Kristus Tuhan: Jalan Menuju Kana

Christ the Lord #2

by Anne Rice

Desain cover-art oleh Satya Utama Jadi

Dalam buku pertama: Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt (Kristus Tuhan: Meninggalkan Mesir), Anne Rice mengisahkan masa kanak-kanak Yesus serta perjalanan meninggalkan Mesir bersama kaum keluarganya.

Dalam buku kedua ini: Kristus Tuhan: Jalan Menuju Kana, dikisahkan tentang Yesus yang telah dewasa, pada suatu musim dingin tak berhujan, berdebu, dan banyak desas-desus tentang kegelisahan yang mulai menggeliat di Yudea. Legenda tentang kelahirannya yang ajaib telah banyak dibicarakan orang, tetapi selama ini dia hidup sebagai manusia biasa di antara manusia. Mereka yang mengenalnya dan menyayanginya menunggu-nunggu pertanda tentang takdir yang akan dijalaninya kelak.

Dikisahkan pula bagaimana dia mendapatkan pembaptisan dari Yohanes, konfrontasinya dengan Iblis, dan mukjizat mengubah air menjadi anggur dalam pesta perkawinan di Kana. Dan sebagaimana buku terdahulu, Jalan Menuju Kana juga didasarkan pada Injil serta Perjanjian Baru. Kekuatan buku ini bersumber dari semangat yang dibawa sang pengarang dalam penulisannya dan bagaimana ia memunculkan suara, keberadaan, dan kata-kata Yesus yang menceritakan kisahnya.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Religion, Christian, Christian Fiction, Historical, Biblical Fiction

304 pages, Paperback

First published March 4, 2008

About the author

Anne Rice (born Howard Allen Frances O'Brien) was a best-selling American author of gothic, supernatural, historical, erotica, and later religious themed books. Best known for The Vampire Chronicles, her prevailing thematic focus is on love, death, immortality, existentialism, and the human condition. She was married to poet Stan Rice for 41 years until his death in 2002. Her books have sold nearly 100 million copies, making her one of the most widely read authors in modern history.

Anne Rice passed on December 11, 2021 due to complications from a stroke. She was eighty years old at the time of her death.

She uses the pseudonym Anne Rampling for adult-themed fiction (i.e., erotica) and A.N. Roquelaure for fiction featuring sexually explicit sado-masochism.

Reviews

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would NEVER in a million years have predicted that I would even read this book - much less like it. I've picked up a couple of Anne Rice novels in the past and simply couldn't get into them. This, of course, was back in her "vampire" days, and that topic never has really turned me on. I even tried as a child to like Dark Shadows, but it just didn't work for me.

A couple of months ago, though, I heard a review of this book on NPR. I vaguely recalled that Rice had had some sort of conversion experience, but I was somewhat skeptical and hadn't given it much thought time. The reviewer, however, caused my ears to perk up. My curiosity was amply piqued, and I began to think I might like to give dear old Anne one more chance. I wouldn't risk buying it, but I'd certainly check it out from the public library.

The reviewer's comment that provided the impetus for my change of heart was (and I'm paraphrasing - so apologies to the reviewer) that many writers of religious fiction attempt to tap into the "human" side of Jesus, and thus diminish the "divine." Conversely, others attempt to protect the "divine" aspects of Christ, and are never able to help the reader realize him as "human." Rice somehow manages to tap into both sides of Jesus' character, without diminishing either side in any way. He was right. I'm not sure how she did it - but it is a testament to both her long touted brilliance as a writer, as well as the depth of her conversion experience. Jesus is portrayed during that time of which we know little of his life - just before he started his ministry - as a man with emotions, needs, humor, daily concerns, questions. He is approachable and someone to whom you can relate. Yet one never questions the divinity that lurks beneath the surface. And the fact that we vividly witness him experiencing all that we in our humanity experience, makes it all the more plausible that he truly can (as divine) empathize, not just pity us in, our joys and pains.

It's a quick read, and she's done her history research, so the historical fabric that weaves it all together adds a further measure realism to the story. Biblical scholars may shun the fact that a few miracles appear "out of order" - and some Marianites will appreciate the Mary's virginity remains intact. But as historical/biblical novels go, she really makes it work. I may read the first of the series, AND I may actually go out and buy my own copy . . .

[Debbie W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again, Anne Rice writes a knowledgeable, dignified and respectful fictional account of what Jesus's life may have been like prior to the New Testament. Her research into how Jewish society in Israel dealt with homosexuality, fornication and rape during the time when Jesus (or as in this story, Yeshua) was a young man is quite enlightening and informative. I appreciate how Jesus is portrayed as a quiet man of integrity. My favourite part that filled me with emotion was when Jesus meets John the Baptist at the Jordan River and becomes deeply aware of His spiritual transformation. A very moving book! Highly recommend!

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Road to Cana is a novel and does not pretend to be otherwise. It is the story of about a year in Jesus' life, and ends at the wedding at Cana.

Some of the characters are known from scripture; others are creations of Ms. Rice. Jesus is portrayed as being a somewhat strange, but very loving member of a large extended family. James is named as his brother, but it is noted that he was Joseph's son by his first wife, not by Mary. Further the book, which is written in the first person and told from Jesus' point of view, describes his kinship relationship to several people and then notes "they are my sisters and my brothers". A main character in the book is the bride at the wedding at Cana--Jesus loves her but realizes that marrying her is not his vocation.

Throughout the book Jesus speaks of feeling like something was just beyond where he was. Finally, after his baptism, when He is in the desert, the book says "The dawn came. And the dawn came again, and again. I lay in a heap as the sand blew over me. And the voice of the Lord was not in the wind; and it was not in the sand; and itw as not in the sun; and it was not in the stars. It was inside me. I'd always known who I really was. I was God. And I'd chosen not to know it. Well, now I knew just what it meant to be the man who knew he was God." Next, Rice does a great job of fleshing out the story of the three temptations in the desert.

I think a very real temptation in writing a novel about Jesus is to make Him in your image; rather than to allow Him to remake you in His. However, I think Rice does a good job of expanding on the Biblical Christ rather than remaking Him. The scene between Mary and Him at the wedding was almost funny. He didn't want to "go public" but she knew it was time.

If anyone is hesitant about reading this book because of the content of Ms. Rice's vampire books (or some others I'll not mention)I have read that at the the time she wrote the vampire books, she was an atheist and/or agnostic. Since that time she has reverted to her Catholic faith and written these two books about Jesus. Her latest book is about her reversion, and it is on my to be read list.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I decided to give this book by Anne Rice (1941-2021) 3 stars, not a great book that I would want to reread but it was an enjoyable read. I've read a number of Anne Rice's horror novels. And I have enjoyed novels that feature Jesus ( think "Ben Hur") and that take place in Biblical times in general, so I was curious to see how Rice dealt with the life of Jesus.
"The Road to Cana" is the second of her "Christ the Lord" books ( I don't think there's a third), the first, "Out of Egypt," dealing with the childhood of Jesus. In this one, Jesus is a young man, already 30, and his family and friends--all the folks of Nazareth-- wonder why he doesn't get married as a good Jewish boy should (at 30, in that society, he's already getting old!). I liked how we see the day-to-day life of Jesus in his hometown and, as the story is told in the first-person, we get to know what he is thinking.
The story follows the Gospel accounts closely and I don't think there's anything in it that a devout Christian would find objectionable ( although I really don't know). There are definitely no vampires in the story ( Jesus is not a vampire hunter like Abe Lincoln!), so this is very different from other Anne Rice series. Anyway, she did not write a third book as far as I know. "Road to Cana" takes us right up to the beginning of Jesus's ministry and that's it.
Interesting as a "take" on the story of Jesus but I can't quite give it a 4.
3/5 stars.

[Ron Charles · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a Christian, I appreciate the reverence and piety that Anne Rice brings to her second novel about the life of Jesus, "Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana." But as a reader, I kept wishing some gay vampires would swoop in to liven things up. There's no questioning Rice's sincerity in this epic project, begun in 2005 with "Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt." Indeed, sincerity marks every page, every interview and especially her devout Web site, which immediately inspires your computer to sing "Ave Maria." (Seriously.)

Having made a fortune off erotica and horror since she started publishing novels in 1976, the Mistress of the Macabre announced a few years ago that her work had led her to Jesus Christ, another character whose life story revolves around blood. And why shouldn't her flock of readers follow her from darkness into light? Her publisher's faith is well founded: Out of Egypt was a bestseller in hardback and paperback; the advent of "The Road to Cana" is being celebrated with a first printing of 500,000 copies. Talk about feeding the multitude.

While her initial volume concentrated on a 7-year-old Jesus trying to figure out who he is, this new installment picks up the story when he's 30, living with his large, extended family in the dusty, backward village of Nazareth. He has no doubts now about who he is: "I am Christ the Lord," he tells us on the opening page, but this is several months before he's baptized by John and begins his public ministry. He's still just a humble carpenter, keeps to himself, tries to brush off those rumors about miracles and wisemen attending his birth. "My way had always been to look down," he says. "The subject of whisper and insult through much of my life, I seldom confronted a man with my gaze, but rather turned away and sought my work as a matter of course. It was a quiet demeanor."

It was a weird way of speaking, too. And this is a severe limitation: Rice's Jesus can bear the sins of the world, but he can't convincingly carry the burden of narrating his own story. His voice vacillates between modern Christian orthodoxy and New Age gooeyness: "Something inside me let go," he tells us while meditating in his special grove. "It had been a long while since I'd savored such a moment, since I'd let the tight prison of my skin dissolve. I felt as if I were moving upward and outward, as if the night were filled with myriad beings and the rhythm of their song drowned out the anxious beating of my heart. The shell of my body was gone. I was in the stars."

The novel opens during a crippling drought and widespread protests against the new governor, Pontius Pilate, who has reportedly defiled the Temple in Jerusalem with images of the Roman emperor. In this atmosphere of desperation and unrest, two Nazarene boys are accused of being gay and, before any investigation or trial can take place, stoned by a mob. This seems like a return to hallowed ground for Rice, who enlivened old stories about the undead with homoerotic energy. Her Nazareth is scared straight. Jesus's family is anxious about his sexual orientation. Why hasn't he married already? "Are you a man beneath those robes?" someone taunts him. "A man? You understand me?" In a little village like this, people talk, rumors can kill.

But it's just a tease: Rice isn't really interested in exploring questions about Jesus's sexuality. He is the Christ. (See the first page.) He knows it; we know it. And though most of the story focuses on whether Jesus will marry a pretty, brutally repressed girl named Avigail, -- spoiler alert!-- it's never in the cards. Oh, he pines for her a bit and even dreams of her, but there's nothing approaching the emotional conflict that Nikos Kazantzakis dared to consider in "The Last Temptation of Christ" more than 50 years ago.

The Gospels are notoriously laconic about Jesus's life before his ministry began. Indeed, the earliest and -- many historians assume -- most reliable one, the Book of Mark, doesn't even start until Jesus is an adult. Consequently, Rice has invented much of the day-to-day action of this novel, but what she describes fits neatly with biblical tradition and particularly with Roman Catholic theology. Some readers may find this orthodoxy comforting, but it dulls the novel, keeping it from delivering anything new, challenging or engaging. Rather than rediscovering the startlingly iconoclastic figure that speaks and acts in the Gospels, Rice peers at him through the frosted lens of her faith. In the closing pages of the book, Jesus tells his disciples, "I will go on, from surprise to surprise," but in fact, this highlights the most fundamental problem of the novel: It's virtually surprise-free.

It would be nice to say that Rice runs into the same problem Milton confronted in "Paradise Lost": The devil is so much more mesmerizing than the Son of God that it's hard to keep him from stealing the show. But Rice's devil isn't too interesting, either. The Prince of Darkness appears late in the novel, after Jesus's 40-day fast in the wilderness. You'd think the author who put teeth back in vampire fiction could give us a devil with a little spunk, but he's not much scarier than a salesman at Saks:

" 'You take a good look at these soft clothes!' he shouted, mouth quivering like that of a child. 'You'll never see yourself dressed in this manner again.' He groaned. He doubled in pain as he groaned. He shook his fist at me."

And your little dog, Toto, too!

As promised, the novel concludes in Cana, with that famous wedding that runs out of wine. The servants are rushing about. Jesus sees panic in his mother's eyes. "Something was very wrong," he realizes. "It was a disaster of unlikely and dreadful proportions."

Jesus, ain't that the truth.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/...

[K.D. Absolutely · Rating 3 out of 5]

Changing anything on The Holy Scriptures is a risky move for any novelist. No matter whether that novelist is known to be great or mediocre, some people would not want their deep-seated belief to be rock by just any mortal author. Some people are curious but they almost always resist literary pieces that would challenge whatever is already written in The Holy Bible. After all, that book has been with us for thousand years, scrutinized by many scholars, translated into many languages and being held sacred by one-third of the world's population (1.5 to 2.2 billion).

Last month, I read Anne Rice's Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt. I found the characters and events that she incorporated into the fictional stage in Jesus life as a child fascinating and charming. So, I was so happy when my friend Sherish gave me this audiobook of its sequel, Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana because I wanted to know what other stuff would Rice risk to incorporate into the life of Jesus in addition to those already captured in The Holy Bible.

If Book 1 is about the child Jesus at the age of 8, this Book 2 is about the teen Jesus up to the time when he was tempted by the devil and the miracle of wine in Cana. The fictional characters in Book 1 are still here: James, the paternal half-brother of Jesus, Salome his cousin, Cleopas, his uncle, etc. But the ones played key role is Avigail the 15-y/o teenager that James would want Jesus to marry and Jason who is Jesus competition to Avigail's heart. It seems that during Jesus time, all men should marry as only the cripple and the lunatic are the ones that could or should end up as bachelor. There are many subplots like the stoning of two boys that were suspected to be homosexuals and their significance was only revealed during the 40-day temptation scene in desert. That scene is mentioned in The Holy Bible. Rice just beautifully expounded the dialogues that sounded like a Nicholas Sparks's or Hallmark card's lines. That portion is the one that I liked and made me give 3 stars ("I like it!") rating for this audiobook.

Of course, the voice of the narrator is a joy to hear especially if you are driving in the highway outside the flooded street and rainwater splashing and pouring everywhere. Last night, I was in EDSA stuck in the traffic below the flyover in front of the statue of Mother Mary. The big buses atop the flyover were splashing tons of water on my car roof and I was listening to the temptation in the desert. The dialogues just calmed me down and I just ignored the water and the heavy rain as I know the Good Lord will be there to protect me.

I guess that if a book doesn't blaspheme or distort The Holy Bible by adding or changing what is already written, then that book is okay. If that book's intent is to heighten one's belief then it is a must-to-read book. With the temptations around that could weaken our faith, we also need to strengthen it by reading something that will bring us back to God's fold or maybe just to erase our worries when faced with fear be it just because of a storm in the middle of the street in one dark starless night.

God bless you my friend, Sherish!

[Jason Parker]

Anyone audacious enough to attempt to write a narrative version of the life of Christ is bound to get themselves into hot water. Anne Rice, of "Vampire Chonricles" fame is certainly no exception. When word broke that her goal was to write the life of Christ before her death, I'm sure that some diehard fans of her series were hoping for a New Agey, controversial, latter day "Last Temptation of Christ", replete with Jesus and Mary Magdalene sex scenes, and the proverbial Pie in the Face to traditionalists. Well, no such luck here, as Rice has experienced a conversion experience, and the former self professed atheist (or perhaps agnostic?) has returned to the Catholic Church of her youth. Likely some of her longtime readers feel betrayed or that she's simply gone nuts. But it is what it is, and fans seem to forget that the writer doesn't really owe us anything, that no one ever forced them to pay for her books in the first place, and that if it bothers you, hey, it's a free country, so just walk away.

All that being said, Rice's sophmore effort in "Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana" picks up several years after the first installment, subtitled "Our of Egypt" ended, just before the beginnin of Christ's public ministry.

I didn't enjoy this book as much as I did the first, perhaps in part because I expected the first one to be no good, frankly, and was pleasantly surprised.

One of the problems with this book (and mind, you I did enjoy it) is that unlike the first book, which was mostly the invention of the author, this book starts depicting those New Testament stories that we all know so well, and delves into Christ's mind as an adult.

Believers and non-believers alike have some idea in their head as to who and what Christ was, how he must have felt and what he must have thought in certain situations. What those people need to remember when reading a book like this is that it's not meant to be a theological treatise, but rather one author's interpretation and depiction of those stories. No doubt some purists and fundamentalists will get their vestments in a bunch because Rice does "change" a couple of things, but nothing I would stone anyone over. But any of those changes serve the story she is trying to tell and not rewrite doctrines.

The story seems to concentrate a lot on the town of Nazareth itself at first, depicting it's citizens as backward, bloodthirsty and judgemental, likely paving the way for Christ's message of "judge not, lest ye be judged" in future books. The book opens with the stoning deaths of two little boys accused of "abomination" (use your imagination) and introduces the character of Abigail, a kinswoman of Christ's family who is also shamed and disgraced by equally ignorant "mob mentality" rashness. Jesus takes it on himself to save this girl from the town by arrainging a marraige for her ... and we soon realize that she must be the bridge at the famous wedding of Cana.

Rice's Jesus is well written, human and divine enough for most believers. A traditionalist herself, Rice doesn't have Jesus experimenting with his sexuality as a young man but doesn't shy away from it either.

In this book we meet John the Baptist, see the tempting by Satan in the desert, and culminate with the beginning of Christ's public life.

The one criticism of the book I would have is the subtle transformation of Jesus from Jesus the Carpenter of Nazareth to Jesus the Messiah. One day, he doesn't know what the future holds for him, but knows it's special, to the next moment, he can read minds and seems to have the "mind of God". There wasn't a singular moment of revelation and this transformation happens virtually "off camera" for the reader, even though we never leave Christ, who's our narrator.

All in all, this is a good book and I will definitely read the next installments, of which I would assume there would be only one but she could probably squeeze two out of them, if she wanted to. She averts the boredom of merely rereading rehashed bible stories by integrating interesting, real characters and filling the gaps left by biblical narratives with interesting and fascinating theories.

[Moonkiszt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anne Rice picked up a rather difficult task in this last book of her literary triptych, painting Christ's life. I'd never read her because I thought of her as the vampire horror author. (I can believe a lot of fantastical things, but the whole vampire construct falls on its face for me.)

Yet, for me, she pulled it off. I've studied Christ's life my whole life, some periods more intensely than others, and have constantly sought for the author who could pull this over my brain in a believable way. There are very few. This story worked for me.

There were characters I believed more than others - one of the least compelling was Lucifer, he was whiny and weak - which I suppose he is, but in that - his biggest moment of world changing persuasion - he became all pouty and dismissable. It worked though for Yeshua, ousting that dude was the very best choice.

I had been very concerned about Ms Rice taking on the crucifixion, and was mighty relieved when the book stops at the wedding and taking care of Mom Mary. Leave all that follows up to the Reader and their own information to fill in those terrible future days for Yeshua and his people. (We need to choose our battles, do we not?)

5 stars, not because she nailed it, but because she tried and succeeded in making me think on this so daunting topic for awhile.

[Clif Hostetler · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a first person autobiographic narrative by the person known to history as Jesus of Nazareth. This book covers the period of time of several months leading into the beginning of his ministry. Since it is a novel it can cover a lot of details that are left out of the Gospel accounts. Thus this book can describe many details of events that are not covered in the New Testament. For example, this book explains how the valuable gifts brought by the wise men at the time of Jesus' birth ended up being used by the family. Also, this book explains what Satan looked like during his visit with Jesus during the forty days and forty nights in the wilderness. Now that I know the answers to those questions from this book, I can't imagine the answers being any different. I guess I should also mention that this book explains in detail how Jesus can have all those brothers and sisters and his mother still be a perpetual virgin.

The author has done her historical research and has done a good job describing the geographic and historical context of the time. However, she has strictly limited her use of history to only those facts that are compatible with the orthodox understanding of who Jesus was. Thus, this book can be comfortably read by people with traditional Christian beliefs. Her many years of writing about Vampires has helped her develop the skills needed to write a story about a young man who is God. Only Anne Rice could write such a narrative in first person and end up with a half believable account.

This is the second book in a series of novels about the life of Jesus. The reader will want to read Christ The Lord: Out Of Egypt before this book to get the story in the correct chronological order.

[Jeannie Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I especially loved this book, although it is fiction - It is about my best friend, Jesus Christ.
This brilliant author went to special lengths in her creative writing about Jesus and the Gospels.
Yes, it is hard to believe that there was a person who was human and yet so divine as to be the Son of God. Personally, I love reading anything about God and His infinite love, and His beloved son, Jesus Christ.
I have no doubt that this series was met with much skepticism, criticism and controversy. I am so glad the author didn't listen or give in to the naysayers. The world is stalked by relentless evil. I believe we can all learn from Anne Rice. She does her research and then brings that learning to us in a beautiful way. I loved reading about the early life of Jesus, walking the road with him, watching Him make miracles happen.
My dear friends, time is a valuable gift and life is too short to have regrets. I hope you read this beautiful novel. A talented, and very beautiful person carefully and skillfully crafted it especially for us. I hope you always believe something wonderful is going to happen even with all the ups and downs. I hope you never take a day for granted and cherish the little things for every day is another special gift from God. Having the opportunity to read this book was a big blessing for me and I believe it will be a blessing in one way or another for you too.

Jeannie Walker Award Winning Author

[Linore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating and imaginative, this fictional account of the year leading up to Jesus' public ministry might be a little hard to swallow in some ways, but I give Ms. Rice five stars for a masterful attempt: She gives words to the inner life of Jesus himself. I don't think the book completely succeeds, mind you. She portrays a Jesus who isn't aware of his actual deity-- who chooses not to be aware of it, that is--until circumstances propel him into public life. I just can't buy such ignorance on his part. Likewise, there is never a feeling of his closeness, his ONENESS with God. Nevertheless, there is rich prose, a beautiful appreciation of life as a human being (not just as God become flesh; indeed, it is too little of the latter); and a wonderful bringing to life of first century Jewish life. This aspect of the story in itself is a huge accomplishment. Another weakness, however, is the Catholic view of Mary as a perpetual virgin ( which Ms. Rice defends as being biblical. With so much scholarship refuting this--not to mention Scripture itself!--it is a choice rather than a studied conclusion, however). Still, this is a highly readable, if unorthodox approach to trying to understand the humanity of the Lord, and worth the read for the ingenious ways Rice incorporates the biblical record of events into the life of Christ as it unfolds before the reader. I have to add, despite all this, that I sincerely hope no one else tries it! Giving thoughts to Jesus Christ is a dangerous game.

[Zeek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. Not only has she done her historical research, she’s done her Biblical research! (She put in a reference to the Sons of Zadok for crying out loud, most people have no clue who they are! AND she used them accurately!)

Cynical beast that I am, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I had hope. She didn’t disappoint. I can’t help but wonder what some of her old Le Stat fans will think, because this is a purely Christian novel.

She writes the story in first person from Jesus’s point of view. It’s taken from the year he was 7 yrs old till he was 8. The book isn’t very long really and I felt she got repetitive quite a bit, but nevertheless, I think it’s worth reading. (I know she's writing more of this story so I feel she could have condensed this part and added it to the next story.)

I’m thinking she’ll end up writing the life of Christ more accurately then even she imagined. (Of course up until he turns thirty years old it’s pure speculation in my eyes, but still she’s kept it consistent with what is written about him later.) I always said I’d love to see Stephen King do this, which of course he did with The Green Mile, but hey she’s a pretty good writer too!

[Louize · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I'd always known who I really was. I was God. And I'd chosen not to know it. Well, now I knew just what it meant to be the man who knew he was God."

I can’t seem to find the right words to describe my thoughts for this book. I am both inspired and saddened (to say the least), because regardless of how Ms. Rice fictionalized the story one thing was certain – the ending would be the same.

This story gives us a glimpse of Jesus’ humanity; a carpenter struggling on how to come to terms with his divinity. The novel tries to fill in the blanks in between the times not mentioned in the Bible. I am glad that Yeshua reached adulthood with the same quiet demeanor; endowed with great patience; unblemished; and incorruptible by any form of temptation. Yet I am sad that despite of knowing, He never got to experience romantic love. Because where He will go, no one may follow.

This book reminded me of how much the Christ gave up to save me; and that He bought me for a very high price.

[Camille Siddartha · Rating 5 out of 5]

read it...was a nice read...like her version...she is a story teller and I would not be surprised if jesus loved a woman only to know that he could never make her happy as he would be gone soon and that his life would pave the way for the world to know him...I wonder what his next life is, living among men and the evil tricks they play on him...only to be the one who tricks all in the end...with great power comes great responsibility...

[Ben Denison · Rating 1 out of 5]

Giving a 1 because I can't go any lower.

Not sure what I expected? But, I thought Ann Rice would have been more interesting, maybe if she would have made one of the Apostles a Vampire or something..... this was a good bedtime, put me to sleeper.... I could not stay with it any longer.

I seldom give up on a book, but going to abandon this just over halfway through, I will count it as a completed book, because I will have nothing else to do with this book again forever.

[Heather M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I entirely appreciate the beginning of this book. Yeshua loves Abigail, and as the story progresses, is able to help her understand her own validity. This is something I would have appreciated at Abigail’s age from such a healthy safe love as Yeshua’s.
Listening to the desperate search for ways to be alone, I found myself relating to the main character. Meditation is so sacred, especially when one finds themselves caring for the constant peace in a people group.
But then the story takes a turn as Anne Rice attempts to cross the bridge between Yeshua’s humanity and eventual ministry. I was sad to see evangelical religion take over the remainder of the book. When I first read that excerpt, I absolutely loved it. But since then, I’ve been realizing how useless arguments are, how important communication is, and how the mystery of an all knowing God, was not necessarily a part of Jesus’ way of life on this earth.
Also, casting out demons?? Or calling the disciples to him while maintaining a ‘mysterious’ superior attitude?? This was troubling to me.
I believe Jesus felt the pain of the world,, but he did not dissociate from it. He loved first, and had emotion that carried through all of this. His understanding of the world did not leave him aloof.

And that is my critique on the later half of the book.
Rice nailed it on The Young Messiah. She nailed it on the first half of this one.

For that I am grateful.
Thank you.

[Grace McKnight · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before “The Chosen” there was Anne Rice! A well researched and thoughtful fictional portrayal of Jesus Christ; humanising Him without taking away from His divinity. A lovely reminder that He was tempted as we are. He is aquatinted with grief and sorrow. He laughed and He loved. He understands!

[PurplyCookie · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I'd always known who I really was. I was God. And I'd chosen not to know it. Well, now I knew just what it meant to be the man who knew he was God."

As the novel opens, Yeshua (Jesus) struggles with a sense of restlessness of purpose and a deep love for a comely kinswoman. Waves of isolation sweep over him as he comes to understand that serving the Lord's will takes precedence over the desires of his own heart. Whereas the first novel in this series, "Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt", hewed so closely to Scripture and to the author's meticulous research, the sequel puts forth the "lost" young adulthood of Jesus, offers wise and haunting speculation where the Bible is silent.

"Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana" takes a big chronological leap forward, and the storytelling seems to reflect the maturation of her subject. Yeshua bar Joseph (Jesus of Nazareth) is now a man on the brink of embracing his identity and his purpose. He's God in the flesh, as he himself knows, but he also struggles with the human desires for companionship, family, and acceptance. His relatives and the local villagers sometimes call him Yeshua, the Sinless. "This is where I live. Not in the Temple, but in the world. And in the world, I learn what the world is and what the world will teach, and I am of the world. The world's made of wood and stone and iron, and I work in it. No, not in the Temple. In the world. And I study the Torah; and I pray with the assembly; and on the feasts I go to Jerusalem to stand before the Lord -- in the Temple -- but this is in the world, all this. In the world. And when it is time for me to do what the Lord has sent me to do in this world, this world which belongs to HNim, this world of wood and stone and iron and grass and air, He will reveal it to me. And what this carpenter shall yet build in this world on that day, the Lord knows, and the Lord shall reveal it."

We follow along as he fights against the ignorance and cruelty that leads to the stoning of two youths suspected of homosexuality. We marvel at the stirring sequences with John the Baptist. We share his anguish when scandal falls upon the innocent, desperate Avigail. Especially moving was his giving up of the only chance he has of a "normal" human life -- that of getting married and raising a family of his own. Instead, Yeshua chooses to turn water into wine -- at the request of his mother, Mary -- when he attended Avigail's wedding at Cana.

Rice, through Yeshua's eyes, lets us in for peeks at the heart of God, as it relates to the human struggle. This culminates in Yeshua's face-off with Satan in the wilderness, during his forty days of fasting -- a masterpiece of textured prose -- and in the following incident with Mary of Magdala. "And then the remembering came, driving away the random voices of censure, the remembering...of every single solitary thing I'd ever done in this, my earthly existence. And sparkling in the density were the moments of pain -- of loss, fear, of sudden regret, of grief, of discomforting and tormented amazement."

For future readers, please pay particular attention to the chapter wherein Jesus engages in a dialogue with Satan; that alone is worth the price of the entire book. It brilliantly, lucidly, and accurately outlines the fundamental basis for the incarnation of Christ, the Delusion of Lucifer, and the underlying Catholic philosophical underpinnings to this complex, yet necessary 'debate' and 'revelation' between God and Satan. This Chapter alone is absolutely stunning in that it captures extremely complex philosophical concepts and presents them in a cogent, coherent 'conversation' between the Father and the Deluded Morning Star.

Not only is this book to be regarded as the latest masterpiece of Anne Rice, but I feel that it can be appreciated by both believers and non-believers alike. You need not be a Roman Catholic like myself or a Christian to appreciate this work.


Book Details:

Title Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana
Author Anne Rice
Reviewed By Purplycookie

[Ellie Sorota · Rating 4 out of 5]

(4 1/2 stars)
Oh my! What a wonderful surprise this book is! "Christian fiction" is a horrible label that usually implies some half-acted version of a fairytale in which no character is touchable, but this is not the case. The road to Cana is gritty, twisting and doesn't have a lot of signs along the way, as Anne Rice writes it. In this book, we meet a character who is coming-to-identity in much the same way as one comes of age: slowly, confusedly, passionately. Yeshua juggles sibling rivalry, romantic love and his future career, all while hearing the romantic and marvelous mysteries surrounding his birth.
As a Christian, I've never had a satisfactory imaginative experience of Christ. Ideologically and theologically, I have something substantial to wrap my hands around, but emotionally and imaginatively, I'm holding rags. Nothing in the flesh, nothing that brings to life those words, "tempted in every way, just as we are, yet He did not sin." That seems impossibly flat. Can it really be called "temptation" if it NEVER leads to sin? There are simply some weights that it seems useless to fight, and sometimes sin lays in wait, like a puddle that you step in unawares while you are minding the eye-level view. The gospels are also very hesitant to show us the emotions of Christ. How many times do we reference "Jesus wept" in order to pacify our desire to KNOW Him emotionally? Of the Heavenly Triune, Jesus has always been the least knowable for me: a distant God who sometimes displays great power, sometimes not - I can see that in the world around me. A Spirit that fills me up with determination that isn't my own? I can feel that. A fleshly God who is supposed to know life from my perspective and yet not react the way I do and not make the mistakes I make, who does everything perfectly? That sounds suspiciously like a cake that's too sweet. Don't get me wrong, I BELIEVE it, but believing and understanding are different things.
Enter The Road to Cana, in which Anne Rice swept all of those ironed-and-starched Christian images out of my head and gave me a picture of a man who truly reads like flesh and bone. A man who truly feels tempted. A man who truly is tried. A man who wrestles, waits and wonders; and a man who truly is God.

[Kristel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Please be reminded that this is a work of fiction. I don't think Anne Rice intended to taint our belief in God through this historical fiction. What Anne Rice did in this book was, perhaps, answer her own curiosity on what could be the human side of Jesus when He was sent down to earth. He walked, talked, ate and lived among people. Was there a time when He also felt human desires, like longing for a woman and raising a family? Anne Rice had respectfully and creatively touched that subject without mocking what were written in the Bible. As a human, Jesus (addressed as Yeshua in the book) searched for His identity and purpose, and at times He was confused by the task given to Him by the Lord and how He will fulfill it. But through witnessing insufferable circumstances around Him and dealing with temptation (His encounter with Satan during His 40 days of fasting in the wilderness was the climax), He further understood His will. This book never shook the foundation of my faith as a Catholic. In fact, it gave me a renewed sense of craving to learn more about God, His life, and His teachings.

[Jay Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fictional account time before Jesus took up his mission. Jesus is an adult, dealing with adult problems. He has been urged to marry. The author handles this problem tastefully. Jesus is baptized, goes to the desert, is tempted by Satan, and gathers his disciples. He returns home just in time to attend the wedding in Cana. It is well done and researched.

[htanzil · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tidak seorangpun mampu menuliskan biografi lengkap tentang Yesus. Kita tidak memiliki catatan sejarah tentang tiga puluh tahun pertama kehidupan-Nya. Banyak orang beranggapan bahwa keempat kitab Injil (Matius, Markus, Lukas, Yohanes) memberikan biografi komplit tentang Yesus. Kenyataannya tidaklah demikian. Markus baru memulai kisah Yesus ketika Ia berumur tiga puluh tahun. Matius dan Lukas menambahkan kisah-kisah seputar kelahiran-Nya, dan berbagai pengajaran dari Yesus. Sama seperti kitab Markus, kedua kitab ini hampir setengahnya berisi perjalanan terakhir Yesus sebelum Ia disalibkan. Begitupun dengan Injil Yohanes yang dimulai ketika Yesus berumur tiga puluh tahun dan lebih memfokuskan setengah dari kitabnya pada hari-hari terakhir Yesus di Yerusalem.

Para sarjana dengan tepat menamai kurun waktu tiga puluh tahun pertama dari kehidupan Yesus sebagai “tahun-tahun yang hilang”. Dan inilah yang menimbulkan dorongan hasrat yang kuat untuk menguak tabir sejarah dan menyinkirkan kabut misteri yang menyelubunginya ini . Hal inilah yang juga menggelitik Anne Rice yang selama ini dikenal dengan penulis kisah-kisah vampir, antara lain “Interview with The Vampire (1975) yang telah difilmkan pada 1994 dan diperankan oleh Tom Cruise untuk membuat novel mengenai kehidupan Yesus yang termaktub dalam trilogi “Christ The Lord”.

Novel pertama seri Christ the Lord terbit pada tahun 2005 dengan judul “Out of Egypt” yang menceritakan masa kecil Yesus pada saat berusia 7 tahun ketika Yesus dan keluarganya pergi meninggalkan tempat pengungsiannya di Mesir menuju Nazareth, kota kelahirannya. Novel ini telah diterjemahkan dengan judul “Kristus Tuhan : Meninggalkan Mesir” (Gramedia, 2006)

Sedangkan novel keduanya yang berjudul Christ The Lord : The Road To Cana terbit pada Maret 2008 dan edisi terjemahannya juga telah beredar di toko-toko buku pada Desember 2008 yang lalu. Jika pada buku pertamanya Anne Rice mengisahkan kehidupan Yesus pada usia 7 tahun, maka di buku keduanya ini Yesus telah berusia tiga puluh tahun, beberapa saat sebelum ia menjalankan misinya.

Sama seperti di buku pertamanya, di novel keduanya ini Anne menampilkan sosok Yesus yang manusiawi. Yesus mengalami apa itu kelelahan, kelaparan, kesedihaan, layaknya manusia biasa. Malah sebelum dirinya dibabtis oleh Yohanes bin Zakaria, sosok Yesus dideskripsikan sebagai pribadi yang memiliki beban yang berat dengan sikap tubuh yang selalu merunduk bila berjalan.

Selain itu seperti layaknya seorang pemuda dewasa, Yesus juga mengalami apa yang namanya jatuh cinta. Tidak seperti yang selalu diasumsikan banyak orang bahwa Yesus pernah jatuh cinta dengan Maria Magdalena, di novel ini dikisahkan Yesus menaruh hati pada Abigail, salah satu kerabat jauhnya. Namun Yesus harus menekan perasaannya karena Ia menyadari bahwa dirinya ditakdirkan untuk tidak menikah, suatu hal yang agak janggal bagi tradisi Yahudi kecuali para nabi yang beberapa memang tidak menikah sepanjang hidupnya.

Kisah Abigail inilah yang menjadi salah satu pengikat dalam novel ini. Abigail kelak mengalami musibah nyaris diculik dan dijamah oleh para perompak. Walau akhirnya selamat, ayah Abigail menganggap putrinya telah tercemar dan mengurung Abigail hingga nyaris gila. Tentu saja Yesus dan seluruh kerabatnya mencari cara agar Abigail lepas dari kurungan ayahnya sendiri. Akhirnya Yesus diutus untuk menemui Hanael di Kana untuk membujuk ayah Abigail agar bisa membebaskan putrinya. Cerita kemudian beranjak ke saat pembabtisan di Sungai Yordan, pemilihan murid-murid Yesus, tindakan kontroversial Yesus yang makan bersama Matius si pemungut cukai yang dibenci oleh banyak orang, hingga mukzizat pertamanya mengubah air menjadi anggur di pesta perkawinan di Kana.

Seperti novel pertamanya, Anne tetap mempertahankan gaya bercerita yang menyajikan Yesus dari sudut pandang orang pertama, dengan demikian novel ini menghadirkan pergulatan batin Yesus dari kacamata Yesus sendiri, antara lain beban psikologisnya sebagai anak yang kelahirannya disertai dengan banyak tanda (malaikat, orang majus, bintang, dll), godaan jatuh cinta, desakan untuk memimpin pemberontakan terhadap penjajahan Romawi, hingga konfrontansinya dengan iblis di padang gurun.

Tampaknya Anne piawai dalam mengeksplorasi sisi manusiawi Yesus. Apa yang mungkin dirasakan Yesus sebagai manusia terekam jelas dalam novel ini. Pandangan orang-orang yang menyaksikan banyak tanda dalam peristiwa kelahiran-Nya juga terungkap dengan menarik. Mereka menunggu-nunggu tibanya takdir yang akan dijalaninya kelak seperti yang telah dinubuatkan oleh para nabi. Hanael bahkan mempertanyakan mengapa Yesus tidak tinggal saja di Bait Allah dan mengajar yang menurutnya akan lebih bermanfaat daripada hanya sekedar menjadi tukang kayu. Hal ini tentu saja menjadi beban psikologis bagi Yesus sebelum ia memulai misinya.

Walau sebagian besar kisah Yesus dalam novel ini lebih menonjolkan sisi manusiawi-Nya namun ada juga beberapa kisah yang membuat Yesus ‘berbeda’ dari manusia biasa dan harus menggunakan kuasaNya untuk menolong seseorang. Pilihan penulis untuk tidak menamai tokoh utamanya Yesus melainkan Yeshua (Yesus dalam bahasa Ibrani) merupakan hal yang tepat karena terkesan lebih manusiawi bagi para pembacanya dibanding nama Yesus Kristus yang tampak lebih sakral dan Ilahi.

Tentunya kini kita menunggu novel berikutnya guna menuntaskan bagian dari triloginya ini. Sepertinya akan semakin menarik karena tampaknya di novel ketiganya kelak Anne akan bertutur mengenai kisah Yesus di puncak misinya untuk menyelamatkan orang yang percaya pada-Nya

Seperti banyak telah diungkap oleh Anne dalam tiap wawancaranya, untuk menyelesaikan trilogi Christ The Lord ini Anne melakukan riset sejarah dan biblika yang begitu dalam dan komprehensif. Ia juga membaca ratusan buku seputar kehidupan orang-orang Israel di abad pertama. Tak heran buku ini memberikan latar sejarah dan budaya orang-orang Israel dengan baik. Kondisi politik dan adat kebiasaan orang Yahudi di masa Yesus hidup terungkap dengan jelas dan tersaji dalam porsi yang pas sehingga turut mewarnai dan menghidupi novelnya ini.

Walau beberapa kejadian yang dialami Yesus dalam novel ini tak terapat dalam keempat kitab Injil, kita tak perlu khawatir novel ini akan menjadi novel yang menghujat atau mempermalukan Yesus yang selama ini dikenal oleh dunia dan oleh para penganut-Nya. Secara garis besar cerita dalam novel ini masih setia pada Injil dan Perjanjian Baru. Ia hanya menambah peristiwa-peristiwa yang dialami Yesus yang mungkin terjadi ketika Injil tak mencatatnya, dan semua itu ditulis dalam batas-batas keimanan kristiani yang dianutnya.

Kisah kehidupan iman Anne Rice ( 67 thn) sendiri sangat menarik. Ia dilahirkan dalam keluarga katholik yang taat. Walau demikian setelah beranjak dewasa ia meninggalkan Tuhan dan menjadi seorang atheis. Di masa-masa itulah karirnya sebagai penulis menanjak dan menghasilkan berbagai novel mengenai vampir dan telah terjual hampir 100 juta copy. Tak heran karena novel-novelnya itu ia menjadi salah satu penulis terkenal di dunia dan dijuluki Ratu Cerita-Cerita Horor. Namun pada tahun 1998 jalan hidupnya berubah, ia meninggalkan ke atheisannya dan kembali pada pangkuan Tuhan dan kembali menjadi seorang Katholik yang saleh. Selain itu ia juga bertekad untuk berhenti menulis kisah-kisah vampir dan hanya akan menulis buku-buku religius. Dan trilogi Christ The Lord ini ditulis sebagai perwujudan tekadnya. Selain menulis seri Christ The Lord, pada 2008 yang lalu Anne juga telah merampungkan sebuah buku memoar spiritualnya yang berjudul, “Called Out of The Darkness” (Knopf, October 7, 2008)

Kembali ke novel tilogi Christ The Lord, Anne berharap buku ini membuat mereka yang sebelumnya tak begitu mengenal Yesus Kristus dapat melihat sosoknya dari novel yang ditulisanya ini. Harapan Anne tak berlebihan, karena tampaknya novel ini dapat dijadikan bacaan awal atau pelengkap bagi mereka yang ingin mengenal pribadiNya baik sebagai manusia maupun sebagai Allah sebelum ia menggali lebih dalam lagi dari Kitab Suci dan bacaan-bacaan lain.

Selain itu dengan ternarasikannya Yesus secara lebih manusiawi hal ini akan mempertebal iman kita. Dengan membaca novel ini kita akan tersadarkan bahwa jika Yesus pernah merasakan apa yang dirasakan manusia pada umumnya (kemarahan, kesedihan, kelelahan, depresi,dll) maka tentunya DIA mengerti pula segala keluh kesah kita yang kita panjatkan dalam doa-doa kita pada-Nya.

@h_tanzil

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anne Rice gives a compelling picture of a very human and yet still very divine Jesus just before the beginning of his Earthly ministry. She weaves together a plausible context to his life and family, as well as his very grounded temptations and pain, with wonderful prose to create a gripping read written from the perspective of the most famous man to ever live. Though she gives herself narrative liberties, her choices were thoughtful, well-researched, and maintained theological orthodoxy.

I really enjoyed this book, especially the scenes of Jesus in the wilderness and moments encountering his own frailty and humanity. It drew me closer to him as his follower, knowing that he was a man with temptation and pain and loss like the rest of us. But his love is so great, his gentleness so clear, his wisdom so abundant, that his divinity bled through as well. I'd highly recommend this for fans of imaginative literature, the spiritually inclined, or followers of Christ interested in encountering Jesus as man in a new way.

[Linda Branham]

Again a very interesting way of looking at the life of Yeshua, Jesus. It is a story about his learning that he is "Christ the Lord" On the road to the wedding at Cana the narrative has Jesus meeting John the Baptist on the way
I have read several books that try to discuss what Jesus's life would have been like - since he was a Jew in the time the Romans controlled Jerusalem. So many people seem to forget that he was Jewish and would have lived a Jewish life.

[Korgon8181 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nunca me había parado a pensar qué siente Jesús siendo Cristo, gracias a estos libros me he podido hacer una idea. Lástima que termine en las bodas de Caná y que ya nunca podamos leer la parte más interesante.

[Terri]

I enjoyed reading this book and recommend others to read it!

[Bruce Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first Anne Rice "Christ the Lord" novel covered Jesus around 7-8 years old. This one is about the period immediately prior and during his transition to ministry, and again it is in the first person. First thought is "how audacious of Rice to assume she can represent the adult Jesus' actions and thoughts!" But she actually pulls it off very well! Again, to me the great value in this novel is the historical context of place and culture during this time. Rice's amazing amount of reading and research really gives the reader a good feel for life in Palestine 2000 years ago. She personalizes Jesus' life stories and events then connects them with the first miracles in the gospels in a believable way. Her description of the 40 days in the desert and temptation from the devil is masterful. I wish Anne Rice had lived longer to produce more of these books.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

The Road to Cana is the second book in the Christ the Lord duology by Anne Rice. This duo is a little different to Ms. Rice's other works, but still make for a great read.
Interview with the Vampire introduced me to Anne Rice many, many years ago now, and I have been a fan of her work, and vampires, ever since. I think I have now read everything she has ever written, some several times over. Every so often I work my way through her books again and as a friend of mine who had never read any of Ms. Rice’s work asked me to ‘buddy read’ them with her, i took the opportunity to dive in again.
It was a fun way to read this great series, because I had someone to discuss each book with as we finished. We have decided not to stop at just this series, but to read everything she’s written, together.
I can’t believe I had never left a review for any of these books before, but sometimes I get so caught up in reading that I forget that I have yet to post a review. My reading challenge reviews were down about 150 or so last year because I would get so caught up in the books, that I would forget to leave a review, especially when reading a whole series back-to-back. So, this year I am determined to leave a review for every book I read.
I adore Ms. Rice’s work, she writes so passionately and has a rich, vividly descriptive and detailed style that really lends itself to her Gothic fantasies. The stories are woven so well, I am not merely reading them, but experiencing them in exquisite detail. The historical elements that are sprinkled through her books are so cleverly done, and given her own unique twist.
If you have never read any of her work before, I really recommend that you do, as Ms. Rice limitless imagination and spellbinding storytelling abilities ensure a spellbinding read.
Happy Reading...

[S.M. LANYON · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book, did not disappoint 😊

[A.J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I was a freshman in college I remember reading about half of the first novel, Out of Egypt. I stopped reading it, but I don't recall there being anything particularly wrong with the novel. I guess I just wasn't that interested in the early childhood of Christ. Some people really want to know what those early years were like; me, the only question I ever cared to see dealt with in fictional form is when and how did Jesus come to understand who he was, and what was that moment or series of moments like? I picked this one up having never finished the first, but I had no trouble following along. This novel deals with Christ's life in the months leading up to his baptism by his cousin John, and ends shortly after the wedding at Cana where he turns water into wine.

When I found that this was a first person account through the eyes of Jesus, my reaction was mostly mild skepticism. I mean, it is a tad presumptuous. Whether or not you believe in Jesus as he exists in the gospels or not, that's the basic premise of the story, and the direct result is that the author is going to attempt to tell the story of the most complex figure in the history of literature, not through the eyes of his followers or family, but through the eyes of the Messiah himself. The Messiah who happens to be God. No small task, I assure you.

Yet somehow, some way, Anne Rice managed to pull a book out of that waiting trap. I believe she effectively sidestepped this issue by mainly having Jesus narrate the events surrounding him. His moments of personal reflection are infrequent, and the deep haunting paradox of being a man and God at once are kept vague as they should be. There is no way to understand this mystery; theologians have tried for centuries and come up with nothing. Rice keeps things simple, day to day activities, day to day struggles. Even the prose lacks fanfare. The story is more interpersonal than personal, and it avoids trying to simplify that which has confounded brilliant men for two thousand years.

That isn't to say that the work says nothing interesting about Christ, however. The main reason I found this book to be such a quick read is this very thing. Little details. Most people never realize what a disappointment Christ was to many of his contemporaries. He could argue the law brilliantly but didn't study at Temple. His culture expected him to marry, yet in his early thirties he had not taken a wife. Everyone and their dog thought he was a Warrior King sent to deliver his people from Roman bondage by force of arms. Instead he demands them to do insane things like "take up your cross and follow me," and "love your enemies; pray for those that persecute you." Rice taps into these pressures and avoids stereotype in the character.

Is this what Christ was really like? I don't know. Maybe. That's not important. What's important is that Rice's novel erects a world based in history with a character rooted in the traditions and beliefs of his culture, and the outworking of a vision where the world is made new in ways in which no one had dreamed. Christ's humanity is laid bare in this novel, and so at the very least it's interesting to see one person's take on his extraordinary life.

"Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and myself founded empires; but what foundation did we rest the creations of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ founded an empire upon love; and at this hour millions of men would die for Him." --Napoleon Bonaparte