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Post by Craig Herbertson on Nov 3, 2011 11:59:42 GMT
Thought I'd add a critique of Moonchild recently acquired from our noble and anonymous benefactor. This is in response to David's recent comments about Crowley, essentially that his novels are difficult because he seems to be unable to resist showing off. Spot on David. It's very had to finish an Aleister Crowley novel for the reason you suggest and Moonchild is no exception. This despite it being stylistically very very modern for a novel finished in 1917. The plot: Set in WW1 a young woman named Lisa la Giuffria is seduced by a white magician, Cyril Grey, and persuaded to help him in a battle with a black magician. Grey attempts to raise the level of his magical energies by impregnating the girl with the soul of an ethereal being — the moonchild. Douglas (the black magician or here you can read someone who Crowley fell out with) is bent on thwarting Grey. (perfectly portrayed by our very own Charles Gray in 'The Devil Rides Out') However, Grey's ultimate motives may be more covert than we originally expected. War breaks out, and the white magicians including Crowley support the Allies, while the black magicians, somewhat in line with expectation, support the baddies. That's it really. Crowley is not content with being the only hero of this tale; he has to add another younger Crowley too - we end up with the mature magician who follows a passive, do nothing role, with the more active magician who attempts to turn beans into magic beanstalks and generally provokes some other magician to send something ethereal and nasty though the window or under the door. The characters seem mostly drawn from life and the Sphere edition provides good clues to their identities. You get the impression that the women would have offered up some cracking partners at orgies but the price you'd pay for the fun might be more than you'd care to offer. All in all David is right. I think if I'd ever met Crowley I would have been a) extremely frightened of his powers b) utterly in awe of his intellect c) extremely bored by his egotistic pontifications Its difficult to read Moonchild without being impressed and at the same time without thinking that you want to read something else instead. |
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Post by David A. Riley on Nov 3, 2011 12:43:20 GMT
Thought I'd add a critique of Moonchild recently acquired from our noble and anonymous benefactor. This is in response to David's recent comments about Crowley, essentially that his novels are difficult because he seems to be unable to resist showing off. Spot on David. It's very had to finish an Aleister Crowley novel for the reason you suggest and Moonchild is no exception. This despite it being stylistically very very modern for a novel finished in 1917. The plot: Set in WW1 a young woman named Lisa la Giuffria is seduced by a white magician, Cyril Grey, and persuaded to help him in a battle with a black magician. Grey attempts to raise the level of his magical energies by impregnating the girl with the soul of an ethereal being — the moonchild. Douglas (the black magician or here you can read someone who Crowley fell out with) is bent on thwarting Grey. (perfectly portrayed by our very own Charles Gray in 'The Devil Rides Out') However, Grey's ultimate motives may be more covert than we originally expected. War breaks out, and the white magicians including Crowley support the Allies, while the black magicians, somewhat in line with expectation, support the baddies. That's it really. Crowley is not content with being the only hero of this tale; he has to add another younger Crowley too - we end up with the mature magician who follows a passive, do nothing role, with the more active magician who attempts to turn beans into magic beanstalks and generally provokes some other magician to send something ethereal and nasty though the window or under the door. The characters seem mostly drawn from life and the Sphere edition provides good clues to their identities. You get the impression that the women would have offered up some cracking partners at orgies but the price you'd pay for the fun might be more than you'd care to offer. All in all David is right. I think if I'd ever met Crowley I would have been a) extremely frightened of his powers b) utterly in awe of his intellect c) extremely bored by his egotistic pontifications Its difficult to read Moonchild without being impressed and at the same time without thinking that you want to read something else instead. Moonchild's the novel I tried to read. I really, really did try hard to finish it - and it's still there on my bedside table, along with others on my tbr pile - but it was like trying to pull your own teeth. I think, Craig, I completely agree with your abc list, especially c! |
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Post by Craig Herbertson on Nov 3, 2011 13:37:50 GMT
Moonchild's the novel I tried to read. I really, really did try hard to finish it - and it's still there on my bedside table, along with others on my tbr pile - but it was like trying to pull your own teeth. I think, Craig, I completely agree with your abc list, especially c! If its any consolation I read it years ago and am still trying to finish it again.... I get through another paragraph and then start reaching for other novels....  |
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Post by andydecker on Nov 4, 2011 10:36:24 GMT
(perfectly portrayed by our very own Charles Gray in 'The Devil Rides Out') I think if I'd ever met Crowley I would have been a) extremely frightened of his powers b) utterly in awe of his intellect c) extremely bored by his egotistic pontifications It is really interesting how this man influenced the pop-culture and still does. After watching The Cambridge Spies earlier this year I wonder why there never was a biopic about him. It would have all, intrigue, lot of traveling, sex, black masses and even the secret service if you believe the bit about him working for MI6 or wahtever it was called back then. |
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Post by jamesdoig on Nov 4, 2011 11:09:17 GMT
Picked up these the other day and must read The Devil Rides Out for the Crowley connection.   |
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Post by Dr Strange on Nov 4, 2011 13:13:17 GMT
It is really interesting how this man influenced the pop-culture and still does. After watching The Cambridge Spies earlier this year I wonder why there never was a biopic about him. There was some talk of a Crowley biopic directed by Nicolas Winding Refn - the guy who directed Valhalla Rising. |
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Post by Shrink Proof on Nov 4, 2011 15:59:18 GMT
I think if I'd ever met Crowley I would have been a) extremely frightened of his powers b) utterly in awe of his intellect c) extremely bored by his egotistic pontifications Hmmm. Having ploughed through "Moonchild" as well as "The Book of Lies" (pretty much the nearest thing I can imagine to reading cement) I have to disagree, at least in part. Admittedly highly intelligent, I reckon that if I'd met him I would have been both irritated & exhausted at being forced into playing head games with a very highly manipulative and almost terminally narcissistic sociopath. But then, I'm a shrink.... |
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Post by Craig Herbertson on Nov 4, 2011 23:02:23 GMT
I think if I'd ever met Crowley I would have been a) extremely frightened of his powers b) utterly in awe of his intellect c) extremely bored by his egotistic pontifications Hmmm. Having ploughed through "Moonchild" as well as "The Book of Lies" (pretty much the nearest thing I can imagine to reading cement) I have to disagree, at least in part. Admittedly highly intelligent, I reckon that if I'd met him I would have been both irritated & exhausted at being forced into playing head games with a very highly manipulative and almost terminally narcissistic sociopath. But then, I'm a shrink.... I've recommended his Hagiography here before. He was an undeniably interesting bloke with many many talents; at once ahead of his time and trapped by its conventions. The best example I can think that portrays this is his poetry which he thought was far better than his contemporary Yeats. Crowley can scan well poetically but still uses thee and thou and over complicates the whole thing as compared to Yeats who feels fully modern and eternal as opposed to Crowley trapped in his mystical robes and chicanery. One thing he certainly did was inspire others to transcend themselves. No artist who came near him did anything creditable without him and as an example of this look at the beautiful tarot pack he commissioned. I disagree about the Book of Lies though. I think its easily his best work, dictated ad hoc to some disciple. He was indeed a born manipulator. |
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Post by noose on Nov 4, 2011 23:29:31 GMT
I was always more of a fan of the biographies of him than his actual writings...  |
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Post by Dr Strange on Nov 5, 2011 14:36:25 GMT
I was always more of a fan of the biographies of him than his actual writings... Ditto that, but many of those also suffer badly from being written by Crowley disciples. I've lost count how many I've read, but it's at least three (and could be four or five). I did read both Diary of a Drug Fiend and Moonchild many years ago - I managed to finish both, but wasn't much impressed. As for his "occult teachings" - a mixture of meaningless drivel and the bleeding obvious, but with just enough humour and shock value to appeal to the latent anarchist that probably lurks in most of us. I have no idea what I would have made of the man if I'd lived in his time - certainly not everyone was very impressed (or shocked) by him - but it was such a different time, and I don't suppose the person I am really could have existed back then anyway. Could that Crowley exist today? Maybe... but he'd have to put up with relentless piss-taking from stand-up comedians on TV, and professional skeptics challenging him to prove his claims of "magickal powers" - assuming that his antics would even make it into the press nowadays, which I doubt (far too many genuinely monstrous individuals in the spotlight for him to compete with). |
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Post by Jojo Lapin X on Nov 5, 2011 18:40:53 GMT
I remember Francis King's biography, THE MAGICAL WORLD OF ALEISTER CROWLEY, as hilariously funny (intentionally so).
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Post by Dr Strange on Nov 14, 2011 9:13:10 GMT
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Post by pateris on Aug 9, 2016 11:57:35 GMT
Crowley does appear in the dreadful movie "Chemical Wedding"… And of course, he is the obvious inspiration for Robert Rankin's self-styled guru Hugo Rune, The Most Amazing Man Who Ever Lived !  |
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Post by Dr Strange on Aug 9, 2016 15:22:51 GMT
Crowley does appear in the dreadful movie "Chemical Wedding"… God yes - awful, awful film. Played by Simon Callow, who's usually a sure bet you'll get something at least watchable. On the other hand, screenplay by Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden... |
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Post by andydecker on Aug 9, 2016 18:44:50 GMT
Crowley does appear in the dreadful movie "Chemical Wedding"… God yes - awful, awful film. Played by Simon Callow, who's usually a sure bet you'll get something at least watchable. On the other hand, screenplay by Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden... I have seen worse  Well, it didn't work, but some parts I liked. At least it tried something different. |
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Well, it didn't work, but some parts I liked. At least it tried something different.