This book moved me. Much rather, I should say, the very last chapter moved me and nearly had me expressing tears.

This is my first book of the Don Juan series of philosophy and shaman ways, but I am told it is the most accessible, which I would agree with so far: the book was very engaging, and did not seem bogged down with philosophy.

Although, I was, as I am sure many readers would be, torn as to how much of this story to believe actually happened. It is classified as a book of nonfiction, and it is written as a first person account as to what Carlos says he experienced. However…well, there's a lot of fantastic magic that takes place in front of this eye-witness.

In spite of all of that, I feel as though I picked up a lot from reading it, and I felt as though much of what I go through in my own life has only been confirmed by Don Juan's teachings to Carlos. I liked that.

But, the last chapter, the confession of knowing once you make this transformation, there's no turning back, and one is still human once conquering their "ally" and seeing the other worlds…and one cannot go back to the place they once called home in spite of taking the rest of their life to journey back. That was heartbreaking to me, and, it would seem, heartbreaking to Carlos as well. ( )

One of my favourite Castaneda books. Freeing himself from the grip of drugs and self-imposed feelings of oppression, he begins to review the field notes he took so assiduously during his first period of apprenticeship. He is startled to discover a coherent teaching buried in the mass of data and reportage - that Don Juan had been attempting to guide him all along in what it really means to become 'impeccable', en route to evolving into a man of knowledge.

This is the clearest and most straightforward exposition yet of Don Juan's teachings, and many readers - unaware of Castaneda - might do a lot worse than to begin the odyssey here. He divides what he perceives of the teaching into discrete sections or chapters, each providing a different facet or insight into the 'sorcerer's way'.

However, just when the reader hits a comfort zone and is nodding wisely ("ah, so THAT's what that part was all about"), Castaneda brings the reportage up to the minute at the end of the book. Here his mind and his so-called sanity is brought right to the brink, by the truly scary, yet also utterly hilarious, antics of Don Juan and Don Genaro, as they attempt to re-align his perceptions and bring him to a closer relationship with the hidden reality that is properly the world of the sorcerer. ( )

I read the first half dozen of the Don juan novels and was mesmerised and transported. This is my favourite one. I reread it and confirmed my opinion. The story is haunting. ( )