Unholy Night

By: Seth Grahame-Smith

Narrated by: Peter Berkrot

Length: 9 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's summary

From the author of the New York Times best-selling Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter comes Unholy Night, the next evolution in dark historical revisionism.

They're an iconic part of history's most celebrated birth. But what do we really know about the Three Kings of the Nativity, besides the fact that they followed a star to Bethlehem bearing strange gifts? The Bible has little to say about this enigmatic trio. But leave it to Seth Grahame-Smith, the brilliant and twisted mind behind Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies to take a little mystery, bend a little history, and weave an epic tale.

In Grahame-Smith's telling, the so-called "Three Wise Men" are infamous thieves, led by the dark, murderous Balthazar. After a daring escape from Herod's prison, they stumble upon the famous manger and its newborn king. The last thing Balthazar needs is to be slowed down by young Joseph, Mary, and their infant. But when Herod's men begin to slaughter the first born in Judea, he has no choice but to help them escape to Egypt.

It's the beginning of an adventure that will see them fight the last magical creatures of the Old Testament; cross paths with biblical figures like Pontius Pilate and John the Baptist; and finally deliver them to Egypt. It may just be the greatest story never told.

©2012 Seth Grahame-Smith (P)2012 Hachette Audio

Awesome Experience!

I love this story. The actor brought each character to life and helped me to fall in love with each of them...except Herod, Pontius Pilot, and the whole Roman Empire of course!

Why hasn't this been made into a movie yet?

This was a great story! It would make a great action/adventure movie. Not to mention that the further adventures of the Antioch Ghost could produce a whole line of sequels. Someone, please buy the rights and start filming this soon!

Surprisingly wonderful story

History takes on a life of it's own as demonstrated by this story. Time changes things. Over the centuries minor insignificant characters become something much larger than life, ordinary men become heroes. The characters in this tale are well developed and ultimately human yet as we know, they have taken on a somewhat supernatural aura through the centuries. This could have happened very much like this story describes, we'll never know, but then again, maybe we will someday.

I very much enjoyed the idea that these characters taken out of context could have been much different than "history" remembers them. Tales that make you think "it could have happened" stay with me for weeks after the book is finished and this is one I will remember a long time. The author has taken a tale so well known and developed it, or perhaps unravelled it would be a better way to describe it, into a story that is both familiar and believable.

Well worth the credit.

Very respectful

I was very surprised by how respectful the author is toward the subject matter while still writing an engaging and enjoyable story

It all started with a lonely ibex in the desert...

If you could sum up Unholy Night in three words, what would they be?

Gory, Bible, Retelling

What did you like best about this story?

Yet again, Seth Grahame-Smith takes a story we all know and mashes it up with another genre. This one takes on the bible, so instead of going with the addition of the supernatural elements (already present throughout the bible), he takes 3 characters - the three wise men and tells their story in a whole different light. Well, at least one of the wise men gets his story told. These are the aspects of the story I really liked.I loved the point of view of the ibex from the beginning, middle, and end.I liked the flashbacks to Balthazar's life - his back story gave his character more depth, and I bought his questioning whether the baby with his teenaged mother was the real deal. His struggle with faith through out the story was compelling. King Herod was also well developed and pretty disgusting to think about - a great bad guy.Seth Grahame -Smith also did an excellent job setting the tone for how it must have felt living back then under the Roman Empire - the tension and the hot desert climate were like a powder keg ready to blow at any time.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

The narrator did a great job with Herod - I loved his whiny wicked voice. The rest fell a little flat though, but I liked Sela's accent.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Again, Balthazar's struggle with faith and his connection to the baby. You could see the connection a mile away - but all the chase scenes. gory fighting, and internal dialogue remind you that this is a book written to entertain you.

Any additional comments?

I love the way Seth Grahame-Smith makes sure his story and its elements come full circle. I like that in reading/listening to stories. We usually think of life as road from point A to point B and away from where we started. But I think life is much more a circle, because eventually we have to acknowledge where we have come from and the journey it takes to come back around.

nailed it

loved the story
loved the reader
great listen to one of the oldest stories ever told

Great!

Any additional comments?

I'm a big fan of the author anyway, so it should come as no surprise that I considered the story to be fantastic. Though a work of fiction, it was very well researched and based in factual biblical and canonical stories and references - a neat touch. You learned to love the unlovable character who was stuck in circumstances beyond his control. I'd recommend it to anyone, but keep an eye out for the younger readers - it's rather gory at times.

Fast paced twist on history

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Yes. I like to hear different points on history even if they are face or fiction.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

I liked that it was a play on the bible stoy but thought it was a little cheeky in the ending.

Have you listened to any of Peter Berkrot’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

He was good.

Do you think Unholy Night needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

No I believe it was a good one off. They could take on other bible story's but with different actors.

Truly a twist in a Holy time!

I was amazed by the quality of the performance, and the level of how the author placed in this book, that though it is a work of fiction it feels as if it was a hidden gem found of Jesus birth that is so incredible, that one can truly say it almost sounds real!

It was Okay

It was Okay, I am a religious person and enjoyed this story. But there just seemed to be something missing. I can't put my finger on it but I know that just a little more polishing and I would have liked it a little more. I'm not sure I could recommend it, but if someone asks about it I might tell them to just read it.