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3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
Lucitan: A Christian Punk novel Apr 25, 2007
By Joseph Meyer
Lucitan, a Christian Punk Novel
By Emir Phillips
Reviewed by Joe Meyer,
Professor of Political Science,
Los Angeles City College
Janus Bardach and Kathleen Gleeson have written a book on the Russian gulag entitled: "Man is Wolf to Man." In Emir Phillip's novel, "Lucitan," it is far worse than that: angels are wolves to angels, and Man is just part of the fodder.
This novel works on many levels. It's not the first book about a New Orleans DA, but it is the first I'm aware of where the DA is literally the son of the devil.
It's an epic tale of the battle of good and evil where that battle is finally fought on level ground. The problem with most books where God is a main character is that God never can lose; not really. So the whole business becomes a matter of fate, not faith.
But in Lucitan, essentially, the devil tricks God into a fair fight, one where he actually has a chance of winning. And God being God, well, I'll let the reader discover the beautiful simplicity that is Lucitan's God.
Mr. Phillips has a dense literary style that is rarely found in modern novels. He puts great effort into creating characters - human, heavenly and hellish - all of whom seem real and knowable. You don't need to be a graduate of a Catholic grade school to fully comprehend the detail and delightful dark humor of Lucitan.
There are countless numbers of novels that use New Orleans as a background. There are a few which truly capture New Orleans. But Lucitan is a rarity, in that the character that is the "Big EZ" is not presented as its stereotype (that Yankee creation of tourists and conventioneers). No, this New Orleans smells and sweats and feels real, but more importantly, it is an indivisible part of the plot. The story could not happen anywhere else.
This is obviously a book of deep faith and real understanding of the workings of - for lack of better words - good and evil. Mr. Phillips does much more than "give the devil his due." He shows that even the devil is not beyond redemption (or at least that's God's position).
Christians and non Christians alike will be swept up in the fast pace and endless twists as the reader is blown forward to the battle for - well - everything. And don't be too sure you know the outcome.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
No Holds Barred Jun 09, 2006
By Phreddy Tran
First-time novelist Emir Phillips holds nothing back here. You've got armies of orphans fighting demons, scathing insights into the political and social realities of New Orleans before Katrina (and somewhat more visible now), the rants of a dead mobster, some plunges into historical -- even Babylonian -- fiction, and a little mythological fudging around that would feel at home in a Tom Robbins novel. Some sections take a little more chewing than others, particularly those with extensive theological debates. But overall it's a colorful and stimulating read, and it so perfectly captures the character of New Orleans: passionate religion (both pagan and Christian) alongside complete debauchery, framed by an unrivaled love of life tinged with the constant presence of death. It may not be right for a light beach read, but it's great for those who want something to chew on, Creole style.
I Can't Leave This Book On The Shelf! Jul 01, 2009
By M. A. Wright
I have actually known Emir Phillips a very long time, but had not been in contact with him for what seems like a life time. I knew Emir at that stage in life when you are too young to hide who you really are. You have a stark freshness, as do your associates. There is a built in meter in youth that goes off when a fraud is near. Once you are older, you may wander down paths and to places where people may not know who are at the core. You may even kid yourself about who you are, but a few people your core. They know who you are no matter how far you run and how long you try to hide it. I knew Emir back then. Back when. When I tripped across his name on Amazon.Com while looking for another Christian author, I had to read the book. I read Mr. Phillip's own warning about the content, but I knew the heart of the man who had written this book and so I " walked on faith" and ordered it. I am very glad I did. The rest of this review is taken from several letters I wrote to him trying to sort out my reaction to his book. His book I could not put down and could not mentally walk away from once I had finished it.
Emir,
I am rather astounded by your writing skills. I was totally drawn into the story and the characters. If the language was not so rough, I'd read it a second time. I realize that you have actually done a considerable amount of cleaning it up compared to just how raw and graphic those same characters are in real place in real time. At different times in my life, I have been seized by life's circumstances and been subjected to way too much of that kind of talk and it took a long time for it to stop ringing in my ears. So while parts of this book did shock me, and it made it very hard to read at first, I read on in faith that you were going somewhere valuable with it.
I am hoping there are more books of yours. Even though parts of this book actually made me sick, I know that children grow up in even worse situations. One of the things that made it so hard for me to read was that it gave me flashbacks to all the abused and molested children I have worked with in the world. It made me cry. In more than one place, while reading your book, I cried. My reaction to what you wrote was so strong that I actually read part of the book backwards to take the sting out of it.
I also laughed. There are sections that I re-read because I needed the surprising humor found in them. The depictions of the Catholic/Protestant crowds gathering for miracles were sheer genius. I laughed hysterically through both passages. The dialogue as so quick and smooth and totally believable. I think CSLewis would tip his hat to you on how well you wrote those. In the protestant crowd passage, you do a fantastic job of sealing a bond between Peter the Priest and Lucitan, and that made the death of Peter in L.'s arms even more poinent. I found that brilliantly captivating. Echos of Screwtape.
The Pegasus murder was chilling and haunting and sad all at the same time. As a writer, I found myself admiring your writing. It was very powerful.
There are so many themes in this book, need a round table discussion on LUCITAN. My mind keeps returning to parts of the book and analyzing them more deeply. I believe the book would be fantastic catalyst for a Christianity Application class. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A STUDY GUIDE to go with it.
LUCITAN has done some surprising things to me: Since reading your book, I have actually been singing hymns under my breath-- the original formats no less. I find my mind floating to spiritual ideas of a more meaty nature. I think the depth of of it has engaged me after years of little to stimulate my spiritual intelligence.
I have actually been reading my BIBLE more now and have revisited some of the toxic periods of my own life with a more mature perspective. Things I did not want to "look at" again. I think realizing that you understand those trauma's made it easier to think of them now.
Thanks for the book. I read it and it tells me Emir still gets the Jesus thing. He gets the tragedy and the reality of the lost. He gets how horribly difficult it is for people climbing toward the light. Seeking to reach it and having that light eclipsed as they seek. The beauty of the search and the horror of the returning darkness.
Your book does what the rest of the world is afraid to do. Take Jesus into the world where he is needed. It mixes Christ with humanity. Jesus said to seek and show salvation to the lost. Not clean it up, then seek it and show it. In fact, I believe our job is to seek it and show Christ, let him save it and then I think he just sorta naturally goes about the business of cleaning us all up --if we let him.
Bravo, Emir Phillips. Bravo for not trying to kid us about how to package God. Thanks for not insulting God about his New Orleans. You can only insult your friends for so long.........................
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