The Na’vi and the Fremen: What Science Fiction Teaches Us about Tribalism and the Mystic

To begin, I must offer an unqualified spoiler alert. During the course of this article, I’ll be examining the complex and fascinating intersection between tribalism and mysticism, employing for reference points James Cameron’s 2009 movie Avatar, and the 1984 adaptation of Frank Herbert’s science fiction classic Dune. If you’ve missed either of these movies, please [...]

Book Review: Pop Culture Magick, 2nd Edition

Pop Culture Magick Taylor Ellwood Megalithica Books; 2nd edition (August 14, 2008) ISBN: 978-1905713127 144 pages Reviewer: RainSingingWolf   When I first heard that somebody was seriously considering writing a book on media magick (specifically pop culture), I was both thrilled and terrified. As a longtime lurker on many boards, I have encountered so many terrible ideas using new media that I [...]

Book/Tarot Deck Review – The Tyson Necronomicon Series

       Donald Tyson’s Necronomicon Series, including Necronomicon: The Wanderings of Alhazred Llewellyn Publications (December 1, 2004) ISBN: 978-0738706276 288 pages Alhazred: Author of the Necronomicon Llewellyn Publications (July 1, 2006) ISBN: 978-0738708928 672 pages Necronomicon Tarot Illustrated by Anne Stokes Llewellyn Publications (September 1, 2007) ISBN: 978-0738710860 240 pages plus 78 cards Grimoire of the Necronomicon Llewellyn Publications (August 1, 2008) ISBN: 978-0738713380 216 pages Reviewer: Lon Sarver Stars [...]

Wolverine: The War God’s Poster Boy

War is hell — neither pretty nor kind, and it is bringing lamentation and suffering to so many in the world right now. People have hated war ever since there was war to be hated. It shouldn’t be terribly surprising then, that Mars — the Roman God of War — was not well liked around [...]

The Rapier’s Edge – Follow-Up Interview with Donald Tyson

Nearly a year ago, I interviewed Donald Tyson regarding his then new book, Grimoire of the Necronomicon. Since then, my review partner, Lon Sarver, and I have been working with Tyson’s system and we’ll present our findings in this the next issue. Mr. Tyson was kind enough to agree to a follow-up interview; you’ll find [...]

The Fairy Godmother

A recurring fixture in the folklore of northern Europe is the fairy godmother. This mysterious woman appears by magic to attend the birth or Christening of an infant, often a child who is seemingly of no special importance. She may be alone, or accompanied by other women. She comes uninvited either to bless or curse [...]

The Rapier’s Edge – An Interview with Donald Tyson

In 2004, Llewellyn published Donald Tyson’s novel, Necronomicon: The Wanderings of Alhazred, based on the stories of H.P. Lovecraft. While former Necronomicons were written as grimoires, Tyson took a novel (ahem) approach to the text, having fun with it and viewing it, as he told me at the time, as “entertainment.” He followed the following [...]

The Nature of the Egregore

Editor’s Note: This article was composed and published in December 2006, when Michael Jackson was alive and well. There is no disrespect intended with use of his name here, either then or now. Standard Definition of Egregore Wikipedia currently defines egregores thusly: “Essentially, an egregore is the ’spirit of a thing,’ usually a human group or organization, [...]