SIMON COX’S
‘A to Z’ SERIES

There have been four planned releases so far in this very worthy occult/metaphysical series, two of which are reviewed here.
     They form a succinct, but never simplistic introduction to mysterious areas of enduring fascination from the past and reaching right into the present. As well, these books are a representative overview of areas such as Ancient Egypt, Atlantis, King Arthur & the Holy Grail, and The Occult. Facts are teased apart from myth and legend. Excellent colour plates support the text.
     Simon Cox collaborates with well-known alternative historians and researchers to bring these areas to life. The series is not meant to be the last word, but a reference work in which all theories are given space.
     Simon Cox is a writer/researcher in alternative history and works in print as well as broadcast media. He is the author of the bestselling Cracking the Da Vinci Code and Illuminating Angels & Demons.

In this solid introduction to ancient Egypt, Simon Cox collaborates with Susan Davies. Susan has had a lifelong interest in that area and is a member of the Egyptian Exploration Society. She has carried out writing and research with Simon Cox on several projects, and has a special interest in the New Kingdom.
     The work begins with Abydos and proceeds through all major topics to the Wadjet Eye. There is then a useful timeline and a bibliography. The material is quite accessible and has relevant cross-references at the end of each entry.
     The size of each entry ranges from two to five pages in length. All are very easy to understand with a variety of opinions and theories on each subject. I find this to be the strength of the book for it gives the reader a chance to evaluate the overall focus for themselves.
     While there is nothing new or highly controversial here, it does indeed provide a useful primer on the whole area of Ancient Egypt, its creators, characters, kings and later discoverers.

As anyone interested in Atlantis is aware, forests of books have been written about this most mysterious of realms.
     In this primer Simon Cox and noted alternative historian Mark Foster combine their efforts to make a surprising amount of sense.
     In the alphabetical format the latest theories and discoveries are outlined in a broad number of areas. For instance, where was the fabled island of Atlantis? Is there evidence of a lost civilisation? Was a there a catastrophic event that caused Atlantis to disappear? Were many of the advanced ancient civilisations founded by Atlantean survivors? What did Plato and the ancient Greeks know?
     All this and more is found beginning with Aelian and ending with Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.
     It always feels quite appropriate to me to mix history, philosophy, fact and fiction in this most intriguing subject.
     What will be delightful to alternative history buffs, and possibly vastly irritating to mainstream historians, is the mixture of myth and legend with known history and philosophy. Edgar Cayce and Helena Blavatsky sit happily with Plato, Pliny and Plutarch.
          As with the other books in the series, the style is accessible and easy to read. Once again there is nothing startling or new, but it is a handy overview and reference for the area.
     This series of books are a useful contribution to an alternative history reference collection. For those seeking an introduction to the areas, they are organised and informative. I look forward with anticipation to further releases in the series.