Rating: 
Summary: Excellent Work. Well met!
Review: "The Element Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells" is truly a wonderful compilation of traditional Witchcraft remedies designed to enhance the particular practitioner's Magickal spellcraft abilities.
Although some of the listed spell components are antiquated, and some of the semantics seem lacking in depth, the body of the work is overwhelmingly right and proper. Illes provides the reader with a good historical grasp of spell lineage and use.
"5000 Spells" is a good value for the money spent. I heartily recommend this tome for every library.
Rating: 
Summary: Exceptional work
Review: An exceptional work. Very thouroughly researched with appendices detailing recipies and terms used. This is a must for anyone who is serious about the practice of the ars magica.
Rating:
Summary: More Potions, Charms and Ritual than merely Spells...
Review: but very, very good.
I first came across this book while killing time in a mall bookstore. I was intrigued by the information listed on the cover and promptly came home to look up the author and the book. While Ms. Illes' website didn't contain as much information as I'd hoped for, it did give me enough insight into the author that I felt I could trust her work. The reviews I found online were also helpful. I returned to the bookstore and found a comfortable spot where I could sit and study the book in more detail.
The cost of this book, while not outrageous or unjustified, was high enough to make me cautious. When I purchase a book I do so with the long term in mind. I rarely get rid of books once I've bought them, so it's important that they be well worth keeping around. And this book is definitely worth keeping around. The majority of my books spend most of their time on the shelf, this book sits next to me at my desk. I reference it, use it, or just skim through it at least once a day.
The organization of the book is absolutely wonderful. If, for some reason, I can't figure out which section to go to from the Table Of Contents, I need merely flip to the index to find precisely what I need. Both Index and Table of Contents are very thorough and logically arranged. In particular the sub-heading feature of the Index makes finding things ever so much easier.
As the title of my review indicates, I found the book to be less a 'spell' book than a 'potion' book. Not that this is a bad thing. In fact, I was rather looking for just that. The included Formulary, that gives you the instructions for making War Water, Black Cat Oil, Graveyard Dust and so very much more, is utterly invaluable. If there was anything I'd change about this book it would be to quadruple the size of the Formulary. However, the Formulary is quite large as it is.
One of my other favourite things about this book is that the spells/potions/etc are not all 'white light'. There are Hexes and Curses and so forth along with ways to counter such things. I find this important because I'm non-dualist and I find dualistic thinking to be limited and...well, childish. So that's another area that makes me cherish this book.
On a purely silly note, having this lovely big book (which is a lovely green hardcover under the paper sleeve) around is just plain fun. If you're a fan of some of the modern witchy type shows/movies such as Harry Potter or Charmed, having a large tome of spells allows you to play pretend.
And finally, I'd like to mention the author's tone of voice that comes through in the book. It is very friendly, often humorous and always knowledgeable. When necessary, very clear and direct warnings are given. The author treats the reader as if she had a good head on her shoulder and was past the novice stage in her training. I find that remarkably refreshing.
Rating:
Summary: Highly Recomended Book of Spells. The Ultimate!!!
Review: Destined to be a classic. The Only Book on Spells You Will Ever Need.This Book is not a Book on "Wiccan Magick" , although Wiccans who are not fluff bunnies, and are more open mided to learning could use it, and benefit greatly from this Book. It is a book on Folk Magic, from Brujeria, Santeria, Espiritismo, From Latin America, To Egypt, and other ancient cultures, from around the world. Many of these Earth-Magico Cultures do not believe in the concept of "Karma" so many of these Spells would be shunned by Wiccans. With that said.. I Love this Book. I hope the Author does a similar book on Magical Ceremonies and Rites and Passages. There are little books of spells, cheap book of spells, and so so book of spells, well this is the Ultimate Huge Tome of Spells. An Encyclopedia of Magical Spells from around the world, this book defiantly belongs in every Witches bookshelf. Over 1000 pages of spells, baths, infusions, the spells range from everything from Santeria, Strega, Vodou, Spiritism, Brujeria, Shamanism, and traditional Witchcraft. Unlike other spell books, this will defiantly be of great usage to its owner. One of the best Book of Shadows ever printed. The Tome, because it is Huge has everything from Banishing, Cleansings, Baths, Protection Spells. Everything from Seances, to calling on Spirits of Nature, from White Magic, to Black Magic, and everything in between. Here is a preview of the table of context.
Spell casting, - Ritual and Tools, - Animal Spells - Banishing Spells - Business Success Spells - Cleansing Spells, - Court case, Legal, Justice Spells - Death Spells (Yes there is much on Black Magic, for those weak of heart) Ghost, Necromancy, and Vampire Spells. - Divination Spells - Domination, Influence Spells - Dream, Astral, Nightmare Spells- The Evil Eye - Fertility Spells - Safety Spells - Gamblers Spells, and Charms - Happy Home Spells - Healing Spells - Hexes and Curses - Invisibility, and Transformation spells - Love and Seduction Spells - Luck Spells - Marriage and Divorcee Spells, - Money, Wealth, Prosperity and financial spells - Children Spells - Protection Spells - Psychic powers - Summoning Spirits - unblocking spells - weather spells, and trust me, so much more...
A person would have to spend allot of money, on many books and still would not get half of what this book has to offer.
I have to give much praise to Judika Illes; this book will defiantly be one I will use for many years. This is my first book by this author, and know I have to purchase her other works. But I can not recommend this TOME enough, it is defiantly a must have for all Witches, and brujos. For all that you get in this huge book, the price is excellent, and very affordable. The Spells are simple and traditional spells that were used by our ancestors and are still effective today. No where will you get a book like this. If I could give this book 10 stars, I would.
Rating:
Summary: Great Book!...Happens to Double as a Brick
Review: Even if you are not interested in the subject of this book (metaphysical, magic, call it what you wish) it would be in your best interest to buy it. Why? Because this book is the ultimate security device. Aside from all the protection spells which can be found inside this five pound book, it's well...five pounds! If someone's bothering you, just hit 'em on the head! It's just as affective as a frying pan, maybe more so! Besides, can you read a frying pan?
But seriously, this is a great book. Aside from the nice cover (and I assure you, it is), inside are thousands (five thousand to be exact) of spells on anything from romance to money. And sometimes both.
In short, buy the book. You won't be sorry. And if you are, try a happiness spell!
Rating:
Summary: True Folk Magic - At Last!
Review: Finally a book of spells that focuses on traditional and ethnic sources, rather than neo-wiccan candle magic. If you are interested in learning about real folk magic and working with spells and recipes that have been tried and tested by generations of witches, voodoo practicioners, cunning folk, magus', shamans and witch doctors this is the book for you. Most of the spells in this book are traditional, some have never appeared in print before. The theory section is not quite as impressive and far more neo-pagan in its outlook, that said I have seen far worse theory and the rest of the book certainly makes up for it. If you can ignore the authors frequent references to pop-fiction works you may enjoy her Spellcraft section thoroughly as well. Be warned though, this book is very multi-cultural in its approach. There are spells that work with pagan, vodoun, christian and hermetic spirits. If you prefer to work with only one cultural strain of magic you may find only a few of these spells will agree with you. For the culturally eclectic - this book is a gold mine. All in all I give it 4 1/2 stars. I would give the Spells section which is the majority of the book 5 but the introductiory theory failed to impress me. I am quite satisfied with Judika Illes collection and would recommend it heartily.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful
Review: I adore this book. It has a ton of spells you can use, and a bunch that you can't use. But that's missing the whole point. She's a spell collector, and this is a great collection. It's fun to read through it, to see how people have used magick throughout history. I'd recommend it to my non-magickal friends too. Enjoy it for what it is. It's wonderful.
Rating:
Summary: The Ultimate Spell Reference Book!
Review: I purchased this book after reading all of the positive reviews and I must say, the reviews were right on target! Owning a rather large magickal library already, I've found that this book could easily replace quite a few of the spell books I already owned. Comprehensive to say the least, this book takes you through a brief history of magick as well as spellcasting ethics, key concepts for spell-casting, and ritual tools and techniques. It then lists over a thousand pages of spells from every conceivable tradition, nationality, and age. Truly a one-stop place to find a myriad of spells from: divination to love, money, protection, youth & beauty spells, happy home spells, cleansing, dream spells, banishing, animal magick, justice, healing, fertility, weather spells, and many many more. The author does not discriminate, as this being a comprehensive collection of spells, it also includes hexes, spells of domination, and other "dark magick" spells (as a practicing Wiccan, I personally would not use these spells and would advise others most strongly to skip over them).
All in all, I believe this tome to be worth a lot more than the purchase price and recommend it most highly as a reference book that should be in every occultist's or seeker's library.
Rating:
Summary: Best spell book EVER!
Review: This book has it all. It's amazing. Did you know giving flowers as a gift originated as a spell? This book explains how things like that originated. It gives you a different perspective how spells actually work and where they come from. It also gives you alternatives to all those difficult-to-find items required for many spells. It explains goddesses, gods, and the background of many things other books never even begin to discuss. It's also a huge book---it's the size of a huge Webster's Dictionary. Everytime I open it up, I always find something new. Anyone interested in spellcasting definitely should get this. It's totally worth the money and you'll never want to get rid of it either. I have a ton of books and this is by far my favorite. Definitely a must-have.
Rating: 
Summary: Author Not Nice
Review: This book is ok for information on past history, but many of the spells could never be used, let alone make sense. She has some mistakes in the book to. Like the word magic/magick, which she doesn't use correctly. Also I emailed her to ask why and tell her my opinion of this book, like/nolike, and she wrote back with a nasty comment. She says "I wrote a threatening letter, which is certainly not the Wiccan Way. That it breaks the Wiccan Rede, the Rule of Three. If you are not familiar with the Rule of Three, write me back and I will be happy to recommend some good easy basic Wiccan books to show you." Me threatening please, she wrote to me with a rude state of mind, doing the same thing she says I did, yet did not really do. I take that as being a not very nice, I love my fans not the money, person.The author should be proud of her work and stand by it no matter what. Taking the good and bad opinions without snaping back at someone for no reason. So I would have to say the book is really not worth the time and money. That is my opinion though. You have the freedom to make ur own. TU. BB.
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