenal. Ian Edwards is a terrific writer, providing us with deep philosophical insight into the thoughts and writings of Howe. I also love the section covering the 4th dimension as quantum mechanics has always been a fascinating subject to me when furthering my esoteric and occult studies.
—Christopher Hincapie
