The occult is many things to many people. For some, it is a path to enlightenment. Others find it a source of personal transformation. And still, others consider it a doorway to the devil. While distinctions can be drawn and argued all day, what can’t be argued is this: the occult is dangerous. It opens channels that are best left closed. It attracts entities that don’t play by the rules. And it demands more – always more – than what was bargained for.
These true-life accounts reveal the heartache and horror that can occur when people participate in the occult and, knowingly or not, release dark spirits into the human realm. Dabbler or devotee – it doesn’t matter how deeply one is committed or involved. Once evil is unleashed, it treats everyone the same: hellishly.
Paranormal Book Review Blog – Evil Unleashed: True Tales of Spells Gone to Hell and Other Occult Disasters
Recently, for some reason, maybe curiosity, I was drawn back into the world of the occult. Not that I was ever a practitioner in the “dark arts” but, I was always fascinated by the occult. When I was younger, I would “dabble” in things that would be deemed as part of the occult, primarily, ouija boards. As a teenager, I would coax my brother and friends to partake in Ouija board sessions. Not to speak to an ancient demon to seek answers about the intricacies of life and death. No, it was to speak to a spirit, or whatever, to find out if I would one day play for the New York Knicks, or if Jenny liked me, and if we would one day be married. So, you see, it was all for fun and games. Of course, as I dove deeper into the boards’ uses, I discovered that it is not a game and it is something not to be trifled with. Needless to say, we were playing with fire. Thankfully, we never got burned. Still, this never stopped me from learning more about it and reading about other people’s experiences with the occult and the Ouija board.
A few years ago, I listened to the audiobook, Ouija Board Stories by Roger P. Mills and I was fascinated by it as is usually the case when I read tales and stories about the Ouija board. Some of the stories in there really creeped me out. Did I believe everything that was written in it? Not at all but I never dismiss anything outright and am always open to the possibility of the supernatural being real. Evil Unleashed by John Harker is written in the same format as Ouija Board Stories in that it is a collection of stories and first-hand accounts from various people who have dabbled in the occult and, well, got what they were looking for, I suppose. To say that things did not go accordingly would be an understatement. Of course, this is why I stopped “dabbling” in the occult and kept my interest from afar by reading about it and listening to other people’s experiences without actually practicing any invocations, rituals, or anything that warranted me accidentally raising an evil spirit or demon to torment me and my loved ones.
“Curses invoke evil, and the origin of all evil is demonic. When curses are spoken with true perfidy, especially if there is a blood relationship between the one who casts”
John Harker, Evil Unleashed
Now, do I believe any of this actually happened? Not at all but, again, I do not shut that door completely and keep it slightly ajar, just in case. You never know, right? What really brought some of these stories down for me, and I mean way down, was the continuous inclusion of stories and accounts that involved famed paranormal investigators, demonologists, Ed and Lorraine Warren. Their first mention in this book already ruined it for me as I am not a keen believer in them. When I was younger, I read their stories and books and was fascinated by them and even admit that, sometimes, even terrified me but, as a young adult, I read more and more about what went on behind the scenes and I completely ruled them about as being anything but authentic. And so, the mere mention of their names makes me scoff.
In addition to first-hand accounts and stories, Harker also provides insight into the history of the occult and what the practice can entail, although, I think he focused more on its negative and more sinister, sensationalized connotations. The occult is not about praising the devil, conjuring demons, witchcraft, opening portals to hell, etc. Although, it will certainly fit somewhere under the large umbrella of the occult. The occult, by definition, simply means the supernatural, mystical, or magical beliefs, practices, or phenomena; something secret or hidden. So, you see, there is a lot more to the occult than meets the eye and it can take you wherever you want it to take you, depending on your intentions, good or sinister.
Evil Unleashed was an interesting listen but I took it as pure entertainment and nothing more. I would have given this a more positive review if it were not for the inclusion of the Warrens but, as most are prone to do these days, digging into their catalog of paranormal and devilish encounters is to be expected to bring name recognition to lend to some supposed validity to some of the stories. It did quite the opposite for me. If you are a fan of the Warrens then I would say that you will enjoy Evil Unleashed. Sadly, for me, I am not a fan of the duo and It would be brazen of me to give this book a recommendation so I say, skip it.