Please take note that the version of Wicca 404: Advanced Goddess Thealogy now available through this page has dramatically increased in size since its original 64 page First Edition referenced in the Bob James review below. This 104 page NEW EXPANDED EDITION includes a revealing, in-depth interview with author Esra Free, conducted by the editor of The Wiccan-Pagan Times, a premier on-line destination for insightful and informative Wiccan, Pagan and otherwise Magickal book reviews, articles and in-depth author interviews, located on the Web at www.twpt.com. Thank you! The Editors, New Paradigm Press

Esra Free's Wicca 404 - Advanced Goddess Thealogy is a small book (just 64 pages) that explores the cosmology of Wicca. Or more accurately, it explores cosmology from the Wiccan perspective. It is a much-needed book right now, and the major problem I have with it is that it's too short.

The opening paragraph to the book sets the tone, informing the reader that the book contains "no spells, no rituals, and not one word about the Wheel of the Year or ritual tools." Free makes good on that claim, as the rest of the book steers determinedly into an examination of such questions as "What is nature of Divinty?" Chapters include discussions of Wicca as a Nature religion, as opposed to an Earth religion, and why that difference is significant. There is a particularly interesting chapter on the concept of the egregore and how it relates to Goddess-forms. Another chapter tackles why Wiccans seem to have a problem with properly approaching the God and giving Him the same kind of fleshing out that the Goddess has received in our studies.

There are some flaws that show through in the book. The first is Free's writing style; her sentences are simply too long, and she clearly could have benefitted from the services of a good editor. There are places where the sentence you've just read has to be re-read to understand the meaning of the whole, due to the sentence structure and length. Another flaw is the appearance of Free's obvious negative experiences with Traditional Wiccans, exhibited in the chapter on Eclecticism. Her definition of "fluffy bunny" in the chapter exploring the Rede is off as well. She apparently believes the term is applied by some Wiccans against those who adhere closely to the "harm none" clause; I believe that Free's take on this is incorrect.

The only other complaints I have with the book are that it doesn't explore the subjects presented far enough, and that Free doesn't cite her source material enough. For example, Chapter 4 (Egregores and Goddess Forms) is obviously influenced by Talbot's The Holographic Universe, but that book isn't mentioned. There isn't a bibliography at all, in fact; certain footnotes specify which works she pulled direct quotes from. However, the lack of citation might be an indication of just how thoroughly Free has internalized these concepts and made them part of her Wicca. And this is the whole point of the book.

Having said all this, I still must (and want to!) recommend the book to anyone who is serious about seeing Wicca grow past its "101" roots. Free minored in Religion at her university, covering topics that run the gamut from Middle Eastern religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) to Mediterranean (Classical pagan), Asian (Hinduism, Vajrayana and Zen Buddhism) and various shamnistic paths. These influences show in her treatise, and I believe most of them truly belong in our religion. Free sounds a call for us to "get serious" about true study in our faith, for internal consistency to our system of belief. It's a call worth answering.