Unholy Night
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5.0 • 2 Ratings
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- £6.99
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- £6.99
Publisher Description
Screenwriter of Tim Burton's 'Dark Shadows' and bestselling author of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, Seth Grahame-Smith rewrites history to retell the truly remarkable story of the Nativity's 'Three Wise Men'...
It's one of the most iconic vignettes in history: three men on camels, arriving at a manger, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. An impossibly bright star is suspended in the vast desert sky above. It's a moment of serenity and grace. A holy night...
But what do we really know about the Three Kings of the Nativity? The Bible says little about this enigmatic trio. Not even their names are mentioned. The historical record is vague at best. How do we know that they were three kings from the East? What if they were petty, murderous thieves - led by a mercurial individual called Balthazar - on the run, escaping through Judea under cover of night who stumble upon the famous manger, its newborn child and his earthly parents?
Here, the brilliant and slightly warped mind behind Pride and Prejudice and Zombies takes a little mystery, plays fast and loose with a bit of history to weave an epic tale. It's an adventure that will see these thieves fight the last magical creatures of the Old Testament, cross paths with historical figures such as Pontius Pilate and John the Baptist, and deliver the family - as the Bible tells us - to the safety of Egypt. Indeed, this may just be the greatest story never told...
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Grahame-Smith's retelling of the story of Jesus and the Three Wise Men follows an infamous thief called the Antioch Ghost aka Balthazar as he escapes the clutches of King Herod and the forces of the Roman Empire, only to be eventually humbled by the newborn Jesus Christ. After receiving a vision and contrary to his atheistic beliefs he swears to protect the child against Herod and the Romans. Peter Berkrot provides an enjoyable performance with a mixture of character voices and strong narration. His reading is steady throughout, becoming more emphatic during pitched moments. Additionally, Berkrot's voice has a sardonic edge to it and this works well with the overall tone of the novel. The narrator lends appropriate voices to the characters, including the young Virgin Mary and the humble Joseph. And his slightly raspy voice is a perfect match for the tough and skeptical Balthazar. A Grand Central hardcover.
