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From: ecl@mtgzy.att.com (Evelyn C Leeper +1 908 957 2070)
Subject: THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB by Thomas F. Monteleone
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               THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB by Thomas F. Monteleone
                     A book review by Evelyn C. Leeper
		      Copyright 1993 Evelyn C. Leeper

     Unlike the other two "Christian religious fantasy" books I am reviewing
here, this was a real disappointment.  The premise sounded promising: a
scientist is hired by the Vatican to clone Jesus from the blood on the
Shroud of Turin.  (Yes, I know it's been shown to be only six hundred years
old--Monteleone has an explanation.)  The child grows up, unaware of his
identity until one day he is attacked by a mugger raises his hands to defend
himself--and zaps his attacker into a pile of ash with a lightning bolt from
his hands.  Jesus-2--or as he knows himself, a priest named Peter Carenza--
reports this to his superior, who informs Rome.  Peter is called to Rome and
discovers the secret of his identity.

     Unfortunately, to pad out his story, Monteleone throws in sadistic
criminals hired by the Vatican, television evangelists who are secretly
living lives of luxury and debauchery (talk about stereotypes!), and a
variety of other low-lifes.  The result is some overly graphic descriptions
of torture and of sex which (in my opinion) were not necessary.  It is
satisfying to see Jesus-2 take on the televangelists on a television talk
show.  And it is nice to find out that Robert Burns was right many times
over.  But there was a lot more that could have been done.  (The obvious
omission that comes to mind is the whole question of nature-versus-nurture,
which may be too scientific an approach for what Monteleone, but certainly
occurred to me as something worth developing in this story.)  On the whole
the book didn't deliver on its promise and was ultimately disappointing.

%T      The Blood of the Lamb
%A      Thomas F. Monteleone
%C      New York
%D      July 1992
%I      Tor
%O      hardback, US$21.95
%G      ISBN 0-312-85031-X
%P      420pp

Evelyn C. Leeper   |   +1 908 957 2070   |   ecl@mtgzy.att.com