Rating: 
Summary: Introduction to alchemical jargon...
Review: Yes indeed, this is a difficult read. I'd like to find a forum just for this book as I can't get much out of it - and I've good reading skills (read; I'm giving these guys the benefit of the doubt).
Anyway, the main theme seems to be the isolation of the alchemical gold from the waters. To then merge the two, or something. Male, female dicotomies expressed in a thousand different ways...reminds me of the golden dawn.
Having many magick books on the shelf I'm at least familiar with this and this is another reason this book is so annoying.
As an example; I could say, "To go into the building, you walk up to the door and walk in."
Evola and company might state it thusly, "The operator must, after careful reflection of the waters, to be sure, go forth into the ancient structure of hermetic liberation, by infusing the alchemical gold with willful consciousness (the Reflective divinity - ad perpetranda miracula rei unis), to then extract same into a realization of divine light. Only then, to be sure, can the operator, enter into that which is most certainly impossible.
We state that by infusing the alchemical gold with sublime consciousness, we mean that it is similar to the hindu ahamkara, or vidya...blah"
If you want over 350 pages of this, get this book.
As stated, I'm assuming I just don't get it. But one thing that sets off a flag is this type of wording - as compared to other authors on the same subject (but I do understand this was written before the TV ...But, after the inquisition).
It's this type of prose that's characteristic of frauds. To, I've started threads about this book at various forums. To my surprise, the folks who were familiar with evola/ur group called him a wannabe and a "mere shadow of crowley" etc. I won't even bother with his political views.
I just don't know. But this is Not an enjoyable book, imo.
Now let me say this; Like some of you, I've been at this for years. The bottom line is that Most of this literature is Totally Useless in the context of Doing magick, high or low.
Ceremonial magick (emphasis on ceremonial and elaborate ritual) is the long distracting, "vaudville" way around. Make work, diversion.
Just last night, amazingly, I found a site that elaborates on this. Like what to look for in a ritual to tell if it's bogus. SO much of what's in print IS (ever wonder about those weird god names and ritual acts that No one ever seems to explain?).
I feel I've wasted a heckuva lotta time with all this...
I...we need to design are own rituals. And to keep it simple.
To bring a bit of clarity; self hypnosis and the will is the crux to all this.
Many folks can (and do apparently) write volumes on this one line...
Rating: 
Summary: The most erudite syllabus available for the true adept
Review: "See the treasure"---from the positive reviews here.
"There is no treasure"---the conclusion I got after reading the book.There is nothing complete or useful here. Just mumbo-jumbo ideas from here and there and pieced into articles of no value.
Rating:
Summary: Going for the Invisible Realms
Review: In spite of the fact that Evola was an Italian fascist, in the Twilight of the Kali Yuga you have to take what you can get - and you are never going to find this kind of occult information about the Invisible Realms, the Phantasmal Hierarchies, and your path to liberation - as in Remembering who you are! - like you will find in Evola's and Alain Danielou's books. If you think the beings who colonized this planet were democratic or libertarians - think again. Want to know who created the astral planes, what's in them, and how do they effect you? Read these guys.
Rating: 
Summary: Ars Magia
Review: Inner Traditions merits praise for the great care they have afforded in faithfully reproducing this seminal work on Ars Magia by a group of anonymous Italian esotericists known as the Gruppo di Ur. Unfortunately the other English translations of Evola's works have not fared as well. Entire passages of previously translated books remain incomprehensible and utterly unrecognizable from the originals. For example, a key subject matter in Italian esotericism revolves around the semiosis or secret language employed by a (alleged) group of Tuscan duecento poets known as the "Fedeli D'Amore". The name of this group has appeared in various translations of Evola's works as "Worshippers of Love" or enigmatically as "Love's Lieges. The translator fails to recognize that by translating key cryptic terms, one uproots the semiotic power of assonance and associated imagery embedded in the original phrase (etymon) to graph onto the psyche and shoot branches of sublime meaning. The underlying context which in the sapienza palladia or gaia scienza lexicon associates the term with the H.R.E. Federicus and the Ghilbelline movement is lost. This loss of identity is akin to a literal translation of Troubadour into Finder. With that said, and leaving aside one's perspective on Evola or on the subject matter, Introduction To Magic is a magnum opus of its kind. Originally published in minimal quantities as a journal in the late 19 20's, these series of manuscripts were uncompromisingly written by adepts for adepts, without any attempt to appease public vagaries. The scholar Mircea Eliade first became acquainted with Evola's works through the publications of these curious yet hermetically dense texts. The Ars Magia forms part of an ancient branch of Italic sapiential wisdom that has been enriched over the centuries by philosophers such as Ficino, Pico, Bruno, Campanella and Vico. Introduction of Magic is a worthy continuum to this corpus. It offers a window into arcane labyrinths.
Rating:
Summary: Appears for the first time in English
Review: Introductions to magic typically offer a blend of history and applications: Julius Evola and the UR Groups' Introduction To Magic focuses on rituals and practical techniques, gathering works by a range of esotericists who form the UR group. Introduction To Magic appears for the first time in English and provides details on everything from visualization exercises and using images and symbols to creating a 'magical chain'. Very specific and useful.
Rating:
Summary: A good Escape from the Relativistic Morass
Review: Much controversy continues to swirl about the magus named Julius Evola. In Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke's book Black Sun: Aryan Cults, Esoteric Fascism and the Politics of Identity (see my review in the April issue of Paranoia Magazine or www.paranoiamagazine.com ) He points out Evola's fascistic as well as mystic leanings which are evident in his admiration of the caste system found in ancient India, Plato's Republic and other similar paradigms where spiritual hierarchy abounds. The spiritual idealism Evola articulated so well in his works and allegedly is the inspiration behind many fascist movements of his time and ours, indeed can be a dangerous brew if it is not understood in properly multiplex way. When one considers that this kind of idealism reigns supreme in many seemingly benign New Age philosophies, ascensionist movements and other dubious metaphysical venues promising liberation and enlightenment for the average Jane and Joe, one can see how easy it is to justify oppression under the guise of spirituality. Even a cursory look at the basic premises of Theosophy will shed sufficient light on this problem.
In Introduction to Magic: Julius Evola and the UR Group we have a first hand opportunity to come to our own conclusions whether or not Evola and his politically errant galaxy of magicians aspired to a literal fascism where enslavement of the masses under some dictator like Mussolini or Hitler was the norm. Rather we can regard the many essays within as a means to better understand the nature of power, ritual magic and the rather tenuous line between the use and abuse of power itself. At present, many of us are afraid of power whether we admit it or not, considering how it is being abused on such a mass scale at the moment as evidenced by such constitution threatening menaces as Homeland Security and the 'One Nation Under Bush' revision of the Pledge of Allegiance currently under way. However, I believe that we can use such works as Introduction to Magic as a kind of metaphysical homeopathic remedy. Instead of avoiding power at all costs (and pretending to adhere to the love and light paradigm in some quasi-Buddhist/pacifist fashion) I suggest that we venture forth and examine all facets of it, so we do not end up projecting it upon to others like politicians and media figures, who are employed to be hooks for these projections in the first place. Oldest trick in the mind control manual.
There are a wide range of essays in this volume (as well as a wide range of volume in these essays) by such pseudonymous characters as Abraxas, Luce and Ea of whom the Ur(anus) group consisted. Guido Stucco does a nice job of translating the various articles considering how idiosyncratic many of them are, i.e., differences in style, tone, language and terminology. Not an easy task at all and one that has required much diligence and sensitivity on his part.
My overall impression of Introduction to Magic is that the knowledge offered in this tome could be used in many different ways, both esoterically and politically and that trying to label the book as fascist leaning (or one that would incite fascists) is a primary distortion of its basic premise: to show how we can use various spiritual techniques from both eastern and western traditions to gain better understanding both esoterically and exoterically of our consciousness and its potential evolvement. Evola may have had an obvious contempt for relativity (inspired by mostly by Rene Guenon's writings) socialism and democracy as well, but there is some benefit at times to approaching spirituality and magic in a hierarchical way. Since the real fascism of our times is coming from the left in my opinion, mostly in the form of Political Correctness, I believe it is time to escape this quasi- relativistic morass and subscribe to some elitism for a change. It doesn't mean that we have to stop talking to the slobs that work at Home Depot because we're different, but rather lord it over their crown chakras every once and awhile and see what happens when we tweak their pineal glands with a telepathized 'Sieg Heil'. No different really than what CEOs are doing to their employs and stockholders at the moment. ©2002-Jaye Beldo (...)
Rating:
Summary: Initiatory Dynamite
Review: Quite simply the most penetrating magical text that I have encountered in all my years of study. The collection of essays on magical theory and practice by Evola and his associates set a standard by which future works appearing in the English-speaking occult world will be judged. Of particular merit are the essays entitled "Knowledge of the Waters" and "On the Magical View of Life" - herein are given great secrets never before so clearly stated. There is no hackneyed, watered-down GD-OTO-Wiccan ephemera to be had here - those accustomed to that kind of spiritual spoon-feeding may find themselves a bit flabbergasted after ingesting this information, but may also find themselves a bit wiser in the process. The unleashing of Evola onto the American esoteric community has been a blast of long-needed fresh air; those with the will and vision to make the Ascent will find in him a great mentor. If you buy only one book on magic, make this your choice. You won't be disappointed.
Rating: 
Summary: This is the Emperor's Clothes
Review: Read the book and couldn't make ANY sense out of it.
Rating:
Summary: Magic in theTranscendent Tradition
Review: The Kali-Yuga into whose saturno-aquarian darkness and nescience we are presently sinking is a veritable epoch of decline and decay, of senescence, decadence and obscuration dominated by what the Gnostics called 'the counterfeit spirit' Ialdabaoth-Samael, the Archon of Darkness and material delusion - authentic Esotericism has for some centuries been eclipsed and clouded by a whole spectrum of insidious imitations and perversions ranging from New Age effusions and modern ceremonial gibberish to quasi-satanic claptrap, all usually characterized by ineptitude, questionable aesthetic taste and dishonesty. So this collection of essays on various aspects of High Magic, remarkable for it's special quality of rigour, clarity and fidelity to the spirit of the Tradition, presents a very refreshing exposition of Magic and the perennial wisdom of Hermeticism. In fact the book also treats aspects of Kaula Tantrism and Vajrayanic Buddhist Yoga. Far from an easy ride this material is challenging in its austerity and power and requires not just intellectual concentration but assimilation via the understanding of the Heart-Mind, by noetic apprehension of its inner truths. The essays by the 'Black Baron' are profound in their icy penetration into the lofty reaches of the most sublime arcana of Hermes: the other writings presented here, by the Neo-Pythagorean magus Arturo Reghini, Giuilio Parise and the other members of the UR Group are equally inspiring and nourishing. This book is a welcome change and one does not have to concur with every point made to find it extremely stimulating and unusual. Highly recommended as epitomizing various takes on the Traditional approach to Magic and Hermeticism.
Rating:
Summary: Historie de la magie
Review: This book presents a series of short essays designed to introduce students of the esoteric to the Hermetic school of thought of Evola's UR lodge. Some basic things about this book are that it should be read in order, as it tends to build upon previous essays. It is some what philosophical, which sees things in a gnostic/manachean way. it seeks to restore a sort of "heroic" attitude to the esotericist, that is lacking in most drivel that passes as "magic" today. Also included is a very interesting introduction which describes the behind the scenes dramas and background information on the authors.
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