First published 1985
In his final days, a dying shipping clerk named Sadoc recounts the birth of Christianity amid the excesses of the Roman Empire. As Tiberius, Caligula, and Nero indulge their cruelties, a young carpenter named Jesus preaches a radical new message of love and forgiveness. Sadoc is charged with recording this epic clash of pagan power and spiritual awakening, bearing witness to a world on the brink of transformation.
Genres: literary-fiction, historical-fiction, ancient
Vibes: atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: epic, historical-figures
Setting: Palestine, Rome
Period: To 70 A.D., Primitive and early church, ca. 30-600, The five Julii, 30 B.C.-68 A.D., Julio-Claudians, 30 B.C.-68 A.D.
400 pages · Paperback · Abacus
Content warnings: violence