John, by Niall Willams

Niall Williams wrote this because he wondered what the apostle John of Patmos was doing the day before he wrote the Book of Revelation. The story begins on the barren Isle of Patmos, where John and his followers wait for the second coming of Christ. It is about faith and passionate devotion, but also about the dissolution of memory and wayward doctrines. The pace is slow, the plot thin, and the language is awkwardly Biblical, but Williams occasionally uses fresh and vivid descriptions, particularly in passages about the sea and the decadent city of Ephesus.

Written with great affection for the subject, this novel would be enjoyed and appreciated by Christian readers with a good knowledge of the New Testament.

For a review of Williams’ novel Only Say the Word, go here.