This is by far the worst book I have ever read on the craft. With such falsities as wicca being an ancient matriachal religion, and that wicca is goddess based, it is a wonder this hasn’t gotten worse reviews. I have read books by this author before and enjoyed them, but if you are looking for a good book about wicca I would suggest Cunningham’s guide for a solitary practitioner. When you get past the intorduction about the craft and get into the rest of the book, such as nature spirits and other invisible helpers, and the book of spells the content is more barible, but not deffinatly not worth the price of this book. If you are still interested take a trip to you local book store and read a few sections before you buy it. I wish I would have.
Rating: 1 / 5

This book gives an introduction to a broad range of topics. The explanations are complete enough to provide a basic understanding of the topic, without being completely overwhelming. That said, it is not a good teaching tool by itself (I have a Bachelors in Music Education and have taught school K – 12, so I do have some expertise in this area). It seems as if would make a good reference guide, but as a book, it’s rather, well, boring. I have little experience with Wicca, so I am not qualified to comment on the factual aspects of the book, but most of what Conway says fits in fairly well with the few other books I have read on the subject; however, certain other aspects of the book cast doubt upon her reliability.

Her historical accuracy, for instance, leaves much to be desired. I am no historian, but many of the assertions the author makes prove to be untrue. For one example, she claims that all truly ancient civilizations were matriachies, but then evil patriarchies invaded and wiped those civilizations from history. To support this, she cites the work of Johann Jakob Bachofen. Bachofen was a sociologist/anthropologist who lived and worked in the nineteenth century, before the debut of modern anthropological tools and methods, and his work has since been refuted or debunked. Nevertheless, Conway uses him as the basis for some of her claims. This is analagous to claiming that the sun revolves around the earth on the basis that Aristotle believed it. This level of stretching for facts is the rule rather than the exception, at least in the historical section. The academic research in this book is a complete joke.

This writing is also strongly biased against men in general and Christianity in particular. In her chapter, “The History of Wicca”, she writes that patriarchy – and by extension, men – are responsible for all the ills of society in the entire history of the human race.

When Christianity enters the picture, the book leaves Wicca entirely to spend most of the rest of the chapter blasting Christianity, a theme that continues throughout the rest of the book. This book will take any chance imaginable to blast Christianity – and only Christianity. It is clearly not horribly opposed to monotheism in general; in fact it avoids the subjects of Judaism, Zoroastrianism, and Islam completely. Instead, it says such things as, “The deities and ideas of any ancient culture except Christianity can be grafted onto Wicca, thus forming a legitimate form of Witchcraft.” The book only ever refers to Christianity negatively, and never makes any other reference to other monotheistic faiths.

Let me make it clear here that I am not a Christian, and that I bear the religion no love. It has caused more damage in my life than all other influences combined. Nevertheless, a bias like one shown by this book has no place in what claims to be an instructional guide for beginners.

To the author’s credit, she states at the beginning that this book reflects only her opinions of Wicca, and that other Witches will have differing opinions. However, while allowing for more flexibility than a book that claims to be complete, undeniable fact, this only grants a certain degree of latitude in the things that can be claimed without falling into the territory of academic dishonesty, and that is this book’s major failing.

In summary, this book has some good points, but there are better to be had for twenty bucks.
Rating: 1 / 5

I believe the author, D. J. Conway has gotten a bad rap given some of the material she’s put out in recent years. There were only two books by this author that I really wasn’t disappointed in. Moon Magick and The Ancient Shining Ones. I am glad that Wicca, The Complete Craft is another one I can add on my shelf and not feel silly about. Even if one DOES dance with dragons, it’s not something that should be written about if you ask me…but then that’s my opinion.

Wicca, The Complete Craft really IS comprehensive. The chapters are broken down in a formula of ascending importance. I found some of her references a bit frustrating because she doesn’t list page numbers. While I found the material in this book digestible in theory and practice, I cannot in truth say if all her references are intact. That will take a bit of research on my part or on the part of any other serious practioner that doesn’t want get caught in an ‘oops!!’ situation in quoting something that doesn’t exist. Believe me, it’s happened. There are no listed references for any of the stones or herbal correspondences, though most are well known enough that it no longer matters. Still, one would like to know just whom the author patronized for knowledge when SHE was learning enough to fill a book this size with. To be honest, though, I would recommend this book long before I would some of the other more popular books by authors who think ALL children should be measured by the manners, maturity, and aptitude their own children may possess. I agree with Ms. Conway that to teach teenagers magick cannot be ethical because most lack the emotional maturity to make sound decisions involving the practice of good manners let alone the practice of magick.

A good all around reference guide, but by no means the be all and end all to Wicca or Witchcraft reference. Worth the money.
Rating: 5 / 5