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Rating: 
Summary: If your interested in Santeria
Review: A better title for this book could have been Santeria for the Solitary Sorceror. This book is mainly focused a kind of solitary practice of santeria and a blend of afro-carribean spirituality. This book is not for fluffy bunny pagans. It does attack wiccan and other neo-pagan movement religions but ahh well...get over it...This book is for a person who seriously wished to persue an afro-carribean path and dosent want costly initiations and memberships in groups of people. If this is you then I reccomend the book.
Rating: 
Summary: Everything you wanted to know, almost
Review: Good information. Contains the usual attacks on Christianity, but of course it always makes for a spine-tingly amusing read. Unfortunately many people can't get past the black/white duality in their own minds which prevents them from SEEING outside of the bubbles they live in. They just don't GET IT. Anyway, the book lacks a clear formula for producing desired results, especially as far as the use of altered states of conciousness in ritual is concerned. I found this to be a pattern with these particular authors but the quality of the information is overall quite good. Voodoo is a facinating subject for me even if I don't use it in my practice (mind you, the drum music is quite effective for me), and Urban Voodoo is a book I'll re-read from time to time. Some of the sigil designs in the book are pretty cool too.
Rating: 
Summary: This book is anti-everything except Voodoo
Review: I am an African-American Wiccan who looked into this book because of my interest in African divinities. What I found in this book was attacks on Wicca, Thelema and other non-Christian religions. Wiccans were characterized as "loud, obese women who lack personal hygiene skills". We were also characterized as "metally unbalanced" because we don't practice the type of animal torture that this duo of "mentally sound" practitioners of voodoo have no problem with. There are good books on the market for Wiccans/Witches looking to expand their magickal horizons, but this is not one of them.
Rating:
Summary: I hated this book!!!!!!!
Review: I hated that I even had to give this book 1 star!
I currently practice palo, santeria and espiritismo (and will eventually be practicing voodoo) and this book was nothing but a bunch of garbage. First of all, all the author did was rant and rave throughout the whole book. And the section about the prostitute using "voodoo" to get more money out of her clients was not only ridiculous, as a woman I was deeply offended. Another thing about this book that disturbed me (besides the fact that it had NOTHING to do with voodoo WHATSOEVER) was that they mentioned certain things about Santeria-things that NO ONE should take lightly or play with. I am sure that this goes for any religion-forces of nature are not to be played with. Eleggua ain't no joke!!! I was so angry that I had bought this book, luckily the store I bought it from gave me my money back the next day. (And they haven't ordered any additional copies of it either). S. Jason Black is irresponsible, and is trying to make a quick buck. And believe me, Eleggua will make sure that he gets his. Please do not put any more money in Mr. Black's pockets by buying this book!
Rating: 
Summary: Umm
Review: I was sort of put off by this book. To begin with it's not really about VooDoo but Santeria which is different from VooDoo in many many ways. These authros are very negative when speaking about pretty much anyone other than themselves and while I do agree with their views concerning some things most of it is pretty silly. The authors also make a lot of claims about prostitutes using VooDoo to demand more cash from their clients. The authors are certainly mysogynistic in many of their views. I gave this book 2 stars only because I enjoyed the many pictures they included of botanicas in New york. If you are looking for books which are truly in the VooDoo spirit then read MAMA LOLA, JAMBALAYA by Luisha Teish, and SECRETS OF VOODOO by Milo Rigaud.
Incidently, the authors claim to have used many methods not even associated with voodoo in their supposed "voodoo" practices which is the readers first clue that this book is questionable. In closing I will relate the authors claim that this book was written for the Bokor, the sorcerer, not the Houngan or village priest. It was intended to be used more on an individual basis and the initiation ritual presented, if you can call it that is some sort of ceremonial magic prayer which also has nothing to do with VooDoo. If you are going to spend the cash on this one then get it used.
Rating:
Summary: An excelent starting point.
Review: Let me first say that I am biased in writing this review, I love Hyatt & Black. The writing style is very compatable with the convoluted way my mind works, and S. Jason Blacks personal experances are something that is soarly needed in the occult world. The information on 'voodoo' presented in this book may not be the most traditional, but it is effective, and at the end of the day, that's what's important. It should not be seen as a "bible" but a starting point for what any serious pracitioner should do, serious study. Admittedly, the authors do tend to sell their own system of morality through out the book, however I think it's a ... good one. The stingly truthfull insights into both wiccans and thelemites, are both needed and entertaining.
Rating:
Summary: Just stick to the facts and not the anti-Christian propanda!
Review: The book's got a fresh style of writing. Never boring. Keeps you going to the end. Interesting and creative ways on how to get in touch with various loa and orishas. Brings to light various taboo subjects on how the human body is used for sacrifice or parts of it. Makes good points on how Voodoo or other practices are ridiculously mistaken for Satanic worship devices. BUT.... The anti-Christian rhetoric that's smothered ...all over the book is really not necessary. Black got way too carried away with this hatred against Christians. I've had problems with various members of Christian groups myself, but no one needs to dwell on them.
Rating:
Summary: absolutely ludicrous
Review: This book is absolutely ludicrous! It has NOTHING what so ever to do with Vodou! The writers show their prejudice towards African and Afro-American WOMAN in the worse way possible! So called "real-life" encounters with prostitutes are used as excuses to accuse woman of colour to use "voodoo dolls" to place curses on their clients! This book is a disgrace! Two wanna-be ceremonial magicians who want to try "something new".
Rating:
Summary: Are they for real??!
Review: This is a decent book, the authors do tend to rant through most of the book and some of the things they say can be pretty ofensive to some readers as the the authors do seem to have a hatred to both christians and followers of wicca. Alot of the chapters didnt need to be put in a beginners guide magick book, however if you can get past all thier stories and rantings than the last few chapters are worth buying the book for. A list of spirits and sigils mostly from the Macumba(brazil) tradition and a few from the Santerian. Also included is a list of spells,if this is what you want buy the book however if youre looking for a book on relgious voudoo youll be disapointed here.
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Summary: A good Book, but not necissarily for every one.
Review: This is one of the first books on Voodoo that I read, and I found it to be quite a fun read. Some one in an earlyer review said that the authors attacks on wicca were unjustified because they don't know anny wiccans that match the "Obese chainsmoking with poor hygene" discription.
I personaly have met quite a few that match that discription. But I'm also in the midwest. So I'm more prone to seeing these things.
I didn't have anny problem getting past them bashing wicca, Chritianity, Crowleyanity, and Thelema. Yes I know our nation was
founded on religious tolerance, but you are still free to an oppinion.
I found the section with the VeVes to be quite usefull, as well as the section with rituals. I highly recomend the book for those two sections alone. the rantings can be ignored, but serve a point.
And whene they talk about animal sacrifice, it is practiced n Haiti in the more rural areas, But not near Port Au Prince.
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