I always enjoyed the fantasy genre ever since I was a kid. From reading the Narnia series by C.S. Lewis, I watched the Disney movies as well as the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and of course I always found the mythology of King Arthur and the wizard Merlin fascinating. Mythology is one of my favourite subjects. I always thought wizards and witches were fictional characters or perhaps just exaggerated tales of people that were passed down from generation to generation. However, there is a darker truth to the latter that you would never suspect. I am also a history enthusiast. This book separates the facts from the fiction and shines light on the recent evidence surrounding them.

I won't spoil it for you but this book explains not only the origins but how the images of the wizards and witches we are familiar with were formed in our minds.

Everything we've been reading in magical fantasy lands is based on real life that goes as far back as the Bronze age, thousands of years ago! Every chapter will give you a "Wow" and an "A-ha!" moment as soon as you discover how everything falls into place and why we do the things we do.

From why we throw coins into fountains to the process of how we kill vampires. It's all there.

Although this is mostly Eurocentric, it is well researched, and an enjoyable read. If you like fantasy and history, you will love this book. I highly recommend.

“The Origins of Wizards, Witches, and Fairies” grabbed my attention primarily due to my fascination of Witches. I was a bit weary because I have a fear and somewhat understanding about fairies. It presented great themes on the origins of folklore such as preserving oral history. I did not expect itself to be very analytical with historical accuracy, you could tell Simon Webb did his research. At the same time, the writing isn’t dense. I didn’t find myself dredging through the pages. The non-fiction work shows how media and religion has influenced our perspectives of said folklore. While reading I could see connections that I would love to incorporate into the different schools of literary analysis. To be honest it wasn’t what I expected but it did not blow me out of the water. I thoroughly enjoyed Webb’s well written research.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

An engaging and highly enjoyable book about the history of where the stories of Witches, Wizards and Fairies originate from.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this, it's super easy to read, and it's not bulky or heavy like some history books can be it's got great pacing and I love how it's set out making it easy to dip in at any time.
It's enlighting and thought provokojgn, all those myths and legends we all know about Witches and Faires are examined and you get a real insight of where these stories come from and why.
Overall, a great book!

Fascinating subject matter! I was concerned this might be a bit dry and textbookish, however it was very informative while still being readable. Popular culture references are peppered throughout and keep the reader engaged. Drawing on folklore and history, including archaeological findings, we find the origins of many modern notions regarding wizards, witches, and fairies.

I started this book thinking it would delve into the origins of folklore however it comes across as more of a comparison of fantasy fictional characters.

If I had been expecting a book on how authors developed characters by adapting mythology to their story then I would have enjoyed this book.

Because I went into this expecting something different my enjoyment of it was impacted. It’s an interesting read but not as described.

I received an arc of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I would have it a weak 4, closer to a 3.75. As someone who has not delved too deeply into the sociological or historical origins of Witches, Wizards and Fairies this book was a delight. I loved who it was structured and lead me through the different paths that we could have come to our current mythological ideals of the three. There are numerous reference points, both historical and modern and across media forms. It’s not going to be a heavy research topic, but for anyone who is interested in it, it is a quick engaging read I would recommend to anyone who likes to think about myths, storytelling history, and cultural impact. Thank you to NetGalley and Pen & Sword History for the copy of this book.

A great compilation of research into the history of many magical beings. . Great book for reference espically if you are writing a book based on these magical beings.

After reading this book, which is filled with plenty of knowledge and facts, I still do not feel like the author really ever told me what the origins were. Not something I would recommend.

A wonderful compilation of research into the history of many magickal beings. Very interesting and enriching to my understanding of these beings. Definitely a good addition to my reference library!

2.5 stars

DNF @32%

There is some interesting information in this book, but it is presented in a way that is far too wordy and circular to be engaging. It reads like a thesis. I often found myself skimming to see if the author would eventually get to the point. I wasn't expecting a novel, but I was expecting something that wouldn't be a chore to read. There were bits that I enjoyed, but I keep on procrastinating opening it back up again, and it's time to just let it die.

This is a book full of fun details from both myth and archeology about wizards, witches, and fairies. This is a subject that I love and am always trying to learn new stuff about this area. Learning not just stuff from the myths, but the actual facts from archeology is what sets this book apart!

What a great read, Simon Webb gives a wonderful overview of the origins of the stories spread over time and the steadfastness of the oral traditions handed down over the centuries. I enjoyed the writing style which has a light hand. Very enjoyable. My thanks to Netgalley, the publishers and the Author for an ARC of this vital and refreshing book.

Reading about the origin of anything fascinates me but the origins of the idea of wizards, witches and fairies, I couldn't resist. The origins of why we throw coins into fountains, the number 3 that pops up everywhere, the aesthetics of how we view a wizard (long white beard) or a witch (pointy hats and brooms) are just a few items discussed.

I really enjoyed and also was horrified by a lot of the stories of witches or should I write "witches". Women and men that were unfortunate enough to be around when cattle got sick or crops died. Wow, people are still pretty weird but they don't blame people for that just cause they stood near them, right?

This is a great source of information and history on where our modem traditions and visuals derived from and the evolution and religious impact throughout.

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟💫

Thank you Pen and Sword Books and @netgalley for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.

Thank you, NetGalley, Simon Webb, and Pen & Sword Publishing for the opportunity to read this book. It releases, today, January 30th, 2022.

I was so excited to dive into this non-fiction book, The Origins of Wizards, Witches, and Fairies by Simon Webb. I studied history in college and I loved studying the structure of different cultures which usually revolved around religion and the belief system. So I took many classes on Fairytales, Folklore, and Mythology and it never felt like enough. It is something that I am still fascinated by all these years later after graduating. My focus was on European history and one of the things that always drew my attention was the Witch Hunts. So when I was given this book, I thought this book would dive into the societal behaviors that led to stereotypes and lore that we associate with wizards, witches, and fairies today. Unfortunately, this book does not go into that. It focuses on media and how wizards, witches, and fairies are presented in the media.

One example that is brought up a lot is Gandalf from Lord of the Rings. One would think I would be overjoyed, as Tolkien’s Legendarium is one of my favorites…but the author didn’t fully grasp Tolkien’s invented history. In fact, there were actually many spelling errors when referring to the Maiar and Numenor. Then there is a reference to Game of Thrones…the show. But before the show, there were books and I felt that his argument would have been better had he referred to A Song of Ice and Fire, rather than the TV show that it is based on.

I did like the mention of Boudica. But again, even the history was very surface level. I felt that the “origins” concept was actually never answered. The structure felt very unorganized and repetitive. There was way too much focus on stereotypical objects like cauldrons, wands, and wide-brimmed, pointed hats. Again, the book barely skimmed the surface and was not at all what I was anticipating. Great cover, though! Overall, I rate this book 2 out of 5 stars.

This book is very intriguing. It is a very comprehensive guide to the creatures in a hidden realm. Learn about the origins of wizards, witches, and fairies. This book is very engaging and hard to put down. I was very interested in the witches and the fairies, although the wizards are quite fascinating. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I definitely recommend to all who are curious about the origins of witches, wizards, and fairies.

Thank you to netgalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to have access to an eARC for this book in return for an honest review.

Apologies for taking so long with the feedback.

This was a great book with theory and concepts that got my brain thinking, this is very good for people who read a lot of fantasy books to think about the o origin of these stories.

If you've ever wondered why we think things like Gandalf's pointed, floppy-brimmed hat in LOTR or why fairies are live under the hill and come out to steal milk and produce are "just how things are", Simon Webb's book on the origin of our contemporary knowledge of wizards, witches and fairies is a wonderful summary of why we think the things we think.

Drawing on resources from archeology, ancient cave paintings and oral traditions, this book traces the origins of many of the things we, in 21st century life, have assimilated as part of a general cultural knowledge. I particularly enjoyed the tracing of the Merlin/Gandalf story back in time through Odin, as well as fast-forwarding to our current view of Santa Claus and St. Nicholas. Most of the preconceptions we have about what a wizard looks like, or what powers a witch has are rooted in centuries, even millenium-old traditions and stories, many of which have a base in historical fact. I also have a fascination with bog bodies, so the tie-ins to ritual sacrifices and how these traditions were tied into the beliefs of various cultures from Celtic to Indo-Europeans was of particular interest to me. I had a lot of "aha!" moments throughout the book and stopped to read my husband passages that resonanted really strongly with me.

My one criticism of the book is that the book felt a bit disorganized. I felt that there was a lot of jumping around to different topics, rather than carrying through one concept from start to finish in terms of an historical perspective. I wound up having to bookmark and reference back to a few sections, just to pick up the narrative thread.

I can see this book having a strong appeal for readers who want to know more about the origins of some of their favorite contemporary fantasy characters, as well as those who appear throughout literature of the past, including fairy tales and even casual superstitions like throwing coins into a fountain that continues today.

I was intrigued and curious indeed when I saw this book. After I read it, I thought that it somewhat reminded me of The Great Cat Massacre by R. Darnton, especially the bit about the fairy tales and reasons behind it. It's a fogotten real truth and face of those modernized fairy tales everybody seem to love!
The topic is really interested indeed, although I haven't learned much new from this book. However I do like the ties with most recent movies and events, which just shows how this topic is still relevant these days.
I do have to say, that at times book feels somewhat repetative, which can be both annoying and a good thing, as it's easier to remember the things from previous chapters in order to tie them all in. However, I would prefer it be less repetative. I am glad to see the various examples from all over the Europe, particularly Baltic states, which tend to be often forgotten. This being said, the appendix "The Magical Year" looks a bit rushed. If it would have been specifies that it is solely based on Western, more like British Isles traditions, it would be easier to pass as such. Except that it isn't. It briefly mentions other countries and regions for comparisons on random dates and somehow forgets Summer Solstice traditions in most of the Europe, especially Eastern and North-Eastern side of it, where it is actually a very big thing and has interesting ties with folklore...
Despite all of this, I think this book is good introduction to the topic for the people who are entirely unfamiliar with it, it is well written, easy to read, is well paced and keeps reader's interest.

The Origins of Wizards, Witches, and Fairies by Simon Webb is a nonfiction book about the historical and cultural origins of wizards, witches, and fairies and how these ideas have changed over time. I received an early copy through the publisher on NetGalley. I was interested in this book because I've never read about this aspect of history. It was well written and explored how stories change but at times it did feel like the same information was being repeated. I also would have preferred the images to be in the text instead of just in the back. However, I do feel like any with an interest in folklore and magic would enjoy this book.

3.5 stars for enjoyment

I am to read more nonfiction this year and Occult is definetely one of my interests. I love it in fiction and I am fascinated by its manifestations in "real life."

My fascination with the magical and folkish side of the occult and supernatural has been a part of me for as long as I can remember and Simon Webb's The Origins of Wizards, Witches and Fairies was amazing. The cover is absolutely stunning and I enjoyed how the chapters were separated and it will definitely be one of those coffee table / conversation starters for likeminded friends.

I do wish it had more illustrations and that more global magical folk had been represented.

Disclaimer: In exchange for an honest review, I am thankful to Pen & Sword History, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of The Origins of Wizards, Witches and Fairies.