Charnan Simon (1952–2014)

First of all, there is no Simon. It's Peter Levenda. This is particularly noticeable in his narrative history here in that he tells you a lot about Levenda's background, thoughts, and actions, but not any of that for "Simon." Yes, "Simon" admits that Levenda was involved with the Necronomicon. (Also, other researchers have pretty much proved that Levenda is Simon.) As such, it is Levenda/Simon's apologia for the so-called "Simon Necronomicon," i.e., the Necronomicon published in the black paperback by Avon/Bantam that is in every New Age section at Barnes & Noble. Levenda/Simon weaves a tale of how he supposedly got the book, translated it, published it. Luckily for him, all the characters in his tale are conveniently dead, except for Levenda and "Simon." Where's the actual manuscript he supposedly translated? Conveniently destroyed by a guy now dead. Where did it come from? From thefts supposedly undertaken by thieves now dead. Despite this unprovable provenance, Levenda/Simon tries to make the grimoire seem like a real descendant of Sumerian magic. And link it to Crowleyan magick. And, despite the fact that Lovecraft invented the "Necronomicon," Levenda/Simon tries to have it both ways and say: (a) I never said this was supposed to be Lovecraft's Necronomicon and (b) maybe Lovecraft secretly knew some occult stuff and saw my now destroyed Necronomicon, so it is Lovecraft's Necronomicon. And then Levenda/Simon attacks his critics, but mostly setting up straw men and ignoring their main criticisms. Levenda/Simon attacks especially Harms and Gonce, while ignoring their main contentions about the inventedness of the Simon Necronomicon. Of course, as Dan Clore and Owen Davies, both scholars, note, the Simon Necronomicon grimoire is just as made up and fake authentic as all the other grimoires in grimoire history.… (more)