By Andrew Oyston

Cover Blurb:

There is a deep, rich vein of spirituality running through The Scribe, a novel that resurrects the life of Luke the Evangelist. After the crucifixion of Jesus, in its immediate aftermath, a young widower and member of the Sanhedrin becomes disillusioned with the high priests and begins to adopt a Christian way of thinking. Forced to leave Jerusalem, he finds himself in a time that heralded the birth of the gospels. The novel follows an array of characters both factual and fictional: Mary, the mother of Jesus, Jesus himself, the gospel writers, a mystical figure known as the Seer, and the Santos brothers, a seagoing pair from Hispania, among others. Set against a background of countries that made up the ancient world, The Scribe shines a beacon of light on a period of history that changed us all forever.

The Scribe By Author Liam Mullen – Book Review

The Scribe is a fictional depiction of the Gospel writer, Luke and his life. Covering a period of several decades, the reader follows Luke and several other important people in his life whose paths cross as the newly created Christian faith begins to spread out throughout the Roman Empire.

The Scribe is part story, part history lesson, attempting to immerse you in what life was like during the immediate post-crucifixion period. It does this rather well but there are a few anachronisms within the text, and the occasional info-dump does disrupt the pacing somewhat, especially when it’s an actual list of names.

The primary characters get a little room to breathe, although the minor roles are a tad two dimensional. The narrative does jump about a bit, but it’s not disruptive enough to get in the way of enjoying the story. There are a few “what???” moments as minor characters fail to react to events around them but the author’s laser-like focus is centred well and truly on Luke. You are here for him and him only. Dialogue is at times well used, whilst at others, a tad repetitive, and there is also some repetition in the text that veers closely towards padding.

Speaking of which, I think that this book could definitely do with another editing pass but, on the whole, the author’s passion shines through and makes this is an enjoyable tale with a few minor yet correctable faults. This is could be described as a very spiritual book and one that should appeal to those interested in the topic or with an interest in the early days of Christianity. Outside of its intended audience, its appeal could be questionable.

I award 3 stars.

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