I'll try a book tonight.
However, I like the OE-only version minus the book copying. It takes very little effort once you have the right setup, which is lots of nodes and a few recharge pedestals. It also looks and sounds exactly like it should, IMHO, like powerful magic is taking place. Given that it requires:
1. Blocks from at least a few Obsidian totems
2. A "Dangerous"-level Infusion
3. Several silverwood wand cores to use efficiently
4. Lots of captured nodes to use efficiently
...which implies quite a bit of adventuring, resource-gathering, building, and mob-slaying, it makes sense that it should be easier and faster than TiCo random weapons and better than diamond random armor drops. In other words, it's a nice progression for the mod-pack as a whole.
MF2 progression in my experience is roughly:
1. TiCo tools and weapons with leather armor
2. Better TiCo tools with basic enchanted iron armor
3. "Expert"-level TiCo full-enchanted tools and weapons with full diamond armor
4. Enchanted Thaumcraft armor (ex. Thaumostatic Harness)
Haven't decided on what the "best" weapons are yet. Not sure if they are good/lucky TiCo combinations, fully-enchanted Redstone Arsenal, fully-enchanted TC4, or other. TiCo is random, yes, but it does have beheading, which is nice for Wither Skeleton skulls, which is necessary for Wither Boss, which is necessary for Nether Stars, which is necessary for Blood Magic progression.
Well, "necessary" is a strong word. You could certainly explore, find enough of those Nether-brick graveyard-dungeon thingies, and kill those Wither bosses without ever summoning one. You could also slay a *lot* of Wither Skeletons.