Think Like a San Soo Master

 It has been many years since I have taken San Soo. Well over thirty years ago. This book helped bring it all back to me. How a San Soo fighter is suppose to think. Adopt this thinking and no one will mess with you. Master Hulsey demonstrates San Soo thinking when he is stationed in Vietnam. His roommate was a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and he loved to intimidate people. This room mate tried to intimidate Bill and his response was, “When you go to sleep I am going to hit you over the head with a shovel” the lesson is that when someone threatens you issue them an even bigger threat. The roommate left and never came back.  Another time they were waiting in a movie theater and someone was intimidating other people in line. Bills cousin punched the guy in the jaw and knocked him out cold. Bills mother told him that if anyone started to fight with him and they were very tough that he should pick up a stick and defend himself with it.

Master Bill gives the reader straight forward strategy on how to stay alive in a street fight.  His philosophy is that if someone is talking tough and they are getting aggressive beat them to the first punch. The one who takes the first punch has the advantage. If you wait to block the punch you are giving up to much of an advantage. If there are two guys arguing about whether to fight you and one is debating about whether or not to fight you and the other wants to fight then take no chances and take them out while you can. Another strategy is to fake a kick to the groin.The other fighter lowers down to block it and then you kick them in the face. It is a knock out move.

Master Bill also instructs the reader on the proper way to execute certain strikes, kick and how to do certain exercises to increase your fighting ability. One exercise is to practice punching as hard as you can and then stopping six inches before the target. This develops strength and dynamic tension. Another exercise is looking at your shadow n the wall,or your reflection in the mirror. Try to punch the Image without telegraphing.

A great book for a student of any martial art.there are nuggets of gold that should be treasured. The stories are entertaining and enjoyable. A treasure for any San Soo Fighters library.

The Ice Beneath Her

 10 years ago in Norway there was a brutal murder in which the victim was decapitated and his eyes are kept open as though forced to watch . Now another murder matching the exact same modus operendi . Peter, Sanchez and Manfred part of the homicide division are on a race to solve the crime. 

CEO Of a big company, Jesper Ore is known for working the employees to death, violating labor laws and womanizing has gone missing. His garage has burned down and the cops are clueless.

Hanna has been retired for sometime. She is a top investigator but she also has early onset dementia. Her memory is going. Currently in an unhappy marriage with an older gent named Owe, she is in the process of moving out n her own.

Although 10 years older than Peter the two did have a relationship of sorts. But Peter chickened out. His life is complicated enough. Years ago he partnered with a girl named Janet had a a son together but he is barely involved.

Emma is an employee who works for Jesper’s company. The two meet on the sales floor and the romance begins. Several secretive dates and then on the night Jesper proposes to her he disappears. He borrowed 100 thousand kroner from her and stole a valuable painting. As her life falls apart she scrambles to put the pieces back together again.

As the case progresses it is revealed that the same machete was used in both crimes. Emma has a a mentally ill mother in her background who is now long deceased and her father committed suicide. What is the thread that connects this all ? How are two totally unrelated crimes connected.

JRR Tolkien Romantic Legendarium

 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4047925414

A tragic love story in a way and one that has gone through many changes in JRR Tolkien notes. Way before the events that transpired in Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit, the evil Morgath had control of middle earth and he was a despot to be sure who terrorized elf, dwarf and man. Hobbits did not come around yet.

Christopher Tolkien goes through his father’s unfinished notes like the Quenta Silmarillion, Quenta Nodali and a couple of other unpublished tomes and delivers to the reader the story of Beren and Luthien. In the original version Beren is the son of a forester. He is a nodali elf sometimes called a gnome. But this is not your classic gnome but a real elf. One day Beren walks into the forest of Artanor and espies the beautiful maiden Tinuviel dancing to her brother’s music. He spends several days watching her until they finally meet. When they do he is so smitten with her that he asks for her hand from her father, King Tintwelimt., . The king is none to happy about this and he thinks of a way to thwart the young elf’s romantic aspirations. Beren must infiltrate Angaband, Morgath’s stronghold and get a jewel off his crown. This is one of the Silmarillion. Beren becomes a slave for Tevildo, Morgath’s super cat right hand man and believe me this cat is a task master. Luthien fearing the worst pleads for her father to intervene but to no avail .King Tintwelint locks her in a tree house. Using magic her mother taught her she escapes and uses magic to infiltrate Angaband. While wandering over there her and a super hound named Huan devise a plan to fight Tevildo. Later they use sleeping magic to get the jewel but plans go awry. I won’t spoil the end.

In the different renditions of the tale many names get changed and Tevildo morphs first into Thu a feared necromancer to Sauron his most trusted right hand man. King Tinwellint becomes King Thingol and Artanor becomes Doriath.

Beren origins change as well. In the newer versions of the story Beren becomes a man son of Barahir who is caught by Morgath and murdered. Other version contain wars between kingdoms and the ravages of orcs.

The newer versions are more realistic while the earlier version is Faery tale like quality. Would not mind seeing a cohesive story out of this. While there is one at the beginning there are bits and pieces of the newer versions through out the book. 

Releasing Your Inner Werewolf

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4032374447

 Prepare to unlock your inner beast. This book on lycanthropic Magick will show you how. Wolf have been venerated at deity since man;s beginning in some for or other. Some of the original Greek Gods were depicted as wolf like. The founders of Rome were raised and suckled by a she wolf. Lupercalia would have priests or Lupercal dress up in wolf skins and strike women with whips in order to unsure fertility. Hekate, is depicted with a wolf;s head. Odin is a wolf god who can shape shift into anything. He has two wolves that accompany him. Apollo himself was depicted in wolf like form.  The first werewolf might have been in Mesopotamia where in a  follower of Ishtar was turned to a world for entreating her too much.

Over the centuries there have been many werewolf cults. The warriors would don the skins and shapeshifter metaphorically into wolves. These warriors were dedicated to Odin in the North of Europe. The book delves into the history of werewolf cults and wolf magic. The book then goes into rituals designed to help you find your inner wolf . Remember that we human evolved from wolves and dogs at one point and we are accessing our animal brain. The exercises then tell how to raise wolf power and finally shape shift into a wolf. Now mind you , people do not physically turn into wolves this is a spiritual change. Sort of like going on beast mode.

This energy is later raised and focused toward growing your fetch and feeding it. The fetch or your double can be sent to do errands, give you information or house your consciousness . Other rituals include spells for obtaining love, money and finding other werewolves.

Denny Sargent culls many of his techniques from shamanism and European witchcraft. There are lots of yips and howls on this paradigm. While one is not forced to use them I would have found some words in place of growls more beneficial.

The Ninth House by Leaigh Berdugo

 Magic is alive and well on Campus. Secret Societies like Skull and Bones operate freely. Having constructed tombs under their fraternities the 8 houses of magic are thriving. The ninth house is the Lethe House and their job is to make sure the secret societies follow the rules and things do not get out of hand.

Alex is the newest member of this small order. Her background is spurious. Former drug user who has no idea why she was was chosen. Things start to go awry when one of the 8 houses has a ritual and a bunch of greys or earthbound ghosts try to get in the the mix . Something is wrong. Later that night night Tara Hutchins is murdered. She has occult markings and the murder is done in a ritual fashion. One of the 8 houses broke the rules.

What follows is a modern mystery with occult trapping. Alex and her mentor, Darlington go to the different houses asking question and snooping around. Along the way they team up with detective turner. At first he is skeptical but then understand that the occult is far too great for him to tackle alone. In the course of their investigation Alex is attack by Gluma and scarab Beatles.

One or several of the houses are peddling magic and overstepping the bound. Within Lethe house there is corruption. The end is rather ironic and surprising.

Mastering Candle Magick

 I read the kindle version of this book which is now only available in book form.  This book is one of the original classics in candle burning rituals. It is read by all knowledgeable people who practice magic. 

The book is not pagan but rather very Judea Christian centered. Using fire for ritual purposes goes back thousands of years. It was believed that fire both protected and purified the area around.Fire provided warmth and the ability to cook food. 

It was also believed that certain colors face of certain vibrations. These vibrations could be helpful in helping a person achieve their goal. There are also colors that represent the different birth sign. Like all magic the magic presented here is sympathetic meaning that like effects like, so gathering hair, nail clipping and other personal belonging could help in a love spell or hexing someone . The book has rituals for all sorts of purposes whether it be for money, love success you name it.

Altar set up is simple, any surface can be used. The set up is simple. Two crucifix candles at the head of the altar . They are colors white for purity and dressed in high alter oil. The bottom left hand corner is where the Bible is placed. On the table space between there is where the petitioner candles go and the goal candles. Candle are anointed with oils for the purpose as are they colored so. The oils would probably have to be store bought as there are no oil recipes. Candles are annointed from the middle to the top and from the middle to the bottom. 

Symbolism is everything and colors and goals have their own symbology. Important to realize is that colors may symbolize different thing to different people. Your own symbology is what you should use. 

The candle are burned and different bible verses are read while the candle are burning. The spell has different lengths that the candle burns after prayer are said. 

For those wanting to access magic with a no frills approach and no baggage this book is it. They do advise using vegetable products and avoid any ingredients made with animal products. Great book.

Copper Kingdom of Daevabad

 

Taking place 5 years after the first installment, Nahri, a Daeva from the house of Nahid has returned to her city which was hers by birthright until it was taken over thousands of years ago by the Qahtani tribe of Jinn. Since her return to the city she has married Muntadhir, king ghassan’s oldest son. The youngest son Ali is the one who is truly in love with her and wants to partner up with her to fight for the rights of Shafit, or better known as half human/ half jinn. Ali has also been exiled and only returns when Ayanle merchants secure it for him . He returns in time for Navasatem, an old Daeva holiday. It is around this holiday that events in the story culminate.

With Ali’s return, Nahri, who from a tribe of healers, find an old abandoned hospital she wishes to fix up and start healing Daeva and Jinn. King Ghassan reluctantly supports it. In reality it is Ali who is her partner in building the hospital. Her husband has different and varied romantic interests.

At the end of the last book there was a battle in the lake of Daevabad. In this battle Afshin the slayer is supposedly slain while Ali, who supposedly had slain him was possessed by a water Marid. It has imbued him with magic.

But Daroush the Afshin is not dead but has been revived. Ifrit who do magic are involved as is Nahri mother, Mazzibeh who is also healer. Outside the city they plan a Nahid take back,of the city. The rebel Daeva make potions and train an army. All things culminate on Navastem. Who will take control of the city.? The Daeva’s or Qahtanis.