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Book: Fang and Fur, Blood and Bone: A Primal Guide to Animal Magic
Author: Lupa
ISBN: 1-905713-01-0
Reviewer: Masticina Akicta



Foreword by reviewer: The pagan/otherkin community might not find it easy to publish in the big shops but there are a few times some real quality material is written. Beyond the normal easy sell limitations that sadly shower the market nowadays.

This books is written by someone deep in the community and more down to earth then an author like this you hardly can get! And if you want to buy this book you might have to find someone to caries it as it is hardly mainstream yet.

On First Sight: The book itself being the first print is brought on the market by Megalithica books Publication and it reads nice, using big lettering that is gentle to your eyes. Some find it less important but this is a book you actually can read without having to wear glasses.

Flipping through the book you'll notice how down to earth it is written something that is refreshing to see.

Chapters: It begins with a chapter on Totem ism, ever since the dawn of our intelligence we been using animals spiritually. The history and the meaning of Totems are to be found in this booklet but also how it works in the human psyche.

Followed is a chapter about Familiars, the animals that accompany us and with that is meant more then just the cat or the crow. It again shows is down to earth a bit about the history of this phenomenon but also about how to choose a familiar and how to work with them. More important much care here is put on how to treat them right.

Then we enter the domain of animal magic, in all its forms and reasons and more interesting it breaks up the terrain that set practices has put limits on. Because this author doesn't shy s way to talk about Extinct animals or those that even don't exist. Breaking the ground with the more common practice of putting up limitations that so many books do.

After all that talking about what is possible a chapter follows that some might find endearing interesting. Because now is written about how to create and keep up your own magical animals. Now this goes beyond what most pagan books are willing to write about. This already makes this book much more interesting.

There are a few contrivers es that are on the war grounds of the pagan community. Some hate it others support it but next chapter goes about shape shifting. A down to earth view about the history and different types of shape shifting that there are. Techniques, tips and information that are quite hard to find outside of certain communities. And yes there is a small area about physical shifting, I shouldn't have to say that this book is down right down to earth over it.

Fluff bunnies look away now because the almost last real chapter is about working with animal parts. How real fur and animal parts can be used and help in magical practices. Warnings are placed though about knowing where the parts come from as we all know about illegal trades. How to use the parts in rituals and tips to keep them in the right condition are given.

Lupa also writes about Animal Sacrifice though even she has to add a personal note that she doesn't agrees with many of such practices and it is written because the book simply cannot do without having a chapter.

Extro: I know it is a crappy review but really do I care that I don't follow someone’s else standards of quality. I say what I want to say and this is what I got to say about this book.

Lupa has written a very grounded book about the many areas animals touch us. She has written about the things most do not share easily and taken some hurdles there. And Hell, it was time a book like this came on the market that down to earth dealt with these issues. And I hope for Lupa that her book will hit the bigger shops soon as it is something that stands out between the so many books that seem to fly high in the air like a kite.

That ends it for now, go on kids buy the book or scoot on. No pestering grumpy book reviewers that never seem to get their own style in check.


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