I really enjoyed this book. If you enjoyed Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff.. (Christopher Moore), ((or even The Shack quite frankly)), you will love this.Catholic folk might take some offense, but that's just silly. Fiction that depicts a more realistic version of how historically fabled events were likely to have happened, given the politics of the day. And even without any of the religious lore as a backdrop, it's just a great read. In Grahame-Smith's retelling, the historical exodus of the holy family from the cruelty of Herod the Great takes on a more sinister and bloody route. Accompanying the sly and deft style from his previous works such as "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" and "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter", "Unholy Night" gives us a glimpse of the destructive and corrupt side of man stemming from the decaying age of gods and mystics. The story is generally dark-paced following the three "wise" men as they entangle themselves with famous biblical characters such as Mary, Joseph and Pontius Pilate. The three men, escaped thieves and murderers as a matter of fact,are led by Balthazar, dubbed as the infamous "Antioch Ghost". He serves as the anti-hero with the dark past who struggles to contemplate with the loss he has suffered through countless murders and thieving.The plot is quite good and may surprise the reader at certain points with its innate capacity to fill in gaps present in some sections of the Bible. Though the story is heavily fiction, the way the author tells it feels like a revelation. In a nutshell, a well-researched account of a an alternate biblical universe. I can't say the same for the characters though. I consider Balthazar as the most blessed among them for the vivid presentation of his character background. In my opinion, the author played it safe for the others since by "messing" with their actual historical backgrounds might trigger unpleasant reactions from religious sectors. But again, this is just an opinion. Overall, I would say that the book has delivered an exemplary show of imagination and consolidated the fact that Seth Grahame-Smith may very well be one of the greatest force in mash-up literature and alternate historical fiction writing. With themes such as the viciousness of man and society, the decay of religious beliefs, man versus the divine, and the power of faith, the novel is sure to deliver a new point of view to the imperfections of man in a time of religious dogma.
What do You think about La Bugia Di Natale (2012)?
I'm sure for some this is a really good book. But this is just not my type of book
—Piriya
A great expansion of the nativity story. Where did this guy get the idea?!?!
—Starseeker
