This book was much more complete than I ever expected. I use it as a reference on a regular basis. The information appears to be fairly accurate and fairly detailed. Lots of formulas to help the user calculate and draw their own charts.

This is a first class general introduction to all of real astrology. If you have heard or suspected that there is a great deal more to it than the newspaper columns, this book is a good place to begin finding out more. Rae Orion explains the basics and complexities of the birth chart (a proper horoscope is based on the exact time, date and place of birth) in a clear, straightforward manner.

In "The Cosmic Cookbook" section, Orion takes the reader through the basics of birth chart interpretation. Sun signs, Moon signs, the positions of all the planets in the various signs and houses e.g. Mars in Aquarius, Uranus in the sixth house and so on. Real life examples are scattered throughout the book. Other sections cover basic compatibility, both Sun sign combinations and more complex relationship astrology. Towards the end there is "Ten Types Of Astrology" (including Vedic and Chinese) and some more esoteric features of the horoscope are briefly covered in "Ten Ways To Complicate A Chart" (such as midpoints and Arabic parts).

An excellent starter. "Parkers Astrology" could be a colourful complement to this volume, and I recommend Stephen Arroyo's "Chart Interpretation Handbook" as a possible next step.