This book is aimed at anyone with an interest in the basic facts about the runes. There are a lot of very poorly researched popular rune manuals in the bookstores, and it is difficult to avoid confusion when trying to wade through them.

The Rune Primer first takes the reader through the basic academic facts. It puts them in their historical context, and looks at the old sources. It shows the development of the different rune rows, and the derivation of the rune names. Despite the academic accuracy, it is expressed in clear and easy to read English.

The next section looks at the revival of interest in the runes, and looks at how esoteric information can be gained from the old sources, the rune poems, and concepts known to the people who used them. I particularly enjoyed the translations of the rune poems, presented alongside the original words, with notes.

Finally, there is a candid review of several well known rune authors, some of whom the author has met, and a Chapter that busts some oft repeated urban myths about runes. Far from bursing the bubble of esoteric runology, I felt that it cleared some of the rubble away to make the subject much clearer and easier to understand.

Since reading the book, I have come to know the author somewhat, and am confident of its accuracy. I have no hesitation recommending this book to both old hands and new, both Asatru and the curious.