Vietnam Veteran

My interest in the Bible, its writers and interpreters and the author's coverage of the enigmatic Book of Revelation. Also the brief coverage of each of the ancient writings discovered at Nag Hammadi and why the early Church fathers decided to reject them.

Elaine Pagels' other books, e.g. The Gnostic Gospels and Beyond Belief. However, I think Revelations focuses more on John's writing of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, accompanied by the writer's interpretations - a little like a Bible study or a Church sermon. In Revelations, Pagels also spends a good deal of time on early Christian personalities and powerbrokers.

The voice was a little hard to take at first, but I got used to it as the book progressed. Lorna Raver speaks very distinctly and with appropriate intonation and animation. Bit croaky for my liking.

No extreme reactions!

The book provides a good, brief coverage of developments in the early Christian Church, and the powerful characters who influenced the composition (canon) of the Bible we read today.

At times I thought I'd lost my place and was rehearing material I'd already listened to, but I don't think that was the case. Often the reiteration was helpful, as there were many unfamiliar (to me) terms and acronyms. The author doesn't give acronyms without their meaning, but I find it easy to forget what acronyms stand for. Despite the repetition, usually to reemphasise or add another perspective, I found the book extremely informative, with some sections more interesting than others. It's almost a handbook of sinister developments in the world today and particularly in the USA.