Rating: 
Summary: Holds up over the years
Review: I have used this Rune set ever since I attended a class given by Ralph years ago when he introduced the Runes. I have an original set and won't ever part with it. It always gives me a true answer. It puts me in touch with the unconscious that already knows the answer so I can see exactly where I need to make changes in myself in order to meet the current life challenge. It never fails to give a correct answer for my next step in spiritual growth. Thank you Ralph!
Rating:
Summary: A GREAT BEGINNER'S SET & BOOK THAT HOLDS UP OVER TIME
Review: When I was looking for my first rune book & set, my other witch friends turned their noses up at this set. "It's okay for beginners" & "It will get you started", they said. WELL, I have loved this set from the start & I still love it! I have no need to get the "fancy" gemstone rune set that my friends all have. This deck has probably given me the most frightingly accurate readings out of all the tarot & divination sets I have! All I have to do is pull one rune out & I get an amazing answer.
Yes, the runes are only made of clay, so they probably won't last as long as the stone sets. But I like the fact that they are more flat shaped than other rune sets & they are a bit larger, as well. I also found the book to be interesting & VERY helpful. It told me all I needed to know with no fuss, no muss & no attitude.
Rating: 
Summary: Wisdom comes from within
Review: After reading the reviews already written I have to remind people that your answers are coming from within. Ralph Blum has created from the most sincerest of hearts a simple way of understanding ourselves and our inner wisdom. Whether you use sticks, tea leaves or runes it's all coming from one place YOU! So thank you Ralph for giving us a simple way of getting in touch with wisdom. I've used Ralph's runes for 15 years. I gave my grandson my set to "borrow". Well needless to say I had to buy another set. And this version has served me well over the years. If you think of these as Runes with training wheels, then you can move on to something more sophisticated if that is your inclination. Meanwhile, chill.
Rating:
Summary: Results!
Review: I have used Ralph Blum's version of the Runes for years. They are remarkably accurate for me. I think it does not depend on which Rune master you follow, They work because of the intuitive question that is asked and one's own subconscious guides us to pull the rune that is exactly right for that moment. My friends have all found them accurate, reminding us what we need to hear even though it is not what we would Like to hear.
Rating: 
Summary: Not a good book at all, no matter how popular it may be.
Review: I bought this book many years ago. It was my first book on runes. What can I say. The author insults Odhinn, his esoteric knowledge is faulty to say the least and really he doesn't have a clue. There are plenty of other better books available, best not to bother with this one.
Rating:
Summary: Accurate and practical
Review: I learned the runes from this book. I've used them over and over, and they always prove true. This book explains very well how to use the runes. I love the emphasis on self-improvement. From use of this book, I've learned to understand myself, and actually answer some questions without asking the runes. Blum says to be creative, that function fits form and form fits function, and so I have.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent for Starters
Review: Can't believe this set is rates so low. Excellent explanations for the beginning caster. Good set of medium quality Runes. You GOTTA try these.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent kit
Review: I found this kit to be wonderfully amazing. I have used it for insight and guidance on everything from business to realationships. It's always astonishing how accurate the runes have been. After showing a girl at work how they are used she went right out and bought one too.
Rating:
Summary: A Good Place To Start
Review: I discovered this little book about 8 years ago, at a time in my life when I needed to seek answers from deep within myself. I had tried the Tarot and several other methods of divination, but none of them really clicked with me. However, I immediately felt comfortable with the runes and Ralph Blums book on the subject. Now, as you read some of the other reviews, you will find several people who truly detest Mr. Blum's work and see it as an affront to "true runic masters". That's all well and good, but I would guess that the vast majority of people contemplating purchasing this book are anything but runic masters and just want a written source that will give them a good start. If you are one of those individuals, then this is the book for you. As for the rune stones themselves...okay, they are not works of art, but they serve the purpose...and in the end, that is all that matters. Yes, you undoubtably will want to make your own at some point, but probably not in the beginning, and that's fine. These little stones, as crude as they may be, will do the trick. I have found great wisdom in the messages of these runes and a greater understanding of my own inner world. This book is a great tool in the quest for spiritual awakening. I have recently felt the need for a more in depth understanding of the runes and have discovered Edred Thorsson's books on the subject. He is definitely a runic master of the highest order and I would recommend him to anyone who already has an understanding of the rune stones and is ready to move to another level. But, Mr. Blum's book is an excellent resource as well and I wouldn't hesitate for a moment in recommending it.
Rating: 
Summary: A controversial book
Review: Blum's book was my first exposure to "nordic" runes. I bought it after being intrigued seeing one of the Irish character's on the TV show Earth Final Conflict using runes. My girlfriend had just bought her own set and commented that she had "played" with them many years ago and found them enlightening. I was intrigued.I enjoyed the book, and it was a very easy read. As all others have written it comes with a bag and the rune stones (ceramic). The stones are brittle, and I actually broke one pulling it out of the plastic shipping case, so I advise caution handling them. Web searches and Dejanews searches of runes find much criticism about Blum and his interpretations. I'd like to give my thoughts on some of the critiques: I didn't notice a heavy Christian slant into his interpretations of the meanings, but I haven't read the references most of the naysayers cite as being better. Any spiritual undertaking must be a personal journey, and I believe that if there is any truth to any of the many methods available (tarot, numerology, astrology, runes, i-ching, even prayer to a god) that our own personal psyche and psychic influences play into the journey. With Blum's interpretations as all I know for reading runes, I believe that my own guides on my journey influence the runes drawn and placed to meet the interprations that are appropriate for me. (Example, on the same reading, if I told myself that I would be using Blum's interpretations I would draw a different set of runes than if I were to state up front that I would use some more traditional meanings.) Do the naysayers really place so little faith in the power of runes that they would believe that whatever power influences them would allow a misinterpretation simply because we'd read Blums' book? I've found rune reading to be earily accurate. Just yesterday afternoon, after having not used the runes in almost a year, I did a reading to see if an event I would be going to was going to be an enjoyable. The runes indicated that I would not have a good time at the event. They were correct! (No, I didn't let the old self-fulfilling prophecy ruin my evening! I didn't even get to attend the event, since my date got ill and cancelled our attendance! Spooky, huh?) Why three stars for my rating? The quality of the stones is just a bit lacking, and the heavy controversy over Blum is just too much to ignore. A first time rune user can't beat the deal of getting the runes included, but if you're using the internet for support in your learning process, you're bound to get much more help if you use more traditional sources.
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