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Saturday, January 26, 2013

New giveaway with bonus review! Iscariot by Tosca Lee!

About the book:

In Jesus, Judas believes he has found the One—a miracle-worker. The promised Messiah and future king of the Jews, destined to overthrow Roman rule. Galvanized, Judas joins the Nazarene’s followers, ready to enact the change he has waited for all his life.

But Judas’ vision of a nation free from Roman rule is crushed by the inexplicable actions of the Nazarene himself, who will not bow to social or religious convention—who seems in the end to even turn against his own people. At last, Judas must confront the fact that the master he loves is not the liberator he hoped for, but a man bent on a drastically different agenda.

Iscariot is the story of Judas—from his tumultuous childhood and tenuous entry into a career and family life as a devout Jew, to a man known to the world as the betrayer of Jesus. But even more, it is a singular and surprising view into the life of Jesus himself that forces us all to reexamine everything we thought we knew about the most famous—and infamous—religious icons in history.


My review:

Nobody puts skin on biblical figures and brings them to life as well as Tosca Lee. For some reason she also picks the toughest ones to portray in fiction. This novel, Iscariot, rang true to me. Her depiction of Judas Iscariot's belief system had a convincing historical basis. And unlike the stereotyped condemned man who personified betrayal, she made him human and someone who truly did love Jesus when he became one of the disciples. Even in the end, she showed his regrets and they made sense given the story up to that point. I didn't know how she'd pull off making him a sympathetic character, but she did it well!

There was a lot of symbolism in this novel including the dirt that lingered in the bowl when it came time to wash Judas's feet the night Jesus was betrayed. I loved how the author brought the scriptures to life with this book. So many things I'd read many times before brought tears to my eyes as I saw them unfold in my head. I understood their horror when he said they needed to eat his flesh and drink his blood.

The many miracles he performed brought tears to my eyes. And perhaps the best of all, seeing the prophecies fulfilled on the page and Judas's recollection of them as he pondering everything in his heart really made an impact on me. I have always loved reading about the fact that Jesus never did what people expected. This is shown very well in Iscariot. I loved this story so much it's making my favorite fiction list for 2013!

Iscariot was published by Howard Books (Simon & Schuster) and will release on February 5th!

Now for the question... What intrigues you about the life of Judas Iscariot?

A winner will be randomly selected next weekend using "The Hat" on the internet. Best wishes!


41 comments:

J. S. Bailey said...

Hmm...I guess I'm interested in what would motivate someone to betray a loved one.

Sheila Deeth said...

Jesus loved him, chose him, accepted him... I find it hard to believe Judas was evil, and I gravitate towards explanations that suggest he was doing his "human" best, looking for a "human" solution only to learn, as so many of us, that our own ideas really aren't that good.

Jean said...

His love for money is so great, it almost appears as though it might be an addiction.

karenk said...

I love Tosca's novels...thanks for the chance to read her latest.

Greed...and the fact that he did not want the money after his 'deed' shows that he did love Christ...he repented for his sin...but it was too late.

karenk
kmkuka at yahoo dot com

Unknown said...

Thanks for the giveaway. Please enter me in contest. I would love to read this book. Tore923@aol.com

fredamans said...

I have always wondered how Judas could love Jesus and betray him like he did, even kissing him first. I find that the utmost disrespect when he kissed Jesus, the betrayal was a given after that. But why? Jealousy?? Greed??? That's enough to betray someone you love??? I just will never get it. He knew what they would do to him.....

Gary Hughes said...

That he could be the disciple whom Jesus loved in the Gospel of John.

I present arguments to support the conclusion that he was.

Gary
inmyownname dot com

Judy said...

I've often wondered what Judas background and upbringing was. Jesus knew who his betrayer would be. Did he perhaps think Judas would have a change of heart? I don't know, my mind isn't able to comprehend the mind of God. God's plan played out with Judas being a betrayer.

I would love to win a copy of this book. I loved your review and because of your review I really want to read, Iscariot. It definitely is going on my books to read list.

Blessings!
Judy
judyjohn2004(at)yahoo(dot)com

Norma S said...

Thank you for giving me a chance to win this book it real sounds like it is a good book. I think Judus was greed for money and at the end love Jesus more than the money and he took it back and threw it at them.Then he goes and kills himself. God bless you Norma Stanforth n38stanforth(at)yahoo(dot)com

Michelle said...

This looks like a great booK!
bookwormgal2011(at)yahoo(dot)com

Sarah M said...

I would say his final days and his death is what most intrigues me about Judas. I have wanted to read about this book for SO LONG!

sslamast@gmail.com

Unknown said...

Judas chose (or was chosen?) to betray Jesus despite seeing Him for who He was. I find this absolutely fascinating.

shannon b. said...

I've been waiting for this book to come out for a long time! I love Tosca's Biblical insights and this has got to be one of the most fascinating men in history. What intrigues me most about him will be the moments before his suicide and what might have been going through his mind at that time. Shannon at biegerfamily dot com.

Veronica Leigh said...

How Judas could follow the Master but not truly know Him. That is what intrigues me.

veronicaleighbooks at gmail dot com

scrapbookangel said...

I think what intrigues me about the life of Judas Iscariot is his motivation for becoming a disciple. If all he truly cared about was power and money, would Jesus really allow that corrupt influence to remain among his disciples?

Waiting with baited breath for the release of this book. Thank you for this chance to possibly win a copy?

Unknown said...

Did judas have a chance? The betrayal was a very importaint thing and so was the death of jesus in order for our sins to be forgiven.

Carl Scott said...

Judas is such a great enigma. The ultimate betrayer and yet so necessary in the fulfillment of the final plan. His story will always be an interesting one. Thanks for the giveaway, I'd love to win a copy.

Unknown said...

The man's background. We all know what he did, but not much else about him is known, at least to the public. His life might shed some light on his actions.

Shane said...

I think most of us identity with Judas to some degree. Weather its betraying someone we are close too or getting caught up in the wrong end of a cultural battle we all can put our selves in his place. I have more than once felt like the betrayer with my sin or lack of boldness to stand for Christ in a tough situation. I am totally Integrated by idea of why Judas would betray his rabbi much like Robert the Bruce betrayed William Wallace of brave heart. I have felt the sorrow of betrayal and the remorse of something you can't take back all for the sake of the common good and well meaning. Tosca has a gift of putting the reader in a characters shoes, in their head even. Can't wait.

AwesomeNiks said...

I am just so intrigued at how he sold out Christ but afterward, he realized it wasn't worth it. What made him change his mind?

Unknown said...

What drove him to betray Jesus? Was it simply greed or was there more?

denica said...

I suppose what intrigues me is that part of me doesn't understand why or how he could be so willing to betray someone that he was supposedly very close to. But at the same time, I know we make choices all the time "in the moment" that seem good but we're really not thinking it all the way through, and we later greatly regret it. I think we are more like Judas than most of us realize.

Unknown said...

I would love to win this book...I love Tosca's work, and I would love to see how she tells the story of Judas. Judas has always fascinated me becausee, even though we always condemn him, I've always wondered how many of us would have done the exact same thing had we been in his shoes.

rws5674 said...

Could I have been Judas?

jsnyder1809 said...

I find it fascinating that Judas was chosen by Jesus to be a disciple, and then he could so utterly betray the man he chose to follow. I guess it's the story of all humanity.

Anonymous said...

For me, I'm intrigued by what he was thinking, what his motivation was for betraying Jesus... Did he not believe, did he expect the Messiah to be a revolutionary and try to force Him into that role? Etc..

John Urban said...

I wonder how he could have been in the midst of Jesus' inner circle, saw Jesus works, what Jesus stood for, yet stole from the collections and tried to force Jesus into something he never once presented to the disciples.

Anonymous said...

I have often wondered if Judas didn't betray Jesus because he thought that if Jesus was arrested it would spark the revolution that would overthrow the Roman government. I often imagine that when Jesus was arrested that Judas expected Jesus to fight instead of surrendering.

Anonymous said...

I SOOOOO want this book! Please enter me into the contest!!! color231@sbcglobal.net

Mr. Stat said...

The fact that Judas was a chosen by Jesus knowing that ultimately he would betray him and be the cause of his death...

Catrina Bradley said...

My forever question, like a lot of others, is -- WHY? And when did Judas start planning? I'm sure betraying his best friend wasn't a "spur of the moment" decision.

dgriff7681 said...

I have always wondered why he thought he had to kill himself. I understand the grief he must have been going through, we are all guilty of the same crime, but suicide is something I can't understand.

Shopgirl said...

I wonder about what led him to betray Jesus. What was his childhood like that influenced decisions he made? What had he gone through and seen that made him able to do this even after seeing who Jesus was and what He did? shopgirl152nykiki(at)yahoo(dot)com

Jourdan said...

Defintely his greed and background.

Brad Doles said...

The possibility that he was trying to push Jesus to claim his kingdom.

seannaapproved said...

The fact that Jesus chose him as his follower and knew that he would betray him. How heart breaking that must have been!

The Ficionista
{sean-mackenzie.blogspot.com}

Unknown said...

I am just very intrigued to see what motivations and thoughts are behind his actions

Shadowwolf said...

I am curious of how the religious and political environment of that time shaped such a complex and human character such as Judas. I am also curious of how much of those forces influenced him to make the choices he did.

Candi Moser said...

I am interested in why he followed Christ, his life, and why he betrayed Him.

Shopgirl said...

I always wondered what had happened in his past that influenced his decision to betray Jesus. What were the decisions that led him to this place. shopgirl152nykiki(at)yahoo(dot)com

Edgy Inspirational Author said...

and the winner is...

teacher!

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