Futhark: A Handbook of Rune Magic, New Edition (Weiser Classics Series)

New Update for 3rd Edition: I bought the 2020 revised edition and it is much like the second edition but with some new content. I didn't even get any message from Amazon either, I learned about the new edition simply from seeing the book with a new cover. This author needs a LinkedIn or something to update us, even his own website didn't mention the new edition. He does have some interviews available online as well so I should mention that for anyone that likes his books and wants to learn more from him. I'll start with the new cover design, it looks fantastic. The dragon and runes are glossy while the cover is darker than the picture shows, and the runes show themselves by reflecting light as they are just glossy overlay, so I really like what he did with the cover and the dragon looks very good. The book is slightly smaller in all dimensions but has more content than the second edition. The paper is higher quality with a smoother surface and more white than before, but also thinner. For anyone confused as to how the new edition is smaller than the old edition, it's that the pages are thinner in combination with change in layout design. Overall, it is pretty much the same book, so it looks almost the same and I did not notice anything missing. There is a new font used which makes the new book easier to read. Most of the images look better, but a few did not print well like a low bit jpg, but they aren't too bad. The bibliography has increased in source count. The preface for the 2020 edition states that the two main updates are to the transliteration of English into runes, and to the correspondences, both of these are sections in the appendix. The author mentions here that he has a new book called "Rune-Writing: Our Original Way of Writing and the Key to Learning to Write Modern English in Anglo-Saxon Runes (Runestar, 2020)." I have not read that book so I will have to do so. He has R. I. Page listed as one source, but not Page's "Runes" from a book series called Reading the Past, nor does he have "Rudiments of Runelore" by Stephen Pollington. If anyone here is interested more in the runes as an alphabet and in archaeology, then I highly suggest getting these two books in addition to this book. Long story short to summarize those two books, runes can be written/carved from left to right and right to left, or even upside down, while individual runes can also be flipped/mirrored in words, and rune meanings come from rune poems and archaeological artifacts like magical talismans. I think is essential that people read those two books with this book to have a more complete perspective on runes. In the end though, the 2020 revised edition is improved in almost all ways and I think it was worth buying in addition to the prior edition. Anyone who liked the other editions should like this edition more. Old Review for 2nd Edition: I have used some information sourced from this book for many years though for a variety of projects. Some of the concepts in the book are more modern but it is largely historic. The book has four chapters, the first is a small overview on runes in history, the second chapter is dedicated to each rune in the elder futhark with their meanings and more, the third chapter is about the theory of rune magic which is mostly magic from Norse mythology, and the fourth chapter is meant for the magician to. It's a personal favorite reference book of mine to the runes in relation to Norse magic but it can also be used for rune magic techniques derived from more modern times. Anyone into making bindrunes and/or sigils will find this book useful to refer to frequently, as well those into using runes for divination. Some of the material in the last chapter comes off as questionable so it makes wonder how accurate his sources are but I haven’t been able to reading the books listed in his bibliography yet. It would be nice if he made a revised version of this book, especially as it is 35 years old now, so surely he must have new thoughts since that time regarding magic. Or more ideal would be if he made an entirely new big book that combines all of his previous books on rune magic into one cohesive master book instead of splitting off his ideas across multiple yet very similar books. The book is nice though as a physical object. Well printed on okay paper with a great cover. Margin and font sizes are good and the pictures are clear. Spine and binding quality look great. It's a very attractive book. I'm not fond of the font type used but it's easy to read. The material could have been organized a bit better but it's well enough.

Thorsson is a great resource period. I don't align with some of the practices described in this book but it's a really good read and has a lot of good information and suggestions for anyone who works with runes. In my opinion it is most important to build your own philosophy and structure of use based on what you personally experience and would suggest anyone who is just starting to read a great deal and learn from anyone around you. However, remember that your relationship with the runes is yours. Build it through your own efforts and experiences. Never allow yourself to build expectations based on something you read from someone else. There are the basics, then there is the practice. Make it personal and try everything you can. Some things work well for others that will never work for you. Don't let yourself become frustrated because you read something that someone does that doesn't yield results for you. Thorsson's books are an excellent way to start or build ideas for your own practice. I highly recommend them, KveldulfR Gundarsson's books, and encourage anyone to give Kaedrich Olson's book "Runes for Transformation" a read. Heavy again on the recommendation for "Runes for Transformation".

An in-depth and deep introduction to Runes and how to access their powers. The author gives detailed information from a high level of knowledge and experience. I am excited to put this ancient, powerful knowledge to work.

I have always been intrigued by Runes and I own quite a few sets of them. I bought this book because I wanted a deeper insight into the Runes. I have a basic knowledge of their usage as tools for divination, but I wanted to know some of the deeper aspects. This book would be helpful for anyone interested in Runes, but some basic working knowledge of Runes would probably make this book easier to digest. There's a lot of strange words and information! This book is probably not something to just read casually. But I recommend this to all who feel drawn to the knowledge of the Runes.

What can I say, while it was not the first book written on the Runes in English, it surely set the standard for all future writings thereafter. This is the first of a three book series on Runes. The others are Runelore: A Handbook of Esoteric Runology and Runecaster's Handbook: The Well of Wyrd . In Thorsson’s earlier writings, and Futhark falls under that category, the reader gets an academic quality, albeit, dry writing with historical accuracy; though he does not shy from offering modern ways of approaching the Runes, as he liberally utilizes early 20th century Germanic Rune techniques throughout his book. For the most part Thorsson offers a unique contemporary approach to working with the Runes: everything from numerological Bindrunes, yogic postures and hand gestures, to his protective Hammer Rite. While these and other practices are not directly connected to any ancient Runic practice, they’re still very effective. If that is not what you are seeking, then you might want to look elsewhere. Also, if you are looking for a divination book on Runes this isn't the book for you either. Check out his Runecaster's Handbook: The Well of Wyrd for that. I like Thorsson for his simplicity, clarity, and generally well-rounded approach to working with the Runes. The fact is, if we were going to base our whole Runic Path on what the Eddas and Sagas have to offer us magically, we pretty much would not be doing much. We have to extract what we can from the original sources and then create our own Path that is not only suitable to our time, environment and personality, but that honors and gives respect to our ancestors who’ve tread this Path before us. While we can critic Thorsson’s character and Path, we should at the very least give thanks for his efforts in setting a high bar for all future Runologists. He is a serious individual that knows his stuff, and whose helped solidify a Runic vocabulary that we can utilize in our discussions. Futhark might not be the best book on Runes anymore, but it is still an important read for anyone who wishes to know where many of our Runic practices come from. It is well worth its price. ************ Check out my books Rune Yoga: Staða & Galdr Rune Correspondences by Frodi Ingsson

Good read. Briefly goes into Stödhur, which is what I was looking for.

One of the best interpretations of the Runes. A much more complete view of each rune. Not condensed to a western sound bite. One really has to read each one to grasp the entire use and meaning and Edred Thorsson captures them very well. I've been using this book for many years to help design my Rune Jewelry.... "Raventree Pewter". With great help from this book I weave them until they ring true. Of all my sources this book feels the most on mark.

This book goes much further into the Runes than most, even including exercises tied to the runes. Good stuff.

I would recommend this book as one of the first 'textbooks' for anyone interested in rune magick. I always suggest it to beginners. It explains the history, the process of using runes for magick and divination and also gives some interesting insight into the Norse culture as whole. It's a good book to start your spiritual runic journey with.

Very well written, and the facts are so good to know in my library and a well known study material, great work.

A great book for those who seek information about the runes; specially for begginers

Questo e solo questo sarà il vostro libro di rune. Non sapete l'inglese? ahhhhh beh... allora sono cavoli amari a merenda al posto di quei deliziosi panini sciapi con la nutella che la vostra nonnina vi portava mentre guardavate Holly e Benji.

I bought this as an alternate for Blum's book, and will probably use it as my main book now. The book contains much more information than strict rune interpretations, but I haven't delved into that yet, and may not ever get to that. For me, the descriptions of the rune meanings adheres to their ancient or original meaning, and I was so pleased to read the particular sounds associated with each one (aside from the pronunciation) as well as what can only be described as asanas specific to each. Very cool.