by Edred Thorsson
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Product Description
Complete book of rune instruction including definitions of the 24 runes of the Elder Futhark. Includes discussion of phonetic values, derivation and magical qualities of each rune, as well as exercises, chants, rituals, all geared for self-development.
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Average Customer Review:
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
 Groundbreaking but Incomplete, 2008-04-12
In general I think that this is a must-read for those studying runic magic.
As some others have pointed out, the commentaries on the Runes in this book are somewhat influenced by the Armanens, and this influence is less noticeable in Thorssons later works. My general recommendation is to read his work "Runelore" either first or alongside.
However, what sets Futhark apart is that largely set forth a methodology for the esoteric study of runes based on history, philology, archeology, and the like. The operant study of Runic magic would not be where it is today without this book, and in fact there is still no possible replacement in the Runemaster's liberary for it. It is therefore a must read for any aspiring Runic magician.
3 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
 knowledge without ethics - not a good idea, 2007-11-19
his criticism of Nazi link rune sources is so light as to arouse a justifiable suspicion that he is condoning them.
providing cursing instructions is just downright wrong.
unless your intent is to multiply curses in the world....
not only does he not provide ethical guidelines for rune practice but even seem to take pride in this fact.
the book presents knowledge, but lacks the wisdom of how to use the knowledge for the greater good.
dangerous? yes. intentionally so? looks like it.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Esoteric understanding , 2007-11-11
As have been stated by other reviewers, this book does not fall victim to the New Age tendency to portray the runes as an alphabet with mechanical and simple magic properties. This is an investigation into the profound mysteries hidden in the runes themselves. Thorsson explores the vast symbolism in a highly intellectual way.
In the presentation of each rune he includes a 1-2 page "commentary" besides the tables that is supposed to hint at this meaning and encourage further study and meditation upon the rune. In his own words, these commentaries are just the tip of the iceberg. Simple sentences form curious assosiations in the mind of the reader, like "This rune embodies the death mysteries of the AEsir". It is merely suggestive, but taken together it forms a vivid understanding of the rune that is much more fullfilling than any other book I've read on the subject. These commentaries form an understanding of the elder futhark as an all-encompassing and interwoven magical and symbolical system. THIS IS WHAT THE RUNES ARE.
For pagans seeking a simple divinatory or symbolic system to embed into their practises, this is not the book to buy. And, by the same token, the runes are not the tools you seek. Runes are much more than that, as Thorsson is very aware.
25 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
 Good book, if you study some background first, 2007-04-07
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 percieved 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
The Rune Primer
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
For runic concepts in magic ,this book is the best., 2006-09-07
For many readers who are casually interested in the runes this book may not be for you. Most people who are interested in the runes wish to read about the divinitory aspects and learn them to gain a extraordinary council. However this book is not geared towards this reader aswell.It is a comprehensive book that covers the dynamics of runic "magic" and persuades the reader to go into thier unconcience mind to open powers that have always been there. If you are serious about runic cocepts this is the book for you.
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