The Last Temptation of Christ

By: Nikos Kazantzakis

Narrated by: Joshua Saxon

Length: 22 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's Summary

The internationally renowned novel about the life and death of Jesus Christ.

Hailed as a masterpiece by critics worldwide, The Last Temptation of Christ is a monumental reinterpretation of the Gospels that brilliantly fleshes out Christ’s Passion. This literary rendering of the life of Jesus Christ has courted controversy since its publication by depicting a Christ far more human than the one seen in the Bible. He is a figure who is gloriously divine but earthy and human, a man like any other - subject to fear, doubt, and pain.

In elegant, thoughtful prose Nikos Kazantzakis, one of the greats of modern literature, follows this Jesus as he struggles to live out God’s will for him, powerfully suggesting that it was Christ’s ultimate triumph over his flawed humanity, when he gave up the temptation to run from the cross and willingly laid down his life for mankind, that truly made him the venerable redeemer of men.

Translated by P.A. Bien

©2012 Niki Stavrou (P)2020 David N. Wilson

Critic Reviews

“Spiritual dynamite.” (San Francisco Chronicle)

Masterful performance of a masterpiece!

Joshua Saxon’s narration masterfully depicts the huge cast of characters with clarity, while keeping the story moving with perfect pacing and momentum. As compelling as he makes the plot, I found myself re-listening to several chapters before moving on, because I was so struck by the beauty of his storytelling.

The complex book itself is a revelation. It brings to life the familiar narrative in a way that gives it the gripping immediacy of a novel, bringing to life the title character in a way the Gospels do not, and perhaps should not. Even if some Christians may disagree with this picture of Christ, they can hardly fail to be moved by the vivid, flesh-and-blood humanity of this portrayal.

Disappointing and pityfull

While I admire and value Kazantzakis literary skill, I am unable to dismiss his heresy and enjoy this work. In fact, his heresy affects his development of Christ’s character, which comes off as a coward and then as someone who just is ok with his calling. There’s a big gap in Christ’s character that makes this work empty of any meaning and simply shows Kazantzaki’s undeveloped spiritual insight and even basic understanding of human character, which is in contrast with how successful he is with his characters in his Zorba the Greek work. In an attempt to portray Christ’s humanity, he has forgotten that humans also have morals and despite their struggles they have decency and kindness. So, even if one doesn’t believe in Christ’s divinity or that Christ was God in human form, one can at least accept that deep down a human (even Christ, especially Christ) is good and wins his struggles because he’s good.
I do feel pity for Kazantzaki’s failure and of course, for his heretic fall.

Absolutely mesmerizing!

Phenomenal audible book. I couldn’t stop listening. Joshua Saxon did an amazing job narrating this book. What a voice!

Amazing book. Poorly narrated

The book is amazing . A great masterpiece . Go in with an open mind and you’ll love Christ all the more. But the narrater Joshua Saxon has a bad voice for audiobooks. He sounds like a smoker trying to read out loud. Hoping someone redoes it . But the book in itself a a treasure for all time.

Beautifully Written Masterpiece Expertly Told

The Last Temptation of Christ is one of the most beautifully written books I've ever read. Having been totally blown away by it when I first read it in my early 20s, I was very excited about revisiting it in audiobook format.
The vast majority of the story is an intimate and wonderfully descriptive retelling of the story of Christ, with a slight but very interesting deviation near the end. The way Kazantzakis brings to life the Galilee and Jerusalem of Jesus's time is truly astonishing.
Joshua Saxon's superb narration is absolute perfection. I've previously listened to his excellent work in genres including scifi and horror, but this was my first experience of something more traditionally literary. This audiobook once again demonstrates that Mr Saxon, no matter the genre, is a natural storyteller. He completely understands exactly what delivery and tone is needed for each part of the story. I was particularly impressed by his performance of Judas.
This is a presentation of the upmost quality. Another gem from Crossroad Press.
Highly recommended.