first book of 2010

The Fire Gospel by Michael Faber

Theo is an Aramaic scholar who discovers nine previously hidden scrolls in a bombed Iraqi museum, and he promptly steals them for translation and publication. The scrolls are a 2,000-year-old gospel, written by Malchus, an associate of Jesus. And he has some new and real things to say about the man, particularly of his last days and the crucifixion.

I first discovered Michael Faber from the Bustees! Back in the day we had a bookclub thread on the forum, and his book The Crimson Petal & the White was one of the books we read for it. I found it long and, to be honest, kind of boring. Following that, I read his novella Under the Skin (hmm, just checking Amazon, the title proclaims it to be a novel. I remember it as a lot shorter than that!) Under the Skin is still my favourite so far - dark, creepy, speculative, an unfurling story - highly recommended.

I like his writing style; it's very readable, balanced and easy. I liked the dark humour in The Fire Gospel, plus the (even if snarky) insight into life as an author, post-publication. E.g., Theo obsessively checks his book's sales reports on Amazon and reads the Amazon reviews (although I did think the book contained too many of the reviews that Theo peruses). I also loved Malchus's ridiculous prose, his self-absorption and bodily ailments, plus the downright deliciousness blasphemy of his accounts of Jesus. According to Malchus, his last words on the cross are: "Somebody please finish me."

But the story itself feels thin and patchy and I felt though it didn't really go anywhere. Meagre character development. At least it's a short book - another novella passing itself off as a novel? - so easy to get through. I found out after reading that it's a retelling of the Prometheus story.