Great Lion of GodEdited & Corrected Review November 21, 2013Intro/Mea Culpa: First off, my apologies for having created the original review and incorrectly writing about Caldwell’s Dear and Glorious Physician! I’m not entirely sure how I managed to write the essay but then create the wrong book when I posted the review. Many thanks to Constanza (see comments below) for reading this review and commenting on my error.I have created a review for Dear and Glorious Physician (DAGP) with the material that was wrongly applied here (with some minor formatting changes). I am also leaving the incorrect essay below so that other readers can make sense of the comment and revel in my bone headedness.Review of THIS BOOK:As I wrote originally, I read these two books by Taylor Caldwell back in the dawn of civilization. I probably read DAGP twice since I found that book more rewarding than this one. In fact, I did start this book and then put it aside because I just could not continue. Whether it was 30 pages or 40 or 50 I don’t remember and I certainly don’t know if it was only 6 months before I picked it up again. I do know that I eventually did read to the end, but as I write this today, I feel it was at least a couple of years later when that happened.Without going back to the book, I don’t even know for certain why I stopped, but I can offer some guesses. Despite the familiarity of the topic, I wasn’t that excited by a bureaucrat-turned-Apostle even though he lived during a time that I was heavily in love with and studied. Plus, the book seemed to be more about “stuff” than action. (Remember this is decades-old recollection)But I have one thing that I can clearly remember and tell you: giving up on reading a book felt bad. Really bad. Not a crime per se, but like a betrayal of the book and by extension of the author and publisher. But I wasn’t thinking of them, just of the paperback copy of the book that I had put back in a closet. (Sounds like this should have been about her novel I, Judas instead, doesn’t it?) And it was that guilt that eventually made me return and read the rest of the book.I know from other people’s reviews and comments that a lot of Goodreaders have “matured” to the point where they discard a book as soon as they know they aren’t enjoying (or valuing) the experience. I don’t mean hard books that are considered important literary works, but books read more for fun and the sheer pleasure of reading. I envy those people because even today I still wade through a book that I am reading. It hasn’t happened very often (maybe because I stick to what I know I’ll like) but I haven’t hit the cut-and-run phase of my life yet. On the other hand, thanks to Goodreads and some in-person friends, I have read many books in the past decade that I never would have bothered with and am a better reader for it.Since I wasn’t that thrilled with it at the time, I can’t in all conscience give this book a higher ranking than three (3.0) stars – but I won’t penalize it with a lower rating unless I do the modern era re-read.Note: The one book that has been on my “currently reading” status for the last few years I stopped for a very personal reason. Someday I will dig that out and finish it.Original, review text (Feb 2011) that is NOT about this book:I read this book (and several others by the author) a long, long time ago. Putting aside the "disciple" aspect of Luke (which wasn't a factor), I read it because a) he was a physician and b) it's set in the early Roman Empire. Since I've always been into science and did lots of Western (i.e. Greco-Roman) Ancient History and took Latin for six years as a teenager, this book hit on all three.From what I remember, I liked the book for its own sake. Her novels tend to be longish and rich with detail and plot. Of course this is a fictionalized account of Luke's life and I am pretty sure that Caldwell takes some expansive liberties with his life story. (Minor spoiler alert!) For example, I don't really think he met one of the Emperors!(end of minor spoiler.)I also recall having attempted to read at least one of her other books (I think it was "Great Lion of God") and putting it down 40-50 pages into it for 6 months because I thought it was unreadable. I did eventually read it through, but "Dear and Glorious Physician" was clearly a better book and I recall more details of it even mumblety-mumbelty years ago. It was a pretty decent book: well-written and well plotted.Now (as I write this review) that I look over her bibliography, I see a few title that I never read and would consider picking up: "The Arm and the Darkness", "A Pillar of Iron", "Glory and the Lightning", and "Dialogues with the Devil". There are probably others that I would like, too.Given her fairly high level of writing, I hope you decide to pick up this or another of her many books. Even though her last book was written in 1980, her themes are universal and ageless (more or less.) Give one or two a try. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.
I have a great deal of respect for this book and this author. I wanted to read this one as I was so struck by how aptly Caldwell married the factual and fictional in the book about St. Luke, Dear and Glorious Physician and I really loved that book. Thus, it was logical to me that I would feel similarly about her book on Saul/Paul of Tarsus.And I did get so much from the book. It did not read as smoothly as the other one had, but I attribute that largely to the subject matter. Paul was a very complicated and at times conflicted person - one who disbelieved and then believed so passionately. But at his core there was always a strong faith and a commitment that God's will be done. Caldwell was so committed to intense research and thus by reading it is almost as if you are walking and talking the those familiar early Christians over two millenniums ago. I certainly did enjoy and am glad that I made the commitment to read this one. And yes, that talent for finding the facts and creating a believable story around them is clearly the draw for this book as well.
What do You think about Great Lion Of God (1983)?
My book club picked this book, because this liturgical year is dedicated to St. Paul. As well, we had previously read Grandmother and the Priests by Taylor Caldwell and which we all loved. Caldwell's research into biblical times bears fruit in this immense novel, moving from Paul's upper-class upbringing in Tarsus to his traveling to Jerusalem. I enjoyed very much how the author brought in to Paul's life, prior to his conversion, John the Baptist, Joseph of Arimathea, and of course, Jesus and His mother...and Paul(Saul) understood them not.
—Amy
This is the first book I ever put away unfinished. I was raised to believe it was a special sort of sin to show disrespect to a book, but I just could not make myself continue reading. I had read over 350 pages and NOTHING had happened. This was supposed to be the life of one of the most well-traveled, aggressive and strong-willed individuals in Christian history! This, the first of my many sins against literature, occurred in the early 1970's, when I was incredibly young and naive. Perhaps my opinion then was formed by my youth and inexperience? WELLLLLL, no. Recently a tattered paperback copy of this "classic" came into my hands. I decided to give it another try. 150 pages into this interminable tale, I threw it into a wastebasket and said a word which would have distressed my sainted mother. How could St. Paul be this boring? Seriously, it could not be just a matter of the author's lack of skill. I've read many books by Taylor Caldwell and found them all worth my time and effort. Only this one fails to excite and entertain me. Take a tip from me. If Paul is your main man, there are dozens of better books, fiction and non-fiction about the Apostle to the Gentiles. If Rome is your meat and drink, try this author' wonderful Pillar of Iron, about Cicero. If, on the other hand, you are looking for penance for sin, this one will do.
—Libby
