Publishers Weekly
Authors of the highly successful Left Behind series of apocalyptic novels, pastor LaHaye and author Jenkins base their stories on Christian scripture. Their latest religious fiction project examines the era and story of Jesus Christ by constructing accounts of each Gospel writer's life. This volume of The Jesus Chronicles recounts the life story of the author of the Gospel of Luke. Luke, born as Loukon into a family of slaves, earns the respect of his master, Theophilus, as a child and is sent to the university in Tarsus to study medicine. From this point on, the plot, unfortunately, becomes contrived. While at school, Luke meets Saul, an arrogant fellow student who later becomes known as Paul after his conversion. Luke develops a hobby of writing stories and eventually composes his gospel at the feet of Mary, the mother of Jesus, who, while old and somewhat feeble, is able to recall the exact words her son spoke 20 years before. Fans of the authors' earlier work will likely appreciate this account, but it is unlikely to win any converts. (Feb.)
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Kirkus Reviews
This latest addition to the Jesus Chronicles is a fictionalized retelling of the Gospel story of Luke the Physician, tracing his development from Stoic to believer to chronicler of the life of Jesus. LaHaye and Jenkins (Mark's Story: The Gospel According to Peter, 2007, etc.) have staked out some familiar and comfortable territory for themselves and their readers, who'll find no surprises here. The authors pick up the story of Luke, or Loukon, when he's a slave of Theophilus, an enlightened Stoic. Theophilus sees some promise in Luke and has him educated as a physician, feeling that Luke will eventually make a welcome addition to his household. Luke feels the resentment of other slaves, however, especially of the appropriately named Diabolos, who is clearly destined not to rise. At Tarsus Luke meets the charismatic Saul, the most brilliant and irascible student at the university. At the completion of Luke's study, and with the approval of Theophilus, Luke works at a free clinic and also as a ship's physician, and his path once again intersects with that of Saul, now Paul, whose conversion experience has a great influence on Luke. From this point the novel becomes a series of dialogues-or even Q & As-in which Luke queries Paul about his newfound faith. Paul's responses are not just preparation for his later writing, they herald his biblical statements. In conversation with Luke, for example, Paul says, "Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us." We obviously know where the story is headed. Shortly beforeMary's death Luke interviews the aged woman to get background for his retelling of the history of Jesus, and by the end of the book he's finished his account of the apostles' ministry. LaHaye and Jenkins are literally preaching to the choir here.
