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Bethany
A new short novel from Adam Roberts, available only as an e-book. "Bethany" is a time-travel narrative in the tradition of Moorcock's "Behold the Man", and a theological novel in the tradition of Nabokov's "Invitation to a Beheading". A time traveler returns to the Holy Land in the early years of the first-century AD with the following macabre mission: to shoot Jesus with a 21st-century rifle, *after* he has been crucified and resurrected but *before* he ascends to heaven. Is he a radical atheist? An agent of Satan? Or does he intend to test the status of the post-resurrection Jesus? We might assume that such an action would have three possible outcomes: Christ might be simple killed, and remain dead; Christ might be killed and then simply re-resurrect; or Christ might prove unkillable. But could so blasphemous an action be motivated by mere curiosity?
The novel is in two parts: the first set in modern times and the second in Roman Palestine. The whole is 35,000 words in length.
The novel is in two parts: the first set in modern times and the second in Roman Palestine. The whole is 35,000 words in length.
90 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 20, 2016
4 people are currently reading
39 people want to read
About the author
Adam Roberts
258 books561 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Adam Roberts (born 1965) is an academic, critic and novelist. He also writes parodies under the pseudonyms of A.R.R.R. Roberts, A3R Roberts and Don Brine. He also blogs at The Valve, a group blog devoted to literature and cultural studies.
He has a degree in English from the University of Aberdeen and a PhD from Cambridge University on Robert Browning and the Classics. He teaches English literature and creative writing at Royal Holloway, University of London. Adam Roberts has been nominated twice for the Arthur C. Clarke Award: in 2001, for his debut novel, Salt, and in 2007, for Gradisil.
Adam Roberts (born 1965) is an academic, critic and novelist. He also writes parodies under the pseudonyms of A.R.R.R. Roberts, A3R Roberts and Don Brine. He also blogs at The Valve, a group blog devoted to literature and cultural studies.
He has a degree in English from the University of Aberdeen and a PhD from Cambridge University on Robert Browning and the Classics. He teaches English literature and creative writing at Royal Holloway, University of London. Adam Roberts has been nominated twice for the Arthur C. Clarke Award: in 2001, for his debut novel, Salt, and in 2007, for Gradisil.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 12, 2017
I read this on an overnight train, while in the throes of a dreadful cold - and, well, there are ways to get more out of it, for sure.
This is one of them. Partial spoilers (which won't matter in the least if like me you like reading for the journey), but I wish I'd read it first.
As far as I am concerned - and I know I say this on a semi-regular basis - Adam Roberts is a really interesting man.
This is one of them. Partial spoilers (which won't matter in the least if like me you like reading for the journey), but I wish I'd read it first.
As far as I am concerned - and I know I say this on a semi-regular basis - Adam Roberts is a really interesting man.
July 25, 2020
Gosh
A long time ago Adam Roberts told me he was trying to write one of every type of sf story there is. So, here's the "go back in time and kill Christ" one!
Despite having a keen interest in philosophy and a kind of general horrified fascination regarding religious thought, there's probably a few things I'm missing with this story. It ends as we've always been told it would, but I don't really get it.
I enjoyed reading it though.
A long time ago Adam Roberts told me he was trying to write one of every type of sf story there is. So, here's the "go back in time and kill Christ" one!
Despite having a keen interest in philosophy and a kind of general horrified fascination regarding religious thought, there's probably a few things I'm missing with this story. It ends as we've always been told it would, but I don't really get it.
I enjoyed reading it though.
May 22, 2018
A short novel of great depth - allow time to digest
This is a thoroughly gripping time travel novel in miniature, the first half of which is set in the present day, and the second, in ancient Israel around the time of Jesus. Both parts are narrated in the first person by the protagonist, Todd, allowing the reader the opportunity to get inside his head in both times and cultures.
Don't let it's short length (90 pages) fool you; although it's certainly not a long read, there is sufficient depth in the theological concepts to engage the intellect, added to which the vibrant descriptions of ancient Israel are far too good to rush through. I could quote many examples of the latter, but here is just one example to illustrate my point: "He could see the sea as a geological layer of cyan between the gray-blue sky and the desert-colored ground. It seemed to him impossible that there had ever been a time when that intense blue had not existed, or that there would ever come a time when such a blue would pass away. It was eternal and faultless and easily the most beautiful thing Todd had ever seen." Colour is used as effectively as this on a regular basis, really bringing Israel under the Romans to life.
The ending - well, I don't want to spoil it; read the book for yourself to find out what I mean!
In his author's note Adam Roberts says that he has drawn on Nabokov's "Invitation to a Beheading" and Michael Moorcock's "Behold the Man", both of which are now on my reading list - and I shall certainly be reading more of Adam Roberts' works, too
This is a thoroughly gripping time travel novel in miniature, the first half of which is set in the present day, and the second, in ancient Israel around the time of Jesus. Both parts are narrated in the first person by the protagonist, Todd, allowing the reader the opportunity to get inside his head in both times and cultures.
Don't let it's short length (90 pages) fool you; although it's certainly not a long read, there is sufficient depth in the theological concepts to engage the intellect, added to which the vibrant descriptions of ancient Israel are far too good to rush through. I could quote many examples of the latter, but here is just one example to illustrate my point: "He could see the sea as a geological layer of cyan between the gray-blue sky and the desert-colored ground. It seemed to him impossible that there had ever been a time when that intense blue had not existed, or that there would ever come a time when such a blue would pass away. It was eternal and faultless and easily the most beautiful thing Todd had ever seen." Colour is used as effectively as this on a regular basis, really bringing Israel under the Romans to life.
The ending - well, I don't want to spoil it; read the book for yourself to find out what I mean!
In his author's note Adam Roberts says that he has drawn on Nabokov's "Invitation to a Beheading" and Michael Moorcock's "Behold the Man", both of which are now on my reading list - and I shall certainly be reading more of Adam Roberts' works, too
December 27, 2018
3.5 stars.
Todd grew up in the USA, raised and immersed in the pervasive religions of that failing empire. Guns and Jesus. He is a drifter, unable to fix upon just what is it that he wants. Todd is a hunter, and so hunting he drifts from Bible studies to the laguages of biblical Palestine, to the military and to secret scientific missions and time machines.
In this short novel, Roberts explores the dirty little truth of the monotheistic religions. In the beginning, Man created God. And thereby reveals the answer to the question of suffering. Why does God allow Man to suffer? Because of course, the suffering is that whch comes from the hands of men, not from the imagined divine.
So as Todd bumbles his way into the birthing time of Christianity in a stolen time machine, murdering his way toward salvation, he seeks for Jeshua bar Josep throughout the Roman province of Judea. And cannot quite find what he so desperately seeks. In the end, he can only resort to the power of the defining fetish od the USA. Only the gun spaeaks truly.
Todd grew up in the USA, raised and immersed in the pervasive religions of that failing empire. Guns and Jesus. He is a drifter, unable to fix upon just what is it that he wants. Todd is a hunter, and so hunting he drifts from Bible studies to the laguages of biblical Palestine, to the military and to secret scientific missions and time machines.
In this short novel, Roberts explores the dirty little truth of the monotheistic religions. In the beginning, Man created God. And thereby reveals the answer to the question of suffering. Why does God allow Man to suffer? Because of course, the suffering is that whch comes from the hands of men, not from the imagined divine.
So as Todd bumbles his way into the birthing time of Christianity in a stolen time machine, murdering his way toward salvation, he seeks for Jeshua bar Josep throughout the Roman province of Judea. And cannot quite find what he so desperately seeks. In the end, he can only resort to the power of the defining fetish od the USA. Only the gun spaeaks truly.
January 27, 2018
Very much a Vonnegutean style narrative, gripping storytelling.
August 9, 2019
Why am I always surprised at how good Roberts' work is? So often he chooses what seems a well-worn trope of the genre -- and then manages to completely reinvigorate it. In this time travel novel, the tech is given more thought than usual in time travel stories, the characters are complex and nuanced, and the story has depth and weight. Another (probably largely unsung) great story from Adam Roberts.
He should have a shelf full of awards; I sometimes wonder if he isn't the victim of anti-academic bias within the sf fan base. I crave his work the way I did Wolfe and Delany's writing 20 years ago.
He should have a shelf full of awards; I sometimes wonder if he isn't the victim of anti-academic bias within the sf fan base. I crave his work the way I did Wolfe and Delany's writing 20 years ago.
November 29, 2016
Since Yellow Blue Tibia and Jack Glass, Adam Roberts is a firm favourite of mine and I strive to read more of his books.
Though I can sense that this novella is better than the final impression I have, but I simply lack the theological (and to some degree the historic and literary) background to fully appreciate it.
Though I can sense that this novella is better than the final impression I have, but I simply lack the theological (and to some degree the historic and literary) background to fully appreciate it.
June 4, 2025
Re-behold the man
A typically clever and philosophical Adam Roberts novella. Psychopathy, physics, and free will. Recommended to admirers of Roberts and Moorcock.
A typically clever and philosophical Adam Roberts novella. Psychopathy, physics, and free will. Recommended to admirers of Roberts and Moorcock.
April 11, 2017
Interesting, of course, and if I feel vaguely unsatisfied, well, that was probably inevitable, and given how short it is, there's no real cause to complain.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews