Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I wanted to like this book. Actually, I'd planned on loving it. I was happy to support this independent publisher of esoteric works, and hoping to support them continually down the road. The final product however is so convoluted, so problematic, superficial and downright juvenile that I feel I have to speak up. There are versions of _The Red Goddess_ selling for over a thousand dollars, and I'm hoping that anyone considering such a purchase knows what they are getting. For the first third of the book I kept an open mind, considering that possibly the book was just lacking a proper editor (which it is). The second third of the book left me feeling that the book was also in need of a co-author of any kind, particularly one with an actual scholarly background. The last third of the book assured me that this is the work of a person who was not ready to write a book of any kind. Early on, Grey explains the figure of Babalon and traces her historical roots. Parts of this section were genuinely interesting, but the author's voice was distractingly imbecilic. After a while I got the feeling that he was attempting to mimic someone such as Robert Anton Wilson or Lon Milo DuQuette - incredibly intelligent and well-read authors who have the rare ability to break down huge thoughts very simply. To put it delicately, Grey is not a Wilson or a DuQuette. To be fair, very few are. Grey fails this spectacularly, repeatedly finding new ways to repeat his defensive mantra of "if you don't agree, you should put this book down right now." He finds ways to shoehorn jarring slang into nearly every sentence. I understand that he is writing about a powerful, violent and sexual goddess and it makes sense that he might see fit to approach the subject matter in a fitting manner. Ultimately Grey does not have the literary chops to pull off this trick, and it becomes an overbearing distraction rather than a means of pulling a reader in. Around halfway through the book it becomes obvious that Grey is writing as a male for an entirely male audience (and a male raised in a Christian household, at that). He writes about Babalon as a goddess, and tells you how all "whores" are her priestesses. He writes about the seductive power of women without apparently ever speaking to a woman to ask her perspective. Grey commits the magical offense of taking everything at face value - mistaking the exoteric for the esoteric. He writes about "strippers" and "whores" as though they are the one and same. He attempts to deify those working in the sex industry, ignoring the fact that they are human beings - women doing a job. He fails to realize that their existence does not end with the title he gives them, and they do not hold this job because they want to see him aroused or receive orgasms from him. I fail to see how Grey has the ability to connect with a harlot goddess if he has not considered the mindset of the women he considers to embody her. Babalon is apparently a superficial goddess, so you should put lipstick and a mirror on your altar to honor her. Is this really as deep as your goddess goes, or are you missing out on something? It is telling when, on page 178 he mentions that Babalon is "utterly other. She is quintessentially foreign to us... It is as if we are seeing Woman for the first time." Grey criticizes Crowley for being "macho" and "chauvinistic," but that is precisely what his writings and beliefs come across as. He ignores woman as human beings, asks nothing of their perspective. He places them on a pedestal as a monumental "other" based solely on their sexual appearance and never once considers their thoughts, feelings or goals. For an author intent on telling us repeatedly to force ourselves outside of our own point of view, he has failed miserably. This work is misogynistic in the worst way - the man who thinks he is championing women but instead forces upon them his idea of what they should be. He criticizes feminism yet would do well to actually read some feminist theory if he is to approach this goddess figure - he seems to be under the impression that feminism is anti-sexuality. While praising different types of sexuality, we are told that sodomy and cunnilingus are masochistic acts. He tells us outright that "balls" are power when addressing eunuchs on page 25: "I prefer magick with the balls to push shaft deep in the crimson pedals of the Goddess." Are you kidding? This is a book written entirely without checks and balances., by an author in need of many. Finally the author addresses women directly. His advice to them if they wish to follow the Red Goddess? Be beautiful and wear lipstick. And... well, that's it, really. It's very much like an incredibly dumbed-down version of Anton LaVey's flawed "Satanic Witch." Sex is magic(k), so if you are sexy you will get what you want out of life. Ta-da! Grey attempts to spread his witticisms regarding modern society, with brief chapters on the subjects of the Internet, drugs, bondage and sexuality. Unfortunately he is not at all well read on these subjects, and therefore has dedicated these chapters to some incredibly base statements that are anything but enlightening. Any second year art student has done more research into the subjects of the Internet's affect on society and sexuality, gender, power, transgression and social dynamics. Grey's attempts are embarrassing. There are a few moments when Grey attempts to give practical advice on magical ritual. These are tentative at best, with no actual information given regarding practice or application. Sex is transcendent and magical. Sex is the big secret. Ignore the fact that P.B. Randolph, the Hermetic Brotherhood of Luxor, Crowley, Gardner and so many others have already "revealed" this secret millions of times over. Grey contributes nothing new. All sex is holy, so if you have sex, you're working magick. The end. A vapid dead end. If you have had sex, you have achieved gnosis. And just so you know, the author has sure had a lot of sex. Grey regularly contradicts himself, often on the same page. This is not an intentional, paradigm-shifting contradiction. He praises sex workers, but then repeatedly criticizes the "porn and permissiveness" of modern society. He will tell you to use your superficial Babalonian mirror to cut up aphrodisiacs, tell you the ways to use cocaine for spiritual sex, but then blow people off for being "coked up." This is a book full of juvenile humor, stunted spirituality, insensitivity, accidental sexism and macho sex slang. In an attempt to be shocking, Grey has actually done nothing but maintain the status quo. Since when is this the role of a magician? This is not the absolute worst book I have ever read, but it is definitely the most disappointing book I have ever read. There are small kernels of worthwhile information, but in the end I have to seek out other books to do further research on those. I was so thrilled to support Scarlet Imprint, but this (and a few other experiences) have brought me to the conclusion that their approach, much like this book, is entirely superficial. If you take a terribly written and researched book and package it beautifully, it must be talismanic. Just put some lipstick on it. This is unaware fetishism of the highest order. I can't imagine paying over a thousand dollars for a book with a gorgeous cover, only to find myself reading a chapter about Jack Parsons (basically a poorly edited version of John Carter's _Sex and Rockets_) entitled "Jumping Jack Flash." When L. Ron Hubbard enters the picture, the sub-chapter is entitled "Da Doo Ron Ron Ron." I am not kidding. What if women's thoughts and feelings were as important as their appearance? What if there was more to sex magick than just saying your sex is magickal? What would happen if the time, effort and attention dedicated to the covers of these books was instead dedicated to the interior?