Veritable Key of Solomon (Sourceworks of Ceremonial Magic Series Vol. 4) [Hardcover]

Stephen Skinner (Author), David Rankine (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 8, 2008

Completely new and richly detailed, this is perhaps the most comprehensive version of The Key of Solomon ever published. Based on one of the best-known grimoires of the Western world, The Veritable Key of Solomon presents all aspects of this revered magical system in one impressive source.

Based on the original Key of Solomon manuscript, this brand new text features never-before-published material and added detail. Over 160 illustrations beautifully complement the elements of this complete and workable system of high magic, from a broad range of talismans and techniques to magical implements and procedures.

Also featured is a commentary by two of the best-known scholar magicians alive—Stephen Skinner and David Rankine—who offer a full survey of all extant manuscripts of this famous grimoire and an exploration of how they interrelate.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Stephen Skinner began his career as a Geography lecturer and magazine publisher, but his long term interest has always been Western magic.

During the 1970s he was the driving force behind Askin Publishers, producing a number of classic magical works by Cornelius Agrippa, Paracelsus, Austin Osman Spare, Aleister Crowley, and others. During the 1970s he co-wrote many books with Francis King, including the still popular Techniques of High Magic. Also with Francis King he wrote Nostradamus. His interest in prophecy stimulated by this book, he went on to write the best selling Millennium Prophecies.
 
Stephen is credited with bringing the art of Feng Shui to the West, and in 1976 he wrote the Living Earth Manual of Feng Shui, which was the first English book on feng shui in the 20th century.

Stephen has written more than 20 books, which have been published worldwide in 17 different languages. These books have had introductions by such diverse people as Colin Wilson, HRH Charles Prince of Wales, and Jimmy Choo, shoe designer to the stars.

Stephen lives in Johor Bahru near Singapore.

David Rankine (Wales) has been practicing magic for twenty-five years. He gives regular talks and workshops around Europe. For more information, visit www.ritualmagick.co.uk.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Llewellyn Publications (September 8, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0738714534
• ISBN-13: 978-0738714530
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #866,173 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's about time a version like this was puslished., June 20, 2009

By 

W. Reck (Port Richey, FL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Veritable Key of Solomon (Sourceworks of Ceremonial Magic Series Vol. 4) (Hardcover)

The Key of Solomon is perhaps THE single grimoire to own. It's a treasure trove of ancient magickal practice. It gives detailed instructions on how Solomon prepared everything from parchment to talismans, to magickal tools. Reading it you can't help but feel as though Solomon is teaching you.

I actually think some parts of it give better instruction than some of todays grimoires. Although you'll probally never find the resources to actually practice anything in the book, it is THE must add title to any library of magickal studies.

7 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The most complete version of the Key., April 12, 2009

By 

Maestro Nestor "Grimoire Magician" (Europe, Sweden) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Veritable Key of Solomon (Sourceworks of Ceremonial Magic Series Vol. 4) (Hardcover)

I own the half leather limited edition with color plates of this book. It was obvious long before it was released that this would be something totally different then Mathers version. Tons of research went in to this book that have changed the way many of us see the key now. Just the amount of different versions David and Stephen found while researching for it shows that modern magicians have underestimated its role among earlier magicians. This was probably the first grimoire that the earlier magicians got a hold of and one could ask them self if it might have been considered a primer back then.

The book it self present one of the most complete and complex manuscripts available of the key. There are practically tons of earlier not published information that are crucial for the understanding of the grimoire tradition. The commentary gives us an enormous insight and theories from two of the best grimoire scholars and magicians of today.

If you ever buy a grimoire let it be this one and it will amaze you.

17 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing, April 5, 2009

By 

Christopher Marlowe - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Veritable Key of Solomon (Sourceworks of Ceremonial Magic Series Vol. 4) (Hardcover)

Veritable Key of Solomon (Sourceworks of Ceremonial Magic Series)

As a fan of Skinner's careful and scholarly "Terrestrial Astrology: Divination by Geomancy" I was very much looking forward to this new edition of the "Key". The old Mathers compilation has needed some competition for a very long time, and I thought that this might be it. Unfortunately the "Veritable Key" does not shed much light on poor old Solomon. Instead it presents copies of three, rather muddled and confusingly edited "Key" manuscripts (there are hundreds of others that might have been selected). One of the chosen manuscripts is an obviously late confection that has been scrambled together with irrelevant matter from Agrippa and Abano, which is of no help to either the practicing magician or indeed to the student of grimoire history, except perhaps as an example of how to fake a grimoire to sell to the gullible. Why this particular ms should have been selected is beyond me. Furthermore, a work as ambitious as the "Veritable Key" pretends to be needs far more careful and knowledgable editorial attention than has apparently been bestowed on it to make it readable or useful. The editors would have been wise to follow the example of Joseph Peterson's excellent edition of the "Lesser Key" to see how it could be done.