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mrseth111's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Loved this book. Reads really fast for an older, classic book. I was never bored reading it. So much happens as the story progresses. Will be reading it again.
taneilcasey's review
5.0
I had never heard of this book until I went to a homeschool bookstore and saw it on the shelves. The back said something about it being a classic, and that immediately caught my attention.
The entire book reminded me of Ben-Hur, just at a later time period. It is set quite a few years after the death of Jesus on the cross, and tells the story of a young man named Basil. He, just like Ben-Hur, is sold as a slave and looses his house, lands, and properties. One thing that Basil does have is an amazing talent to sculpt with his hands. This talent is what gets Basil to the places he goes.
Notable characters include, Nero, many of the Lord's apostles, and Joseph of Arimathia.
This was a very good book, and I would recommend it to anyone who loved Ben-Hur.
The entire book reminded me of Ben-Hur, just at a later time period. It is set quite a few years after the death of Jesus on the cross, and tells the story of a young man named Basil. He, just like Ben-Hur, is sold as a slave and looses his house, lands, and properties. One thing that Basil does have is an amazing talent to sculpt with his hands. This talent is what gets Basil to the places he goes.
Notable characters include, Nero, many of the Lord's apostles, and Joseph of Arimathia.
This was a very good book, and I would recommend it to anyone who loved Ben-Hur.
ladyofthelake68's review
5.0
This book is now one of my favorites. It tells a terrific story of some early Christians and their struggles.
The story focuses on a young man who was deprived of his inheritance and forced to work as a slave. As a slave he learns the art of sculpting and soon becomes one of the best sculptors in the known world. He is commissioned to create a frame which will hold the cup that our Savior drank from at the last supper.
One of the reasons why I like this book is it manages to show people the Christian faith without shoving it in their face saying "You have to believe this!" It presents the faith in a way that shows people what Christianity is all about instead of telling them.
The story focuses on a young man who was deprived of his inheritance and forced to work as a slave. As a slave he learns the art of sculpting and soon becomes one of the best sculptors in the known world. He is commissioned to create a frame which will hold the cup that our Savior drank from at the last supper.
One of the reasons why I like this book is it manages to show people the Christian faith without shoving it in their face saying "You have to believe this!" It presents the faith in a way that shows people what Christianity is all about instead of telling them.
mrusso5512's review
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
annamontana's review
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
1.5
I don't mind a long book if there is a reason that it is long. This book does not have a reason to be over 800 pages long. The first 100 pages could have been summarized in a paragraph of two. The author needed a good editor to trim some pages.
The story wasn't bad but I did not enjoy the characters. Basil, the main character could have had terrific growth, and I guess there was some, but it was not conveyed well. There were too many side characters who added nothing to the plot.
As this is Christian fiction I will add these thoughts. The dealings with the chalice were borderline idolatry. Some of the events were more mystic than Christian, and I am not counting the dealing with Simon the Magician. I felt the addition of Peter, John, Paul, and Luke were too much. Maybe one, but all of them? Really? The idea that they would have their likeness made into an image seemed far fetched for a first century Christian of Jewish decent.
Over all, I would not recommend this and will not be reading other works by this author.
The story wasn't bad but I did not enjoy the characters. Basil, the main character could have had terrific growth, and I guess there was some, but it was not conveyed well. There were too many side characters who added nothing to the plot.
As this is Christian fiction I will add these thoughts. The dealings with the chalice were borderline idolatry. Some of the events were more mystic than Christian, and I am not counting the dealing with Simon the Magician. I felt the addition of Peter, John, Paul, and Luke were too much. Maybe one, but all of them? Really? The idea that they would have their likeness made into an image seemed far fetched for a first century Christian of Jewish decent.
Over all, I would not recommend this and will not be reading other works by this author.
mimima's review against another edition
4.0
While the love story (and usually I'm a big fan) was a bit trite, the overall history and story of the early Christians - as the original apostles are aging and Nero is beginning his persecutions - was well done and enjoyable.
bibliostatic's review
2.0
I read this back in the late seventies. I remember it as being pretty much the same as "The Robe," "Quo Vadis," and "Ben-Hur."