The Necronomicon

I thought this book would be a more serious learning experience about different beliefs. But when I saw how some of the words in the book were spelled like magik, I was very disappointed. As far as I'm concerned the book seems like nothing more than just a joke and I don't even want to finish reading it. I'm so disappointed I thought it was true study about believes that people had and I would just wanted to learn about that but it's nothing more than comic book with spells and stupid words spelled wrong and quotes from Alester Crowley ..give me a break it sucked totally disappointed. I'm not a Satanist or anything I just like knowledge and was very curious about what all of the different religions of the world believe. Since I believe in any organized religion whatsoever but I am curious to see what people are available enough to believe in.

What is amazing? What is amazing are the comments that I have

been reading in this section. Some nobody living nowhere all

of a sudden sits on their high horse and decide to make

declarations about an art form that they are obviously totally

oblivious about, namely the art form of the occult and magick.

The incredible raw occult power present in the Necronomicon

can only be missed by the above blatant magickal neophytes.

Close the lights in your room, my dear neophytes, and dare to

have only a single black candle alit. Now, sit and slowly

read through the Necronomicon, read through most of the night,

and then let us know how "imaginery" and "ineffective" the

Necronomicon is. Dare to take the test? Probably not, your too

busy boring your brains out with TV or IM on the computer, but,

the challenge is laid down for you.

if your looking for a legit Necronomicon this is not worth your time, its best if you go into the woods and find a good shady place to be able to get a good grasp of what it means to damper into the occults..

The "Necronomicon" originally was discussed by H. P. Lovecraft in his Cthulhu Mythos. Author Ed Simon has extended this mythos in the "Necronomicon", the testimony of the so-called 'Mad Arab' (a follower of the Sumerian beneficient Elder Gods) and a magickal handbook for sorcerers battling followers of the Sumerian Ancient Ones, the bearers of Chaos. Simon describes how the Sumerian Ancient Ones were defeated and were banished beyond The Gates, where they wait and scheme to reenter the world. The Gates are sealed with fifty spells, each spell named and explained in the "Necronomicon". The Ancient Ones' followers strive to free the Ancient Ones as they bedevil the Mad Arab, a torment described in the "Necronomicon".
The "Necronomicon" presents a system of magick. In its introductions the "Necronomicon" references both Aleister Crowley [e.g., "MAGICK in Theory and Practice" (ASIN 1555217664)] and the Christian New Testament's "Book of Revelations" -- I prefer these referenced works as _literature_. But the system of magick that the "Necronomicon" describes is said to have originated in the Eighth Century A.D. Damascus Syria, a region much discussed today.
IMO the chief use of the accompanying volume "Necronomicon Spellbook" (ASIN 0380731126) is providing glyph illustrations for tattoo artists.

When you first click on Look Inside, this message is dislayed at the top of the pop-up:

Just so you know...

* This view is of the Mass Market Paperback edition (1980) from Avon. The Hardcover edition (2008) from Ibis Press that you originally viewed is the one you'll receive if you click the Add to Cart button at left.

The price for the paperback as seen in the "preview" is $7.99. There's not false advertising here. You just have to real all of the details. That said, college text books aside, I'd never pay $80 for a book unless it was out of print, extremely rare and possibly antique.

My Reiki teacher gave me a copy of the Necronomicon, he was telling me how it had all kinds of power and told me just to read it, but not mess with it......i opened it up, and i almost fell over. The WHOLE book is entirely Sumerian!! I mean everything....i was almost laughing histerically. It even has the entire Enuma Elish in it as a "story of past events that shouldnt be forgotten"....., and to the reader who is unaware of the what the Enuma Elish really is, will take it as some real deities or 'gods' who faught a magical battle of evil vs. good. Oh my goodness.....how funny!! To the person who knows what the Enuma Elish is, there wont be anything magical about it....it is simply a record of events on how our solar system was created. This is what is commonly called "encoded". Meaning, to the uninitated it reads like a story to be taken literly...and maybe to be worshipped and becomes "magical". To the initiated....it reads as a record of events that one wishes to pass on to the next generation. It it the ultimate tool in mind control.....your history and truth also doubles as the masses prison religion. The bible is also encoded. William Shakespears plays are also encoded (Which were written by several Freemason types who just used Shakespears name).
But what i find most fascinating is this direct connection between belief and reality. If you 100% believe something is true....then it is true! If you believe, to the core of your being, that the Necronomicon is true....that it can open doors to "evil" beings, then it will come true! It is the thought that manifests reality....not the other way around. If or when one worships something like the Necronomicon...one is manifesting the energy of the planets of our solar system.....which are incredibly strong, to create this belief one holds, but the individual is unaware of the energy being accessed. There is a fourth dimensional force at work trying to suppress our 3rd, and they have many tools at their disposal. Worshipping the Necronomicon WILL open a gate to this consciousness...and guess what....so does the bible. The bible and the necronomicon come from the same source!! They are two sides of the same coin.
All religions and any religious belief system has come from the same source.....Sumer, like it or not.....

The Elizabethan Mystic/Astrologer/Statesman, John Dee, does make mention of "a necronomicon" in his writings, and a few other late medieval/early renaissance magic texts speak of "necronomicons" also; but the term "Necronomicon", loosely translated "spellbook of the dead", could refer to several kinds of texts, and maybe even unwritten, memorized spells. While much is made of the "Sumerian" mythology in this particular "Necronomicon", any leisurely perusal of a dictionary of Near East mythology should put that issue to rest. For some time now, among some scholars of the NeoPagan Revival/Wicca phenemenon, it has long been rumored that this text may have been concocted by, or under the auspices of, the late Hermann Slater, one-time proprietor of the "Magickal Childe" bookstore in New York. WHOEVER wrote it, it is very unlikely this book was written prior to 1960, tops. Having said that, this piece of religous writing is no more "fake" than any other item of scripture...make of that what you will...

It looks like HPL has become a wholesale hoaxer of modern-day Satanists everywhere! If you're in doubt, please read "Lovecraft At Last" by Willis Conover. In that book, Lovecraft admits to one of his correspondents that the Necronomicon was a made-up book. Still, Lovecraft's fiction was so powerful that they were able to conjure a non-existent book into existence! The seals and sigils and spells in the book are rather comical to anyone who knows much of the history of magic in the west, but the essay at the beginning of the book is rather interesting, though unconvincing. the author tries to relate ancient Sumer with Aleister Crowley with H.P. Lovecraft. I think it is this introductory essay which has given the book so much of it's appeal. Anyway, of you are a fan of Lovecraft's prose, as I am, then this might be an amusing way to kill a few hours.

In spite of the many critical opinions referring this book I have to state my real appreciation of it. Even though the spells and invocations provided by this "paperback-edition of the world's most powerful black book" may not be "Lovecraftian" enough for some of it's readers, they still refer to gods and demons which actually are Sumerian/Babylonian, and they are offering interesting parallels to Greek/Roman deities and mythologies to the ernest reader as well, not to mention Indian religions and scientific researches on the topic of antropology (the last two parallels are NOT EVEN MENTIONED!). I will not comment on the magical outcome of the ceremonies provided by this volume since I didn't tried any of the rituals, yet. May one think about occult magic as he is forced to, whether it exists or not has anyone to find out for him/herself, the answer is hidden in your own self. I personally believe that someone using outer powers to persist one's way ! through life is surely in need of those, one knowing and despising them could be called the stronger being. But for anyone interested in a mystical way of life, this edition offers a certain stack of knowledge, which other authors selfishly denied to their readers. All in all this is a fascinating book on a fascinating topic -- allow yourself an own opinion!

The Necronomicon is the invention of writer H.P. Lovecraft who invented the character the "mad arab" Abdul Alhazred when he was a kid in Massachussets. The Necronomicon written by Abdul Alhazred features prominently in several of his works of horror FICTION. This Necronomicon is merely the invention of "Simon" to cash in on the bogus notoriety the book has among people who got their notions of the occult from reading Swamp Thing comic books and listening to Morbid Angel. Summerian my a$$. If praying to jesus or whomever doesn't get you what you want, why in the name of Azagthoth would you think that praying to Summerian gods or demons would get you anything either? except a headache. Go out and do something in the world yourself, cause you are going to get jack (...) by just thinking about it. The Necronomicon is a fun read if you realize the authors tongue was firmly in his cheek, but no person with any real interests in the occult takes this book even remotely seriously.

First off, HP Lovecraft invented 'The Necronomicon' as a literary device and it was also used by his circle of author friends, like Clark Ashton Smith, which lent an air of authenticity... the so-called 'Mad Arab' named 'Abdul Alhazred' isn't even proper Arabic(as verified by my friend who lives in Aswan, Egypt). There is NO 'real' Necronomicon.

Okay - that being said, THIS book DOES contain REAL occult practices from ancient Sumerian/Babylonian origins which have been approximately 80-90% verified from independent academic sources. The HP Lovecraft-related references were just added for 'flavor' by the group of NYC occultists back in the 1970s, of which 'Simon'(pen name of noted author Peter Lavenda) was a part, connected with 'The Magickal Childe' bookshop owned by the late Herman Slater. The Magickal Childe functioned as a major focal point for the Neo-Pagan community in the 1970s and well into the 1990s. Slater passed in 1992.

NOW you know the TRUTH.

Is it THE 'Necronomicon' of yore? NO.

Does it contain REAL Sumerian magick practices? YES. (some say just enough to get one into serious trouble. Look into the website entitled "Papers in the Attic - The Study of the Simon Necronomicon Mysteries & Related Topics" at warlockasylum(dot)wordpress(dot)com for more REAL occult information contained in the 'Simon Necronomicion'.)

If malah13 or the person now scouring Europe for "the original manuscript"is interested, I'd like to sell them the Brooklyn Bridge. Once they own it, they can redirect traffic to Castle Rock, ME, and use the toll money to finance an education at Miskatonic university. Upon graduation, they can go to med school and study under Doctor Caligari and Moreau, unless the martians that attacked us back in the 20's return to finish us off before then. For the rest of you, the Necronomicon is a mildly diverting piece of FICTION. That's FICTION! Get it? Seriously, for a better read you ought to check out the original writings of Lovecraft, Lumley, Bloch et al, whose stories were the inspiration for this bit of fluff.

In spite of the many critical opinions referring this book I have to state my real appreciation of it. Even though the spells and invocations provided by this "paperback-edition of the world's most powerful black book" may not be "Lovecraftian" enough for some of it's readers, they still refer to gods and demons which actually are Sumerian/Babylonian, and they are offering interesting parallels to Greek/Roman deities and mythologies to the ernest reader as well, not to mention Indian religions and scientific researches on the topic of antropology (the last two parallels are NOT EVEN MENTIONED!). I will not comment on the magical outcome of the ceremonies provided by this volume since I didn't tried any of the rituals, yet. May one think about occult magic as he is forced to, whether it exists or not has anyone to find out for him/herself, the answer is hidden in your own self. I personally believe that someone using outer powers to persist one's way ! through life is surely in need of those, one knowing and despising them could be called the stronger being. But for anyone interested in a mystical way of life, this edition offers a certain stack of knowledge, which other authors selfishly denied to their readers. All in all this is a fascinating book on a fascinating topic -- allow yourself an own opinion!

The Necronomicon is the invention of writer H.P. Lovecraft who invented the character the "mad arab" Abdul Alhazred when he was a kid in Massachussets. The Necronomicon written by Abdul Alhazred features prominently in several of his works of horror FICTION. This Necronomicon is merely the invention of "Simon" to cash in on the bogus notoriety the book has among people who got their notions of the occult from reading Swamp Thing comic books and listening to Morbid Angel. Summerian my a$$. If praying to jesus or whomever doesn't get you what you want, why in the name of Azagthoth would you think that praying to Summerian gods or demons would get you anything either? except a headache. Go out and do something in the world yourself, cause you are going to get jack (...) by just thinking about it. The Necronomicon is a fun read if you realize the authors tongue was firmly in his cheek, but no person with any real interests in the occult takes this book even remotely seriously.

First off, HP Lovecraft invented 'The Necronomicon' as a literary device and it was also used by his circle of author friends, like Clark Ashton Smith, which lent an air of authenticity... the so-called 'Mad Arab' named 'Abdul Alhazred' isn't even proper Arabic(as verified by my friend who lives in Aswan, Egypt). There is NO 'real' Necronomicon.

Okay - that being said, THIS book DOES contain REAL occult practices from ancient Sumerian/Babylonian origins which have been approximately 80-90% verified from independent academic sources. The HP Lovecraft-related references were just added for 'flavor' by the group of NYC occultists back in the 1970s, of which 'Simon'(pen name of noted author Peter Lavenda) was a part, connected with 'The Magickal Childe' bookshop owned by the late Herman Slater. The Magickal Childe functioned as a major focal point for the Neo-Pagan community in the 1970s and well into the 1990s. Slater passed in 1992.

NOW you know the TRUTH.

Is it THE 'Necronomicon' of yore? NO.

Does it contain REAL Sumerian magick practices? YES. (some say just enough to get one into serious trouble. Look into the website entitled "Papers in the Attic - The Study of the Simon Necronomicon Mysteries & Related Topics" at warlockasylum(dot)wordpress(dot)com for more REAL occult information contained in the 'Simon Necronomicion'.)

If malah13 or the person now scouring Europe for "the original manuscript"is interested, I'd like to sell them the Brooklyn Bridge. Once they own it, they can redirect traffic to Castle Rock, ME, and use the toll money to finance an education at Miskatonic university. Upon graduation, they can go to med school and study under Doctor Caligari and Moreau, unless the martians that attacked us back in the 20's return to finish us off before then. For the rest of you, the Necronomicon is a mildly diverting piece of FICTION. That's FICTION! Get it? Seriously, for a better read you ought to check out the original writings of Lovecraft, Lumley, Bloch et al, whose stories were the inspiration for this bit of fluff.

An amazing read that will surely instill mysticism and fear in those curious of the occult, while outrage in those who hold their own beliefs as fact.
Keenly edited to present a work of fiction as reality, it erases the line between, leaving the reader to be lost in a mirage.

Let's make this brief, shall we? The Necronomicon does not appear in any references predating Lovecraft, so, yes, he can be creditted with the publicity of the book. He even honestly beleived himself to have invented it for his fiction, and I do not dispute his beleif. Of course, I don't endorse it, either, and I recommend any serious student to cross-correllate any of the claims of Lovecraft and others about the book's "fiction" with the references of men like Kenneth Grant and Donald Tyson, who suggest that the book may be something native to another plane that Lovecraft accidentally tapped through dreams and imagination. Let's also consider that it is irrelevant, within the scope of the form of literature referred to as "grimoires." Seriously; does anybody honestly beleive that Solomon wrote ANY of the "Keys" attributed to him?

There is a tradition in occultism to lie about lineage and about origins. Nearly every esoteric group in modern times ties themselves to the Illuminati, the Knights Templar, or the Egyptian Mystery cults. The Tarot is often claimed to date back to ancient Egypt as well. There are serious, reputable occult orders who claim Merlin and Tehuti as among their previous members. Many people claim to represent the authentic order descending from Aleister Crowley, not to mention the endless debates over who is the real Outer Head of his Order. The Golden Dawn is likewise scattered and slandered as the root of countless societies, many likely even with some sort of demonstrable proof.

Should we bother with mentioning the Rosicrucians, who didn't exist prior to the circulation of some pamphlets in the 1600s? Now, there are numerous Rosicrucian orders, all descending from the fictitious origins posited in the Fama Fraternitatis and the Chemical Wedding.

The Point: the Necronomicon, including this one and others, such as the Hay-Turner and Tyson's, may or may not have a legitimate well-spring on another plane, independent of the conscious imagining of the writers. Regardless, if a competent magician can make a working success of the books, they are real grimoires. If they lie about their origin, it is merely a matter of carrying on the occult tradition of duplicity and dramatic misrepresentation.

Ave Satanas, and Hail Eris!
Fnord.

The whole concept of summoning spirits of the dead while standing in a circle not being able to step out of the circle or you face being devoured by the spirit is a little too far fetched for my imagination. And granted the Testimony Of The Mad Arab was an entertaining story, I can't help but think that whatever kernel of truth there was to it must of been at least somewhat fabricated. I'm not one to say if this book is true or not since I haven't really had time to actually try any of the magic what with my job and watching reruns of M*A*S*H and all. To be honest, I only bought this book hoping it will help me get out of jury duty. I'm not demanding a refund from the store or anything so it's not as ridiculous as some of the other reviewers have said. I thought it was interesting how it describes it's "history" of the ancient gods, what each watcher's function is and all those other stories it had with it. I wouldn't recomend it if you're desperately searching for spiritual guidance. But if you want to read something of a "dark" nature, curious about what Necromancers do, or just want something that will scare the lawyers into dismissing you from sitting on the jury bench this should get you your eight dollars worth.

Love it. Hate it. Whatever. Treat it as fact. Fiction. Whatever. The Necronomicon from the writings of H.P. Lovecraft? Let's just stop right now. With this review (check out my other one to see how I really feel), I don't want to critisize the publication, or the author, I just want to point out a few facts concerning Lovecraft so we can move on from all this 'Lovecraft wrote this', 'Lovecraft really believed in this this', 'Lovecraft was controlled by creatures from the tome' and 'he was too afraid to admit its exsistence', nonsense. Lovecraft did not write this. He did not believe in it, and he was not controlled to write this.' Let's start with the obvious; the book that Lovecraft mentions in his - fiction - exists in only a few copies, dispersed throughout the world. ...It would have consisted of thousands of pages of hieroglyphs and allegories, ect, ect - hardly packagable in this nifty little paperback volume available for a few bucks at your local bookstore. Second, if you are familiar with Lovecraft's works, you would realize that his creatures were not demons - but extraterrestrials; Cthulhu was an alien stuck on this world, as were others. This Necronomicon clearly draws from Summerian mythology and religion, throwing in a dab of Lovecraft. Why Kutulu? Copyright infringement my fellow necromancers.
Lovecraft would never write this. He said so himself. In a letter written to Jim Blish, he states that 'if anyone were to write the Necronomicon, it would disappoint all those who have shuddered at cryptic references to it.' and he later says: 'The world is indeed comic, but the joke is on mankind.' He was a profit. This book is downright silly. Final: dig it or not, keep Lovecraft out of it.
He was a materialist. His monster were flesh, not spirit. His magic could always be explained.
Now to the book: it should not only offend Lovecraft fans, but occult fans as well; merely piecing together the parts of certain myths and legends he deemed would keep the text interesting, Simon has put out a book that disappoints on all levels. The diagrams and incantations seem hastily scribbled, disjointed, as if hardly any time were spent on them at all. Look into the real texts; don't be lazy. Research true Babylonian, Summerian, and Assyrian mythology, take the time to read the works of Madame Blavatsky. There is so much out there; don't waste seven bucks to feed a con-artist.
I admit: I am not a believer. But at least, out of my fascination of archaic lore, I amwell-versed. ...
And don't buy this book!!! (I couldn't resist that final word)

Ooookaaayy... I had to go back and completely revise my original review of this Occult classic. I'll just say that this was the very first Grimoire, that is, "Book of Magic" that I ever bought, read and experienced. At the time of the original review, I was young naive and inhibited by the ghost of my religious upbringing. I was a fan of Lovecraft and Sumerian/Babylonian myth since I was a kid. Blame the Cthulhu and Marduk episodes of the old Ghostbusters cartoon. (Mom used to warn me that watching Ghostbusters would eventually lead me to the Occult. She was right!!!) At the time, I treated this book as a fun prop. I knew some of my favorite musicians and bands were into it. (Carl McCoy of Fields of the Nephilim, Trey Azagthoth of Morbid Angel, etc...) But I was at the time, fearful, yet attracted to the occult and magic. Eventually I threw the dogma of my childhood out the window all together and joined a Hermetic Temple. I received my mystical training in the Golden Dawn tradition, was baptized (first Orthodox after recognizing the Neo-Platonism in the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, then Gnostic), and soon branched out into other paths. Some dark, most pragmatic, some downright holy. Eventually I came full circle back to Simon's Necronomicon. I see this book as essentially what every magical order and grimoire is. A mythological matrix in which you experience transcendence. The fact is, "hoax" or not, the magic in the Necronomicon absolutely works. Why? Because magic comes from the Magician, not from the historical veracity of the rituals and books he or she is working with. If anyone knows the Rosicrucian myth of the discovery of Christian Rosencreutz's Tomb, or the Hiram myth of Masonry, or the Golden Dawn myth, I have to ask... do you really take those stories literally? Could the authors of the Keys of Solomon or other Grimoires attributed to historical and mythological people have been pulling the legs of the public for centuries? Yet those books are tried and true. Like this book. It is it's own egregore.. That's how you approach the "Simonomicon." Try the invocation of the Fire God if you need major protection, or to bring an enemy to justice. And the planetary initiations are second to none. The Necronomicon is much more flexible than the text would allow you to believe. Most magic is, so don't be daunted by all the "You better get this right or the spirits will tear you apart" type stuff. You should be careful though and have a serious clarity of purpose.

First off, there's no question about it, there is no Necronomicon, as it was an invention of Lovecraft. In a 1936 letter he says: "I am forced to say that most of them are purely imaginary [books referenced to in his stories]. There never was any Abdul Alhazred or Necronomicon, for I invented these names myself."
Any Greek scholar knows that "Necronomicon" is incorrect grammar, and any Arabic scholar knows that "Abdul Alhazred" is redundant.
On the theory that Lovecraft lied about his claiming the Necronomicon a work of fiction, there is little evidence to support the it. Says Joshi, the foremost Lovecraft scholar, Lovecraft was always truthful, and was a materialist (as in the philosophy, i.e. atheist,agnostic). He regarded the occult as primitive and superstitous, though the only concept that sparked Lovecraft's imagination was the fictional dealing of man with the cosmic unknown.
Now onto this Necronomicon as an occult book. It simply can't be. Why, you ask? Well, for one error, is that the author cites that one passage might refer to "Lovecraft's R'yleh text". However, Lovecraft never wrote about any R'yleh text, that was August Derleth who wrote that. Also, the Sumerian mythology in this book contains mythology that didn't come along until long after the time periods referenced. So far, this is still the only Necronomicon that's author has not admitted to being a joke or spoof.
However, most scholars, if not all, agree that this is nothing more than a badly planned, yet elaborate, literary hoax. Let HP Lovecraft and his works of fiction lay in rest, don't exploit the dececeased.

this book does contain some interesting historical facts in it, but the claim that it is the necronomicon is completely false considering H.P. Lovecraft invented the Necronomicon and it never existed. The claim that it was changed for the sake of safety--not to mention the whole tale of being given the manuscript by a reclusive occult shop owner, an overused cliche in this type of fiction-- may make it interesting and a bit more exciting, as it sort of involves the reader. However, in letters written by Lovecraft himself (and reprinted in various books), he describes how he came up with the name of the book AND of the "mad arab". And he makes it quite clear that the book does not exist, but was invented to add consistency to his own various mythos and story cycles.

By his own admission, we know Lovecraft invented the legendary Necronomicon; it was a pure fabrication, a fictional tome serving as one of the many devices he utilized to tie the works of his "Cthulhu Mythos" together. Lovecraft's Necronomicon was not inspired by any "real" medieval magical grimoire (Abdul Al Hazred is a fictional character), rather HPL took his inspiration for the literary Necronomicon from "The King In Yellow", a series of stories by Robert W. Chambers in which Hastur, The Yellow Sign, Carcossa, Hali and the evil tome The King In Yellow itself first appear in American horror literature. Never-the-less, many fans of Lovecraft refused to believe that the Necronomicon was a fabrication.... And writers like this mysterious "Simon" are reaping the benefits of this naive misconception. What the "editor" has done here is present a primer on traditional ceremonial magic (in the tradition of MacGregor Mather's Golden Dawn and Crowley's A.A.), spruced it up with some (possibly authentic) Sumero-Babylonian mysticism, and then shamelessly worked in modified names of Lovecraftian beasties (Xastur=Hastur, Azag-Thoth=Azathoth, Ishniggarub=Shubniggurath)and then marketed this hodge podge under the name "Necronomicon" hoping that Lovecraft fans would buy it thinking it was real. He apparently was not disappointed... The only reason I gave this dishonest work two stars is because the intro information on Crowley is informative and the rituals themselves (if you can excuse the occasional use of Lovecraft's creatures' names) are apparently based on actual Golden Dawn magic ceremonies and authentic Sumerian traditions. So, the book is not totally useless, I just wish the original content (sans Lovecraft) would have been presented under a different name (and the fact that it wasn't is inexcusable and dishonors HPL, Crowley, and any serious practitioner of ceremonial magic). Do the rituals work? I don't know...I don't have the guts to try them out!

A word of advice to practioners of high ceremonial magic, wicca, and other writings. To confuse the creations within here with the actual work of Howard Phillip's Lovecraft (who while very imaginative couldn't hold a sentence together without adding "chilopteran", "non-elucidian", or "creeping") let alone ritualized practices of magic that themselves are often today third hand and butchered from the honest religions of old is insulting to the work. From what I've read of the book however it is an interestly well researched and intriguing tome that takes Lovecraft far more seriously than he took himself. I suggest everyone read his works before they read this hoever...it may spoil the mood but it saves you the money if you decide not to buy it.

Ok does this book actually work? Yeah it probably can work for some stuff. The jokers who slapped it together ripped off enough Kabbalah and other actually ancient magical traditions to get some thing going. Of course if you want to practice black magic the basics aren't as hard as some people seem to think. Take for example summoning a demon. People do this every day with out even ever hearing the word grimoire. Its getting the demon to do what you want and getting it to go away that are the tricky parts.

For magic to work really effectively you want a couple things. Sure at its most basic its a question of will, personal power and what ever you summon to help you out. Yet certain things ie: true names, symbols tied to what your trying to accomplish, incense, ritual and so on can help. This book is a bad source for these things. Many of its spirits and gods are wholey fabricated either by the author or by various horror writers (Xthuhlu and Xastur for example). Others are a mish mash of pagan pantheons from the ancient world. Before you try invoking a name you should bother to do a medicrum of research on what your invoking. You can't do that with names of made up beings. Sure you can get SOME THINGS attention but that some thing is going to have the advantage of anonymity. You won't know what any of its names are, you won't know its origins or its goals. You might as well call it Mickey Mouse because the name will be just as applicable. As for the legit deities there are far older rituals for appeasing and asking for there aid.

So what purpose does this book actually serve? Reaserach by occultists strongly suggest it was in fact meant to be a practical joke. Several rituals are designed to back fire if you don't know enough about real magic to make them work( Crowley was fond of that to). The excelnt book "The Necronomicon Files" can give you more information on that.

As to it being an authentic book of history or part of our past as humans its absolutely not. Lovecraft made up the necronomicon to use in his stories. The name was never used any where prior to the 20s when he began writting and to my knowledge didn't appear as a grimoire until the 70s when this book was published. ITs a johnny come lately hoax. Why do people need it? I can drive not 20 minutes from my house to a borders book store and find half a dozen translations of grimoires that were originally penned in the middle ages if not earlier. Heck you can find them online for free. If I was foolish enough to start conjuring demons I'd go to a source thats been around a while not line the pockets of some anonymous occultist who seems to lack the creativity to come up with some thing truly original.

Real or fake the Simon Necronomicon is a worthy read. What makes a magical practice real? The books attached to it or the belief in its power to the person / persons practicing the magic? Any good magician will tell you the same thing, power comes not from the physical but from the mystical.. YOU contain the magic all else are trappings designed to focus your energy. The Simon Necronomicon does just this, it "tunes" you in on a part of power that is as ancient as is is mysterious.

Was it "invented" by HP Lovecraft, possibly, but I tend to believe no. Do we dismiss the Bible and say it is fictional because it has been used as a plot in more than one writers fictional book? No, we don't.

My advice, use it.. Decide for yourselves. All "practices" began somewhere with someone. Abraham started Judaism, Mohammad started Islam, sever thousand other Ministers began their respective Christian congregations... Whether Simon found the Necronomicon or Lovecraft "invented" it, its here now, and from the looks of things it is here to stay.

I've studied the Necronomicon(in many languages to not lose any text through translations) for the past 31 years. After reading the other reviews, I'd just like to make a few points clear. The Necronomicon, is in fact, very real and the original text dates back far before the Old Testament. The book is incomplete(thank God) and, in my opinion, should not be available to the general public. It can be considered to be "the yellow pages of Hell". It is a dark scripture, a book against God. If you already have the book, or believe you simply must see it for yourself, do not speak the words outloud and do not perform any of the rituals. The Necronomicon is not a toy or comic book. Please take this warning seriously.

This is an amalgamation of three sets of mythologies, Sumerian, Babyonian, and Cthonic. While Sumerian and Babylonian works are quite similar, they are often incorrectly fused within the Avon edition, although the tie of the Necronomicon to the ancient fertile crescent is unique to this edition. Of the Cthonic mythology, it is a tangled web of information and misinformation that may be impossible to weed through if their even is such a thing external to H.P. Lovecraft's fiction, and no one can really be sure of the actuality. Again the Avon Necronomicon fuses this with the other two mythologies. So on a question if this is a fake or not, Yes that these three mythologies never appeared together in the ancient world, but at least the Sumerian and Babylonian are real and can be researched externally. Of the Cthonic, this and several books on both sides of the issue the reader may find of interst. Finally, as an occult work. Assuming you believe in magic(k), the work is no less genuine than Wicca, the so-called ancient religion which is almost entirely modern, and is an excellent starting point to students of the occult interested in Non-Wiccan paganism and occultism which have been so igonred of late. In short, read it, compare to other occult works, literary works, and anthropological/mythological books. Enjoy and please don't destroy the Earth before I complete my Ph.d!!!

The Necronomicon is not entirely fake. I suspect the "spells" and incantations are altered to be mostly unusable. It is however a most enlightening look at the Sumerian religous dogma. I believe the Sumerian are the key to why we are all here and their religion is the true way, from which in whole or part all other major religions are derived. This is definitely a must read for those interested in anthropology, religious origins, and, yes, true sorcery.

This book is not the original, and that should be clearly understood prior to your purchase. This book;however,is a good summary of the ancient book The Necronomicon . Some say that this book and its spells are farce, others believe its teachings religiously...either way it is an excellent story. If you do believe in it (The original, and the spells found in this depiction) then my advice to you is that you remeber the warning you read at the introduction of this book!! ****Its worth recommending to others.***

The introductory Essay is the only part of this book that can be made any sense of unless you are experienced in this field. The essay is very interesting and thoughtful, but the remainder of the book consists of gibberish and redundant "spells" that are totally useless and meaningless. If you are interested in analysis of theology or the Sumerian Mythos, get this book for the intro-essay. If you have no experience with this, don't bother.

Two points...
1. The necronomicon is a name created by the great (and slightly insane)author H.P. Lovecraft. He attributed the name to coming to him in a dream. Al Alhazred, the mad Arab, was a pseudonym Lovecraft used when he was 5. Lovecraft wrote many letters, which you can find on-line with ease, referring to the subject. The necronomicon was made by both Simon and LeHay, in slightly different versions, in the 70's after a resurgance of Lovecraft popularity. These are known facts...but...
2. Many people continue to attest of strange occurrances when they read and/or perform rituals outlined in the Necronomicon and it's spellbook (which was made after the success of the original book). Many say this lends proof to the authenticy of the book and that Lovecraft may have been attempting to hide his practice of the dark arts (though he attempted it very poorly if this is the case, read some of his Kthulhu stories). It may also be atributed to the theory that if you believe in something hard enough, than you may actually cause something to happen or see something that others can not(the old debate about why ghosts and and unexplained phenomena are only seen by people who already believe in them). The answer to that will always be debated, but probably never be proven either way, just like you can't prove there's a God. You'll know if you wind up there, but by then it's too late to tell anyone else.
Research and read...and make the decision for yourself.

I remember finding out about this book as a youth and all the hoopla surrounding it at the time. I was heavily into the macabre and well into studying the arcane arts with some fellow oddballs from school. When I acquired my copy I was figuring it was just designed for the mythos of H.P. Lovecraft's works in which it was however it is said that what your spirit does can make the changes. Many for years have believed in the bible and it has changed many lives with good direction of the psyche and inner spirit. But as with anything how you use your inner energy along with the right or wrong concepts can change you and those around you. I'm not going to go into any of my own experiences where this book is concerned but I will say that alcohol and drugs or an over reactive imagination did not play a role in what I found here. Just a thought.

The question that springs to mind, is whether this is all real or not. I tremble in my soul every time I even think about this book or talk aboutit. And looking at Orthodox Christian books, was like a light, dispelling the darkness this book brings with it. The anceint Sumerians were onto something that we, as modern man, can't even understand or fathom, and since the book warns you that there is no way of banishing the forces invoked, I would say there is your warning right there. When I don't want to believe in Orthodox Christianity as the Way, I think about this book and what it has done to me, my whole entire life. I believe that Orthodox Christianity is the only way out once you've brought this book into your life. Look in the yellow pages, under "Orthodox Christian" and attend the service and talk to the priest, get baptized or exorcised, whatever it takes to save yourself from the demons of darkness contained in the spells of this book. Orthodox Christianity is a hard road to go, and you will still be attacked by the demons, but it's the only way. Whenever I want to to disbelieve Orthodoxy's teachings, I think about this book "N" and I tremble in my aoul......

Who could ever believe in what the Necronomicon is, or at least, what it is suppose to be? This book only presents the delirium of an addict and stressful sad person. No truly satanist could read this and believe than even a page of it is true!!!
This kind of crap is the result of a lot of cocaine and alcohol, the loss of his son, the downward spiral of his life. I gave it a 2 because he at least took the time to invent a history and it is kind of "spooky" and could be entertaining at some point. But if I really want to read fiction, I would buy under fiction. And if I'm going to buy fiction under religion, I would buy the holy bible, it is kind of historic too.

I only bought this book because I really enjoyed the movie "Evil Dead." ...I haven't read really anything from it because it seem's like every page I flip to has some weird language and I'm afraid if I read the English language and try to skip over the "unpronoucable" language my eye is going to catch something and pronounce it bringing some weird spirit thing to life. Although I have to say it sounds childish but you buy the book and try reading it yourself. I managed to read the front page where it says you've been warned and so on, but that's about it. I did flip to the exorcism part but still was unable to read anything. I find the book believeable in some ways but not in others. I can't say I don't believe in magic or magik but things don't just happen, they are planned. As for the kid saying his friend was possesed I don't believe it. But then again I don't really know anything about magik or magic, unless it's with a deck of cards. I only have one question, is there anything good in this book or is it all bad? If you summon a spirit shouldn't they be grateful and not angry? I'm confused I guess this book will just sit and collect dust, then again since maybe it's in my possesion it will protect me from the evil things in the world who knows.