ARA Review by Melvin Tiley of The Scribe

[Melvin Tiley]

[Following is an OnlineBookClub.org ARA Review of the book, The Scribe.]

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3 out of 5 stars

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{b}'The Scribe' reviewed by Melvin P Tiley{b/}

'The Scribe' is set soon after the fall of the Roman Republic and the emergence of the Roman Empire. Despite the enormous power wielded by the ruling elite, the Empire faces an ethereal threat from within - the inexorable rise of Christianity.

The book begins with the crucifixion of Christ as seen from the perspective of Escobar, a member of the Sanhedrin, who is ridden with guilt for his own part in condemning Jesus as well as trying to come to terms with his own personal grief – the loss of a son and a wife. At great risk to his own life, Escobar refuses to join in the persecution of Christians and, after meeting Mary, the mother of Jesus, finds refuge amongst the people of Cappadocia.

More tragedies occur. A recurring theme is the power of the elements. Fourteen-year-old Simone survives a storm at sea, but witnesses the drowning of several fishermen, including his grandfather. Cesari Ciccone watches his wife die having given birth to three girls and a boy. Their son Luke becomes the main protagonist.

And so much of the narrative follows the life of Luke as his family (including his step-mother Rebecca) start life afresh in Greece. Luke is adamant he will study medicine, and is later destined to become a great scribe (hence the book's title), recording events and meeting a wide array of biblical figures of the time including Mary, mother of Jesus. He later accompanies Paul on his missionary travels, surviving a shipwreck on the Maltese coast.

There are several villains in the novel, mostly spies and corrupt politicians such as Scarpacco, who faces a particularlt gruesome end.

The denouement covers the fate of Paul at the hands of Nero, which is probably know to Christians (his dignity is nicely captured by the author) and the book ends with the uplifting work of John.

This novel will very much divide readers. Those who are interested in the Roman Empire and/or know their bible may enjoy the way Mullen's prose brings New Testament figures to life in a succint and plausible manner. However, many readers will struggle to cope with the huge swathe of characters and the storyline made more complicated by the narrative flitting from one period to another. In his efforts to provide such a comprehensive account of the period, the author has sacrificed character development and may be in danger of overwhelming his readers with biblical minutiae. {b}rating three out of five{/b}

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