CHRIST THE LORD: THE ROAD TO CANA.

CHRIST THE LORD #2: THE ROAD TO CANA by ANNE RICE.

Herod Antipas rules Galilee; Pontius Pilate is the new Roman governor of Judea; and the Roman Empire rules the world. In The Road to Cana we see Jesus - Yeshua Bar Joseph - during a winter of no rain, endless dust, and talk of trouble in Judea. He lives in the obscure village of Nazareth, with his large, close-knit Jewish family. Their life is quiet but it is a troubled time, when bandits can swoop down from the hills to terrorise the womenfolk and local fanaticism can flare up with sudden horror.

Whispers of a virgin birth have long surrounded Jesus. His brothers, his mother, his friends, wait for some sign of the path he will take, some with awe, others with impatience or incredulity. Both divine and human, he

struggles with the demands of his family, the human need for love and his overwhelming sense of destiny. Yet, at the moment of truth, at the wedding at Cana, he responds to his beloved mother's appeal to his sense of filial duty, transforming the water in seven great limestone jars into cool red wine - and the celebration goes on. 

Now in his thirtieth year, this quiet man of Nazareth emerges from his baptism in the river Jordan to confront his mission - and the Devil. He is urged to call on Israel to rise up and cast off the yoke of Rome. But his is a different and greater calling.

..... Inner front cover.

FIRST SENTENCE (Chapter 1): Who is Christ the Lord?

MEMORABLE MOMENT (Page 226): The canopy was now spread to its full width. Flower petals were hurled in the air. The music grew stronger and quicker, and as the bride continued, in her phalanx of women, the men on either side, up ahead and behind, began to lock arms and dance.

MY THOUGHTS: Though hardly religious and not a huge fan of Anne Rice I have read enough re-imagined novels about the life of Christ and Anne Rice's vampire novels (written by the 'agnostic' Ms Rice as opposed to the 'recently returned to the Catholic faith of her childhood' Ms Rice) to be interested in these her Christ The Lord novels - the first in the series being Out Of Egypt.

Totally readable in its own right (after all many of us already know the story), this, the second book in the series, follows the months leading up to the beginning of the ministry of Jesus (Yeshua Bar Joseph) culminating in the (wonderfully descriptive) wedding at Cana.

Narrated in the first person by a very human, occasionally tormented Yeshua, though I suspect some may well be offended by his relationship with Avigail, as far as recent novels about the life of Christ go this was totally inoffensive.

Not all I had hoped it would be, I normally find myself deep in discussion about whether certain characters/events are actually in the bible but, my imagination obviously not altogether ignited, not so with this particular novel and, though a relatively short read of 242 pages, I maintain it says too little in too many pages. However, that said, it cannot be denied that Anne Rice has done a wonderful job in recreating the historical and cultural aspect of life at this time which is the only reason I rate it as highly as I do.

Am I inspired to read any of the other book in the series? Never say never - I would if from a library or a friend but I wouldn't go as far to buy them.

KEEP IT OR NOT?: Ex-library stock, Not one for the shelves, I do however have several friends waiting to read this.

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