What do you think?
Rate this book
Unholy Night
From the author of the New York Times bestselling Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, comes UNHOLY NIGHT, the next evolution in dark historical revisionism.
They're an iconic part of history's most celebrated birth. But what do we really know about the Three Kings of the Nativity, besides the fact that they followed a star to Bethlehem bearing strange gifts? The Bible has little to say about this enigmatic trio. But leave it to Seth Grahame-Smith, the brilliant and twisted mind behind Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies to take a little mystery, bend a little history, and weave an epic tale.
In Grahame-Smith's telling, the so-called "Three Wise Men" are infamous thieves, led by the dark, murderous Balthazar. After a daring escape from Herod's prison, they stumble upon the famous manger and its newborn king. The last thing Balthazar needs is to be slowed down by young Joseph, Mary and their infant. But when Herod's men begin to slaughter the first born in Judea, he has no choice but to help them escape to Egypt.
It's the beginning of an adventure that will see them fight the last magical creatures of the Old Testament; cross paths with biblical figures like Pontius Pilate and John the Baptist; and finally deliver them to Egypt. It may just be the greatest story never told.
They're an iconic part of history's most celebrated birth. But what do we really know about the Three Kings of the Nativity, besides the fact that they followed a star to Bethlehem bearing strange gifts? The Bible has little to say about this enigmatic trio. But leave it to Seth Grahame-Smith, the brilliant and twisted mind behind Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies to take a little mystery, bend a little history, and weave an epic tale.
In Grahame-Smith's telling, the so-called "Three Wise Men" are infamous thieves, led by the dark, murderous Balthazar. After a daring escape from Herod's prison, they stumble upon the famous manger and its newborn king. The last thing Balthazar needs is to be slowed down by young Joseph, Mary and their infant. But when Herod's men begin to slaughter the first born in Judea, he has no choice but to help them escape to Egypt.
It's the beginning of an adventure that will see them fight the last magical creatures of the Old Testament; cross paths with biblical figures like Pontius Pilate and John the Baptist; and finally deliver them to Egypt. It may just be the greatest story never told.
270 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 29, 2012
300 people are currently reading
6542 people want to read
About the author
Seth Grahame-Smith
22 books2,833 followersSeth grew up in Connecticut reading Stephen King from a way-too-early age and forcing his friends to be in homemade horror movies. He’s written three New York Times Bestselling novels (and another one that kind’ve flopped but got good reviews). He occasionally writes or produces movies. The ones you like the most are probably THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE and IT. Right now he’s working on a GREEN LANTERN series for HBO Max. Please stop asking him when it comes out. He’s a partner in Katzsmith Productions, a film and television company based in Los Angeles. He has a lovely wife, two fine sons, and two comically dumb dogs.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,331 reviews
December 10, 2025
Jesus, Mary and Joseph...did not belong in this one
I get that it's Seth Grahame-Smith's thing to take classic stories (i.e. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies) or famous people (i.e.Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter) and throw his own twist on them. Normally a grisly supernatural twist that just adds so much life to the story.
For Unholy Night, the twist was what if the three Wisemen were thieves and murderers who helped out the holy couple flee King Harod? That twist did not belong in this story.
I'm not just saying that from a religious perspective, it just...didn't make sense and wasn't well executed. The book swung from overbearingly gruesome to painfully awkward.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph were secondary/tertiary characters - aka so two-dimensionally pointless that they could've easily been replaced with any other couple and a babe. It almost felt like they were included for the shock-factor.
Mary was (at best) an annoying ditsy girl and Joseph was (at best) a tool for plot development (ha). And, Jesus cried a lot (understandable, given the plot).
His motivation? The unjust death of his younger pickpocket brother. His methods? Killing as many people as possible due to their tangential proximity to evil....am I the only one seeing the hipocrisy?
One of Balthazar's main traits was his complete derision for anyone who believes. He constantly mocks the Holy couple for being naive religious zealots. He rolls his eyes at their faith surrounding this "God" character...ALL THE WHILE Balthazar experiences miracles. Constantly . It's frustrating to deal with such blatant hypocrisy.
And let's not even get into King Harod with his creepy child fetish, his literal raping of a 12 year old corpse and his torture kink. Yeah, the book definitely went there.
The 2018 PopSugar Reading Challenge - A book involving a heist
Audiobook Comments
It was read fairly well. The story wasn't the best, so the reading just didn't stand out to me either.
YouTube | Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Snapchat @miranda_reads
I get that it's Seth Grahame-Smith's thing to take classic stories (i.e. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies) or famous people (i.e.Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter) and throw his own twist on them. Normally a grisly supernatural twist that just adds so much life to the story.
For Unholy Night, the twist was what if the three Wisemen were thieves and murderers who helped out the holy couple flee King Harod? That twist did not belong in this story.
I'm not just saying that from a religious perspective, it just...didn't make sense and wasn't well executed. The book swung from overbearingly gruesome to painfully awkward.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph were secondary/tertiary characters - aka so two-dimensionally pointless that they could've easily been replaced with any other couple and a babe. It almost felt like they were included for the shock-factor.
Mary was (at best) an annoying ditsy girl and Joseph was (at best) a tool for plot development (ha). And, Jesus cried a lot (understandable, given the plot).
Throughout the book, we only really followed one wiseman (Balthazar) and his thirst for revenge.
"If the wise men mounted their camels now, they could escape, no question. But Balthazar hadn’t ridden into Bethlehem to run. He’d come to kill every last one of them, or die trying."
His motivation? The unjust death of his younger pickpocket brother. His methods? Killing as many people as possible due to their tangential proximity to evil....am I the only one seeing the hipocrisy?
One of Balthazar's main traits was his complete derision for anyone who believes. He constantly mocks the Holy couple for being naive religious zealots. He rolls his eyes at their faith surrounding this "God" character...ALL THE WHILE Balthazar experiences miracles. Constantly . It's frustrating to deal with such blatant hypocrisy.
And let's not even get into King Harod with his creepy child fetish, his literal raping of a 12 year old corpse and his torture kink. Yeah, the book definitely went there.
Not particularly happy with this one. If he cut out the religious aspects, toned down on the brain bashing and the molestation bits...I would've enjoyed this story. It had a good base, it was just all the extra bits that kind of ruined it for me.
"Prolonging death was akin to prolonging an orgasm. The closer you could bring the victim to the finish line without crossing it, the better..."
The 2018 PopSugar Reading Challenge - A book involving a heist
Audiobook Comments
It was read fairly well. The story wasn't the best, so the reading just didn't stand out to me either.
YouTube | Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Snapchat @miranda_reads
October 25, 2018
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, 'Fear not: for behold, I bring unto you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.' And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.'"
Well, slap my ass and call me Sally. This was quite the pleasant surprise. I was well aware of Seth Grahame-Smith’s ability to make something old brand new again after falling in love with his spin on Pride and Prejudice, but to take on the religious right? Oooooooh shit! That’s just asking for a one-way ticket to Antarctica. Imagine my delight when I discovered a tale that was not blasphemous at all. Now, those at Fox News could probably still find PLENTY to bitch about, but they currently HAVE BIGGER PROBLEMS TO DEAL WITH (endless thanks to Arthur *wink*).
This story is pretty much what you might expect it to be . . .
“And when the Great Temple has been rebuilt. When the city of David has been overrun and the ruins of Judea born anew, the Messiah shall appear – born of a virgin in the town of Bethlehem.”
The twist comes in the form of the three wise men – or more specifically ONE wise man named Balthazar . . .
(You’re welcome)
Balthazar had one M.O. – get the f*&^ outta dodge before his head ended up on the chopping block for being a thieving S.O.B. Unfortunately, a girl, her husband and . . . GOD’S baby (?!?!?!?!?!?!) slowed down his and his compatriots' progress. Balthazar might have a pretty shaky set of morals, but the one thing he can’t abide is baby killing so he GOES. TO WORK. on those suckas!!!!
and things get seriously biblical . . .
Action/adventure novels aren’t typically my idea of a good time. I’m so glad the author’s name convinced me to read this one. Unholy Night kicked ALL of the ass so it earns every Star (even the one in the East). And when certain characters made their first appearances????
“Tell the emperor that Pontius Pilate is here to see him.”
That brought back my catechism learning with a quickness.
Obviously there are no real spoilers when it comes to this tale, but this line:
“Nothing that bright burns for very long.”
Whoa. Even if you’re reading this as pure fiction, some things might happen . . .
STFU, Kourtney and go dry hump Bieber some more!
One final quote before I sign off:
“Kiss your mothers and fathers, your brothers and sisters. Tell them how much you love them, every day. Because every day is the last day. Every light casts a shadow. And only the gods know when the darkness will find us.”
^^^Those are words we all should live by.
Oh, one final weird tidbit. My buddy Ron 2.0 likes to create horrible little earworms as often as possible. Mine is probably not familiar to most, but I was singing the CRAP out of the Jesus Christ Superstar Soundtrack when I was doing housework this week. I'm one classy motherf*c ker ; )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkje4...
"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, 'Fear not: for behold, I bring unto you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.' And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.'"
Well, slap my ass and call me Sally. This was quite the pleasant surprise. I was well aware of Seth Grahame-Smith’s ability to make something old brand new again after falling in love with his spin on Pride and Prejudice, but to take on the religious right? Oooooooh shit! That’s just asking for a one-way ticket to Antarctica. Imagine my delight when I discovered a tale that was not blasphemous at all. Now, those at Fox News could probably still find PLENTY to bitch about, but they currently HAVE BIGGER PROBLEMS TO DEAL WITH (endless thanks to Arthur *wink*).
This story is pretty much what you might expect it to be . . .
“And when the Great Temple has been rebuilt. When the city of David has been overrun and the ruins of Judea born anew, the Messiah shall appear – born of a virgin in the town of Bethlehem.”
The twist comes in the form of the three wise men – or more specifically ONE wise man named Balthazar . . .
(You’re welcome)
Balthazar had one M.O. – get the f*&^ outta dodge before his head ended up on the chopping block for being a thieving S.O.B. Unfortunately, a girl, her husband and . . . GOD’S baby (?!?!?!?!?!?!) slowed down his and his compatriots' progress. Balthazar might have a pretty shaky set of morals, but the one thing he can’t abide is baby killing so he GOES. TO WORK. on those suckas!!!!
and things get seriously biblical . . .
Action/adventure novels aren’t typically my idea of a good time. I’m so glad the author’s name convinced me to read this one. Unholy Night kicked ALL of the ass so it earns every Star (even the one in the East). And when certain characters made their first appearances????
“Tell the emperor that Pontius Pilate is here to see him.”
That brought back my catechism learning with a quickness.
Obviously there are no real spoilers when it comes to this tale, but this line:
“Nothing that bright burns for very long.”
Whoa. Even if you’re reading this as pure fiction, some things might happen . . .
STFU, Kourtney and go dry hump Bieber some more!
One final quote before I sign off:
“Kiss your mothers and fathers, your brothers and sisters. Tell them how much you love them, every day. Because every day is the last day. Every light casts a shadow. And only the gods know when the darkness will find us.”
^^^Those are words we all should live by.
Oh, one final weird tidbit. My buddy Ron 2.0 likes to create horrible little earworms as often as possible. Mine is probably not familiar to most, but I was singing the CRAP out of the Jesus Christ Superstar Soundtrack when I was doing housework this week. I'm one classy motherf*c ker ; )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkje4...
April 16, 2012
If you're gonna go a-messin' with one of the holiest stories ever told, you'd better be respectful, or the wrath of the religious right will rain down upon thee like a plague of locusts.
I'd say the author of this book can relax. Only the most pious could find fault here and that will probably be for giving the virgin Mary a bit of spunk and some opinions of her own.
This tale mostly concerns the life and adventures of Balthazar, a wise guy and thief so skilled that his nickname, The Antioch Ghost, is practically a household word. You will learn how he meets two other thieves named Gaspar and Melchyor, and comes to be the chief protector of a young couple and their preternaturally calm infant - a child so unusual that even though he sups constantly at his mother's breast, never, never seems to sully a diaper. Whether fending off an army of the undead or arguing theology with Mary and Joseph, Balthazar never strays from his Inigo Montoyaish quest for vengeance. And even he has to admit - There's something about that baby.
The faint of heart should take care - this is a taut, action thriller with loads of violence, though from what I've heard, it's not quite as gory as The Holy Bible.
I'd say the author of this book can relax. Only the most pious could find fault here and that will probably be for giving the virgin Mary a bit of spunk and some opinions of her own.
This tale mostly concerns the life and adventures of Balthazar, a wise guy and thief so skilled that his nickname, The Antioch Ghost, is practically a household word. You will learn how he meets two other thieves named Gaspar and Melchyor, and comes to be the chief protector of a young couple and their preternaturally calm infant - a child so unusual that even though he sups constantly at his mother's breast, never, never seems to sully a diaper. Whether fending off an army of the undead or arguing theology with Mary and Joseph, Balthazar never strays from his Inigo Montoyaish quest for vengeance. And even he has to admit - There's something about that baby.
The faint of heart should take care - this is a taut, action thriller with loads of violence, though from what I've heard, it's not quite as gory as The Holy Bible.
December 22, 2024
I like a twist on a classic tale, and it was the perfect season to try this one.
The idea is interesting but the execution left me a little disappointed. It lacked some humour and I didn't connect with any any of the characters.
It's still an interesting take, but it just didn't work for me.
The idea is interesting but the execution left me a little disappointed. It lacked some humour and I didn't connect with any any of the characters.
It's still an interesting take, but it just didn't work for me.
February 25, 2012
I went in to reading this with very little expectations. I kind of thought I would hate it, I hadn't read anything by the man who ushered in the literary / zombie mash-up genre, but I figured he was pretty much a one-trick pony, a hack who happened on a great idea, someone who would be about as funny as I imagine Christopher Moore to be (I haven't read him, but when does that stop me from having strong and unfounded opinions).
Maybe it was because I had so little hope for this book, maybe because I expected to dislike it and get to write one of my reviews attacking the book and everything else that comes to mind while I'm sitting at my computer and then rack up big votes because people seem to react better to mean-spiritedness from me than from when I like something, maybe that is why I ended up liking the book. Maybe. Or maybe it was just a fun re-telling (well telling because the story isn't really there to begin with) of one of those big empty spaces in the Bible.
The basic book report gist of the book is that the three wisemen are actually murderous thieves and they meet up with Mary, Joseph and JC and with Herod's men out to capture the thieves and murder any male baby they can find and this rag-tag group make their way across Judea to Egypt. Along the way a new history of the founding of Christianity, the lives of the people who pop-up in the gospels and the fate of the Roman Empire are created. It's a re-imagining, not an attempt at a secret history, and it's good and at times very grisly and gory fun (and yes there are some zombie like creatures in the book).
I was sort of expecting this book to be a little more gleefully blasphemous, and maybe those with a religious bent will find something terribly wrong about this story, but I thought it was fairly respectful of religion. But then again I find The Last Temptation of Christ to be uber-sympathtic to JC and more likely to make me want to think of him as someone worthy of deification than most of the one-dimensional pictures created about him by fundamentalists. But then again JC is only a couple of week old infant in the book so there really isn't too much the little nipple-sucker can do in the book (besides sucking on nipples, he does this in a fair amount of his page-space).
Did I mention the book is quite gory? I guess I did, but it is worth mentioning again, because it had a few moments that made me cringe, which is a little rare when I'm reading. The action / violence scenes were also fairly here, normally my eyes glaze over when reading about fights and big action sequences, but they were done well. They made me kind of wish they would make a movie out of this, although they would have to keep some of the Eli Roth worthy scenes of gruesome torture / death.
I don't have too much else to say, I thought maybe I'd ramble on about religion and the Bible and all of that, but I've done enough of that in other reviews, I'll just leave this review fairly boring and on topic.
Oh, and if anyone would like to read this before it comes out let me know and I'll pass along the ARC.
Maybe it was because I had so little hope for this book, maybe because I expected to dislike it and get to write one of my reviews attacking the book and everything else that comes to mind while I'm sitting at my computer and then rack up big votes because people seem to react better to mean-spiritedness from me than from when I like something, maybe that is why I ended up liking the book. Maybe. Or maybe it was just a fun re-telling (well telling because the story isn't really there to begin with) of one of those big empty spaces in the Bible.
The basic book report gist of the book is that the three wisemen are actually murderous thieves and they meet up with Mary, Joseph and JC and with Herod's men out to capture the thieves and murder any male baby they can find and this rag-tag group make their way across Judea to Egypt. Along the way a new history of the founding of Christianity, the lives of the people who pop-up in the gospels and the fate of the Roman Empire are created. It's a re-imagining, not an attempt at a secret history, and it's good and at times very grisly and gory fun (and yes there are some zombie like creatures in the book).
I was sort of expecting this book to be a little more gleefully blasphemous, and maybe those with a religious bent will find something terribly wrong about this story, but I thought it was fairly respectful of religion. But then again I find The Last Temptation of Christ to be uber-sympathtic to JC and more likely to make me want to think of him as someone worthy of deification than most of the one-dimensional pictures created about him by fundamentalists. But then again JC is only a couple of week old infant in the book so there really isn't too much the little nipple-sucker can do in the book (besides sucking on nipples, he does this in a fair amount of his page-space).
Did I mention the book is quite gory? I guess I did, but it is worth mentioning again, because it had a few moments that made me cringe, which is a little rare when I'm reading. The action / violence scenes were also fairly here, normally my eyes glaze over when reading about fights and big action sequences, but they were done well. They made me kind of wish they would make a movie out of this, although they would have to keep some of the Eli Roth worthy scenes of gruesome torture / death.
I don't have too much else to say, I thought maybe I'd ramble on about religion and the Bible and all of that, but I've done enough of that in other reviews, I'll just leave this review fairly boring and on topic.
Oh, and if anyone would like to read this before it comes out let me know and I'll pass along the ARC.
May 15, 2025
I found this book strangely moving. It was my first Seth Grahame-Smith book and I didnt know what to expect. Although there was some humour, I thought it would be more out there, and ridiculing the whole story. But really he just expanded on the story that already exists in the Bible, filling in the blanks with his own ideas. There was very little that was altered from the original story, mostly just the timeline and a few other details (Mary and Joseph met Simeon in Jerusalem not Hebron, Jesus only forgave one of the criminals crucified with him not both).
I decided to read this thinking it would be a bit of fun. But thats not why I ended up enjoying it at all. I dont know what Grahame-Smith intended, if he has a positive or negative view of Christians, but I actually found this motivational. I love the way God brought them through everything, and how changed Balthazar was in the end.
But this reads mostly as an adventure; a great, violent, historical adventure with some supernatural elements that could be considered mythology. It also has the feel of a high fantasy at times, with the many sword fights, dungeons, and evil kings.
Balthazar was the only character that we really got to know, but I really felt for him, and I actually cried three times throughout this book. The last time was in the epilogue. It was such a clever and satisfying ending. I love the way Grahame-Smith uses real historical events to accent the story, as he did in the epilogue. I would imagine it is the same in Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. Although I am not as familiar with American history (I am not American).
Despite all the violence, I would consider this a 'feel good' book. I feel uplifted. But also impressed. Very smartly done.
I decided to read this thinking it would be a bit of fun. But thats not why I ended up enjoying it at all. I dont know what Grahame-Smith intended, if he has a positive or negative view of Christians, but I actually found this motivational. I love the way God brought them through everything, and how changed Balthazar was in the end.
But this reads mostly as an adventure; a great, violent, historical adventure with some supernatural elements that could be considered mythology. It also has the feel of a high fantasy at times, with the many sword fights, dungeons, and evil kings.
Balthazar was the only character that we really got to know, but I really felt for him, and I actually cried three times throughout this book. The last time was in the epilogue. It was such a clever and satisfying ending. I love the way Grahame-Smith uses real historical events to accent the story, as he did in the epilogue. I would imagine it is the same in Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. Although I am not as familiar with American history (I am not American).
Despite all the violence, I would consider this a 'feel good' book. I feel uplifted. But also impressed. Very smartly done.
March 3, 2016
The premise and the beginning of this book is highly promising. If I judge the book by its first third, it is a fun, hilarious, action-packed fantasy novel. The Three Kings are anti-hero thieves. And I can't tell you enough how I excited when I was reading the swordfight of Melchyor. He is not a swordsman, he is a sword saint!
I understand that due to plots, the story should getting more and more serious toward the end of novel. But I noticed the humor diminished completely at the end.
Character-wise, the round characters in this book are Balthazar and Pilate. Others are flat characters using stereotypes. It is disappointing, I expect at least two other Kings should be interesting, but it is not. Gaspar is a smooth-talker with weak will, Melchyor interesting part is only his swordsmanship, both have no character development.
I am sorry to say, the end of this book doesn't deliver the promise that I perceived at the beginning. I still keep 2 star rating due to the beginning.
I understand that due to plots, the story should getting more and more serious toward the end of novel. But I noticed the humor diminished completely at the end.
Character-wise, the round characters in this book are Balthazar and Pilate. Others are flat characters using stereotypes. It is disappointing, I expect at least two other Kings should be interesting, but it is not. Gaspar is a smooth-talker with weak will, Melchyor interesting part is only his swordsmanship, both have no character development.
I am sorry to say, the end of this book doesn't deliver the promise that I perceived at the beginning. I still keep 2 star rating due to the beginning.
September 1, 2018
If you read the blurb to go with this book you may think, "eh, whatever. This is a good author, but...I don't know if it is worth my time." Let me answer that for you, it is definitely worth your time. This book is amazing!
What if the three wise men were thieves who escaped execution. What if the newborn babe needed protection from a mad king? What if the wise men were the protection?
Excellent story that added spice to a wonderful story. I didn't feel that it poked fun at the birth of Christ. Instead it brought life to a time in history with wonderful characters. Lots and lots of action.
What if the three wise men were thieves who escaped execution. What if the newborn babe needed protection from a mad king? What if the wise men were the protection?
Excellent story that added spice to a wonderful story. I didn't feel that it poked fun at the birth of Christ. Instead it brought life to a time in history with wonderful characters. Lots and lots of action.
December 15, 2016
Wow...Seth Grahame-Smith can pretzel-bend history like nobody's business. The well-known nativity scene gets an epic reboot. I won't spoil any details but this book is full of action, suspense, blood, but also faith and redemption. This was definitely a fun book to read as long as you can see it for entertainment and not take the distorted Bible story too personal (depending on your religious preference). Check it out!
My favorite quote:
“Hug your children...Kiss your mothers and fathers, your brothers and sisters. Tell them how much you love them, every day. Because every day is the last day. Every light casts a shadow. And only the gods know when the darkness will find us.”
February 24, 2016
Good Story #73. Julie and Scott escape from prison and meet a very nice couple and their newborn baby. But there's just something about that baby...
=======================
Seth Grahame-Smith (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter) finally stops inserting his words into other people's writing and writes a book in his own words. And a fine job he does of it too. For a violent, gore-filled, action-thriller there are a surprising number of very human characters, many of whom we are meant to recognize.
Pontius Pilate appears as an ambitious young officer ambivalent about truth. Mary and Joseph struggle with how to reconcile the truth of Jesus as God with the reality of a baby who must be fed, loved, and parented. Above all, this is Balthazar's story, who has a complex story-line driving his actions and attitudes. We learn how he became the cynical Antioch Ghost and we wonder if he will find a more worthy goal than vengeance.
Above all, I was surprised to find myself eventually thinking of Unholy Night as modern midrash. Midrash is a traditional Jewish way of trying to understand the underlying spirit of scripture, sometimes connecting it to modern life, by creating parables. This allows for some imaginative storytelling as rabbis look for interpretations that are not immediately obvious but are nevertheless held within the original text.
Grahame-Smith lives up to the midrash ideal by both being respectful to his source material and also using his vivid imagination on a Biblical event that is wide-open to interpretation: Mary and Joseph's flight to Egypt with the Christ child. Among other things, the author is very good at opening new views on familiar subjects, such as just how horrible King Herod was. It brings to life the terrible things he did very much as I have read them in history books. One also gets a deeper understanding of the locals' simmering, resentful hatred of the Roman empire.
Narrator Peter Berkrot is a reader I haven't come across before but will be seeking out in the future. He conveys just the right amount of cynicism as Balthazar, menace and insanity as Herod, and innocence as Mary. I am not sure how this book comes across in print but I'd listen to it again in a heartbeat thanks to Berkrot's narration.
Grahame-Smith has delivered a story of Biblical proportions in Unholy Night: zombies, swarms of locusts, epic sword fights, outlaws, obsessed rulers, vengeance, redemption, and more are in this entertaining action tale. That he did it all while staying true to original material that can be unpopular reading these days makes him a writer I am going to seek out in the future. Highly recommended.
This review first appeared at SFFaudio.
=======================
“Joseph? Mary? My name is Balthazar. This is Gaspar . . . this is Melchyor. We don’t want to hurt you . . . we’re just looking for a place to rest. But, Joseph? if you don’t put that pitchfork down, I’m going to take it from you and stab you to death in front of your wife and child. Do you understand?”Wanted thieves Balthazar, Melchyor, and Gaspar, disguised as wise men, show up at a little manger in Bethlehem with a huge star blazing overhead, looking for a hideout from the law. But when Herod's soldiers begin slaughtering the babies in Bethlehem, Balthazar (a.k.a. The Antioch Ghost) takes the safety of the Holy Family into his own hands. As fugitives on the run to Egypt, they must escape not only Roman soldiers but creatures of mythology and the occult. Everyone's either gunning for the Antioch Ghost with a price on his head or the innocent newborn who has such an unearthly effect on those around him.
Seth Grahame-Smith (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter) finally stops inserting his words into other people's writing and writes a book in his own words. And a fine job he does of it too. For a violent, gore-filled, action-thriller there are a surprising number of very human characters, many of whom we are meant to recognize.
Pontius Pilate appears as an ambitious young officer ambivalent about truth. Mary and Joseph struggle with how to reconcile the truth of Jesus as God with the reality of a baby who must be fed, loved, and parented. Above all, this is Balthazar's story, who has a complex story-line driving his actions and attitudes. We learn how he became the cynical Antioch Ghost and we wonder if he will find a more worthy goal than vengeance.
Above all, I was surprised to find myself eventually thinking of Unholy Night as modern midrash. Midrash is a traditional Jewish way of trying to understand the underlying spirit of scripture, sometimes connecting it to modern life, by creating parables. This allows for some imaginative storytelling as rabbis look for interpretations that are not immediately obvious but are nevertheless held within the original text.
Grahame-Smith lives up to the midrash ideal by both being respectful to his source material and also using his vivid imagination on a Biblical event that is wide-open to interpretation: Mary and Joseph's flight to Egypt with the Christ child. Among other things, the author is very good at opening new views on familiar subjects, such as just how horrible King Herod was. It brings to life the terrible things he did very much as I have read them in history books. One also gets a deeper understanding of the locals' simmering, resentful hatred of the Roman empire.
Narrator Peter Berkrot is a reader I haven't come across before but will be seeking out in the future. He conveys just the right amount of cynicism as Balthazar, menace and insanity as Herod, and innocence as Mary. I am not sure how this book comes across in print but I'd listen to it again in a heartbeat thanks to Berkrot's narration.
Grahame-Smith has delivered a story of Biblical proportions in Unholy Night: zombies, swarms of locusts, epic sword fights, outlaws, obsessed rulers, vengeance, redemption, and more are in this entertaining action tale. That he did it all while staying true to original material that can be unpopular reading these days makes him a writer I am going to seek out in the future. Highly recommended.
This review first appeared at SFFaudio.
June 13, 2014
Seth Grahame-Smith has done something pretty amazing in his novel "Unholy Night". It should be noted that this is the same author of the now-cult classic "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" and the surprise best-seller "Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter".
Nothing is sacred to Smith. Really. Nothing.
So, it should come as no surprise that "Unholy Night" is an uber-violent action/adventure epic about the Nativity Story. Seriously.
Smith has taken the most beloved story of the Christian faith and turned it into a Quentin Tarantino movie. The result is awesome. Re-imagining the Three Wise Men as three violent criminals on the lam from King Herod and the Roman authorities, Smith has created a fully-realized back-story for three characters who did not get a lot of play in the Biblical account. Indeed, the wise men aren't even given names in the Bible. Smith corrects that.
The leader of this triumverate of holy criminals is Balthazar, a.k.a. The Antioch Ghost, a master-thief who has managed to elude the Romans for years but is caught when he seduces the daughter of a Roman centurion. It is in the prison where he meets Gaspar and Melchyor.
In a prison break scene to rival the one in "The Shawshank Redemption", the three flee to a small town called Bethlehem and hide out in a manger. Unfortunately, they have managed to pick the same manger where a young carpenter named Joseph is holed up with his wife, Mary, and newborn son.
When Herod makes the decree to have all children under the age of two in his kingdom killed, Balthazar makes the choice to act as protector for this young couple and their baby.
Oh, and there's something very odd about this baby. It doesn't cry, always seems to have a knowing look upon its face, and weird miraculous things happen around him.
The group sets out for Egypt, a country in which Herod, or his Roman goons, have no jurisdiction. What ensues is a suspense-filled chase replete with lots of swordplay, supernatural events, and more blood and guts than a "Saw" movie.
To say this is JUST an action/adventure revision of the Nativity, though, is to deny Smith's true brilliance: He actually tells a pretty moving story about faith and redemption.
Fans of Christopher Moore's wonderful "Lamb" may enjoy Smith's revisionist take on another well-known Christian story, as both authors know how to entertain while still remaining respectful to the original, but don't expect the laugh-out-loud humor found in Moore. Smith's story is balls-to-the-walls serious action.
There is nothing truly sacrilegious about "Unholy Night", but be forewarned: it is not for the squeamish. Smith takes great pleasure in describing in graphic detail how Roman swords slice through skin, sinew, muscle and bone, and he does it frequently. The blood flows quite liberally in this story of the Nativity, so Merry Bloody Christmas!
Nothing is sacred to Smith. Really. Nothing.
So, it should come as no surprise that "Unholy Night" is an uber-violent action/adventure epic about the Nativity Story. Seriously.
Smith has taken the most beloved story of the Christian faith and turned it into a Quentin Tarantino movie. The result is awesome. Re-imagining the Three Wise Men as three violent criminals on the lam from King Herod and the Roman authorities, Smith has created a fully-realized back-story for three characters who did not get a lot of play in the Biblical account. Indeed, the wise men aren't even given names in the Bible. Smith corrects that.
The leader of this triumverate of holy criminals is Balthazar, a.k.a. The Antioch Ghost, a master-thief who has managed to elude the Romans for years but is caught when he seduces the daughter of a Roman centurion. It is in the prison where he meets Gaspar and Melchyor.
In a prison break scene to rival the one in "The Shawshank Redemption", the three flee to a small town called Bethlehem and hide out in a manger. Unfortunately, they have managed to pick the same manger where a young carpenter named Joseph is holed up with his wife, Mary, and newborn son.
When Herod makes the decree to have all children under the age of two in his kingdom killed, Balthazar makes the choice to act as protector for this young couple and their baby.
Oh, and there's something very odd about this baby. It doesn't cry, always seems to have a knowing look upon its face, and weird miraculous things happen around him.
The group sets out for Egypt, a country in which Herod, or his Roman goons, have no jurisdiction. What ensues is a suspense-filled chase replete with lots of swordplay, supernatural events, and more blood and guts than a "Saw" movie.
To say this is JUST an action/adventure revision of the Nativity, though, is to deny Smith's true brilliance: He actually tells a pretty moving story about faith and redemption.
Fans of Christopher Moore's wonderful "Lamb" may enjoy Smith's revisionist take on another well-known Christian story, as both authors know how to entertain while still remaining respectful to the original, but don't expect the laugh-out-loud humor found in Moore. Smith's story is balls-to-the-walls serious action.
There is nothing truly sacrilegious about "Unholy Night", but be forewarned: it is not for the squeamish. Smith takes great pleasure in describing in graphic detail how Roman swords slice through skin, sinew, muscle and bone, and he does it frequently. The blood flows quite liberally in this story of the Nativity, so Merry Bloody Christmas!
December 29, 2015
Interesting. I liked it, but it just didn't make me want to scream from the mountain tops about it. It's probably me.
April 15, 2012
I never did read the author's previous bestseller, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. It came out around the time of the Pride and Prejudice and Zombies craze and I judged it as just another one of those fun-yet-silly reads (I did read Zombies, it was good, but...).
So when I picked up Unholy Night (having never heard of it thanks to living in rural AL without a bookstore!), it was a very intriguing concept. I had heard of A. Lincoln, so I wondered what kind of twist the author would put to the story of the Magi and the birth of the Messiah.
There is nothing silly about this book. It is wonderfully written and actually makes you think, "What if?" I was also somewhat leery about the book because I'm a devout Christian and I could easily foresee narrow-minded zealots who don't think God has a funny bone blasting this book (without ever having read it, of course...just like usually happens when people spew hatred for a book!)
I will also say that there are insightful scenes in this book that really make me think as a Christian. I was chilled by the scene in which a young Pontius Pilate approaches Augusts Caesar; he brings him the news of the birth of a new King, fully expecting that his involvement will be simply another promotion in an already shining career. He doesn't even realize he will be forever changed by this King, as well.
The writing is so good that you a) forget you already know how the story turns out and b) are on the edge of your seat waiting to see what happens next. (SPOILER ALERT: when the Roman army is chasing the infant Jesus across the desert, they don't kill him. I read that somewhere else! :~) )
So when I picked up Unholy Night (having never heard of it thanks to living in rural AL without a bookstore!), it was a very intriguing concept. I had heard of A. Lincoln, so I wondered what kind of twist the author would put to the story of the Magi and the birth of the Messiah.
There is nothing silly about this book. It is wonderfully written and actually makes you think, "What if?" I was also somewhat leery about the book because I'm a devout Christian and I could easily foresee narrow-minded zealots who don't think God has a funny bone blasting this book (without ever having read it, of course...just like usually happens when people spew hatred for a book!)
I will also say that there are insightful scenes in this book that really make me think as a Christian. I was chilled by the scene in which a young Pontius Pilate approaches Augusts Caesar; he brings him the news of the birth of a new King, fully expecting that his involvement will be simply another promotion in an already shining career. He doesn't even realize he will be forever changed by this King, as well.
The writing is so good that you a) forget you already know how the story turns out and b) are on the edge of your seat waiting to see what happens next. (SPOILER ALERT: when the Roman army is chasing the infant Jesus across the desert, they don't kill him. I read that somewhere else! :~) )
January 31, 2021
I have always been fascinated by the story of the Magi; who were they...where did they come from...did they really exist? Well, this movie-ready novel turned the traditional three-wise-men story completely around, casting the former astrologers as cunning thieves accidentally thrown into salvation history. Admittedly, this novel was not a classical work of literature. Violent, irreverent, and way over-the-top, it honestly felt scripted for film rather than penned to read. However, I loved this book for its imagination, biblical references, and for the ultimate redemption story at its heart. Balthazar was a suitably conflicted hero, Herod a perfectly dastardly villain, and Jesus the omnipotent infant making all things new.
July 3, 2015
The story of the birth of Jesus Christ may be one familiar to many, but on the other hand very little is known about the three wise men that brought him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. This is why this book is so entertaining. Unholy Night pretty much asks, what if these Three Kings were actually a bunch of thieves and killers?
I was all prepared to give this book a high rating just for the unique and hilarious premise alone. And I would have, if only I wasn't so disappointed with the writing. Maybe it's just me, but I found the writing in this novel to be horrifically bad. I was actually shocked to see that it was Seth Grahame-Smith's most recently released novel, because I loved his work in Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and quite frankly what I saw in Unholy Night felt like a step backward. The prose and some of the phrases and metaphors he used in it just seemed downright amateurish. Descriptions felt lazy and sloppy.
Also, while this book is supposedly about the so-called Three Wise Men, we only really get to know about Balthazar. In fact, beyond Balthazar there's hardly any development of the other characters at all. What characterization there was felt very flat and shallow, and completely squandered. For instance, I felt Mary and Joseph came across as nothing more than a couple of naive religious nuts, when this otherwise would have been a fantastic opportunity to explore the thoughts, personalities and motivations of these two extraordinary figures. I was also not very impressed as how Herod was portrayed as a villain -- a crazy mad man who is a violent egomaniac, who rapes women and kills people for sport? He was basically a caricature of someone "really, really evil(TM)" and not much more.
I was entertained by the story, I will give it that. However, I was really disappointed overall, given how much I was looking forward to reading this. A great idea, but wasted on an unimaginative plot and poor character development.
I was all prepared to give this book a high rating just for the unique and hilarious premise alone. And I would have, if only I wasn't so disappointed with the writing. Maybe it's just me, but I found the writing in this novel to be horrifically bad. I was actually shocked to see that it was Seth Grahame-Smith's most recently released novel, because I loved his work in Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and quite frankly what I saw in Unholy Night felt like a step backward. The prose and some of the phrases and metaphors he used in it just seemed downright amateurish. Descriptions felt lazy and sloppy.
Also, while this book is supposedly about the so-called Three Wise Men, we only really get to know about Balthazar. In fact, beyond Balthazar there's hardly any development of the other characters at all. What characterization there was felt very flat and shallow, and completely squandered. For instance, I felt Mary and Joseph came across as nothing more than a couple of naive religious nuts, when this otherwise would have been a fantastic opportunity to explore the thoughts, personalities and motivations of these two extraordinary figures. I was also not very impressed as how Herod was portrayed as a villain -- a crazy mad man who is a violent egomaniac, who rapes women and kills people for sport? He was basically a caricature of someone "really, really evil(TM)" and not much more.
I was entertained by the story, I will give it that. However, I was really disappointed overall, given how much I was looking forward to reading this. A great idea, but wasted on an unimaginative plot and poor character development.
December 23, 2019
Der Klappentext hat mir hier eine etwas andere Handlung vermittelt, zumindest hatte ich mir diese Geschichte etwas anders vorgestellt. Wirklich spoilern kann er nicht, da ich denke, dass die Geschichte im Grundgerüst ja jedem einigermaßen bekannt ist, aber es entwickelt sich doch etwas anders, als ich erwartet hatte.
Es sind zwar alle drei "Heiligen Könige" mit dabei, aber im Grunde geht es hauptsächlich um Balthasar. Er ist ein gewiefter Dieb und hat sich als "Geist von Antiochia" einen Namen gemacht. Und zwar derart, dass sogar König Herodes auf ihn aufmerksam wird und Jagd auf ihn macht.
Zur gleichen Zeit geht ein seltsam hell strahlender Stern über Bethlehem, während Maria und Josef in einem Stall Unterschlupf finden.
Es gibt viele Details aus der biblischen Geschichte, aber der Autor hat sich hier immens viel Spielraum für seine eigene "Interpretation" gelassen. Wie gesagt liegt das Hauptaugenmerk auf Balthasar, dessen Vergangenheit eine große Rolle spielt und ihn dahin gebracht hat, wo er ist: ein Dieb, der sich nicht um andere Menschen oder ihr Eigentum schert und dessen Leben von einem harten Schicksalsschlag geprägt ist.
An harten Schlägen mangelt es hier übrigens auch nicht, denn passend zu dieser zeitlichen Epoche geht es teilweise sehr rabiat zu, wenn die römischen Krieger den Protagonisten in die Quere kommen. Da spritzt schonmal das Blut, Knochen brechen oder Gliedmaßen werden abgetrennt, davor sollte man sich nicht scheuen, spiegelt aber sehr gut das Gewaltpotenzial wieder. Auch von Herodes selbst, der wegen der Prophezeiung und der Angst vor dem Kommen des Messias sämtliche männliche Neugeborenen abschlachten lässt.
Herodes Rolle wird hier sehr überzeugend und originell dargestellt, wie überhaupt der ganze Handlungsverlauf.
Es liest sich sehr flüssig und auch wenn viele Details an die damaligen Begebenheiten angepasst sind, bleibt der Stil auch in den Dialogen eher in unserem Jargon. Das hat mich aber überhaupt nicht gestört und war dadurch auch recht gut zu lesen. Auch der Humor hat nicht gefehlt, der an passenden Stellen mit eingebracht wurde.
Trotz des rauen Umgangs klingen in der Beleuchtung von Balthasars Leben viele persönliche Feinheiten durch, die Momente zum innehalten schaffen: das Hadern mit Verlusten, die Trauer über das Scheitern und die damit verbundenen Zweifel am Glauben. Auch wenn der Autor hier (sehr unkonventionell) die Geburt Jesu und ihre Folgen erzählt, wirkt das Thema Religion nicht aufdringlich und ich hatte nicht das Gefühl, überzeugt werden zu müssen. Er bleibt in dem Rahmen, eine Geschichte zu erzählen, aus der sich jeder Leser selbst rauspicken kann, wie er zu all dem steht.
Das einzelne Schicksal, der eigene Wille, oder der große Plan ... ob von einem Gott, von uns selbst oder vom Zufall ist kaum zu erklären oder zu verstehen und welche Meinung jeder für sich findet, sollte jedem frei stehen. Jedenfalls hab ich diese Botschaft hier so aufgenommen und war wirklich begeistert, wie originell der Autor hier schreckliche Zustände der Gewalt mit den einzelnen Menschen verknüpft und eine einzigartige Sicht auf diese Ereignisse entwirft.
Weltenwanderer
Es sind zwar alle drei "Heiligen Könige" mit dabei, aber im Grunde geht es hauptsächlich um Balthasar. Er ist ein gewiefter Dieb und hat sich als "Geist von Antiochia" einen Namen gemacht. Und zwar derart, dass sogar König Herodes auf ihn aufmerksam wird und Jagd auf ihn macht.
Zur gleichen Zeit geht ein seltsam hell strahlender Stern über Bethlehem, während Maria und Josef in einem Stall Unterschlupf finden.
Es gibt viele Details aus der biblischen Geschichte, aber der Autor hat sich hier immens viel Spielraum für seine eigene "Interpretation" gelassen. Wie gesagt liegt das Hauptaugenmerk auf Balthasar, dessen Vergangenheit eine große Rolle spielt und ihn dahin gebracht hat, wo er ist: ein Dieb, der sich nicht um andere Menschen oder ihr Eigentum schert und dessen Leben von einem harten Schicksalsschlag geprägt ist.
An harten Schlägen mangelt es hier übrigens auch nicht, denn passend zu dieser zeitlichen Epoche geht es teilweise sehr rabiat zu, wenn die römischen Krieger den Protagonisten in die Quere kommen. Da spritzt schonmal das Blut, Knochen brechen oder Gliedmaßen werden abgetrennt, davor sollte man sich nicht scheuen, spiegelt aber sehr gut das Gewaltpotenzial wieder. Auch von Herodes selbst, der wegen der Prophezeiung und der Angst vor dem Kommen des Messias sämtliche männliche Neugeborenen abschlachten lässt.
Herodes Rolle wird hier sehr überzeugend und originell dargestellt, wie überhaupt der ganze Handlungsverlauf.
Es liest sich sehr flüssig und auch wenn viele Details an die damaligen Begebenheiten angepasst sind, bleibt der Stil auch in den Dialogen eher in unserem Jargon. Das hat mich aber überhaupt nicht gestört und war dadurch auch recht gut zu lesen. Auch der Humor hat nicht gefehlt, der an passenden Stellen mit eingebracht wurde.
Trotz des rauen Umgangs klingen in der Beleuchtung von Balthasars Leben viele persönliche Feinheiten durch, die Momente zum innehalten schaffen: das Hadern mit Verlusten, die Trauer über das Scheitern und die damit verbundenen Zweifel am Glauben. Auch wenn der Autor hier (sehr unkonventionell) die Geburt Jesu und ihre Folgen erzählt, wirkt das Thema Religion nicht aufdringlich und ich hatte nicht das Gefühl, überzeugt werden zu müssen. Er bleibt in dem Rahmen, eine Geschichte zu erzählen, aus der sich jeder Leser selbst rauspicken kann, wie er zu all dem steht.
Das einzelne Schicksal, der eigene Wille, oder der große Plan ... ob von einem Gott, von uns selbst oder vom Zufall ist kaum zu erklären oder zu verstehen und welche Meinung jeder für sich findet, sollte jedem frei stehen. Jedenfalls hab ich diese Botschaft hier so aufgenommen und war wirklich begeistert, wie originell der Autor hier schreckliche Zustände der Gewalt mit den einzelnen Menschen verknüpft und eine einzigartige Sicht auf diese Ereignisse entwirft.
Weltenwanderer
March 22, 2012
When I reviewed Seth Grahame-Smith's Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, I was pleasantly surprised to find that it wasn't just another throwaway mash-up. I remember writing that this would be a great book to help introduce the historical figure of Abraham Lincoln, one of America's most beloved Presidents to a youthful audience. If you stripped away the vampire hunting, you still had a pretty decent tale of the life of Abraham Lincoln, and with some guidance from a teacher (to let the students know what parts of the novel were historical fact and which were not...mostly the whole vampire hunting thing) , a class of young students could easily be enthralled by the story of Lincoln's life, which otherwise might be a snore-inducing few days in class.
That said, when I heard about Seth's upcoming novel "Unholy Night" and read the synopsis, I doubted this was a topic anyone could "mash-up" without offending people. When you bring religious holy texts into the realm of fiction, you are usually asking for trouble. Just ask Salman Rushdie, who probably still has a price on his head to this day. Seth Grahame-Smith surprised me yet again with not only his tactful handling of the mash-up, but with his story telling ability.
Let me pause here and fill you in on the story's premise with the official "product description"
Product Description
From the author of the New York Times bestselling Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, comes UNHOLY NIGHT, the next evolution in dark historical revisionism.
They're an iconic part of history's most celebrated birth. But what do we really know about the Three Kings of the Nativity, besides the fact that they followed a star to Bethlehem bearing strange gifts? The Bible has little to say about this enigmatic trio. But leave it to Seth Grahame-Smith, the brilliant and twisted mind behind Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies to take a little mystery, bend a little history, and weave an epic tale.
In Grahame-Smith's telling, the so-called "Three Wise Men" are infamous thieves, led by the dark, murderous Balthazar. After a daring escape from Herod's prison, they stumble upon the famous manger and its newborn king. The last thing Balthazar needs is to be slowed down by young Joseph, Mary and their infant. But when Herod's men begin to slaughter the first born in Judea, he has no choice but to help them escape to Egypt.
It's the beginning of an adventure that will see them fight the last magical creatures of the Old Testament; cross paths with biblical figures like Pontius Pilate and John the Baptist; and finally deliver them to Egypt. It may just be the greatest story never told.
We begin the tale learning a bit about Balthezar, a.k.a. The Antioch Ghost, the greatest thief in all the land and a thorn in King Herod's side. Early on, Balthezar is captured and put in a dungeon to await his execution the next morning, there he meets two other "Wise Men" and much like the A-Team when presented with a maximum security facility, they "promptly escape". The chase is underway, as Herod and Ceasar send out the soldiers to find not only the three wise men, but a problem child, a newborn who some claim is the Messiah, the Prophet foretold in the holy books.
Balthezar and company meet up with a 15 year old girl (who has just given birth) and her husband, Joseph (sound familiar?) and is told by Joseph of how his wife Mary has never had sex, and has given birth to the child of God. Balthezar, being no man's fool laughs this off and tells Joseph he is a fool for believing her. As the story progresses, Balthezar quickly realizes that God is indeed protecting the little child. But will it be enough to save them all? The supernatural forces of evil are also in play. You'll have to read the book to find out how it all plays out, I won't spoil it. If you've read the Bible, you may have some idea as to the fates of Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus but the wisemen are never mentioned after their initial encounter with Jesus and His Earthly parents, and their tale and the times between Biblical scripture's continuity are Seth Grahame-Smith's blank page to fill.
From beginning to end, this is an action-adventure. Seth Grahame-Smith does this all without offending Christians, without challenging, correcting or disputing a single word of scripture. It's sheer genius. Any Religious zealot who would denounce this book has either never read it or hasn't read the scripture that is part of it's source material. None of it is offensive, the dialogue of even such sensitive "characters" as Joseph and Mary is believable and stays true to the canon of the New Testament.
This was almost like having a street-level view of the first few days of the life of Christ, and being let in on a little unknown secret. The secret of how the Three Wise Men helped Mary, Joseph and their baby Jesus escape the wrath of Herod and Ceasar.
This book has been picked up by Warner Brothers for movie rights to the tune of 2 million dollars, a month or more before it's release, and it's definitely a movie I would watch, and a book I enjoyed reading.
Let me know what you think about it when you read it, as for me I was surprised by the respect shown to the New Testament and the crafty way Seth wrapped this action adventure around the birth of Jesus Christ without offending anyone.
I can't wait to see what he has in store for us next.
Unholy Night comes out in April 2012. Pre-order it now. :)
http://www.bookguys.ca (our new site is up now and we will soon have all our old reviews back in the database.
That said, when I heard about Seth's upcoming novel "Unholy Night" and read the synopsis, I doubted this was a topic anyone could "mash-up" without offending people. When you bring religious holy texts into the realm of fiction, you are usually asking for trouble. Just ask Salman Rushdie, who probably still has a price on his head to this day. Seth Grahame-Smith surprised me yet again with not only his tactful handling of the mash-up, but with his story telling ability.
Let me pause here and fill you in on the story's premise with the official "product description"
Product Description
From the author of the New York Times bestselling Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, comes UNHOLY NIGHT, the next evolution in dark historical revisionism.
They're an iconic part of history's most celebrated birth. But what do we really know about the Three Kings of the Nativity, besides the fact that they followed a star to Bethlehem bearing strange gifts? The Bible has little to say about this enigmatic trio. But leave it to Seth Grahame-Smith, the brilliant and twisted mind behind Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies to take a little mystery, bend a little history, and weave an epic tale.
In Grahame-Smith's telling, the so-called "Three Wise Men" are infamous thieves, led by the dark, murderous Balthazar. After a daring escape from Herod's prison, they stumble upon the famous manger and its newborn king. The last thing Balthazar needs is to be slowed down by young Joseph, Mary and their infant. But when Herod's men begin to slaughter the first born in Judea, he has no choice but to help them escape to Egypt.
It's the beginning of an adventure that will see them fight the last magical creatures of the Old Testament; cross paths with biblical figures like Pontius Pilate and John the Baptist; and finally deliver them to Egypt. It may just be the greatest story never told.
We begin the tale learning a bit about Balthezar, a.k.a. The Antioch Ghost, the greatest thief in all the land and a thorn in King Herod's side. Early on, Balthezar is captured and put in a dungeon to await his execution the next morning, there he meets two other "Wise Men" and much like the A-Team when presented with a maximum security facility, they "promptly escape". The chase is underway, as Herod and Ceasar send out the soldiers to find not only the three wise men, but a problem child, a newborn who some claim is the Messiah, the Prophet foretold in the holy books.
Balthezar and company meet up with a 15 year old girl (who has just given birth) and her husband, Joseph (sound familiar?) and is told by Joseph of how his wife Mary has never had sex, and has given birth to the child of God. Balthezar, being no man's fool laughs this off and tells Joseph he is a fool for believing her. As the story progresses, Balthezar quickly realizes that God is indeed protecting the little child. But will it be enough to save them all? The supernatural forces of evil are also in play. You'll have to read the book to find out how it all plays out, I won't spoil it. If you've read the Bible, you may have some idea as to the fates of Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus but the wisemen are never mentioned after their initial encounter with Jesus and His Earthly parents, and their tale and the times between Biblical scripture's continuity are Seth Grahame-Smith's blank page to fill.
From beginning to end, this is an action-adventure. Seth Grahame-Smith does this all without offending Christians, without challenging, correcting or disputing a single word of scripture. It's sheer genius. Any Religious zealot who would denounce this book has either never read it or hasn't read the scripture that is part of it's source material. None of it is offensive, the dialogue of even such sensitive "characters" as Joseph and Mary is believable and stays true to the canon of the New Testament.
This was almost like having a street-level view of the first few days of the life of Christ, and being let in on a little unknown secret. The secret of how the Three Wise Men helped Mary, Joseph and their baby Jesus escape the wrath of Herod and Ceasar.
This book has been picked up by Warner Brothers for movie rights to the tune of 2 million dollars, a month or more before it's release, and it's definitely a movie I would watch, and a book I enjoyed reading.
Let me know what you think about it when you read it, as for me I was surprised by the respect shown to the New Testament and the crafty way Seth wrapped this action adventure around the birth of Jesus Christ without offending anyone.
I can't wait to see what he has in store for us next.
Unholy Night comes out in April 2012. Pre-order it now. :)
http://www.bookguys.ca (our new site is up now and we will soon have all our old reviews back in the database.
July 21, 2012
As a Catholic, I was really wanting to see how Seth Grahame-Smith would incorporate a Biblical event and give it his own twist. The Three Wise Men were really greedy, sword-wielding bandits that just happened to fall into King Herod's bad graces and stumble upon our Lord, Jesus Christ as a baby?!? What the hell? The book was harder to get into simply because it seemed to jump around from character to character, yet as I allowed myself to get pulled into the storyline, I found this to be the best Grahame-Smith book I read, by far. From the villainous King Herod, to the fateful first meeting between Pontius Pilate and Baby Jesus...this made me teary-eyed, for we all know how this baby's life will end...the book led me on an adventure against time and unworldly forces. The Antioch Ghost, one of the "wise men" of the book and the lead character, really goes from being someone you hate to someone you root for. The ending is what gets to me, though, and I won't say why, but let me just say, I nearly did that ugly-face cry. I will definitely read this again.
December 4, 2014
I had higher expectations for this book, in comparison to Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter, because Abraham Lincoln was so much better than I expected. It's safe to say that Seth Grahame-Smith exceeded my expectations.
Mr. Grahame-Smith is a fantastic writer. I am torn because on one hand I want to see what Mr. Grahame-Smith can do if he gets away from the gimmick of retelling well-known stories. On the other hand, he is so good at retelling well-known stories that I want him to continue. I can't wait to see what he tackles next.
Mr. Grahame-Smith is a fantastic writer. I am torn because on one hand I want to see what Mr. Grahame-Smith can do if he gets away from the gimmick of retelling well-known stories. On the other hand, he is so good at retelling well-known stories that I want him to continue. I can't wait to see what he tackles next.
December 13, 2019
Me ENCANTÓ.
Qué buena manera de comenzar navidad, de terminar el año y mi reto de lectura 2019. Sin duda alguna, este libro no es para todo el mundo. Puedo entender por qué muchas personas no le encontraron la gracia o el sentido del humor. A pesar de que considero que bajo ninguna circunstancia cae en algo profano, puedo entender que a algunos lectores no les agrade ver que se hable de Jesús, Marí y José como lo hace el escritor. Pero, QUE EXCELENTE RELATO.
Balthazar sin duda, es de los mejores personajes que leí en 2019 y de los mejores personajes que he leído en mi vida. La forma en que está construido, su historia y su forma de actuar es el corazón de este relato, y vaya que es espectacular. Un ladrón con un corazón lleno de odio contra los Romanos que si bien por sí mismo pudo brillar en cualquier historia de fantasía, el contexto de este relato y la manera en que su vida se cruza con la de los tres peregrinos en la noche del nacimiento del mesías es francamente increíble.
Me gustó tanto el libro que en verdad no lo pude soltar. Cada momento que tenía lo aprovechaba para adelantar un poco por que es una historia excelente. Tiene ciertos detalles algo sosos, sobre todo en el tercer acto, pero creo que por el género, la ironía de la situación y el humor negro del relato funcionan de manera perfecta. Si llegas a este libro con algo de flexibilidad en leer una historia interesante, de verdad vas a leer el mejor cuento de navidad que habrás leído en tu vida.
Totalmente recomendado para fans de Fantasía, Historia, Comedia y que busquen algo muy entretenido que no les quite el sueño.
Qué buena manera de comenzar navidad, de terminar el año y mi reto de lectura 2019. Sin duda alguna, este libro no es para todo el mundo. Puedo entender por qué muchas personas no le encontraron la gracia o el sentido del humor. A pesar de que considero que bajo ninguna circunstancia cae en algo profano, puedo entender que a algunos lectores no les agrade ver que se hable de Jesús, Marí y José como lo hace el escritor. Pero, QUE EXCELENTE RELATO.
Balthazar sin duda, es de los mejores personajes que leí en 2019 y de los mejores personajes que he leído en mi vida. La forma en que está construido, su historia y su forma de actuar es el corazón de este relato, y vaya que es espectacular. Un ladrón con un corazón lleno de odio contra los Romanos que si bien por sí mismo pudo brillar en cualquier historia de fantasía, el contexto de este relato y la manera en que su vida se cruza con la de los tres peregrinos en la noche del nacimiento del mesías es francamente increíble.
Me gustó tanto el libro que en verdad no lo pude soltar. Cada momento que tenía lo aprovechaba para adelantar un poco por que es una historia excelente. Tiene ciertos detalles algo sosos, sobre todo en el tercer acto, pero creo que por el género, la ironía de la situación y el humor negro del relato funcionan de manera perfecta. Si llegas a este libro con algo de flexibilidad en leer una historia interesante, de verdad vas a leer el mejor cuento de navidad que habrás leído en tu vida.
Totalmente recomendado para fans de Fantasía, Historia, Comedia y que busquen algo muy entretenido que no les quite el sueño.
March 16, 2016
Ini pertama kali aku membaca buku dari Seth Grahame-Smith walaupun aku sudah jatuh cinta pada 2 film yang diangkat dari bukunya ( Abraham Lincoln : Vampire Hunter, Pride and Prejudice and Zombie). Dan kuakui dia memang penulis jenius yang jago mentwist sesuatu yang klasik dan "biasa" menjadi hal yang menarik perhatian.
Siapapun sudah tahu tentang kisah kelahiran Kristus yang penuh cobaan. Ancaman pembunuhan bayi-bayi, tempat melahirkan yang susah di dapatkan. 3 Orang majus misterius yang tiba-tiba datang membawa persembahan. Nah di sinilah Seth masuk dan memberikan sentuhan ajaibnya. Dia memberikan background menarik pada 3 orang majus misterius itu, para anti hero, para penjahat dan pelarian Herodes. Dan si sinilah aku mulai membaca buku ini dengan perhatian penuh.
Di ceritakan dari sisi seorang anti hero bernama Balthazar, cerita ini bergulir cepat dan sangat memikat. Dia adalah penjahat cerdas berdedikasi yang memulai karirnya sejak masih anak-anak. Pencopet prof, pencuri dan sekarang pembunuh sadis. POV pria penuh komplikasi ini lugas, dark tapi juga lucu. Aku terpukau pada kecerdasan dan modus-modusnya, kepercayaan dirinya, kekuatan tekadnya dan sisi moral yang tak kusangka masih ada di dalam dirinya.
Buku ini membuatku sadar bahwa ada kejahatan super jahat tanpa kode etik yang tetap bisa membuat hati seorang penjahatpun tergerak dengan rasa marah. Unsur sejarah dan fiksi terjalin sempurna, pesan moral dan aksi laga sangat menghibur dan menginspirasi. Romance dibuku ini tipis tapi menyentuh. Beberapa adegan perkelahian dan penyiksaan mungkin cukup gore dan mendetail, pastikan perutmu kuat sebelum membacanya. Ending buku ini akan membuatmu mendesah puas karena aku suka bagaimana Seth merangkum dan menggabungkan beberapa fakta dengan sangat mulus dan menyajikannya sebagai sebuah kisah daur ulang yang sangat memikat.
My Rating :
Star : 5/5
Siapapun sudah tahu tentang kisah kelahiran Kristus yang penuh cobaan. Ancaman pembunuhan bayi-bayi, tempat melahirkan yang susah di dapatkan. 3 Orang majus misterius yang tiba-tiba datang membawa persembahan. Nah di sinilah Seth masuk dan memberikan sentuhan ajaibnya. Dia memberikan background menarik pada 3 orang majus misterius itu, para anti hero, para penjahat dan pelarian Herodes. Dan si sinilah aku mulai membaca buku ini dengan perhatian penuh.
Di ceritakan dari sisi seorang anti hero bernama Balthazar, cerita ini bergulir cepat dan sangat memikat. Dia adalah penjahat cerdas berdedikasi yang memulai karirnya sejak masih anak-anak. Pencopet prof, pencuri dan sekarang pembunuh sadis. POV pria penuh komplikasi ini lugas, dark tapi juga lucu. Aku terpukau pada kecerdasan dan modus-modusnya, kepercayaan dirinya, kekuatan tekadnya dan sisi moral yang tak kusangka masih ada di dalam dirinya.
Buku ini membuatku sadar bahwa ada kejahatan super jahat tanpa kode etik yang tetap bisa membuat hati seorang penjahatpun tergerak dengan rasa marah. Unsur sejarah dan fiksi terjalin sempurna, pesan moral dan aksi laga sangat menghibur dan menginspirasi. Romance dibuku ini tipis tapi menyentuh. Beberapa adegan perkelahian dan penyiksaan mungkin cukup gore dan mendetail, pastikan perutmu kuat sebelum membacanya. Ending buku ini akan membuatmu mendesah puas karena aku suka bagaimana Seth merangkum dan menggabungkan beberapa fakta dengan sangat mulus dan menyajikannya sebagai sebuah kisah daur ulang yang sangat memikat.
My Rating :
Star : 5/5
September 3, 2014
-Empezando de una manera y terminando de otra.-
Género. Novela.
Lo que nos cuenta. Baltasar es un famoso ladrón (y culpable de otros crímenes cuando es necesario) conocido en Judea como el Fantasma de Antioquía, el Azote de Roma o el Saqueador del Imperio Oriental. Tras un golpe especialmente ambicioso y audaz en la residencia del administrador romano de Tel Arad, es capturado después de una persecución y lucha que le lleva a los calabozos de Herodes, donde conocerá a otros dos delincuentes llamados Melchor y Gaspar, que al escapar terminan escondiéndose en un establo en el que se dan de bruces con una pareja, María y José, que acaban de tener un niño.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...
Género. Novela.
Lo que nos cuenta. Baltasar es un famoso ladrón (y culpable de otros crímenes cuando es necesario) conocido en Judea como el Fantasma de Antioquía, el Azote de Roma o el Saqueador del Imperio Oriental. Tras un golpe especialmente ambicioso y audaz en la residencia del administrador romano de Tel Arad, es capturado después de una persecución y lucha que le lleva a los calabozos de Herodes, donde conocerá a otros dos delincuentes llamados Melchor y Gaspar, que al escapar terminan escondiéndose en un establo en el que se dan de bruces con una pareja, María y José, que acaban de tener un niño.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...
October 8, 2016
Nice interesting telling of the events surrounding the birth of Jesus that reveal the truth behind the 3 wise men. While not as good to me as the Abraham Lincoln novel he wrote this is still a good entertaining read. Recommended
July 3, 2017
great title, great writing, great characters, loads of action. loved it.
it really is the bible as you've never read it before.
it really is the bible as you've never read it before.
March 24, 2022
Herod the not-so-great.
Christmas comes and we get our Nativity sets out; we sing carols about it; everyone's haloes are shining; baby Jesus is born; we're all saved. Yay! The Three Wise Men are standing around, for reasons beyond me (probably to perv on Mary), Joseph is still looking useless. Mary just wants painkillers - and a bath - and hot towels. The cattle are lowing. Wait - cattle? Who the hell says cattle were there. Wouldn't it be more likely to be camels and goats...bastards shitting everywhere. Then along comes Seth Grahame-Smith and stuffs all this up...in a good way.
This is the story of the Three Wise Men, who at times, didn't seem all that wise. Of course, we are given an accurate insight into the lives of the folks who lived under Roman rule and a few of the Romans themselves (they didn't like ruckuses in those troublesome Jews).
Ladies, gentleman and kiddies, this is a beautifully-written, well-edited story with one of the best endings I have read in a long time. I loved it.
Christmas comes and we get our Nativity sets out; we sing carols about it; everyone's haloes are shining; baby Jesus is born; we're all saved. Yay! The Three Wise Men are standing around, for reasons beyond me (probably to perv on Mary), Joseph is still looking useless. Mary just wants painkillers - and a bath - and hot towels. The cattle are lowing. Wait - cattle? Who the hell says cattle were there. Wouldn't it be more likely to be camels and goats...bastards shitting everywhere. Then along comes Seth Grahame-Smith and stuffs all this up...in a good way.
This is the story of the Three Wise Men, who at times, didn't seem all that wise. Of course, we are given an accurate insight into the lives of the folks who lived under Roman rule and a few of the Romans themselves (they didn't like ruckuses in those troublesome Jews).
Ladies, gentleman and kiddies, this is a beautifully-written, well-edited story with one of the best endings I have read in a long time. I loved it.
December 9, 2019
Gave a bit of an action twist to the biblical story of Jesus being born and the three wise men that visited him. I enjoyed it.
December 31, 2019
This was my first Seth Grahame-Smith work and I have to say that I was surprised on a few fronts. First, I thought it was going to be a purely humorous book, but although there were definitely some very funny parts, there was a lot more substance to the book than I expected. But also, I thought it was going to be full of supernatural monsters, but that turned out to be only a very tiny part of the book, lol. I have no idea what the author's religious views are but irreverent is definitely one of his traits, ha! I am a Christian, but I was both amused and interested in how he wove this story of Balthazar into the story of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph's escape into Egypt shortly after the birth. We obviously find out more about Balthazar than about any of the characters, but you do get glimpses into other characters. Herod was absolutely the guy you love to hate, and while some of his predilections were over the top (pedophilia, necrophilia, torture, murder...), it somehow fits with lots of the stuff that is in the bible about those who sinned against God, particularly in the Old Testament. But don't get me wrong--this is not a religious book--it's a yarn about a master thief (and his back story) and how he realizes what is truly important in life, at least to him and the ones he cares for. The ending is VERY satisfying and I love the epilogue and the little twist of alternative history that the author adds, heh heh. So even though this didn't turn out to be the humorous book I thought it would be, I'm very much glad I read it. I definitely want to check out his Lincoln book, as well as his Pride and Prejudice books (although he didn't write the second one).
eta: Funniest part: Probably when he meets Sela for the first time in years. Most powerful part: when Sela shares the story of how the Antioch Ghost came to be. OMG, the tears!
eta: Funniest part: Probably when he meets Sela for the first time in years. Most powerful part: when Sela shares the story of how the Antioch Ghost came to be. OMG, the tears!
April 26, 2012
Sometimes a straight story hits the spot; one that reaches in and grabs your guts to let them remember the meat and gore you're made of. By straight I mean: Balthazar aka "the Antioch Ghost" is stoic and strong; his duty is to protect an innocent/naive family (in this case Mary, Joseph and their newborn Messiah) from being butchered by ruthless Roman soldiers. Along the way there are tests of love and death, talks of faith and epic camel chases.
There's also a healthy spin on biblical tales most Americans are pretty familiar with, adding depth to the infamous cast of characters sprinkled in to "keep it real" -- Julius and Augustus Caesar for example, Pontius Pilate, and swarming, man-eating locusts. For those who need more: there's an army of undead re-animated by dark magic, infant genocide, lots and lots of bloody swordplay.
For a 300+ page epic adventure, this book moves, and delivers the goods in more ways than one. Love the Bible, hate the Bible, it doesn't matter. There's something for everyone. And I almost forgot to mention the disease-addled, bloodthirsty villain, Herod, with his pre-teen concubines and milky, oozing, stink-infested lesions! The whole thing reads like an unrelenting bedtime story sure to invoke ominous dreams, and parched lips.
There's also a healthy spin on biblical tales most Americans are pretty familiar with, adding depth to the infamous cast of characters sprinkled in to "keep it real" -- Julius and Augustus Caesar for example, Pontius Pilate, and swarming, man-eating locusts. For those who need more: there's an army of undead re-animated by dark magic, infant genocide, lots and lots of bloody swordplay.
For a 300+ page epic adventure, this book moves, and delivers the goods in more ways than one. Love the Bible, hate the Bible, it doesn't matter. There's something for everyone. And I almost forgot to mention the disease-addled, bloodthirsty villain, Herod, with his pre-teen concubines and milky, oozing, stink-infested lesions! The whole thing reads like an unrelenting bedtime story sure to invoke ominous dreams, and parched lips.
June 19, 2012
Deviously clever, and not at all the sacrilege you might expect, given that this is the same author who so brilliantly twisted literature and history. The book plays around with the Nativity story, particularly the place of the Wise Men. In this tale, the Wise Men aren't kings or philosophers but petty thieves on the run from Herod who come across Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus. The primary character Balthazar, known as the Antioch Ghost, is a formidable protagonist who believes in little but himself, a hard man who gradually becomes sympathetic to the reader. By the end you'll really like him. And the novel has good villains and quasi-villains, in the form of a despicable Herod the Great, a silent and mysterious wild card, and a surprising young Pontius Pilate. Grahame-Smith does a good job moving the story forward as the fugitives evade Herod's army and the Roman army, as well as a supernatural force of old working against them. The book has the modern sensibility of the writer, but at the same time still feels grounded in the past. Funny at times, and well paced action filled at others, it's a good read. Just as long as you don't mind the tweaking of the story...
January 27, 2018
Wayyy to long. The writer also talks everything through until every last little detail. It's exhausting!
If you ask me, the story should have started at the execution (about 100 pages in): it's gets interesting there and it's a much stronger opening.
This book is a perfect example of why I love (good) short stories so much: it gets rid of all the clutter.
I was just bored throughout most of this book, but it had some strong story points. It could have been so much more.
Also, there was very little horror in this horror shelved book.
The ending is very very very happy (which I hate in books).
If you ask me, the story should have started at the execution (about 100 pages in): it's gets interesting there and it's a much stronger opening.
This book is a perfect example of why I love (good) short stories so much: it gets rid of all the clutter.
I was just bored throughout most of this book, but it had some strong story points. It could have been so much more.
Also, there was very little horror in this horror shelved book.
The ending is very very very happy (which I hate in books).
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,331 reviews