The Infernal Colopatiron by S. Connolly

Official Melissa Press  2012.  118 pages.  Illustrated.  Octavo.

Black Faux Leather Edition (Standard): limited to 220 copies.

Burgundy Bonded Leather Edition: limited to 30 copies.

The Infernal Colopatiron is Official Melissa Press' debut fine binding.  It's an impressive start.  The book's author,  S. Connolly, comes out with guns blazing.  Connolly eschews poetic riddles and academic-speak in favor of a writing style that is very straight-forward and raw.  Her approach is refreshingly honest, unpretentious, and practical.  But be warned: this is not 'Intro to Magic 101'.  There is no hand-holding in The Infernal Colopatiron.  Rudimentary details are glossed over, or avoided all together, as the author assumes the reader is already well acquainted with basic procedures, formalities, and concepts.  A novice would be lost by the end of Chapter One. The author marches right along; it's up to the reader to keep up.  In fact, S. Connolly almost comes off as an esoteric Drill Sergeant.  Right in the intro she writes:

"You'll also find this book is not written in flowery language or prose that attempts to mimic fifteenth century grimoires, or talk in cyclical metaphor meant to baffle the reader with bullshit.  Too many modern publishers of limited edition hardcovers publish that nonsense.  

...  This is not a book of simple magick for the mildly curious. ...

You either know your way around a Daemonolatry ritual construct or you don't.  So if you're not familiar with Daemonolatry and something isn't clear to you, that is not my failing as an author.  It's your magickal education that is lacking and it is up to you to do the work to rectify any lack of knowledge."

See what I mean?  No coddling here!  Personally, I think her attitude is wonderful.  The occult publishing industry could benefit from a few more writers willing to dish out the 'tough love' approach.  Of course an in-your-face writing style can easily be warped into a big ego trip, but S. Connolly easily side steps this temptation by staying on task and even includes self-depreciating comments, believing there is always something to be learned from one's failures.  She also freely admits her own limitations, a trait I found very refreshing.  For example, she writes:

"Now I'd like to take a moment to discuss the raw sigils printed in this book.  These sigils were hand drawn by a real working magician (me), not artists.  I did not write this book to be pretty and sit on a shelf looking pretty.  I wrote it to be used.  So don't expect professional artwork herein.  Not all magicians are professional artists and it would be silly to expect they should be.  I can scarcely draw a stick figure."

I must say, her unapologetic bluntness really grew on me.

The book is essentially a mixture of personal experiences and practical formulae, all dealing with the art of theophany (spirit summoning) which involves the opening of gates or portals through ritual and using them as a conduit for direct spirit contact.   I realize there is endless debate between occultists who feel spirits, demons, god-forms, etc. are nothing more than Jungian archetypes with no objective 'realness' vs. those who believe entities are sentient beings that can be summoned into physical appearance.  S. Connolly is of the latter camp, or at least mostly.  She feels that given enough practice and skill, visual manifestations are indeed possible.

As aforementioned, a portion of the book is devoted to personal experiences. These include experiences with paranormal phenomena and recorded results of personal workings.  Her personal stories help provide context for the book's information while assisting readers by way of example.  In many ways this section reminded me of Lon Milo DuQuette's highly influential book, My Life With the Spirits, an amusing autobiographical journey filled with cautionary tales of 'goety gone wrong' and other gems of sagely magical advice.  The rest of the book includes a list of "Infernal Gatekeepers".  This includes the book's namesake, Colopatiron, the angel or genii who rules over the 9th hour, as found in The Nuctemeron of Apollonious of Tyana.  Also included are their respective sigils, attributes, and uses.  The book concludes with a number of rituals, magical recipes, and rites.  Connolly also gives a number helpful tips and pointers on technique.

The edition reviewed here is one of the 30 Burgundy Bonded Leather editions.  It's attractive in its pure simplicity -- a very sleek and modern grimoire.  Its 'no frills' presentation perfectly suits the no-nonsense attitude of its author.  The book is fully bound in highly textured burgundy bonded leather.  For more on bonded leather please refer to my review on Sepher Raziel.  The boards feel very solid and have a high sheen.  The cover is blocked in copper with an ouroboros device and the seal of Ocat, the Gatekeeper of the Dead.  The title is also blocked in copper on the spine.  Endpapers are dark gray with a linen texture.  Regrettably, the binding is perfect-bound (glued) rather than sewn-signatures, thus no head/tail bands.  Paper is a crisp white with a smooth satin finish and of moderate weight (80#).  I should note the paper has an assertive synthetic smell like that of new running shoes, which could be attributed to a paper-bleaching agent or perhaps the type of ink.  It's not wholly unpleasant, just strange. Acrid odors emanating from a book about demons is probably a good sign.  Illustrations consist of classic woodcuts and the author's own diagrams (all black and white).  The text is sharp, clean, and remarkably free of typographical errors (unless they eluded me), the latter being a rare feat these days due to over-reliance on SpellCheck.  Cheers to their proof reader.

My only criticism of The Infernal Colopatiron is that it seems a wee bit padded.  I see little reason why a slim book of only 118 pages requires 16 different chapters.  Some 'chapters' are as little as two pages.  Each chapter heading and conclusion generally creates empty space ranging from about 1/2 to 2/3 of a page.  Thus with 16 chapters there are collectively roughly 8 pages of empty space throughout.  This brings the book to barely over 100 pages.  It could have also benefited from including a Table of Contents.  Connolly clearly has a lot of insightful information to impart to her readers, so why such brevity?  The book left me wishing it had a bit more meat on the bone.  Perhaps this is just an appetizer for something greater.  I would normally hope for an expanded edition sometime in the future; however, the press claims that it will never be reprinted.  Hint* Get it while you can.

Each copy is signed, consecrated, and sigilized by the author.  One more thing of note: each copy includes a curse.  Official Melissa Press has come up with a creative way to combat plagiarism.  Anyone who reproduces the work will activate the curse and incur their wrath.  It reads:

"For him who stealeth or illegally copy, scan upload this book, let it change into a serpent in his hand and shall Leviathan judge him.  For each illegal copy he creates, something of value, whether person, life, or money will be taken from him.  Let him languish in pain crying out for mercy, and let there be no surcease to his agony till he sing in dissolution.  Let the gatekeepers gnaw his entrails if he ever attempts the magick within and let the flames of Hell consume him forever.  By Lucifuge and Amducious, it is done."

So don't copy their book!  Or anyone else's for that matter.  Hopefully my quotes are not enough to trigger my doom.  I think the spirits will recognize that I mean no offense.  Leviathan and I are on pretty good terms anyway.  That said, if this is the last book review I post, you all know my fate.

Over all The Infernal Colopatirion is a refreshingly down-to-earth and contemporary grimoire.  S. Connally comes off as confident; and more importantly, competent with nothing to prove.  Her diverse background and years of practical experience are apparent throughout the text.  After this impressive fine bound debut I greatly look forward to future titles from Official Melissa Press.

The Occult Reliquary: Images & Artefacts of the Richel-Eldermans Collection edited by Daniel A. Schulke

Three Hands Press  2010  224 pages.  Illustrated: many full-color. Quarto.

Standard Edition: Scarlet cloth with dust jacket, limited to 700 copies.

Deluxe Edition: Quarter burgundy morocco over cloth boards with slipcase, limited to 250 copies.

Special Edition: Full scarlet morocco with slipcase, limited to 100 copies.

The Occult Reliquary was created in association with The Museum of Witchcraft in Boscastle, Cornwall.  It collects for the first time previously unpublished works of occult artwork relevant to the traditions of witchcraft, ceremonial magic, and Freemasonry.  Included works are part of the Richel-Edlermans collection, a significant collection donated to the Museum of Witchcraft by the late Bob Richel of Amsterdam.  Much of this collection (over 2000 pieces) could have been lost or divided up and scattered around the world if not for Richel's decision to contact The Museum of Witchcraft for preservation.

Within this large folio one will find diagrams and illustrations of charms, magic circles, fetishes, magical implements, talismans, herbs, and full-color photos of actual handcrafted pieces.  The age of the pieces ranges from antiquity to the mid 20th century.  They were originally collected by Richel's father-in-law, J.H.W Elderman (b. 1904), who Richel described as a "heks" (witch).  He was also a Magister in a lodge of the A:.A:. in The Hague.  It is not know if this refers to the 'Argentum Astrum' or the 'Ars Amatoria', as both magical orders are represented within the collection.

The editor made the wise decision to make The Occult Reliquary a mutus liber (silent book), or a book without commentary.  Limited footnotes, titles, and index numbers are given, but by and large viewers are forced to contemplate the images and arrive at their own meaning or surmise an object's intent.  As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words -- even more so when dealing with the esoteric.  The images are revelatory for those with eyes to see.

Many images have been executed using the detail of a draftsman, with some talismans shown from multiple perspectives to clarify their meaning, design, and method of use -- in some cases almost instructing the viewer.  The book is filled with illustrations of hag stones, witches knots, protective seals, divination tools, poppets, stangs,  mandrakes, alchemical apparatuses, and fertility charms.  It is a veritable cornucopia of occult symbolism and witch-lore.

Foreword is provided by Daniel A. Schulke.   Introduction is written by Graham King, curator of The Museum of Witchcraft.  The book concludes with an index providing description and medium of each image, of which there are over 275, and 130 in full color on glossy paper.  Back and white images (scanned from the originals) are sharp and printed on smooth & high-quality paper.

The Special Edition is bound in full morocco.  The leather has a gorgeous raspberry hue and is highly textured.  It is an absolute delight to hold and exudes the usual aroma of fine leather but with additional spicy notes of tonka bean.  The cover contains a gilt-stamped lunar enneagram device, and opens to black, leather-textured, end-papers.  The spine has four raised bands and is gilt-stamped with title and magic seals.  The book is finished with red & gold head/tail bands and a black, satin, ribbon bookmark, and comes housed in a sturdy slipcase covered in black linen.

Whether you're an Alchemist, Goetic magician, Freemason, Thelemite, Cunning Man, Rootworker, or Pennsylvania German Hexenmeister, you're likely to find something of great interest among these images.  Three Hands Press has done an amazing job and has treated the subject matter with the respect it deserves.    Please also remember that these precious and important images would have been lost if not for the efforts of The Museum of Witchcraft.  So, if you're looking for an important cause in which to donate to in this new year, please consider donating to The Museum of Witchcraft here, so that more irreplaceable works may be saved to further enrich our magical heritage.

Cyprianus, Key to Hell

Society of Esoteric Endeavour   40 pages, including two fold-outs.  Illuminated.  Octavo.

Bound in genuine silk velvet (scarlet), limited to 60 copies.

This book is a near-exact facsimile of the original 18th century grimoire.  Like the original, there is no introduction or commentary.  The only difference is the book's contents, which are printed twice, once in the original mix of languages (Latin, Hebrew, Malachim, and 'Passing the River' -- the latter two as found in Agrippa's Three Books) and with a second version in English.  The English section is reproduced beautifully by a skilled calligrapher (no credit given).  Everything has been reproduced down to the finest detail, including irregular page lengths.  The publisher goes so far as to reproduce mysterious tiny slits found cut into the pages of the original.  Presumably these were used to hold the corner of a parchment talisman of some sort as part of the working.  Curious marks and notations are also reproduced.  The book boasts silken endpapers that are a lovely shimmering green.  Pages are bound with golden thread.  Numerous pages are illuminated with genuine gold leaf, including one page that is almost entirely solid gold.  Limitation included on a tipped-in paper at the rear.  The grimoire's full-color artwork, illuminated pages, enigmatic writing, and sumptuous binding make this volume an absolute marvel.

This book was made for the practitioner; by this I mean it was designed to be used.  Those looking for detailed analysis of its contents would be better served with the Skinner/Rankine edition, The Grimoire of Saint Cyprian: Clavis Inferni: The Key to Hell with White and Black Magic Proven by Metatron (Golden Hoard Press).  See Amazon widget to the right to order. 

This is undoubtedly a book of the Solomonic or Goetic tradition.  The book instructs the magician to use his power and authority (as a Christian) to command the infernal kings of the four directions to do his bidding.  While on the surface this may appear to be a diabolical text, as the magician is instructed to summon infernal spirits; however, it's really a volume designed for channeling Divine powers for the purpose threatening said spirits to follow one's commands.  For example, the summoner is instructed to state, "I N.N. fetter and bind you (name of spirit) at this hour and in this place through God the Father and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and through the nine orders of Angels."  By this the magician acting as a proxy for the Divine.  Nowhere are there instructions for pacts or other malefic procedures typical of so-called 'black' magic.  One very curious note must be made: some of the Latin words are intentionally written backwards.  The publisher theorizes this was done intentionally so that the scribe wouldn't accidentally trigger the conjuration.  One wouldn't want to 'set it off' prematurely, I suppose.  In this way the linchpin stays safely fixed to the grenade.

Cyprianus, Key to Hell is about the closest some of us will ever get to knowing what it's like to hold a traditionally bound magical grimoire.  The present volume is more than a simple 18th century reenactment; it's proof-positive that the grimoire tradition is still very much alive.