Keep in mind that this is fiction, some of which purports to be fact.

The book is well written and seems to be a scholarly work based on known documents of the first three centuries CE. However, even if one accepts the authenticity of the originals, one need not accept their veracity.

I had to keep reminding myself that this is fiction. At times the authors put forward theories and/or wishes as if they were facts. Just because a factoid shows up in a footnote doesn't mean that it isn't part of the fiction. ( )

On the one hand, they cited an impressive amount of original source documents and utilized a lot of footnotes, cutting off all of the blah-blah-blahs you normally hear after such publications.

On the other hand, they tell us upfront that this is fiction - presumeably to cut off all of the blah-blah-blahs you normally hear after such publications.

My main difficulty with the story is that they jumped around so much it was difficult to tell who was talking to who, who was doing what, and where it fit into the known timeline. I know very few Christians today who are aware of the variety of versions of their own gospels that existed at one time, sometimes longer and shorter, and with stories that were added as late as the third century CE. Or that his actual name "ben Pantera" existed in all known versions until much, much later, when it was crossed out. It was nice to see that truth resurface again.

It also opens up a window on the political battle between Jerusalem and Rome, which is rarely discussed these days, and the violence and bloodshed that put Rome on top. It also helps to explain why the Vatican was so opposed to the release of the Dead Sea Scrolls, proving as they did, how differently the original christian communities viewed the story and character of Jesus, versus the subsequent revisionist version. It will be interesting to read this again with a Bible handy - I didn't have one, and it detracted from my appreciation of their research.