6 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
An interesting book from a vanity press, August 2, 2005
This review is from: Lukumi: Santeria's Beliefs, Principles, and Direction in the Twenty-first Century. (Paperback)
IUniverse is a publisher with a wide variety of books, but it is also a vanity press, and when I came across this title I was originally loathe to read it. Vanity presses, for those who don't know, are publishers that exist for authors who cannot get published by any other means. Mainstream publishers, who pay authors for their work plus pay royalties, only choose the highest quaility work for any genre in which they publish, and for every book they choose to accept, there are literally thousands of manuscripts from less talented authors that are left by the wayside. These are the authors who turn to such businesses as IUniverse. Unable to acquire a real publisher, they pay exorbant fees to have their work published by vanities.
This is what the author of this book has done, and I think it has hurt him more than it has helped him.
Don't get me wrong; "LUKUMI" is a wonderful testament from the hands of a babalawo with many years in the religion. But as one proceeds from page-to-page, it is painfully obvious that this author could have used a stronger hand in editing for content, grammar, and continuity of thought. The material he writes, while accurate, is a rehashing of works already available on the market. And I must say that when I got to the final chapters on sister religions of the Lukumi faith, I was disappointed. What makes LUKUMI so strong is that it was written by a very knowledgable priest in this tradition. But what weakens it is that he writes about faiths in which he has no initiation; the book ends up reading like a college level research paper when one gets into those subjects.
It is because of this that I can only give this book two stars. However I would encourage the author to not only continue writing, but also to search out a more traditional publisher, one that will not only help his work acquire the polish it deserves, but also help show his religious faith in the light it deserves to be seen in.
This is a wonderful attempt by a new author who could use more guidance with his writing. I wish him the best, and hope he continues to write.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Christian Lopez is setting the bar for the Next Generation of Santeria Writers, November 20, 2010
This review is from: Lukumi: Santeria's Beliefs, Principles, and Direction in the Twenty-first Century. (Paperback)
Like it or not, we now are citizens of the 21st Century; and just as what occurred in Cuba in the early 20th Century with the re-organization of La Regla de Ocha, we are now facing the exact same re-adjustment only this time, we are the players on the stage of Orisha-Ifa. There are always minor differences between Houses / Iles / Cabildos -- there are even minor differences between Oloshas in the SAME house. Christian has stepped up to the plate to provide a base that we can construct our "sameness" upon as opposed to simply re-trumpeting our "differentness". "Thank you", Christian Lopez! Onareo, Babalosa Iya Leti (La Madre de la Casa de New Orleans)
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Very informative, December 5, 2007
This review is from: Lukumi: Santeria's Beliefs, Principles, and Direction in the Twenty-first Century. (Paperback)
I found this book to be one of the best written, well rounded books on Santeria. I truly hope the author continues to write, he is gifted!!
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