Modern Goetic Grimoire - A Review

Often you expect something to be really good and it winds up sucking eggs. Sometimes you expect something to suck and it turns out better than expected. Occasionally you expect something to be really good and it actually meets those expectations. Rarely though, you expect something to be good and it completely beats the crap out of those expectations with a tire iron, leaving "good" in the dust and arriving at "Great".

I am happy to report that Frater Rufus Opus’s new Opus, The Modern Goetic Grimoire, is one of those rare times when great expectations were met and exceeded.

What I expected was basically what he delivered in the Modern Angelic Grimoire; a clear and concise guide to the classic ritual presented in the Grimoire, but given a modern spin and detailed info on how to pull off all the “arts and crafts” aspects of it. What I got was so much more.

The good Frater goes into deep territory here. Far from just a text about the part of the Lemegeton that is called Goetia, this book covers the art of Goety itself: not just demons, but spirits of the dead and spirits of place. He covers the essentials of the Lemegetons ritual, stresses the importance of the circle, and need for initiation, and than actually gives several techniques for using the spirits in magic, not just conjuring as per the evocation but using the seals in spells and exorcisms.

I think that the best part is that he re-drew everything for the book in his own hand, and rather than just re-post the descriptions of the spirits as given in the Grimoire, he summarizes them in his own words and shares his own insights and experiences. This kind of material is the stuff that makes a huge difference to the practicing mage.

If you have considered using the Goetia, are just curious, you need to make like Aaron Burr and drop a Hamilton over to Frater R.O. for this book.