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Cltreader
Posted May 26, 2011
You don't have to be a religious person to love this book. If you remember any bible stories, a lot of this will seem familiar. It's told in a novel style based on the life of Mary Magdalene whom we meet as a prostitute who is angry and sometimes demon possessed. She is not allowed in the temple, though the men that use her services are. Jesus is treated exactly as I expect he would be treated if he lived today. Parts of the story are inspiring, other parts are sad, some are actually heartbreaking. My favorite parts were Jesus forgiving Mary Magadelene and her going home to take her braids out and the makeup off, her spreading the gospel and decided to follow Jesus with his disiciples, Lazarus being raised, the religious politicians who are out to get Jesus, the Roman soldiers who participate, Pontius Pilate, and the crucifixtion scene. I didn't want this book to end even though I knew how it ended. I would read other books by this auther in a minute. I also recommend this to any book club as I think the discussions would be great.
24 out of 29 people found this review helpful.
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Posted February 28, 2012
After reading this beautiful novel and one particularly slanderous review (Lovestoreadbooks) I felt compelled to write my own. As a professor of history I can assure readers that the author has taken great pains to be historically accurate, albeit, he has chosen the genre of 'fiction' as some of his characters are not real.
Synagogues were littered all over Judea in Jesus' time (he preached in them regularly), Pontius Pilate is called "prefect" by at least one Roman historian, and Israel existed 750 BC as a nation, albeit a split one. The charge of plagiarism is slanderous in the extreme and absolutely untrue. Just read the canonical gospels and you'll find the story.
If you are seeking a deeply emotional novel that opens the gospels and the 1st century in a way that responsibly reflects the biblical account, then this book is for you. This is the best account of Mary Magdalene I have ever read, and although it doesn't claim to be absolute fact, it touches the heart in such a way that one can easily believe it is inspired. Highly recommended!!
17 out of 17 people found this review helpful.
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Posted March 30, 2011
I really liked this book. I appreciated reading the Jesus story from others' perspectives. Thanks for a great read Steve Copland!
17 out of 20 people found this review helpful.
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Posted May 8, 2011
One of the best books Iv'e read yet. Nice in depth details of the times before and up to the resurrection , OK it's fiction but who knows? It could very well have been each individuals accounting of the way we know it to be.
12 out of 16 people found this review helpful.
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Posted April 17, 2011
this book was an amazing read from start to finish
10 out of 15 people found this review helpful.
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Posted February 1, 2012
First, if the reader is Catholic I think he/she will enjoy it more than others. It is a story that many of us already know, but so much of the "missing" information has been added that it is fascinating and even educational. I know that the stuff that has been added is based on Mr. Copland's imagination, the way he tells it you don't even realize it has been added to what you already know. I really enjoyed the book and honestly feel that I have read an eyewitness account of what happened so long ago.
8 out of 8 people found this review helpful.
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Posted June 24, 2011
I liked this book a lot. i couldn't put it down once i started reading.
8 out of 10 people found this review helpful.
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Posted February 20, 2012
A fantastic book, really brings to life the people during the time of Christ and the issues that they faced, although so many centuries ago one can still relate to the pain and loss and rejection experienced by women then and now and the healing power that Christ brought to their lives. The conflicted Mary still exemplifies conflict experienced by women today. The character of Raisa looking for love and being conflicted as a Jewish woman and a woman wanting to experience love. The forgiving Christ heals and forgives all. This is a book of hope for our times and a reminder to all of us that Jesus is the one and only source of healing, love and forgiveness in a world where people are still seeking truth. Should be a mandatory read for teens at school for comparative religion or social studies.
7 out of 7 people found this review helpful.
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Posted September 16, 2011
Overall I am enjoying reading this book. I like how it brings me back to the time of Jesus and the way people lived during these times. However, the title is a little misleading, it's not a story about Mary's life. It's more about the events happening around her during her life, but not necessarily (always) specific to her life. The book goes back and forth from her story, to several other characters in the book and their lives. A little confusing to follow sometimes, but still a good read.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
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Posted March 22, 2012
Brilliant. A beautiful portrayl of 1st century Palestine. Well written and inspiring.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Posted August 31, 2011
As others have stated needs a better proofreader. Also, more charcter development on Artrillius and the other soldiers why write about Mithras without any conclusion? The ending seemed hurried as if the author was writing an assighnment for class got to the required length and ended it.
3 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
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Posted February 28, 2012
This book is awesome in everyway. It feels like you are there in the book. A book has never touched me like this one. I recommend it to anyone.
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Posted February 27, 2012
This is a different perspective that i enjoyed.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted February 4, 2012
Even though you already know the plot and ending, this is one of the most moving books I have ever read. It brings the events to life and into your heart.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted January 29, 2012
Very well written, and most enjoyable...Will defintely look for more from this author!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted October 6, 2011
The story is rather good. The grammar and puncuation is appalling. Easy read minus bad grammar and puncuation.
2 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.This book started out rather ploddingly, but as the story progressed, it became richer in detail and in substance. The reader is led through many of the travels and situations that Jesus, the Christ, encountered that we read of in the synoptic gospels. This book helps to flesh out the journeys of Jesus with His first-century disciples, including Mary Magdalene, recounting many of His parables, His healings and other miracles, and makes the reader to feel transported into that time and place. I was especially intriqued by some of the historical detail concerning pagan religions that were thriving during that time in the Roman Empire, particularly the description of Mithraism that was evoked through the portrayal of the lives of several characters who figure prominently in this story. My only criticism is the too-frequent occurrence of grammatical and spelling errors that should have been expunged before the publication of the book. (Could this be due to it having been but into e-reader form without, perhaps, as many editorial checks in place as there were for a book in physical printed form?)
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Posted August 15, 2011
Although the title is too narrow for the reality of this novel, it is a thought-provoking book. Very enjoyable.
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Posted March 25, 2012
Simply Brilliant
This book is not for the intellectually impaired as witnessed by some of the sillier reviews. It does have many characters, but isn't difficult to follow unless one has a premediated idea of the figure of Mary Magdalene. It is written totally within a Christian context and keeps to good biblical theology throughout. For Christians seeking to be inspired by the life of the biblical Mary Magdalene, and to simply be blessed to bits, this novel is nothing short of brilliant. Yes, it needed a better proof reader, but hey, it cost less than a cup of coffee and had me feeling as though Jesus Christ was in my living room. Few books have ever done that for me, so a huge 'thank you' to Steve Copland for having the passion to write a novel which brings my bible to life. I will certainly be recommending it to members of the Church I attend and if I could have given it 10 stars I would have.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted March 23, 2012
Not many books move me as this one did...the depth of emotion Steve Copland portrays in this beautifully crafted novel is exceptional; it was like watching a biblical movie. I will definately be looking for the next novel in the series. A great read.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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LendMe™
Overview
Mary Magdalene was a woman whose life circumstances led her from demonic possession and prostitution to being the first witness of the greatest event in world history. In an attempt to reconstruct her life, this book demonstrates her struggle as she confronts the patriarchal traditions embedded in first century culture, the hypocritical practice of condemning only one gender in adultery, her transformation as she finds grace, freedom and real love in her encounter with Christ, and her being chosen as ‘the apostle to the apostles’.This novel takes the reader into the first century. It delves into the personal lives of lepers, cripples and the sight ...