Christ the lord out of cana
This book was a little slower to start with than the first book, but still captured my imagination. The "good parts", where Jesus realizes his power, are an inspiration to us all. It allows you the reader to feel God is here for you by making Jesus a normal man of flesh and blood. He feels anxieties, he has desires, he is searching for his future just like us all.

Awesome pick!
When I first saw the title in the store's selection of audio books I was very interested in listening to this book. Then I noticed the author's name; could this be the same lady that wrote the vampire books? It was! I was hoping that I made a good choice and I did! Very enjoyable. Listening to the audio book again and picking up additional meanings that I missed the first time.

Please listen to the author's message at the end. VERY Good Choice!
Phyllis

Well researched and lively account of the first century near east
This is an excellent portrait that should not offend pious Catholics. This is a work of fiction that accurately portrays the world Our Lord lived in and follows a very likely path of his location during His early years. The work is clearly and explicitly fiction, however, there is nothing within to offend piety except for a single mild lapse in which The Blessed Virgin Mary is described as "angry."

This is a excellent, exciting, and moving story all told with fine attention to detail and a compelling narrative style that apparently is a trademark of Anne Rice's work (this is the only novel of hers I have read).

The characters are finely drawn and very human. There is no silly, saccharine, or precious piety here (which is a relief!).

The story line follows the Holy Family leaving Egypt and returning to Jerusalem and eventually Nazareth, set against the backdrop of the horrible oppression of the Jews by the Romans, and the sporadic uprisings which marked the period in which Our Lord walked the earth.

Schsmatics, heretics and Protestants may have some problems with the text, for it is relys on sources outside of the Luther-approved scriptural canon (funny how Our Lord quoted from the so-called Apocrypha but Luther knows so much better and excludes it). But the story does have a firm foundation in sound, but not Divinely inspired, early Church hagiographies and particularly the iconography which was established before Scripture was written or even collected.

For those who are not Christians, this is still an exciting historical novel with excellent detail that will be appreciated for its skill in creating the first century near east. One of the better novels I've read this year.

A Respectful and Well-Researched Invention of Christ the Child
My initial apprehension in approaching this novel as a Christian was the fear that it would be an overtly blasphemous work that turned the Christ Child into an amateur magician running amok in 1st century Palestine. I was pleased that my anxieties were not well-founded.

As a Biblical Studies major, I paid particular attention to the historical background of the book, noting its authenticity. I was amazed at the depth of research Anne Rice must have done to complete this novel. It begins with Jesus living in Alexandria, one of the most important cities in the Roman Empire at the time, aptly called the "breadbasket of Rome." After the death of Herod the Great, the family of Christ no longer has the need to avoid Herod's kingdom (who attempted to kill Jesus when He was born) and they journey home to Nazareth. Along the way, Jesus struggles with the issue of His true identity and comes to terms with His divine nature. A thick display of Judaistic worship penetrates the story, constantly reminding the reader of a fact Christians are so fond of forgetting: Jesus was a Jew.

Rice writes with a slightly Catholic tint, albeit to no dismay. She derives information from little-known sources (the Infancy Gospel of Thomas) and introduces obscure New Testament theories (John the Baptist was raised by the Essenes at Qumran Khirbet) that the Bible scholar will (should) certainly recognize with glee. The novel is told in the first person of Christ and gives an amiable display of Our Lord without crossing lines, but never neglecting to break barriers. Several passages were downright chilling to me, a testament (no pun intended) to the strength of Rice's prose.

Knowledge of the Bible and its background certainly increased my enjoyment of this work, but was certainly not necessary to understand the story. This book is highly recommended to the Christian or non-Christian.

Superb
This is such an interesting book. I would suggest reading the Author's Note first; it helps to know what Anne Rice had in mind when turning this portion of Jesus' life into a novel. Reading this book led me to read "The Road to Cana," as well. Both are excellent.

Ms. Rice has managed to keep the story moving and believable, while breathing new life into the Gospels. It's a great way to get a deeper understanding of the culture in which Jesus lived. I think the most compelling aspect is how you are transported into the mind of a young child who knows He is "different" but doesn't quite know why - or when the full import of that difference will become apparent to Him and those He loves.