Product Description

This work reintroduces the ancient tradition of divination using the runic symbols. As well as introducing the history of the tradition, the symbols are reinterpreted and made relevant to readers. It includes 25 hand-made rune stones and pouch.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #392766 in Books
• Published on: 2000-09-11
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 160 pages

Customer Reviews

A point of view
I have owned this book for eight years and have been using it for just as many. Never once have I found the interpretation of my readings to be immediately understood or shallow, like some ready-made recipe for idiots; it always presupposed some thinking on my behalf in order to locate my blind spots. What is more, it has always been eerily accurate, both for me and other people I have been doing readings for. It is a well written, easily understood first introduction to runes for beginners. I understand that Blum uses a different system than what many people consider usual or even valid. Thing is, it works. I have seen it and experienced it. If you are a scholar looking for an in-depth research on the history and interpretation of the runes and their relation to the Norse tradition, then this is not your book. But if you are looking for a day-to-day guide with the runes as a compass, grab it and run. There are four pages of selected bibliography at the end of the book with a lot of material for those who want to study more.

A travesty
Anyone familiar with the Elder Futhark and all other genuine Runic oracles that followed it will know that this book isn't worth the paper it's written on. The mere fact that there are suddenly 25 runes instead of 24 makes it clear that Blum is playing by his own rules that he's made up along the way and by so doing, shows complete disrespect for the Northern religion in general and runes in particular. He has invented a blank rune and named is for Odin, then taken the rune originally named for Odin and named it for Loki instead. If you're not familiar with Nordic mythology, this is akin to taking something meant solely for the king and giving it to the court jester. The runes are also supposed to be in three sets of eight, each in a particular order (among other things, they are representantive of various seasons so mixing them up mixes up the seasons). All this might not be quite so bad if the interpretations themselves weren't so completely lacking in any depth. This is a bestseller so obviously quite the little money spinner, but to my mind it is worthless, pointless and deeply insulting to the Runic Oracle.

I'm in two minds about this
For the serious scholar of the runes it is a joke. However, it does have one serious and wonderful benefit: It keeps New Age morons well away from the Runes! Hence the dilemma, do I give it 1 star because it's rubbish or five stars because Blum has performed an invaluable service to runeworkers everywhere by ensuring they aren't bothered by the Lady Willow Rainbow Treehugger Moonbeams of this world?

Decisions, decisions...