Reviews of products by Arthur Edward Waite

The Book of Black Magic and of Pacts

reviewed by Gregg Webb (confirmed purchase)
Rating: ★★★★★ (Date Added: Monday 19 February, 2024)

Arthur Waite designed the Tarot deck most people know, and wrote the book most people learn from. Turns out he knows his stuff about demonology too. It looks like all the manuscripts derive from the Keys of Solomon. He has gathered them all and compares and analyzes them all for differences and similarities and he also makes interesting commentaries. The paraphernalia needed for the ceremonies is complicated to make. The wording for the prayers have an unbelievable number of unusual names for god and angels and of course the demons. Names for chemicals in those days were different from what we know today. The artwork is interesting mainly in the sigils and seals needed to control the demons once you call them and again when you put them away. Getting demons to stay away after one is done with them has been a problem as we know from the Faust incident.

Comic book and movie fans may know of Hellboy comics and graphic novels and near the end of this work I found where Mike Mignola may have researched and found some of his ideas and also artwork for seals and sigils is his books, as well as "the Hand of Glory". Really near the end is explained how you can resurrect the dead so that you can ask them questions such as where they buried their treasure. This features in at least one Hellboy story. Also interesting among all of the information provided is the construction and use of The Blasting Rod which can be useful for keeping stubborn demons in line. Lovers of bizarre magic should find many patter possibilities here. If you summon demons to work for you, please put them back where they belong when you are done.