Behold the Man — Michael Moorcock

Moorcock's 1969 novel took many by surprise. Karl Glogauer is a going-nowhere guy struggling with his life and faith. A chance meeting with a physics professor gives Karl the opportunity to take a one-way trip to Palestine in 29 C.E. There he meets Jesus, who turns out to be vastly different from how history has portrayed him -- he's little more than an imbecile who can barely speak his name. Disillusioned, Karl decides to step in and assume the role of messiah to the lethal end. Pretty heavy stuff.—Michael Rogers