Behold the Man (1969)

Ordinary bloke Jesus story.

http://freesf.strandedinoz.com/wordpress/2012/05/behold-the-man-michael-moorcock... ( )

At first, I thought it would be annoying to be continually switching back and forth between 28 A.D. and all of the various flashbacks of Karl's life, but they were well done and I actually found them enjoyable. We get to know Karl, a troubled young man with a difficult past, gradually over the course of the story thanks to these flashbacks. Especially good were the conversations between Karl and Monica. They felt natural and realistic to me.

But above all, this short book had an emotional depth which is rare among the science fiction books I have read. It made a definite impact on me, left me different than I was before. What greater praise is there, really?

I normally like a writing style which is more lyrical, almost poetic. Here, the writing is a bit stark, but it obviously didn't prevent this book from leaving its mark on me. Highly recommended to open-minded readers. I look forward to reading more by Michael Moorcock. ( )

It was my final year of primary school that I was first encouraged to question the Bible - in retrospect, a brave and mad thing for a teacher in a Church-in-Wales school to do. He provided a prosaic explanation for miracles such as feeding the five thousand or turning water into wine, and then letting us come up with similar explanations for how miracles may have been enacted. In retrospect it's probably the healthiest religious education lesson I ever had, teaching me to question religion's precepts.

Behold the Man comes from a similar perspective. On the surface it's highly blasphemous, putting an ordinary man in the stories where Jesus conventionally fits, and the depiction of Mary and Jesus seems deliberate provocation. And from that point of view it's similar to Monty Python's Life of Brian with the surface blasphemy being cover for deeper blasphemy, being a wider critique of organised religion and the myths that grow up around them, although the Pythons swapped Behold the Man's righteous anger for sharp jokes. Glogauer isn't particularly sympathetic as a character, being antisocial and driving everyone away from him by combining a messianic complex with a tendency to self pity and lack of direction One of the 'Angry Young Men' contemporary with the book being written, but without anywhere to direct his anger. The combination of an unsympathetic lead, spare prose and an author's righteous anger means the book always feels an edgy and uncomfortable read, particularly when Glogauer realises he's fulfilling his historical role. The tropes of a time traveller finding himself playing out an allotted role have become well worn, this was written at a time when they were fresher, and such books weren't quite as plentiful. The reader might sniff where events are leading relatively early on, but it's only in the last third that Moorcock turns it into a tragedy. Being sparing with it means the story's not mawkishly exploitative as it could easily have been, and doesn't come across as simply trading on the central premise.

This will certainly offend churchgoing Christians, maybe even committed folk of other religions. Otherwise it's a sharply drawn looks at how myths can accrete almost simply by the power of belief, how what originally happened is almost irrelevant. Not an easy read, but extraordinary and thought provoking. ( )

Assigned reading in a Science Fiction class in college (We also watched Terminator 2--very cool class. Filled my English 2 GE requirement.)Anyway, I remember this book blew my young, innocent mind. I also remember lending it to someone and not getting it back. ***Update***Posting this book inspired me to re-read it (it being only 144p didn't hurt either) and I have to say it's held up. Actually more multi-layered than I remembered--obviously the high concept sticks with you, but it's really an intriguing character study Faith. ( )

Interesting story of troubled young man, suffering from what might be called martyr-syndrome (one could even say he was born in a era where ideals he holds dear are no longer cherished). He ends up in the most unexpected place of them all – won’t say where and when because it may ruin reading experience to some.

Gives a rather interesting view of how our own views on life and natural predispositions guide our actions and determine the way we end up.

Recommended. ( )