The Navigation Log: A Novel

Book Description

“Milly dipped a pen in the bottle of India ink and wrote Tom on the label. She looked at the babies. They moved their arms and legs and made small sounds. Quickly she reached out and tied the label around one of their ankles. The child kicked his legs jerkily and the label fluttered. ‘You’re Tom,’ Milly said. She looked at the other child. ‘And you’re William.’”

A sweeping saga of brothers shaped by the chaos and danger of two world wars, The Navigation Log follows Tom and William, identical twins born as the church bells ring out the armistice of 1918. Largely ignored by their preoccupied mother and adulterous father, the brothers share a close bond through their rambunctious boyhood, even as Tom becomes obsessed with airplanes while William, a burgeoning poet, is drawn to his own internal flights of fancy.

By the time the Second World War casts its shadow across England, the boys have largely gone their separate ways. Tom is a Spitfire pilot, entangled in the romantic pursuit of a tempestuous female flier, and William is a teacher at an unorthodox elementary school. The war intensifies, and so do the brothers’ differences: As Tom patrols the skies, dogfighting high above the coast of Kent, William accompanies his headmaster, students, and new wife in a lunatic pilgrimage across the bomb-strewn countryside below. It is only when they separately approach the majestic Canterbury Cathedral that the twins’ paths explosively converge one last, unforgettable time.

Marking the debut of a masterly storyteller, The Navigation Log brilliantly conjures a vanished Britain with affection, humor, and lyricism that comes close to elegy.

From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews:

Could Have Been So Much More.......2006-07-06

Tom and William (identical twins) are born on the very day W.W.II ends in 1918. They are reared by a postmaster-semi-minister-philandering father and a detached, cool and artistic mother. A fascinating tale could flourish between the twins, or the parents but Corrick never picks up the pieces and lets it breath.

Betty and Marigold, the eternally spying, gossiping neighbors, are a basket of endless wit and outrageous statements and are truly the delights of the novel. Regrettably, when the twins leave home, this entertaining twosome is heard from no more.

Tom goes off to fight the war; William leads a strange life as an aspiring poet in the shadow of his mentor.

While this is a pleasant enough read and at times clever, Corrick just leaves his characters flat and while they can shine they're totally in need of polishing.

A good book that deserves a wider audience.......2003-06-26

This is a good book--I'm surprised to be the first to review it. The first part is a coming-of-age story that follows two twin boys from birth through adolescence in pre-war England. Corrick's writing is simple, direct, and often witty, and his recreation of the London of the times is quite vivid. The second part takes place in 1940, with the war starting and the twins--now adults--pursuing very different careers and living separate lives.

This is Corrick's first novel, and you can tell. His writing is not as polished as the writing of other British authors who've written about wartime England (say, Ian McEwan or Michael Frayn). But Corrick is not trying to compete with these folks. He's telling a story, and he's doing so effectively and unpretentiously. This book has adventure, drama, humor, lively historical recreation, and colorful characters--it makes for a very pleasant read.

If you're going to read just one book this summer, you may want to read something else (Corrick would agree); but if you're reading several books and like a good story, do add this one to the mix--you will enjoy it.

Book Description

The second title in the latest trilogy from Dragonlance author team Thompson & Cook.

Writing team Thompson & Cook once again explore the history of the ancient Dragonlance world in The Wizard's Fate, the next title in their latest trilogy. Considered the historical specialists of the Dragonlance world, the authors take the story to a colorful and violent era of its history that has not been previously chronicled in any novel.

Customer Reviews:

Historical Fiction Feel.......2006-04-24

A Wizard's Fate is the second of the Ergoth Trilogy set in the Dragonlance setting. It is many many years before the events that occur in the core line of books - and is in an area that has not been very well fleshed out until this time. Because of this any reader could pick these up and more than likely understand them - as well it reads much more like historical fiction than fantasy. Yet, still there is magic and creature that certainly ring only in fantasy, but this trilogy just feels so much more like a classic story told at campfires long before we had movies and books to record our tales within.

Because of the way this book reads it really seems very slow going. Though it is never boring, but not until the end do you realize how much has occurred. Honestly a lot of the huge plot changes happen very quickly at the end of this book, setting it up for the final and third volume. This was also the case with the first book - and truly I hope that the third will have more of a solid ending by wrapping up the tale.

I don't like to spoil books, but I will say a few things. Tol is such a `human' character - as in he makes mistakes, but is a strong leader and seems to know when to do the right things at the right time. I enjoy his `thinking processes' in the book and how he gets himself out of the predicaments that he falls into.

His wives make for wonderful comedy and truly bring the book to life. Also these authors seem to hold no reservations on characters - as many die through only just the two first books.

I am looking forward to the third and am starting it as soon as I can - and I recommend to anyone who enjoys history ( particularly the roman or even barbaric eras ) and fantasy readers everywhere - will certainly enjoy the tale that these two authors are telling in this trilogy.

A real page-turner!.......2004-11-29

Thompson and Cook continue their tale of Tol, carrying the reader through the intrigue of ancient Ergoth in a most suspenseful way. The characters are painted with an expert stroke, and I'm sure you'll find yourself dragged through their trials and cheered by the small joys they encounter. Significantly, the empire of Ergoth is given a real identity in a subtle way as our hero marches across its plains and into its courts.

To any long-time fan of Dragonlance who is weary of gods disappearing and reappearing, of dragons dominating the face of Krynn (and many of its current tales), and of lackluster heroes that are always related to Caramon et al: Take heart! This is classic Krynn in all its glory.

The Strange Sound of Cthulhu: Music Inspired by the Writings of H. P. Lovecraft

Average customer rating:

Excellent for Lovecraft or music lovers alike

The Strange Sound of Cthulhu: Music Inspired by the Writings of H. P. Lovecraft
Gary Hill
Manufacturer: Lulu.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 184728776X

Book Description

Arguably no other author has inspired more musicians than has Howard Phillips Lovecraft. Here, for the first time, is a book documenting the music inspired by the works of this literary genius, with insights provided by the artists. The book features a foreword by H. P. Lovecraft expert S. T. Joshi and cover artwork by Joseph Vargo.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent for Lovecraft or music lovers alike.......2006-10-28

The Strange Sound of Cthulhu starts with an introduction to Lovecraft's life. This provides good background for readers who are there for the musical aspect and unfamiliar with his writing. It is strait-forward, giving just the information needed to understand how he could still have an impact on music today, almost seventy years after his death.

The rest of the book is broken down into the musical genres he inspired. From psychedelic rock to country, groups little heard of all the way to big names, such as Black Sabbath and Metallica, have attributed some of their inspiration to Lovecraft.

Hill analyzes the songs--and even group names--that have roots in the literature of Lovecraft. The book compares lyrics with Lovecraft prose, and touches on music rumored to have Lovecraft ties. He gives details of each song, and in many cases, interviews with the artists behind the music. They discuss how their music ties in with Lovecraft, how they were introduced to his writing, and even their favorite Lovecraft tale.

Though the idea of seeing the music described in words may sound dull to some, Joshi was correct in the forward when he said, "Gary has that rarest of skills among music critics: the ability to describe a song, whether vocal or instrumental, in such a way that readers seem to hear it running through their heads."

Though Hill claims that the book is in no way exhaustive on the subject, it is as close to being exhaustive as it can get. It is designed to snare the readers that are there for the music to start reading Lovecraft, and the readers there for Lovecraft to look out for the music. I found myself getting out my old music to listen for what Hill describes.

Average customer rating:

Funny
Another winner for the queen of zany fantasy fables
Hardly romantic
not enough romance
charming fantasy romance

Absolutely Captivated
Kristine Grayson
Manufacturer: Zebra
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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philosophy hope in a jar daily moisturizer

ASIN: 0821775979

Customer Reviews:

Funny.......2006-07-07

I found this and the previous book funny,but they are alittle weird. You might not like this book if you want abook that is believeable romance. It is good if you can laugh at some of the farout there magical things.

Another winner for the queen of zany fantasy fables.......2004-08-21

Again we meet the kitten carrying Fates, Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos, whom we adored in Simply Irresistable. This time they are entrusted to an average Joe, Travers, brother of Vi and Meagan. Vi and Dexter (a.k.a. Superman) ask Travers to take the fates back to his hometown of Los Angeles, from Portland where he attended their wedding. Thinking this was going to be a simple favor, a brotherly thing to do, Travers agreed to transport the three unusual women. But before he knows it, he's changed his destination to the one place on the planet that he vowed never to visit, Las Vegas.

Travers couldn't explain his affinity with numbers, and he considered it fortunate he could support his 11-year old son, Kyle, as an accountant. A non-believer in magic, he did concede that he was eeriely lucky when it came to guessing lottery numbers. Hadn't he made enough money picking lottery winners to pay for his college education? He was carefully not to select all the winning numbers on lottery tickets, just enough to win a few thousand here and there. But he hadn't used his talent since college, and preferred to use it to help his clients. He was extremely good at making for them money, too. So Vegas seemed the likely place to test his "number" affinity, a number man's Mecca. But Travers didn't trust a place where odds were a way of life. Somehow he knew his life would change forever if he went there.

Travers' eleven-year old son, Kyle, is immediately drawn to the blond, brunette and redhead, who recognize his magically powers and befriend him. He is intrigued by them, and recognizes that they are the "Wyrd Sisters" of old Norse myth and legend, and wants to help them. Kyle is already aware that he's special, although his father is in denial and fearful. After all, how many eleven year olds can hear people broadcasting their thoughts, and draw comics that predict the future?

In Las Vegas, all the fun starts as Travers life appears to spiral out of control and the insanity begins. It starts when he meets Zoe Sinclair, a Vegas detective the sisters were searching for in LA. The chemistry is spontaneous. Although Zoe is a mage of one hundred and fifty years, possessing a great deal of power, she chooses to live in Vegas as a detective to help ordinary people. She knows who the Fates are, realizes that not only they, but the entire magical world is in danger when she learns that three children of Zeus are now in charge, and agrees to help them find their lost wheel to return their powers.

Although he is only thirty years old (don't you just love a younger guy with an older, more mature woman) there is no doubt that Travers is the man of her dreams. (After all, the fates destined Zoe to meet her true love at the entrance of Faerie). The introduction to this magical chaotic world for Travers, and Zoe's mentoring of Travers education makes for an intricately funny story.

I love the pace of this book. The banter of the Fates reminds me of the quick wit and dialog of my favorite TV show, "Gilmore Girls", which last the majority of the book. I enjoy the way the Fates talk one after the other, finishing each other's sentence. At times, I found myself rereading passages because of a dizzying dialog, but it always made me smile.

The imagination of this author amazes me. She doesn't haphazardly mix a variety of mythology into her plots, she blends characters like fairies and comic book heroes that make you believe this world is real! I think it's fun that the setting is Las Vegas, the land of faires, where the Fairy Kings live. It's peopled with magic creatures like mages and evil fairies with pointed ears who steal magic from mages and spend fairy money that disappears after twenty four hours. Bet you never knew this side of Vegas! Speaking of fairies, I loved Hershel and Gaylord, her fairy friends, who imagine themselves as bikers and want to duplicate Evil Kinevel's death defying jumps. Even the animals are magical, like the dog she finds for a client that is really a "familiar." He confesses to Kyle that he doesn't like the name Bartholomew and wants to be called Fang, an unusual name of an obese, sausage loving dachshund. Every character or situation is inventive and unusual, which keeps your attention throughout the story.

I confess, I was disappointed that Travers didn't walk though a casino and have all the slot machines pay off at once. I was expecting this since he learned he had the magical ability to shower Zoe's detective office with five-dollar bills, although by accident. But that would be too predictable for this unpredictable genius of an author. I also would have like more dialogue between Zoe and Travers and more romantic situations. What about dinner and a show?

Again, the Fates outcome is unknown, but it comes as no disappointment since I know this means another inventively, funny novel is in the making. I'd like to see more of the fairies introduced in this next book, maybe Gaylord, the evil fairy that wishes he was mage. Then there was a mention of stealing the "wheel" and having Robin Hood do it!! And the fun continues!!

If you enjoy a lot of fantasy with your romance, you'll love reading this fast paced, zany book!

Hardly romantic.......2004-03-21

I read the back cover and thought this seemed interesting. Well, I was wrong. Granted, I did not read the book(s?) that came before this one, but I feel like this author has no concept of the term "romance."

There is very little relationship development between the lead characters. There are no intimate scenes other than a few kisses, so do not expect any lovemaking. I never really felt like I wanted these two characters to be together for the rest of their lives.

I kept getting confused with all the rules of the different magical systems and why I should care. It also took forever for the action of the story to get going. I felt like I was stuck in a rut for 50+ pages for the hero to decide to accept his magic. The Fates were amusing, if sometimes annoying. I did like the son and his psychic abilities. That was probably the only bright (and humorous) spot. If you feel compelled to read this one, don't say I didn't warn you.

not enough romance.......2004-01-30

For a romance novel, this sure lacked a lot of romance! I think the leads kissed 2, maybe 3 times throughout the book. They didn't really get to know each other very well - seems their "love" was based on the Fates prophesy and that's about it. It was kind of interesting to find out the Fates' fate in this book, but the plot just never seemed to really GO anywhere. It plodded along until it just came to an end. I was somewhat disappointed in Simply Irresistable (the book before this one) and I think I was even more disappointed in this one.

charming fantasy romance.......2003-12-31

Los Angeles based accountant Travers Kineally wants to refuse the entreaty of the three dingbats who suddenly haunt him. However, though he can say no to the frantic females, he cannot deny his eleven year old son Kyle who persuades him that the quintet should journey to Las Vegas in order to help the nutty threesome regain whatever they seemingly misplaced.

Vegas based private investigator Zoe Sinclair figures she has seen it all in her century and half as a mage especially since becoming a sleuth. However, Zoe will soon learn she is a rookie when it comes to life's ironies. Her lesson is taught to her by her new clients, the three whacko Fates (Lachesis, Atropos, and Clitho) who have lost their enchanted status. To regain their former eminence the trio must locate a lost magical artifact. Protecting the three zanies from their millenniums of enemies is a full time job in of itself, but alas poor Zoe knows her fate and does not like it one iota though she finds the cynical Travers quite attractive.

Fans of fantasy romances will find ABSOLUTELY CAPTIVATED SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE due to the return of the chaotic causing trio. The lead couple is a delightful pair with both suffering from skepticism amplified by love. Though his son is very precocious (he is only eleven) readers will be Completely Smitten by the amusing antics of the Three Fates.

Harriet Klausner

Average customer rating:
Magic moment; Potterheads finally earn fate of their favourite young wizards.(Entertainment Wire): An article from: Winnipeg Free Press
Gale Reference Team
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B000U7J2Q6
Release Date: 2007-07-23

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Winnipeg Free Press, published by Thomson Gale on July 21, 2007. The length of the article is 1025 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Magic moment; Potterheads finally earn fate of their favourite young wizards.(Entertainment Wire)
Author: Gale Reference Team
Publication: Winnipeg Free Press (Magazine/Journal)
Date: July 21, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Page: d1

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

Gene Wolfe is producing the most significant body of short fiction of any living writer in the SF genre. It has been ten years since the last major Wolfe collection, so Strange Travelers contains a whole decade of achievement. Some of these stories were award nominees, some were controversial, but each is unique and beautifully written.

Amazon.com

Strange Travelers is a rich and exciting tapestry of eclectic tales sure to please, whether this is your first foray into the worlds of Gene Wolfe or a return journey. The story lines run the gamut from traditional science fiction with a twist to a delightful retelling of a Russian folk tale.

"To the Seventh" is a classic science fiction story about a chess game between God and the Devil. The pieces on the cosmic chessboard are represented by beings scattered across the universe. The hero of the story, Mack Chance, is asked by God, in the guise of a tactical war computer, to undertake a suicidal mission. His ship has the capability and fuel to jump 300,000 parsecs in two jumps of 150,000 parsecs each, but God asks him to accept an assignment 900,000 parsecs away, in the heart of enemy territory on the belief that miracles can happen:

"You answered without reflection. This time I want you to reflect, Captain Chance. Do you believe in miracles?"
Mack reflected, tussling with successive layers deceptively labeled "soul," "core," and "innermost being"--tearing each to bits and throwing each aside, only to find that it kept creeping back. At length he said, "Where you're concerned, yes sir. I do, sir. I mean--"

Those six jumps equate to the six moves a chess pawn would have to move forward to arrive at the last row of a chessboard and be subsequently "Queened." If you're familiar with chess and know the difficulty of queening a pawn you can almost guess the outcome of the story. But the path Chance takes, which meanders through the universe with a stop near Portland, Oregon, is one that will delight and titillate.

"And When They Appear" is a tale of a young boy who is being cared for by his parents' computerized house in a post-apocalypse world. Sherby, too young really to understand the evil in the world, is kept entertained by computer-generated holograms while a roving band of looters steadily approaches the house. With the power to override the house program, Sherby innocently creates a situation in which the house is destroyed and Sherby himself is "rescued" by a rather seedy and degenerate character. Thankfully, Wolfe spares the reader most of the details of Sherby's future.

The other strange tales in Wolfe's collection include a thought-provoking campfire horror story set in the far future; the story of the "mother" of intelligent robots being pursued by one of the beings she unwittingly helped create; and the adventures of three female time travelers, castaways on the shores of Earth. There's another horror yarn about a human boy who runs with ghouls and a tale about a boy who gets trapped in his sister's dollhouse each time he sleeps.

Strange Travelers is a broad and deep book by a master wordsmith. Like Wolfe's Castle of Days, Strange Travelers contains a few unclassifiable stories. This only enhances the rich landscape of this collection. Strange Travelers reaffirms Wolfe's adroitness and mastery in the short story genre. It's well worth losing a little sleep over. --Robert Gately

Customer Reviews:

Too nasty.......2007-03-18

I'd read most everything by Gene Wolfe that
I could lay my hands on. He tells the most
marvelous stories. But, then I read "And
When They Appear". I guess having my
own children to worry about, I was put
off by how he treated his - albeit fictional -
child. What a horror. I haven't been able
to enjoy Wolfe ever since. Sad

Wonderful, chilling ... accessible?.......2006-01-22

OK, after "accessible" I should add "compared to some of Wolfe's other collections." This one doesn't have any stories linked to his "Solar Cycle," and it has several stories which appeared in themed anthologies -- "Death of Koshchei the Deathless" appeared in one of the Datlow and Windling Fairy Tale anthologies, "Ain't You Most Done" appeared in an anthology of work inspired by Neil Gaiman's _Sandman_ series, "Queen of the Night" appeared in a collection of vampire stories, "Flash Company" in an anthology of fantasy about music ... Thus, for fans of SF, this is a good introduction to Wolfe.

As long, I should say, as you don't mind some darkness in your SF. You may never recover after reading the Christmas (!) story "And When They Appear"; "One-Two-Three for Me" and "Queen of the Night" are utterly chilling; and most of the stories have, at the very least, some deep dark shadows (which will come as no surprise to Wolfe veterans). But if you're worrying about graphic, visceral horror, don't. Wolfe will terrify, even horrify, but he won't disgust.

The collection contains:
Bluesberry Jam
One-Two-Three for Me
Counting Cats in Zanzibar
The Death of Koshchei the Deathless
No Planets Strike
Bed and Breakfast
To the Seventh
Queen of the Night
And When They Appear
Flash Company
The Haunted Boardinghouse
Useful Phrases
The Man in the Pepper Mill
The Ziggurat
Ain't You Most Done

Some notes:
The collection is framed by the linked tales "Bluesberry Jam" and "Ain't You Most Done?".
"Useful Phrases" is Wolfe doing a Borges story.
"No Planets Strike" and "And When They Appear" join the growing collection of Wolfe Christmas stories (which also includes "La Befana" "War Beneath the Tree" and "How the Bishop Sailed to Inniskeen").
I rarely have a definite favorite in Wolfe collections, but here I have to give special mention to "The Haunted Boardinghouse."

Great style.......2002-01-08

The stories in Strange Travelers are a wonderful display of Wolfe's broad and varied style. Each story is told in an entirely different voice, making it impossible to get tired of reading them. There was more variety in this collection than there often is in multi-author collections.

Disappointed.......2000-04-18

After reading many glowing reviews of this book and being a big fan of sci-fi short stories, I eagerly bought this book.

I don't see what makes these stories so great. So far I am halfway through and am not impressed. I do think that the stories are very creative and interesting on a certain level, but I can't stand Wolfe's writing style.

Every story's style just seems to be too clever for its own good. I wish that Wolfe would just give his best ideas to Frederick Pohl or quite frankly, Stephen King. Then I could enjoy reading some great stories instead of trying to pick through confusing wordplay.

One more thing: as I've stated already, I am only halfway through the book. But so far I think that THREE stories have featured a woman telling a man "Kiss me." I don't know about Wolfe, but I am certainly not finding this very realistic of human society. Unfortunately most women I've found do not ask to be kissed -- in fact, if they would have to ask then I think a man would have already missed the best opportunity. These agressive women characters do remind me of Heinlein (whose women I also have a hard time believing). But Heinlein tells the rest of his stories much clearer.

A Sampler Box of Bon-Bons With All of Wolfe's Flavors.......2000-02-24

You really ought to heed Patrick O'Leary's review below because he is a fine author in his own right. This collection demonstrates the incredibly broad range Wolfe is capable of; the New York Times reviewer commented that the underlying theme throughout is a sense of entropy in the universe. I would not oversimplify to that extent, but will state that each story will delight in its evocation of mood, atmosphere, and its portrayal of fascinating characters engaged in brilliantly bizarre activities. Read this book and then read The Book of the New Sun and all of Wolfe's other magical wonderful books.

Average customer rating:

What the... ???

Difficult, but fascinating

The Spiritual Hierarchies and the Physical World: Reality and Illusion
Rudolf Steiner
Manufacturer: Anthroposophic Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Kabbalah | Sacred Writings | Judaism | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Theosophy | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0880104406

Book Description

Ever since nature and consciousness were separated in the late Middle Ages, giving rise to a science of matter alone, the spiritual beings who are the universe have felt abandoned and unable to complete their work, for this work depends for its success on human collaboration. At the same time, human beings have also felt abandoned, condemned to a speck of dust in an infinitely decaying universe. In these remarkable lectures, Rudolf Steiner reestablishes the human being as a participant in an evolving, dynamic universe of living spiritual beings: a living universe, whole and divine. And he does so in concrete images, capable of being grasped by human consciousness as if from within. How is this possible? Implicit in Rudolf Steiner's view is the fact that, fundamentally, the universe consists of consciousness. Everything else is illusion. Hence to understand the evolution of the cosmos and humanity in any terms other than consciousness is also illusion. Whenever we have to do with mighty cosmic facts, we have to do with states of consciousness. But states of consciousness never exist apart from the beings who embody them. Therefore, the only true realities are beings in different states of consciousness. In this sense, Rudolf Steiner's spiritual science is a science of states of consciousness and the beings who embody them. Indeed, rightly considered, all science-physics, chemistry, botany, zoology, geology, psychology, astronomy, etc.-is a science of beings. And the sensory perception, the physical trace, is but the outer vestment of the activity of beings in different states of consciousness. To describe these beings, Steiner uses the names made familiar by the wisdom tradition of the West. He speaks of the evolutionary states of Saturn, Sun, Moon, Earth, Jupiter, Venus, and Vulcan; and the nine "choirs" of angels (Seraphim, Cherubim, and Thrones; Dominions, Virtues, and Powers; Principalities, Archangels, and Angels); as well as of elemental beings and nature spirits; and the elements of fire, earth, air, and water.

Customer Reviews:

What the... ??? .......2005-09-22

Intriguing book. In it are each of the hierarchies recorded:
- when they became active,
- which planets were formed by which hierarchie
- how hierarchies are related to each other (only mentioned not
explained in detail with the highest hierarchies).

In the book are also mentioned:
- The zodiac and how they are related to the hierarchies; and
what it means when a certain sign is active.
- Some about what parts of the physical body of a human were
already formed in spirit world by the different hierarchies...
Cancer as symbol for the ribcage which was formed for example.
- The seven oracles in Atlantean time (Sun oracle, Venus oracle
etc.) and that the one who had the most developed ether body of
the oracles (the leaders) were selected to work through the 7
rishi's in India in a later time.
- The lowest hierarchies (Angels, ArchAngels and Archia) are
explained in great detail: (a) how they relate to the mineral,
plant and animal kingdom and that their physical body, ether body, astral body and the I are located in different spheres (Angel only physical body in the Earth, ArchAngel physical body and ether body in the Earh, Archia physical, ether and astral body in the Earth while Humans have all four parts in the Earth (in this time!!!).

Also mentioned is difference between Copernicus' astrological system (viewed from physical viewpoint) and the Ptolemeus astrology (viewed from spiritual perspective - i.e. the spiritual hierarchie view).

I found the book to be really intruiging, but it lacked (for me) how the different entities are active now in the Earth, and how can be seen which people have interacted more with certain entities than others... In the book is recorded that Venus entities were present in the Earth to bring greater wisdom at one time, and Mars entities brought about other influences but not beyond: how do they play a role now, when and how did they made their presence felt over time (as the Earth developed) etc.

So: very intruiging book, explanations about several things, but only when they first appeared. Only briefly mentioned activity later on in the 7 rishi's, Jesus, but not on when/how the different entities made their presence felt in the Earth in more recent times (or other times) with the exception of Angels, Archangels and Archia. Especially Angels are explained at length.
But what about other entities... only briefly discussing them makes it harder to see the overall picture: all the times when, and how, the entities made their presence felt.
Besides that it is an intruiging book to read.

PS I read the Ducth version!!!

Difficult, but fascinating.......2005-04-30

Steiner's world view is a rich and astonishing Rosicrucian cosmogony, and must be confronted by any serious spiritual researcher of Western esotericism and Christianity. Like many of his works, this work is provocative, and one is left both bewildered and entranced, and wondering what to DO, how to work with the vision contained herein. Some of Steiner's other works, specifically OUTLINE OF ESOTERIC SCIENCE, and HOW TO KNOW HIGHER WORLDS would be a better place to begin exploring Steiner. But this was my first exposure to Rudolf Steiner, and it grabbed me and I couldn't shake it off! Today I still struggle and ponder these ideas, and maybe that is quite the point.

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