Customer Reviews

The Book of Wizardry: The Apprentice's Guide to the Secrets of the Wizards' Guild

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

This is a cute book that has obviously been designed for a young novice in the magical arts, sort of a Harry Potteresque instruction book. It's hard to tell whether this is a serious book on the subject at first, but it does have real magic and techniques for increasing concentration and such, and half of the book is taken up by a "Choose Your Own Adventure" type of novella.

The only annoying thing about it this book is that it mixes fantasy and real magical techniques, but I suppose that might be fun for a younger reader. It's a bit like telling children about Santa Claus, though.

In short, this is a good book for a young adult who is interested in magic and fantasy (and most likely a Harry Potter fan) but doesn't know where to begin, and/or if you want to teach a young adult magical technique but want to do it in a fun way.

Is wizardry real? When you start searching for real information on wizardry there is not much to go on. Cornelius's book can be as close to the real thing as it can get for his target audience. Cornelius targets the juvenile with poise and lovely humor.

The book is an excellent introduction into the world of occult and mystery. The 20 wizardry lessons are easy to follow and a great pleasure of anticipation, but demands patience and active participation. The lessons start with the secret wizard's name, which is probably the most powerful psychological edifying concept in the book.

The practical instructions will lead to some insight, if combined with the given simple and practical advice: "Wizardry works from the inside out". The gems in between might just be missed if not looked at carefully. The lessons are an introduction into real occult ideas and concepts. The lessons introduce the five elements introducing the pentagram and ventures through methods of divination, numerology and astrology. He explains briefly how the cycles of the moon and talisman can be used to strengthen magic. Interwoven between all the artifacts of wizardry are occult disciplines like relaxation, breathing, visioning, memory enhancement and spirit guides. The book might not immediately create a lot of powerful Merlin's but it is designed to entice and intrigue. I have no doubt that it will accomplish that.

The Wizard's adventure is more than a story...it allows the young wizard to make decisions and apply the knowledge gained in the 20 lessons. The Wizard's adventure provides a simulated practice ground to apply wizardry. The story begins with an introduction into the use of a pendulum as a means of guidance and then builds a story line of survival through a labyrinth of decisions. Not knowing the wizard's secrets leads ultimately to death in the game. The odds are against the young wizard in the battles with all types of creatures. If played by the rules the wizard has a slim change of coming out of the adventure alive. Playing with dice the wizard has to focus on bringing the magic from the inside to truly reach the wizard's guild.

Cornelius provides a masterful blend between fiction and non-fiction. There is certainly enough realness to entice further exploration and there is enough mystery to keep the Wizard elusive in his mythical, enigmatic and magical character.

This is a "charming" book with all sorts of things a budding young wizard apprentice should know. It contains lessons at the end of every chapter, and the chapters are short so it moves along. After completing all of the lessons, including things such as making a wizard's cup and magic wand, there is a game you can read and play. I would highly recommend this item for young and young at heart who are fans of that famous young wizard with the initials HP.

First up, this book has nothing to do with Harry Potter. Absolutely nowhere does this book mention anything to do with Harry Potter whatsoever, or vice versa. Harry Potter is 100 percent fiction.

Secondly: Yes, this book has real, genuine magical technique in it. The first half of the book is devoted to actual magick lessons. If this sort of thing makes you uncomfortable, or is against your religious beliefs, then don't buy this. Parents concerned about their children should already be monitoring what they read, correct? so if this is against your beliefs, you can explain that to them. Some people, however, actively practice as part of their religious beliefs while others don't particularly care, therefore having no problem if their kids are reading this book. (I would ask, however, that if you're afraid of "witch craft," have you actually spoken to a practicing Witch about what they believe and what they do? You might be surprised that Witches are no scarier than Hindus or Buddhists...)

The book itself: The first half, the lessons, are written in an engaging style. They're simple and easy to understand, but even after several years of practicing magic I picked up some things I didn't know before. The second half of the book, the game/Wizard's Adventure, is magnificent fun, rather like a Choose your own adventure book, which quizzes you on the material in the first part while being highly entertaining!

From my perspective, the mix of the fictional professor "Rumstuckle" with the genuine magickal principles is original and charming; however, I do understand how young kids could confuse fact and fantasy.

I have read the book, and i completed it but i was very hazy at the end. In the end you become a "fully-accredited wizard in the first-degree"...okay, is there a second-degree, a third-degree, or what? Secondly, when he talks about the creation of the Wizard's Tools, he speaks briefly about using them to control the elements in a ritual, which he never gets into. Thirdly, he never gets to the magic part, no spells, no ritual, no nothing. Is he planning on making a second book or what since this one was for apprentices? Very frustrating, and very confusing.

I got this book for my grandson, 11, who is very interested in Harry Potter and magic in general. He loved it! It is written in language younger readers can understand and relate to. I recommend it.

It feels very strange to be weighing in on the same side as people who equate all magick with Satanism, but here I am. I find the whole make-believe tone on this book grating precisely because I am a serious Pagan priestess (as well as a fan of fantasy writing). I find the whole idea of purposely blurring the lines between the two a dangerous disservice, both to Pagan children who might be misled into expecting their practice to be far more Harry Potter-eque than it really will be, and to non-Pagan children who might be deceived into thinking they are playing a game as they violate their parents' religious convictions. There is a fine line between being whimsical and being a downright liar, and this book seems to skate back and forth across it with gleeful abandon.

I do not go so far as to give one star because as much as I myself find the tone annoying, I can imagine that my son would enjoy it more than I do, and since at least some of the information is actually sound, he might learn something valid along with the garbage I would have to remove from his brain later. A child grounded enough in reality could sort fact from fiction - but that child might feel about the "make-believe" tone the way that I do. So many Pagan books seem to be written at a junior-high-school reading level in any case that you are probably better off just buying the "adult" beginner books that are more reputable.

"The Book of Wizardry" is a wonderfully creative guide for those of us in the world with a particular interest in magic. At first, Mr. Rumstuckle explains to us the basics of wizardry and how we could possibly use it in the future. Eventually, he does teach us different ways to use magic in our lives. Then, he teaches us how to make our own wand, our own cape, and all those other necessities of wizards, except for the pointed hat, which he describes as being only used by those who wish to show off. Next, he gets into horoscopes and sun signs and things like that, which I particularly enjoy. Yet, when he gets into REAL magic, he explains that it works from the inside out which was a bit disappointing, considering that he states that to make something happen physically, we have to visualize it mentally, basically saying that magic is just in the state of mind. This process DOES work but it's not really what one would expect from a wizardry guide. Even though there are those not-so-great aspects of the book, the splendid humor draws you into it a bit more, even though it's not really a page-turner that you can never put down. It's easy to stop reading at the end of the day and store it on your bookshelf without feeling hungry for more or the least bit guilty. I still would recommend this book to anyone who's fascinated by the ancient art of magic.

The book of wizardry, is a very fun and informative book, for young readers! I found it entertaining and fun to read, eventhou; I am seventeen. The Chapters in the book all end with an assignment. This assignments are creative and hands on, which I believe brings the book up from good to great. The books assignmens range from making a wand to building a wizard's oracle. This book is not fictional, the exercises the book presents really help the apprentice wizard, like the memory exercise , or the relaxation exercise. I am happy to have this wonderful guide in my collection of magickal books!

Thius book is the best! It was really fun, and the chapters weren't incredibly long, so it moved along very quickly if you didn't do all of the tasks at the end of the chapters(or "lessons"). I've made all of the tools, charged them, and even completed the "Wizard's Adventure" and sent my name in to become a "Fully accredited Wizard int the First Degree & Official member of the Wizard's Guild" , which is kind of exciting, even though it MIGHT not be real. This book is definiteley NOT trying to pull you in and make you a demonic devil worshiper, and it DEFINITELY isn't trying to turn you against Jesus, God, or Heaven. It even tells you to look toward Heaven, put you your hands toward Heaven, and imagine a bright ray pof heavenly light comin down from heaven for some of the exercises! This is just a really fun, exciting book for anyone who wants a bit of fun in their life, or to become a non-demonic, magic-making, Jesus-or-whatever-god-you're-worshipping wizard!