The Ravener

The Ravener & Others: Six John Dee & Edward Kelley Occult Mysteries by Donald Tyson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Normally I am not one for fiction much less detective stories where crimes are solved. But when I heard that Donald Tyson wrote 6 short story mysteries that was published by Avalonia I knew I had to buy it and read it. I have no regrets. The stories have a lot going for them. They are easy to read, creative and downright enjoyable. I advise everyone to buy this book.

This is also the first book written by Donald Tyson for Avalonia publications. Normally he writes books on Western Magic and he is considered a foremost expert on the subject. Some of the subjects he has written about are Demonology,Enochian Vision Magic and Cthullhu mythos. By the way this is the first book by Donald Tyson that I have read.

The stories center on two main characters who were in fact real people. So this could be called “Historical Fiction” John Dee was Queen Elizabeth’s court astrology and conjurer. She relied upon John Dee for a good many things. Edward Kelly was John Dee’s Clairvoyant. Kelly was the one who could see the spirits and communicate with them. This team came up with the Enochian language and alphabet which is used widely by magickians to this this day.

The six stories are detective stories these two solve mysteries, sometimes with the help of spirits. Mind you Edward Kelley does not like working with spirits as he feels they do not always have our best interests at heart. Spirits are not exactly cooperative either. Some of the crimes they solve involve a woman acting raving mad in reaction to a family curse. One of the forefather who was a trader from England massacred an entire African village. Another story involves the murder a a wealthy farmers son. He is a sacrifice to being from the Cthulllhu mythos. Mention is made of the book “Al Azif” and the Sorcerer “Al Hazared” They solve haunting, ghostly murders , find stolen scrying stones. In one story Edward Kelly raises the dead and his witchy mother in law gives him a “familiar “gift. The gift is something that comes in handy but at the same time it is something that Edward Kelly dreads.

The last story “The Ravener” is not about birds and to be quite honest would be a perfect story line and setting for a horror move or a Predator movie. Needless to say the queen and her hunting party get trapped in some forbidden woods and have an encounter with some very small people and their guardian beast. I won’t divulge anymore details you will have to read the book yourself.


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