Customer Reviews

The Apophenion: a chaos magick paradigm

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Peter Carroll was the first author I read who made magic magical and one of the few whose writings have repaid close repeated reading. Carroll is to be congratulated for writing this book and Mandrake for publishing it. The Apophenion is a gold mine of Carrollisms, and I could cite a score or more, even if few of the insights are original and some have been phrased more elegantly. That said, their power is undiminished and their application to magical working as timely as ever. No one with the slightest interest in magical theory should miss this book.

Much of the work is a description of Carrollian physics. I know barely enough physics to keep my tires inflated and not a whit more, so any attempt by me to evaluate "the maths" would be idiocy in its most literal sense. Indeed, I can barely even picture the simplest of Peter's demonstrations and I suspect I have a great deal of company. If you figure yourself among the numerically disabled, be warned. It may well be that Peter Carroll is the Giordano Bruno of our era and that he has demonstrated the elusive physics of magic, and if so, I am exuberantly pleased if ultimately quite unenlightened in spite of it. I'm just saying...

The artwork: first rate cover and the Muses (pg 112) are suitable for framing.

Two quibbles: either the proof reading of the book or the software used to compose it is deplorable. There are there are annoying repetitions of repetitions of words and the punctuation occasionally appears derived from an alien-as-in-not-of-this-world grammar.

As co-founder of the chaos magic movement, any new book by Peter Carroll would complement a serious chaote's library by default. However, his new book, "The Apophenion," need not rely on any of that, and would serve as the basis for his reputation if he did not already have one.

In "The Apophenion," Carroll takes his over a decade's worth of scientific exploration and seamlessly weaves it into the application of magic so that it becomes a workable theory by scientific standards.

All that said, the book has a number of typos. They don't detract from its immense worth, but I will keep my fingers crossed and my eyes out for an updated edition.

Pete's power lies in originating powerful idea's.

In his work one can encounter a rare uniqueness of authenticity, integrity and directness,that is mindblowing.

The reader can be assured, this book is a Sacrament of Chaos.
Dripping from the mind of a magician, that has ripened with time
and as good wine has become more flavored.

A must read for Chaos Magicians and those who are interested.

It had been nearly a decade since reading Liber Null and Psychonaut when this book came onto my radar. Chaos has been my home since I first encountered it. Yet somehow, by my own design, I until recently was in the throes of an enormously disturbing 4 year jaunt with a hilariously failed experiment in Chaos Christianity (DO NOT ATTEMPT IT). After "coming down" I found myself in love with Thor and with very little support structure. Things were working, but I felt adrift.

Fortuitously I happened upon The Apophenion, and it has righted my ship quickly and painlessly. Sales are up, my teeth are the whitest white, and the future is once again filled with hope and mirth. Thank you, Peter.

Apophenia is to me a means of sifting through your mental forces for as much of a seperate, objective standpoint as we humans are capable of conjuring at this point in time. I believe Chaos is the only way to truly unite the polarity of Rauch into a single, sublime conduit for the Kia of this existance, and Peter J. Carrol KNOWS HIS CHAOS. Just try not get too touchy on how you FEEL about his points. Swallow your immediate reaction and hold the idea on your tongue for a bit to really see how it tastes. If you still disagree after at least attempting to put as much thought into understanding it as Pete did in concieving it, then you disagree. Fun stuff.

Thank You Mr. Carroll,
"Why would one choose a prosaic inner life, when they could live one of poetry instead?"
Another gem of wisdom from Pope Pete.
Drink deep and shift away from whatever deranged sense of comfort you have, rest assured Mr. Carroll will rock your world and make you question everything.
somethings are true, somethings are permitted ? ?
- Ciao

I was really intrigued when Carroll released a new book on chaos magic. The Apophenion is the introduction to a goddess, more space/time specualtation, theory, and practice from Carroll, an exploration of the multi-mind and much more. It is a book worth picking up if you're into chaos magic or experimental magic, or if you're curious as to how someone who has training in math and science is applying that training to magic.

What I liked about the book was Carroll's succinct explanations of his theories about time magic and the multi-mind. I also liked his explanation of Apophenia and how one can work with her. I already consider her a deity of space/time workings from his description of her. I will note that the Apophenion is mainly a book of theory and that it assumes that readers already know a good deal about magic. Any practical applications of it, are left entirely in the hands of the readers to produce.

With this book, Carroll charts new path for chaos magic, while also updating readers on his own work. I highly recommend it as an inspiring and thought-provoking read.

5 out of 5 chaostars

The Apophenion refreshes us, the team within known as Lee Webb. Having savored Carroll's writings for years and benefited from them thoroughly we now delight in his latest release.

Do not worry that he only restates earlier material - this truly elegant product complements, clarifies and yet exceeds his previous works. Once again the team known as Stokastikos works marvels.

Many Thanks,
WTTLITHF