48 of 53 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Good book, if you study some background first, April 7, 2007
This review is from: Futhark: A Handbook of Rune Magic (Paperback)
This was the first popular esoteric rune book to contain some real academic research on runes. Thorsson's PhD gives him the background, research skills, and access to sources to put together a very impressive work. The awkward, dry, scholarly writing style adds to the perceived credibility.
Unfortunately, as we can see from other reviews, the average reader tends to accept the book as historical facts about the original runic traditions of Viking & pre-Viking times. Although the book is a cut above the New-Age pack, claims of authenticity are misleading.
Although it contains some good research that most of the other rune manuals lack, the esoteric ideas are largely based on the Armanen system invented in Germany in the early 1900s. The Armanen system was typical of the occultism of the day, mixing romanticised & poorly researched ideas about runes with poorly understood techniques borrowed from yoga, and a touch of Western ceremonial magic (itself mainly descended from Hebrew sources). It was a mish-mash of systems not so different from the anything-goes New-Age fusions of today.
The only problem with the book is that it does not always clearly separate recent inventions from pre-Christian sources, leaving the average reader with the impression that it describes a pre-Christian esoteric tradition. It also contains a fair amount of speculation about historical sources that is not clearly identified as such, or made to look more credible than it really is (eg his argument for rune postures). To be fair, if you have done some extra study, and read carefully, the distinctions are often there, but they tend to be worded so that the average reader will not notice when they enter the realms of UPG.
This book is useful to those interested in esoteric runology, but those interested in re-creationist or historical rune magic need to take it with a grain of salt. Read it, but first do the groundwork and look at the historical facts, then feel free to make your own speculations rather than rely on the imagination of the popular authors.
For those interested in a survey of real historical evidence and examples of rune magic, I recommend
Runic Amulets and Magic Objects.
Sweyn
Author of
The Rune Primer
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23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Worth reading, if you can follow it, June 21, 2000
This review is from: Futhark: A Handbook of Rune Magic (Paperback)
This book first came out in the late 1980's, and many rune magicians still consider it a classic. Several later authors, including Gundarsson, have been inspired by _Futhark_ to some extent.
Thorsson discusses the meanings and magical uses of each rune in detail, backing them with references from Norse pagan texts and Germanic folklore. He does occasionally allude to other esoteric traditions, but this doesn't feel as intrusive as it does in some other books. (My only complaint here is the table of astrological and Tarot correspondences at the end of the book; the runes, in my opinion, should be able to stand on their own as a magical system.)
I would still recommend this book ten years after I first bought it, although Thorsson's language may be too dry and academic for popular readers.
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43 of 50 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
THE KEY TO WHAT'S BEHIND THE FIRST DOOR, March 28, 2003
This review is from: Futhark: A Handbook of Rune Magic (Paperback)
This book is REQUIRED READING for those who would dare seek true knowledge of the runes. Other books purporting to reveal the mysteries of the runes are best left to the New Agers -- this is the real deal. Be advised that even though this "introductory" text is "for beginners," it is only for those who truely wish to KNOW. There is no mass-market fluff here! Although I am not entirely in agreement with the teachings of Mister Flowers (Thorsson) and the Rune-Guild, this is, by far, the best book I've seen on the subject matter . . . better even than "Thorsson's" later books for more advanced studies. He has written a number of books on the runes, and, even though I have a working knowledge of runelore myself, a few of them were difficult to read. Fortunately, "Futhark" is not one of them. The only real criticism I have is that, personally, I find the concept of "runic postures" rather silly. Visualize them, carve them, stain them with your blood -- but don't go striking a pose! Aside from that, this was an excellent book, and I recommend it highly.
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