As a master story-teller and crafty novelist, Alan Richardson is the right voice to revisit the legend with its entwining tendrils of history and mythology. And this particular story becomes all the more prescient as it is told through a conversation between a seasoned magical sophist and his younger exuberant self. The result is a fascinating two-pronged, double lensed tome – but not without spontaneous wit and self-reflexive humour.
The story of the Horned God can be heard in various mythologies from around the world and like the Goddess he has become part of our psychological and spiritual heritage. The author revisits his previous work on the male mysteries, Earth God Rising, adding a sharp and entertaining new commentary alongside the original text. His expertise on magical matters and its practitioners make for an insightful commentary on male deity – but always prodding readers to forge their own paths and make up their own minds. Earth God Risen is a tour through the origins and archetypes of male spirituality for both new seekers and seasoned practitioners (of both sexes). Perhaps it is best elucidated by his old teacher and mentor, W.G. Gray:
“Richardson traces the presence of the male aspect of deity in Westerners through ancient Egypt and medieval metaphysics into modern mysticism and his own experience. This he does with scholarly skill and a pleasant fluency. A delight to read and a worthwhile asset to possess. So much has been written of our Primal Goddess that it is refreshing to read of Her consort, the Primal God – which the author eventually finds in himself after looking nearly everywhere else. Adventurous and fascinating.”
Alan Richardson is well known to Skylight Press and it’s readers but for those new to him here is how he describes himself:
Alan Richardson has been writing weird, wonderful, winsome and frequently embarrassing books – not all of which appear on Amazon – for longer than many of his readers have been alive. He has done biographies of such luminaries as Dion Fortune, Aleister Crowley, Christine Hartley and William G. Gray. Plus novels and novellas that are all set in his local area. He is also an expert on Earth Mysteries, Mythology, Paganism, Celtic lore, Ancient Egypt, jet fighters, army tanks, Wiltshire tea shops, Great British Actors and Newcastle United Football Club. Although he regards supporting the latter as being the closest thing a man can get to a Near Death Experience. He does not belong to any group or society, does not take pupils, no longer gives lectures, and insists on holding down a full-time job in the real world like any other mortal. That, after all, is part and parcel of the real Path – however it might be defined. He is married with four daughters, and lives the life of a Happy Hermit in the south-west of England. His simple-simple website has long since died but didn’t have much interesting on it anyway. Skylight Press did a nice interview with him here.
You can also hear him talk about Earth God Risen and other books in this recent interview on the Tothermes Podcast.
Skylight Press is thrilled to publish The Testament of Merlin, which can be ordered through Amazon, Amazon UK, or directly via our website.
Through the Skylight 