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"The Father by Stephen Bruce"
Mr. Bruce writes in a third person narrative, which I often prefer. It goes back to the days of enjoying having someone else telling you a story. We also assume our narrator knows all, and for a writer it is much easier to present multiple points of view using a third person voice overhead that sees and knows all. Writing technicalities like this aside, right from page one the author puts you on that dirty stone road which you see on the cover. You are standing next to Joseph and watching with him as Jesus is led through the streets carrying a cross.

I immediately recalled images from Mel Gibson’s Passion movie from a few years ago; you will as... More > well if you read this book and you’ve seen that movie. The pain and suffering of Jesus is vivid and heart wrenching, despite the violence and rage which other movies and the news have blatantly shown us everyday, desensitizing our eyes and minds to horrible things of that nature.

But I believe that is why Stephen Bruce has chosen to tell this well-known story from the point of view of someone else who may or may not have been there…Joseph, the “foster” father of Christ, a man that most of us only know as a modest carpenter. In the Bible, Joseph never even speaks in the Gospels. Christian tradition, though vague on the time and place of his death, represents Mary as a widow during the adult ministry of Jesus.

That is why the characters are a truly important part of this novel. Stephen Bruce breathes such life and emotion into them, causing this novel to read like a biography which the author might have penned as the very events on the pages were taking place. From the crucifixion to Joseph pleading for the body of his son, you too will feel the agonizing emotion and love of this man.

As a reader, I tend to stray from books like these which present a story that I may personally only know bits and pieces of, but it’s a traditional story that “everyone” knows some part of which often makes it look very predictable in our eyes and not worth reading. Bruce’s novel is in no way such a story, despite being about the death of Jesus. It is much more than that. More so, it is about the love Joseph had for his son and the inner turmoil any father would go through should he have to watch a dear loved one suffer.

Clean, in-depth writing, vivid detail that captures and holds your attention, and strong powerful characters that you will want to visit with again and again, The Father is a book I will be adding permanently to my bookshelf with intentions of sharing it with friends and loved ones of my own. I applaud Stephen Bruce on a magnificent piece of work, and if there are any traditional publishers out there reading this now…this book is worthy of your attention!

Read the full review at www.lulubookreview.wordpress.com. < Less

"A wonderful, uplifting insight into the events after the crucifixion"
This is an extraordinary book made even more exceptional by the fact, given its nature, that it comes from the pen of a new young author.

From the very first moment I was held captivated in this world of events surrounding the crucifixion of Jesus as told mostly through the experience of his stepfather Joseph. From the first word I could not predict what was going to happen next. As much as Joseph was, I too felt thrown into the heavy atmosphere of intrigue, deceit, dread and injustice that leads to the moment that Joseph decides to ask the authorities for the body of his son. In a series of labyrinthine... More > twists we are brought through the consequences of this action upon Pilate, his mistress Hera, Mary Magdalene and the extended family of Jesus. In a unique plot that is unveiled for us in a well written and beautifully composed manner we are shown something of how the life of a family was affected by the death of their eldest son. Nothing is quite like what we could have imagined and yet the story is presented with a wonderfully realistic view into the minds of our main protagonists

The theme of the book, the guide through its pages as it were, is a simple and recognizable Love that anyone can understand and interpret.
These elements combine to produce a heartfelt and passionate interpretation of the lives of the people who were closest to Jesus, giving us insights that are utterly believable and powerful in their force.

My own experience of this book was emotional and fulfilling. I look forward very much to Stephen Bruce's next one
Sean O'Dwyer June 2007 < Less

"AUTHOR WITH A VOCATION " Without intending any form of pun, about a book with such religious themes, this work comes from the pen of an author who has a real vocation for his craft. The professional layout makes an impression from the outset and the opening pages are like the metaphorical wave within them, drawing the reader into the story and the heaving emotions of the father at the heart of this moving tale.
I have only started reading this work but felt impelled to post a message here and will write more at a later stage.