Judas the Apostle, by Van Mayhall, Jr.

I was given a copy of this book from the publisher through Net Galley in exchange for an unbiased review.

I wasn't sure what I would think when I agreed to read this novel and provide a review. As a very conservative evangelical who believes the Bible is the Word of God and continued without errors in the original text I was suspect of a novel that was going to declare the existence of another "Gospel" text written by Judas, the apostle that betrayed Christ.

I know this is just a novel but I get nervous about novels that declare something that may be totally against the Truth of God's Word. The term Gospel means, "Good News." That good news is the story of the life of Jesus Christ, God's only Son, who came, walked this earth and gave His life as a ransom for mankind so that we could have a restored relationship with Jesus Christ.

The Judas Gospel is a purported gospel text written by the apostle Judas, who betrayed Christ on the night of his arrest. The question of the novel is whether or not there really is a Gospel written by Judas and whether he would validate the other four Gospels and the life of Christ.

Dr. Coltile Lejeunne is an ancient languages professor. Her father found a Clay Jar during WWII that was part of a larger cache of jars in a cave. He has never opened it and doesn't intend to.

But someone wants the jar and someone is like happy when he will not sell the jar. So, the buyer sends an assassin to kill the old man and obtain the jar. But before that can happen he turns the jar over to the local Catholic Priest for safekeeping.

The story will involve the jar finally being opened by Dr. Lejeunne under the helpful eye of the Catholic Church (A Monsignor from the Vatican). What will they discover? Will it validate the life, teaching and miracles of Christ? Or will it put a new twist on history and invalidate Christianity. Before they can know the truth of that debate they are brought under constant attack by the minions of the Kolecktor who wants to obtain the jar in his quest to bring down the Catholic Church.

The writing is OK, but not exceptional. The story is intriguing. The history is OK, as far as it goes, but it does take some big liberties with truth to ask other questions. I don't mind the questions as long as truth comes to light.

The story will have an interesting twist and ending. Readers will be intrigued. But please not that there is a second book by Mayhall that you will need to read to find the total answer to the questions raised in the novel.