So what do you guys think?
Congrats. 
Feel free to spread abundant doses of spoilers. That ominous sound in the background ? Oh don't mind, it's my innards gnawing. Damn lazy no-good Italian postal service... 
I get my tomorrow... 
I still have 01 to 03 weeks to wait. 
Well, let's see. Overall, I am not overawed by the breakthrough themselves. Yes, they do represent a significant amount of cool stuff that magi would die to put their hands on, but somehow they're not as enthralling as the Mysteries, and some of the rules (used during investigation) feel a bit odd. Though I must admit that the Mechanica of Heron do please me very much: they are closer to 4th edition Automata than the 5th edition Verditius Mystery. So, make sure you don't set your expectations too high where crunch is concerned. For example, Rune Magic isn't going to tell you how to design a rune-wielding hedge wizard, although other ancient magics (e.g. Hyperborean Hymns or Canaanite Necromancy) will let you create such hedgies (gimme Hedge Magic now!). Of course, all of this is just based on a first reading, and I haven't examined the crunch in detail, so there may be hidden subtleties. In fact, each chapter seems accompanied by a "consequences" section, which tell you some of what to expect if the ancient magic is integrated into Hermetic Magic, in terms of raw power in the hands of the players and of political repercussions, up to and including possible destruction of the Order.
Conversely, I find myself rather pleased by the fluff: it is the kind of books I like (of course, I did like both Mythic Places and Living Lore, so I may be biased). There are some very good stories to tell in there. YMMV and modifications will be required to suit your taste, but there are plenty of ideas there, whether you are just looking for a couple story arcs or the basis for a whole saga. I can imagine the faces players will make when you inform them that they've been destroying for vis things that could have been used to investigates lost secrets. And the consequences of breaking into the Garden of Eden (see other thread) can be far-ranging (possibly Saga-ending). Oh, yes, much much fun to be had there.
The way I would probably use this (if I actually played the game 
) would be to not make the ancient magic the main focus of the saga, but more something to pique the characters' curiousity, highlight that magic theory isn't static and that there is more to do than just crank up your arts and invent more spells within a standard framework.
yea - another celebrant of the fluff!! I welcome you!
Ouch evil grin - I will have to consider something like that, and since I was already starting to consider having a local cave (which they havent fully explored yet, only nibbled from the vis nearest to the entrance) be connected to the fertility secret. Having them use the vis from fertility fetishes some years prior to realising their significant other values would certainly be a nice effect. How wicked ideas we SG can proliferate hehe!!
Indeed there is!