Reviews

Thought provoking in that it raises a lot of questions without providing answers: both a pro and con. Could have very easily become preachy if Moorcock had attempted to definitively explain the function/origin of religion, but was also somewhat unsatisfying if the reader has spent time thinking about these questions already because the book does not bring too much to the table in the way of answers. There are multiple perspectives on Christianity/religion so there is dialogue within the book that the reader is invited to take part in.

Slipstream writing style works very well for this story. If it were written in a purely linear way, this would have been extremely boring. Big focus on the main character’s individual psychology.

Last few chapters felt disconnected from the rest of the story. As they attempted to

Spoiler

explain Christ’s miracles through more scientific/plausible terms, it took away from the mystery present in the previous chapters. Would have liked to not see miracles present or explained as much as they were, but that’s my only major complaint.

mitt's review against another edition

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4.0

If you read the teaser on the back of the book, I’d say there’s about a 50/50 chance you already know how it ends. And in spite of this, the story is still intriguing—and at times gripping—enough, to keep you eagerly guessing just *how* you get there from where it starts off.

It’s an impressively oxymoronic experience. Some may read through certain sections of the story and wince at what feels like it can only be sacrilege, while coming to appreciate the obvious scholarship of both history and religion betrayed by the story later on. It’s a thought-provoking and nihilistically optimistic interrogation of the things we cherish and why we cherish them, spoken through the lens of one of the most treasured stories in human history.

thatbookisonfiyah's review against another edition

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4.0

An interesting take on the Crucifixion of Jesus. I understand why it was somewhat controversial, but intriguing nonetheless.

twena2's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective fast-paced

3.0

gianlucafiore's review against another edition

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4.0

This is a funny book. Funny because Moorcock found a pretty funny way to challenge the readers' faith: how much does history influence your faith? How much are you basing your beliefs on what really happened instead of what you believe it happened? Would you still believe in your religion if it had not the faintest proven, historical, fact behind it? Would you still believe in your religion if it turns out to be, close to, a scam?

Moorcock uses Christianity and Jesus' story to bring you to ask yourself those questions but it can obviously be applied to any other religion. It is particularly funny how he goes in inventing a scantly credible story (a man travels back in time to find out if the doubts of his lover about Christianity are true) to make the reader reflects on his/her faith. In the case of Behold The Man it is faith in a specific religion but actually it can go beyond that, to any belief you may have.

The book is a bit too short to deserve a star more. Moorcock should have developed the story much more but I understand this was not his objective as the book is already pretty thought-provoking as it is and enlarging it would only have increased its mass-appeal (which I suppose it was totally not what Moorcock wanted). The plot it's unimportant and predictable yet it doesn't rob anything from the book message, which is clear enough from the early pages. Bonus point for the most comic and improbable depiction of the Holy Family ever :)

Behold The Man is absolutely recommended if you are even remotely interested in religions and/or have at least sometimes questioned your beliefs.

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