Showing posts with label Magic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Magic. Show all posts

Friday, July 25, 2025

The Rise of the Dragon. An Illustrated History of the Targaryen Dynasty. George R.R. Martin

The Rise of the Dragon. An Illustrated History of the Targaryen Dynasty. George R.R. Martin
The Rise of the Dragon. An Illustrated History of the Targaryen Dynasty. George R.R. Martin

 I'm enjoying "The Rise of the Dragon: An Illustrated History of the Targaryen Dynasty" by George R.R. Martin with Elio Garcia and Linda Antonsson.

 

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • This lavish visual history—featuring over 180 all-new illustrations—is a stunning introduction to House Targaryen, the iconic family at the heart of HBO’s Game of Thrones prequel series, House of the Dragon.
 
For hundreds of years, the Targaryens sat the Iron Throne of Westeros while their dragons ruled the skies. The story of the only family of dragonlords to survive Valyria’s Doom is a tale of twisty politics, alliances and betrayals, and acts both noble and craven.
The Rise of the Dragon chronicles the creation and rise of Targaryen power in Westeros, covering the history first told in George R. R. Martin’s epic Fire & Blood, from Aegon Targaryen’s conquest of Westeros through to the infamous Dance of the Dragons—the bloody civil war that nearly undid Targaryen rule for good.
 
Packed with all-new artwork, the Targaryens—and their dragons—come vividly to life in this deluxe reference book. Perfect for fans steeped in the lore of Westeros, as well as those who first meet the Targaryens in the HBO series
House of the Dragon, The Rise of the Dragon provides a must-have overview for anyone looking to learn more about the most powerful family in Westeros.
 
 

Thursday, July 24, 2025

The World of Ice and Fire. The Untold History of Westeros and the Game of Thrones. George R.R. Martin

The World of Ice and Fire. The Untold History of Westeros and the Game of Thrones. George R.R. Martin
The World of Ice and Fire. The Untold History of Westeros and the Game of Thrones. George R.R. Martin

 I'm enjoying "The World of Ice and Fire: The Untold History of Westeros and the Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin with Elio Garcia and Linda Antonsson.

 

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Perfect for fans of A Song of Ice and Fire and HBO’s Game of Thrones—an epic history of Westeros and the lands beyond, featuring hundreds of pages of all-new material from George R. R. Martin!

If the past is prologue, then George R. R. Martin’s masterwork—the most inventive and entertaining fantasy saga of our time—warrants one hell of an introduction. At long last, it has arrived with
The World of Ice & Fire.

This lavishly illustrated volume is
a comprehensive history of the Seven Kingdoms, providing vividly constructed accounts of the epic battles, bitter rivalries, and daring rebellions that lead to the events of A Song of Ice and Fire and HBO’s Game of Thrones. In a collaboration that’s been years in the making, Martin has teamed with Elio M. GarcĂ­a, Jr., and Linda Antonsson, the founders of the renowned fan site Westeros.org—perhaps the only people who know this world almost as well as its visionary creator.

Collected here is all the accumulated knowledge, scholarly speculation, and inherited folk tales of maesters and septons, maegi and singers, including
 
• full-color artwork and maps, with more than 170 original pieces
• full family trees for Houses Stark, Lannister, and Targaryen
• in-depth explorations of the history and culture of Westeros
• 100% all-new material, more than half of which Martin wrote specifically for this book

The definitive companion piece to George R. R. Martin’s dazzlingly conceived universe,
The World of Ice & Fire is indeed proof that the pen is mightier than a storm of swords.
 

Wednesday, July 23, 2025

The Name of the Wind. The Kingkiller Chronicle. Patrick Rothfuss

The Name of the Wind. The Kingkiller Chronicle. Patrick Rothfuss
The Name of the Wind. The Kingkiller Chronicle. Patrick Rothfuss

 I'm enjoying "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss. Book One of the Kingkiller Chronicle.

 

"No one writes about stories like Pat Rothfuss. How the right story at the right time can change the world, how the teller can shape a life." —Lin-Manuel Miranda 

This deluxe, illustrated edition celebrates the
New York Times-bestselling series, The Kingkiller Chronicle—a masterful epic fantasy saga that has inspired readers worldwide.

This anniversary hardcover includes more than 50 pages of extra content!
• Beautiful, iconic cover by artist Sam Weber and designer Paul Buckley
• Gorgeous, never-before-seen illustrations by artist Dan Dos Santos
• Detailed and updated world map by artist Nate Taylor
• Brand-new author’s note
• Appendix detailing calendar system and currencies
• Pronunciation guide of names and places

DAY ONE: THE NAME OF THE WIND

My name is Kvothe.

I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I burned down the town of Trebon. I have spent the night with Felurian and left with both my sanity and my life. I was expelled from the University at a younger age than most people are allowed in. I tread paths by moonlight that others fear to speak of during day. I have talked to Gods, loved women, and written songs that make the minstrels weep.

You may have heard of me.

So begins a tale unequaled in fantasy literature—the story of a hero told in his own voice. It is a tale of sorrow, a tale of survival, a tale of one man’s search for meaning in his universe, and how that search, and the indomitable will that drove it, gave birth to a legend.
 

Monday, July 14, 2025

Harry Houdini. Magician, Escape Artist and Freemason. by Travis Simpkins

Harry Houdini. Magician, Illusionist, Escape Artist and Freemason. by Travis Simpkins

Portrait Sketch of
Harry Houdini
born Erik Weisz, later Ehrich Weiss
( 1874 - 1926 )
Magician and Illusionist
Stunt Performer & Escape Artist
President of the
Society of American Magicians
Freemason
Member of
St. Cecile Lodge No. 568
New York City, New York

by Travis Simpkins
 

Harry Houdini


 For more info, please visit:


Harry Houdini. Magician, Escape Artist and Freemason. by Travis Simpkins

Wednesday, July 9, 2025

The Hero of Ages. The Mistborn Trilogy. The Cosmere. Brandon Sanderson

The Hero of Ages. The Mistborn Trilogy. The Cosmere. Brandon Sanderson
The Hero of Ages. The Mistborn Trilogy. The Cosmere. Brandon Sanderson

 I'm enjoying "The Hero of Ages," Book Three of the Era One Mistborn Trilogy by Brand on Sanderson.

Now with over 10 million copies sold, The Mistborn Series has the thrills of a heist story, the twistiness of political intrigue, and the epic scale of a landmark fantasy saga.

Vin fulfilled the prophecy and released the power gathered in the Well of Ascension. But it was all a trick, and now the godlike being Ruin has been unleashed on the world, bent on its destruction by earthquake and Fire.

Having escaped death only through becoming a Mistborn himself, Emperor Elend Venture now hopes to find clues left behind by the Lord Ruler that will help them fight back. Legends speak of a hero, but were any prophecies not corrupted? To make up for being duped, Vin must unravel the truth so she can become the Hero of Ages before Ruin can wipe out all life on the planet.

https://amzn.to/44l4M2A 

 

Sunday, July 6, 2025

Israel Regardie. Qabalah. Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Ceremonial Magick. by Travis Simpkins

Israel Regardie. Qabalah. Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Ceremonial Magick. by Travis Simpkins

Portrait Sketch of 
Israel Regardie 
Dr. Francis Israel Regardie 
born Francis Israel Regudy 
(1907 - 1985) 
Author and Occultist 
Ceremonial Magician 
Personal Secretary of Aleister Crowley 
Member of 
Stella Matutina, and offshoot of the 
Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn 
Member of 
Societas Rosicruciana in America (SRIA) 
Known for the books: 
The Tree of Life 
A Garden of Pomegranates 
The Middle Pillar 
The Golden Dawn 
by Travis Simpkins



Israel Regardie - The Middle Pillar Exercise

Israel Regardie - Practice of the Presence


For more info, please visit:


Israel Regardie. Qabalah. The Middle Pillar. The Golden Dawn. Ceremonial Magick. by Travis Simpkins

Friday, July 4, 2025

Patrick Rothfuss. Fantasy Author. The Kingkiller Chronicle. The Wise Man's Fear. by Travis Simpkins

Patrick Rothfuss. Fantasy Author. The Kingkiller Chronicle. The Name of the Wind. by Travis Simpkins
Patrick Rothfuss. Fantasy Author. The Kingkiller Chronicle. The Name of the Wind. by Travis Simpkins


Portrait Sketch of
Patrick Rothfuss
Fantasy Writer
Author of
The Kingkiller Chronicle
The Name of the Wind (2007)
The Wise Man's Fear (2011)
The Doors of Stone

by Travis Simpkins


Patrick Rothfuss



For more info, please visit:

 


Patrick Rothfuss. Fantasy Author. The Kingkiller Chronicle. The Wise Man's Fear. by Travis Simpkins
Patrick Rothfuss. Fantasy Author. The Kingkiller Chronicle. The Wise Man's Fear. by Travis Simpkins

Thursday, July 3, 2025

Brandon Sanderson. Fantasy Author. The Cosmere. The Stormlight Archive. The Way of Kings. by Travis Simpkins

Brandon Sanderson. Fantasy Author. The Cosmere. The Mistborn Saga. The Stormlight Archive. by Travis Simpkins
Brandon Sanderson. Fantasy Author. The Cosmere. The Mistborn Saga. The Stormlight Archive. by Travis Simpkins


Portrait Sketch of
Brandon Sanderson
Science Fiction and Fantasy Writer
Creator of
The Cosmere
Author of
The Mistborn Saga
The Stormlight Archive
Completed
The Wheel of Time series

by Travis Simpkins


Brandon Sanderson


For more info, please visit:

brandonsanderson.com


 
Brandon Sanderson. Fantasy Author. The Cosmere. The Stormlight Archive. The Way of Kings. by Travis Simpkins
Brandon Sanderson. Fantasy Author. The Cosmere. The Stormlight Archive. The Way of Kings. by Travis Simpkins

Friday, June 27, 2025

The Well of Ascension. Mistborn Trilogy Era One. Brandon Sanderson. The Cosmere

The Well of Ascension. Mistborn Trilogy Era One. Brandon Sanderson. The Cosmere
The Well of Ascension. Mistborn Trilogy Era One. Brandon Sanderson. The Cosmere

 I'm enjoying "The Well of Ascension." Book Two in the Mistborn Trilogy Era One by Brandon Sanderson.

 

Now with over 10 million copies sold, The Mistborn Series has the thrills of a heist story, the twistiness of political intrigue, and the epic scale of a landmark fantasy saga.

They did the impossible, ending the thousand-year reign of the godlike Lord Ruler. Now Vin, the former street urchin turned powerful Mistborn, and Elend Venture, the idealistic young nobleman who loves her, must build a healthy new society in the ashes of an empire.

As tensions grow in the wake of the uprising, an ancient legend seems to offer a glimmer of hope. But even if it really exists, no one knows where to find the Well of Ascension or what manner of power it bestows.

It may just be that killing the Lord Ruler was the easy part. Surviving the aftermath of his fall is going to be the real challenge.

https://amzn.to/3ZRxzcu 

 

Wednesday, June 25, 2025

Mistborn: The Final Empire. Mistborn Trilogy Era One. Brandon Sanderson. The Cosmere

Mistborn: The Final Empire. Mistborn Trilogy Era One. Brandon Sanderson. The Cosmere
Mistborn: The Final Empire. Mistborn Trilogy Era One. Brandon Sanderson. The Cosmere

 I'm enjoying "Mistborn: The Final Empire" by Brandon Sanderson.

 

Now with over 10 million copies sold, The Mistborn Series has the thrills of a heist story, the twistiness of political intrigue, and the epic scale of a landmark fantasy saga.

Once, a hero arose to save the world. He failed.

Ever since, the world has been a wasteland of ash and mist controlled by the immortal emperor known as the Lord Ruler.

But hope survives. A new uprising is forming, one built around the ultimate caper, the cunning of a brilliant criminal mastermind, and the determination of an unlikely heroine: a street urchin who must learn to master the power of a Mistborn.

https://amzn.to/44j5cFw

 

Friday, June 20, 2025

Patrick Rothfuss. Fantasy Author. The Kingkiller Chronicle. The Name of the Wind. by Travis Simpkins

Patrick Rothfuss. Fantasy Author. The Kingkiller Chronicle. The Name of the Wind. by Travis Simpkins
Patrick Rothfuss. Fantasy Author. The Kingkiller Chronicle. The Name of the Wind. by Travis Simpkins


Portrait Sketch of
Patrick Rothfuss
Fantasy Writer
Author of
The Kingkiller Chronicle
The Name of the Wind (2007)
The Wise Man's Fear (2011)
The Doors of Stone

by Travis Simpkins


Patrick Rothfuss



For more info, please visit:

 


Patrick Rothfuss. Fantasy Author. The Kingkiller Chronicle. The Name of the Wind. by Travis Simpkins
Patrick Rothfuss. Fantasy Author. The Kingkiller Chronicle. The Name of the Wind. by Travis Simpkins

S.L. MacGregor Mathers. Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Ceremonial Magick. by Travis Simpkins

S.L. MacGregor Mathers. Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Ceremonial Magick. by Travis Simpkins

Portrait Sketch of
S.L. MacGregor Mathers
Samuel Liddell Mathers
(1854 - 1918)
Author, Translator and Occultist
Co-Founder of 
The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn
Founder of Alpha et Omega
Freemason, Member of 
Hengist Lodge No. 195 in Bournemouth, England
Member of
Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia (SRIA)
Known for his translations of
The Book of Abramelin
The Lesser Key of Solomon
The Grimoire of Armadel
by Travis Simpkins


Hermetic Qabalah - Tree of Life

Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. William Wynn Westcott, William Robert Woodman and S.L. MacGregor Mathers. by Travis Simpkins 


For more info, please visit:


S.L. MacGregor Mathers. Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. The Three Magical Books of Solomon. by Travis Simpkins

Friday, June 6, 2025

Brandon Sanderson. Fantasy Author. The Cosmere. The Mistborn Saga. Mistborn: The Final Empire. by Travis Simpkins

Brandon Sanderson. Fantasy Author. The Cosmere. The Mistborn Saga. The Stormlight Archive. by Travis Simpkins
Brandon Sanderson. Fantasy Author. The Cosmere. The Mistborn Saga. The Stormlight Archive. by Travis Simpkins


Portrait Sketch of
Brandon Sanderson
Science Fiction and Fantasy Writer
Creator of
The Cosmere
Author of
The Mistborn Saga
The Stormlight Archive
Completed
The Wheel of Time series

by Travis Simpkins


Brandon Sanderson


For more info, please visit:

brandonsanderson.com


 
Brandon Sanderson. Fantasy Author. The Cosmere. The Mistborn Saga. Mistborn: The Final Empire. by Travis Simpkins
Brandon Sanderson. Fantasy Author. The Cosmere. The Mistborn Saga. Mistborn: The Final Empire. by Travis Simpkins

Friday, May 23, 2025

E.A. Wallis Budge. Egyptologist and Curator. The Book of the Dead. The British Museum. by Travis Simpkins

E.A. Wallis Budge. Egyptologist and Curator. The British Museum. The Book of the Dead. by Travis Simpkins

Portrait Sketch of
Sir Ernest Alfred Thompson Wallis Budge
better known as 
E.A. Wallis Budge
( 1857 - 1934 )
Egyptologist
Late Keeper of Egyptian and Assyrian Antiquities
in the British Museum
known for his 
hieroglyphic transcript and translation of
The Book of the Dead
and other ancient texts

by Travis Simpkins


The British Museum - Egyptian Collection


The Book of the Dead. Papyrus of Ani. The British Museum

 For more info, please visit:


E.A. Wallis Budge. The British Museum. Egyptian Magic. Ancient Egypt. by Travis Simpkins

Saturday, April 19, 2025

Lon Milo DuQuette. Author. Ceremonial Magick. Ordo Templi Orientis. OTO. Thelema. by Travis Simpkins

Lon Milo DuQuette. Author. Ceremonial Magick. Ordo Templi Orientis. OTO. Thelema. by Travis Simpkins

Portrait Sketch of
Lon Milo DuQuette
Author, Musician, Occultist 
and Ceremonial Magician 
United States Deputy Grand Master 
Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.) 
Archbishop of 
Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica 
32nd Degree Freemason 
Long Beach Scottish Rite Valley 
Member of Long Beach Lodge No. 327 
Grand Lodge of California
by Travis Simpkins


Lon Milo DuQuette - Qabalah

Lon Milo DuQuette


For more info, please visit:
and


Lon Milo DuQuette. Son of Chicken Qabalah. Magick. Ordo Templi Orientis. OTO. Thelema. by Travis Simpkins

Monday, April 14, 2025

S.L. MacGregor Mathers. Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Ceremonial Magick. by Travis Simpkins

S.L. MacGregor Mathers. Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Ceremonial Magick. by Travis Simpkins

Portrait Sketch of
S.L. MacGregor Mathers
Samuel Liddell Mathers
(1854 - 1918)
Author, Translator and Occultist
Co-Founder of 
The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn
Founder of Alpha et Omega
Freemason, Member of 
Hengist Lodge No. 195 in Bournemouth, England
Member of
Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia (SRIA)
Known for his translations of
The Book of Abramelin
The Lesser Key of Solomon
The Grimoire of Armadel
by Travis Simpkins


Hermetic Qabalah - Tree of Life

Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. William Wynn Westcott, William Robert Woodman and S.L. MacGregor Mathers. by Travis Simpkins 


For more info, please visit:


S.L. MacGregor Mathers. Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. The Goetia of Solomon the King. by Travis Simpkins

Friday, March 14, 2025

The Lesser Key of Solomon. Lemegeton Clavicula Salomonis. Grimoire. Joseph H. Peterson

The Lesser Key of Solomon. Lemegeton Clavicula Salomonis. Grimoire. Joseph H. Peterson
The Lesser Key of Solomon. Lemegeton Clavicula Salomonis. Grimoire. Joseph H. Peterson

 I'm reading through Joseph H. Peterson's edition of "The Lesser Key of Solomon."


Compiled from original manuscripts and fragments in the British Museum Library, Joseph Peterson's new presentation is the most complete and accurate edition of this famous magical grimoire.

A widely respected scholar and archivist of occult texts, Peterson goes to great length to establish the provenance of each part of
The Lessor Key of Solomon, and possible derivative works, including critical analyses of all major variations, utilizing fresh translations of earlier magical texts such as Johann Trithemius's Steganographia, The Archidoxes of Magic by Paracelsus, and newly discovered Hebrew manuscripts of the original Key of Solomon.

Abundantly illustrated, Peterson includes reproductions of the original magical circles, tools, and seals of the spirits with variations of certain drawings from various sources and notae missing from earlier editions.

This definitive edition of
The Lesser Key of Solomon includes:
  • Goetia—The ritual invocation of evil spirits and Solomons devices for binding them
    Theurgia Goetia—Continues the study of spirits that are “partly good and partly evil”
    Ars Paulina—Outlines the good spirits or angles governing the hours of the day and the signs of the zodiac. The text is purported to have been discovered by the Apostle Paul after he had been snatched up to heaven and includes “The Conjuration of the Holy Guardian Angel.”
    Ars Almadel—attributed to an Arab of the same name, this text describes twenty beneficial sprits that govern the zodiac
    Ars Notoria—With roots that go back to the 13th century Latin manuscripts, and probably even early oral traditions, this collection of orations and prayers in interspersed with magical words said to have mystical properties that can impart communion with God and knowledge of divine and human arts and sciences.
    Appendices, which include addenda found in the Sloan Manuscript 2731, Johan Weyer’s Psuedomonarchia demonum
    List of Sources
    Index 

 https://amzn.to/4bVroJ1

 

Saturday, February 22, 2025

Israel Regardie. Qabalah. Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Ceremonial Magick. by Travis Simpkins

Israel Regardie. Qabalah. Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Ceremonial Magick. by Travis Simpkins

Portrait Sketch of 
Israel Regardie 
Dr. Francis Israel Regardie 
born Francis Israel Regudy 
(1907 - 1985) 
Author and Occultist 
Ceremonial Magician 
Personal Secretary of Aleister Crowley 
Member of 
Stella Matutina, and offshoot of the 
Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn 
Member of 
Societas Rosicruciana in America (SRIA) 
Known for the books: 
The Tree of Life 
A Garden of Pomegranates 
The Middle Pillar 
The Golden Dawn 
by Travis Simpkins



Israel Regardie - The Middle Pillar Exercise

Israel Regardie - Practice of the Presence


For more info, please visit:


Israel Regardie. Qabalah. The Tree of Life. The Golden Dawn. Ceremonial Magick. by Travis Simpkins

Tuesday, February 11, 2025

A Magical Education. Talks on Magic and Occultism. John Michael Greer

A Magical Education. Talks on Magic and Occultism. John Michael Greer
A Magical Education. Talks on Magic and Occultism. John Michael Greer

 I'm enjoying "A Magical Education" by John Michael Greer

An extraordinary exploration of the forgotten history of the esoteric and its unexpected possibilities in our time.

In these talks, written and presented to a variety of audiences between 2001 and 2010, John Michael Greer explores the forgotten history of occultism and its unexpected possibilities in our time.

From practical methods of occult training to the politics and metapolitics of magic, from the shadowy world of Victorian sex magic to the alchemy of initiatory ritual, from the complex origins of modern Neopaganism to the approaching twilight of Neopagan pop culture and what comes next, the talks collected in this book seek to inspire curiosity and reflection, not to set out an ironclad case for this or that point of view.

This book is an extraordinary insight into the life and work of a working magician and occultist.

https://amzn.to/4jRSMv8 

 

Thursday, January 23, 2025

Henry Steel Olcott. Co-Founder and First President of the Theosophical Society. by Travis Simpkins

Henry Steel Olcott. Co-Founder and First President of the Theosophical Society. by Travis Simpkins

Portrait Sketch of
Henry Steel Olcott
( 1832 - 1907 )
Lawyer and Journalist
Co-Founder and 1st President of the
Theosophical Society
Author of the
Buddhist Catechism
Colonel in the U.S. Army
during the Civil War
Investigator into the Assassination
of President Abraham Lincoln

by Travis Simpkins



Madame Blavatsky - Documentary


Helena Petrovna Blavatsky. Henry Steel Olcott. Theosophical Society. by Travis Simpkins


The Life of Henry Steel Olcott



For more info, please visit:


Henry Steel Olcott. Co-Founder and First President of the Theosophical Society. by Travis Simpkins