... The story relates the adventures of a scientist, joseph Rosenberg who invents a time machine. His first journey is unfortunate in that the capsule lands on Moses the Lawgiver which creates a vacancy for a leader in the upcoming task of rescuing the Jews in Egypt where they have been enslaved by successive Pharaohs for 400 years, and escorting them to the Promised Land. The Lord God Almighty, (whom the author names variously as The Eternal One, The King of the Universe, etc, etc) insists that Rosenberg assumes the role that Moses cannot now discharge. The scientist is dismayed by the prospect but he is given no choice.



The book then embarks on a long, often brilliantly hilarious, description of Rosenberg's saga during which he encounters characters and events from most of the Bible stories in the Old Testament and elsewhere laced with vivid, but often unsavoury and menacing, creations of the author alone. Michaels' prose style moves at a cracking pace but readers may find the numerous leaps through time and space confusing requiring constant referrals back to previous pages to revise some of the plot fines and motivation.



This device of juxtaposing modern day technology and attitude with those of a long bygone era, with riotous results, is not new and the author draws unashamedly from the style and plot of Douglas (The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy) Adams to whom he pays a handsome tribute on the flyleaf calling him 'a genius'.



However besides deploying a wickedly accurate ear for dialogue and comprehensive knowledge of his subject, Michaels handles the numerous storylines beautifully and leaves it to his readers to try to keep up. In this, he uses lots of footnotes (as did Adams) but, while very clever indeed, they do little to clear up the confusion and this. I suspect, is part of the author's purpose.



If you are looking for profound plotting and complex messages about man and his relationship with God, you won't find them here. But as Marc Michaels points out in his endnote: 'It's a bit of fun so enjoy.' Having gained much pleasure from his book I can readily assure you that if you approach it with that it mind, you certainly will.



NORMAN LEWIS

Thoroughly Modern Moses

Marc Michaels Published by Lulu (www.lulu.com)

Priced in paperback at £9.50