Book Review
Sea, Land, Sky: A Dragon Magick Grimoiore
by Parker J. Torrence © 2002
Three Moons Media ISBN 0-9725164-4-1
183 pages Includes Appendices paperback $14.50 (U.S.)
Reviewer: Mike Gleason
The body of this book contains, in addition to the text, fifty-four pages of lined paper (I assume to make notes and record the start of your own Dragon Book of Shadows). That leaves a mere 101 pages of text. This is not a text for a novice. It is an intermediate level book which assumes that you already have a basic grasp of magickal technique and know how to do all the basics. This is about connecting to another source of energy and power.
Mr. Torrence, may the gods bless him, makes it abundantly clear what dragon magick is from the very beginning. He also makes it clear that, in his opinion (one I happen to share), the use of ANY magick is gray and any attempt to classify it (black or white, high or low, etc.) is simply an attempt to avoid personal responsibility for one’s actions.
Mr. Torrence and I seem to share more than a few attitudes and even a few statements that we use. On page 129 he says “The universe might not give you what you want, but she will always give you what you need.” The only difference is that I normally substitute “Goddess” for “universe.”
He includes a few simple correspondences, some basic formulas for incenses and oils, and a very few illustrations.
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I got this book. I’ve had an affinity for dragons for a very long time, but never considered the topic of dragon magick seriously before. I was quite impressed with Mr. Torrence’s approach and his presentation. I’m not sure how much of this information I will incorporate into my own workings, but it definitely provided food for thought.
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( I just saw this on Amazon.com … 6/29/07 )
Fresh take on Wiccan Dragon Magick, June 27, 2007
By Devi Spring (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
For a long time there’s really only been one book, “Dancing with Dragons” by DJ Conway, written for those who wish to include dragons in their magickal practice, and people either seemed to LOVE it, or HATE it. Parker J. Torrence approaches the material from an entirely different perspective (albeit still a Wiccan one), one that is at once more minimalistic, and imaginatively expansive.
Not choosing to assign specific names to the dragons he calls upon, Torrence invites the practitioner to discover these beings for oneself. What makes the path particularly interesting is his inclusion of the Sea, Land and Sky dragons, in addition to the elemental dragons of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water.
The Sea, Land, and Sky dragons act as links to the past, present, and future respectively. By including them in circle work, the practitioner can tap more readily into the various realms of time-space during each and every working, opening them up to and informing their rituals with a more multi-dimensional experience.
Both a plus and a minus to the book, in my opinion, is that the author presents the ideas and methods, and leaves those with the reader with very little exposition. Stating from the very first page that this book is not intended for novice practitioners, Torrence leaves the great bulk of the material for the reader to discover through their own experiential work. For readers who are used to having scores of “historical” and atmospheric filler, long explanations, and endless pages of pre-written and wordy rituals, this book may well dissapoint. Those who can spend the time to really ruminate and experiment with the information and ideas presented by Torrence, this book may well be a breath of very fresh draconic air.