Bought in a charity shop in Hebden Bridge because I'd finished the book I'd brought with me and didn't have a back-up book (disaster!), then devoured in one sitting.

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Picked up at the November release, as one of his books i havent read, and knowing his latest is his last (until it isnt)

This is a short book, at 210 pages (Ironically - perhaps knowingly - matching the book's internal publisher who states that "The Fifth Gospel .... with wide margins and large spacing").

Theo is an academic, a translator of Aramaic, who believes - rightly or wrongly - that he's the best in the West, and probably the East too. He is remarkably un-self-aware, whilst also self-centred, so does not care for the curator of the Mosul museum, even after the man gets himself blown up whilst escorting Theo round the damaged museum. He doesnt really care that (rather why) his girlfriend has dumped him before he even returns to Canada. He cant understand why all the major publishers wont touch his translation, but gets angry when a small publishing house offers him *only* 250,000 dollars to publish what is, in effect, stolen goods. All he cares about is the translation of the 9 scrolls he found hidden in the belly of a pregnant woman statue.

Theo goes from zero to a sensation in the matter of weeks, and the effect of the book on the general population has unpredictable results. The scrolls found in the Mosul Museum, once translated, tell the story of Jesus from a first hand witness and it's not what people expected or hoped for. Jesus was a man, who was crucified, and died on a cross having emptied his bowels and bladder down the cross. He didnt die surrounded by his apostles, just with a number of lesser known women who turned up each day. He wasnt buried in a stone covered grave, and wasnt resurrected on the third day. The scribe of the scrolls was a gossip and a spy, who didnt really follow Jesus and was a sick, boring man when he wrote his story.

Theo goes on a promotional tour, and becomes almost Christ like (if you believe Malachi) in what happens: his word and fame spreads out of control; his Amazon reviews and unbelievable (and as badly spelt as you would think); people are prepared to kill others and themselves over what they believe the message is; and Theo finds himself captured, tied up, covered in crap and forced to denounce his work before being shot and let outside to die; thankfully he gets on his way to the hospital where it seems he dies, only to be brought back to life.

Not a laugh out loud book, but one that passes a day in reading and has some decent analogies

Welcome to BookCrossing. Thanks for taking the time to visit the site. Please make a journal entry to let me know that you have found this book, you may do this anonymously or you may join. There is no charge to join this site, if you are like myself from time to time you may donate to help support Bookcrossing; but it is not mandatory. If you are new to BookCrossing and choose to join, please indicate that you were referred by Nordie. Membership is free and your name and e-mail address is not shared with anyone else and it will never be sold. BookCrossing is a world-wide group of people who love books and wish to share them with others.

Please enjoy this book, if it is not your genre pass it along to someone else or wild release it. In this way we promote literacy and at the same time we can watch our book continue on its journey

Welcome to BookCrossing. Thanks for taking the time to visit the site. Please make a journal entry to let me know that you have found this book, you may do this anonymously or you may join. There is no charge to join this site, if you are like myself from time to time you may donate to help support Bookcrossing; but it is not mandatory. If you are new to BookCrossing and choose to join, please indicate that you were referred by Nordie. Membership is free and your name and e-mail address is not shared with anyone else and it will never be sold. BookCrossing is a world-wide group of people who love books and wish to share them with others.

Please enjoy this book, if it is not your genre pass it along to someone else or wild release it. In this way we promote literacy and at the same time we can watch our book continue on its journey

Picked up on the Bookbuffet at the Unconvention. I've really enjoyed all the Michel Faber I've read so looking forward to this one. Thank you!

When Theo, an Aramaic scholar nearly gets blown up in Iraq, he finds some 2000 year old scrolls with an account from an eye witness of the crucifixion of Jesus. Theo is worried that when he publishes that book sales will slump, but in fact the Fifth Gospel is more explosive than he expects. I didn't quite know what to make of this book, the parallels between the reactions to Jesus and Theo as they tell the truth are interesting, but Theo's self-interest and grasping nature make him an unsympathetic character.

Travelling to Tarna as my RABCK for October. Sorry about the delay in posting!

I've been away home for a week and paid a brief visit there today. There was a book waiting for me. And not just any old book but one from by wishlist, The Fire Gospel by Michel Faber. With one of the most beautiful postcards I've ever seen. Thank you so very much, greenbadger! Btw, you don't have to say you're sorry for any delay in posting. Royal Mail doesn't say they're sorry for sending the package to Canada. (Yes, it says “Missent to Canada” on the envelope.) I feel pretty lucky, I love well-travelled books.