Customer Reviews

Mark's Story: The Gospel According to Peter (Jesus Chronicles (Putnam))

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

These authors have written better, case in point, John's Story. In Mark's Story, the characters have stilted King Jame-esque speech. In order to draw the reader in, they need to be believeable. This is the Most Amazing Story Ever Told, yet LaHaye and Jenkins have managed to alienate their audience with (admittedly poetic) King James text and one dimension characters.

Save your money, buy it used, or better yet, wait for the library copy.

I have read a number of Christian books including the Left Behind series by these same authors. I greatly enjoyed that series and I was hopeful when I saw Mark's Story on the bookshelf.

If you have ever been disappointed in a movie that was hyped to be especially good, or one by a known director or star whose work you always liked, you will understand my disappointment in this book. I really wanted to like this book and I kept waiting for it to get good. The story opens just before the Last Supper and basically a somewhat paraphrased version of the gospel accounts. I had hoped that after crucifixion, resurrection and ascension the story would get some meat on it. The characters never developed into real people and the writing and description of events is much like reading a news story. The characters are one dimensional and the dialogue is stiff. Much of the dialogue is simple direct quoting of scripture. Stephan's speech before the Sanhedrin is quoted in full and Peter's trip to Cornelius's home are simply taken from scripture.

I read The Apostle by John Pollock and felt that through the author's ability to interweave history, scripture, tradition, custom and depth of characters, I was able to almost know the Apostle Paul and I definitely gained knowledge and appreciation of that great mans work and sacrifice. Unfortunately after reading Mark's Story I found out nothing that isn't readily available in scripture or known tradition. The authors offered nothing that added any insight to any characters or events.

The book is about 300 pages long. Approximately the first 50 are a paraphrase of the Crucifixion and resurrection. The next 50 or so pages are a paraphrase of the first part of Acts. Much of the next 150 pages are a blending of paraphrase of scripture and undeveloped characters. The last 60 pages are simple the gospel of Mark and the epistles of Peter printed word for work from the New King James Bible.

The writing seems to aimed at about a fourth grade level of reading ability and intelligence and appears to be about a middle school level of writing ability. I feel like I got ripped off by the authors of this book. They could have taken their talent and made a good historical novel giving the reader insight into the people and times of the early church, instead all we get as a pedestrian paraphrase of scripture and tradition.

This book follows the life of John Mark, most commonly called Mark, from the time he is 16 until his death. The book actually starts during Passover of the year that Jesus dies and is resurrected. We get to see the birth of the early church, Mark's various journeys, and his conversations with Peter that formed the basis of the Gospel that bears his name.

Oh, that I had actually liked the book.

Actually, there was one part I did like. The parts about the crucifixion and resurrection were good. In fact, they moved me to tears at a couple of points.

Unfortunately, that was the early part of the book and it went downhill from there.

The book suffered from several problems. Firstly, there is hardly any plot. This is a fictional biography based on the brief mentions of Mark we get in the Bible and tradition handed down from the early church. That's fine, except there is no overall story. And the points that couple have had some tension to them, like Mark leaving Paul during his first journey, as all but glossed over.

The characters are mostly flat. Paul has the most personality, followed by Peter. Mark is little more than cardboard. And it goes downhill from there.

Finally, large passages of the book are nothing but quotes from the New Testament with the pronouns changed. It becomes laughable when the characters are talking in simple sentences one minute and in New King James (at least that's my guess) the next. Almost all of Mark shows up at some point, which makes it rather funny that it and first and second Peter are included in the appendix. I regularly read the Bible, but that's not what I want when I sit down with fiction.

I actually listened to the unabridged audio as narrated by Robertson Dean. He did a great job reading it. I just wish there had been more for him to work from.

Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins should be ashamed of releasing this "novel." You'll be better served by spending this time studying the Bible for yourself.

Mark was not one of the twelve disciples but he was a friend of Peter and it was at his home that the Last Supper was served. He isn't sure that Jesus is the Messiah at first but senses there is something special about Jesus. He hears the prophecies Christ predicts before his death and sees them all come true. After the Crucifixion, he learns that many have seen Jesus and when he sees him as well he is convinced that he is looking at the Son of God.

He wants to preach and be part of the ministry but he is still too young and has much to learn. The twelve disciples were given powers to heal and they start preaching the ministry begins to grow. One of his most bitter enemies Saul of Taurus claims he heard Christ speak from heaven. A schism arose in the ministry when gentiles become Christ followers and did not have to adhere to law. Mark finally accompanied Peter to Rome where the believers were growing at an amazing rate. The more Nero tried to snuff it out, the more believers listened to the preaching of Mark and Peter. Mark writes the stories that Peter told him of Christ and it becomes one of the gospels. After Peter, his wife and Paul were executed, God sends Mark to Alexandra to start up a new church.

Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins writes so that readers can understand the preaching of Christ, how the church spread and the terrors believers had to endure because they were considered enemies of the state. These talented writers chronicle Mark's belief as he and others perform heroic deeds in a dangerous atmosphere that in many ways will remind the audience of what is happening to day in Myramer. Readers well feel love, heartache and hope as they read this special tale based on the Word.

Harriet Klausner

. . . from the authors of "John's Story".

Again, a caveat, because it seems as though every time I write something critical about LaHaye or Jenkins I get bashed as some sort of anti-Christian kook -- and nothing is further from the truth. I am a devout Christian; most would consider me rather conservative; and I have served in Christian education and ministry for many years. My dislike for the writing of these two individuals has nothing to do with my own personal relationship with Jesus -- and everything to do with bad writing and worse theology. The only reason I deal with this c**p at all is due to the numbers of students I teach who seem to think that LaHaye and Jenkins and their writings represent traditional, historic Christianity -- and this is simply not the case.

First, the good bits: (and yes, I have some good bits to say!)

The quality of the writing has improved significantly since "John's Story". It still does not approach quality writing, but is an improvement.

The depth of the characters and the quality of the storytelling has also improved. No Pulitzer Prize here -- but certainly an improvement.

The "padding" is greatly reduced. One of my criticisms from "John's Story" is that so much of the book was devoted to merely reproducing the Johannine Corpus directly from Scripture. While "Mark's Story" is about the same length as "John's Story" and while the Gospel According to Mark is appended, Mark's Gospel is so much shorter.

Why only a single star?

Because even with the improvements, "Mark's Story" barely -- BARELY -- rises to the level of "light reading". I'm not trying to be mean or ugly here -- but there's more challenge in "Little House On The Prairie"! This is supposed to be a book for adults -- and I have elementary-aged children who would yawn through it.

Even with the improved character development, much of the dialog (like both "Kingdom Come" and "John's Story" involves persons essentially reciting Scripture passages at each other. There is a clear difference between the written word and the spoken word -- but not here!

Finally, and for me, as an historian, this is the most serious. I have been following LaHaye's writing for more than 25 years. In his theology and his eschatology, he has demonstrated over and over again that he is a hard-line, Bible-only, (rabid) anti-Catholic fundamentalist. On one level, I suppose, that's fine -- it's his cup of tea (certainly not mine!) On another level, however, for someone to take the positions he has consistently taken over the years, for him to write a book like "Mark's Story" in which much of the content is based NOT on Scripture, but rather on Church History and Tradition (CATHOLIC) Tradition, is fundamentally dishonest. Examples:

1) The idea that Peter was in Rome. While the enormous majority of Christians -- Catholics, Orthodox, and Protestants -- accept this historical tradition, fundamentalists have long and loudly argued this point, as they claim no direct Scriptural basis. Yet here we see Peter in Rome!

2) The tradition that Peter died by crucifixion in Rome is rejected by many fundamentalists. Yet LaHaye not only accepts the tradition -- but also the very Catholic belief that Peter was crucified (at his own request) head-downward.

3) The idea that Mark became the leader of the Church in Alexandria. Again, a tradition not found in Scripture -- but held as true, based on the testimony of Church History and Tradition! Catholic Tradition!

4) Fundamentalists typically are cessationists -- namely, they believe that the manifestations of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit ended with the Apostles. Yet upon Mark's arrival in Alexandria -- AFTER the death of Peter -- he immediately heals an injured man.

Other examples could be given; these are presented for brevity. My question: What IS LaHaye and what DOES he believe? He is obviously using CATHOLIC primary and secondary source material to market a book directly mainly at evangelical and fundamentalist Protestants. WHY? Does he believe these traditions? If so, many of his fellow fundamentalists would shudder! If not, WHY IS HE PRESENTING THEM?

If someone is truly interested in the Early Church, there is much primary source material available -- in English -- which would slake that interest.

But give this stuff a miss.

I picked up this book for a steal not really knowing anything about the series. I found it very helpful to see through the eyes of Mark John, the true human perspective of how it must have felt to live and believe in Jesus back in the day. The history, landscape, personalities of the charactors in the book and of the Bible were very encouraging in my personal walk with the Lord. Just feeling what the early church went through, and also as a blood born Jew, I could sympathize with Peter, yet agree with Mark and Paul for standing for the truth of the Gospel in spite of the consequences. All writings are upheld by scripture. Good read for the beginner Christian or older, alike.

In this interesting book, Christian authors Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins take the Biblical story of the death of Christ and the birth of Christianity, and retell it from the viewpoint of John Mark, friend of Simon Peter and author of the second Gospel. Everything is covered here, from the Last Supper, through the death of our Lord, the arrival of the Apostle Paul, and ending with the deaths of the Apostle Peter and his wife in Rome.

Now, as has been already noted, this book relies heavily on the Biblical account, and does not go far beyond it. Indeed, even the extra-Biblical history, such as the death of Peter, is not embellished on. This means that anyone who has been a believer for a while will find that the story does not say anything that he or she didn't already know.

But, that said, I did find this to be a well-written and uplifting book. I enjoyed reading the old familiar story, as seen from a new angle. I really enjoyed this interesting book, and don't hesitate to recommend it.

I love this story. LaHaye and Jenkins have continued their ability to bring fact and fiction together, with the same gripping style that pulls you right in. This book, as well as the Left Behind series and John's Story, are easy to read and easy to grasp. They will all give you a better understanding of how each of the individuals involved impacted those around them and how JESUS and GOD affected their lives. If you enjoyed Left Behind books, you will love this book. It makes a big difference, when hearing GOD's word or reading the Bible, to really understand how those who wrote those events came to prominence in their own time and why their "Books" carried such weight in the Bible and have spread to all corners of the earth. Worth every cent, and more.

I bought this book for my friend and she was very happy with it. It was purchased through Amazon. It arrived quickly.

This is an awsome book. Reading the bible is so hard as it takes forever to understand it. This makes it easy to understand and is written in the form of a novel so it holds your interest. I recommend this book and all of the Tim Lahaye and Jerry Jenkins books. The series End Times is extrememly good reading. Jeanette