John the Baptizer: A Novel

by Brooks Hansen

A vivid, moving, and unprecedented biographical saga of John the Baptist. Traditionally, John the Baptist is seen as little more than an opening act―“the voice crying in the wilderness”―in the great Christian drama. In presenting the epic of John’s life, novelist Brooks Hansen draws on an extraordinary array of inspirations, from the works of Caravaggio, Bach, and Oscar Wilde to the histories of Josephus, the canonical gospels, the Gnostic gospels, and the sacred texts of those followers of John who never accepted Jesus as the Mandeans.Gripping as literary historical fiction, and fascinating as a diligent exploration of ancient and modern sources, this book brings to eye-opening life the richly textured world―populated by the magnificently sordid, calculating, and reckless Herods, their families, and their courts―into which both John and Jesus were born. John the Baptizer is a captivating tapestry of power and dissent, ambition and self-sacrifice, worldly and otherworldly desire, faith, and doubt.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Religion

408 pages, Hardcover

First published April 24, 2009

About the author

Brooks Hansen is an American novelist, screenwriter, and illustrator best known for his 1995 book The Chess Garden. He has also written one young adult's novel. He lives with his family in Carpinteria, California. He attended Harvard University and was the recipient of the John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship in 2005.

Reviews

[Kevin Kazokas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Certainly a religious scholar I am not, nor am I an astute student of the Bible or the Gospels. Because of that, this book captured my intrigue right from seeing it on the shelf. Why? I knew it would present a fascinating and not overly dogmatic account of the life of one of history's most unexplored, most secondary and most supporting of cast members.
The book went beyond fascinating. The account -- I hesitate to call it a story because somehow that seems to diminish its truthful relevance, but from a readability standpoint, it absolutely is -- draws the reader in, slowly, steadily and purposefully. By the time you realize you're reading more than just a primary-sourced historical biography, you're already well along a tightly architected story arc, augmented by internal and external conflicts and resolutions that deeply affect the reader, much as they affected John, Antipas and all the key figures in this real-world drama.
I came in expecting my thirst for fascination and intrigue to be quenched. I completed the book taken aback by a sense of the profound. The author works the story of the faith and the devotion exemplified by John and his followers, and the want of revenge it stirs in others, within the framework of mission and doubt that almost certainly occupied John's mind.
A profound find that may just help you find yourself a little more.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved The Chess Garden, but John the Baptizer just plodded. Not that you'd expect a novel about a figure like John to be a thriller, but this felt leaden. Lots of scholarship went into this book, and there are some interesting insights into John's character, but that doesn't save it. The dysfunctional Herod family is more interesting, but that isn't where Hansen's heart is.

John is a gnomic, elliptical character in the Bible, and trying to give him a narrative and the history, is a project that's probably doomed for failure, though heroic in its own way. I imagine that Hansen felt something like John Milton writing lines for God in Paradise Lost: "oh, crap, wtf do I do now?"

[Shelly Ann · Rating 1 out of 5]

I know what the author was trying to do in this book. I just
don't like authors taking Biblical stories, and making it a
reality/fiction. It does not solely, go along with the details
of the Bible,nor of John the Baptists life. You cannot put into
"YOUR" story and take it away from the Bible, making things
up, it does not get people curious about reading the Bible.
It threw me off, and I refuse to read another book in this format.

[Beth · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had high hopes for reading this novel- I was so interested in getting an imaginary view of the life and character of John the Batpist. It was primarily full of the political intrigues of John's time. That would have been fine if made more simple and more of his life described but I felt I never got to know him.

[Jerry Jares · Rating 5 out of 5]

After finishing KILLING JESUS, by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard, I decided to look into the life of John the Baptist. I thought I knew plenty about John the Baptist; boy, was I wrong. This is a carefully researched study of a person usually considered less important than Jesus Christ. By writing a fictionalized accounting of his life, the author was able to offer a more nuanced portrayal of John's life and death.

I'm glad I read KILLING JESUS before reading this book. This book gave a more complete explanation of the Herods and their importance to Jesus and John. There were times, however, that I wish Hansen had given a footnote, to explain where he got his information.

One of the most inspiring parts of the book is the baptism of Andrew; I felt that I was there. That is the sign of a gifted author when the reader feels a part of the action. This is a book well worth the reader's time and attention.

Be sure to read the 'Epilogues.' The author talks about the people who followed John and what happened to them. When Paul (Jesus' apostle) went to Corinth (and other places) after both men's deaths, he found many followers of John who had never heard of Jesus. Only one sect has survived to current times: the Mandaeans of Iraq. Although they do not believe in Christ's divinity, they were also considered 'people of the book' (like Jews, Christians and Muslims). At the time of Saddam Hussein's fall, 60,000 Mandaeans lived in Iraq. The mullahs declared that the Mandaeans were not 'people of the book,' and they were subject to various forms of legal persecution. As of 2009, only 5000 remain; the others have fled to Jordan and Syria.

[Marc Minnick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brooks Hansen brings to life the story of the man that led the way for the "Messiah".Yohanna (John) at an early age is handed over to the Subba; to study the true path to righteousness.He shuns worldly possessions to learn his purpose.A cast of characters that include Herod Antipas and others enlightens the reader of the political ramifications of his message.A righteous man is to be feared.In a historical context that is relevant no matter the time period, John's relationship with his cousin ,Jesus is circumspect.He's sees the light in his eyes but is dismayed that Jesus doesn't practice his ascetic ways:Jesus "becomes drunk with wine"and is invited into homes of sinners..This instills doubt in his mission so he returns to the wilderness to pray and reflect ,but peril is at his doorstep when Herod's soldiers arrest him for questioning."How is it that a simple dunking makes you free of sins?"This neither sits well with the Pharisses or the Sadducee.(the ruling sects of the Jewish faith).Herod Antipas takes a liking to John and visits him in his cell often.This infuriates his wife who accuses him of spending more time with John then her.John's demise is well known and the "Big picture" of Jesus's story is the story of Christianity.I enjoyed the historical references and came to appreciate John's personage as more than just a obsequious hermit to Jesus's nobility.

[Lawrence · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author took a variety of information, beginning with the Biblical gospels, the historian Josephus, and the sacred scriptures and oral traditions of the Mandaeans, to write a historical fiction narrative of the life of John the Baptist. He credits some additional sources for inspiring a full picture of the man, his mission, and the political and religious climate of his time. I suppose I had encountered much of this information scattered throughout other readings. But having it put in a linear story was helpful. I was not aware prior to this of the continuing existence of a sect of disciples of John the Baptist, the Mandaeans. Well researched, thoughtfully presented, and I learned something.

[Lisa Cambridge · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Bible doesn't give us many details of what life was really like in the early first century and the time of John the Baptist and Jesus. If you're like me, you grow up knowing the Bible stories like the back of your hand, but maybe never stopped to put yourself in their shoes when it came details in their ways of life, political influences, culture, etc. because the Bible doesn't provide that. Author Hansen provides an extensive look at the house of the Herod and the motivation behind his execution of John. Granted, it's a "historical novel" but one based on what I think is solid research.

[Jsmith1000 · Rating 4 out of 5]

So far, it's captivating. This is one of those books that sorta fell on me while I was at the library and got my attention that way. I'm glad I selected it.

It's a novel, of course, but it discloses an interesting view of the life of John the Baptist. It goes into the deeply spiritual learning, teaching, and experiences of John, and just makes me more interested in John the person, in addition to John the historic Biblical figure.

It isn't boring, either: that was a rough existence back in the day, where just expressing religious views out loud (and to the contrary of publicly accepted and approved views) would get you imprisoned or worse. Again, although fiction, it opens my eyes to a different view of the founding fathers of Christianity.

[Rossrn Nunamaker · Rating 3 out of 5]

I recently finished Brooks Hansen's John the Baptizer: A Novel. I think I expected more from this book than what I got.

The book tells the story of John beginning before his birth to set the tone for who is parents were and their role and it also tells the story of Herod and his family.

Often while reading, I felt the story was more about the Herod family and John's role in their life, rather than vice-versa.

The book moved along well enough, and even though the outcome was known before I picked up the book, it was still a decent read.

[Roger · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a pleasure to read. It deals creatively and fairly with some of the best questions surrounding the character of John the Baptist and, entertainingly enough, it raises questions that are interesting and deep.

Whether or not you have a solid background in the Christian Bible, this novel will take you down paths that, but for reading it, you may not have otherwise traversed. That, in and of itself, makes the reading worth it.

This is the first book I've read by this author, but I'm certain it won't be the last.

[Marvin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This unique novel is difficult for me to assess. It's thoroughly researched and fully immerses the reader in the world of John the Baptist and, in alternating chapters, the world of the court of Herod & Herodias, though of course from the author's own perspective since so little is really known objectively about John. The author takes spirituality very seriously, though not in an orthodox Christian sense. I appreciated it more than I enjoyed it.

[Kaijsa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't read a ton of historical fiction, but when I run across a good book in the genre I'm usually pretty happy. John the Baptizer was pretty entertaining and engrossing. It took me longer than usual to read because I kept wanting to look things up to either find out more about events or see if the book jibed with other accounts, plus I also dipped in and out of the bible a bit. It's very readable and Hansen did a good job bringing these people to life.

[Anamae]

Although not yet finished, I like what I have read so far. I like that the author incorporated Roman Herodian history with the Judaic lore about John the Baptist. As a Pastor, I found the literary wisdom testing of John in the desert on pages 172-173 interesting enough to reference and quote in a sermon about Lady Wisdom. Will reserve the final rating until I finish the second half of the novel.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book that is hard to capture in words. It is a wild mix of otherworldly and ascetic spirituality with crass power politics and debauchery.

Hansen brings this world alive to the point where you feel like you a reading a contemporary account rather than a novel. The prose sucks you in and pulls you forward despite knowing the conclusion from the start.

A powerful literary creation.

[Michelle Hoogterp · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd give this more of a 3.75 just because of the epilogue becoming preachy at the end...I think his discussion about the loss of the religious group in Iraq due to the war would've been better saved as an afterword.

[Katherine Pershey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not expect this to be so good. It was a little overly graphic about the Herodians' debauchery, but what a remarkable portrayal of John.

As far as historical-religious fiction goes, this is more akin to The Red Tent than the Da Vinci Code.

[mandy]

"A biographical saga about, you guessed it, John the Baptist, drawing on both ancient and modern sources. Literary historical fiction. From Norton, June." from blog "Reading the Past"

[Julie Maioriello Horner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting. Slow at times and different aspects thrown in that I have not heard of.

[Jack · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thought Brooks was a no-miss, but I just couldn't force my way through this one.

[Rick Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hansen embroiders a fine narrative fiction on the sparse biblical record.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some very beautiful visuals of baptism....used the Bible often for fiction reality checks