Hypatia\’s Hoard of Reviews
Books, Music, and Other Items
AnooX Traffic
-
2SearchBlogs Web DirectorySEO friendly business web directory.
Feed Directory - 88tem.com
A1 Web Links - Environment Resources
-
-
Shop at Holly Lisle’s Site
Owlsight (Valdemar: Darian’s Tale, Book 2)
Owlsight 
Sequel to the recent Owlflight, this novel picks up the story four years later when Darian returns to k’Vala Vale. At the same time, the village of Errold’s Grove takes center stage again, having recovered from the barbarian invasion and grown prosperous again. Now Darian plans to establish a small Tayledras holding near Errold’s Grove, to facilitate trade between his adopted people and those of his homeland. Back in the village, a young Healer called Keisha struggles to master her Gift with not-quite-adequate teaching and support. Then, just to make life exciting, another group of barbarians appears to the north, moving towards Errold’s Grove and upsetting everyone — Valdemaren and Tayledras alike — who remembers the attack several years ago. But this time the circumstances are rather different…
This book continues the story of those characters we came to know and love in the last volume, while adding enough new faces to keep things interesting. In particular I enjoyed seeing the developments based on little touches from Owlflight — the way that the villagers treat Healer Keisha so much better than they did Wizard Justyn, the statue of Justyn that Darian demanded as a prerequisite for his return, and the evolution of relationships among the Tayledras as well. I also applaud the neat twist in reasoning behind the new wave of barbarians, which picks up on several loose threads from the past and also sidesteps the more obvious traps of repetition; there are a few good surprises in here. Likewise, the characterization of both individuals and cultures remains excellent and entertaining.
Owlsight holds the most appeal for Mercedes Lackey fans, and while it is a complete story in its own right, it will make more sense if you’ve read the prequel first. Anyone with an interest in birds of prey will find these books of interest. Recommended.
This review originally appeared in Eternity Online.
Possibly Related Posts:
- Book Review: The Pagan Book of Living and Dying
- Book Review: The First Civilizations
- Book Review: Flesh and Silver
- Book Review: Message from the Sparrows
- Book Review: Walking to Mercury
Message from the Sparrows: Engaging Consciousness
As an introduction to the Sufi belief system, Message from the Sparrows ranges from subtle to blunt, but always remains deeply insightful. This is the story of a college class on Sufism which the author taught; he uses the students’ experiences to light the way for others to follow.
Overview: Sufism upholds personal experience over book-learning and insists that practitioners question everything so they can learn to live consciously. I found many of the concepts fascinating and quite Pagan in tone, although Sufism is not technically a Pagan system. Mystic in philosophy but rigorously practical in application, it challenges many widely-held beliefs and customs. Message from the Sparrows makes a great accompaniment to other personal-engineering texts like Prometheus Rising
Features: The book contains numerous legends and teaching stories to illustrate its points, which alone are worth the cover price. There is a nice list of works cited and another of recommended reading, but I could wish for an index to all those great little stories. In general, I liked the conversational tone and the emphasis on concrete examples. Only one thing bugged me — the author’s assumption that everybody was “asleep” and nobody had done any significant work towards “awakening” before encountering Sufism. While this makes a certain amount of sense in addressing a small group of college students, it makes a lot less sense in a book aimed at the metaphysical market! However, it does make the book more approachable by novices.
Recommendations: Despite that premise, Message from the Sparrows remains an excellent book, suitable for more advanced practitioners interested in challenging reality’s little assumptions. It offers a splendid introduction to a system which often proves easier to demonstrate than to describe. Finally, folk tale fans will love it for the teaching stories alone.
Possibly Related Posts:
- Book Review: The Pagan Book of Living and Dying
- Book Review: The First Civilizations
- Book Review: Flesh and Silver
- Book Review: Owlsight
- Book Review: Walking to Mercury
Firebrands: The Heroines of Science Fiction and Fantasy
This remarkable book covers the evolution of female characters in speculative fiction from the earliest days up through the 1990s. Here you will find knights, sorceresses, thieves, queens, pirates, starship captains, explorers, and ordinary women in extraordinary circumstances. Some are human, many are not. Some are plausible, others fanciful. Beautiful, ugly, charming, horrifying, harmless, powerful: these are the women of science fiction and fantasy. Come and meet them.
.
Artwork and text combine flawlessly to present a history of the genres and motifs herein. Pictures appear in all sizes from thumbnails to full-page spreads. Each is accompanied by a blurb which gives the character’s name, the title(s) of fiction presenting her and its copyright date, the author of said fiction, and a brief description of the character. Analytical text discusses the importance of key works, the introduction of particular motifs, and the changing styles of portrayal over the history of speculative fiction. After a brief introduction, chapter one covers the beginnings to the 1930s, chapter two covers the 1940s to 1950s, chapter three covers the 1960s to 1970s, and chapter four covers the 1980s to 1990s. An “about the authors” section provides fascinating background material; the index, while printed in a teeny font, makes the book much more useful as a reference text.
.
Overall, I’m impressed. The quality of artwork varies and for some characters I prefer depictions from other sources, but many are quite striking. It is of course impossible to include all deserving characters/authors in a work of this type, but Miller and Sargent have done a fine job of representing the relevant trends and their attention to detail is gratifying. The characters presented here include not just heroines (female love-object of the hero and/or reader) but also heras (women of great resourcefulness who have their own adventures) and I was delighted to see the steady progression from the former towards the latter over time. This book really shows how much speculative fiction has changed since its beginnings, from the passive Animula to the formidable Cordelia Naismith.
.
If you enjoy panels on “Women in Speculative Fiction” such as I and many other folks present at conventions, then you will love Firebrands. It is suitable as a reference for such panels and also for articles or papers on the same topic. It also makes a terrific gift or coffee-table book. Feminists, writers, artists, and femmefans will all enjoy it. Highly recommended.
Possibly Related Posts:
- Book Review: The Pagan Book of Living and Dying
- Book Review: The First Civilizations
- Book Review: Flesh and Silver
- Book Review: Owlsight
- Book Review: Message from the Sparrows
Invasion America 2: On the Run: The Lost Years
One of the nicest things about books in comparison to movies is that special effects don’t cost extra — and in comparison to animated features, it isn’t necessary to draw a gazillion frames to tell two minutes’ worth of story. Thus, much to my delight, some modern storytellers have begun to take advantage of this, and tell their tales in more than one format. This makes it possible to get more of the backstory than would be practical within the scope of a movie or series or what-have-you.
On the Run tells one of the stories behind the story of Invasion America, the popular new series from DreamWorks Television Animation. Long ago, the Tyrusian people planned a peaceful first contact with Earth, but their plans went awry. Prince Cale fled for his life and wound up on Earth, which engendered a very different first contact than planned. He fell in love with a human woman, and together they fought in secret to save the Earth — and Cale — from his enemies. Along the way, they also conceived a son, David Carter, who would grow up to be a great hero…
Christie Golden brings to this tale her characteristic knack for portraying tragic stories in striking detail and eloquence. Who better to sketch out the haunting might-have-beens of human/Tyrusian history? She also handles the developing romance with sensitivity to the emotional tensions caused by all the running and hiding, plus the inevitable differences in culture. The activity on the Navaho reservation rings through with piercing clarity. I’m pleased to see the author’s deft use of non-English words and phrases, too — that really highlights the culture disparities that give the story its strength.
This book will of course make more sense if you have already seen the series it ties into, but I found it pretty intelligible on its own. Science fiction fans in general will like it; On the Run has extra appeal for fans of animation and military SF. There are even some artful touches of sociological SF if you know what to look for. Highly recommended.
Possibly Related Posts:
- Book Review: The Pagan Book of Living and Dying
- Book Review: The First Civilizations
- Book Review: Flesh and Silver
- Book Review: Owlsight
- Book Review: Message from the Sparrows
Memory
Lois McMaster Bujold is back to her usual excellent best with this new Vorkosigan novel. After dying in Mirror Dance (Miles Vorkosigan Adventures)
.
At the same time, Gregor Vorbarra announces that he has met This Girl. Everyone is delighted by the news, except for Duv Galeni, who happens to be fond of that particular lady himself. Worse yet, Security Chief Simon Illyan starts to display certain disturbing hints of imperfection. Used to depending on Illyan’s legendary memory, Imperial Security winds up jumping at shadows. Enter Miles, Barrayar’s imperfect but impeccably-loyal paladin, to save the day.
.
Lois McMaster Bujold knows how to twist the knife better than almost any other author I know. The bribe scene is the second-best temptation I’ve ever read — and that only because taking a bribe is obviously wrong, whereas my number-one favorite scene involved two equally-unpalatable but arguably-legitimate options. Bujold’s characters possess a certain dogged determination that keeps them going when less-stalwart heroes would just give up and die. Their humanity, in tragedy as well as triumph, shines through the breathless prose and gritty descriptions. I love the clever dialogue, witty repartee, and courtly intrigue that make both characters and setting come alive. A complete chronology of Vorkosigan’s universe and Bujold’s writings therein appears at the end of the novel. You don’t want to miss this one.
Possibly Related Posts:
- Book Review: The Pagan Book of Living and Dying
- Book Review: The First Civilizations
- Book Review: Flesh and Silver
- Book Review: Owlsight
- Book Review: Message from the Sparrows
Opening Move – Take Two
Queen’s Gambit specializes in historic and folk music, performing at Renaissance Faires. They deliver a combination of charming voices and instruments, including some traditional instruments not often heard in modern times. The performers are: Bruce Cannon (Bruce the Bruce) on guitar, vocals, and tambourine; Susi Matthews (Rowan Golightly) on vocals, tambourine, and bowed psaltery; and Amber Cannon (Desahra) on pennywhistle and vocals.
On Opening Move – Take Two they do a lively version of “Star of the County Down,” one of my favorite Celtic songs. I was particularly amused by “The Scotsman” followed by a matching bit of satire, “The Blue Ribbon.” To my delight, there is also a dulcet recording of “The Queen of Argyll,” a song popular in the Society for Creative Anachronism, which I first heard from a friend. The other songs on this album are: “Step It Out Mary,” “Banks of the Lee,” “I’ll Tell My Ma,” “Loch Lomond/Red Is the Rose,” “Rocky Road to Dublin,” “Streets of London,” “Ramblin’ Rover,” “Lass of the Low Countrie,” “The Water Is Wide,” “Kilkelly,” and “Wild Mountain Thyme.”
Pawn to King Four covers a couple of songs written by old friends: “Grania” by Brian ‘Tinker’ Leo and “Threes” by Mercedes Lackey. Favorites from the folk tradition include a hauntingly sweet version of “Foggy Dew” and a glorious rendition of “Minstrel Boy.” New to me was the song “Black and Tans,” a wild Irish freedom song. This album’s remaining tracks are: “Rambles of Spring,” “P for Paddy,” “Blackbird,” “One I Love,” “Spanish Lady,” “Fields of Athenry,” “Clare to Here,” “Spancilhill,” “Where Are You Tonight,” “Irish Lullabye,” “Johnny Jump Up,” “The Sandman,” “Dat Du Min Leeusten Buest,” and “Health to the Company.”
If you’re looking for a way to bring the Faire home for the winter, Queen’s Gambit is a good choice. They play a lively selection of historic and contemporary music with rich folk flavor. Highly recommended.
Possibly Related Posts:
- Book Review: The Pagan Book of Living and Dying
- Book Review: The First Civilizations
- Book Review: Flesh and Silver
- Book Review: Owlsight
- Book Review: Message from the Sparrows
Meditation & Protection: A Guide to Development of Individual Spirituality
This book offers a wide range of techniques for those who seek to hone their metaphysical skills. You can take the whole thing and practice it as a system, or you can pick and choose among the numerous exercises to find the ones that most appeal to you. Much attention centers on meditation and concentration, skills which underlie the magical workings of many traditions. There are discussions on such things as color, wands and their making, food and water, the Elements, the chakras, and the aura. Deliberate breathing offers a way of controlling energy flow, and there are techniques listed for breath patterns associated with each of the Zodiac signs. Stone magic also appears in several forms, accompanied by lists of the spiritual, physical, and emotional effects of various stones plus general comments on their properties.
Most useful to the intermediate practitioner who wants to brush up in these areas, Meditation & Protection also holds appeal for others interested in the exercises which form the heart of this book. Not specific to any religion.
Possibly Related Posts:
- Book Review: The Pagan Book of Living and Dying
- Book Review: The First Civilizations
- Book Review: Flesh and Silver
- Book Review: Owlsight
- Book Review: Message from the Sparrows
Magickal, Mythical, Mystical Beasts: How to Invite Them Into Your Life
For reading on the lighter side, look here. In this book Conway introduces and discusses a number of mythical creatures from cultures around the world. Besides Celtic beasts, there are Chinese, Hindi, Babylonian, Greek, Egyptian, and many others. Interestingly, Conway files them by type and then follows up with variants from other cultures. Illustrations accompany many of the entries. The section headings include Unicorns, Flying Horses, Centaurs, Satyrs and Fauns, Gigantic Birds (I and II), Mystical Bulls and Bull-Men, Magickal Serpents, Water-Folk, and others. The book also features a short section on basic magic: candles, amulets/talismans, and rituals. A fine bibliography and index accompany the text.
All in all, Magickal, Mythical, Mystical Beasts makes a nice addition to a collection of mythology texts. If you enjoy studying mythical beasts you should at least take a look at it, and it also goes well with books on Celtic Faery lore.
Possibly Related Posts:
- Book Review: The Pagan Book of Living and Dying
- Book Review: The First Civilizations
- Book Review: Flesh and Silver
- Book Review: Owlsight
- Book Review: Message from the Sparrows
A Field Guide to Irish Fairies
Looking for something a little more whimsical than the Audubon guides? Try this. Kids will love the cute pictures, and the whole family can learn something about Irish folklore. An introduction explains about the basic nature of fairies and their relations with humankind. Then come individual chapters for nine of the most common fairies: the Grogoch, the Grey Man, the Sheerie, Changelings, the Pooka, Merrows, the Banshee, the Leprechaun, and the Dullahan. Each entry gives the fairy’s alternative names, region of origin, known powers, habits, and other useful information. Finally a separate section covers lesser-known fairies: the Butter Spirit, Skeaghshee, Far Darrig, and Watershee.
A Field Guide to Irish Fairies is a fine introduction to the fascinating world of the Fair Folk. I found it reasonably accurate, allowing for the usual variations inherent in any folklore, and the illustrations are just lovely. Highly recommended.
This review was originally submitted to LunaSol.
Possibly Related Posts:
- Book Review: The Pagan Book of Living and Dying
- Book Review: The First Civilizations
- Book Review: Flesh and Silver
- Book Review: Owlsight
- Book Review: Message from the Sparrows
Today I’m pleased to present a guest reviewer, Z.S.Adani, and her review of the novel The Priestess and the Slave
The Priestess and the Slave by Jenny Blackford, published by Hadley Rille Books.
Set in fifth century BC, Greece, Jenny Blackford’s The Priestess and the Slave is a historical novella. It is told in alternating chapters describing the life of Thrasulla, one of Apollo’s Pythias at Delphi, and of Harmonia, a slave living in Athens sixty years later during the devastating plague.
Thrasulla is dismayed when the Spartan King Kleomenes succeeds in bribing Perialla, the senior Priestess at Delphi. For a Pythia avarice is disgrace, and Thrasulla the wise and strong, often reflects upon her past in an effort to save her fallen sister. While Thrasulla loses respect for Perialla, her faith in Apollo remains steadfast. Despite their stations as the Delphi Oracles, the Priestesses are all too human; they gossip like other people, they scheme, and some of them even triumph as they journey through life.
In Athens during the plague, we meet Harmonia, a young slave, who is regarded as a family member and whose love is reciprocated by those she cares for. The reader is immediately plunged into a scene in which Harmonia nurses young Aristogeiton. As the plague claims its victims from this one family, Harmonia’s kindness is revealed through superb characterization. She is an ordinary young woman, yet her capacity to cope with grief and tragedy makes her extraordinary. I found Harmonia’s tale moving and her plight easy to identify with.
While the two women’s lives are very different, their stories resonate and echo in their display of courage and wisdom. The nuances of political play, the power of prophesy, tragedy, and the daily lives of people are intricately woven together into a fascinating, historical piece. Readers that don’t care for textbook history would find this novella informative in a vivid fictional setting, and those that like history would cherish it for its accurate details. Highly recommended.
Possibly Related Posts:
- Book Review: The Pagan Book of Living and Dying
- Book Review: The First Civilizations
- Book Review: Flesh and Silver
- Book Review: Owlsight
- Book Review: Message from the Sparrows
The second book in this series is A Calculus of Angels (The Age of Unreason, Book 2)
Newton’s Cannon (The Age of Unreason, Book 1)
Back in college I signed up for an astronomy class that turned out to be more like a “history of science” class … and one of my all-time favorites. This book reminds me of that class, because it begins in 1681 and features Sir Isaac Newton as a main character. Other colorful characters include young Ben Franklin and the sparkling female scientist Adrienne de Mornay de Montchevreuil. The field of play ranges from America to England to France.
Plot tension comes from a war between England and France. However, everything in the plot really revolves around Newton’s discovery of Philosopher’s Mercury, a wondrous substance that does almost-magical things to Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. This is the one “what if?” upon which all the rest stands, and the author does a splendid job of extrapolating all manner of weird science that might evolve from the mythical Mercury. Prime examples include the fervefactum (a weapon that boils the blood of enemy soldiers), the aetherschreiber (a communication device), and of course Newton’s mysterious yet brilliant weapon. Although some might argue that the addition of a provably-imaginary substance makes this science fantasy, the tone really feels more like science fiction because of all the careful details and the way the characters go through equations and proofs and such.
Newton’s Cannon provides a rollicking good read with a fine mix of drama and humor. Rarely does an author come up with a premise so original and handle it so well on the first round. Of especial interest to scientific historians, this book holds generous appeal for fans of science fiction; fantasy fans may also want to check it out. Highly recommended. Watch for the next book, A Calculus of Angels, to continue the tale.
This review was originally submitted to Spicy Green Iguana.
Possibly Related Posts:
- Book Review: The Pagan Book of Living and Dying
- Book Review: The First Civilizations
- Book Review: Flesh and Silver
- Book Review: Owlsight
- Book Review: Message from the Sparrows
Light Years Ahead: The Illustrated Guide to Full Spectrum and Colored Light in Mindbody Healing
Besides Brian J. Breiling, this comprehensive book boasts many other editors and contributors, most trailing an impressive array of alphabet soup after their names. The front cover lists such well-known personages as Norman Shealy, M.D., Ph.D.; John Downing, O.D., Ph.D., F.C.S.O.; Lee Harley, Ed.D.; Mary Bolles, B.A.; and Akhila Dass, O.M.D., L.Ac. I have seen other books on color, light therapy, and related theories; this one provides far more in the way of clinical expertise, material, and resources.
Section One leads in with a discussion of light as the medicine of the future, followed by a historical overview of light therapy. Section Two continues this thread with some findings that concern Lumatron treatments, including its applications in cases of Seasonal Affective Disorder, Premenstrual Syndrome, and Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome. Section Three examines certain neurophysiological effects of Lumatron light therapy, as shown in EEG and neurochemical changes. Section Four explores, of all things, the use of light in chiropractics. Section Five links light and acupuncture. Section Six offers some uses of light in education, suggesting that it may prove useful in treating learning disabilities. Section Seven discusses the connection between light and enlightenment, or spiritual awakening. Section Eight presents an extensive list of light resources including light therapy authors, educators, and practitioners; products used in therapy; and educational and resource organizations. Section Nine contains the bibliography, divided for reader convenience into eleven content categories. Finally, Section Ten offers the generous and detailed index along with a separate listing of charts.
This is the most comprehensive reference on the subject that I have seen. I see a lot of books with missing or inadequate bibliography or index sections, but these really stand out. So does the resource list. Lavish illustrations fill out the book itself, clarifying many points in the text which might otherwise confuse. Experienced practitioners share their knowledge freely and cite examples relevant to the reader. While this book contains a wealth of technical data, it remains accessible to the layperson.
If you have considered light therapy of any sort, you should read this book; you might ask if your practitioner has read it, too. If you don’t know anything about light therapy, start here. It may turn you on to the solution to an ongoing problem. I definitely recommend the book to those involved in healing work, especially if they work with light or color.
Possibly Related Posts:
- Book Review: The Pagan Book of Living and Dying
- Book Review: The First Civilizations
- Book Review: Flesh and Silver
- Book Review: Owlsight
- Book Review: Message from the Sparrows
The 33 Worst Mistakes Writers Make About Blind Characters: The Secrets Only Insiders Know by Stephanie Green. Stephanie Green, 2008. Ebook PDF, 72 pages. Available from the HollyShop. Four stars.
Conventional reference materials often fall short on obscure topics, or even the fine details of common topics. Holly Lisle has launched a series to fill those gaps. Each of the “33 Worst Mistakes” books covers a different topic that is popular in fiction but difficult to portray accurately, written by an expert on the topic.
The 33 Worst Mistakes Writers Make About Blind Characters is written by Stephanie Green, who is not only blind herself but also works in producing accessible materials for visually impaired people. She describes several common and uncommon causes of partial or complete blindness, and the characteristics of each. She explains some circumstances in which poor vision creates challenges for people, and the clever ways those challenges can be solved. She relates the misunderstandings between sighted people and blind people. In general, she gives a sense of what life is like for someone with little or no vision.
The book is divided into 33 “mistakes,” skewed portrayals of blindness that have appeared in fiction and/or culture. First comes an example of the mistake:
Because blind people see only darkness, my blind character will only see in darkness, and I shall describe his world as ‘the eternal night’, ‘the never-ending black’, the ‘deep nothing’ and other such poetic euphemisms. [page 10]
Next the author explains why the common misconception is wrong, and what the real facts are. This often draws on her personal experience as a blind woman, her professional experience working with adaptive equipment and services, other friends with assorted vision impairments, and a variety of scientific, medical, historical, and other reference materials. For instance:
Total blindness is rare. Most people who identify as blind or vision impaired have some degree of vision or light sensitivity. If a person’s eyesight falls within certain parameters, you are considered ‘legally blind’ and eligible for resources from your local blindness institute. [page 10]
The section concludes with bulleted points which summarize the main ideas and/or suggest how these may apply to writing about blindness. Here is one piece of excellent advice for establishing a blind character:
Before you begin to write about your blind character, you should understand what condition they have and what, if anything, they can actually see. You are then bound by the parameters of this condition. [pages 11-12]
In this manner, the book very effectively steers the writer away from erroneous portrayals (or highlights areas that require extreme care) while providing abundant inspiration for accurate portrayals.
Overall, this book provides a sound basis for character generation and refinement, covering the main ideas and listing resources for further exploration. Multiple illustrations show some adaptive equipment (such as a foot locator for blind archers) and several tactile alphabets such as Braille. The author also discusses blind characters in the context of modern, historic, fantasy, and science fiction settings with attention to some challenges and solutions available across the genres.
The 33 Worst Mistakes Writers Make About Blind Characters presents an excellent and informed bundle of information useful for anyone who wants to write about visually impaired characters. This book will probably save you from making some mistakes; it will certainly save you a lot of research time by gathering materials into a concise form. If you generally like giving your characters a serious challenge to overcome, but don’t have anything specific in mind yet, this book is also a treasure trove of story ideas and plot hooks. Highly recommended.
Possibly Related Posts:
- Older Writers’ Grant
- Book Review: The Pagan Book of Living and Dying
- Book Review: The First Civilizations
- Lambda Literary
- Book Review: Flesh and Silver
You can read more about the “Sector General”
Final Diagnosis: A Sector General Novel
James White writes the best science-fiction medical-mystery stories on the shelves. This novel is the latest of the spectacular “Sector General” novels set in that vast multi-species hospital. Those of you who have not already discovered this excellent series may want to backtrack a bit to get more of the background, but the novel does stand well on its own.
Imagine a huge and complex station floating in space, full of representatives from hundreds of different species. Into this drop one moderately-xenophobic fellow with a very strange history. Patient Hewlett has throughout his life demonstrated a bizarre assortment of allergies, anomalous reactions, and other problems which have finally landed him in the most advanced medical establishment known, where he immediately becomes popular with the staff members who like to study biological oddities. But when he starts performing what they can only describe as miracles, quite by accident, he becomes something of an embarrassment. A fervent quest ensues to figure out exactly what is going on …
Final Diagnosis features several characters from previous “Sector General” stories, much to the delight of series fans. The style is mainly hard science fiction with a touch of sociological SF. Highly recommended.
This review was originally submitted to Spicy Green Iguana.
Possibly Related Posts:
- Book Review: The Pagan Book of Living and Dying
- Book Review: The First Civilizations
- Book Review: Flesh and Silver
- Book Review: Owlsight
- Book Review: Message from the Sparrows
The Faces of Womanspirit: A Celtic Oracle of Avalon
In this attractive boxed set you’ll find a beautiful deck of cards and a comprehensive guidebook. Printed on heavy-duty, high-gloss paper, the cards themselves measure 3½ x 6 ¼ inches and have rounded corners for long life. The large size makes them a bit awkward to shuffle if you have small hands, as I do; but it also makes them ideal for use as altar decorations, meditation images, or other uses. Vivid, super-saturated colors give the illustrations great impact; lovely feminine imagery shows powerful women of differing ages and body types.
The guidebook explains the preparation and use of the cards, their design, and related matters. The subsets of the deck are “The Faces in the Moon” (which correspond to thirteen sacred Celtic plants), “The Feminine Face of the Planets” (eleven heavenly bodies), “The Journey to Other Worlds” (four levels of being), and “Women of Time” (the classic three phases of Maiden, Mother, Crone) plus one card each for “The Face of WomanSpirit” and “The Honored Face of Self.” Each card entry gives a description of its general energy and meaning, followed by lots of correspondences and interpretations like color, stone, lunar phase, animals, deities, key words of empowerment and challenge, etc. Featured layouts include the traditional Celtic cross used in Tarot, the Right of Power, and Daily Card for Contemplation. At the end comes a glossary of terms and a nice bibliography.
The Faces of WomanSpirit makes a nice alternative for folks who don’t feel attracted to the Tarot but would still like to explore divinatory cards. It holds maximum appeal for followers of the Avalonian path or other Celtic traditions. This deck has a pronounced feminine feel, too; if you like the Motherpeace Tarot
Possibly Related Posts:
- Book Review: The Pagan Book of Living and Dying
- Book Review: The First Civilizations
- Book Review: Flesh and Silver
- Book Review: Owlsight
- Book Review: Message from the Sparrows
A Field Guide to Demons, Fairies, Fallen Angelsnd Other Subversive Spirits
At last, a field guide for the rest of us! Those guides to mammals and reptiles just don’t cover all the beasties we encounter. I spotted this title at the bookstore and just had to get a copy. It actually does a pretty good job of highlighting the characteristic features of unusual entities.
Overview: The introduction discusses the book’s background and the nature of demonic entities, mentioning that not all of them are necessarily evil. Subsequent sections explain “How to Use the Guide,” “How to Identify a Basic Demon,” and “How to Identify a Common Fairy.” There are also sections on “Approaches to the Field” and “Origin of the Species” which provide excellent information for anyone who studies magical creatures. The main body of the book consists of entries describing various subversive spirits, divided by habitat: Water, Mountain, Forest, Desert, Domicile, and Psyche. An exhaustive bibliography, list of illustration credits, and index provide much opportunity for further study although they are printed in tiny, hard-to-read typeface.
Features: Each habitat section begins with a listing of all entries, giving the name of the creature covered and its culture/region of origin. Individual entries vary somewhat in format, but most include an illustration of the creature, a general discussion about it, lore, and – most useful by far – tips on dispelling and disarming techniques. Quotations from relevant historical sources often appear as well, lending support to the narrative text. In most cases, this guide provides enough information for the reader to avoid entirely, avoid affronting, or if necessary vanquish unruly spirits.
Recommendations: A Field Guide to Demons is a wonderful resource for anyone studying magical creatures. It’s also handy for advanced practitioners whose students have a habit of summoning up unruly entities, or for travelers who wish to avoid offending the magical denizens of distant lands. Writers of speculative fiction will find it most inspiring, too. Highly recommended.
Possibly Related Posts:
- Book Review: The Pagan Book of Living and Dying
- Book Review: The First Civilizations
- Book Review: Flesh and Silver
- Book Review: Owlsight
- Book Review: Message from the Sparrows
More Prophecies for the Coming Millennium
Interested in what the future holds? This book presents a highly entertaining array of predictions, which I find considerably more appealing than those of, say, Nostradamus. Some highlights: Jupiter’s moons collide, ebola (everybody else has thought of this) and smallpox (nobody else has thought of this) viruses wreak havoc, artificial wombs make childbearing much easier for all concerned, genetic engineering thrives, humans achieve space travel and discover other humans living on other planets. It also includes considerable detail regarding Shawn Robbins and her relationship with her Guide, a helpful spirit who takes her on a tour of the future. Finally, you don’t have to believe in psychic forecasts to enjoy this book; it reads equally well as speculative fiction or prediction, and is a pretty terrific story as either. Or both, which is my personal interpretation — that like most forecasting texts, it will include some things which come true and others which don’t. That smallpox plague is a lot more likely than most folks realize…
More Prophecies for the Coming Millennium holds the most interest to people studying prediction or working with spirit guides, but it’s great fun for futurists and speculative fiction fans too. Highly recommended.
This review was originally submitted to PagaNet News.
Possibly Related Posts:
- Book Review: The Pagan Book of Living and Dying
- Book Review: The First Civilizations
- Book Review: Flesh and Silver
- Book Review: Owlsight
- Book Review: Message from the Sparrows
The Crowdsource Tarot by Bard Bloom and Victoria Borah Bloom. Make Incense, 2009. Cyberfunded by donation. Four stars.
Recently Bard Bloom and Victoria Borah Bloom posted a call for … words. They asked friends to submit a single word, to be used in the creation of a Tarot deck. The result is The Crowdsource Tarot, now available online with various ways to support and expand the project.
First, The Crowdsource Tarot is not exactly a Tarot deck. It has a different structure and no numbering; plus it currently exists only in cyberspace. However, it is an excellent divinatory tool deserving of its own consideration. This deck has 86 cards, divided into 7 suits plus a single Trump. These are the suits and their areas of influence:
- Beasts: Instinct
- Foods: Physiological
- Devices: Safety
- Manifestations: Belonging
- Callings: Esteem
- States: Aesthetics
- Forms: Transcendence
Each suit has an “Alpha” card, similar to the Ace in traditional Tarot, which represents the archetypal energy of that suit. The other cards offer different refinements of the overall message carried by the suit. Read the rest of this entry »
Possibly Related Posts:
- Book Review: The Pagan Book of Living and Dying
- Book Review: The First Civilizations
- Book Review: Flesh and Silver
- Book Review: Owlsight
- Book Review: Message from the Sparrows
King’s Man and Thief
Revenge may light Deveren Larath’s way, but it does not consume him. That sets him apart from other revenge-ridden tragic heroes, but he also stands between two worlds — by day a noble of some respect, by night a thief. When the leader of the thieves’ society goes too far and gets himself killed, Deveren steps up to take his place. However, not everyone accepts Deveren’s rule, and some of the thieves slink off to stir up trouble. Led by the malicious Marrika, they plot with evildoers in another country to bring about war through a hideous curse. As Deveren’s brother Damir works to rescue the beleaguered prince, Deveren strives to keep things from falling apart at home.
I most enjoyed the artful characterization and cultural details in this story. Personal greed and struggles for control fuel the plot. You see people faced with their worst fears; you see how they deal with loss and temptation. The hardest part of love lies in knowing when to let go. Seven deities watch over this world, and their presence lends a powerful continuity — the hours of the day and days of the week take their names from the deities, people swear by them, and their special priests and priestesses play important roles as the plot unfolds. The setting feels solid around the story.
Golden never pulls punches; she weaves a gripping tale of love and loss, which is not for the squeamish. Yet the stubborn triumph of good over evil, combined with eloquent portrayals of the human heart, should appeal to a wide range of fantasy lovers. Highly recommended.
This review was originally submitted to Horror News.
Possibly Related Posts:
- Book Review: The Pagan Book of Living and Dying
- Book Review: The First Civilizations
- Book Review: Flesh and Silver
- Book Review: Owlsight
- Book Review: Message from the Sparrows
Elvendude by Mark Shepherd. Elvendude Productions 1998. U.S. $8.00 CD. No company number given, total playing time 54:55. Four stars.
Think of this album as a kind of soundtrack for the novel
The Elvendude album will appeal most to people who enjoy both speculative fiction and filk music, but it has a good chance with anyone who likes techno music. Gamers and cyberpunk fans will appreciate its potential as background music for roleplaying or writing. Highly recommended.
This review originally appeared in Spicy Green Iguana.
Possibly Related Posts:
- Book Review: The Pagan Book of Living and Dying
- Book Review: The First Civilizations
- Book Review: Flesh and Silver
- Book Review: Owlsight
- Book Review: Message from the Sparrows
Friendfeed
Monty has blocked 463013 access attempts.