Varjotaival - Eurooppalaisen esoterian historia - Rikhard Larvanto

Shadowland - The History of European Esotericism is a book about European culture and its esoteric history. The book brings together significant European figures, historical events, and obscure secret societies, and presents their connections to the esoteric world.

The book follows the esoteric river through the currents of time. It takes its readers from the ritual chambers of the Mithraic temples of antiquity to the moment when the cult called Christianity was declared the state religion of Rome. The journey takes us from the pyres of the Knights Templar to the palaces of the Renaissance, where Hermetic texts and alchemy made a new rise. The path takes us from the 17th century, the birth of modern science and the Enlightenment, to 19th century France, where a new occult wave arose in Europe. The book brings together famous European figures, historical events and secret societies, and presents their connections to the esoteric world.

The book is a diverse combination of different literary genres. It is a historical non-fiction work that brings together thousands of years of cultural history. It is a travelogue that takes the reader on the spot, from the underground ritual chambers of the ancient Mithras to the festive Masonic temples, from the hermetic gardens of Sintra to Sibelius' Ainola. And because a picture always tells something more than words, the book utilizes Larvanto's professional skills as a photographer and offers dozens of black and white photos of historical places in Europe.