Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #185447 in Books
• Published on: 2002-02-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 240 pages

From Publishers Weekly
"When the essence of the shadows and darkness empowers you, yet you don't feel evil, you are good-dark," writes Konstantinos (Vampires; Summoning Spirits), as he calls believers to the practice of Nocturnal Witchcraft. Konstantinos writes for people primarily within the Wiccan tradition who feel at home with the night and lunar energies. He reiterates throughout this manual, however, that to draw one's strength from the energies of the night is not at all the same as intending to do dark deeds. In fact, this guidebook might be regarded as a fundamental Wiccan primer save for the fact that Konstantinos turns to night-based rituals and primarily, but not exclusively, to the pagan pantheons of Egypt, Greece and Sumeria to harness good human desires to the yoke of such deities as Hypnos (Night Personified), Pasht (Dark Moon), Nanna (Full Moon), Kali (Protection), Persephone (Descent and Rebirth) and Annubis (Underworld and Death). His ceremonial instructions are clearly described, but the book's chief flaw is that readers must recognize themselves as "good-dark." They are imprecisely beckoned with not much more to go on than "Do you dress in black? Favor silver jewelry? Does being surrounded by the shadows, by the essence of the night, appeal to you?" For those readers self-identified with the night whatever that means his text may offer just the words they have been waiting for; others will find it as obscure as its subject matter.

Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

M.L. Benton, Echoed Voices Magazine, January 2002 (pre-publication)
Konstatinos has brought the dark to light in Nocturnal Magick!

The Spook Magazine, February 2002
"Nocturnal Witchcraft may just be the most important piece of occult writing in the past hundred years."

Customer Reviews

Hyped, overblown "darkness"
I don't have any religious ties to this book for better or for worse. But I'd consider myself pretty knowledgeable about mythology, Paganism, Wicca, world religions and the occult (What can I say... I like learning things)- enough so to realize that this guy is just not credible.

First of all, he twists around Wiccan philosophy like crazy. If I'm not mistaken, Wicca is about harmony and duality, which would really make concentrating so heavily on being "nocturnal" an oxymoron. I was thinking that it might just be better categorized as a book on the magical arts in general, as opposed to calling itself Wiccan in nature.

Then I realized as I read that the mythology (use of the gods and goddesses, holidays, views and methods of necromancy and divination etc.) was vastly misrepresented. I understand that ancient myths have a lot of room for interpretation, but this was just ridiculous. He also tends to mis-identify ancient deities and attribute them to the wrong culture, which did irk me. This collectively mitigated any value of the book at all, in my opinion.

Konstantinos is also far too much of a martyr. Oh no, so you felt misunderstood within your religion? Goodness- that happens throughout every religion, not just Wicca. As though Wicca isn't enough of a fringe religion already, he makes it seem more exclusive than it is. I'm really not sure that he actually understands it (though as I am not a practicing Wiccan I could be wrong).

"Nocturnal Magick" was just another pretty book of shadows with Gothic overtones. I think it does everything Pagan a disservice. I would read this book if I already had a firm grounding in Paganism or the occult, primarily for entertainment value, and only then. Otherwise it's a bad introduction to the religions and philosophies under the neo-Pagan umbrella, which is a bit unfortunate as it looks quite attractive just sitting on a shelf.

Not helpful
Not helpful to me but maybe be helpful to a beginner, but dont buy as your first book.

A must have for those interested in Dark Paganism
Well the reviews seem to go along the lines of people who love this book or hate it. Some people think it's too Dark or Goth, another said it was great for "fluffy bunnies"(I got a kick out of that one, I'd think most bunnies would be scared of the dark). Well, I happen to love it. When I read this series of books, I felt that someone wrote what I did not have the words to say. I've practiced Paganism for 15 years, and I feel that this series of books does fulfill a need that until now has not been met.