The Necronomicon: Versions Available
- Al Azif: The Necronomicon by L. Sprague de Camp – Issued in 1973. And written in Duriac, which is actually a type of wheat, and a common French last name. It’s purportedly a language that heavily relies on old Akkadian, but unfortunately, the text has been so altered, that it is beyond transliteration. It’s also only 212 pages long, –pretty short for all the mysteries of Heaven, Hell, life, death, past and future, no?
- Necronomicon by “Simon” – Issued in 1980. The author relies most heavily on a mixture of Lovecraft mythos, combined with Sumerian and generally Mesopotamian mythologies to produce a book of rituals and ceremonies that don’t really stay true to the Lovecraft ideals. The dreaded Necronomicon is finally available, –in paperback.
- The Gates of the Necronomicon by “Simon” – Issued in 2006, Simon returns to tell all those people who labored strenuously to perform the specific rituals detailed in the first Necronomicon by this mysteriously anonymous author, –that they’re doing it wrong! If you plan to start summoning the Elder Gods, be sure to read this volume first. Otherwise, you might accidentally walk through the wrong gates, and end up wearing a poodle skirt, and peppering the Big Bopper with questions during his last plane ride.
- H.R. Giger’s Necronomicon by H.R. Giger – Issued in 1991, and a favorite among Necronomicon collectors, for its realistic and descriptive artwork, faithfulness to Lovecraft’s mythos, and its genuinely disturbing content. Not for the kiddies, and, unless you have some really interesting neighbours, probably not for the coffee table either. In fact, you might just want to wrap it in burlap, and store it in the cellar, next to Cthulu’s altar, of course.
- Necronomicon II by H.R. Giger – Issued in 1993, and it’s the perfect second volume to its predecessor, though many claim the original book of art to be much better, –still, extremely intriguing, and chock full of disturbing images. I’m not giving away any secrets, though, –look for yourself, if you dare.
- The Necronomicon edited by George Hay – Issued in 1993, and many claim it is more of an insult to H.P. Lovecraft’s work than it is a credit to his inventive fiction. The language is dry, critical, and a little too insistent on its points. Lovecraft approved? Perhaps not.
- Necronomicon: The Wanderings Of Alhazred by Donald Tyson – Issued in 2004, and many believe the best. While it is not the far-reaching translated ceremonial grimoire that Simon’s Necronomicon claims to be, many critics state that this tome is well researched, and dedicated to further explaining the mysteries of the mad Arab author of the Necronomicon.
- Necronomicon Plush Book by Toy vault – This is not an actual volume, or even really a hoax. It’s actually a bizarre pop-up books for adults, a parody novelty making fun of popular children’s pop-up books, –needless to say a weirdly tasteless joke.
