Jesus and the Eightfold Path is reviewed in Abyss & Apex:
What happens when Lavie Tidhar, an Israeli and Jewish author, visits the story of Jesus with Zen koans and a Kung-fu movie sensibility? What happens is a romp.
Another reviewer called this book, Kick-A** for the Lord, and I’d have to agree. Jesus and the Eightfold path is a mash-up of the story of Christ and martial arts movies. The Monkey King becomes one of the Three Wise Men. Each chapter starts with a familiar Biblical quote from the Christmas and Easter stories, and sort of goes downhill from there – but in a good way. It is fitting that the cover looks like a seventies Kung Fu movie poster, and it all leads up to The Big Fight Scene where the Chosen One throws the money changers out of the Jewish temple. Everything after that is simply the denouement.
Add a star if you’re a fan of martial arts movies, and add another one (believe it or not) if you’re a Christian. As Gardner Dozois remarked, it’s great fun.
And I joined the Skiffy and Fanty show to talk about Osama, global terrorism, opium and a bunch of other stuff – you can listen to it here.
Lavie Tidhar 