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View Full Version : Two Recent Purchases, Opinions Desired



CrimsonSheep
03-05-2009, 09:43 PM
I bought two books and I'd appreciate anyone's opinions on them. They are Essential Ásatrú by Diana Paxson and True Magick by Amber K.

I'm actually almost done with Paxson's, and it has seemed very informative, but while she does wonderful citations on what she's taken from the mythos, it seems like I have no way of knowing if she's legit in the realm of actual history or if she's just pulling stuff from her arse. Besides that, I found it rather good if too author-focussed in discussing the deities and heroes and so on, and I have enjoyed it. To be honest, I'm hoping at least some of her history is fact, because it seems to make a lot of sense and supports a certain theory of mine on the Gaulean[sic?] leader Vercingetorix.

I've seen Amber K's work recommended highly by some, but I've also learned to beware the "fluff" that seems to encompass most of Llewellyn's publications these days (Ravenwolf et. al.). Then again, I'm the kind of person who will read anything once (or try to) and try to learn something even if a lot of it is bad information (again I feel I must cite Ms. Ravenwolf).

Any experience with either of these books/authors?

redhand
03-05-2009, 11:56 PM
Amber K is fluff.IMHO

Diana L. Paxson is ecclectic in her approach and is worth the read but, a little too reliant on the inventive modern writers.

If you are interested in Ásatrú these are some good authors to look into, Kveldulf Gundarsson, Yngona Desmond, Swain Wodening and, Sweyn Plowright.

Edred Thorsson aka Stephen Flowers, has done good research though his system is not for everyone.

Stay away from Blum.

CrimsonSheep
03-06-2009, 12:08 AM
Amber K is fluff.IMHO

Diana L. Paxson is ecclectic in her approach and is worth the read but, a little too reliant on the inventive modern writers.

If you are interested in Ásatrú these are some good authors to look into, Kveldulf Gundarsson, Yngona Desmond, Swain Wodening and, Sweyn Plowright.

Edred Thorsson aka Stephen Flowers, has done good research though his system is not for everyone.

Stay away from Blum.
That's my previously influenced understanding as well, but eh, I paid for it so I might as well read it, right? Might get something out of it.

She did mention Gundarsson and Thorsson in her work, along with numerous others and tons of references to the Eddas. I'll be sure to look up the ones you've listed, as well as all of the others Paxson mentions. Thank you.

redhand
03-06-2009, 12:42 AM
No problem!LOL

Even though I think of Amber K as fluff that's just a opinion. I'm sure you will get something out of it none the less! Good reading to you!:D

CrimsonSheep
03-06-2009, 02:37 AM
No problem!LOL

Even though I think of Amber K as fluff that's just a opinion. I'm sure you will get something out of it none the less! Good reading to you!:D
I actually kind of (perhaps arrogantly) pride myself on being able to read fluff, acknowledge, "This is fluff," and still say, "But I can use this, and this here, and if I change that a little it works, and I like the way s/he phrases that, and even though s/he's got no idea what s/he's on about here, this part after it might mean this," and so on.

Although maybe that's more of me just way overthinking what I read? Haha.

Thank you again. =]


I read True Magick a long long long time ago (i think 1990 or 1991).

It was/is a good book. She's a "good" magician.
Hmm, that might be the problem, heh. "Good" doesn't like to be liked by me. I'm a little edgy already because of the emphasis the summary/review on the site I bought it from placed on ethics. I've got my own sort of "code" and most "good" people tend to have ones a lot stricter, so there's conflict there.


I haven't read "Essential Asatru" but I did read her Rune Book a while back.

It was an awesome Rune book. :)
I very much like the runes, and I'll absolutely look for it. I liked her style, though it was a little bland at first. (I reminded myself of the beginnings of a lot of good fantasy books and plowed on, heh.) Speaking of fantasy books, to be honest, I've liked runes ever since I first read Tolkein's The Hobbit. The edition I got from my school library was a green leather-bound copy with runes around the front cover. Later when I'd gotten his trilogy under my belt (and it's list of the Cirth in the appendix), I translated them and felt proud of myself, haha.
Since I started working with magic, I've actually used Tolkein's runes for sigils. I think learning "real" runes and using them would probably give more of a kick to my workings.
[/tangent]


Mr. Blum ignored the ancient books (Odin himself)
& "tainted" the Runes with the I-Ching, but his system still works.

By tainted, I don't mean it in a bad way. The I-Ching works great.
Kind of seems like two things that wouldn't really mesh well, though, to me. Like orange soda and chocolate ice cream; awesome alone, but mix them together and they don't work. (For me, anyway. Not that I've used the I-Ching or, technically, runes.)
I am interested in (someday, haha) learning about the I-Ching as well as other Eastern Mystical practices and theories and so on. (Along with everything else in the world there is to learn, of course! :D )


Lots of systems still work even after stripping them of their ancestors
(just look at the way the Golden Dawn & the Freemasons stripped out all traces of Black People from Egyptian Magic/Religion).
I think that would only work for some, though. At the very least, I can think of Ásatrú for one that would wither without its background, but perhaps that's simply my interpretation. It may be possible for someone to make it work for them. Probably wouldn't for me, though.


Best wishes in your studies :)

know thyself,
myro
Thank you. =]