GOOD MAN JESUS AND THE SCOUNDREL CHRIST

Two brothers: Jesus, the good and reserved man, Christ, the calculating and impassioned figure who will go down in history. Philip Pullman has reimagined the New Testament. Picture Jesus, a travelling preacher and miracle maker whose actions are reported by his twin Christ. On meeting a compelling stranger, referred to by Christ as an angel, he is persuaded to present the sayings of Jesus, but in a way that will create the foundations for a great religion. From the meeting of Mary and Joseph to the resurrection, the story spans the history of the figure Jesus Christ but intentionally splitting the religious messiah in two. Pullman uses the story to retell parables including the feeding of the masses, turning water into wine, the death of John the Baptist and Jesus' visit to the pool of Bethesda. Written as a chronicle, the chapters are short - as though they themselves are sections of gospel - but Pullman's own inventive but to-the-point tone remains. For those fascinated by the Biblical history of Jesus Christ, this novel is a creative exploration into how someone can be recreated and analysed in an engaging way. Paperback, 266pp.