Rating: 
Summary: tries too hard
Review: I absolutely love a great mystery, and unfortunately, The Gospel of Judas promised more than it actually delivered. I can appreciate the author's well-crafted structure of the novel, but I literally forced myself to finish this book simply because I'd sunk the money into it. The action in this book lags...I thought with the discovery of the scroll things would perk up but, alas, that was not to be. Save the money and buy something with a little more oomph.
Rating: 
Summary: I only read the Judas stuff
Review: I don't read much fiction.So I only skimmed the book for the Judas stuff which was tantalizing and well done I thought. (Somehow I've always felt Judas got a raw deal.) Other readers complained that the book is unfortunately titled and disappointing overall. They could be right! The non-Judas stuff I couldn't help but read in my skimmings seemed like a not bad story. The Judas stuff is only a tiny fraction of the text, however. So beware. The author does seem to have an accurate awareness of the scholarship needed to read and translate crumbling ancient manuscripts.
Rating: 
Summary: interesting
Review: I picked this up out of the bargain section because ever since Harvey Keitel played Judas I have found him fascinating. This wasn't as revolutionary as that, but I still found it worth reading. There was something compelling about this story, so much so that I didn't want to finish it because I was afraid the ending would disappoint (it did a little). I don't think it was terribly realistic, either in terms of biblical history or the secret lives of priests, but there was some elegant writing and interesting character points.
Rating:
Summary: Highs and Lows
Review: I really bought this book for two reasons: The first being that I loved Mawer's first book "Mendel's Dwarf". The second being that the premise was interesting even though it had been used before. Unfortunately I wasn't able to find enough of a story to support the premise and had to wade through chapter after chapter of Fr. Leo's past which I found hard to relate to what was going on in his present. The parts dealing with Judas and the archeological find was well done and kept me reading. If he hadn't failed so with the subplots and flashbacks it would be a 5-star read.
Read "Mendel's Dwarf" for Mawer at his best.
Rating: 
Summary: Mary Doria Russell's new favorite author
Review: I suppose I should be grateful that The Gospel of Judas
hadn't been written until well after I published The Sparrow and Children of God. I wouldn't have bothered trying to write my own novels if I'd been able to read Simon Mawer's. I haven't been this enthralled with a writer since Dorothy Dunnett died. If you liked my books, you'll be glad I told you about Mawer's. He is a wonderful writer, interested in themes I also find fascinating: science, religion, faith, and character.
Rating:
Summary: Very dull
Review: I think at this point I am tired of lapsed priests, faith and doubt. This book has pretty much gone where other and greater writers have gone before. Newman does not strike me as a compelling character, and his love interest is fatuous at best. Add to tha the hopping between sub-plots and head-hopping, and you have more of a tennis match than a narrative.
Rating:
Summary: EXCELLENT READ for the Intellectual
Review: In this text, as much the Gospel of Leo, as it is the Gospel of Judas, Mawer introduces a priest faced with two life-shattering decisions. Though the actual "Judas" content was not the major focus of the book, Leo's character analysis makes up for it. Mawer expertly weaves together three separate plots, a sort of present, past, and future, in order to fully portray the character of Leo. The scientific, archeological aspect of the book was well-researched, and beautifully written. I found this book hard to put down, with each page drawing me further and further into the amazing account. Though some may be offended by its somewhat indirect questioning of Christianity, I highly recommend it. At the very least, it offers an insight into an uncommon perception.
Rating:
Summary: Quite simply, an astounding novel!
Review: Life is what we make of it, and (Father) Leo Newman (the story's protagonist) has made a botch of his. And just as his religious faith begins to fall prey to his mounting doubts, Madeleine Brewer ("Maddy" - Mawer's choice of character names is subtly clever) enters the scene, and away they go; displacing thought for action, the cerebral for the physical. Mawer conflates this love triangle - Maddy is married to a British diplomat; Leo is married to his faith and religion - with the discovery of another gospel, this one by Judas Iscariot. What Leo, as translator of the parchment, learns about Jesus Christ and the birth of Christianity causes him to view the religious and the secular in a different light... This book's marketing can create some confusion: is it a dialectic about faith, a thriller, a love story? It is each of these, and more. Simon Mawer has managed - artfully, gracefully - to ensnare the reader into entertaining even enjoying the questions (and some answers) that transcend our individual lives. *The Gospel of Judas* is, quite simply, an astounding novel - perhaps the best novel I have read in several years! Admittedly, it does include ALL of the topics and issues that *I* find so thrilling: faith, religion, history, and language. Mawer's love of language mimics his love for the quotidian, and allows him to tell a tale for all. But don't take my word for it, on faith; check it out for yourself. You must see, smell, feel, and read this novel, to believe it. Highest recommendation.
Rating:
Summary: Literary fiction at its finest
Review: Literary fiction faces a unique predicament in the contemporary novel market. The authors make use of a vocabulary that challenges even the most well-read reader. They refer to obscure symbols, metaphors and imagery. The language employed is often more poetic than prosaic. The Gospel of Judas, meets all these challenges and surpasses all expectations. In the literary novel, style plays as large of a role as the characterization, plot or setting. The varied vocabulary used by the narrator and the characters shows the skill involved in creating this rich style.
Leo and Madeline, having a higher level of education speak with elegance not often heard in common speech. Magda's lack of education is reflected in this fashion as well. It is in the narration though that the vocabulary reaches stratospheric heights. This lofty vocabulary, which often slows down the story, increases the beauty of the tale. Beyond the style, the plot also demonstrates the author's skill in telling this story. Three periods affecting Leo Newman's development are woven together forming a tapestry of his life. From the era of World War II through the present, these epochs are marked with the uncertainty of real life. Nothing is tidy, and there are always painful consequences. From the title The Gospel of Judas, it is apparent that certain heretical ideas will be explored. These range from the intimate and personal crises of faith faced by Leo to the broad scope of the damage that a gospel written by Judas could do to the Christian faith. Which is more important for an individual: historical truth, or religious mythology? Even as these questions are explored, few answers are offered, as it should be. Conclusions are left for the reader to draw. Also, consider that the title has multiple meanings and implications. On the surface it appears that the title refers strictly to the scroll that is unearthed. Various characters throughout the book take on various aspects of Judas. Just as Judas betrayed Christ, Leo stands in a position to betray all of Christianity with the revelation of what is written on the recently unearthed scroll. Both Magda and Madeline are compared to Mary Magdeline and the Virgin Mary. Biblical archetypes resonate throughout the characterization adding layers of meaning. Overall, this elegantly told tale is a pleasure. It brings together a thought provoking story line coupled with intriguing characters presented in a poetic package that challenges and satisfies the reader.
Rating:
Summary: Made for a lively discussion
Review: My Book Club of eleven women read this book and it certainly made for a lively discussion! I found the book to be very interesting and thought-provoking and it brought up many timely issues about religion. You have to remember that it is a work of fiction, but it was interesting to discuss the theological basis for the book. I would recommend it.
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