Reviewed by Jill Wood.

 When I first saw this book, all those memories of “The Greater Malefic”,”Old Father Time” and “Taskmaster” came flooding back and my heart sank slightly. That’s what Saturn tends to do to people, though—it’s the Greater Heart-Sinker. We are often apt to think that what Saturn puts in our way are simply tiresome chores which can easily be avoided. As Adam explains, though, backing away from Saturn’s life-lessons just brings us full circle and we end up having to learn as we bump into the very thing we were reversing from.

                This very readable book does not deal exclusively with Saturn’s natal position, but also with its transits to natal planets and to itself, as well as transits through the houses (the signs then simply colour the proceedings) and of course the dreaded returns. Adam also delves quite deeply into Saturn’s nature, its legendary history and its role in all our lives—it is, after all, a planet of growth, even though sometimes it comes with agonising growing pains. It’s all about karma, “fated meetings” (these “fated meetings” aren’t generally love stories, we come across people in our lives whom we  encounter for a reason), as well as gaining maturity and deep knowledge that can come only from one’s own personal experiences.

                There are plenty of “real-life” examples to illustrate,
and an index of birth data so we can take a look at charts
and transits for ourselves.

With a chapter of tips on how, as astrologers, we can help others handle their own Saturn transits, as well as hints on telephone work and the consultation chart, this book is thorough without being too heavy. It’s enlightening, not “pop” but certainly well within the scope of anyone on their way to certificate level. My only bugbear is that all the footnotes are at the back, forcing the reader to flip to and fro, regularly interrupting what would otherwise be an engrossing read.

*********************

About.com Book of the Week
'Saturn, Fatal Attraction'
Reviewed by Phylameana lila Desy

At last, a truly modern book on Saturn!, 9 Aug 2007   Astrologer/Teacher (England) What a great find! I love this book. The author is witty, erudite and has, to his credit, been able to offer much on Saturn that is new and relevant to life today.

Manage inhibiting Saturnian Influemces, 30 Jun 2007   B. A. Venn-lever "BeBe Ve" (Berkshire, UK)    A wonderful book written in a light style, easy to read. Filled with philosophy and wisdom.Adam Smith is a great astrological professional who has tackled a challenging planet. Learn how not to have to take Saturns influences laying down, discover how to manage its influence and take charge of its strengths. A great book for any one studying or shhowing and interest in astrology. If Saturn has a powerful effect upon you in your chart then understand it better and use its energies more wisely.

A book Saturn would be proud of, 19 Jun 2007   Lara Owen (Wiltshire, England)    Adam Smith's new book on Saturn is a wonderful read. His writing is a real treat: wise, warm, funny, incisive, and elegant. He has a deep understanding of Saturn and the resonance the Saturnian principle has on the individual life, and manages to express complex information with great clarity. It is refreshing to read a book with so strong a focus on maturity; an attribute of human development that often gets lost in today's youth-focused culture. The book is full of good information throughout, but I have to single out the section on Saturn's transits through the houses as being particularly insightful and useful. My only criticism is that I wish the book was longer, and hope that in subsequent editions he will add more material on Saturn in the natal houses. I strongly recommend this book to anyone practicing astrology, or going through a Saturn transit, or simply curious about how it is that we grow up.