Hey Oscar, that was a great review! I'll probably read it when it comes out in paperback, as of yet it still costs $30 over here, I can wait for the price to go down a bit.

> Out OF Egypt After being
> on the library waiting list for two months I
> finally got a chance to read this book. I
> first heard of it from an interview the
> author gave after she moved to an upscale
> neighborhood a small distance from my humble
> abode, in which she stated that she was
> getting back to her Catholic roots and
> becoming reacquainted with her faith. Well,
> I guess for someone who made millions
> writing about vampires this could be a step
> in the right direction, but I was still
> skeptical, although intrigued by the subject
> matter. First, I have to applaud Ms.
> Rice for the research she did on the life
> and times of the first century residents of
> the, so called, Holy Land. Throughout the
> story I felt as if I were truly visiting the
> land she describes, and that always helps
> carry a story. As for the historicity of the
> story itself, that is, the life of the
> Christ child, it is all pure speculation. My
> attitude was that I would read it as if the
> story were written about some other special
> child so that I wouldn't have preconceived
> ideas about how the story should go. Good
> choice! The story begins in Egypt, in the
> Jewish quarter of the City Alexandria, on
> Carpenter Street. Here live the extended
> family of Joseph bar Jacob, his wife Mary,
> and the child Jesus. Growing up amongst
> cousins, uncles and aunts, Jesus ran and
> played with the other children but it was
> apparent that there was something special
> about him. Even the child could sense this
> as his parents and relatives would look
> knowingly at each other whenever the child
> said or did something out of the ordinary.
> Being one of the youngest, Jesus tried to
> pry out of the adults whatever knowledge he
> sensed they were holding from him, but to no
> avail. After Joseph received instructions
> in a dream that old Herod was dead he, and
> all of his relatives, packed up to move back
> to Nazareth, Joseph's ancestral home. When
> people questioned him “Why not Bethlehem?”
> Joseph replied that people in that city
> “would remember too much”, hence his
> decision to move to the backwater town of
> Nazareth. Along the way Jesus begins to
> discover that when he prays to the Father
> things come to pass. These prayers were
> simple, such as asking for snow where it
> rarely fell, but these events did not go un
> noticed by the adults. It was clear that
> they knew who was responsible and who this
> child really was. Also, on the way, the
> family visits Jerusalem for Passover, but
> are turned away when zealots attack the
> temple guards resulting in death and panic.
> This scene is also instructive to the reader
> who may not be familiar with the history of
> the Jewish temple and the political violence
> that surrounded it. I found this to be very
> interesting myself, even though I was
> already aware of the events. What it
> accomplished was to give me a different
> perspective through the story and characters
> surrounding it. The rest of the book
> covers another year, another trip to the
> temple, and Jesus’ evolving understanding of
> his relationship with his Father God. As an
> inspirational work this book falls short,
> but as pure story telling it is enough to
> keep your interest, and even cause you to
> reflect on your own relationship to what you
> believe about faith. Whether or not Ms. Rice
> continues the story I have no idea, but if
> she goes no further I would understand.
> This book has my seal of approval for
> entertainment value. It is an easy read, a
> little over a week for me, the plot is
> uncomplicated and the pacing quick. The
> characters are believable and the research
> puts flesh on the people and the times in a
> way that turns the abstraction of the
> biblical account of the Christ Child into a
> living breathing Lord.