Book Review: Anne Rice's Christ The Lord: Out of Egypt

Anne Rice the author who brought you books such as Interview with the Vampire and Queen of the Damned now brings you Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt; the following is an excerpt taken from the book's cover:

"This is the book Anne Rice was born to write, a novel about the childhood of Jesus from Alexandria to Galilee in the turbulent 1st century – the story of the boy who was born to be King of the Jews, the ‘ultimate supernatural hero, the ultimate outsider, and the ultimate immortal’.

Incomparable in its boldness and daring, shockingly timely in its evocation of the Middle Eastern world in another era, hers is a unique and palpable rendering of part of the greatest story ever told. Evoking this crucial time in the life of Christ, based on the Gospels and her intense research into the period, Anne Rice magically recreates these years of drama, confusion, and enlightenment. The story opens in cosmopolitan Alexandria where the family has fled. But, when Herod dies, they take ship for Israel, a land under Roman occupation at a time of insurrection and confusion after the death of a tyrant king.

It is an astonishing child's eye view – part innocent, part knowing – of Jewish life in these unruly years of occupation; and of the boy's growing awareness, first of his extraordinary powers, and then of the whispered mysteries surrounding his birth… We watch him grow, steeped in the laws, rituals and traditions of his people, beginning to discuss and dispute with the Elders, and to ask questions that cannot be answered. And, at the end, we feel the strength of his resolve as the boy comes face to face with the truth about his past and the challenge of his future."

In case you were wondering whether this might be another Da Vinci Code, I can assure you that it is not and to add to the surprise, this book is quite sound in theology and history! I am amazed at how much research Rice has done in order to assemble this book, however I am much more amazed at her 180-degree turn from atheism to her return to Catholicism, from gothic-erotica to Christ-centred fiction; and I salute her for her courage to "write only for the Lord" - to quote Rice: "...the [Vampire] Chronicles are no more! Thank God!"

Rice fully utilizes her poetic license and although I do not find any direct conflict between what Rice has written and canonical Scripture, there are parts in Christ the Lord which has its origins from apocryphal texts such as the Gospel of Thomas or no scriptural or historical origins at all (such as Jesus being a pupil of Philo). Granted that Rice has made much effort to make Christ the Lord as historically/theologically accurate as possible, it is still a work of fiction after all.

Reading this book during the Christmas season intensified my appreciation for Christ's first coming even more - the invulnerable God became a vulnerable child - the thought of that just puts me in a state of awe and wonder. The book also gave me a lasting sense of empathy towards the Holy Innocents; children who were executed by Herod, my heart wrenched as I cried reading chapter 24 - and incidentally today's the Feast of the Holy Innocents. Most importantly, the book gave me a deeper feel and understanding of the environment and context Jesus lived in and I believe this will help me as I re-read the Gospels.

Needless to say I highly recommend the book! You can get the original softcover version for RM10 at the BIG BOOK SHOP WAREHOUSE SALE (Where? Atria Shopping Mall 1st floor, Jalan SS22/23 , Damansara Jaya, 47400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia. Tell: 603 2070 8251. When? Everyday until the 31st of December; thanks shoppingNsales!) The last time I checked there were stacks of it still, so why wait?

Go grab it NOW before it's all gone!