Theo Griepenkerl, a Canadian linguistics scholar, is sent to Iraq in search of artifacts that have survived the destruction and looting of the war....
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reviews
Dec 15, 2008
Mike
rated it: 
Review placeholder.... too busy grading....
Faber's novel is more novel-ish, maybe novelette, an update of the Prometheus legend for the Myths series. A tightly-wound, underwhelming scholar of Aramaic happens upon a lost gospel, and translates--dreaming of big bucks and fame, but unleashing hell. The book contains the pleasures I normally associate with Faber: sly descriptions (a man "smoked hurriedly, without pleasure, as though he were standing at a bus stop and had mere seco More...
Faber's novel is more novel-ish, maybe novelette, an update of the Prometheus legend for the Myths series. A tightly-wound, underwhelming scholar of Aramaic happens upon a lost gospel, and translates--dreaming of big bucks and fame, but unleashing hell. The book contains the pleasures I normally associate with Faber: sly descriptions (a man "smoked hurriedly, without pleasure, as though he were standing at a bus stop and had mere seco More...
Apr 10, 2009
Jason
rated it: 
Very disappointed in this book; it had immense potential for a scathing commentary on current media marketing and religious lassitude. Unfortunately, the characters were rather pat (loser breaking up with his girlfriend, nutty Christians) and there was little else to offer. The plot moves quickly, but takes some rather unbelievable jumps. Also, the "translations" offered by the main character of the Book of Malchus simply don't read well. The problem is, if Faber intended this as a
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May 28, 2011
John
rated it:
I purchase this over the Christmas period as a present to myself, after liking the review, and because it was going for such a bargain price. As soon as I'd done that, I squirreled it away in the archives and forgot all about it.
I'd previously been reading my way through The Diviner's Tale by Bradford Morrow, and was feeling soggy and saturated by the time I'd reached the end and as I was looking for something short and cheery I felt this Fire Gospel might just be the thing to dry me out a More...
I'd previously been reading my way through The Diviner's Tale by Bradford Morrow, and was feeling soggy and saturated by the time I'd reached the end and as I was looking for something short and cheery I felt this Fire Gospel might just be the thing to dry me out a More...
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Feb 01, 2009
Alfonso
rated it:
**********Spoiler Alert*********
This book had so much potential and it let me down. Faber is great with description and even though I did not like the book his writing kept me moving along. I know that the book is fictional, yet I was not able to believe the premise of the story and did not care for the character. First I had a problem with the fact that he happened to be an expert in Aramaic who finds these lost gospels in Aramaic after in explosion in an Iraqi museum and then More...
This book had so much potential and it let me down. Faber is great with description and even though I did not like the book his writing kept me moving along. I know that the book is fictional, yet I was not able to believe the premise of the story and did not care for the character. First I had a problem with the fact that he happened to be an expert in Aramaic who finds these lost gospels in Aramaic after in explosion in an Iraqi museum and then More...
Mar 12, 2009
Stephanie
rated it: 
AT first glance, The Fire Gospel looks like the latest in the inslaught of Da Vinci Code-type historical thrillers about dashing professors who save the world by solving ancient mysteries.
But that would be underestimating author Michel Faber, whose bestselling 2003 novel The Crimson Petal And The White tuned the Victorian novel on its head. In The Fire Gospel, he destroys all of Dan Brown's novelistic conventions in this darkly funny send-up of the genre.
Meet potbellied, More...
But that would be underestimating author Michel Faber, whose bestselling 2003 novel The Crimson Petal And The White tuned the Victorian novel on its head. In The Fire Gospel, he destroys all of Dan Brown's novelistic conventions in this darkly funny send-up of the genre.
Meet potbellied, More...
Feb 09, 2009
Bill
rated it:
I was first attracted to this book by the title, then by the idea of a "gospel" being discovered that was written 2000 years ago, by someone who actually knew Jesus and was written to tell the truth about his life (more specifically his death), unlike the gospels we know which were probably written a couple hundred years after his death and written with a clear personal agenda. I was also drawn by the fact that it's a small book, unlike the enormous non-fiction tome I am also currently
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Feb 05, 2009
LJ
rated it: 
THE FIRE GOSPEL (Novelette-Theo Griepenkerl-Int’l-Cont) – Okay
Faber, Michal – standalone
Canongate, 2008, UK Hardcover – ISBN: 9781847672780
First Sentence: The museum curator swung open another antique door and, as if on cue, a lion’s head fell off its body.
Theo Griepenkerl, an expert in Aramaic, is visiting a war-looted museum in Iraq, when a bomb explodes leaving him alone in the museum. While looking for safety, he passes a newly damaged artifact and find More...
Faber, Michal – standalone
Canongate, 2008, UK Hardcover – ISBN: 9781847672780
First Sentence: The museum curator swung open another antique door and, as if on cue, a lion’s head fell off its body.
Theo Griepenkerl, an expert in Aramaic, is visiting a war-looted museum in Iraq, when a bomb explodes leaving him alone in the museum. While looking for safety, he passes a newly damaged artifact and find More...
Jan 22, 2012
Kate
rated it:
Full review here.
If you wanted to be churlish, you might accuse Canongate of slightly cheating when it comes to this novel. Clocking in at 200ish pages of large, wide margined text in hardback, this is really more of a novella, and has much more of a short story feel than something like The Crimson Petal and the White, or even Under the Skin (his first novel, which was adapted from a short story – a fact that becomes kind of apparent with a bit of a panicky, tacked on ending, even while the More...
If you wanted to be churlish, you might accuse Canongate of slightly cheating when it comes to this novel. Clocking in at 200ish pages of large, wide margined text in hardback, this is really more of a novella, and has much more of a short story feel than something like The Crimson Petal and the White, or even Under the Skin (his first novel, which was adapted from a short story – a fact that becomes kind of apparent with a bit of a panicky, tacked on ending, even while the More...
Nov 25, 2011
Chris
rated it:
Fairy tale? Myth? Legend? Religion? What do thses terms means?
Well, I'm not answering the question. You figure it out. But Faber does deal with the question in this book.
Part modern morality tale, Faber's Canongate volume attacks the play of religion in the media? What play I hear you ask? You mean 24 and its Muslim terrorists?
No, though one of the best sections of the book have a Muslim and Christian working together. I mean the whole Shroud of Turi More...
Well, I'm not answering the question. You figure it out. But Faber does deal with the question in this book.
Part modern morality tale, Faber's Canongate volume attacks the play of religion in the media? What play I hear you ask? You mean 24 and its Muslim terrorists?
No, though one of the best sections of the book have a Muslim and Christian working together. I mean the whole Shroud of Turi More...
Apr 13, 2011
The Fire Gospel ~ Michel Faber
The Fire Gospel is a very modern take on the story of Prometheus. According to Wikipedia, Prometheus "stole fire from Zeus and gave it to mortals for their use. Zeus then punished him for his crime by having him bound to a rock while an eagle ate his liver every day only to have it grow back to be eaten again the next day".
Aramaic scholar Theo Griepenkerl stumbles upon an ancient manuscript when an Iraqi museum he is visiting is bombed. T More...
The Fire Gospel is a very modern take on the story of Prometheus. According to Wikipedia, Prometheus "stole fire from Zeus and gave it to mortals for their use. Zeus then punished him for his crime by having him bound to a rock while an eagle ate his liver every day only to have it grow back to be eaten again the next day".
Aramaic scholar Theo Griepenkerl stumbles upon an ancient manuscript when an Iraqi museum he is visiting is bombed. T More...
Mar 13, 2011
Katie
rated it: 
This is a short novel at 224 pages, but I think the story lends itself well to the size and you don't at any point feel that the narrative is moving on too quickly or isn't developed enough. The story covers an academic who, whilst visiting war torn Iraq to try and look after some of the artefacts, discovers by chance some scrolls. Worrying for their safety, and with his personal life in turmoil, he steals them. When he begins working on the translation of the stolen scrolls he finds that he has
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Jan 26, 2011
Laysee
rated it:
The Fire Gospel attests to Faber’s intelligence as a writer of fiction. The story hinges on the discovery of a set of scrolls in a looted museum in Iraq, which contained the 5th gospel written by a disciple of Jesus named Malchus. On many layers, the novel reads like a parody of the Bible. The protagonist, a linguist and academician, is called Theo (Greek for God), who catapulted to overnight fame when he translated the papyrus scrolls from Aramaic. Interestingly, as the story itself is a star
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Jul 10, 2010
Denise
rated it:
3.0 out of 5 stars The impact of a hidden Gospel..., July 10, 2010
This review is from: The Fire Gospel (Paperback)
This is a short novel said to be based upon the myth of Prometheus -- the Greek god who stole fire from Zeus and gave it to the mortals. Faber's book has the main character, Theo Griepenkerl, stealing nine papyrus scrolls that were secreted inside a wall mounted bas-relief and hidden for two thousand years from a war-torn museum in Iraq, writing a translation of More...
This review is from: The Fire Gospel (Paperback)
This is a short novel said to be based upon the myth of Prometheus -- the Greek god who stole fire from Zeus and gave it to the mortals. Faber's book has the main character, Theo Griepenkerl, stealing nine papyrus scrolls that were secreted inside a wall mounted bas-relief and hidden for two thousand years from a war-torn museum in Iraq, writing a translation of More...
Jan 05, 2010
Tyler
rated it:
While certainly one of the wittiest novels I've read in quite awhile, The Fire Gospel has the feel of having been put together quickly and without great care. The central idea is interesting but is either not fleshed out enough ("the book is too short" argument) or could have been presented more succinctly ("the book is too long" argument). The fact that the novel was written to be part of the Myth Series suggests that Faber was compelled to produce a work of certain size, an
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Jul 16, 2010
Robert
rated it:
Fire Gospel is apparently a retelling of Prometheus. Since I am not 100% familiar with that myth, I'll give an overview of the plot here. (I know Prometheus stole fire from the gods and got punished... I tend to think he's the one whose liver is getting pecked out again and again on a mountain somewhere, but I am not entirely confident in my memories)
So, Theo, a Canadian, somewhat whingy archeologist, finds himself in Iraq trying to convince the local museums to give up their treasur More...
So, Theo, a Canadian, somewhat whingy archeologist, finds himself in Iraq trying to convince the local museums to give up their treasur More...
Aug 09, 2011
Josh
rated it:
This is a daring novel that imagines what it would be like if a new Gospel is discovered in this day and age. What kind of impact would it have on Christianity, the other religious beliefs, especially when it throws into doubt the apostles' accounts about what actually happened at Jesus's crucifixion on Golgotha, and ultimately the Resurrection.
The narrative traces how the lost scrolls by an undocumented disciple, Malchus, (formerly Capahaias' spy involved in Judas's betrayal of Jesus) is disco More...
The narrative traces how the lost scrolls by an undocumented disciple, Malchus, (formerly Capahaias' spy involved in Judas's betrayal of Jesus) is disco More...
Apr 05, 2009
Erin
rated it:
While visiting a museum in the Middle East, a scholar comes upon the fifth gospel as written by Malchus, a follower of Jesus Christ after his ear is healed in the Garden of Gethsemane. Needless to say, his account of Christ is about as bawdy and irreverent as they come. Theo, the Aramaic scholar who translates the gospel becomes the target of many a Christian and ends up getting kidnapped by two comical characters.
A big fan of THE CRIMSON PETAL AND THE WHITE, this book fell short for More...
A big fan of THE CRIMSON PETAL AND THE WHITE, this book fell short for More...
Jan 16, 2011
Nikki
rated it:
Fifty percent of the way through this book, I just started skimming it. The main character is not particularly sympathetic, and there's no one else really of note in that time, and the plot itself is pretty well-trodden. The myth it's supposedly based on doesn't really make an appearance in that half, either -- I normally like the Canongate series, at least as light reading, but really, not a fan of this one.
It isn't exactly fast-paced, and there's more than a whiff of male wish-fulfil More...
It isn't exactly fast-paced, and there's more than a whiff of male wish-fulfil More...
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May 31, 2011
Elsje
rated it:
In de Canongate myth serie wordt steeds een mythe genomen waarbij een vooraanstaand schrijver van nu daar een roman omheen bouwt. Mijn kennismaking met deze serie was zo succesvol dat ik gelijk de rest van de serie op mijn verlanglijstje heb gezet.
In The fire gospel neemt Michel Faber de kruisiging van Jezus ter hand.
Als museummedewerker Theo Griepenkerl zijn vertaling van een aantal papyrusrollen publiceert, het ooggetuigenverslag van Malchus (ik gebruik de Engelse naam van More...
In The fire gospel neemt Michel Faber de kruisiging van Jezus ter hand.
Als museummedewerker Theo Griepenkerl zijn vertaling van een aantal papyrusrollen publiceert, het ooggetuigenverslag van Malchus (ik gebruik de Engelse naam van More...
Jul 04, 2011
Josh
rated it:
This is a daring novel that imagines what it would be like if a new Gospel is discovered in this day and age. What kind of impact would it have on Christianity, the other religious beliefs, especially when it throws into doubt the apostles' accounts about what actually happened at Jesus's crucifixion on Golgotha, and ultimately the Resurrection.
The narrative traces how the lost scrolls by an undocumented disciple, Malchus, (formerly Capahaias' spy involved in Judas's betrayal of Jes More...
The narrative traces how the lost scrolls by an undocumented disciple, Malchus, (formerly Capahaias' spy involved in Judas's betrayal of Jes More...
Jun 18, 2009
Cameron
rated it:
Woe Prometheus who brought the puny, cold, shivering humans fire to warm themselves, stolen from the gods, by no means intended for the non-divine fleshed mortals. Woe Theo Griepenkerl who brings a lost Gospel to the hordes of Christianity, a very human document recounting the last days of Jesus, as told by Malchus, not touched by the mythic alterations and connections of the later accepted Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
Sealed away, revealed by an Iraqi bomb and a happens More...
Sealed away, revealed by an Iraqi bomb and a happens More...
Mar 18, 2011
Karla
rated it:
The Fire Gospel was a really good read. I felt bad for the main character because he goes through so much by becoming a popular novelist, in a good way and a bad way. Some of the parts in the story are a bit graphic and some of them could have been left out. Over all I enjoyed this book, but there could have been some more positive things rather than negative towards Theo, the main character. I also wanted to find out what happens to him at the end. It was a cliff hanger, just left you wanting m
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Jun 22, 2009
Jennifer (aka EM)
rated it:
Underwhelming. I like my satire more scathing and my humour, well, funnier.
This book needed to be at least twice as long, with a slower build-up and many more scenes of the damage Theo Grippen's book was causing to the faithful. It needed detail...everywhere, but especially the ending, which frankly left me believing that Faber petered out and/or chickened out.
As it was, I'm left with the thought that The Fire Gospel's real-life editor and publisher must have demande More...
This book needed to be at least twice as long, with a slower build-up and many more scenes of the damage Theo Grippen's book was causing to the faithful. It needed detail...everywhere, but especially the ending, which frankly left me believing that Faber petered out and/or chickened out.
As it was, I'm left with the thought that The Fire Gospel's real-life editor and publisher must have demande More...
Mar 21, 2009
Callie
rated it:
After reading "Under the Skin" and Faber's collection of short stories, Michel Faber was on the fast track to becoming my favorite author. After those, I was somewhat disappointed in this book. It did not have the phenomenal story-telling aspect to it that Faber usually achieves. It felt phoned-in.
It wasn't a bad book, I just believe the author has a skill which far surpasses this level of writing.
It wasn't a bad book, I just believe the author has a skill which far surpasses this level of writing.
Mar 30, 2009
Laurie
rated it:
If you've never read Faber before, this would seem like a strange and interesting good read. It would've been a great short story; in fact, that's what it reads like: a short story that was stretched as far as it could go to sell it as a novel ( a really short novel at that). Ultimately disappointing, this book is pretty soon forgotten, unlike Faber's usual searing slices of humanity.
Jan 25, 2009
Nightfalltwen
rated it:
I went into this book with very high expectations because I simply adored Michel Faber's book The Crimson Petal and the White. This book didn't disappoint at all. It's a thin book, which is rather nice because TCPATW is such a dense and meaty read. Yet Faber's writing just pulls you right into the story from the beginning.
I highly recommend this.
I highly recommend this.
Feb 08, 2009
Stephanie
rated it:
A story about a fifth gospel, one that purportedly reveals the true and human details behind Jesus's last days. Satiric (?) of the fervor that seems to surround religious-themed books (name-checks The DaVinci Code, for example).
May 07, 2010
Mazel
rated it:
Theo Griepenkerl est un universitaire sans envergure à l'ego démesuré.
Dans les décombres d'un musée de Bagdad, il découvre un trésor inestimable : les mémoires de Malchus, témoin des derniers jours de Jésus. Il ramène secrètement les neuf rouleaux de papyrus au Canada et s'empresse de les traduire.
Publié par une obscure maison d'édition, son Cinquième Évangile est un immense succès. Mais Theo est dépassé par le scandale que provoquent les révélations de Malchus...
More...
Dans les décombres d'un musée de Bagdad, il découvre un trésor inestimable : les mémoires de Malchus, témoin des derniers jours de Jésus. Il ramène secrètement les neuf rouleaux de papyrus au Canada et s'empresse de les traduire.
Publié par une obscure maison d'édition, son Cinquième Évangile est un immense succès. Mais Theo est dépassé par le scandale que provoquent les révélations de Malchus...
More...
May 18, 2010
I got as far as page 71 before giving up in disgust. It isn't witty, it isn't smart. It isn't really offensive towards Christians. It's just... a badly written book.
It's the first time I've tried to read something by Michael Faber. I have a feeling it's the last time too.
It's the first time I've tried to read something by Michael Faber. I have a feeling it's the last time too.
Mar 06, 2009
Kaye-lynn
rated it:
Would have been a great short story. Either that or the characters and plot should have been developed to the point where there was enough for a good book sized story. As it stands the characters and plot are left unfinished. It has a lot of potential but falls short.
