Rating: 
Summary: Frightening for it's convincing logic !
Review: I bought the Satanic Bible out of pure interest. I wanted to know why there could be people who are interested in these kind of ideas.The book though takes a turn when you start reading it. This is not some idiot who writes about the devil and sacrificing virgins for fun, but an intellectual person who clearly explains that all other religions are wrong....and he seems to be right in practically all ways.LaVey tells us that Satanism ( in this logical form ) has never said a bad word about other religions, but that all other religions have been putting Satanism down since the beginning of it all. It's a scary tought that he's actually right. Luckily it has "sort of" a happy ending, where also LaVey slowly changes from the Mr.Spock of religion into the priest we'd expect him to be and Satanism turns into just another one of those religions ( created by human hand rather than some God ( or Devil that is ) ). This is not a novel, but a bible that is 10 times easier to read than the Christian one. It also contains a reference part for everyone who wants to indulge into Satanic rituals or masses. I wouldn't try it out at home but for everyone who still thinks that Anton Szander LaVey ( Still the most famous Satan-whorshipper ) is a lunatic, this book may just change your mind completely on the basis of Satanism.
Rating: 
Summary: Original thoughts please
Review: I will only add to some of what has been said about this book. The problem is that most people who sit down to read this and get carried away by it fail to realize that over seveny-five percent of it is plagerized. From Crowley to old and obscure German texts to the work of Ayn Rand, Lavey hasn't put forth a single original or even slightly new thought in this or any of his other books. I have no religous offense against this book, and if you want to worship satan be my guess, but this book is drivel. It lacks cohesion, solid arguments and any notion of grounding in its concepts. The reason is quite simple when you do a Frankenstein-style cut and chop job with various other works, it'll end up a bit of a mess. What's worse is that Lavey doesn't even seem to know how to arrange the ideas he has stolen from previous works, giving a strage format whereby he never really backs claims up or goes into detail on his indictment of organized religion. He certainly isn't the founder of satanism as some people claim, and there isn't anything about this book that makes it worth reading. If you like the extreme individualism in the following of personal lusts, go for Rand (although I personally don't recommned her philosophy either for different reasons). The German texts that are the basis of this book will be a bit hard to find, but this book isn't worth the time or whatever anybody charges for it. You can say what you will about Christianity, (which I don't particularly care for myself)but at least their bible had some original thoughts.
Rating:
Summary: It amazes me that so many people fail to see through this.
Review: Pure tripe, designed to appeal to the ego of narcissistic personalities so that they might send $100 to its author for membership in his "church." I suspect LaVey was laughing all the way to the bank.What little "wisdom" can be found here is nothing that any reasonably intellegent human being with an inkling of common sense hasn't already figured out on his or her own. Anyone who sees statements like "Do not complain about anything to which you need not subject yourself" as profound wisdom rather than simple common sense is quite lacking in both. LaVey certainly targetted the right people to pay for his enormous luxury mansion in California. LaVey strongly advocates the gratification of one's own ego, and his "Bible" briefly fed mine insofar as making me feel smugly superior to anyone deluded enough to take his drivel seriously. But then I caught myself. PS. Be wary of any reader reviews in which LaVey is referred to as "Dr. LaVey." The man was a high school dropout. "Doc" or "Doctor" was a nickname among his close friends and associates. Nicknames are fine, but trying to pass it off as an "honorary title" (as Satanists often do) is insulting to anyone with with so much as a high school diploma, and downright disrespectful to genuine PhDs.
Rating:
Summary: Frightening for it's convincing logic !
Review: I bought the Satanic Bible out of pure interest. I wanted to know why there could be people who are interested in these kind of ideas.
The book though takes a turn when you start reading it. This is not some idiot who writes about the devil and sacrificing virgins for fun, but an intellectual person who clearly explains that all other religions are wrong....and he seems to be right in practically all ways.
LaVey tells us that Satanism ( in this logical form ) has never said a bad word about other religions, but that all other religions have been putting Satanism down since the beginning of it all. It's a scary tought that he's actually right. Luckily it has "sort of" a happy ending, where also LaVey slowly changes from the Mr.Spock of religion into the priest we'd expect him to be and Satanism turns into just another one of those religions ( created by human hand rather than some God ( or Devil that is ) ).
This is not a novel, but a bible that is 10 times easier to read than the Christian one. It also contains a reference part for everyone who wants to indulge into Satanic rituals or masses.
I wouldn't try it out at home but for everyone who still thinks that Anton Szander LaVey ( Still the most famous Satan-whorshipper ) is a lunatic, this book may just change your mind completely on the basis of Satanism.
Rating: 
Summary: Modern Satanism defined
Review: A brief biography of LaVey is given in the introduction by Burton Wolfe, author of several books on Satanism and LaVey. He says 'all the occultists I had met or heard of were white-lighters: alleged seers, prophesiers, and witches wrapping their supposedly mystic powers around God-based, spiritual communication.' However he found LaVey represented something different: 'LaVey seeming to laugh at them if not spit on them in contempt, emerged from between the lines of newspaper stories as a black magician basing his work on the dark side of nature and the carnal side of humanity. There seemed to be nothing spiritual about his "church"' (pg 2). And so the stage is set. Following the famous Nine Satanic Statements, the core of the text is broken into four books, titled after the four traditional elements of fire, air earth and water, accompanied by four specific demons associated to be invoked at each ritual. LaVey explains that 'most Satanists do not accept Satan as an anthropomorphic being with cloven hooves, a barbed tail, and horns. He merely represents a force of nature - the powers of darkness which have been named for just that because no religion has taken the forces out of the darkness. Nor has science been able to apply technical terminology to this force. It is an untapped reservoir that few can make use of because they lack the ability to use a tool without having to first break down and label all the parts which make it run. It is this incessant need to analyze which prohibits most people from taking advantage of this many faceted key to the unknown - which the Satanist chooses to call "Satan"' (pg 62). Despite its seemingly liberal views for the time it was written, there is still a lot of misogyny to be found within its pages. LaVey advocates the use of a naked woman as an altar 'because woman is the natural passive receptor'. Any men participating are to be dressed in black robes, 'the robes may be cowled or hooded, and if desired may cover the face'; while women should be dressed in white sexually suggestive clothing 'fro the purpose of stimulating the emotions of the male participants, and thereby intensifying the outpouring of adrenal or bio-electrical energy which will insure (sic) a more powerful working' (pg 135). Strange how woman is seen as the passive receptor, yet it is women who are responsible for raising energy which the men passively receive and are charged with directing. A shame he was not able to overcome these basic prejudices. Considering the number of pages dedicated to Satanic ritual design, there is little magickal theory given. Gods are invoked with little explanation given as to why They in particular were chosen to represent certain roles found in the Western Magickal Tradition. A basic ritual form is outlined, as well as four ready-made invocations for specific purposes. The nineteen Enochian keys compose the largest section of the book, a brief suggestion of the purpose preface each call, first in Enochian, followed by the English translation, modified slightly by LaVey to reflect Satanic rather than godly sentiments. The Satanic Bible is highly approachable; the language very unambiguous, so that it is impossible to misunderstand his meaning. Recommended especially for those who are still unclear what modern Satanism is about.
Rating:
Summary: plagerised, but still good
Review: Anton LaVey (or Levey, depending on how much you respect the man) did not invent what we see as modern satanism, per se, he rather introduced it to the masses (just as The Ramones didn't "invent" punk, but brought it into mainstream). The concepts of self-indulgence aren't new, but LaVey's athiestic satanism (being someone who calls themself "satanist", but doesn't believe in an actual diety) is somewhat unheard of, though he came to the conclusion after borrowing heavily (as in upwards of half of his book contains material from other philosiphers) and not giving credit. The book was an important part of bringing a new-age religion above ground and smashing misconceptions (like the idea of making sacrifices; anybody doing research is likely to note that Christianity promotes live sacrifices and burnning children, not satanism) and at the same time rebutalling a new form of spirituality. Unfortunately, after aging, the Church of Satan and Anton LaVey slowly became another carnival freak show, inviting nazis to bash his Jewish heritage. After his daughter, Zeena LaVey, disowned him, she cursed him horribly. In 1984, presumably (the source I got it from was compiled by Zeena, so I wouldn't trust it) planted evidence of domestic violence (which have since proven to be fake..), and in 1997, killed him from a stroke. Afterward, the First Church of Satan formed, modelling after what the Church of Satan was like "at First", and retainning satanism as a philosiphy, and not a freak show. The Satanic Bible, by Anton Szandor LaVey, comes out to be an important standalone piece of literature, though the fate of the Church of Satan afterwards makes LaVey a burden on modern athiestic satanists. His original self that seemed to slip away in the late 70's and 80's (especially after nominating Marilyn Manson as a high priest, when satanism explicitely does not condone drugs and "following the herd") is still remembered today, which evens out to the three stars I give this book.
Rating:
Summary: Pointless and plain silly
Review: The satanic bible lacks any credibility and any "original" thoughts contained therein was surely plagerized from a better man and author, Nietzche being one example. No, Anton Levay was a mere cartoon character who exploited satanism and exposed a new and different world to angry teens and naive adults. There is no intellectual progression or quotable quotes in this silly little book. This book is pure garbage and if you hold it close enough to your nose you might actually think it smells like it too. I imagine if Britney spears was a satanist she might have written a better satanic bible than our dead friend Anton. Rest in peace swine.
Rating: 
Summary: Speechless...
Review: When I had first started researching and getting into Satanism, I did not have to think twice about buying this book. I immediatly ordered from Amazon without hesitation, and received the book 2 days later. This, to say the least, got me hooked on Satanism. I was raised as a christian, and always had questions about christianity. I would always ask these questions to the ministers, and my parents, and they were always either very poorly answered, or not really answered at all. Satanism, on the other hand, frightingly makes A LOT of sense. I am left with no questions. This book, simply put, is amazing for those who have an open mind, and often think deeply into the philosophy on life like I do. This book truley has something to offer, and will clear up any mis-conceptions that anyone could possibly have about Satanism. WARNING: This book can completely change your views on a great many things, and may open your mind, if you let it, to a whole new outlook on life, people, christianity, and everything around you. So in other words, read with caution. In closing, my personal opinion is...[] this book will put you through the ultimate mind boggling experience that will leave you speechless for a number of weeks while you absorb all that you have learned. A true experience for those who have not been taken over by the indoctrination and propaganda of other []religions.
Rating: 
Summary: plagarized writtings
Review: Anton Lavey's satanic bible is a joke of satire,where even the key points were taken from the writtings of Aleister Crowley. Lavey never ackowleged Aleister Crowley as a Satanist,unlike the F.O.S.and traditional satanism which roots come from Aleister Crowley's O>T>O order.
The C.O.S.has declined in members after Anton Lavey's death,Even his own daughter Karla Lavey has left.
Rating:
Summary: Good for what it is
Review: Good book, but too self-indulgent for my taste. I give it three just for the unique read and interesting view points, but I couldn't live this way. After all, at some point in our lives, we are all weak, so should we be taken advantage of??? For a more balanced view of satanism/luciferianism, check out geocities.com/church_of_the_fallen666 It's a group that started a religion around The Devil's Apocrypha.
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