Rating: 
Summary: I thought I was ready for this book...
Review: ...and boy, was I wrong. This book is definately for higher-level practitioners. But the author does a good job in warning about the possible dangers of each technique and recommending what you should know before attempting some of the techniques. Just reading this book set me on a higher level and changed some perceptions about myself. I recommend that anyone tired of the Wicca 101 books try this Wicca 201 book.
As a final note to add, this book portrays Otherkin in a positive light, which is a nice change from complete obscurity. I enjoyed this book greatly and heartily recommend it.
Rating: 
Summary: A general book theraputic only for the author!
Review: Amazingly, Willow quotes M. Macha Nightmare in nearly EVERY chapter of the book. I wonder who really should have written the text. Instead of a Wicca/Witchcraft 201 book, it is horridly general without indepth information regarding "the veil" as she puts it, but only basic concepts for realizing the existence of the veil and it's possible inhabitants. If you are looking for a detailed book on how to commune with otherworldly guids, the fay etc., you should look elseware. Polson spends a good deal of her book discussing her personal experience, and patting herself on the back for her various accomplishments. It is more tharapy for her than a learning experience for her readers. I was very anxious for an advanced wiccan/witchcraft book and was sorely dissapointed in the content of this text. I would not recommend it to any accept the most beginning student...and even then with some trepidation. For an advanced work, I would heartily recommend "Modern Magick" by Kraig instead. Willow unfortunately seems to be a new writer, perhaps unable to convey her topics very well. The books conclusion was the only worth-while read, however still did not glean any insight into what the books cover touted prior to my reading.
Rating: 
Summary: The Veil's Edge, well worth reading!
Review: I found this book to be well written, intrigueing and full of valuable ideas and perceptions. I have been a long time fan of M Macha Nightmare's writing. This is the first time I have read Willow Polson's work, but it certainly will not be the last. The treatment of subject is sure to give new insights to anyone interested in the practice of the magickal arts. A mature and enciteful approach to mystical and spiritual matters.
A Great Read!
Rating:
Summary: The Veil's Edge, well worth reading!
Review: I found this book to be well written, intrigueing and full of valuable ideas and perceptions. I have been a long time fan of M Macha Nightmare's writing. This is the first time I have read Willow Polson's work, but it certainly will not be the last. The treatment of subject is sure to give new insights to anyone interested in the practice of the magickal arts. A mature and enciteful approach to mystical and spiritual matters.
A Great Read!
Rating:
Summary: An interesting book for intermediate to advanced Wiccans
Review: I read "The Veil's Edge" by Willow Polson recently.
The book is very interesting but it is not one I'd recommend to beginners. You really need to have a solid grounding already in working magick to get much out of the book. Intermediate to advanced Wiccans in particular will likely find the book of interest as it goes into topics that are barely touched on in most other books.
The book is not difficult to understand; Willow does a really good job of explaining what could be a very complicated topic. Anyone who wants to use the information in the book needs to have a solid understanding of magick before they start reading this book as it doesn't rehash all the 101 info that readers should know.
The book is basically about other planes of existence, whether they are described as the astral realm, the world of spirit, the land of faery, or something similar. It's about the possibility of there being other dimensions of existence that are invisible to us normally in this physical realm. The book is about how these other realms might be explained, and how people who use magick might interact with those realms.
The book starts by trying to explain the possibility of these invisible realms by drawing on the ideas of quantum physics. It was very interesting to read (and admittedly these theories are presented in other books in a similar way) but the skeptical side of me wonders whether real-life quantum physicists would say their theories are being misrepresented. There were a number of ideas, like the concept of observer-influence on things observed, which I suspect might be misinterpreted and made into something they aren't really in order to validate paranormal claims.
Regardless whether the scientific claims made are valid or not, the book does provide some useful ways of thinking about working at least some types of magick. And even if the scientific claims are not 100% accurate, it's good to have books like this which will challenge us to reconsider what we think we know about the nature of reality -- the truth is often much stranger than what we can imagine. It would be nice if we'd see more books like this, ones which present new ideas or even old ideas presented with new understandings, instead of the many books that come out which are nothing more than old material rehashed and presented again for the hundredth time.
Wiccans and those who practice magick who already have some solid experience who are looking for some fresh ideas for their magickal practice would find this book refreshing. People new to Wicca or magick should probably wait until they're more experienced before picking up this book and checking it out.
Rating:
Summary: Ready to take a dive?
Review: One of my first knee jerk reactions to reading this book was, "YES! I am not insane! I am not the only one who's been seeing/sensing these things!" Many wiccans talk about "fantasy witches" in which they refer to folks who really see and do things like battle demons, and physically shape-shift, and literally traveling to other worlds. It sounds pretty unbelievable. And it is very daring and amazing when you start perceiving such things for yourself. But where do you draw the line between fantasy and reality? How do you know your not wishfully magicking things into your perception? That's where the good judgment and willpower you've been theoretically been training for years comes in. There is an excellent chapter on magic and science, most notably quantum physics. I will admit, I don't know much about quantum physics, so maybe someone will have another opinion on how she approaches it. However, for me it was a good simple easy to understand opener to the topic, and I plan on looking into the bibliography that is provided in the book. Another reaction was realizing how much trouble a book like this on the market could be. This is not a simple starting book. This is not something for a casual wiccan. This is not even necessarily about religion. It's witchcraft. There are no clear cookie cutter instructions for a reason. She does describe how to do some things, and if your really up to working with that kind of stuff then it's more than enough. This is only for once you know a wide variety of techniques very well and have done lots and lots and lots of energy work. Otherwise messing with such stuff can be downright dangerous possibly to yourself and others. Ripping holes in reality and guiding the dead are not things to poo poo at. I'm not even sure I would have the balls to play with some of this yet. And I know all the cautionary stuff sounds redundant, but there is reason for it. There are some more topics I can think of along these lines she didn't cover. But it's, as far as I know, the only book so far to seriously dare to publish some of this kind of magic. To let people know what's possible, and what's out there. So if your interested, check it out. And don't be afraid to agree or disagree with how stuff works. You may learn something different from your triggered intuition. Her introductions and style of making examples and analogies also made it a very fast fun read. She has interviewed and gotten advice from several other authors I respect and enjoyed reading in the past. Oh, and the small fact that she's a Bast person didn't sway me at all. :grin/wink:
Rating:
Summary: Ready to take a dive?
Review: One of my first knee jerk reactions to reading this book was, "YES! I am not insane! I am not the only one who's been seeing/sensing these things!" Many wiccans talk about "fantasy witches" in which they refer to folks who really see and do things like battle demons, and physically shape-shift, and literally traveling to other worlds. It sounds pretty unbelievable. And it is very daring and amazing when you start perceiving such things for yourself. But where do you draw the line between fantasy and reality? How do you know your not wishfully magicking things into your perception? That's where the good judgment and willpower you've been theoretically been training for years comes in. There is an excellent chapter on magic and science, most notably quantum physics. I will admit, I don't know much about quantum physics, so maybe someone will have another opinion on how she approaches it. However, for me it was a good simple easy to understand opener to the topic, and I plan on looking into the bibliography that is provided in the book. Another reaction was realizing how much trouble a book like this on the market could be. This is not a simple starting book. This is not something for a casual wiccan. This is not even necessarily about religion. It's witchcraft. There are no clear cookie cutter instructions for a reason. She does describe how to do some things, and if your really up to working with that kind of stuff then it's more than enough. This is only for once you know a wide variety of techniques very well and have done lots and lots and lots of energy work. Otherwise messing with such stuff can be downright dangerous possibly to yourself and others. Ripping holes in reality and guiding the dead are not things to poo poo at. I'm not even sure I would have the balls to play with some of this yet. And I know all the cautionary stuff sounds redundant, but there is reason for it. There are some more topics I can think of along these lines she didn't cover. But it's, as far as I know, the only book so far to seriously dare to publish some of this kind of magic. To let people know what's possible, and what's out there. So if your interested, check it out. And don't be afraid to agree or disagree with how stuff works. You may learn something different from your triggered intuition. Her introductions and style of making examples and analogies also made it a very fast fun read. She has interviewed and gotten advice from several other authors I respect and enjoyed reading in the past. Oh, and the small fact that she's a Bast person didn't sway me at all. :grin/wink:
Rating:
Summary: A great start, but I wish it went further
Review: There is a sad dearth of books for advanced pagan audiences. This is the first book that I've heard of that addresses the topic of magick from a pagan perspective beyond the 101 level. I thought it was very well done. The theory of how magick works that Polson presents was interesting and believable, but the great strength of the book, in my opinion, lies in the step-by-step guides to exploring different advanced magical techniques.
I say advanced, but this is more of a 202 book than a seminar level work. I am very glad that it was published, and think it's a great first step (or next step?) but I wished that it went further. I am not a serious magician, and I did get some new ideas from the book, but I would've liked it to have been twice as long and covered two or three times as many topics. Sweat lodges, astral portals, and god-hosting are great, and they're definitely not beginner topics. Polson covers them in depth. But what about interacting with non-deity spirits, healing, and creating magickal objects? Most of those topics were mentioned in passing but could easily have gotten their own chapters, and these are just examples. An additional second-to-last chapter talking about further boundaries for the experienced and enterprising magician to push and expand would have been very welcome, at the least.
Nonetheless, this book is an important contribution to the body of accessible neo-pagan material, and I'm awfully glad to have read it. Thanks, Ms. Polson!
Rating:
Summary: A great book, but I wish it went further
Review: There is a sad dearth of books for advanced pagan audiences. This is the first book that I've heard of that addresses the topic of magick from a pagan perspective beyond the 101 level. I thought it was very well done. The theory of how magick works that Polson presents was interesting and believable, but the great strength of the book, in my opinion, lies in the step-by-step guides to exploring different advanced magical techniques.
I say advanced, but this is more of a 202 book than a seminar level work. I am very glad that it was published, and think it's a great first step (or next step?) but I wished that it went further. I am not a serious magician, and I did get some new ideas from the book, but I would've liked it to have been twice as long and covered two or three times as many topics. Sweat lodges, astral portals, and god-hosting are great, and they're definitely not beginner topics. Polson covers them in depth. But what about interacting with non-deity spirits, healing, and creating magickal objects? Most of those topics were mentioned in passing but could easily have gotten their own chapters, and these are just examples. An additional second-to-last chapter talking about further boundaries for the experienced and enterprising magician to push and expand would have been very welcome, at the least.
Nonetheless, this book is an important contribution to the body of accessible neo-pagan material, and I'm awfully glad to have read it. Thanks, Ms. Polson!
Rating:
Summary: Fabulous
Review: This book blew me away. I really liked the science of magic part.I also spoke to her online before and she is a fantastic lady.
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