Mercury Champagne – Dan Goodrich

May 24, 2008 at 1:13 pm (Fiction)

Mercury Champagne
Dan Goodrich
Erie Harbor Productions
280 pages

I do like a good occult-themed novel. I gotta say, though, that this one’s a little on the weird side. Okay, a lot on the weird side–and that’s something, coming from yours truly! This one brings in slipping through multiple layers of reality, Jack Kerouac, and the magic of cigarettes and booze. In other words, not your average novel.

The book starts off with as much disorientation as the main character, Ed Derringer, is feeling. Having lost his job and gone on a bender, he wakes up the next day to find that his world has suddenly gone very, very wrong. An “assurance agent”, John Stanford, just wants “a moment of his time” in return for giving him a ride home. And this is where the story stops being relatively straightforward, and get dropped somewhere between The Twilight zone and the Illuminatus! Trilogy.

For reasons unbeknownst to Ed–or the reader–reality shifts violently, and Ed is suddenly sputtering in a freezing cold ditch in very rural Canada. From this point on, the storyline reels like a carousel with a half-broken axis, trying desperately to gain balance again. Ed ends up in the company of a pair of sorcerors and the ghost of Kerouac, and dives into an alternate version of reality where a Moment and a Dream are the most crucial things a sorceror can work with–and John, the assurance agent, wants his Dream back at any cost, even Ed’s life.

It’s a bizarre hero’s journey, quite worth reading. Be aware that this book may be really tough to get into because the first third of it is incredibly strange, and the background information is lacking. However, hang in there–it’s well worth it. I will say that the book doesn’t make sense until the last fifty pages or so, which makes this a good book for re-reading later on. But it was sufficiently interesting to keep my attention all the way through the first read over a two-day period.

If you want an original novel and don’t mind feeling a bit shaken up as you go along, then Mercury Champagne is a good choice. Personally, I’m hoping for a sequel, because I really appreciated how Ed developed over the course of the book, and I’d love to see where he goes next–and I don’t say that about a lot of characters. Goodrich has created a modern mythology out of his world, and more exploration would be lovely. On the other hand, even as a standalone novel, this is a superb read.

Five pawprints out of five.

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Magickal Mystical Creatures – D.J. Conway – April BBBR

April 24, 2008 at 11:27 am (Animal Magic, Bargain Bin Book Reviews, Cryptozoology/Paranormal, Mythology)

Magickal Mystical Creatures
D.J. Conway
Llewellyn, 2001
260 pages

This book was a freebie from a friend. I had been less than excited about Conway’s Animal Magick and Dancing with Dragons (though I just got the newest edition of the latter from newWitch magazine, so we’ll see what kind of a review it gets).

I was actually surprised; I liked this one better than the other two. I still have my gripes, but I am admittedly pretty picky. This particular book is an encyclopedia of various mythological beings from around the world–primarily Eurasian, but with a smattering of beings from other places as well. They’re divided by type–canines, gryphons and their ilk, various types of unicorn, etc. (I do have to say I loved the illustrations, too!)

There’s a decent amount of information on each being gleaned from mythological and historical sources. Additionally, Conway adds in psychological interpretations of the kind of people who could either be helped or hindered by each entity, depending on its nature. She does also recommend that dangerous beings be avoided by all but the most experienced magicians (and sometimes not even then).

I think my biggest complaint is that it’s simply not enough. Many of the beings that she recommends as being safe aren’t necessarily so. For example, she presents unicorns as being mostly positive beings who can lead the reader into Faery. However, there’s not much warning about the fact that unicorns were originally seen as fierce, dangerous creatures, and that Faery generally isn’t someplace you want to just waltz on into. Even the “nice” faeries aren’t particularly safe, especially if you study the original lore. As with a lot of basic pagan titles of the mid 1990s, things that really aren’t safe and easy are presented as welcoming and available to all, with little warning of potential hazards.

And this is why I strongly recommend that you not stick with just a dictionary. While this has its uses, it’s a starting point primarily, and the actual practical information comprises less than a score of pages, and it’s mostly spellwork 101. Use this guide to get you introduced to what’s out there, but then do your research with other sources, both on magical practice and on lore surrounding the beings you want to work with.

Three pawprints out of five.

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Wealtheow – Ashley Crownover

April 17, 2008 at 1:41 pm (Beowulf, Fiction, Heathenry)

Wealtheow: Her Telling of Beowulf
Ashley Crownover
Iroquois Press, 2008
208 pages

I admit that I’m rather jaded against the “feminist revision” of numerous traditional tales. I enjoyed MZB’s Mists of Avalon way back when, but got tired of the “Women are always good” vibe I got after a while (as well as the Avalonian-Goddess-worship-is-historical movement that also rose up in response to the novels). And I continue to see rather awkward, “GIRL POWER!” reworkings of various stories and themes, including in fantasy lit.

Wealtheow manages to avoid the cliched pitfalls while maintaining a unique perspective on the story of Beowulf. The story centers on Hrothgar’s wife, Wealtheow, from the time of their marriage through Grendel’s siege and on into Beowulf’s arrival. Rather than presenting a simpering maiden or a GODDESS! worshipper, Crownover gives us a Wealtheow who is dedicated to her people (both those she grew up among, and those she married into), as well as to the sanctity of the land. Though she shows strength of character, this is no Mary Sue; not everything is perfect for her. And the devastating secret that brings about the creation of Grendel becomes a burden only she can truly carry. And I like how the story doesn’t turn into “Women are always good, men are the bad guys” dualism; Grendel’s mother has a surprising origin in this tale!

This is a very quick read; I finished it in a day, and it would be a good book to take on a plane trip. It’s well-written, though. I had no trouble remembering which character was which, and she manages to tell a relatively short story without using cardboard characters. She weaves the traditional tale of Beowulf with her own embellishments that are believable and blend well with the original. I can’t speak to the historical accuracy, so I can’t guarantee that modern heathens won’t be having similar wincing moments that other pagans had in response to the Avalon books. However, the descriptions of Danish culture and religion didn’t strike me as nearly as fanciful as some other modern revisionist tales, and I found myself thoroughly enjoying the tale rather than groaning in pain from some poorly executed “update” or “improvement”.

Overall, this is a great debut novel, and I very much look forward to more from this author.

Five pawprints out of five

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Facing North Reviews

April 7, 2008 at 2:01 pm (Druidry, Facing North Reviews, Magical group dynamics, Ritual Tools, Women's Mysteries)

For those who don’t know, I’ve been a reviewer with Facing North from its inception. Webmistress and author Lisa McSherry started it as an online database of reviews of esoteric texts; while I’ve shared some of my reviews from here over there, I also have some that are unique to that site. Here are the links to what I have there at this point:

The Druid Magic Handbook by John Michael Greer
Your Altar by Sandra Kynes
Wisdom Walk by Sage Bennett
Pagan Prayer Beads by John Michael Greer and Clare Vaughn
The Bitch, the Crone and the Harlot by Susan Schacterle
Creativity for Life by Eric Maisel, Ph.D.
When Fear Falls Away by Jan Frazier
Circle, Coven and Grove by Deborah Blake
Moon Days by Cassie Primo Steele

I strongly suggest checking out Facing North, as well as the other reviewers I have linked on the left sidebar.

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Wicked Game – Jeri Smith-Ready

April 3, 2008 at 3:44 pm (Fiction, Otherkin)

Wicked Game
Jeri Smith-Ready
Pocket Books, May 2008
384 pages

Branching into more fiction has been good for my sanity. It’s been a nice break from all the nonfic, especially denser texts that may take a while to process. I’m fortunate in that I’ve gotten some good selections, and the vampire novels that Simon and Schuster (who own Pocket Books) have been sending my way are among the best.

Jeri Smith-Ready’s Wicked Game is no exception to that. Set in a small town in the northeast, the story follows Ciara, a sometimes con artist, newbie assistant at a radio station, and well-seasoned skeptic. All’s well for about the first thirty pages–and then the bomb gets dropped. Those nighttime DJs? Vampires, all of them. Which is to be expected in a vampire novel. However, Smith-Ready creates an interpretation of the vampire that goes well beyond the black cape, bats, and Bela-wannabes. In the world of Wicked Game, vampires become locked into the time they were turned; Spencer, for example, has the slick ducktail and greaser style of a 1950s rocker, while Shane’s circa-1995 death keeps him in a perpetual state of Cobain-seque grunge. The music they play as DJs keeps them linked to both the past and present–but what about the future? After all, the radio station’s about to get sold to a major conglomerate, and somebody very important is very unhappy about the station’s latest ad campaign…

Interested yet? You should be. The plotline is incredibly fast-paced and well balanced. Smith-Ready is quite talented with first person voice, managing to give the reader enough background information while at the same time showing Ciara at her most public–and most private. In many novels there’s a tendency to lag at some point in the story. Not so here. This tale kept my interest all the way through, whether the moment was action-packed or sweet and silent.

The characterization is even stronger. Ciara starts with her temporally challenged vampires, adds in some extra quirks, and manages to make them quite likable. Smith-Ready works in minor details that remind the reader of what makes them vampires, and successfully blends these details into the rest of the story. However, they’re not so minor as to be insignificant. And she comes up with good reasons for them–she even manages a plausible theory on the garlic thing! The human characters are equally fleshed out, and she managed to not get me confused about who was who (which is a tougher feat than you might assume!)

What makes this novel really fun are the numerous musical references. It’s nice to see a vampire novel that doesn’t hinge entirely on Goth aesthetics to make it go, and this includes the choice of music. From 1940’s blues to contemporary pop-punk, Smith-Ready gives this book a virtual soundtrack that shows her knowledge and research of music, and a good ear for good listening. Music trivia geeks will find a few gems in here, and fans of various musicians mentioned may find some joy in shared fandom. (Plus I picked up a few extra CD ideas that I hadn’t heard of before–added bonus!)

Overall, this is a fun novel, and it definitely stands out from the crowd of Anne Rice wannabes. It’s a great choice for commute, plane trip, or curling up in a comfy chair for a few hours. Plus it’s a good enough story that it’s got plenty of re-read value. And there are enough hints towards a continuing story that I’m quite hopeful for a sequel–something I definitely encourage the author to do!

Five pawprints out of five.

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A Field Guide to Modern Pagans In Hamilton, Ontario – Neil Jamieson-Williams

April 1, 2008 at 7:47 pm (Academic/Journalistic Approaches, Anthropology, Neopagan Subculture, Sociology)

A Field Guide to Modern Pagans In Hamilton, Ontario
Neil Jamieson-Williams
Australopithecine Press
146 pages

This is a really cool book. It’s an in-depth study of the pagan community in Hamilton, Ontario by a member of said community. Neil Jamieson-Williams is an academic as well, holding degrees in both anthropology and sociology, and he approaches this work with that as well as his personal background in a healthy balance. His experience as an academic lends itself to a professional treatment of the topic at hand, but his experience within the community he studies tempers it without showing too much bias.

The author starts with a basic overview of modern paganism, and then proceeds into some good advice on how to observe pagans (for we are wily critters!) He’s quite open about the fact that academics may do some pretty covert observations of people who don’t realize they’re being observed, including online in forums and elsewhere. And he stresses the importance of being open with the people you’re observing (no doubt to help would-be observers to avoid “Luhrmann syndrome”*) However, he’s also honest about the methods by which academics may “ethically” obtain material, some of which may raise the hackles of more private pagans. It’s a refreshing sort of honesty.

The rest of the book is dedicated to profiles of different covens and other groups in the Hamilton area at the time of the book’s publication. Jamieson-Williams is quite open about the fact that pagan groups are often short-lived, especially those he terms “Eclectic”, and that his book may be dated in a short time. However, this does not detract from the systematic explanation of the different groups and lineages represented in his chosen demographic, nor the frank appraisal of their varying levels of participation in the community at large (and how that may affect the budding ethnographer’s attempts to study them).

My quibbles are minor. There are a few typos scattered throughout the book, even taking into account my American eyes and the author’s Canadian English. Additionally, there are a few points I would question, such as his assertion on p. 14 that “the vast majority of Modern Pagans absolutely despise the term Neopagan”. I’d say that some do, but not the vast majority. Even if this were a regional difference, it goes against his later cautioning against generalizing based on too small a selection of study participants.

But these are small things, and should not deter even the casual reader. Overall, I applaud the existence of this book. It’s valuable to pagans because it shows us a potential way of communicating about ourselves in a way that nonpagans may be more amenable to than, say, a practical book on spells. It also points the way towards a more advanced way of exploring the community; we do have our academics in the community, though even nonacademics may use this as inspiration for their own explorations and ways of communicating about paganism to others. For academics, pagan or otherwise, it’s an example of a sensitive, yet effective, study of a particular group of pagans that allows the freedom to explore and learn, but also shows areas where we may feel particularly vulnerable and may ask for more respect. And for members of the mainstream community who are not pagan or academic, it’s an accessible guide that shows pagans in a realistic, relatively neutral light. The writing style, while fitting academic standards, is still understandable to the layperson rather than couching itself in too much complexity and jargon. In all, it’s a very balanced book.

Personally, I would like to see more books like this, studies of specific demographics. Granted, not every community has its very own long-term resident pagan-academic. And I don’t think every book should be a carbon copy of this one. However, just as some people study specific tribes, or even specific indigenous communities, so may there be value in looking at individual pagan communities in detail. This has tended to be more slanted towards specific traditions spread across wide geographic locations. But in-depth studies of specific locales and their corresponding communities may help give some insight on unique concepts, such as where pagans are more populous and/or active, and what factors may contribute to that. I also encourage people to take the same well-balanced approach that Jamieson-Williams has in this book, offering a little of something for everyone.

Five pawprints out of five.

* This refers to Tanya Luhrmann, an academic who studied pagans in the ’80’s, who took advantage of the trust of pagans who treated her less like an academic and more like their own after a time. They gave her oathbound material that she then released into a more public domain. (In Wallis 2004 as referenced by Ellwood 2008, p. 62)

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Good Fortune and How to Attract It – Titania Hardie

March 31, 2008 at 9:00 pm (Divination, Elemental Magic)

Good Fortune and How To Attract It
Titania Hardie
Quadrille, 2008
304 pages plus three divination coins

I like creative reworkings of old systems (at least as long as they don’t claim to be the original!). Good Fortune is just such a book. Titania Hardie offers her own modernization of the I Ching; she argues that as the original was created in an entirely different culture, including one in which women weren’t even allowed to use it, a form friendly to both men and women was in order. I am pleased by this.

The first section of the book describes what the basic concept is, how to throw and read the coins, and the different personality types that affect the outcome of the reading. There’s also some interesting elemental correspondence worked in there as well. It was a bit complex to understand at first, but a little closer study made it make sense. The readings rely on a grid with numbers on it; the way the coins fall in six throws, and the lines created on the grid by recording these throws, determines what the answer is. With a little practice, it’s a wonderfully effective divination system.

I’m a bit on the fence about the personality types, specifically the element of birth order which is used to help determine what the dominant aspects of your personality are. According to The Birth Order Book by Dr. Kevin Leman, one’s sex isn’t as important as Hardie makes it out to be; it’s more about the interactions of the family members. Hardie covers that too, though, so it’s a more thorough view. I’m not a big fan of rigid gender/sex dichotomy, and occasionally a bit of “female-nurturing, male-doing” sentiment got to me a bit, especially with the “Mother always equals Earth and Father always equals Sky” aspect. Overall, though, personal biases aside, it adds a useful dimension to one’s reading and understanding of how who you are affects what may occur and how you react to it.

Quibbles and bits aside, I did thoroughly enjoy this book. It’s quite possibly one of the prettiest books, with some spectacular layout and design work. Don’t let the loveliness fool you, though–this is an effective system of divination suitable for anyone who resonates with it. Don’t expect classic I Ching; you’ll be disappointed. Instead, open yourself up to a new derivation that goes in some creative directions.

Four and a half pawprints out of five.

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Your Sun Sign as a Spiritual Guide – Swami Kriyananda – March BBBR

March 31, 2008 at 3:12 pm (astrology, Bargain Bin Book Reviews)

Your Sun Sign as a Spiritual Guide
Swami Kriyananda (J. Donald Walters)
Ananda Publications, 1971
130 pages

I’m a sucker for vintage pagan and occult books; while there’s a circa-2003 edition out, I managed to snag a somewhat well-loved orange-covered first edition from Ananda Publications at the local Goodwill store (which has a fantastic selection of books, let me tell you! Hooray, Portland!)

Astrology isn’t one of my main areas of focus, so basic books are just about my speed. This one was definitely a nice introduction in a slim volume. The author provides a down-to-earth overview of astrology, the differences between different types of astrology, and a basic look at what each planet’s influence is. He also demonstrates how a person may not necessarily “match” their sun sign’s attributes at first glance, and how the lunar and rising signs may contribute to the interpretation thereof.

The sections on individual sun signs was quite enlightening. One of the main reasons for the book is to show how we aren’t trapped by our sun sign, but instead finding positive ways to channel natural inclinations. I got the most out of my own chapter, Scorpio, though it was nice to read interpretations of others and compare them to the people I know in those signs.

I don’t really have any complaints about this one–it did was it set out to do in a thorough, easy to read manner. There weren’t any huge glaring errors, and I learned quite a bit. I’ll be hanging onto this one, not just because of its age, but also because it’s a good basic resource for functional astrology.

Five pawprints out of five.

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Witch in the Bedroom – Stacey Demarco

March 14, 2008 at 10:14 pm (Sex Magic, Wicca and Witchcraft)

Witch in the Bedroom: Proven Sensual Magic
Stacey Demarco
Llewellyn, 2006
288 pages

Note: This review was written in 2006 for newWitch magazine and appeared in a 2007 issue.


Witch in the Bedroom is written for witches and non-witches alike on ways to use magic for everything from finding a good partner to getting pregnant. This means that there’s a lot of 101 material that most pagan readers will be familiar with; however, it’s presented in a format that any newbie can understand and doesn’t overwhelm the rest of the material.

Some of the most valuable information is the relationship advice Demarco gives. Rather than just sending us off with a few love spells, she explains how to undo bad relationship patterns, appreciate ourselves, and find a healthy relationship without codependence.

The rituals are another strong point of this book. While aimed at getting a healthy relationship with someone else, they also foster healthy relationships with ourselves and support sex-positive outlooks on life whether you’re currently single or taken. Each one is original without resorting to formulaic templates that just switch around correspondences.

One of the down sides is that the blame for bad sexual attitudes is all too often laid at the feet of Christianity. The entire book has a general feel of “Christians ruined sex, which the pagans had been enjoying with no problem, and now it’s up to witches to make sex good again!” Additionally, she doesn’t say where she got her historical material from, and rather than a bibliography, there’s a scant “Recommended Resources” list. She talks about what the “ancient witches” did, without backing up her research—shoddy scholarship.

Also, the book is overwhelmingly heterosexual. This isn’t bad in and of itself, but if you’re not looking for a relationship with an opposite sex partner or if you’re sick of the God = Active and Goddess = Passive dichotomy, you may find yourself skimming over a lot of this book. Additionally, if you’re childfree by choice, the 58 pages on how to get pregnant and have a healthy baby will be useless.

Still, the book has achieved its intended purpose—to offer a magical guide to healthy sexual and romantic relationships to both pagans and nonpagans. It’s a good, practical work with a lot of useful material.

Four pawprints out of five.

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Gaia Calling – Kim Bold

March 14, 2008 at 10:08 pm (Animal Magic, Music)

Gaia Calling: Spirit Animal Stories and Gaia Calling: Spirit Animal Music set
Kim Bold
Fifth Mesa Creations, 2006
113 pages

Note: This review was originally written for newWitch magazine in 2006 and appeared in a 2007 issue.

Kim Bold offers a lovely combination of creative writing and music in this set of one book and two CDs. Influenced by the Gaia Theory, the idea that the Earth is a conscious living being, Bold offers up stories and music inspired by spiritual conversations between Gaia and a number of animals from around the world.

The book contains six tales about such animals as Beaver, Giraffe and Panda. In the tradition of world folklore each tale contains a lesson about human behavior through animal fables. They’re simply written and convey their messages in an easy to understand format. The dialogue can be a little silly; in fact, the stories read more like something written for children than adults.

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The CD that is sold separately from the book, Spirit Animal Music, accompanies the stories quite nicely. Each track is written to match each story, and makes a nice background to a read-aloud. I could definitely see children, pagan and otherwise, really enjoying getting to hear these stories with Bold’s beautiful musical compositions creating additional depth to the words and actions of the animals.

Speaking of the music, Bold is quite an accomplished artist in that respect as well. The Spirit Animal Music CD weaves her flutes along with assorted percussion and keyboard accents. Even purchased alone it would make an excellent relaxing soundtrack to a meditation or to calm the ambience of a workspace.

Similar music also creates the background to the CD which comes with the book, Meeting Your Spirit Animal. This is a pretty standard totem animal meditation which first relaxes the listener, then guides hir through a cave and into an alternate reality where s/he can meet hir animal. It’s longer, running nearly a half an hour, a third of which is preparation. Some people may find this to be too long, but the meditation itself is quite effective, so you might skip ahead to a couple minutes before it begins if you don’t need as much prep time.

The book only dedicates a couple of pages at the back of the book to practical animal totem work, then makes a recommendation of five books for further reading, including Andrews’ acclaimed Animal Speak, and the popular but culturally appropriative Medicine Cards by Sams and Carson. The basic message is that you need to determine for yourself what your animal is telling you. This is fine if you have some familiarity with totemism, but a brand new beginner may be a little lost without additional 101 information. It might have been better to package the Spirit Animal Music CD with the book, and save the Meeting Your Spirit Animal CD for a new book. I’d love to see Bold come out with a more practical guide to animal magic based on her unique view of animal spirits, provided she could avoid falling into the “just another totem animal dictionary” trap.

Four pawprints out of five.

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