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Rating: 
Summary: The Best Book I've read in a long time!
Review: First up, this book has nothing to do with Harry Potter. Absolutely nowhere does this book mention anything to do with Harry Potter whatsoever, or vice versa. Harry Potter is 100 percent fiction.Secondly: Yes, this book has real, genuine magical technique in it. The first half of the book is devoted to actual magick lessons. If this sort of thing makes you uncomfortable, or is against your religious beliefs, then don't buy this. Parents concerned about their children should already be monitoring what they read, correct? so if this is against your beliefs, you can explain that to them. Some people, however, actively practice as part of their religious beliefs while others don't particularly care, therefore having no problem if their kids are reading this book. (I would ask, however, that if you're afraid of "witch craft," have you actually spoken to a practicing Witch about what they believe and what they do? You might be surprised that Witches are no scarier than Hindus or Buddhists...) The book itself: The first half, the lessons, are written in an engaging style. They're simple and easy to understand, but even after several years of practicing magic I picked up some things I didn't know before. The second half of the book, the game/Wizard's Adventure, is magnificent fun, rather like a Choose your own adventure book, which quizzes you on the material in the first part while being highly entertaining! From my perspective, the mix of the fictional professor "Rumstuckle" with the genuine magickal principles is original and charming; however, I do understand how young kids could confuse fact and fantasy.
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Summary: i hate this!!!
Review: harry is make belive and i love him!!!! there is such thing of a real wizardary and anyone who buys this for there children is which craft!!! u should be ashamed of yourself buying this for your young child turning her againt Jesus Christ! Honestly harry potter is the best book i have read but plz trying to teach your kids to do wizardy is really awful. i would even rate this lower if i can
Rating: 
Summary: This is a pretty good book
Review: I admit that this doesn't have much to do with Wicca or magic, but it shares some principles or ideas. It has things about visualization, for example, and it's very interesting. I would definetly recommend this book.
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Summary: Just a few questions...
Review: I have read the book, and i completed it but i was very hazy at the end. In the end you become a "fully-accredited wizard in the first-degree"...okay, is there a second-degree, a third-degree, or what? Secondly, when he talks about the creation of the Wizard's Tools, he speaks briefly about using them to control the elements in a ritual, which he never gets into. Thirdly, he never gets to the magic part, no spells, no ritual, no nothing. Is he planning on making a second book or what since this one was for apprentices? Very frustrating, and very confusing.
Rating: 
Summary: A drop of imagination, stirred with magic intent
Review: Is wizardry real? When you start searching for real information on wizardry there is not much to go on. Cornelius's book can be as close to the real thing as it can get for his target audience. Cornelius targets the juvenile with poise and lovely humor.
The book is an excellent introduction into the world of occult and mystery. The 20 wizardry lessons are easy to follow and a great pleasure of anticipation, but demands patience and active participation. The lessons start with the secret wizard's name, which is probably the most powerful psychological edifying concept in the book.
The practical instructions will lead to some insight, if combined with the given simple and practical advice: "Wizardry works from the inside out". The gems in between might just be missed if not looked at carefully. The lessons are an introduction into real occult ideas and concepts. The lessons introduce the five elements introducing the pentagram and ventures through methods of divination, numerology and astrology. He explains briefly how the cycles of the moon and talisman can be used to strengthen magic. Interwoven between all the artifacts of wizardry are occult disciplines like relaxation, breathing, visioning, memory enhancement and spirit guides. The book might not immediately create a lot of powerful Merlin's but it is designed to entice and intrigue. I have no doubt that it will accomplish that.
The Wizard's adventure is more than a story...it allows the young wizard to make decisions and apply the knowledge gained in the 20 lessons. The Wizard's adventure provides a simulated practice ground to apply wizardry. The story begins with an introduction into the use of a pendulum as a means of guidance and then builds a story line of survival through a labyrinth of decisions. Not knowing the wizard's secrets leads ultimately to death in the game. The odds are against the young wizard in the battles with all types of creatures. If played by the rules the wizard has a slim change of coming out of the adventure alive. Playing with dice the wizard has to focus on bringing the magic from the inside to truly reach the wizard's guild.
Cornelius provides a masterful blend between fiction and non-fiction. There is certainly enough realness to entice further exploration and there is enough mystery to keep the Wizard elusive in his mythical, enigmatic and magical character.
Rating:
Summary: Ugh...but not for the reason you're thinking.
Review: It feels very strange to be weighing in on the same side as people who equate all magick with Satanism, but here I am. I find the whole make-believe tone on this book grating precisely because I am a serious Pagan priestess (as well as a fan of fantasy writing). I find the whole idea of purposely blurring the lines between the two a dangerous disservice, both to Pagan children who might be misled into expecting their practice to be far more Harry Potter-eque than it really will be, and to non-Pagan children who might be deceived into thinking they are playing a game as they violate their parents' religious convictions. There is a fine line between being whimsical and being a downright liar, and this book seems to skate back and forth across it with gleeful abandon. I do not go so far as to give one star because as much as I myself find the tone annoying, I can imagine that my son would enjoy it more than I do, and since at least some of the information is actually sound, he might learn something valid along with the garbage I would have to remove from his brain later. A child grounded enough in reality could sort fact from fiction - but that child might feel about the "make-believe" tone the way that I do. So many Pagan books seem to be written at a junior-high-school reading level in any case that you are probably better off just buying the "adult" beginner books that are more reputable.
Rating:
Summary: Ugh...but not for the reason you're thinking.
Review: It feels very strange to be weighing in on the same side as people who equate all magick with Satanism, but here I am. I find the whole make-believe tone on this book grating precisely because I am a serious Pagan priestess (as well as a fan of fantasy writing). I find the whole idea of purposely blurring the lines between the two a dangerous disservice, both to Pagan children who might be misled into expecting their practice to be far more Harry Potter-eque than it really will be, and to non-Pagan children who might be deceived into thinking they are playing a game as they violate their parents' religious convictions. There is a fine line between being whimsical and being a downright liar, and this book seems to skate back and forth across it with gleeful abandon. I do not go so far as to give one star because as much as I myself find the tone annoying, I can imagine that my son would enjoy it more than I do, and since at least some of the information is actually sound, he might learn something valid along with the garbage I would have to remove from his brain later. A child grounded enough in reality could sort fact from fiction - but that child might feel about the "make-believe" tone the way that I do. So many Pagan books seem to be written at a junior-high-school reading level in any case that you are probably better off just buying the "adult" beginner books that are more reputable.
Rating:
Summary: Save your money
Review: This book presents it self somewhat confusingly. On the back of the book the category indicates it as fiction, yet inside it describes itself as 'positively not fiction'. Were it to say it was a bit of both, that would be much more acceptable. As it is, the book is comprised of two parts, the first deals mostly with magickal theory and simple exercises (mostly non-fiction), the second a game (fiction, though it repeatedly claims not to be). The first part includes twenty-two short sections on magickal topics with practical exercises describing how to make simple tools and use them with simple techniques - and as an added bonus, he manages to do this without including any religious elements that usually pervade introductory books of this sort. The practical exercises given are generally quite good, and will prove useful to the budding trainee wizard. However, Rumstuckle's advice regarding ritual tools is somewhat shaky. He sensibly substitutes a feathered wand for a knife or dagger - rather dangerous weapons in the hands of a minor. The more traditional five star pentagram on the pentacle is exchanged for the Star of David it isn't likely to make much difference, even if both symbols are heavily shrouded in religious influence - it is ignored for the purposes of this book. It is his advice regarding making a wand out of cardboard that I find most bizarre - if you're going to go to the trouble of having ritual tools, make them of substantial quality - eight year old or not, use a real stick. I'm not sure how serious anyone would feel waving around a cardboard roll. The exercises given for charging and purifying aren't bad, but there is a ridiculous reliance presented on the tools, indeed he states that any elemental ritual cannot be done without them - in my experience, I have not found this to be the case. The second part of the book is written in a 'choose your own adventure' style game where you use the practical advice and lessons taught in the previous twenty-one chapters to arrive at a coded message, instructing you to mail and request further lessons. While the practical section is quite good, I'm not impressed with the fabricated history surrounding the lessons and the author - the exercises can stand alone without it. Indeed, much of the information contained within resonates with popular occult theory, and tables of correspondence are taken from such sources as Eliphas Levi and actual recognized occult authors. I understand that falsifying is supposed to add to the mystique and it's supposed to be a clever marketing tool cashing in on the Harry Potter craze, but it takes away from the true validity and practicality of the book, which is a shame. It's not a terrible introduction to the basics of the magickal arts for the group its aimed at, but it's not the best it could have been either. 'Rumstuckle's' falsification of history and lineage and his insistence on its importance makes this book simply sound phoney - had the information been presented in a more honest manner it might have been more suitable for recommendation, as it is, I'm sorry to say I don't find it to be so.
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