
In a dramatic story featuring the voices of Mary Magdalene, Simon Peter, James the younger brother of Jesus, Jeremiah (“Legion”), and of course Jesus, author Mark Pendergrast has brought these characters convincingly to life. Relying primarily on the Gospel of Mark – the earliest of the gospels, which does not contain the virgin birth, but begins with Jesus as an adult – the author has written a novella that explores issues of religion, feminism, mental health, demonology, and history.The Secret Disciple is a thought-provoking addition to the burgeoning literature based on the story of Jesus and his followers. Ultimately, it provides a commentary on how organized religions often subvert or twist the original message of the prophetic founder, as Paul and James battled for the future of Christianity, and Paul won.