The Fire Gospel by Michael Faber

Remember The Da Vinci Code? Consider this the antidote. In The Fire Gospel Michael Faber has fun satirizing that book and its horrible ilk. His plot involves a translator called Theo Gripenkerl stumbling (almost literally) onto some ancient scrolls in Aramaic, the language he happens to be expert in, while in Iraq. This sort of luck may seem familiar to readers of bestsellers. Then the scrolls turn out to be a fifth gospel, but it’s written by a total bore, and is too short to publish by itself. Nonetheless, Theo finds a publisher who makes him pad out the text with an overdone, hysterical account of its discovery. Despite the obvious deficiencies, any news about Jesus sells, and so the book flies off the shelves. And there Grippin’s (he has to change his name) troubles begin. This is a very amusing book, for anyone who thought too much fuss was made over The Da Vinci Code or its imitators. It targets the publishing industry more than anything else, and though it’s short its worth picking up. [Keir Hind]