Strix Craft is a deep dive into the world of Ancient Greek magic with a focus on the goddess Hekate and the classical gods. It weaves these ancient Hellenistic practices into modern themes for current witches to be able to put into their practice.

The author has created a system for connecting with and developing a relationship to the ancient gods that is easily accessible and connects the reader to the rich history behind this work. You can quite literally feel the magic within the pages as the author unfolds the history behind the practice.

I enjoyed reading this book. It had numerous valuable points as well as a few sticking points. Let me explain below:

PROS:

For getting started, it gives an overview of what the practice is about including the deities and spirits. this also includes how to set up an alter and shrine as well as gathering tools and herbs for your practice.

The core of the book is the magic and rituals, which you will learn different types: healing magic, erotic magic, binding & hexing, communicating with the dead, and seasonal.


CONS:

Please be advised this is not a beginner’s book as there is blood letting in some rituals and no alternatives given, which feels negligent as there are medical conditions where this could be dangerous.

There is a bit of an issue with some information not being supported or just incorrect (such as the origins of Hekate, the chronology of the deities, and Dionysus’ parentage). So be aware of this as you are reading.

RATING: 3/5 ⭐️

Thanks to Netgalley, publisher and author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you’re interested in working with Hekate this is the book for you. You get everything from beginner practices such as setting up an altar to advanced practices such as hexes.

Thank you to the Publisher and Netgalley for the advanced e-reader copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

I am the first to admit that I don’t know much about the different paths of Witchcraft or Wicca. I am eclectic; in that, I do what the Deities ask me to do. But they don’t require that I follow a specific layout in my worship. Strix Craft helped me understand why some people follow particular standards in their worship of the God/dess they work with and worship.

In chapter one, the author, Oracle Hekataios, goes into detail about the different magics practiced and taught in Ancient Greece, especially in Thessaly. Oracle Hekataios says that the magic in Strix Craft originates from Thessaly.

In Chapter 2, the author talks about “Drawing down the Moon.” The author states that Thessaly’s witches would tell outsiders that drawing down the moon could cause a witch to lose a limb or a family member. Oracle Hekataios states this may have been to keep prying eyes out of the witch’s business. In the chapter’s summary, the author says that “Drawing down the moon” is dangerous. * I admit it took a bit of thinking on why the author made this statement. The only thing that I could come up with some people who are either mentally unwell should not do this without proper training and other supports in place. Someone on an ego power trip can use this to be hurtful to others they see as inferior to them. (* Is my opinion on the statements made by Oracle Hekataios)

I did have a few questions that I wanted to speak with the author about, so I reached out, and he was gracious enough to allow me a phone interview on very short notice. I want to Thank Oracle Hekataios for that opportunity publicly. I appreciate you and your willingness to answer questions.

I had questions about the book’s formatting. All the God/dess names are capitalized, but the words goddess and god were not. Not even when referring to a specific goddess. The Publisher decided this is best. While this one thing does kind of bristle my hair, I understood.

Oracle Hekataios states in Strix Craft on page 174 Strix develops their power through knowing that they are children of Hekate and a manifestation of the god Nyx: god herself. I do not have a working relationship with Nyx, even though I do a prayer at night to the Goddess Nyx. I had not ever heard the creation story of Nyx and her creation of the universe.

I like this book, and it has opened my eyes to a craft I am interested in studying.

In my interview with the author, Oracle Hekataios did tell me that he has taught between 20 and 30 students already and has a living temple where students can learn. Right now, due to Coronavirus, the temple is closed to new students, but they are still in touch online.

https://www.facebook.com/oraclestrix

https://caveoforacle.wordpress.com

https://www.facebook.com/oraclestrix

https://caveoforacle.wordpress.com

Reviewed by Dawn Borries of PaganPages.Org
https://paganpages.org/emagazine/2020/10/09/book-review-strix-craft-by-oracle-hekataios/

I have been pulled to using bits and pieces from a large variety of pantheons in my practice. What pulled me in is that this was about the Greek pantheon! My first two skulls I bought have given me Greek names. I also follow Selene and Herne(Greek Goddess of the moon and Lord of the Hunt). I had been waiting for this book for months!

I am so happy that the author was so knowledgable on the subject. This book discusses the history of Greek witchcraft, deities, setting up altars for various deities, seasonal rituals, and even hexes and curses.

I was curious about this book but I found it a bit confusing and not being a fan of mixing pantheons with different culture I didn't agree with most of the author's idea.
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

This book is an interesting mix of personal gnosis and Greek magic .

What I liked
- a plethora of in text notation makes it easy to understand how the author comes to their ideas and information.

-The tools presented are interesting

- ritual/ spell directions are clearly outlined

- language is gender inclusive in most of the book

What I didn’t care for

- insufficient caution in sharing of a working designed to cause madness If the target does not lay with the caster.

- unclear qualifications on the part of the author to cover some information areas in the way they do without citation of outside resources


Final thoughts

While this was not the book for me those looking to dive into magic from a non magic prospective may enjoy giving this book a read through.

I received an advanced e-copy from Net Galley in exchange for my review.

I read a lot of new age/occult literature and especially am interested in reading about different pagan paths, so when I saw that there was a book on Greek witchcraft I was curious. It is obvious from this book that the author is extremely knowledgeable on the subject. They cover pretty much all the bases for anyone wanting to learn more; it goes over the history of Greek witchcraft, the deities, setting up altars for various deities, seasonal rituals and even hexes and curses. I appreciate that the author reiterates safety and ethics and is inclusive with their language in regards to different sexual identities and gender expressions, rather than using heteronormative and cis-normative language. Even if you don't plan on practicing Greek witchcraft yourself, it is a good introduction to learning about the practice.

If you are of Greek heritage you may find Oracle Hekataios, Strix Craft of interest. I was hoping to learn something new however I found Hekataios’s version of modern Greek magick a little mashed up with many other disciplines. It was also very difficult to get past the first section of this book due the writing. Once you do the reader is rewarded with some pretty good correspondences and interesting rituals.

TRIGGER WARNING: As the front of the book states there is mention of sex magick incorporating bodily fluids. What they failed to mention was the use of magick for rape.

Overall I found this book was in need of some heavy editorial stewardship and more thoughtfulness around who the intended audience would be.

*eArc provided by the publisher and NetGalley

Cultural appropriation at its finest. A self-proclaimed "Hierophant" sells a fantasy to people who are disenchanted with the too much common 'witch' or 'wiccan' - now you can call yourself a strix because a fake "Hierophant" said so.

This book wasn't for me. The first thing that didn't work for me was the author couldn't settle on a consistent voice for the book, or even chapter by chapter. Literally, paragraph to paragraph -- or even sentence to sentence! -- the book shifted between neutral/omniscient academic and first person intimate. That kept pulling me out of the information, because half the time I felt like I was reading a nonfiction text and the other half of the time I felt I was being talked to one-on-one without any clear reason for the switch in voice. The book also assumes an advanced level of proficiency with spiritual craft and specifically with Strix Craft, which puts a novice at a disadvantage and makes the shifts in voice that much more jarring. I also didn't care for the way that the chants were presented on the page, which was sometimes in shoutycaps and sometimes with emphasis on a certain vowel being extended, which just looks awkward on a page ( ARTEMMMMMMMISSSS!) as well as not leaving how to change in the hands of the one performing the ritual. Some chapters felt out of place (particularly the chapter on herbs,) but I couldn't tell you how I'd have preferred to see it organized. There's also the strange issue of providing instructions in how to perform rituals of questionable ethics without taking any accountability for providing that information -- just a caveat of "before you do this ritual, re-read the ethics chapter." That, to me, felt a little irresponsible. There was also a lot of repetition in some of the transcription of rituals. For instance, if 8 rituals begin and end the same way, write out a general "beginning ritual" and "ending ritual" instruction, which you can then use to refer back to, rather than repeating the same text verbatim and distracting from what the meat of the ritual is. Overall, I don't feel like I know a whole lot more about Strix Craft than I did before, which is disappointing, because I truly wanted to like this book more than I did.

I've been looking forward to this books release force while now and I can honestly say I was not disappointed.

Oracle Hekataios is truly insightful and instructive in the ways of witchcraft as well as his knowledge of Hekate and her lore. As a practitioner with an interest in Hekate I was blown away by the sheer vastness of information and care shown throughout this work.

Truly a labor of love.

Would highly recommend it anyone with an interest in working with Hekate.

Note: I requested this book myself via NetGalley to preview it before publication.

This book is focused on a mashup of personal gnosis, Greco-Egyptian practices, and Wicca with a hint of ceremonial magic if you look closely. It may speak to someone else, but it definitely didn't speak to me.

From a mythology standpoint, the book jumps all over and covers whichever gods the author saw fit. Random epithets are listed as though they are gods themselves (or treated as though only every used for one deity, even when there are dozens of deities using the same epithet). The inclusion of "meaning not currently known" epithets and phrases is a combination of sloppy research and careless witchcraft. I could Google definitions on half of the phrases and find an answer on the first page of results, and for the rest? You don't sign contracts in a language you can't read or translate - the same should apply to your magic!

While I found a line here or there interesting, most of the magic was basic or questionable. I don't follow the belief that magic is meant to be black and white, yet even I found some of the rituals included to cross the line of acceptable magic (like making someone go mad if they don't have sex with you). And instead of using any part of the agricultural mysteries already available in ancient Greek practices, the book dabbles in pulling Greek deities into the Wiccan Wheel of the Year. While randomly looking up items presented in the magic portion of this book, I found pieces of Egyptian occultism and Thelema. Those branches of magic aren't any better or worse than others, but they don't align with this being a book of modern Greek magic.

All in all, I was disappointed. Again, this book may speak to someone else, but don't look here for Greek-focused witchcraft. I would suggest integrating Hellenismos practices and rituals into your witchcraft instead; books on Hellenismos might have strong opinions on the use of magic, but at least their mythos and rituals will be solely focused on the gods at hand.

This wonderful resource is both a fascinating read that explores the history of Strix Craft and a modern day practice guide.

The history was presented in a way that made it a breathtaking historical read. I enjoyed the notations and that I actually learned things that went deeper than my surface understanding of Thessaly. In addition to a rich history, there is a lot of information on the principals and ethics of the practice. In the sections on practice, the explanation of tools, shrines, etc was very thorough and the instructions are easy to follow.

There is a chapter on herbs that I found so utterly fascinating as it went beyond what they were and how they are used, and explained the lore in relation to Strix. That attention to detail is throughout the book and makes this so rich. I know I'll have to read it several times to take in all of the information and decide how best to use it on my path.

If you are looking for a guide to Strix Craft or just have an interest Greek history in relation to witches this is a fantastic book that I would recommend.

Sorry for possible English mistakes. This is an fascinating and very interesting modern grimoire. Explanations what is this kind of magic are really insightful and valuable! There is something in this book that sounds very sincere and authentic. Author stands behind his words! Because of spoilers I can't reveal nothing but I can say that one will be intrigued in pleasant way by reading (and possibly practicing which is not a must) this book. Although there are no pictures in the book every picture is described in text it self. Just one thing will be a slight problem for many: it is a advanced grimoire! For ex. text says "now draw the invoking pentagram of air in front of bowl..." or "now recite Orphic hymn" or "say these Words of Power" and so on...so I recommend some books for beginners first, try your luck with "Circles of Power" from J.M. Greer or Middle Pillar from Israel Regardie etc...
Great book, fun to read. Thanks.

As a newcomer to Strix magic, this book was very easy to read. It was highly informative and helpful in determining if this will be the right path for me.

What more could you want than a fantastic book written with a focus on Ancient Greece and working that into your craft or practice. I loved reading this book because I was able to really learn about Greek practices and how to add those into my everyday life. I also love the cover art for this book and think it fits the subject perfectly.

I received an Advanced Reading Copy of this book in exchange for feedback and review.

An interesting delve into a modern revisioning of working with the Greek Pantheon.

What I liked
Notations; there were many, and I like to see that.
The author establishes the history and time which he pulls from.
The terms used in the book are historical.
The tools and equipment used are both interesting and most can be handmade.
Clear instructions on how to perform the rituals and spells.

Minor Annoyances
The author gives opinions at points in the book with little to no context as to why he holds it.
The overall tone of the book suggests this may not be a book for the inexperienced.

The Takeaway
Strix Craft is a book for those looking for something different in their craft. Instead of focusing on the all so typical Hellenic Traditions, the author takes the magic, wonder, and legends of Thessaly and blends them into a modern cohesive whole. Though this book may not be for the average witch, I'd still advise its reading as it brings something diverse to those who would seek to learn and work within a Greco-Roman system. Definitely check it out and add to your TBR.

I read this book quickly as it is very interesting as well as an actual book that takes you from not knowing what Strix ways are. To actually putting together a shrine or other focus and beginning your journey on a very old path. This teaching is refreshing as classical religions are seemingly forgotten IMO in todays Pagan resurgence.
To begin with there are certain correct ways to follow this path. They arent overwhelming or difficult, just a good way to reach the divine, After reading why everything is done in a certain way it made sense! The concept of miasma is explained and why coming to the divine in an uplifting way brings you not only closer to the diety but is something the Divine likes. It was that way for thousands of years. It can be that way again. Strix covers most all you need to know to begin a positive way to approach the Divine. This is a very remarkable and clearly written book. I learned things I have never known before and have not heard from any other author or alternative religious leader. Excellent!