Customer Reviews

TYR: Myth - Culture - Tradition, Vol. 1

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Regardless of our prevailing "culture of complaint," it is rare to find a scholarly publication that offers well-reasoned arguments challenging the sacrosanct doctrine of "progress." It would seem the vast majority of "movement" periodicals are all too happy to rail at the established order while tacitly endorsing the atheistic materialism and cult of technology that now defines the western world. However, TYR, combines an unsparing antipathy toward all that is modern with a rich selection of erudite studies exploring Pre-Christian pathways, fascinating historical figures, and timeless esoteric wisdom.

The first issue offers much to the discerning reader with a host of talented writers and researchers weighing in on a number of provocative topics. "The Idea of Integral Culture" by renowned occult scholar Dr. Stephen Flowers offers a spiritual antidote to our ongoing cultural degeneration. "Knowing the Gods" by Collin Cleary seeks to reawaken the western mind to the existence of various pagan deities. Michael Moynihan author of the award-winning Lords of Chaos: The Rise of the Black Metal Underground (Feral House, 1998) provides an insightful literary analysis of the Nibelungenlied, a classic Germanic saga with strongly Odinic undertones.

On the heels of the recently issued American translation of Julius Evola's Men Among the Ruins (Inner Tradition, 2002), British religious expert and author Joscelyn Godwin discusses the relevance (and resonance) of this prolific Italian philosopher. My particular favorite is a poignant and enlightening literary tribute to Hermann Lons, a gifted anti-modern poet who tragically perished amidst the chaos of the First World War.

The issue also includes a transcript of a rare interview with Indo-European historian Georges Dumezil as well as an interesting discussion with Ian Read of the British Euro-heathen musical group Fire + Ice. Extensive music, book, and literary reviews round out a solid first installment. What I particularly like about TYR is the book-size format which allows for longer articles, less advertising, and top-notch graphics.

Highly recommended.

Recently, in a large academic bookstore, I found myself paging
through a critique of fascism by some post-modern mandarin. I
was amused to find, after a laborous discussion of the misuse of
this word in contemporary writings, J.R.R. Tolkien labled a
fascist! No doubt to persons of this ilk the newly launched
annual journal Tyr will provide much fodder.
The agenda of the journal (parts of which are reproduced on the
back cover from the preface) is stated to follow the lines of a

"Radical Traditionalism". Glancing through the table of contents,
one begins to see that this has very little to do with "mom &
apple pie" (Tyr is named for the Germanic sky god...the guardian
of transcendent and eternal order) and everything to do with the
resacralization of the world.
Contributors include such outstanding writers as French philosopher Alain de Benoist, with the first english translation of his interview with "new
comparative mythologist" Georges Dumezil, Joscelyn Godwin on the
Italian esotericist Julius Evola, and Stephen Edred Flowers on
"Integral Culture". There are extensive reviews of books, journals, films, and music relevant to it's theme. What I found
to be of particular interest was Joshua Buckley's interview with
Ian Read of the English heathen music group FIRE + ICE, and Collin Cleary's long review essay on the anti-modern television
series The Prisoner.
This first volume of Tyr (286 pages) must have cost the editors
much effort, and will be welcomed by critics of modernity in
general, as well as by the neo-pagan community. It is handsomely
designed and printed, and given the price of books these days, a
real bargin.

Tyr is a great journal. The articles are written by true scholars, philosophers, and theologians of the Greater Heathen Awakening. This book shows how we do not need to latch onto the present "Decline of the West" and be the host animal to the leeches of Monoculturism, Urban Life, and Ignorance. Yes, there are simularities to some old Volkisch philosophies, but the difference is, Tyr keeps them from going into the extremist realms that WWII Germany let them fall victum to. We mustn't let a knee-jerk reaction prevent us from seeing truth. Tyr keeps good, heathen thought pure and at home. As Stephen E. Flowers says in his opening sentence of his article, "Our culture is sick." But Tyr is the, at first bitter but, severely needed swallow of the badly needed medicine which many cure us. The first dose is always the hardest to swallow. But once you know and think about it intellectually, you come to realize it tastes pretty good. Now people just need to turn the knowledge into action!! Joshua Buckley, Michael Moynihan, and the rest of the editors of Tyr did an incredible job. I cannot wait to get my hands on volume 2! Every heathen should read this journal.

Tyr is a wonderful new project. The concept of an annual Nordic, pagan, anti-modernist cultural review is great. It is well-written, well-designed, and well-edited.

The volume contains some well-known writers: an interview with Georges Dumezil, the great Indo-Europeanist, by Alain de Benoist, the French "New Right" philosopher, an essay by Joscelyn Godwin on Julius Evola, the Italian far-Right, far-out thinker, and two articles by the prolific Nigel Pennick, whose books now fill a whole shelf in my library!

Editor Michael Moynihan has contributed an excellent article on the character of Hagen in the Nibelungenlied (with wonderfully chosen illustration from Fritz Lang's movie version).

But the most exciting thing about Tyr is the emergence of a major new talent: Collin Cleary. As I read through Tyr, I began to notice that my favorite pieces were all written by Cleary: his philosophical essay "Knowing the Gods," which is a vaguely Heideggerian neo-Pagan manifesto, his brilliant essay on the anti-modernist TV show "The Prisoner" (which would seem out of place in the journal, were it not one of its best contributions), his review essay on kooky...rune-master Karl Maria Willigut, which actually makes some sense out of the old charlatan, and even his short book reviews on Alain Danielou's books on Hinduism. All of them are magnificent.

It is heartening to see that Cleary is also one of the editors of the journal, along with Moynihan and Joshua Buckley, who takes care of the short book and music reviews. With Cleary's hand at the helm, Tyr will have a bright future indeed!

One recommendation: Tyr needs to steer clear of Right-wing [people] like de Benoist, Evola, and Willigut, who are a millstone around the neck of modern Nordic neo-paganism and Indo-European studies.

TYR is subtitled "myth-culture-tradition," and this describes exactly the realms it covers. TYR is the first journal to appeal directly to individuals interested in the growing "neo-pagan" movement. It includes articles by leading scholars, doing serious history and cultural anthropology. But the orientation of the journal is not dull and "academic." It is intended for those who, discovering these traditions through serious intellectual detective work, intend to actually PRACTICE them. The journal also has extensive book and music reviews. I cannot praise this journal highly enough. It fills a great void. This is an absolute-must have for those interested in the ancient traditions of our European ancestors. Indeed, I would not be surprised if it became the "bible," if you will, and centerpiece, of the entire neo-pagan movement.

Collection of essays from various authors that mostly have an anti globalist/mass culture and pro folk culture and euro pagan theme. Highlights for me were Markus Wolfs essay on German "volkish" writer Hermann Lons, along with the included bit of Lons writing, Anabel Lee's "Dark Side of the Mountain" article, Michael Moynihans "Divine Traces in the Nibelungenlied", Steve Pollingtons essay on Woden called "From Lore-Giver to Law-Giver" and Nigel Pennicks "On the Spiritual Arts and Crafts" which talks about the value and spiritual side of being able to make things with your hands. Lots of great stuff in this. There's a #1 on this so I assume and hope there are more of these in the works.

TYR praises the past without suggesting that we revert back to the age of the sword and steed. It brazenly demands for recognition of our honored traditions, customs and myths in an attempt to reawaken our slumbering spirits in an age of fruitless scampering about, in an age of lost identity and an epoch of immediate gratification that benefits nothing but the profit margins logged on computer drives.
This longing is one for "...wholeness and integral nature of the self..." which can only be found in the traditional well from which one springs. It cannot be artificially imported from a foreign culture, so demands one of the contributors. This book should, hopefully, find an appeal within a wide age group as it covers music and art, literature and film. It is, in general, very accessible to the layperson and should find a great audience as a result of its affordable price. At just under 300 pages, it would appear that there should be something of interest to anyone with an ounce European blood lineage. And, if that isn't enough contributors extol such wide-ranging virtues so as to encompass that of pipe smoking and mountain climbing!

TYR's focus on anti-modernist viewpoints, primarily within the scope of history and paganism, is very close to völkisch ideologies in early twentieth century Europe: references to nature and the gods abound. While that acceptable on some levels, at times the contents of Tyr become too radicalized for its own good. Specifically by referencing John Walker, the American Taliban, and murderers like the Unabomber as a sort of purveyor of anti-modernism, Tyr would seem to alienate all but the most reactionary of individuals.

The general proposition from Tyr is rather then transform modernity into something beneficial beyond the current environment of plutocracy, one should avoid it altogether (see recommendations such as "eliminate technology as much as possible" or "leave one's dwelling and encounter nature directly"). This is not practical to the standard individual (whom ultimately I can only assume they are trying to cater to) and at worst comes across as idealistic.

One can hope that in the second issue some of these issues are addressed.

I found TYR vol. 1 to be very interesting and educational, but it is not for the "uninitiated". The articles are in-depth and cerebral, and not written for an audience who has no prior knowledge of the subject matter. For those in the Germanic Ways community, this is a font of thought-provoking literature that will make you want more! I think this is a perfect example of the type of serious-minded literature that we need in the modern age to add to our ancient lore to help build the foundations of the resurging tribal faith of European man.

I cannot praise this volume highly enough. It is seldom that I manage to get totally immersed in reading material, especially essays on a theme. This volume had me gripped from start to finish, with only one short essay as an exception. The subject matter is varied and very interesting. After many years since watching the series, I now have some understanding of the meaning behind the cult TV series, "The Prisoner". I had been searching for "Tyr" for some time, as I had been told it is a magazine. Consequently I failed to find it in several searches. Fortunately I found it by accident on someone's Heathen list. I now also have volume 2 and will be starting it soon, hoping for the same stimulation. My only question now is.....when will TYR 3 be available ?