Customer Reviews

Pragmatic Magics: A Grimoire of Modern Sorcery

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I received this book for review from the Scientists of New Atlantis Inc. in Las Vegas, NV. It is a grimoire and while a bit on the more expensive side, I was impressed with this work for many reasons.

First of all - it's not just a "hard cover" it is a bound book on decent paper. Real binding!!!! Not "trade paper" or having a "harder than usual" cover like so many other publishers use, but a real binding! And the paper wasn't "two grades up from newspaper" but it is real quality paper. The book even smelled of ink!

There is a dust jacket on the book. White glossy cover, with the title, a very "primitive" style graphic of a sorcerer and there is the publisher's information on the reverse, rather than "kudos" for the author or a book blurb promo for the book or author. Very simple style, nicely addressed.

Why so much trouble for a book? To be honest, how would you like your personal grimoire to be printed? On some cheaper paper that will yellow with age, or having a card cover with someone else's graphics? No, your personal grimoire probably is on better paper, in a nice binding of some kind, and you have your pictures in and on the book. Same here, because this is what this book is, a personal grimoire of a sorcerer.

Sorcerer; interesting choice of word for someone who is "self describing" themselves as a "magical practitioner". There is a differentiation here, between someone who is a witch and practices magics and one who has dedicated themselves to the magical arts, is learned and is a very astute practitioner.

There is a lot of "loving care" put into this book. The text is larger print, easy to read, and it can lie open while you go through the many recipes and instructions in the book.

The book opens with some quotes about "sorcery" from some very well known and important authors in this field. There is a notation by Brother Moloch about this being the second edition, and some comments to thank his supporters. Unfortunately, there is no table of contents nor index, but then again, does your personal grimoire have a table of contents or index? Probably not.

The material covered is a good basic primer in "sorcery". It is very applicable to a variety of uses and situations, and contains much material you may not find in all those commercial volumes that may line your shelves. This makes the book valuable immediately from that standpoint.

There are guided meditations, tables of correspondences, small rituals of consecration and discussions on a variety of magical workings. I found his "herb work" to be very informative, and the table of correspondences contains a lot of different information than normally found in the usual sources. This work is indicative of one who is a root worker vs. the usual kitchen witchery resources we are more accustomed to.

There are some great "recipes" for oils and incenses, for both curing and cursing, so refreshing as opposed to all the books out there that preach "goodness and white light". This is not "Wiccan" material but basic magical workings. One must know how the cursing occurs in order to understand how to undo these kinds of things, and this book will show you how it's done. Note that his sources are discussed in this book, and pointed out.

There are some nice instructions on how to do basic meditations, as well as some interesting guided meditations. Actually, there is a lot of basic information in this book that will assist most practitioners in achieving results from spell workings, rituals, dreaming and more. Good advices for having notebooks handy to write in, as well as outlines for including the really important information you need.

There are discussions on tools, elementals, diagrams for magical workings and altar setups,. There is a variety of sources, including African and Norse, for the material included in this book, giving the reader a well rounded view of sorcery and its practices. This book is not limited to the usual sources.

There is a bibliography of some books, with more than the usual "title and author" material. The author comments on the books he lists, commenting on their value to the author and what he thinks of them.

In the final analysis, the author includes his own notations as to the real value of the material included in this book - that is; does it work? He notes the material that does work. And for myself, there is material that I have tried from this book with some amazing results! How many books can you say that about?

There is so much more to this book than I have covered. I have just scratched the surface in this review. This is "working practitioners" book, not just another "handbook" and it is chock full of information that can be easily applied to any practicing witches workings. The understanding that comes from reading someone else's work provides a very key element in our practices - validation of experience!

If you are looking for a really good book on working magic in practical application, this book is worth the extra funds to have in your library. For a bound copy of someone's grimoire of actual experience working with basic formulas and rituals, this book is no more expensive than if you were to bind your own "book of shadows" and present it to the public. boudica

Some folks think this book is expensive. Compared to what? Typical New Age books offer 95% theory and ethics lessons and give you only 5% (if even that!) of practical material. This book is the opposite! It's not written for the beginner but for the intermediate witch. This book is far better than your typical 'cook-book' type of magic book since the author shares experiences and anecdotes. Show me another book of similar knowledge, in a deluxe hardbound edition on acid-free paper for less money. I have yet to find any that compares to this book. It's written like the author is talking directly to you.

It's nice to see a qualified occultist write a book. The (garbage) written by other authors leave the average person helpless in knowing "True" magick. The author here tells the truth!! Gives out his years of learning REAL magick that Secret Orders charge thousands of dollars. This book should go to only true students of the occult and cost ten times the price it does. Not ... that buy paperbacks written by "writers" and not those that have spent their life working hard to find the true secrets.
He was even willing to share them! RARE OF THE RAREST!!

I've been involved off and on within the occult & mystical movements for over 40 years and rare is the person who takes it upon themselves to not only share practical knowledge but whom genuine knowledge is made available to. Brother Moloch offers a far cry from the traditional heavy theory books which are more suited to armchair magickians rather he offers you something you can use and apply.

My learning of folk magic started in the south and while there are a whole lotta people who will practice very few will teach. And of those who will teach, most just don't know a whole lot and are jealous of what they do konw. So it's rare to find a book of practical spells and rites you can use.

I bought this book direct from the author and worked with it for over a year now. I really wish I had found this book 40 years ago! It would have saved me a lot of headache and time.

Get this book and use it. Try the spells in it to make your life easier. He calls it sorcery but I've always just called it hoodoo magic.

This is hard hitting practical system of magick that you have dreamed of. Moloch gives you the STRAIGHT facts on how to do magick that works. In a market place full of FAKE TRASHY books, this one stands out. If you want a system of magick that works, here it is.

The book is very useful. Its chock full of practical stuff that I use in my practices all the time. For instance his herbal stuff is good. I dont know where he learned it but it's done right. The only thing Id say is its not a beginners book.

Pragmatic Magics is a very handy book to have in the library of the working occultist. It is filled with excellant magick, and it is written in a warm and personal style. In addition to the

above, it is a great source for specific occult knowledge and

magick that through time I have found really works.

i bought this book and like it. ive been a member of molochs yahoo groups for sometime and while the man is passionate about what he speaks hes one of the best authorities on magic. he writes in a unique style which is to you not at you. its like hes talking to a friend instead of lecturing me and i like that style.

while books layout is different and the type face is thick, i found it easy going. not sure what others are griping about as i found his book to be to the point. theres no chapters on ethics or karma or any of that preachy stuff you find in some other book. what you get is here's how to do this and that. nothing more and nothing less.

his website offers a lot of free info if your intristed in learning further after youve gottn into this book.

Expensive? Compaired to what? Half a dozen "new age" books that spew the same infomation? Sure those are fine for the beginner, but where do you go from there? Where can the intermediate to advanced students seek knowledge?

Kudos to Moloch for researching and writing a book that goes beyond the basics! I can't wait to see if this author has a follow up!

I've been involved off and on within the occult & mystical movements for over 40 years and rare is the person who takes it upon themselves to not only share practical knowledge but whom genuine knowledge is made available to. Brother Moloch offers a far cry from the traditional heavy theory books which are more suited to armchair magickians rather he offers you something you can use and apply.

My learning of folk magic started in the south and while there are a whole lotta people who will practice very few will teach. And of those who will teach, most just don't know a whole lot and are jealous of what they do konw. So it's rare to find a book of practical spells and rites you can use.

I bought this book direct from the author and worked with it for over a year now. I really wish I had found this book 40 years ago! It would have saved me a lot of headache and time.

Get this book and use it. Try the spells in it to make your life easier. He calls it sorcery but I've always just called it hoodoo magic.