Grimoire Dehara Book One: Kaimana

Wraeththu Mythos #1

by Storm Constantine, Olga Bosserdt (Illustrator), Gabriel Strange (Designed by)

Agmara is the breath of the universe. It is the rehuna's own breath. It is thought, emotion, the elements, the stuff of creation. The flesh of the dehara is wrought of agmara; it is their blood, their sinew, their essence. Agmara is the force that works magic. It is the current between possibilities and possibility itself. Its colour is generally a radiant greenish white, but occasionally it might be visualised in different hues for particular purposes. Agmara is moved with the will, which is part of it. When the rehuna summons agmara, they should feel its flood throughout their being. It is with them always but when the attention is turned elsewhere they do not feel it. Beneath the light of the rehuna's awareness, agmara grows stronger within them.

Genres: Fantasy, Religion

212 pages, Hardcover

First published January 31, 2005

About the author

Storm Constantine was a British science fiction and fantasy author, primarily known for her Wraeththu series.

Since the late 1980s she wrote more than 20 novels, plus several non-fiction books. She is featured in the Goth Bible and is often included in discussions of alternative sexuality and gender in science fiction and fantasy; many of her novels include same-sex relationships or hermaphrodites or other twists of gender. Magic, mysticism and ancient legends (like the Grigori) also figure strongly in her works.

In 2003 she launched Immanion Press, based out of Stafford, England. The publishing company publishes not only her own works but those of new writers, as well as well-known genre writers, mainly from the UK.

Reviews

[Nerine Dorman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really good overview for a practical magical system that appeals to my innate sense of aesthetics - especially recommended for those Wraeththu mythos fans who are esoterically inclined.

[S. Harrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The opportunity to read anything written by Storm Constantine is a gift. I was most moved in this presentation of Chaos Magick by Constantine's ability to put forth a system that fosters such intense evaluation of self and the release of personal assumption. In that regard few systems of magick stand out of their own way so gracefully.

I knew from reading the Wraeththu series that Constantine knows her stuff when it comes to elementally tapping into and moving life force. The rituals she's developed in this practice carry the same power that I felt through all of my Reiki attunements and the more "Enochian" level work that I've done. It's impressive, to say the least.

Yes, I'm a fangirl, and I had to subdue a squeal through the whole read. The thing is, the magick is real. From one who thrived on the Wraeththu mythos and thought Constantine had so artfully brought their world to life in words, I am moved by her dedication to her own imagination to share their system of magick so effectively and so clearly close to her heart. The book's teachings are no less remarkably packaged in beautiful prose and artwork.

[DeCarabas · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would recommend this to anyhar frustrated by the gender dynamics of other systems, especially if you're on the genderqueer spectrum.

The only drawback: a fair amount of the book is devoted to a sort of Wraeththu-flavored Wicca - slotting the dehara into the LBRP, a Wheel of the Year that only works in specific climates... which is BORING, and doesn't fit with the spirit of the Wraeththu series as I saw it. Luckily those techniques can easily be replaced with more appropriate methods. But I would have loved to have seen something more specifically Wraeththu to give the reader inspiration, like some detail on how different tribes would celebrate the seasons. What does the winter solstice look like among the Gelaming? the Freyhella? the Kakkahaar?

But even those exercises I didn't find useful for my own practice are still pleasant to read, accompanied by appealing art and descriptions; and I love the system as a whole.

[Lindsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

A look into the Chaos magic system that from the Wraeththu books. Very interesting companion to the Wraeththu books, but only interesting to those who've read both the original and new trilogies by Storm Constantine.