Book – “The Betrayal – The Lost Life of Jesus”

I try to buy some of my favorite books when my budget permits, but I also get many of the books I read from my local library. I very much enjoy reading about ancient times and different cultures – I’m a “history nerd”, as my daughter would articulate.

I’ve read many of the books at the library by authors Kathleen O’Neal Gear and W. Michael Gear, and I read all the ones written by them that are on the shelves at my library, but there are a few more left I could get from other libraries further away. For weeks I saw one of the Gear’s books titled “The Betrayal: The Lost Life of Jesus”, but it seemed totally different from their other books, of which many are from a series of historical novels based on the Anasazi Peoples, who were ancient Pueblo Peoples with whom I thoroughly fell in love with. I have great respect and sincere admiration for the ancient peoples of this land, who sadly are all but forgotten, and their way of life, beliefs and traditions are only kept “alive” thanks to authors like the Gears, who obviously greatly love and admire these peoples. I for one appreciate the fact that they put so much time and effort into the research of their books, and I must say it is definitely well worth it.

Anyway, I finally decided to check out “The Betrayal: The Lost Life of Jesus” about a month ago at the library, and I am so glad I did. I was humbled to learn that the Gears researched the material for this book for more than 30 years, and it only took me a few days to read it because I couldn’t put it down. I read it during every available free moment. It truly has become one of the most fascinating, spellbinding and completely wondrous books I have ever read. To imagine Jesus as described in the novel actually made me happy, though his death is always newly wounding. Of course, I fell in love with Brother Barnabas and each one of his “partners in crime”. Their bravery and selflessness got the tear flow going, and their belief in what had become their purpose in life, finding the most holy place on earth, was very emotional to me.

Yes, the book is fiction, but the footnotes in the book were all painstakingly researched from existing documentation that must have been a definite challenge to locate. Religion, like politics, is a sensitive subject for most people, and I presume that many would consider this wonderful and lovingly written book as profane and disrespectful. To me, this book will always be very special, and sometimes I daydream about what may have been all those thousands of years ago. I would very much have liked to meet this Jesus.

I believe that the Gears believe in their art and in the love of writing breathtaking and moving stories that captivate one’s soul and reach into one’s heart. They make one marvel and appreciate the fact that there are authors like them, who make every book they write come alive for their readers. They don’t know it, but I’m one of their biggest fans.