The Gates Of The Necronomicom, What did you think of this book? Options

Hello All,
I've recently read the newest book book by Simon. I suppose its a good source of information when it talks about Gate walking; even providing Daoist views of that. Its gives a quick crash course in Ancient civilizations and a unique view of the Big Dipper in reference to the Necronomicom. It gives dates and times perfect for Gate Walking so those interested in such will have a good resource.
Now for all the praise I just gave the book here comes the pain. I didn't like it. The reason I didn't like it is because It didn't give me what I was hoping for. I'm a ceremonial magician and I do rever and respect the Elder Gods, But I'm not a priest by any means. So when I picked up this volume, I had hoped that this text would be somewhat like a grimoire and its not. So thats what I think of the Book. What do you think?

I think u may be missing the point of what simon is saying Distillate. What is saying is that neither the Ancient ones nor the Elder Gods want us destroyed. Just for the simple fact that neither care if we exist. But what he is saying is that the Elder Gods won't destroy us simply because they can, the Ancients will.
Ashnook, Endupanna, Myself, Suxur-Mash, and others, full-blooded priests of the Elder Gods, understand that these gods don't love us. But even so, they will impart to us knowledge that will allow us to fight the Ancients and hopefully preserve this universe we know and love.
I can see why though, that you would miss that aspect of Simon's writing in Gates. He wrote the other books much more for the general practitioner. But Gates was really a Priest's Book. It isn't, in all honesty, a book that is accessible to outsiders. I don't mean any insult by saying that, but you aren't a blooded, devoted priest of this path, so you can't feel the energies that we do and that give us an 'insiders' view of Gates.
Simon isn't flip-flopping between viewpoints, he's just fully explaining all aspects of the views our people accept.
Peace. .

I think u may be missing the point of what simon is saying Distillate. What is saying is that neither the Ancient ones nor the Elder Gods want us destroyed. Just for the simple fact that neither care if we exist. But what he is saying is that the Elder Gods won't destroy us simply because they can, the Ancients will.
Ashnook, Endupanna, Myself, Suxur-Mash, and others, full-blooded priests of the Elder Gods, understand that these gods don't love us. But even so, they will impart to us knowledge that will allow us to fight the Ancients and hopefully preserve this universe we know and love.
I can see why though, that you would miss that aspect of Simon's writing in Gates. He wrote the other books much more for the general practitioner. But Gates was really a Priest's Book. It isn't, in all honesty, a book that is accessible to outsiders. I don't mean any insult by saying that, but you aren't a blooded, devoted priest of this path, so you can't feel the energies that we do and that give us an 'insiders' view of Gates.
Simon isn't flip-flopping between viewpoints, he's just fully explaining all aspects of the views our people accept.
Peace. .

IF simon was "blooded" I doubt he would say this on pg 189 of dead names.

Thus, one is forced to wonder what kind of benign place the Absu must be if its king must be tricked into giving up the laws of civilization and then finds it proper to send sea monsters after the goddess to get them back. The vision of ancient Sumerians concerning the Absu was not of peaceful, benign, and benevolent place from which all good things come, but a kingdom ruled by a despot and populated by sea monsters, among other creatures. Ask Inanna, who, on her flight from the Absu, must ask her vizier, Ninshubur, again and again for help as Enki attacks her boat repeatedly with his sea monsters until she finally returns safely home with the stolen goods

So he is going to bad mouth Enki for what? To prove a point in the chapter? I wouldn't be surprised if Mr. Simon never practiced a ritual out of the necronomicon or sumerian tablet. Any idiot who has practiced this paradigm knows Enki is the kindest God and one which the magic of the system depends on.

This post has been edited by distillate: Dec 18 2006, 09:25 PM