The Scrying Glass
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The Scrying Glass
Quig Shelby’s The Scrying Glass presents a rather audacious premise: a medieval witch gatecrashing a seance to engineer her return. The narrative zips along, driven by Kathleen Wiccan's spectral machinations and her coven's frantic efforts to restore a scrying glass. The juxtaposition of a powerful, ancient witch with a motley crew of modern-day occultists is the work’s strongest asset, offering a fresh take on familiar tropes. However, the introduction of characters like Elliot the thief, Daniel the masochistic priest, and Marla the suicidal individual feels somewhat underdeveloped; their inclusion, while adding to the ensemble, occasionally strains credulity against the backdrop of battling twelve satanists. The gargoyle mentor’s agenda also remains a murky point, adding intrigue but sometimes obscuring narrative clarity. Despite these narrative hurdles, the sheer kinetic energy and the commitment to its peculiar, dark premise make The Scrying Glass a memorable, if occasionally uneven, dark fantasy outing.
It's a peculiar brew, worth sampling for its unique concoction of characters and conflict.
📝 Description
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Quig Shelby's 2015 novel, The Scrying Glass, follows a witch's plan to return from the dead.
The Scrying Glass, published in 2015, tells the story of Kathleen Wiccan, a witch who attempts to cross back into the living world. Her resurrection hinges on a coven she assembles and the restoration of a vital scrying glass. The narrative advances as a race against time, with unexpected enemies complicating Kathleen's efforts. The book engages with occult themes and supernatural conflicts, depicting a world where old magic confronts human limitations.
Readers drawn to dark fantasy with a strong occult focus will appreciate this novel. It will appeal to those interested in stories about witches, covens, and supernatural beings, especially those who enjoy a mix of horror and fantasy elements. The book touches on resurrection, forbidden magic, and the struggle against difficult circumstances. Characters with uncertain morality and a plot that moves quickly through high stakes are central to its appeal.
While set in a fictional medieval context, The Scrying Glass draws on medieval occult traditions and folklore. Scrying, the practice of seeking visions through reflective surfaces, has ancient roots in divination and spirit communication across cultures. The book's depiction of witchcraft, covens, and magical pacts echoes historical anxieties and beliefs about these practices, particularly those evident during periods like the witch trials. The inclusion of a gargoyle mentor also suggests an engagement with medieval architectural symbolism and the concept of protective spirits.
💡 Why Read This Book?
• Gain insight into the symbolic power of the scrying glass, understanding its function not just as a plot device but as a conduit between worlds, as explored in the narrative's urgent race against time. • Experience a unique character dynamic where a medieval witch, Kathleen Wiccan, orchestrates events from beyond the veil, challenging traditional portrayals of spectral entities. • Contemplate the nature of spiritual warfare through the specific conflict against twelve devoted satanists, examining the varied motivations of Elliot, Daniel, and Marla.
⭐ Reader Reviews
Honest opinions from readers who have explored this book.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary goal of Kathleen Wiccan in The Scrying Glass?
Kathleen Wiccan's primary goal is to return from the spectral plane to the living world. She orchestrates events, including the recruitment of a coven and the repair of a scrying glass, to achieve this resurrection.
Who are the main obstacles to Kathleen Wiccan's plan?
The main obstacles are Elliot the thief, Daniel the masochistic priest, and Marla, who is described as suicidal. Their intervention complicates the coven's efforts to restore the scrying glass.
What role does the scrying glass play in the story?
The scrying glass is a crucial magical artifact that the coven must repair. It serves as the primary means by which Kathleen Wiccan intends to return to the living, making its restoration central to the plot.
Is the gargoyle mentor a reliable ally?
The gargoyle mentor's true allegiances are ambiguous. The narrative questions whether the mentor is genuinely helping the protagonists or pursuing their own agenda, adding a layer of suspense.
What is the supernatural threat faced by the protagonists?
The protagonists face the threat of twelve devoted satanists, indicating a significant occult battle. This confrontation is central to the high-stakes conflict of the story.
When was The Scrying Glass first published?
The Scrying Glass was first published on September 14, 2015, introducing its unique blend of dark fantasy and occult themes to readers.
🔮 Key Themes & Symbolism
The Scrying Glass Artifact
The titular scrying glass is more than a mere object; it is a nexus of power and a conduit between realms. Its repair becomes the central quest, symbolizing the desperate attempt to bridge the gap between life and death. The work explores how such artifacts, steeped in esoteric lore, can be instruments of powerful magic, capable of facilitating the return of entities from the spectral plane, as demonstrated by Kathleen Wiccan's machinations.
Coven Dynamics and Recruitment
The formation of a coven around Kathleen Wiccan's spectral will highlights themes of alliance and manipulation. The narrative examines the dynamics of a 'hastily recruited coven,' suggesting a blend of genuine belief, desperation, and perhaps coercion. This exploration explores how disparate individuals, like the thief Elliot and the masochistic priest Daniel, can be drawn into a shared, dangerous purpose driven by supernatural forces.
Ambiguous Mentorship and Allegiance
The role of the gargoyle mentor introduces significant ambiguity and thematic depth. It raises questions about the true nature of guidance and the potential for self-interest even in seemingly protective figures. This dynamic challenges the reader to consider whether alliances in the occult world are ever truly selfless, especially when facing formidable opposition like twelve devoted satanists.
The Battle Against Adversity
The core conflict pits Kathleen Wiccan's spectral ambitions and her coven against various obstacles, including the satanists and her reluctant human allies. This theme emphasizes the struggle against overwhelming odds, where the protagonists must contend with both external supernatural threats and internal moral complexities, such as Marla's suicidal ideation and Daniel's masochism.
💬 Memorable Quotes
Direct passages from the work, attributed to the author.
“Kathleen Wiccan gatecrashes a seance and plots her return to the living.”
— This opening premise immediately establishes the work's dark fantasy tone and occult focus. It highlights the protagonist's transgressive nature and her ambition to defy the natural order of life and death through supernatural means.
“As her hastily recruited coven race against time to repair a much needed scrying glass...”
— This phrase underscores the urgency and precariousness of the coven's mission. The 'hastily recruited' nature of the group suggests potential disunity and lack of experience, amplifying the stakes of their task.
“only three people stand in her way: Elliot the thief, Daniel the masochistic priest, and suicidal Marla.”
— This introduces the unusual cast of characters who oppose Kathleen's return. Their specific, often troubled, descriptions suggest a complex interplay of motivations and vulnerabilities that will challenge the witch's plans.
“But is their gargoyle mentor helping them or himself?”
— This question injects a significant element of doubt and intrigue regarding the gargoyle's true intentions. It signals a theme of unreliable guidance and hidden agendas within the narrative's supernatural framework.
“do they really stand a cat in Hell's chance against twelve devoted satanists?”
— This rhetorical question emphasizes the extreme danger and seemingly insurmountable odds faced by the protagonists. It frames the central conflict as a high-stakes battle against a powerful, organized occult force.
🌙 Esoteric Significance
Tradition
The work draws loosely from Western esoteric traditions, particularly those concerning witchcraft, necromancy, and divination. While not strictly adhering to a single lineage like Hermeticism or Kabbalah, it engages with the archetypal power of the witch and the concept of spectral realms. The scrying glass itself is a common tool in various divinatory practices, suggesting a connection to traditions that explore altered states of consciousness and communication with unseen forces, albeit presented here through a more sensationalized, narrative lens.
Symbolism
The primary symbol is the 'scrying glass,' representing a portal or a means of achieving altered perception, facilitating communication or transition between worlds. The gargoyle, often a symbol of protection or warding in Gothic architecture, here takes on an ambiguous role, symbolizing potentially deceptive guardianship or hidden motives. The number 'twelve' associated with the satanists evokes apocalyptic or significant hierarchical structures, hinting at a formidable, organized opposition within the supernatural hierarchy.
Modern Relevance
In contemporary esoteric circles, *The Scrying Glass* speaks to the enduring fascination with practical magic and the archetypal power of the witch. Readers and practitioners interested in the mechanics of ritual, the symbolism of divination tools, and narratives that explore the blurry lines between good and evil in supernatural contexts might find resonance. Its depiction of a spectral entity actively manipulating the living world can inform discussions on animism, spirit work, and the potential for non-corporeal consciousness to influence material reality.
👥 Who Should Read This Book
• Aspiring practitioners of divination arts interested in the symbolic and narrative potential of scrying, exploring how such tools function in fictionalized occult battles. • Dark fantasy enthusiasts seeking narratives with a strong occult flavor, featuring witches, covens, and supernatural confrontations beyond typical genre fare. • Readers fascinated by medieval lore and Gothic aesthetics who appreciate stories that blend historical archetypes with modern supernatural conflict and morally ambiguous characters.
📜 Historical Context
Published in 2015, Quig Shelby's *The Scrying Glass* emerges in a contemporary literary landscape where dark fantasy and urban fantasy genres have evolved significantly since the late 20th century. While the novel taps into ancient occult traditions, its narrative structure and character archetypes align with modern genre fiction. The work's engagement with witchcraft, covens, and divination echoes historical practices, but its presentation is filtered through a contemporary lens, potentially influenced by the resurgence of interest in witchcraft and esotericism that gained traction in the late 20th century, notably through figures like Doreen Valiente and the evolution of modern Wicca. Unlike earlier, more academic explorations of occultism, Shelby's work prioritizes narrative propulsion and character-driven conflict. There's no direct evidence of specific contemporary authors engaging with *The Scrying Glass* immediately upon its release, but its thematic concerns—supernatural pacts, the nature of good and evil, and the power of ritual objects—resonate with broader trends in speculative fiction that often engage with Gnostic or Hermetic undercurrents without necessarily citing specific schools of thought.
📔 Journal Prompts
The scrying glass as a nexus between worlds: How does its repair symbolize Kathleen Wiccan's ambition?
Reflect on the 'hastily recruited coven' – what does this imply about the nature of magical alliances?
Consider the gargoyle mentor's ambiguous role: When might guidance be a form of manipulation?
Analyze the motivations of Elliot, Daniel, and Marla in opposing Kathleen Wiccan.
Contemplate the significance of facing 'twelve devoted satanists' in the narrative's occult framework.
🗂️ Glossary
Scrying Glass
A reflective surface, such as a mirror or bowl of water, used for divination or to perceive distant or future events. In this context, it is a critical artifact for enabling a spectral entity's return to the physical world.
Gatecrashes
In this context, it refers to Kathleen Wiccan's forceful and unauthorized intrusion into a spiritual or material plane, specifically a seance, to achieve her objectives.
Coven
A gathering or assembly of witches, typically numbering thirteen. In the book, it refers to the group Kathleen Wiccan relies on to help repair the scrying glass.
Seance
A meeting where people attempt to make contact with the spirits of the dead, often through a medium. Kathleen Wiccan intrudes upon one to begin her plan.
Masochistic Priest
A character, Daniel, who derives pleasure from pain or humiliation, presented within a religious context. This suggests a complex psychological and possibly spiritual dimension to his role.
Satanists
Adherents of Satanism, often depicted in fiction as practitioners of dark magic or devil worship. Here, they represent a formidable antagonistic force.
Gargoyle Mentor
A supernatural entity, depicted in the form of a gargoyle, who acts as a guide or advisor, but whose true intentions are suspect within the narrative.
