A Dictionary of Angels: Including the Fallen Angels Paperback – October 1, 1994

This is an incredible compendium of Angels. It includes the names and descriptions of Angels mentioned in various religious scriptures and literary works. Ranging from the Holy Bible to the Grimoires. So this book may not be for people with religious sensitivities. Most of its sources are unorthodox writings. As Gustav Davidson states in the introduction, “At first I thought that angels, named angels, were to be found only in the Bible. I soon learned that, on the contrary, the Bible is the last place to look for them” (P.IX). The author always cites the source from where he obtained the information about the angel or angel-related topic he is talking about. For the most part the information is accurate, but it does have its errors. As another reviewer has mentioned, there are mistakes in the Scriptural citations in the introduction. Another example of a mistake is found on page xvii of the introduction that reads as follows: “When Paul was caught up in the 3rd Heaven, he encountered there ‘angels of evil, terrible and without pity carrying savage weapons’.” It gives the impression that this quote is attributable to the apostle Paul, but it is not so. Although, a similar idea can be found in the Visio Pauli. However, it is actually closer to what is found in W.R. Morfill’s translation of The book of the secrets of Enoch (2nd Enoch), Chapter X verse 3. If anything, it should be attributed to Enochic tradition. Davidson also errs when he lists the term “Membra”, the actual spelling is Memra, which is the Aramaic term for Word. The illustrations and pictures of works of art depicting Angels are well selected. Although I wish all the Illustrations from Thomas Heywood's Hierarchie of the Blessed Angels had been included instead of just a few. Despite, the small errors that are found in the book, it is still an awesome resource. And one more thing about this book, it was featured in the film "The Prophecy" starring Christopher Walken.

As some reviewers have complained about (and shame on them - this book's description makes no claim to be such a thing), this book is not specifically for one religion or another. It is a compilation of angel lore from many religions - both poly- and monotheistic. The introduction is an absolutely integral and necessary part of the reader's experience in understanding the book and the author's journey to completing it. As he states plainly, the Bible does not name angels, save but for two, so it is necessary in the journey to understanding angel lore to travel outside the box of a specific religion to create such a profound anthology. The angels' stories date back further than most currently existing religions, so, yes, there are hints to the polytheistic cultures that predate Judeo-Christian thought. This book is *not* for the devout who does not believe in opening the mind to other culture or religious belief systems. It is for those intrigued by the stories, lore, and history of angels - not as a guide to whom one should pray to for intercession, as in the way of strict catholicism. The appendix does contain sigils, charts, pacts, and "spells" - not as a way of enticing the reader to set aside their faith for a new one, but for historical education, as he himself was a Christian. The book is organized and presented well, but must be read from page one to fully understand the dictionary's entries, especially when coming from a single-religion knowledge background.

The Author did a fantastic job compiling all this information. Gustav also has a really nice writing style. Overall, I'm very please with this purchase. The only complaint I have is with how it arrived.I believe paperbacks should always be shipped in book sized boxes to keep them safe, and this was shipped to me in a typical Amazon plastic bag. This was obviously a warehouse issue, and with my love of books, an obnoxious one at that. The price being low; before shipping, helped keep me neutral, but it's really a shame that more care isn't taken when people are handling paperbacks.

This reference work features an alphabetical listing of different angels from throughout history and across a number of cultures. It discusses how they got their names and what those names mean, what their realms or powers are, and whether or not they are helpful to people or are celestial angels which do not trouble themselves with human concerns. I approach this work with a background in anthropology instead of from a believer's point of view, so I am quite interested in how angels are perceived across cultures and epochs. There are a lot of angels to consider herein, including Lucifer and the Fallen Angels, and there is a lot of information about angel lore, like magic amulets that convey angelic powers to their holder and so forth. It is a good reference work, but I wished it included more stories about angels rather than the rather basic information that is presented herein. A different work, I suppose.If you're running a game world such as Dungeons and Dragons and want to include angels in your adventures, this is a great reference to work from. There are hundreds and hundreds of angels here to choose from, with all sorts of powers, and you can introduce them as allies, enemies or neutral parties and watch the fun as your players slowly come to realize this individual is an angel.

Great encyclopedic reference on the subject of angels. A side table book for easy reference for art, literature and Bible study. A complete dictionary reference on the orders of angels from various faiths.