We are passionately working to make magick manifest.
To inspire. To create.
Expanding the esoteric horizons.
Towards becoming Magick.
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For visitors curious to read what others say about our work, this is where you can find out! For online reviews a simple link is provided, for print reviews we provide the name of the journal, issue number and an extract of the review. (Most recent book first). Of course you can also visit www.avaloniabooks.co.uk for extracts of recent reviews (listed with each title)
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WICCA MAGICKAL BEGINNINGS by Sorita d’Este & David Rankine
- review by Rodney Orpheus
- review by Yvonne Aburrow
- review by Stephen Blake
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THE ISLES OF THE MANY GODS by Sorita d’Este & David Rankine
- review by Bobcat for the Druid Network
- review by Boudica for TWPT.com
- review in WICCAN REDE Magazine, Beltane 2008 edition. (Dutch & English language):
“Many deities have been worshipped in the British Isles during the ages, while each new invader, each new tribe, brought its own. This book brings them together for the first time, native and immigrant gods and goddesses….An extended bibliography and an index complete this very interesting guide.”
- review in RUNA Magazine, Issue #20, by Patricia Holmes
“The isles of the title of this useful and worthy work are England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland and Man. Known to our ancestors as ‘The Isles of the Mighty’, it is truly astonishing to see that more than 240 gods and goddesses have been venerated down the ages. After much useful information on origins, literary evidence and other relevant facts, the meat of the book comprises a listing and short description of the gods, which begins with the obscure Abandinus of Cambridgeshire and ends with Woden. The book contains three useful appendices: ‘Genealogies’, ‘Timeline’ and ‘The Return of the Pagan Gods’, and a thorough ‘Bibliography’ of sources. Footnotes are also included along with an ‘Index’, which helps to give the reader a feeling that the book has been researched in a thorough manner. Naturally, in a book of such wide scope, there were occasions when this reader threw up her hands and voiced disagreement with certain aspects of the argument presented relating to a particular god. However, this does not detract from the overall value of this work, anymore than it would detract from any of the thousands of academic volumes produced yearly and which attract considerable criticism from others in their field. Any précis can only contain the main features of a god’s functions and origins and there are simply too many theories abounding for agreement to be reached. The important aspect of this book is that the gods and goddesses are pretty well all contained within this one volume, and sources are offered for further research to be carried out on any particular ones of interest. I have no hesitation in recommending this book and, as Avalonia have other books which may be of interest to readers of Runa, their website is well worth a visit.”
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HEKA -The Practices of Ancient Egyptian Magic and Ritual by David Rankine
- Review in Witchcraft and Wicca Magazine, Issue 14, Imbolc 2007, Galatea
“It is difficult when pursuing information on how to practise Heka, to find books that are more than newage make-believe with a couple of ankhs thrown in. Happily, this book is not one of them. The other types of books normally to be found on Heka are usually highly academic but rarely practical. In this book David has done all the hard work for us as the extensive bibliography shows. Covering a huge number of practices such as dream divination, the Egyptian calendar, Temple setup, spells, etc. and all in a readable style, this book will be a delight to anyone with a serious interest in the Egyptian tradition. David Rankine is an author that we can be sure knows his stuff and always delivers information that is not only accurate, but also workable.”
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HEKATE- Keys to the Crossroads edited by Sorita d’Este with numerous contributors
- review by Mags Moore on Amazon.com
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ARTEMIS: Virgin Goddess of the Sun & Moon by Sorita d’Este
- review by Merlyn for Witchcraft and Wicca Magazine, Issue 13, Beltane 2006
“It is surprising given the importance of Artemis in the ancient world that there has not been a book written about her before. I have been interested in the goddess Artemis for many years, and have only been able to find information scattered among general mythology books and the ancient Greek tales. Now my search is over and Sorita d’Este has written the definitive book on this complex goddess of contradictions. The modern view of Artemis is the Huntress with a deer or hound at her side, dressed in a short Greek tunic with trademark bow over one shoulder. However, as Sorita’s book explains this is just one facet of Artemis, with numerous variations from all over the ancient Mediterranean. The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus was one of the wonders of the ancient world, but the goddess depicted there was a mother goddess totally unlike the traditional huntress. One aspect of Artemis that remains constant throughout her many guises is that it is extremely unwise to upset her, retribution is likely to swift and deadly. Believers and invaders regarded the temple with awe and respect, it was the only temple not destroyed during the Persian invasion.
Artemis is a goddess of contrasts and contradictions, a virgin goddess, yet the goddess of childbirth, a goddess of hunting, yet patron of many animals that are considered prey. Artemis was a combination of several earlier goddesses, giving her an almost incredible number of sometimes-conflicting attributes and roles. Her relationships with the other gods and goddess were sometimes difficult, notably with Hera and Aphrodite. All of the many facets of her complex character, myths, relationships, and myriad identities are contained within this slim volume. If you want the truth about Artemis this is the only book I am aware of to contain the complete story, and great reading it is too. This is vital reading for anyone interested in learning the truth about Artemis. “
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THE GUISES OF THE MORRIGAN by David Rankine & Sorita d’Este
- review by Nina Lazarus for The Esoteric Book Review
- review by Boudica for TWPT.com (see bottom of page)
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Avalonia’s Book of Chakras by David Rankine & Sorita d’Este
- review in Witchcraft and Wicca Magazine, Issue 14, Imbolc 2007, Galatea
“The concept of chakras is thousands of years old and has its origins in the Tantric tradition. Over the past two hundred years, chakras have been integrated into many European esoteric traditions including Ceremonial Magic, Wicca and the New Age movement. Although it is a well-known idea, many people do not know much about how to utilise or develop it. This book is a complete beginners guide and an ideal reference book for more experienced practitioners. IT includes information on the seven major chakras, the Kundalini serpent, and information on the minor chakras. There are comprehensive exercises to help you open, close and use your chakras and include them into your meditations.”
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If you have written a review of one of the books published by Avalonia Press, we would love to hear from you. E-mail or write to us using the information on the ‘contact us’ page and tell us where. If you would like to request a copy of one of our books for review, you are also welcome to contact us – we usually have a limited number of copies of each title available, but will usually be able to oblige for established publications (print or electronic).
