Acclaimed New York Times bestselling author Tosca Lee brilliantly adapts the life of Judas Iscariot into a dazzling work of fiction—humanizing the man whose very name is synonymous with betrayal.
Based on extensive research into the life and times of Judas Iscariot, this triumph of fiction storytelling by the author of Havah: The Story of Eve revisits one of biblical history’s most maligned figures and brings the world he inhabited vividly to life.
In Jesus, Judas believes he has found the One—the promised Messiah and future king of the Jews, destined to overthrow Roman rule. Galvanized, he joins Nazarene’s followers, ready to enact the change he has waited for all his life. But soon Judas’s vision of a nation free from Rome is crushed by the inexplicable actions of Nazarene himself, who will not bow to social or religious convention—and seems, in the end, to even turn against his own people. At last, Judas confronts the fact that the master he loves is not the liberator he hoped for, but a man bent on a drastically different agenda.
Praised as “an absolute must-read” (New York Times bestselling author Ted Dekker), Iscariot is the story of Judas, from his tumultuous childhood to his emergence as the man who betrayed Jesus. But even more, it is a singular and surprising view into the life of Jesus that forces us to reexamine everything we thought we knew about the most famous—and infamous—religious icons in history.
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"Tosca Lee's intimate and sympathetic portrayal of Judas Iscariot draws the reader deep into the world of ancient Rome, as lived by a Jewish patriot. Orphaned as a boy when his father was crucified by the Romans, Judas carries a burden of guilt--that he survived and that his last interaction with his older brother was to spit on him in a moment of childish anger. Miss Lee's emotional and richly researched novel moves quickly through Judas's life and involvement with a secret group watching for the coming of the Messiah, hoping for the overthrow of the Roman's. She explores the theme 'Would you have done the same?' If your actions have ever been colored by past guilts, fears, and your own desires, your best, most honest answer may have to be 'I hope not.'"
— Dana (5 out of 5 stars)
" I never thought I would feel sorry for Judas Iscariot, but Tosca made him a human not devil. He made bad choices and yet Jesus loved him as much as he loves me. "
— Chris, 2/6/2014" I realize that most of this book was the author's imagination, but I so believed it! I really look at Judas now in a whole other light, and I love that. There is 2 sides to every story, and this is a good example of that. To see him grow up, and how tortured his family was by the Romans, no wonder he wanted someone to come and take care of the Romans! I love the author's take on this. "
— Sara, 2/1/2014" Tosca shows us a new way to see what might have happened. A Judas who loves Jesus, but isn't able to translate Jesus' message into his belief system. It's easy to see myself in Judas; a great love for our Messiah; a weak nature; fear; betrayal. I'm so glad I read this and hope to add more of her books tomy ereader soon! "
— Meredith, 1/23/2014" Favorite book of the year so far. "
— J., 1/19/2014" Awesome version of the story. "
— Marjorie, 1/16/2014" This book was fantastic! One of my favorite books of all time! Can't wait to see what you write next Tosca Lee :-) "
— Marian, 1/1/2014" A good read! It is very interesting to look at the life of Judas as he followed Jesus Christ, and then ultimately betrayed Him. I had to keep telling myself, "This is a novel." Tosca did some great research and really brought the story to life. I would definitely recommend it. "
— Stephen, 12/1/2013" great book, especially around the Easter season celebration. I really enjoyed the perspective from Judas' view. "
— Shelly, 11/17/2013" Read this book. It will make you think, and think some more. "
— Alicia, 10/14/2013" In this book i learned so much about Judas, how his life was, and who he was. I had thought he was just a mean man that did not care about Jesus. But now I look at him in a whole different way. I really enjoyed this book and think everyone should read it! "
— Grace, 9/13/2013" This book was great to read Easter week. It really helped me focus on remembering the last days of Christ, although it was challenging to process through the fictional perspective of Judas Iscariot. Not light reading, but thought provoking. "
— Anna, 7/5/2013" A very thought-provoking read that has left me with plenty to chew on. The confrontational aspect of Christ's life really comes to life in ISCARIOT. "
— Ronie, 6/12/2013Tosca Lee is a New York Times bestselling novelist. Her works include the critically acclaimed Demon: A Memoir, Havah: The Story of Eve, and the Books of Mortals series, cowritten with Ted Dekker. Tosca received her BA in English and international relations from Smith College and has also studied at Oxford University. She lives in the Midwest.
Jason Culp, an Earphones Award–winning narrator, has been acting since the age of ten, and his credits include a variety of television, theater, and film roles. He is best known for his role as Julian Jerome on General Hospital. In addition to audiobooks and voice-over work in national commercials, he has also narrated documentaries for National Geographic and the History Channel.