Book Description
Since ancient times, witches and magicians have worked magic with the aid of Familiars, or helpful spirits. Familiars may take the form of a beloved pet, a totem animal, or even a helpful nonphysical entity.
Explore the fascinating history of Familiar spirits in The Witches' Familiar. Written by one of today's leading authorities on both Wicca and traditional hereditary Witchcraft, this book is your complete guide to finding and working with a Familiar.
You'll read about the three types of Familiars: physical, astral, and spiritual. Learn how to call a Familiar to you, and how to choose an appropriate name. Discover how to use magical seals and sigils to command or release a nonphysical Familiar. Protect yourself and your loved ones by asking your Familiar to guard your home. Make your magic even more potent by enlisting your Familiar's aid in spellwork and ritual. Keep your bond strong, and find out how to release a Familiar when its work is done or it has passed from the physical plane.
This is the first book to present never-before-published traditional Craft methods for working with Familiars as well as historical examples from Western ceremonial magic. Your magic will be even more powerful when you combine forces with a Familiar face.
Customer Reviews:
Great work!.......2005-08-01
I really enjoyed this book. It provided a lot of information on the familiar which I didn't know. It's approached lightheartedly, not strictly, and explores animal guides in depth. It's very informative and I recommend it for any Witch's bookshelf. It's not a scholarly, in-depth study of the history of the Witch's familiar, but it doesn't need to be. It's clear, accurate and well-written, in all honesty. It's a relatively small book, but this is expected for the content explored. How much can be said about familiars? I believe that which can be said, Mr. Grimassi says here.
I recommend this book alongside Ted Andrew's classic "Animal Speak" for any Earth-based spiritualist.
Thanks, Raven, for another good book! =)
~Colin Smith~
Missoula, MT
Exceptional.......2005-06-28
With this book the reader is introduced to a powerful system of working with familiar spirits. Grimassi indicates in the book that he created this system, and presents it as one way of working with familiar spirits. His system involves a variety of magical seals and invocations that are steeped in traditional occult principles of magic. The ethics of working with familiar spirits is highly emphasized throughout the book.
Most of the book involves "spirit familiars" as opposed to physical animal familiars, although there is a chapter on pets as familiars. At a lecture I attended by this author, he mentioned that he didn't want to emphasize physical animals out of concern that people would obtain a creature simply to use as a physical familiar. He was concerned about the treatment and well-being of animals in such a light. This is a responsible approach.
In this same spirit, Grimassi provides a "Notice to the Reader" which is:
"In the following chapter appear the concepts of "binding" and "controlling" familiar spirits. Please note that these are old traditional magical terms and have been used here in keeping with the style of an antique Grimoire. For the purpose of this book the term binding refers to "connecting" or "housing" in order to provide a physical base from which to operate. It does not mean to imprison or hold captive. The term "control" is used to indicate "directing" and is not intended to suggest domination against personal will".
On page 58, the author also writes: "In a merged state you can then communicate with and direct the spirit consciouness of the animal. Bear in mind that this is a mutually advantageous relationship and not one of servant and master".
One reviewer wrote: "Raven Grimassi's appraoch implies a "one right way" to do a spell and, worst of all, doesn't treat familiars with a lot of respect. He suggests a spiritual familiar over a physical one because it requires less work, and sees no problem with using magic to interfere with the free will of what he describes as a sentient being."
Having read this book twice, I can only wonder if the writer of this review skim read and missed the points made, or is intentionally misrepresenting what the author provides in this book.
In any event, this book is an exceptional and unique work, and is highly recommended for beginners as well as the experienced. However, readers who are unable to grasp the most basic elements of Witchcraft and magic will probably find this book to be only a little useful.
Only a little useful.......2005-06-25
I should state that this book would be treasured by someone who is looking for a step-by-step guide to occult magick with the least amount of effort. This book is very specific and contains several recipes, rituals, and symbols to use in familiar magick.
However, an experianced modern witch isn't likely to get much out of this book. Raven Grimassi's appraoch implies a "one right way" to do a spell and, worst of all, doesn't treat familiars with a lot of respect. He suggests a spiritual familiar over a physical one because it requires less work, and sees no problem with using magic to interfere with the free will of what he describes as a sentient being.
When reading this book, I found it important to keep my own personal beliefs and morality in mind because I constantly had to evaluate the morality of what this book contained.
From this book, I got some basic ideas on how to choose a familiar bond with it, and say goodbye to it. Most of the rest rubbed me the wrong way.
The book was certainly an interesting idea, and probably worth the read if for nothing more than entertainment. It does contain a lot of repetition, which can make it pretty boring in parts. Also, he claims to draw a lot of information from the witch trials. This can basically be summed up as follows: a lot of women were burned as witchs because they had pets. He lists the kinds of pets they had and even the names of some of those pets.
Great research, BUT..........2005-03-14
Not as much information on physical familiars as I had hoped. Wonderful information on astral familiars, however.
Unfortunately, it's rather old fashioned when it comes to dealing with modern physical familiars which most of us treat as companions rather than as servants. I know that working with my cat as a familiar, it's important to engage her attention and interest, otherwise, you might as well forget any cooperation from her. I just don't feel comfortable either binding or compelling her.
It is undoubtedly a very good book, just not what I was hoping for.
Something Old and Something New.......2003-10-30
This new book presents a traditional and empowering approach to the topic of the Witches' Familiar, as opposed to the airy-fairy self-styled methods so prevalent in modern Wicca. As with all of Grimassi's books, the reader is treated to rooted-ness rather than silliness.
I think this book provides a wonderful and necessary foundation of myth and old magic. In addition the book contains some very distinctive designs and devices that help the reader feel more empowered to explore working with Familiar Spirits. Grimassi goes to extra lengths to present the depth of relationships possible concerning Familiar Spirits. Rather than focusing on what is already known and used, Grimassi goes far beyond the basics and the commonplace.
Unfortunately the simple-minded and inexperienced will probably miss the point and fail to see the great depth of knowledge and experience shared in this fascinating book. Such readers will no doubt look at the material and wonder "Why so difficult?"
Book Description
For centuries, familiars have assumed many forms-the heavenly lover of the shaman, the wise imp of the witch, and the elemental companion of the theurgist. But the time-honored practice of summoning a magical assistant has been mostly forsaken due to the false perception that it is both difficult and dangerous. Now, renowned occultist Donald Tyson shares his revolutionary system for safely and successfully summoning, directing, and dismissing a familiar. Accessible to dedicated beginners, these techniques do not require expertise in formal ritual, astrology, or the Kabalah.
Revealed here for the first time is Tyson's unique system for generating spirit sigils based on a set of symbols called Power Glyphs. Familiars summoned by this method become valuable assistants who will do everything in their power to fulfill your goals.
Customer Reviews:
Easy to put to work.......2007-08-25
Although creating a familiar and giving it the proper energy and honor can be more work than the average witch is used to, the method presented in this book can be quite rewarding ... I gathered a wealth of new knowledge from this book. THis author presents a method I haven't read before ... Good if you really would like to get serious and begin creating familiar spirits!
Much Love & Many Blessings,
Thorn Nightwind
A great starting point on spirit evocation.......2007-08-01
I like "Familiar Spirits" because it is easy for the practioner with minimal experience in this field to read and comprehend. The book is not full of complex formulae and theory to baffle the novice. The power sigils described in the book correspond to the English alphabet, so no knowledge of Hebrew, numerology or magic squares is required to use them.
The author well explains the common types of spirits humans may come across, whether they are aware of it or not. However, Tyson is very opinionated and doesn't always give adequate justification for why he feels or thinks a certain way. For example, he doesn't believe ghosts are actually the spirits of dead people but spirits who choose to imitate them. He also cautions people to avoid the color black because of its associations to evil in traditional magic. However, Tyson later contradicts himself by stating that the room where the evocation ritual takes place should be devoid of all light except for the altar candles. Tyson also tends to leave out details. For example, he states that the practitioner should face south during the evocation but fails to explain the significance of this direction, as it has nothing to do with the elemental composition of the spirit or its purpose. When Tyson teaches how to choose a magnetic attractor for the spirit vessel, he cites basic correspondences for elementals, but fails to explain how to choose an attractor for a spirit that may have a mix of elements (e.g. 30% earth -30% water - 20% air - 20% fire). However, he covers himself by stating that decisions made in the process of creating a familiar should be based on one's intuition, as well as traditional correspondences.
Another issue I had with the book is that the majority of spirits described in the examples appear to be more servitors than companion spirits, aka familiars. However the evocation ritual calls for extensive preparations: a well-made shrine, spirit vessel, key, daily offerings etc. Why go through so much trouble for a servitor, who may only have one task to perform? Because of the extensive work involved, Tyson fails to include how to set an 'expiration date' for the servitor. Instead, he explains, that to banish a spirit, all items associated with the spirit to be destroyed. I think a simpler method of creating a servitor should have been included in this book.
As others have said in the commentaries, this is a good introduction to interacting with spirits but it is inadvisable to rely on this book as a sole source of information on the subject.
Excellent for beginner chaos magicians.......2006-07-10
This book is great and it presents a very well thought-out system to create an egregore, as it is referred to by chaos magicians. That is, a spirit that is independent of the magician, formed of the elements. Traditionally, egregore's are spirits that are created by a group of people, but I don't believe that is the only way to do this, as this book shows a simple method to do this without a group or coven or lodge to help you create one.
As everyone else has stated, the author presents his theories as fact, but I believe he did this for a very good reason. As most other Llewellyn books, this book is presented in an easy to understand manner that is aimed at the complete novice. So, with that in mind, I can understand why Tyson felt the need to write things like "everything that you see around you is an illusion that your mind creates, so it's not that hard for a familiar spirit to insert an image of itself into your mind so that you can see it". I'm not sure exactly how Tyson phrased that, but that's something he mentions in the book a few times. For a complete beginner, that is an important thing to read, whether it's true or not. As a Chaote myself, I tend to believe that. Our motto is "Nothing is real, everything is permitted". For a complete beginner, this may actually make the process of opening astral senses much easier and to better percieve their familiar/egregore spirit ally, than to fill their head with a bunch of (in my opinion) useless theory. I remember when I first started with magick I would have plenty of success initially, until I started trying to figure out exactly HOW magick works. That put a real road block in my way that I'm still working through.
Anyway, the method in this book to commune with your familiar can also be used with any other spirit, like angels, demons, etc. Hell, you could even use that method to have a conversation with a comic book character. It's basically a simpler method for EVOCATION to the astral plane, instead of using a black mirror. It's effective and it works. That said, I don't recommend trying to commune with demons unless you know enough about them to know how to protect yourself. For most practitioners, the LBRP and BRH are great, and those rituals can be adapted for any faith, not just Judeo-Christian. Despite the great things most people say about Goetics, some of them really are bad spirits. I agree that they're not all bad, but how can a novice tell WHICH ONE is not? For beginners, stick to establishing a good relationship with a familiar spirit, and after practicing for at least a year, go ahead and try a Goetic, if that's what you really feel you need to do, and have your familiar present at all communions with any other spirit you work with.
To commune with another spirit other than one you've created from this book, like say the Archangel Raphael, you'd use one of his most well known sigils (instead of drawing a new one using the power glyph system), draw a portrait of him as he is decribed in any online website you can find about angels, and you'd use a Vessel for Air, as he rules over the East, and elemental Air. You could very easily establish a solid relationship with any spirit like this using the method explained in the book, and astral senses will come eventually, and you can then have some very interesting experiences with that spirit. Good luck everyone.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
interesting take on the subject.......2005-12-12
I must admit, I really didn't know much on this subject before I read this book. I also held a lot of the public notions that are discussed in the beginning of the book. I found Donald Tyson's perspective to be a profound new way to look at several topics. I may not agree with all of it, and sometimes felt he was going a little off the deep end for me, but still a truly fascinating read.
How to protect ourselves from ill-intentioned spirits.......2004-07-06
A very highly recommended addition to any personal or professional Metaphysical Studies collection, Familiar Spirits: A Practical Guide For Witches & Magicians introduces the reader to Donald Tyson's revolutionary system of power glyphs and sigil-making for summoning, controlling, and dismissing magical assistants. Even the most novice witch, warlock or magician can now seek to utilize familiar spirits in their conjuring and occult activities with Tyson's help. Readers are also provided a history of the use of familiar spirits and, critically important, shows how to protect ourselves from ill-intentioned spirits. Aspiring practitioners can experience a fair degree of confidence in following the instructions laid out in the pages of Familiar Spirit because of Donald Tyson's long history, experience, and skill level in this difficult work of spirit summoning -- and it should also be noted that Tyson has authored a great many respected volumes on Western occultism, is the creator of rune dice, and has even assisted the U.S. Department of Defense in decoding rune symbols.
Customer Reviews:
Not your mother's familiar.......2006-08-14
I finished this book a month ago, but I still find myself thinking over much of the information I got from it, and to me, that's the sign of a good book. Its take on the relationship between the witch and the familiar is unique, in my experience. For instance, Wilby shows that familiars were by no means "fetches" for witches and did not act as slaves or pets. They were equals in the relationship and could even act to the detriment of the witch. For me, the concept of moral ambiguity that Wilby posits for the familiar shows the familiar's depth and independence, its realness. It also fits with the position of the witch or cunning folk in their community - they were depended upon for medical help, communicating with the dead, or help in finding things, but they were also feared for the trouble they could cause to someone if they were antagonized.
The treatment of the fairy folk is also unusual. These are not Victorian Tinkerbells flitting around the garden like a bunch of beneficent mosquitoes. These are a powerful people with their own agenda, recognizable to those who've read British folklore or even stories by Arthur Machen. Wilby makes a pretty convincing argument that the fairies served the same purpose for early modern witches that guiding spirits have done for shamans in traditional societies. Like those spirits, fairy familiars helped witches acquire practical knowledge, like where a stolen cloak might be or how to cure (or hex) someone, and they were often friends and companions as well. Witches generally first encountered a familiar while being under extreme stress - broke, family members sick, overworked, hungry, fearing the worst - and Wilby compares this to the sort of deliberate preparation to encounter a guiding spirit that shamans in traditional societies engage in - fasting, depriving themselves of sleep, and creating other physical extremes. This interesting parallel fits with assertions made by Carlo Ginzburg in his work on the Sabbat, Night Journies. Wilby also argues that the concept of traveling to a sabbat is basically the interrogators' interpretation of the witch accompanying a fairy to fairyland, where for instance they might learn how to use plants or feast and dance with the fairy folk.
I was surprised by some of the information given in simple asides, such as that people at this time kept toads for pets or the average number of cats per household in Britain at this time was five. Something that really stuck with me, though, was how often witches described their familiar as being like an animal but not of any recognizable type, such as "something like a rabbit" which appeared in a witch's bed at night and asked him to love it. Even the pictures of them were somewhat disturbing. Other familiars appeared as humans but often wore old fashioned clothing.
This isn't the most engaging book ever written - the writing is just serviceable, and the book feels like it began life as a dissertation. But it does present what in my experience is a unique perspective on familiars. And the information here also goes far to bust up preconceived crusty notions about the good, wise hedgewitch who wouldn't hurt a fly, the Burning Times, Disneyworld-style fairies, and so forth. It presents a world much more complicated than that. The footnotes and bibliography also provide a number of directions for further reading about cunning folk in other countries as well as some interesting books on fairy folk in Britain.
fascinating analysis.......2006-08-13
This book takes a look at aspects of early modern English witchcraft and cunning-folk practice that have seldom been examined in academic ways. The first section begins with a good summary of the nature of the popular culture of the day - illiterate or semiliterate, land-dependent, and steeped in what she identifies as an 'animistic' world view. Wilby provides an interesting perspective on just how uneducated in Christian orthodoxy the ordinary man-in-the-field was, and how close and real was the world of local spirits and ghosts. The book then offers a selection of descriptions of the spirit-allies of those identified as 'witches' or 'cunning folk' (and makes a clear distinction between the two classes). Wilby uses trial accounts and the descriptions of elite (i.e. literate) observers as her main sources for how English magic-users viewed their 'familiars' or 'spirit guides'. She makes a good case for which kinds of trial accounts make for good evidence, and her choices are entirely convincing.
The second section of the book provides a summary of traditional 'shamanism', especially as practiced in central Asia. The author focuses on the interactions of shamans with spirits, describing the encounter, initiation and ongoing work. This section has little that is new. Those familiar with world shamanic models will find it ordinary; those without that familiarity are given a good summary introduction.
In the final section of the book. Wilby makes the case that early-modern witches and cunning-folk had relationships with spiritual beings similar in many ways to those of traditional shamans. She takes some time to discuss how westerners so 'close' to us in temperment and culture could commonly experience the visionary events required for spirit-contact. She discusses (throughout the book) modern western objections to the stories, and how materialist historians have tried to describe the stories of the cunning folk as 'mutual constructions', fictions created by the interactions of elite witch-hunters with impoverished victims. In my own opinion, Wilby's theories of actual events of spirit contact (whether psychological or metaphysical) fit the evidence much more clearly than materialist skepticism.
Wilby is aware of both neoshamanic and neopagan practice in modern times. The book doesn't spend much time talking about them, but it is filled with a sensibility that takes spirit-contact by modern people (or early modern people...) seriously. Modern practitioners will find many suggestive notions, seeds on which our practice might be grown.
Ian Corrigan
Average customer rating:
- Ignorance shows
- Amazingly Ignorant
- Innacurate Information
- There are a lot of better options.
- Great Book, For a Great Start
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Animal Magick: The Art of Recognizing and Working with Familiars
D.J. Conway
Manufacturer: Llewellyn Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 1567181686 |
Customer Reviews:
Ignorance shows.......2007-07-05
Ted Andrews is a far better read on so many levels it is astounding. The falsehoods portrayed by this author are amazing to me. Inaccurate statements abound through out. I am not sure if the author made up things as she went along but if she did use valid sources and resources it certainly does not show.
Amazingly Ignorant.......2005-11-30
I can't comment as to the author's accuracy with regard to the magical characteristics of animals, but I will say that Ms. Conway needs to go back to high school and take introductory biology. Much of the information that she presents with regard to the biological and behavioral attributes of several animals is simply false. How exactly is one to commune with animals when one is so astoundingly ignorant as to their nature? Why is it that all of these fluffy-New-Age-white-light witches think that they're also zoologists?
Innacurate Information.......2004-06-07
This book could be so much better if it contained *accurate* information about all the animals mentioned! Conway needs to do adequate research before writing, and Llewellyn needs to do their editorial homework before publishing her books.
There are a lot of better options........2004-01-18
I was rather unimpressed by this book. I've read the bulk of books on animal magic and neopagan totemism that are currently available, and this is one of the ones I advise people to avoid.
The research is less than adequate. For instance, she doesn't seem to be able to tell the difference between a domesticated ferret and an ermine. She says that ferrets change color seasonally; while ferret coats may differ in shade a bit from shed to shed, they do not have a brown phase and a white phase. That's the ermine. In addition, she says that the domestic ferret is bloodthirsty. Not so. Anyone who has owned ferrets knows that they have pretty much no survival instincts remaining--a ferret released into the wild will be dead inside of a week. Do some research. This entry is just one example.
In addition, there are no citations stating where she got her information, including the various questionable bits. Plus, the entire feel of the book is rather shallow, with little information of use that can't be found in better texts.
I'd recommend Ted Andrews' works for introductory totemism, and Jessica Dawn Palmer's "Animal Wisdom" for an additional dictionary instead.
Great Book, For a Great Start.......2003-11-05
My coven and I have been researching animal familiars, guides and totems and this book is a great quick reference for just that. It had a great explanation for the different types of familiars in the front, meditation ideas, and a very comprehensive number of different animals that you might find are your spirit guides. I have found many people including myself who are not too keen on certain types of critters and she covers those as well, with reassurance and advice. Rest assured it is a good book to add to your library.
Customer Reviews:
Controversially Amazing.......2007-09-29
In this wonderful book, Lupa gives us a fantastic insight into the arts of animal and totem magick. This incredibal resource goes beyound a simple guide to totemic interpretations, and does something that writers of animal magick have been needing to do for a long time... Talk about the use of animal parts in ritual, and animal sacrifice. Lupa does a amazing job remaining on the fence about the subjects, and offers insights into both views.
"Fang and Fur, Blood and Bone" is a beginniner's guide to deeper work in the arts of animal magick. Lupa has done the work, and it shows!
Just... Amazing.......2007-08-31
This book, honestly, got me to actually take into consideration the animal magick paradigm. This book does not leave me speechless; it has me yelling at anyone I can about it's greatness. This book has been an inspiration to me and, hopefully, will do the same for you.
Alright, now to the actual book. Lupa teaches you how to personify your chakras as totem animals, create animalistic-servitors and their foundations with animal parts, and explains how one can be "god-ridden" by an animal (the shamans did it way before us, but we can do it too!!).
Personally, I found a few of the chapters a little dry, but, whenever this happened, the next page was sure to contain something funny/interesting to keep me going. The information in this book is, honestly, available nowhere else.
5/5 Lupa, keep up the good work; its because of you and your mate, Taylor, that I have been striving to become a writer. You've inspired me and my friends greatly!!!
Nox,
Chuck
Warning! Not for Sheep........2007-03-05
If you're looking for a totem 101 book + dictionary that will tell you exactly how you should be conducting your spiritual life, this book is NOT for you. However, if you're willing to set your paws in the mud of unknown trails then read on.
Lupa writes from a very practical perspective. She makes no grand claims of animal charming powers, ("I've yet to have a single dog respond to a mental command in my years of working with the species" [14]), and she readily admits that this text is more of a starting point for ideas than a be-all-end-all on the subject.
The book covers a broad range of topics including shapeshifting, totemism (very useful introduction to the historical and modern use of the word), working with animal parts, and even a somewhat controversial (but well handled) chapter on animal sacrifice. It's a must-read for anyone wanting to go beyond the totem 101 dictionaries littering the shelves of most New Age sections in bookstores.
Better than Puss-in-Boots.......2007-02-19
Lupa tames the animal kingdom for magickal workers. In a no-holds barred manual, the author explores all aspects of utilizing animals in ritual and life works. She is a brave writer, not shying away from even subjects that are politically incorrect such as ritual sacrifice. In seven concise and informative chapters, the book takes the reader from the mildest form of animal magic - Totemism, to the most extreme and possibly controversial form - animal sacrifices.
For the most part the book is well written and to the point. I was fascinated by the recounting of the author's own experiences of invocation while dancing in a wolf pelt. I often use found feathers in creation of magical tools so the chapter on using animal parts was also personally interesting for me. The author suggests deep communion with the animal spirits left behind in the parts, something I had never considered before. It does make sense to me, although nearly all the feathers I have worked with have been molted and as far as I am aware have little in terms of residual energy clinging to them. On the other hand, I have two turtle shells that I have been holding onto for years, not knowing what to do with them. Perhaps the ritual explained in this book to ask the original owners what they wish to have done with the remains would be a good avenue to pursue in this instance.
I have worked with animal imagery in the past both in forms of totems and animal nature. I often call animals to represent the Quarters when I cast circle. For a long time my favorite tarot deck was the Earth Medicine Deck, which features animals on most cards with some left blank for the reader to fill in as needed. But I never considered invocation of my totems into myself, never considered creating new animals to suit my needs and never tried shape shifting, either in my mind or in actuality. The author claims to feel "other" and to feel a kinship with her totems something I have never felt. This book contained many passages opening new ideas to me. Even if I fail to use their wisdom, I feel that my outlook when it comes to animal magic has been greatly expanded.
On the technical side of the book, I have two small issues. One was the page layout. I found the margins in the book to be too small forcing me to open the book's spine more severely than I am accustomed to. In a hardback book this would not be an issue, but with a soft cover, I am afraid the binding will soon become cracked and damaged causing the book to have a short lifespan. The other thing I have issue with was the author's attempt to be non-gender specific with her own word of "hir" replacing his, hers, him and her. It really is too bad that the English language has no gender-neutral words in these instances, but at best I found the replacement word to be distracting and at worst was that it was used inconsistently throughout the text. In places the common language of his and her was in evidence only to be replaced in the following paragraph by the "hir" usage.
In all this is an excellent book for people wishing to delve into the worlds of animal magics. It is far better than any other book I have read on the subject, avoiding the rote use of listing animal correspondences and getting down to the nitty-gritty of actual rituals and meditations fully accessible to even a novice.
Reveiwed by W. Lyon Martin - author/illustrator of "An Ordinary Girl, A Magical Child"
Excellent book on the subject.......2007-02-08
I read this one some time ago and am still impressed with it.
This book is well beyond the 'what's your sign/animal' type of book. There are several good ideas worth working with. I think my favorite is working with an animal familiar as you would a servitor.
I recommend this book to anyone interested in really working with animals in a magickal way.
Book Description
Jake seems to have grown up overnight - literally. He goes to bed as his usual kid-self and wakes up ten years older to find the world completely taken over by Yeerks. All the other Animorphs are either dead or Yeerk-infested, and Jake alone is left to fight. Is it all just a horrific dream, or has the Yeerk invasion truly succeeded?
Customer Reviews:
Intense and Terrifying.......2005-03-22
This was an extremely tense and fast-paced book. After a horrific failed battle in which Jake makes the call to leave two Animorphs behind, Jake wakes up the next morning and finds everything changed. He's suddenly "at least ten years older" in an UNfamiliar world. This book is similar to the alternate, possible reality books of #7 "The Stranger," the beginning of Megamorphs #3, and Megamorphs #4. Jake finds himself in New York City with everything changed-everyone is a Controller, including Andalites. It has the nightmarish aspects of 1984 as well as provoking humor of human society becoming merged with Yeerk society (the bits about pills and clinics and the advertising boards, for example).
I'd say this is an especially dark book, almost a warning of the future. Jake sees his worst fears played out: he was responsible for everyone getting caught since Tom finally figured it out. He finds out that he's responsible for Rachel's death and for turning Cassie, Marco, and Ax into Controllers. The confusing aspects of this book is when he has hallucinations that we don't know are real or not. He sees the walking corpses of the enemies he's killed and is shocked that Cassie is a jaded terrorist, accepting violence. There are few light-hearted moments in this book as Jake is purposely forced to run through the gauntlet for some mysterious end or experiment by a different, perhaps even higher power than the Ellimist or Crayak. It's a terrifying book and one almost wishes for the end since it is quite painful at times. At the end of this book, readers can only hope that Jake can learn from his futuristic experiences.
The Familiar.......2002-12-23
Jake seems to have grown up overnight - literally. He goes to bed as his usual kid-self and wakes up ten years older to find the world completely taken over by Yeerks. All the other Animorphs are either dead or Yeerk-infested, and Jake alone is left to fight. Is it all just a horrific dream, or has the Yeerk invasion truly succeeded?
The Familiar.......2000-10-17
The people that gave bad reviews on #41 are evil ! Well, okay, that's opinion. But anyway, I absolutely loved The Familiar. The way KA Applegate can create a futuristic Animorphs is amazing. I thought that The Familiar is one of the best books in the series, because it has so much glory in it. The auther fashioned this book to be not JUST #41. She fashined it to be a great , never to be forgotten book. True, the ending is a completely unexpected one -- but doesn't that make it all the
more exciting? The Familiar is one of the best books in a long time since August. Now that's worth it.
Read the other reviews before reading this one, it'll help!.......2000-10-10
Although Animorphs are considered appropriate for ages 9-12, older children can certainly appreciate them. I'm 14 and have been reading Animorphs for about 4 years, and have noticed that it's difficult to comprehend some of the books if you're younger than 12. Judging by the previous reviews, this book is definitely one of them. The purpose of this review is to fill in some areas left void by the other reviewers, so read them prior to my review. First of all, the point of the book is to express a simple universal concept: love. The Animorphs have been forced to make difficult choices, but they continue to have a sense of morality. They realize that they cannot become totally ruthless. They need values and principles, or the world is not worth saving. Don't take this statement entirely literally, just be patient and you'll figure it out. The ending is easy to understand if you read the story carefully. Jake discovers the extent of his love for Cassie. An exciting new development is a being like the Ellimist, but different. I believe this book uses an idea similar to what was used in #7 "The Stranger", so read that too. It will also make the ending clearer when you read this book (And you should definitely read it! ). Be sure to read Megamorphs #4, because it relates to the book when Jake tells of his most terrifying dream, and at other points in the story. The new "being" in #41 could be interconnected with what is foreshadowed about Cassie during Megamorphs #4... that will make possible an interesting future plot. Anyway, this was one of my all-time favorite Animorph books, along with #s 4, 7, 19, 26, all the Tobias books, Megamorphs 3 and 4, and Visser (During which KAA implies that Marco is now either 12 or 15 years old, depending on what she means by "adolescence." Don't pay attention to the numerous hints about their age, they never add up.) But this is DEFINITELY a must-read, one of the best in the series. Don't miss it!
An exciting but confuseing book.......2000-08-27
This book is completely difrent from the other books wicth is good. but the book makes it seem like with out the Animorphs we would be infestted. The end is a bit confusing.
Average customer rating:
- Deinitely worth the purchase
- You've got to read this.
- Excellent! This book opens up your innate power. VERY Cool.
- Better stuff is out there
- excellent workbook
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The Once Unknown Familiar: Shamanic Paths to Unleash Your Animal Powers
Timothy Roderick
Manufacturer: Llewellyn Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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The Magic of Shapeshifting
ASIN: 0875424392 |
Customer Reviews:
Deinitely worth the purchase.......2006-06-01
I first read this five years ago and decided to pick it up again.
It's definitely a good read. It's a heavily psychological viewpoint of familiars, with a lot of emphasis on the inner animal. The guided meditations and the questions to go with them are excellent; they're worth the price of the book alone.
I was also very pleasantly surprised to be reminded that this book, unlike so many others, not only has a bibliography, but intext citations! Those are exceptionally rarein occult texts, particularly those put out by Llewellyn.
I do have a few gripes. Roderick buys into the "witchcraft is just shamanism repackaged" thing, with no new evidence. Plus he uses Margaret Murray's many-times-debunked works as sources.
There's also a lot of filler in this book--it seems like he was really trying hard to break the 200 pages mark. Each question has a sizable chunk of blank space with it so you can write in those spaces instead of, say, a piece of paper. Between chapters there are three to four blank, picture, or title pages. The animal totem dictionaries and listings of lore seem almost like an afterthought--just enough material to count, but not very indepth.
It's not that these seriously detract from the book. But the rest of the material, the exercises and meditations, are so good, and the rest of it just seems kind of thrown in there for the page count. I'd really like to see a rewrite of the book based on the actual magical ideas, and less formulaic material. As a practical primer/journal it's excellent, which is why it gets four stars. But I think the extra 50 pages or so could have been put to better use.
You've got to read this........1999-05-19
If you want a good guide in the world of the shaman, this book is very reliable. I loved the guided journeys and other magical work the author teaches. This is worth the read.
Excellent! This book opens up your innate power. VERY Cool........1999-03-06
This is the best book I've read on animal spirits and working with animals as links to power. I've read a couple of other titles that are out there and they were too nonsensical. This seemed pretty down to earth and easy to read. If you've ever wondered what your animal spirit is, this is the best book for discovering it. I highly recommend it.
Better stuff is out there.......1998-11-14
While I do like the book and find it to be a useful reference, it is the LEAST useful of the books that I have that focus on animal magick. It offers very little information on each animal and has a small list of animals. In addition, my hackles raised when I read his spell for attracting a love -- he said that the spellcaster should visualize his/her love coming toward him/her! This is in complete opposition to "free will". I'm not a fluffy-bunny/ white-lighter -- more like a medium-light grey -- but I still find this immoral.
If you are really into animal and familiar magick, and have a little extra money to spend, go ahead and get this book. But if you're looking for one, good, solid book on this subject, look elsewhere -- e.g. Ted Andrews' _Animal-Speak_.
excellent workbook.......1997-06-01
excellent workbook on animal magick. Although I have seen other books on the subject, this ones seems the best at stepping the iniate through learning about the animals in their lives. Covers both theory (dispelling myths and history) as well as practical how to. Well worth the money for anyone looking to unleash their animal side
Average customer rating:
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Willow: A Magical Cat
C. F. Lander
Manufacturer: PublishAmerica
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Fiction | Cats | Animals | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1592860966 |
Book Description
Willow: A Magical Cat is about a cat being taught the art of magic by her friend and teacher, Sea Wind. She is in training to be a witch?s familiar. This adventure is about how Willow and her friends rescue Sea Wind after she has been stolen out of ignorance.
Average customer rating:
- Adventure, Magic, Romance, and a Great Read
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Familiar Magic
Shannon Devlyn
Manufacturer: Runestone Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1596480025 |
Book Description
In order to take her rightful place on the High Council, mage, Audrey O'Connor must be joined to Lord Sebastian MacAllister, the familiar who broke her heart six years ago.
When an ancient relic is stolen, a powerless Audrey finds herself in 16th century Scotland, a land rife with witchcraft persecution. In order to bring the Myst Wand home, Audrey and Sebastian must learn that there is more than one kind of magic.
Download Description
In order to take her rightful place on the High Council, mage, Audrey O'Connor must be joined to Lord Sebastian MacAllister, the familiar who broke her heart six years ago. When an ancient relic is stolen, a powerless Audrey finds herself in 16th century Scotland, a land rife with witchcraft persecution. In order to bring the Myst Wand home, Audrey and Sebastian must learn to work together and create a little Familiar Magic.
Customer Reviews:
Adventure, Magic, Romance, and a Great Read.......2007-04-02
Definitely a feel good kind of book. Familiar magic was a delightful mixture of adventure, magic, and true romance. (Not to be confused with trashy romance novels.) This book sends you on a journey through time and unspeakable odds to prove that love has no bounds. A must read!
Average customer rating:
- Good, but please show your research!
- Bumper Guide to Familiars.
- Familiars:Animal Powers of Britain
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Familiars: Animal Powers of Britain
Anna Franklin
Manufacturer: Capall Bann Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 1898307857 |
Book Description
An animal familiar represents the species as a whole, not a wolf, but Wolf. Through this connection the shaman or witch can draw on the power of the whole species for their strength and abilities. A familiar also acts as a guide to Otherworld places, where knowledge or healing may be sought. A special relationship is formed between the practitioner and their familiar, otherwise referred to as Totem, Power or Nagual animals. This fascinating and enlightening book details seeking a familiar using pathworkings and dance, calling a familiar, shapeshifting, spirit flight, thought forms, and entering the Otherworld. It goes on to detail animals, giving folklore and names, associated deities, elements and plants, natural history and a pathworking for a wide variety of animals.
Customer Reviews:
Good, but please show your research!.......2006-05-14
Franklin has compiled a unique collection of information on familiars (Brit pagan term for totem). Not only does she weave in a variety of mythology--mostly British and Irish Celtic, but a bit of other areas as well--but she also includes biological information on the animals, superstitions, qualities of the animals as totems/familiars, and for some, guided meditations. Each section is very thorough.
She also has a wonderful writing style, very easy to read, and she has a good variety of animals that are particularly relevant to the U.K. It's nice to see some variety--few books cover, say, Goose in much detail. It's obvious she enjoys this particular genre as well.
I do have a few negatives. Occasionally she repeats herself, which gets annoying only because I'm very detail-oriented. Also, the book is completely lacking in citations--there isn't even a bibliography! How do I know where she got ehr information, and what;s originally hers and what isn't? There wasn't anything that reall jumped out at me as questionable, but still, I do find the lack of any references to be a major drawback.
Still, overall, it's a keeper, and a definite good reference to keep on hand. I'd like to be able to give it a 3 3/4.
Bumper Guide to Familiars........2000-12-30
This book contains an introduction to the subject of working with animal powers and the various types of relationship one can have with spirit animals- familiars, totems, fetches, nugual and tonal animals for example. It shows how to build a relationship with animal powers, how to gain a familiar or totem, how to create a power song and so on. there are then full descriptions of the lore and lessons of fifty animals and birds, togther with personal experiences of people, plus pathworkings and meditations on the animals. As with all of Anna's books this is a full and exhaustive coverage of the subject, well researched and cohesively written. I was able to gain contact with my own elusive familiar, as well as certain healing animal spirits that help me in my shamanic work.
Familiars:Animal Powers of Britain.......2000-08-28
A fascinating dip into the shamanic world of the witch's familiar - wild and domestic animals with which adepts can link consciousness. It includes real life testimony from people undergoing shamanic experiences [some of them quite scary, others - unexpected].
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