He is the Horned God. Or maybe he is many Gods. Pan. Cernunnos. Herne. The Green Man. Dionysus. In one form or another, under one name or another, he seems to have been recognized and honored by humans since the Stone Age. While devotion to him disappeared after the European conversion to Christianity, it was revitalized by poets and artists in the Renaissance, and then bloomed in the twentieth century. But who exactly is the Horned God, what do we know about him, and how can we honor him …?

In this extensive work, Mankey chronicles the long and complicated history of the Horned God. Over the course of seventeen chapters, Mankey discusses exactly what is meant by a “horned God” (or even “horned Goddess”); the characteristics of a horned God; the relationship between horns, antlers, phalluses, fertility, and sexuality; the mythology and history of Gods such as Pan, Dionysus, and Cernunnos; and artistic and folkloric figures such as Herne and John Barleycorn. He also offers a number of rituals for honoring the Horned God, poems and hymns, and the basics of building an altar or shrine to the Deity.

While I am familiar with Mankey’s name, and I have read some of his shorter essays and blog posts, The Horned God of the Witches is the first full-length book by him that I have read. And I found it delightful and informative. Mankey’s style is intimate and conversational. He segues easily from academic discussions to personal experiences, and he is up front with his readership about what is historically attested, what is supposition based on the evidence, and what is pure personal gnosis. He also cites sources throughout the text, and offers readers an extensive bibliography for those who wish to continue their own research.

The Horned God of the Witches will make a terrific addition to the library of any witch, Pagan, or lover of mythology. If I have one complaint, it’s about the price. A print edition at $24.99 is high, but not unreasonable. On the other hand, shelling out $17.99 for an ebook of less than three hundred pages seems excessive. I recommend checking it out from the library, looking for it at a used bookstore, or keeping it on a digital watch list and picking it up when it goes on sale. (Unless Llewellyn opts to lower the price permanently.)

Recommended to fans of Mankey, as well as fans of The Path of Paganism by John Beckett; Urban Magick by Diana Rachel; Beneath the Moon and The Triple Goddess, both by Rachel Patterson; Call of the God, edited by Frances Billinghurst; and the forthcoming Naming the God, edited by Trevor Greenfield.

I DNFed this book. I didn't think it was bad. It's just that it wasn't the kind of book I was expecting. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a chance to read this book.

Un repaso fascinante por la historia detrás de una figura cada vez más presente en el Paganismo. Es tanto una introducción perfecta para los que empiezan en este camino, como una adición valiosa a los más experimentados que deseen profundizar en un tema usualmente ignorado y pasado por alto. Jason no solo explica qué y quién es el Dios Astado, sino también por qué es Cernunnos, Pan, Lucifer, Elen de los Caminos, y más.

A fascinating review of the history behind an increasingly present figure in Paganism. It is both a perfect introduction for those starting out on this path, as well as a valuable addition to those more experienced who wish to delve into an often overlooked and overlooked topic. Jason explains not only what and who the Horned God is, but also why he is Cernunnos, Pan, Lucifer, Elen of the Ways, and more.

This book was very well researched and thorough. It’s both informative and instructional. Highly recommend!

Thank you to the Publisher and Netgalley for the advanced e-reader copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

I follow Jason Mankey's blog and I think that what he writes is always well researched and thought provoking.
This book is no exception and i think it's the most complete and well researched book on this topic.
I learned a lot, reflected on what I read.
An excellent book if you want to meditate on this aspect of the divine.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I found this book to be very well researched and extremely thorough! Everything you ever wanted to know about Horned Gods (or horned gods), their relationship to witches in particular, and their appearances through human history can be found in this book. I especially enjoyed the historical chapters, particularly about Pan and Cernunnos, but I also enjoyed learning about how Krampus and Baphomet (two of my personal favorites) are tangentially related to the Horned God lore. I really appreciated Mankey's inclusion of personal anecdotes throughout this book, because it really drove home his depth of familiarity and personal connection with these gods. Learning about the ways Pan, Cernunnos, and other horned gods have manifested in his life was really fascinating and heartening. Mankey also includes a wealth of rituals throughout the chapters, to help you get a deeper understanding, appreciation, and connection with a particular Horned God. A rich, well-written book. Definitely recommended for anyone interested in Horned Gods. I rated it four stars mostly due to my own personal preference -- despite the interesting content, it felt a bit lengthy to me, and I had a hard time finishing it. I think it just comes down to me enjoying some parts more than others, because of my own personal topics on interest.

Everything you always wanted to know about the horned gods is probably in this book. It is all inclusive and filled with details you probably missed out on in other books. The author explores rituals and spells that are practical and easy to understand. I definitely recommend this book.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
In my practice, I don’t typically venerate male deities. As such, I don’t know as much about them. This book is a perfect first step to get to know deities that I’ve been ignorant of in most cases and uncomfortable with in others.
The setup of the book feels familiar but better than typical New Age books. There is meat on these bones. The author gives an excellent account of some the historical place of each of the horned gods he covers, as well as rituals and spells to interact with them. To round it off, the author also adds an accont of some personal interaction he has had with them.
I cannot say that I've felt the call of the horned gods, but this book makes me appreciate them more.

I learned a lot with this book, and the Horned God was something I wanted to learn more about. I already suggested to a few friends, and they will be purchasing it!

This book is packed with everything I wanted to know about horned deities and then some. It differentiates between God and gods and antlered beings in a way I'd not considered when I started reading, but that helped make sense of the various manifestations of the horned gods, and God.

I loved the stories regarding mythologic beings that were already ones known to me as well ones I'd not heard of or looked into. The footnotes will give me a springboard to do more research of my own as well. In the back half of the book the focus shifts to various cultural depictions and associations with witchcraft.

Overall this a fascinating read with a lot digest and a lot to spark personal journeys both in research and magic.

As expected from Mankey, two parts scholar one part magick!

I found this book to be both informative and instructive without being too 'bogged down' by fluff and circumstance. Highly recommend for those who wish to know more about the Horned God (or Horned Goddess as there is a part about Elen of the Ways which I adored).

This is a great book about magic. Nice exploration into legends, beliefs and rituals about one of the most recognizable deities in witchcraft world. If you have any dilemma (or fear) about horned god, then maybe you can read this text, it will give you many insights and "aha" moments. And your occult practice will go to higher and more mature level. Just few more explanations for a few sentences and this could be perfect text. So, is The Horned God is evil, good, natural, male, female, for many expressions of sex or not... please find in this interesting book.

I found this quite fascinating, well-researched, and informative - definitely, a topic that hasn't been given enough interest over the years, especially in recent years. A must for anyone wanting to delve a little deeper into the various beliefs and cultural aspects around The Horned God.

Thanks to the publisher, author, and Net Galley for my ARC.

A really thorough look at the history and stories surrounding a well-known but often misunderstood deity. I appreciated the effort in formatting to allow for differentiation between the Horned God (capital G) and various horned gods (lower-case G). There's a wealth of knowledge here, and it can be a bit dense at times, but ultimately this is an intimate exploration of someone's journey with the Horned God.

Anyone interested in the symbiosis of mythology and folklore (ancient Greek, Celtic, English folklore etc.) will find many interesting things in this book. I liked the well-researched and sectioned style of writing. The first thing I noticed was the presence of footnotes on the bottom of every page which is highly appreciated in non-fiction. The main theme of the book is the natural and cultural history of gods depicted in various cultures and myths possessing horns. Antlered-beings are present in the history of mankind from our hunter-gatherer days. As an ardent enthusiast of Greek and Celtic mythology, the stories surrounding Pan, Dionysus, Cernunnos, and Herne were a treat. The second half of the book cites these deities in art, poetry, prose followed by an exploration into the depiction of horned figures of the "devil" throughout the ages and their association with witchcraft.