This is the III volume in “The Way of Sacrifice” & the first book in The Devil's Witchcraft.

After my first read through of this book, it felt like a perfect way to round out the material explored in the two earlier works. It does this by delving deeply into the gnosis around the witchgod Belial. It is however, not restricted this topic alone - powerful beings and their place within the current, such as Leviathan and Dagon, are addressed in great detail throughout this work.

As for the true feel, this book feels like a grounded counterpart to The Witchblood Grail(which in itself is another remarkable tome). As for me, there are two notable major rites in this book; one is an astonishing ritual involving an evocation of all the goetia with a very specific and somewhat unique Primal Craft “formula.” The other, details a rite involving a black cat, that is in many ways a counterpart to the bat rite explored within the Altar of Sacrifice.

The occult geography explored in this book is of extreme interest to a student of this current. Of particular note is the material around the subject of 'The Devils Throne'. This feels of prime importance to explaining the role of Belial within the authors current.

The way Smith addresses these topics is again, astonishingly in depth. Within occult texts and works, far to often do we see the author briefly going sideways on a sort of rant or tangent. Mark meanwhile, is extremely direct and concise, demonstrating an almost innate knowledge that some other simply can’t achieve. Something that is on constant display throughout his works.

It also speaks to the authors experience and writing ability that in no point do the books in this series become repetitive - on each page, there is something new for the reader to consider at a deep level. Each rite builds upon the richness of what came before it, as honestly each of the book in the series manages to accomplish.

I feel that, strangely, out of the Sacrifice books this may be the most approachable - that said it is still unashamedly a complex text, that would likely be confusing for someone entirely new to this authors work. As such, its a strong recommendation for those familiar with the prior works, and it bares repeating this authors work is best enjoyed, and digested, in sequence.