Irreverent.

I believe that is the word that appears in every published review. It's fitting; this novel is hand-crafted to earn that adjective. And in that way, it is almost unfair to call it "irreverent" because your credibility as reader is called into question. Did you even bother to read it? Don't you have some kind of feedback of your own?

Of the novels by Christopher Moore that I have read to date, this is undoubtedly his strongest work. And it's definitely irreverent (like I said, he wrote it with exactly that in mind).

And Moore works over the Christ story in a most-excellent way. You don't take on this particular story without being very cognizant of the fact that you're tip-toeing along an eggshell precipice. Wisely, Moore puts all the sacrilegious behavior on Biff (e.g., the whore visitation and womanizing, the drinking and drugs, etc.) and allows Joshua (i.e., our "Jeebus") to stay ... well ... to stay holy. Meanwhile, Moore also very carefully refrains from painting Joshua as some sanctimonious prick.

So instead we get teen-aged Joshua and Biff wandering East from Bethlehem, getting into all manner of curious mischief, inquiring of the great spiritual minds that teh Orient has to offer. Joshua the magician. Joshua the enlightened. Joshua the ninja. Joshua the ascetic.

The prose is characteristic Moore -- quick-moving, entertaining, and pushing a few of the right buttons. And in this case maybe even more than his usual few.

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Update after 2nd read: I'll stand by the review I wrote the first time around.