Rating: 
Summary: PURPLE PROSE FROM A PSEUDO SUMERIAN DEMON
Review: Aiwass sounds rather like the bad poet Crowley was. Also, the "Do what thou wilt" was done better by Rabelais in Gargantua and Pantagruel. Nothing really original here, but it never hurts to take strange drugs and drink wines that foam, and all of the other stuff Crowley did without having to become logos of the aeon. Crowley was a massive failure in three dimensions, so he cooked up some "credentials" for the credulous in the fourth dimension with the Book of the Law. Strange that this Sumerian demon just happens to speak English, with some Latin thrown in, and does it in the purple prose of the demon poet Crowley.
Every man and woman is a star? Ever been to a shopping mall, Aleister?
If you want the real deal in magick, get thee to Franz Bardon's Initiation into Hermetics, and P.E.I. Bonewitz's Real Magic.
Rating: 
Summary: To be studied, not simply read...
Review: All the other reviews here express how I feel about this book. I would only like to add one more detail:
The Book of the Law requires serious, scholarly study. You will not understand it on the first read. Not unless you have Crowley's comments at hand, which is indeed a necessary companion to this text if you wish to understand it. Many people have put their lives into studying this book and still have not uncovered all of its hidden meanings. This is not a book that you can simply pick up and read one time through. Consider it as being similar to a full college course, because it will likely take that long to get a substantial understanding of it.
Crowley's comments on this text are published in "The Law Is For All," although I believe it's out of print. However, here is a link to a site with free electronic versions of various comments to this text, one of which is Crowley's own --> http://www.hermetic.com/220/index.html
I'll end this review with one of my favorite passages from Liber AL (the technical name of The Book of the Law):
"Remember all ye that existence is pure joy; that all the sorrows are but as shadows; they pass & are done; but there is that which remains."
~2:9
Rating:
Summary: "the fool readeth this book of the law and it's comment; &
Review: he understandeth it not."
The nature of the method of communication of this book is such that
while it is hard to understand and commentaries may be helpful, I think any intelligent person will be able to grasp certain of its truths on first reading(ex. "There is no bond that can unite the divided but love: all else is a curse."). therefore my advice is use whatever parts of the book you feel an intuitive understanding of to help you discover the meaning of the other parts in somewhat of a circular fashion. If you think you understand beware, but follow your inner light.
This book is of inestimable value for those who wish to "know thyself" and balance thyself with the cosmos "as above so below"
Hadit, my light
who art life
hallowed be thy name
thy kingdom come, thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven(or space)
forgive us as we forgive
let us love and worship NU
with the almighty force of Ra-Hoor-Khu
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law.
Love is the law, love under will. (I like to say Do what thou love. since 93=love=will=93)
Rating:
Summary: A book worth two looks
Review: I highly recommend this work to any Magick and/or Crowley enthusiast. Many of Crowley's slogans have found their origin in this peculiar little book (such as "Do what thou wilt..."). The bulk consists of three chapters dictated over a period of three days by a 'higher intelligence'(Aiwass)through automatic writing. Though on-line versions are available, this is a nice little gem to hold on to. This hard-cover edition also includes a rare copy of the original manuscript. I also recommend the reader approach this book with a serious mind and draw their own conclusion. And PLEASE disregard the bigots, for ye shall deny yourself a wealth of information!
Rating:
Summary: A book worth two looks
Review: I highly recommend this work to any Magick and/or Crowley enthusiast. Many of Crowley's slogans have found their origin in this peculiar little book (such as "Do what thou wilt..."). The bulk consists of three chapters dictated over a period of three days by a 'higher intelligence'(Aiwass)through automatic writing. Though on-line versions are available, this is a nice little gem to hold on to. This hard-cover edition also includes a rare copy of the original manuscript. I also recommend the reader approach this book with a serious mind and draw their own conclusion. And PLEASE disregard the bigots, for ye shall deny yourself a wealth of information!
Rating:
Summary: Should you buy this book?
Review: I love this book and read it again and again. Should you buy this book though? Well the entire text is available online all over the place. If you use a decent search engine like Google.com you will have no trouble finding it. So the reason for buying this book is if you wanted a nice bound copy of the text (In which case you have probably already read it a few times and know that's what you want and do not even need to bother reading this review). If you aren't familiar with this book and you are curious I recommend first taking a look at it online and then purchasing "The Law Is for All : The Authorized Popular Commentary of Liber Al Vel Legis, the Book of the Law". The book of the law was kind of hard for me to read the first few times. "The Law is for All" is the Book of the Law with a Commentary by Aleister Crowleys. Parts of the commentary can really help out in studying the book of the law. Also I recommend visiting some of the thelemic websites out there (search "thelema"). Terms like Thelema, Nuit, Hadit, Khabs, Khu, Ankh-af-na-Khonsu, and Hoor Paar Kraat don't make much sense and are a little intimidating without a little outside commentary. There is also a very short paper called "Duty" by Aleister Crowley available on the internet which I think explains the major concepts of Thelema quite well. Highly recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: Try before you buy
Review: Scarcely have I ever seen a book (or should I say pamphlet, since it can be read in less than an hour) that has such widely divided opinions on it.
Is it dictation from an extraterrestrial being? Is it a rare glimpse into the uneditted subconscious? Or is it the rantings of a madman?
Do yourself a favor and read a copy of the text online before you buy the book. Then at least you know what you're getting yourself into.
It says something about mankind that we constant search for "secrets" to success, when most of them are posted in plain view, but are just too unpalatable for 99% of people to handle.
Or you can ignore my advice and "Do what thou wilt". ;)
Rating:
Summary: -The- Revealed Text for the 20th Century
Review: The Book of the Law is without a doubt the most important revealed text to be released to the public in the 20th Century. Crowley was a fascinating individual, and the Book of the Law was the pinnacle of his magical written work. If you want to see what a real revealed text looks like, definetely check this one out, you can't go wrong.
I recently read another revealed text, 'Memetic Magic' by Kirk Packwood, which I have to admit compared in quality to the Book of the Law. It may well turn out to be the 21st Century equivalent of the magical revealed text. Check this one out too.
Rating:
Summary: The Bible of Thelema
Review: This is the bible of Thelema. All a Thelemite must technically do is accept this book as their way of life. This is why there are more Thelemites than O.T.O. members. From what I've seen, it takes a lot of readers, uh...a lifetime for one book. Either I'm brilliant or these people aren't very good readers. At even only 10 pages a day, this book can be read in less than one week. The only Crowley it took a long time for me to read was Confessions; it took me almost one year. I stopped to read other books instead it was so long I thought I should brush up on other stuff first. Anyhow, if you don't get this book to become a Thelemite is a nice collector's item for those who have heard of Crowley in pop culture or think it looks cool in the store. Blasphemos prose from Aleister Crowley in his prime. Whether the book was dictated by the intelligience known as Aiwass or not is debatable. It is better than Crowley's own other poetry but I studied Islam in college classes and most or all those who study the Quaran are pretty sure it was Mohammed's own words. I haven't heard much from those who study Crowley and as a Thelemite don't take it too seriously to where I'd care if it was Crowley's own words. I look to things like Aleister Crowley and the occult lifestyle that accompanies it as an alternative to the "macho man, houswife, kids" lifestyle so common in today's world. I would like to marry and maybe kids but the occult is the main fixation for the occultist and the spouse is secondary. Frankly, most girls where I live in the upper Midwestern United States don't interest me that much to the point where I would want to marry them and I don't recall being in love but I have found alternatives such as sex and safe sex. Thank god for the rubber! This is a classic.
Rating:
Summary: Hmmm...
Review: THIS is the book. Is "Aiwaz" talking about a Crowley, a coming prophet, prophets, or describing the universe itself? OR BOTH? That my friend is up to you to decide. This book is for most part a synthesis of the most important aspects of the spiritual systems and religions of the world... regardless of what else it is. This will keep you busy for a while.
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