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The Necronomicon
by
,
The Simon Necronomicon is a purported grimoire written by an unknown author, with an introduction by a man identified only as "Simon" a possible alias of Peter Levenda. Materials presented in the book are a blend of ancient Middle Eastern mythological elements, with allusions to the writings of H. P. Lovecraft and Aleister Crowley, woven together with a story about a man k
...more
Mass Market Paperback, 288 pages
Published
March 1st 1980
by Avon
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Community Reviews
(showing 1-30)

Dec 29, 2007
nichole
rated it
it was amazing
Recommends it for:
anyone left all alone...like a rainbow in the dark.
i learned how to laugh and, more importantly, how to love.

When you enroll in Pagan Worship 101 at the local community college (perhaps the only class I actually attended) this promising-looking volume is thrust upon you and heralded as the True Testament of the gods. It doesn’t even take until the conclusion of the Preface or Introduction to immediately recognize that this is not the truth, and you’re immediately crushed that “Evil Dead” is no longer the cinematic embodiment of the ruling truths as to the profundities of existence. It might be just as
...more

Sep 07, 2011
Adam
added it
what no six star rating?
This book gets funnier every time I read it, and my horns are coming in nicely.
This book gets funnier every time I read it, and my horns are coming in nicely.

It was December 1999 and all that doomsday shit was in the air so some nutsac at the bar tells me "dude you gotta read this man.. it'll change you bro" so I borrow shithead's copy and get about 3/4 through and the long and short of it is that this is a bunch of horse shit. What kind of sniveling dick drip can sit around and read this all bug eyed and fired up? This is for when you're 13 years old and camping with some other dorks and your all sittin around sniffing glue.
Adults! Do not read this ...more
Adults! Do not read this ...more

I think a lot of people are approaching this book wrong. OF COURSE it's a work of fiction, I don't think any of us would be here if it weren't. It's such an obvious homage to Lovecraft that I'm surprised that it's even a question for anyone, let alone that people would get offended over it not being real.
Now whether you like this is a completely different person. I'm somebody who has a really strong interest in mythologies (fictional or otherwise), alternate realities, and esoteric writing/poet ...more
Now whether you like this is a completely different person. I'm somebody who has a really strong interest in mythologies (fictional or otherwise), alternate realities, and esoteric writing/poet ...more

Jul 28, 2011
Steve Cran
added it
This is one of those books that is the subject of much discussion. Go to the book reviews of Amazon.com and you will find people that have performed the rituals described in this book and they will claim that they worked. Other people will tell you the book is hoax, a complete work of fiction.
Necronomicon is actually mentioned in several of HP Lovecraft's books with regards to the mythology of Ctulhu. The book is only mentioned and contents are not really spilled out. According to the mythology ...more
Necronomicon is actually mentioned in several of HP Lovecraft's books with regards to the mythology of Ctulhu. The book is only mentioned and contents are not really spilled out. According to the mythology ...more

Bursting on to the literary scene centuries ago, the 'Mad Arab' Abdul Alhazred was hailed as one of the most talented young authors in the ancient Middle East.
Alhazred's flowing and elegant prose could be described as the Faulkner or Melville of the Arabic Occult genre. The descriptions of the sparse desert landscapes and hellish other realms is truly a joy to read. The character development is excellent as well. This epic work deserves a place on every bookshelf next to other great works of it ...more
Alhazred's flowing and elegant prose could be described as the Faulkner or Melville of the Arabic Occult genre. The descriptions of the sparse desert landscapes and hellish other realms is truly a joy to read. The character development is excellent as well. This epic work deserves a place on every bookshelf next to other great works of it ...more

Mar 28, 2008
Delbert
rated it
it was amazing
Recommends it for:
young adults, DIYers, the recently divorced.
Recommended to Delbert by:
oprah's book club
I wish that I could give this SEVEN STARS. Judging from the reviews, Goodreads is a refuge for mediocre sorcerers who prefer non-creative fiction to creative non-fiction. A lot of times, I've found neophytes have difficulty procuring properly pure metals for the production of astral seals. I've had pretty good results from a couple of online vendors. PM me if you want their URLs.

It makes me shudder to think that there are people out there who are convinced that this is real. H.P. Lovecraft admitted he made it up. There is no real Necronomicon, least of all a copy you can buy at your local bookstore. It's (extremely) mildly entertaining fantasy, not a spellbook to reawaken the Ancient Ones.

In my opinion, this is a sad little book. It isn't an attempt at a real occult book and its attempt at realism destroys any sense of parody. Any semi-serious occult scholar won't waste time on it, but probably has a copy anyway. Barely fun for Lovecraft fans and "magically" walking out of library collections everywhere, this Necronomicon is just plain boring.

May 21, 2015
Peter
rated it
did not like it
Recommends it for:
A box of matches
Shelves:
h-p-lovecraft
Really... This is not real OK. NONONONO. This is just silly cashing in on Lovecraft's fiction, please grow a brain. On page 53 you can ask your Nanna (babytalk for Grandmother) to open the gate, me, personally I would always open the gate for my Nanna. One more thing shouldn't it be Lady Nanna, NOT Lord Nanna. Do not waste money on this trash.

following the etymology of economics (oikos + nemein, or household & to manage), this text purports to instruct the reader in the management of death. ambitious in conception, the execution leaves something to be desired. maybe next time don't rely on a lunatic as the primary authority, and instead retain an occultist of merit?

Shit. When did I write the review below?! Fawkin' crazy. Anyway, I wanted to point out that William S. Burroughs blurbs this edition thusly: "Let the secrets of the ages be revealed. The publication of the Necronomicon may well be a landmark in the liberation of the human spirit."
Shuffling around Hastings, I flipped through the latest volume of Weird Tales wherein they count down the top weird writers of the past 85 years. Yep, Burroughs is there. Lovecraft? Of course! Kafka? Sure. But also Tom ...more
Shuffling around Hastings, I flipped through the latest volume of Weird Tales wherein they count down the top weird writers of the past 85 years. Yep, Burroughs is there. Lovecraft? Of course! Kafka? Sure. But also Tom ...more

Though I've seen them shelved together, this book is nothing like Anton LaVey's Satanic Bible. Rather, it can safely to be added to the New Age shelf.
The text is a jumble of some actual ancient mythology lovingly tossed together with various creations of fiction writer H. P. Lovecraft. Worth a glance and a grin if Lovecraft's to your taste but absolutely not scholarly in any way, shape, or unnameable form.
I read this in a Midwestern high school in the '90s and was asked if I worshipped the Devil ...more
The text is a jumble of some actual ancient mythology lovingly tossed together with various creations of fiction writer H. P. Lovecraft. Worth a glance and a grin if Lovecraft's to your taste but absolutely not scholarly in any way, shape, or unnameable form.
I read this in a Midwestern high school in the '90s and was asked if I worshipped the Devil ...more

Often in Lovecraft's work, he makes mention of certain mythic books. The Necronomicon, is just one such book. Yet there are those who believe it to be an actual occultic tome of great and dark power. It is a work on fiction inspired by Lovecraft. It is interesting so long as one accepts it as such and might have wondered what it might actually look like.

While a tremendous amount of 'astral interference' surrounded the publication of this ground-breaking modern grimoire, it has had a lasting and powerful impact upon modern occultism ever since it first appeared. True, it's mostly a recapitualtion of some sort of pseudo-Sumerian magick and not the literal Necronomicon of H. P. Lovecraft, but it delivers more real magick than 90% of what most newage publishers have churned out this year, or any previous year.
Many occult traditions arise form ambig ...more
Many occult traditions arise form ambig ...more

Its a horrible book; offering nothing truly of value for the fan of magic and the supernatural. I've read extensively in this genre and this is one of the few books I've ever tossed aside in disgust. It goes to great lengths to suggest a very limited, constricted, alternate history for the universe--describing a hierarchy of gods which most people would never have heard of--okay, that's not so alarming. But then it goes on to suggest how many of the world's civilizations were really based on the
...more

Sep 13, 2009
ʍous ƃuıʞ
rated it
it was amazing
Recommends it for:
anybody with a interest in the necronomicon or occult history.
My advice... dont open it unless you are willing to finish it.
It changed my life forever. And the lives of any of my friends who ever picked it up and read it when we was in high school all those years ago...
I think we all still own copies of it and carry them with us through life...
Its no hoax.

This book is beyond ridiculous. While there have been many "Books of the Dead", this one was made up to capitalize on FICTIONAL work.
The books uses prints from the Key of Solomon and other books to make a rather pathetic book that appeals to the little hipsters that think using Thoth Tarot cards they bought from Walden books actually mean something.
Really? Are people this idiotic?
The books uses prints from the Key of Solomon and other books to make a rather pathetic book that appeals to the little hipsters that think using Thoth Tarot cards they bought from Walden books actually mean something.
Really? Are people this idiotic?

I don't know if this book was supposed to be funny, but it's just so wierd and lame I couldn't help but laugh.
This book DOES NOT add anything to Lovecraft's mythos. So read it for what it is - an unitentional farce. If you feel the need to read it at all.
As a matter of fact, the unintentional humor is the only thing keeping this book from getting 1 star.
This book DOES NOT add anything to Lovecraft's mythos. So read it for what it is - an unitentional farce. If you feel the need to read it at all.
As a matter of fact, the unintentional humor is the only thing keeping this book from getting 1 star.

Dec 12, 2010
Peregrine 12
rated it
it was ok
Recommends it for:
Beginners of Yog-Sothoth (but not Cthulhu)
Recommended to Peregrine 12 by:
Zar Yamon, the Mad Arab; Ash
Dude, it would be alot easier to use this thing if winged, hooved monsters would quit STEALING it from my library every new moon. And those little black candles that it comes with - they don't even work. I couldn't resurrect anything larger than a cat. Seriously, what a rip-off.
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