Runelore: A Handbook of Esoteric Runology (Paperback)

by Edred Thorsson (Author) "This chapter is intended to provide the runester with a basic outline of runic history and development from the oldest times to around 800 C.E..." (more)
Key Phrases: tally lore, runic elements, poetic mead, Old Norse, Viking Age, Poetic Edda (more...)

Product Details

• Paperback: 238 pages
• Publisher: Weiser Books (May 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0877286671
• ISBN-13: 978-0877286677
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #241,661 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great, May 26, 2002

By	Mihai N Anton (Madagascar) - See all my reviews

This book is divided in two parts. First part, Historical Lore, presents a history of the runes in a more realistic, scientific view using examples form archaeology to support certain hypothesis of how the runes where invented (examples of runic writing with explanations are found throughout the book especially in the first part). The first 5 chapters of the book are chronologically organised and present the rune evolution from the oldest findings to the most recent ones (modern age actually). Chapters 6, 7, 8 try to explain the utility of runes for the old norse (or for other civilisations who took the runes from the old Norse) and also give written examples which try to explain the runes. Especially useful are chapters 6 and 7, which try to explain the runes and the runic inscriptions. The second part, Hidden Lore, uses a philosophical and psychological approach to explain the runes. Chapter 9 is especially useful and probably the most important chapter within the book because here all the runes are explained in great detail (beginning with page 114 and ending with 141 is a very essence of the book). Chapters 10 is also useful because it shows the cosmological view of the Old Norse and the connection with the runes (24 pathways between the 9 worlds, 24 runes). Chapters 11, 12 display even more information about the runes and the way of thinking of the Old Norse. The last chapter, 13, has a nice description of the gods of the old Norse but this chapter lacks the great detail which is found in the other chapter (this last chapter give some helpful hints but is more like a conclusion of the book, the good ending).
This book is pretty good, and that's why I gave it 5 stars but in truth it deserved 4 stars because it lacks the really deep explanations of the Old Norse's way of thinking.

25 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Well Researched, March 5, 1997

By A Customer

Thorsson easily escapes the major trap that most "Pagan Revivalists" fall into in regards to ancient religion, that of not knowing jack squat about the subject. Runelore provides a much more historically based arguement for the cultic use of runes than any other work currently available. There is ample historical backing to his other arguements, and they are concise and clearly presented. Thorsson is well beyond the "Blank Rune" or "Celtic Rune" level that other "Runesters" wallow in, though his Ogham book perhaps stretched it a bit. In this book, Thorsson may have carried his Odhinn centered tendencies a bit too far, even going contrary to the evidence in declaring Loki, Baldr, and Heimdal to be hypostases of Odhinn. However, Runelore should be interesting even to Teutonic Historians, as Thorsson can safely speculate beyond the limits of scholarly propriety, and therefore show us how the ancient Germans may have actually percieved the Universe

16 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awsome!, January 4, 2000

By	Mike Rayborn (United States) - See all my reviews

By far the best book on runic metephysics ever written and by far exceeds the quality of any book on runes. Throw your Ralph Blum books and pop this one open......you will see why! Hail Odin!