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Centurion
In 2099 the United States is gone. In its place stands the most powerful government the world has ever seen: the Kingdom. Led by King Charles and his Centurion Guard, Americans live in fear of being abducted north in a train marked for death.
Deacon Larsen boarded a train three years ago to travel west, the only region where medicine is still taught. But after the Kingdom abducted his parents, he returned home to the South.
But Deacon hasn’t come home to put his parent’s affairs in order, as stated in his strictly controlled travel visa. No. He’s come back for the only thing he has left: revenge.
But waiting for Deacon are truths he never expected and a decision so impossible he may have to die to make it.
The life Deacon knew is gone. The ones Deacon loves are dead. The truth Deacon craves is out there. But can he find it?
Centurion is an imaginative retelling of Mark’s gospel as a dystopic thriller. It’s the greatest story ever told, as never before told.
Deacon Larsen boarded a train three years ago to travel west, the only region where medicine is still taught. But after the Kingdom abducted his parents, he returned home to the South.
But Deacon hasn’t come home to put his parent’s affairs in order, as stated in his strictly controlled travel visa. No. He’s come back for the only thing he has left: revenge.
But waiting for Deacon are truths he never expected and a decision so impossible he may have to die to make it.
The life Deacon knew is gone. The ones Deacon loves are dead. The truth Deacon craves is out there. But can he find it?
Centurion is an imaginative retelling of Mark’s gospel as a dystopic thriller. It’s the greatest story ever told, as never before told.
191 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 26, 2013
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483 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
March 31, 2014
Centurion – Mark’s Gospel as a Thriller - by Ryan Casey Waller
Genre: Inspirational Fiction / Thriller
Published 2013
Reviews From A Guy
Centurion by Ryan Waller is exactly what it claims to be, a literal replaying out of the Gospel of Mark as a Thriller set in an apocalyptic world setting of the modern era that bears an uncanny similarity to the Biblical narrative. This book is at least two things. It is masterfully written and it is one of the best books that I have ever read.
With any work of fiction that plays off of a Biblical narrative I have to say that I am wary of it at first. In short I do not want to see the Biblical account given to us by the Holy Spirit corrupted by man, but this is not the case with this book. There is no corruption of the core elements of the greatest story ever told laid down for us to read in the four Gospels of the New Testament. To say this book is a thrilling adventure to read is an understatement. Even though the outcome of the story is known I found that Ryan in his recreation of the events as we know them has transposed them over into a modern setting that has helped me experience all over again the all consuming love of my Savior for me. That is a powerful thing for any author to achieve with a reader of his fictional work in that it transcends the words written on the page and become a living emotion that resonates with the core of another human’s spiritual identity of belief.
If you read this book and I highly recommend that you do I can promise that at least three things will occur. One, you’ve found another great author to invest your hard earned money in as well as a great book to add to your shelf. Two, at some point you will identify with the plight of the main character in some aspect and be moved to tears. Three, you’ll reexamine all over again or perhaps for the first time what the Son of God has both done and made freely available to all of us who draw breath, which is life evermore made possible by His redeeming sacrifice. Read the book and then better yet pick up the Gospel of Mark and see for yourself that the Gospel message wasn’t meant for just one time and place in history, but rather it is a living breathing framework of an amazingly redemptive and restorative story that loses no value even told over into our modern era that has been wonderfully portrayed by Ryan in a neat feat of world building to accurately reflect the symbolism of the Biblical narrative of yesteryear.
My Rating, Five out of Five Stars
• I received a free review copy of Centurion from the author. The author’s generosity, while appreciated did not influence this review.
Genre: Inspirational Fiction / Thriller
Published 2013
Reviews From A Guy
Centurion by Ryan Waller is exactly what it claims to be, a literal replaying out of the Gospel of Mark as a Thriller set in an apocalyptic world setting of the modern era that bears an uncanny similarity to the Biblical narrative. This book is at least two things. It is masterfully written and it is one of the best books that I have ever read.
With any work of fiction that plays off of a Biblical narrative I have to say that I am wary of it at first. In short I do not want to see the Biblical account given to us by the Holy Spirit corrupted by man, but this is not the case with this book. There is no corruption of the core elements of the greatest story ever told laid down for us to read in the four Gospels of the New Testament. To say this book is a thrilling adventure to read is an understatement. Even though the outcome of the story is known I found that Ryan in his recreation of the events as we know them has transposed them over into a modern setting that has helped me experience all over again the all consuming love of my Savior for me. That is a powerful thing for any author to achieve with a reader of his fictional work in that it transcends the words written on the page and become a living emotion that resonates with the core of another human’s spiritual identity of belief.
If you read this book and I highly recommend that you do I can promise that at least three things will occur. One, you’ve found another great author to invest your hard earned money in as well as a great book to add to your shelf. Two, at some point you will identify with the plight of the main character in some aspect and be moved to tears. Three, you’ll reexamine all over again or perhaps for the first time what the Son of God has both done and made freely available to all of us who draw breath, which is life evermore made possible by His redeeming sacrifice. Read the book and then better yet pick up the Gospel of Mark and see for yourself that the Gospel message wasn’t meant for just one time and place in history, but rather it is a living breathing framework of an amazingly redemptive and restorative story that loses no value even told over into our modern era that has been wonderfully portrayed by Ryan in a neat feat of world building to accurately reflect the symbolism of the Biblical narrative of yesteryear.
My Rating, Five out of Five Stars
• I received a free review copy of Centurion from the author. The author’s generosity, while appreciated did not influence this review.
October 11, 2014
First Look: Mark's gospel? As a dystopic thriller? Um, yes. Christian fiction is becoming increasingly off-putting and problematic for me (here's why), but I hoped that this would go against that trend. Besides, why wouldn't I want to read a gospel retold as a thriller?
Setting: I feel like a broken record, having to constantly criticize dystopian novels for settings that don't make sense. And yet, here I am, talking once again about weak worldbuilding. There is a king in future America now, because...? Everyone is oppressed becauseyou can't have a dystopian novel if nobody is oppressed...? This one, though, isn't so much about lack of sense--it's more about lack of explanations. I'm a stickler for dystopians that are dystopic for specific reasons, not just because humanity randomly turned degenerate. While the setting may have worked, in this case, it felt more like a backdrop than an actual factor in the story. We are handed the dystopian aspects, but never shown why they happened that way in the first place. We're also told that the Centurions are bad, but we're never given enough concrete proof of this to really care.
Characters: This is the highlight of the book. Deacon is reckless yet courageous, passionate yet jaded, determined yet easily manipulated. He's a very fleshed-out, human character. He has flaws. He makes grave mistakes, but he still keeps pushing forward toward his goal. I genuinely liked him, even if I questioned some of his decisions. Since this is a gospel retelling, I kept trying to figure out which biblical character he represented. Initially, he seemed to be a new addition, purely of the author's creation. After awhile, though, I figured out his identity, and I loved this twist. He's an often-overlooked biblical character, and I appreciate the unique angle it gave the book.
The side characters vary. Some, like Jude and Alejandro, are complex, and therefore compelling. Maria, though, seems too perfect to be real, and has little personality. No other characters are given enough attention to be much more than background.
Plot: The plot isn't as tight as I would have liked. I understand that the author is following an already-established storyline, but Deacon's personal story didn't fully mesh with the gospel story. We start out right away with Deacon's desire for a rebellion, but this never fully made sense to me. The government is responsible for the death of his parents, yes, but what, exactly, does he hope to accomplish by taking it down? There's a hint of a supernatural aspect (beyond the Christ figure), but this is mentioned once or twice and then ignored. Also, theromance insta-lust between Deacon and Maria happens way too quickly. And randomly. He falls in love with her just for her beauty, which isn't even love at all.
Overall, the plot maintains a solid pace, and I was able to follow its progression through the gospel. I just wish it had been a little more streamlined.
Uniqueness: If this was just another dystopian novel, I would be all over it for unoriginal plot elements. It's not a typical dystopian novel, though--it's a gospel retelling. A thriller gospel. And I applaud the author for that idea.
Writing: The writing does its job in an unobtrusive way. I don't have much else to say about it. It blends a few direct gospel quotes into the narration and dialogue, and these felt a bit awkward. Of course, f you're taking centuries-old dialogue and putting it into a modern context, it's going to sound a bit weird. Still, I wish it had felt a little more natural.
Likes: N/A.
Not-so-great: That ending.
I don't remember any of that happening in the Bible, but...alright. It's a dystopian novel, so things aren't going to be pretty. Still, the ending seemed abrupt and sudden for no good reason.
Overall: Centurion is not perfect by any means. The setting never feels fully integrated with the plot. Some of the direct Bible quotes are awkward mixed into the rest of the dialogue. Deacon is a realistic and unique character, though, and I enjoyed reading about him. The entire idea of this book is fantastic, as well. It's more of a 3.5 star book, but I'm rounding up. Recommended for people who want to read familiar biblical stories from a different perspective (though you wouldn't have to be familiar with the Bible to enjoy it).
Similar Books: It's a Christian dystopian novel like Aquifer. Without the biblical aspect, it's a take-down-the-government sort of book, like Shatter Me or Inside Out. (Even though I'm making comparisons, I should point out that none of these books really read like Centurion--it's just that I had trouble finding anything that does.)
I received this book through a Goodreads First Reads giveaway.
Read more of my reviews at http://anniesepicblog.blogspot.com.
Pre-review: "Centurion is an imaginative retelling of Mark's gospel as a dystopic thriller."
LOL. Actually, though, that's awesome. It's about time someone did this.
Setting: I feel like a broken record, having to constantly criticize dystopian novels for settings that don't make sense. And yet, here I am, talking once again about weak worldbuilding. There is a king in future America now, because...? Everyone is oppressed because
Characters: This is the highlight of the book. Deacon is reckless yet courageous, passionate yet jaded, determined yet easily manipulated. He's a very fleshed-out, human character. He has flaws. He makes grave mistakes, but he still keeps pushing forward toward his goal. I genuinely liked him, even if I questioned some of his decisions. Since this is a gospel retelling, I kept trying to figure out which biblical character he represented. Initially, he seemed to be a new addition, purely of the author's creation. After awhile, though, I figured out his identity, and I loved this twist. He's an often-overlooked biblical character, and I appreciate the unique angle it gave the book.
The side characters vary. Some, like Jude and Alejandro, are complex, and therefore compelling. Maria, though, seems too perfect to be real, and has little personality. No other characters are given enough attention to be much more than background.
Plot: The plot isn't as tight as I would have liked. I understand that the author is following an already-established storyline, but Deacon's personal story didn't fully mesh with the gospel story. We start out right away with Deacon's desire for a rebellion, but this never fully made sense to me. The government is responsible for the death of his parents, yes, but what, exactly, does he hope to accomplish by taking it down? There's a hint of a supernatural aspect (beyond the Christ figure), but this is mentioned once or twice and then ignored. Also, the
Overall, the plot maintains a solid pace, and I was able to follow its progression through the gospel. I just wish it had been a little more streamlined.
Uniqueness: If this was just another dystopian novel, I would be all over it for unoriginal plot elements. It's not a typical dystopian novel, though--it's a gospel retelling. A thriller gospel. And I applaud the author for that idea.
Writing: The writing does its job in an unobtrusive way. I don't have much else to say about it. It blends a few direct gospel quotes into the narration and dialogue, and these felt a bit awkward. Of course, f you're taking centuries-old dialogue and putting it into a modern context, it's going to sound a bit weird. Still, I wish it had felt a little more natural.
Likes: N/A.
Not-so-great: That ending.
I don't remember any of that happening in the Bible, but...alright. It's a dystopian novel, so things aren't going to be pretty. Still, the ending seemed abrupt and sudden for no good reason.
Overall: Centurion is not perfect by any means. The setting never feels fully integrated with the plot. Some of the direct Bible quotes are awkward mixed into the rest of the dialogue. Deacon is a realistic and unique character, though, and I enjoyed reading about him. The entire idea of this book is fantastic, as well. It's more of a 3.5 star book, but I'm rounding up. Recommended for people who want to read familiar biblical stories from a different perspective (though you wouldn't have to be familiar with the Bible to enjoy it).
Similar Books: It's a Christian dystopian novel like Aquifer. Without the biblical aspect, it's a take-down-the-government sort of book, like Shatter Me or Inside Out. (Even though I'm making comparisons, I should point out that none of these books really read like Centurion--it's just that I had trouble finding anything that does.)
I received this book through a Goodreads First Reads giveaway.
Read more of my reviews at http://anniesepicblog.blogspot.com.
Pre-review: "Centurion is an imaginative retelling of Mark's gospel as a dystopic thriller."
LOL. Actually, though, that's awesome. It's about time someone did this.
March 30, 2015
To be honest, I almost disregarded this book because the title seemed so cheesy, but something pulled me in and after reading some reviews I thought I’d give it a try. I am SO grateful that I did!
First off, I really appreciate the fact that it is set in a dystopian society in the future. I really enjoyed some Biblical fiction works like The Robe and The Advocate that are set in the actual Biblical times, however I walk away with false narratives stuck in my mind that mix with the truth of God’s Word and that bothers me. With Centurion, it’s easily distinguishable to me what is pulled from scripture and what is fiction, without any confusion and I love that. The details and history of the society itself weren’t flushed out, but in my opinion that is not a detriment to the book because the point of the novel was not to be an epic work of standalone fiction, but to spread the Good News in a creative way.
I was pleasantly surprised with the direction Deacon's character took. It wasn't what I expected and while he was flawed, it was more interesting to read about his struggles.
I also wasn’t expecting the ending at all (thought I had it all figured out) and while it was abrupt and a bit shocking I thought it really worked fantastically. I would have been fairly annoyed with a happy fairy tale ending, but thankfully Waller delivered a fantastic wrap that was realistic and thought provoking. It seems to be popular in today’s society to preach a convenient and happy Christianity where if you follow God nothing bad will ever happen to you, which is, if you actually take the time to read the Bible, quite false. While God definitely blesses and provides for His people on earth, His main concerns are His own glory, our relationship with Him, and our eternity. I loved the ending because
My only irritation was the love-at-first-sight love story because I can’t stand that type of love story, but that’s just my own personal thing and I understand some people like that and that is ok. Thankfully, it didn’t overwhelm the purpose of the book.
Overall, Centurion was an excellent read and I highly recommend it!
I received the book for free for my honest review through Goodreads First Reads. Thank you!
First off, I really appreciate the fact that it is set in a dystopian society in the future. I really enjoyed some Biblical fiction works like The Robe and The Advocate that are set in the actual Biblical times, however I walk away with false narratives stuck in my mind that mix with the truth of God’s Word and that bothers me. With Centurion, it’s easily distinguishable to me what is pulled from scripture and what is fiction, without any confusion and I love that. The details and history of the society itself weren’t flushed out, but in my opinion that is not a detriment to the book because the point of the novel was not to be an epic work of standalone fiction, but to spread the Good News in a creative way.
I was pleasantly surprised with the direction Deacon's character took. It wasn't what I expected and while he was flawed, it was more interesting to read about his struggles.
I also wasn’t expecting the ending at all (thought I had it all figured out) and while it was abrupt and a bit shocking I thought it really worked fantastically. I would have been fairly annoyed with a happy fairy tale ending, but thankfully Waller delivered a fantastic wrap that was realistic and thought provoking. It seems to be popular in today’s society to preach a convenient and happy Christianity where if you follow God nothing bad will ever happen to you, which is, if you actually take the time to read the Bible, quite false. While God definitely blesses and provides for His people on earth, His main concerns are His own glory, our relationship with Him, and our eternity. I loved the ending because
My only irritation was the love-at-first-sight love story because I can’t stand that type of love story, but that’s just my own personal thing and I understand some people like that and that is ok. Thankfully, it didn’t overwhelm the purpose of the book.
Overall, Centurion was an excellent read and I highly recommend it!
I received the book for free for my honest review through Goodreads First Reads. Thank you!
May 22, 2014
Set in the American South in a dystopian alternative reality, this retelling of the Gospel narrative shows considerable creativity. Given that most readers will have a pretty good understanding of the broad outlines of this story, at least once they make the adjustment to the unorthodox setting, creating any measure of drama and tension presents a significant challenge. In this case, that is accomplished by introducing a narrator who allows the author to tell the story from a different point of view.
The most effective elements of this book is its treatment of the messianic expectations of the people, and the narrator personifies these qualities. The expectation that the anticipated messiah would lead a revolt against the oppressive, foreign rulers clashes with the message and actions of the Teacher, who has undeniable power, but who refuses to advocate any violence, even to throw off the shackles of foreign domination.
Less effective is the love interest in this story. The relationship between the narrator and Maria blooms from nothing and is instantly complete. While this helps drive some of the narrative tension in the story, it simply felt contrived rather than a natural character evolution.
Overall, I would call this a mixed bag. It certainly demonstrates a certain level of creativity, but it isn’t clear that there are any new insights to be gained from the new viewpoints in this retelling. While it may provide an entertaining recasting of a familiar story, it felt anachronistic in the same way a staging of a Shakespeare play in a modern milieu feels contrived.
The most effective elements of this book is its treatment of the messianic expectations of the people, and the narrator personifies these qualities. The expectation that the anticipated messiah would lead a revolt against the oppressive, foreign rulers clashes with the message and actions of the Teacher, who has undeniable power, but who refuses to advocate any violence, even to throw off the shackles of foreign domination.
Less effective is the love interest in this story. The relationship between the narrator and Maria blooms from nothing and is instantly complete. While this helps drive some of the narrative tension in the story, it simply felt contrived rather than a natural character evolution.
Overall, I would call this a mixed bag. It certainly demonstrates a certain level of creativity, but it isn’t clear that there are any new insights to be gained from the new viewpoints in this retelling. While it may provide an entertaining recasting of a familiar story, it felt anachronistic in the same way a staging of a Shakespeare play in a modern milieu feels contrived.
August 13, 2016
(Received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads)
This book is amazing! I have never been one to really enjoy Christian Fiction but the description of the made me really want to read it and once it was in my hands I could not put it down.
Placing this important story of the bible into the year 2099 AD is a wonderful and fascinating twist. The story is told from the point of a view of an unlikely character and makes it all the better. It does show that the Testament of our L-rd is timeless. I will be reading this book again very soon!
The only thing this book does not fully do is answer the question posed by Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar ... "Why'd you choose such a backward time in such a strange land? If you'd come today you could have reached a whole nation. Israel in 4 BC had no mass communication."
This book is amazing! I have never been one to really enjoy Christian Fiction but the description of the made me really want to read it and once it was in my hands I could not put it down.
Placing this important story of the bible into the year 2099 AD is a wonderful and fascinating twist. The story is told from the point of a view of an unlikely character and makes it all the better. It does show that the Testament of our L-rd is timeless. I will be reading this book again very soon!
The only thing this book does not fully do is answer the question posed by Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar ... "Why'd you choose such a backward time in such a strange land? If you'd come today you could have reached a whole nation. Israel in 4 BC had no mass communication."
July 17, 2014
I'm generally very critical of "Christian fiction." But this wasn't at all the preachy collection of clichés I'm used to seeing on the shelves. On the contrary, it's the gospel brought to life. Stories that Mark tells in a few verses are here described in pages of vivid, multi-sensory detail so that we can really place ourselves in the gospel and consider the impact of the scene for each character involved.
Pros: beautiful descriptions of Jesus' healings and of the Last Supper (Seriously, read this book around Easter time and your understanding of Maundy Thursday/Good Friday WILL be affected!)
Cons: somewhat confusing beginning (first 30-40 pages), annoying love-at-first-sight relationship, several typos throughout
Pros: beautiful descriptions of Jesus' healings and of the Last Supper (Seriously, read this book around Easter time and your understanding of Maundy Thursday/Good Friday WILL be affected!)
Cons: somewhat confusing beginning (first 30-40 pages), annoying love-at-first-sight relationship, several typos throughout
May 17, 2014
Excellent, excellent book. Tells the Crucifixion story from the perspective of some of the disciples narrating their thoughts of the Teacher, Jesus, the reign of the Kingdom, and the best way to overthrow the Kingdom, lead a rebellion and have a better life. Who is the true Messiah? Is it the teacher, Jesus who teaches peace, love, and forgiveness of sins? Or is it Deacon, who wants to overthrow the Kingdom using violence and avenge the deaths of his people.
Personally, I thought this book added to the meaning of the Crucifixion story and I understand the mission of Jesus a lot better now that I read the book. I would definitely recommend this book.
Personally, I thought this book added to the meaning of the Crucifixion story and I understand the mission of Jesus a lot better now that I read the book. I would definitely recommend this book.
March 6, 2014
As a former student of Mr. Waller, I have known him to be an incredible teacher, writer and overall fantastic person. Centurion was up to his normal standards of excellence. It was a complete page turner and even knowing the gospel, kept me on the edge of my seat. I would recommend this book to anyone, Christian or not. It is incredible to take a powerful story that is the gospel of Mark and make it into a thriller. Fantastic read! Can not wait to see what Mr.Waller has in store next!!
June 21, 2014
Thought Provoking
It makes the story of Christ seem so much more real. Peter, Judas, Barrabas - these were real people like your mother, father, brothers, etc. This novel encourages us to see things differently, perhaps as God does. We are all humans after all.
It makes the story of Christ seem so much more real. Peter, Judas, Barrabas - these were real people like your mother, father, brothers, etc. This novel encourages us to see things differently, perhaps as God does. We are all humans after all.
January 7, 2015
strange
This was an interesting book. I found it strange I how it tried to convey the gospel in a futuristic way. Can't say it was bad. It was just very different.
This was an interesting book. I found it strange I how it tried to convey the gospel in a futuristic way. Can't say it was bad. It was just very different.
April 18, 2014
Great religious fiction. Loved the storyline and the author is awesome. A+++
August 9, 2014
I have conflicting thoughts on Ryan Casey Waller's novel, Centurion. On the one hand, it is a dystopian novel set in the American South at the turn of the next century--2099. On the other hand, it is a retelling of the gospel of Mark. The novel is an attempt to blend the dystopian-futuristic genre with biblical fiction. This blending gets messy in places. I won't deny that there are scenes in this novel that do work or function. But I can't pretend that the mess doesn't exist either.
The protagonist of Centurion is Deacon Larsen. His parents sent him to the West to escape some of the hardships of the South. The South is definitely more under the dominion of the Kingdom--led by King Charles. There are not opportunities for success or happiness…not like in other parts of the country. Deacon returns home with a specific mission in mind: do as much damage to the Kingdom as possible, die for the cause, but get revenge and use all the anger you've been building up. What he didn't expect was to fall in love with a woman named Maria who follows the Teacher. The more time he spends with Maria and her Teacher, the more confused he becomes. There are small moments here and there where he "sees the light" and decides that maybe just maybe he shouldn't live for anger and be willing to die for revenge. But the moments where he "gets it" are very outweighed by those other moments. Let's just say that Maria isn't his only influence. Jude has plans for Deacon, and, he did meet him first.
The world-building was messy. For a dystopian novel to truly work, it has to make some sense and be somewhat believable. Here is the background we're given: The era of Great Uncertainty finally had come to an end when the English squashed the Chinese uprising and seized governmental power in this country once and for all. It had been a full decade since any single authority had ruled the vast land that was once the USA. The incredibly evil kingdom is British. It is ruled by a King Charles. King Charles has centurion soldiers. He rules over--cruelly and unjustly--at least part of the former states. I don't think his dominion is over the western states. But it isn't just this new kingdom that requires readers to suspend their disbelief. (Why would the British hang people on crosses?!) There are the religious details too. The religious side is in a way extremely, annoyingly vague. He is "the Teacher." The religion doesn't have a name, no origin is given. No background or context is given. Readers are told that the Kingdom essentially pays little to no attention to religious people because they don't see the religion as being threatening. There are supposedly--again no real background or context being given--religious leaders and/or institutions in place that may govern over religious followers. There is a Holy City. (Which Southern city of the U.S. is supposed to be THE Holy City???) There is a religious festival involving animal sacrifice at a Holy Temple. (It is never identified as Passover, of course, because that would prevent this religion from being vague and nameless.)
This novel works best when it is focused on the Teacher. When readers see the Teacher teaching or preaching or performing miracles. These scenes are largely lifted from Scripture. Readers are part of the crowd, they are seeing and hearing for themselves.
The novel is also mostly successful in illustrating why the crowds--the masses--wanted deliverance from oppression and an actual revolution or uprising. They wanted freedom from the kingdom that oppressed them--literal freedom. Not freedom from sin or thoughts or attitudes.
The two genres being combined are so very different that the blending process is uneven at best. A dystopian retelling of the gospel could work if the focus was clearer and some of the details worked out better. Is the foundation of the dystopian a big what-if, what if Jesus did not come when he did--during the first century, Roman Empire? What would the world have been like if it was still waiting for a Savior or Messiah to come? What would the world have been like if Jesus had never come? What would countries and governments have been like? How would people be treated? More rights? Less rights? More problems? Less problems? About the same? What about cultures? What about developments and progress? Would people have still clung to the God of the Old Testament? Would people still believe in God as revealed in Holy Scripture? Would animal sacrifices still be occurring as part of that religion in 2099? How would the history of the world been changed? Would anything be the same? How dramatically different would the world be? A dystopian retelling of the gospel demands a lot of thought and world-building. It would not be easy to make it convincing and believable. Biblical fiction--keeping the setting the same as the Bible--would have been an easier task perhaps. And one could have still kept it relevant and personal and from the same perspective. The protagonist still could have been an angry, bitter young man who wanted to be part of an uprising or rebellion. He could have wanted WAR and blood to be spilled and not have to have a gun and travel by taxi. It's not in the making it contemporary or futuristic that makes it relevant to modern readers. One could just as easily sell the reader on the idea of ROMAN oppression.
The protagonist of Centurion is Deacon Larsen. His parents sent him to the West to escape some of the hardships of the South. The South is definitely more under the dominion of the Kingdom--led by King Charles. There are not opportunities for success or happiness…not like in other parts of the country. Deacon returns home with a specific mission in mind: do as much damage to the Kingdom as possible, die for the cause, but get revenge and use all the anger you've been building up. What he didn't expect was to fall in love with a woman named Maria who follows the Teacher. The more time he spends with Maria and her Teacher, the more confused he becomes. There are small moments here and there where he "sees the light" and decides that maybe just maybe he shouldn't live for anger and be willing to die for revenge. But the moments where he "gets it" are very outweighed by those other moments. Let's just say that Maria isn't his only influence. Jude has plans for Deacon, and, he did meet him first.
The world-building was messy. For a dystopian novel to truly work, it has to make some sense and be somewhat believable. Here is the background we're given: The era of Great Uncertainty finally had come to an end when the English squashed the Chinese uprising and seized governmental power in this country once and for all. It had been a full decade since any single authority had ruled the vast land that was once the USA. The incredibly evil kingdom is British. It is ruled by a King Charles. King Charles has centurion soldiers. He rules over--cruelly and unjustly--at least part of the former states. I don't think his dominion is over the western states. But it isn't just this new kingdom that requires readers to suspend their disbelief. (Why would the British hang people on crosses?!) There are the religious details too. The religious side is in a way extremely, annoyingly vague. He is "the Teacher." The religion doesn't have a name, no origin is given. No background or context is given. Readers are told that the Kingdom essentially pays little to no attention to religious people because they don't see the religion as being threatening. There are supposedly--again no real background or context being given--religious leaders and/or institutions in place that may govern over religious followers. There is a Holy City. (Which Southern city of the U.S. is supposed to be THE Holy City???) There is a religious festival involving animal sacrifice at a Holy Temple. (It is never identified as Passover, of course, because that would prevent this religion from being vague and nameless.)
This novel works best when it is focused on the Teacher. When readers see the Teacher teaching or preaching or performing miracles. These scenes are largely lifted from Scripture. Readers are part of the crowd, they are seeing and hearing for themselves.
The novel is also mostly successful in illustrating why the crowds--the masses--wanted deliverance from oppression and an actual revolution or uprising. They wanted freedom from the kingdom that oppressed them--literal freedom. Not freedom from sin or thoughts or attitudes.
The two genres being combined are so very different that the blending process is uneven at best. A dystopian retelling of the gospel could work if the focus was clearer and some of the details worked out better. Is the foundation of the dystopian a big what-if, what if Jesus did not come when he did--during the first century, Roman Empire? What would the world have been like if it was still waiting for a Savior or Messiah to come? What would the world have been like if Jesus had never come? What would countries and governments have been like? How would people be treated? More rights? Less rights? More problems? Less problems? About the same? What about cultures? What about developments and progress? Would people have still clung to the God of the Old Testament? Would people still believe in God as revealed in Holy Scripture? Would animal sacrifices still be occurring as part of that religion in 2099? How would the history of the world been changed? Would anything be the same? How dramatically different would the world be? A dystopian retelling of the gospel demands a lot of thought and world-building. It would not be easy to make it convincing and believable. Biblical fiction--keeping the setting the same as the Bible--would have been an easier task perhaps. And one could have still kept it relevant and personal and from the same perspective. The protagonist still could have been an angry, bitter young man who wanted to be part of an uprising or rebellion. He could have wanted WAR and blood to be spilled and not have to have a gun and travel by taxi. It's not in the making it contemporary or futuristic that makes it relevant to modern readers. One could just as easily sell the reader on the idea of ROMAN oppression.
March 30, 2017
I truly believe St. Mark would be horrified at this retelling of his gospel but I found it intriguing. It's the year 2099 and the United States are in a dystopian nightmare. Waller is a masterful writer encapsulating the message of Mark's gospel through intense plot twists and diverse characters. Highly recommend, especially for action readers.
My Rating: 4 stars
My Rating: 4 stars
January 27, 2019
Grossly disappointed
December 27, 2021
Loved this until the very end, when and is the reason I marked it four stars.
February 7, 2015
I believe this was one of the first books that I won for free
on Goodreads First Reads. I was so excited! I love to
read, so the idea of getting to be one of the first people to
try this book that I was so interested in was wonderful.
This was a great Christian fiction book but I personally
wouldn't call it a 'thriller'. The story takes place in a future
where the United States is torn apart by a war between
followers of Teacher, a man touted as the new savior of his
homeland, and the rest of the governing bodies. It is
based on true events that occurred during Biblical times.
The author simply changed the time period and the
characters. I felt uncomfortable with these changes and
found it quite sacrilegious to replace Jesus Christ with a
mere man. There are no substitutes for the timeless truths
of the Holy Bible.
on Goodreads First Reads. I was so excited! I love to
read, so the idea of getting to be one of the first people to
try this book that I was so interested in was wonderful.
This was a great Christian fiction book but I personally
wouldn't call it a 'thriller'. The story takes place in a future
where the United States is torn apart by a war between
followers of Teacher, a man touted as the new savior of his
homeland, and the rest of the governing bodies. It is
based on true events that occurred during Biblical times.
The author simply changed the time period and the
characters. I felt uncomfortable with these changes and
found it quite sacrilegious to replace Jesus Christ with a
mere man. There are no substitutes for the timeless truths
of the Holy Bible.
December 18, 2015
Deacon Larsen fled the South, now part of the Kingdom, what was left of the US, because of the harsh control exercised by King Charles and his Centurion Guard. Now that his parents are dead, he’s allowed back to settle their affairs, but he’s really back for only one reason—to settle old scores.
Centurion: Mark’s Gospel by Ryan Casey Waller is a dystopian, Christian-based thriller that parallels many events in the Bible. The action is nicely done, and the premise is interesting, but the book is unfortunately filled with too many typos which disrupt the reading experience.
A better proofreading job would elevate this book to a four, maybe even a five, but as it currently stands, three is the most I can give it.
Centurion: Mark’s Gospel by Ryan Casey Waller is a dystopian, Christian-based thriller that parallels many events in the Bible. The action is nicely done, and the premise is interesting, but the book is unfortunately filled with too many typos which disrupt the reading experience.
A better proofreading job would elevate this book to a four, maybe even a five, but as it currently stands, three is the most I can give it.
November 28, 2015
Deacon Larsen fled the South, now part of the Kingdom, what was left of the US, because of the harsh control exercised by King Charles and his Centurion Guard. Now that his parents are dead, he’s allowed back to settle their affairs, but he’s really back for only one reason—to settle old scores.
Centurion: Mark’s Gospel by Ryan Casey Waller is a dystopian, Christian-based thriller that parallels many events in the Bible. The action is nicely done, and the premise is interesting, but the book is unfortunately filled with too many typos which disrupt the reading experience.
A better proofreading job would elevate this book to a four, maybe even a five, but as it currently stands, three is the most I can give it.
Centurion: Mark’s Gospel by Ryan Casey Waller is a dystopian, Christian-based thriller that parallels many events in the Bible. The action is nicely done, and the premise is interesting, but the book is unfortunately filled with too many typos which disrupt the reading experience.
A better proofreading job would elevate this book to a four, maybe even a five, but as it currently stands, three is the most I can give it.
May 23, 2015
I understand what the author wanted to do, I think, but the whole thing seems forced. It is an odd mash-up of post-apocalyptic literature and historical fiction. The dialog is pretty unnatural at times. Honestly, the only reason that I finished it was because I wanted to see how the strange plot was resolved. There is a good dose bad theology involved. I don't think viewing it as a re-telling of the Gospel of Mark is fair. Even allegorically, it is about as close to the Biblical narrative as The Red Tent is. That's not very close.
March 31, 2016
I've looked forward to reading this book for a while. It was good. It was well written. I enjoyed it, but it was not what I expected from the title. I was expecting it to be written from one point of view, but it was written from one that I didn't expect. The good thing about this situation was that while I recognized the telling of Mark's Gospel, I did not immediatly fall into sync with the storyteller. The cool thing was that this perspective kept the book fresh for me.
August 9, 2014
Great book. I was torn between two worlds. One minute I was in the biblical world and the next I was jolted into the modern world with guns. Mr. Waller did a great job with keeping the story biblical while also giving it a modern twist. I really enjoyed it. Recommended and put into my "to read again" pile.
May 2, 2014
Not worth the time
This is a very poor retelling of the crucifixion story. while many components of the story were lifted from the Bible, the story is weak and detracts from the Gospel message.
This is a very poor retelling of the crucifixion story. while many components of the story were lifted from the Bible, the story is weak and detracts from the Gospel message.
March 28, 2014
Loved it.
June 12, 2016
Good read
Edge of your seat book even though you know the ending sort of. Fresh look on scripture and what the story might look like in present times.
Edge of your seat book even though you know the ending sort of. Fresh look on scripture and what the story might look like in present times.
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