My Name Was Judas — C.K. Stead

We all know the story of Jesus told by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, but what about the version according to Judas?

Judas's name became synonymous with betrayer, but is that how he saw himself? In this witty, original and teasingly controversial account, some forty years after the death of Jesus, Judas finally tells the story as he remembers it.

Looking back on his childhood and youth from an old age the gospel writers denied him, Judas recalls his friendship with Jesus; their schooling together; their families; the people who would go on to be disciples and followers; their journeys together and their dealings with the powers of Rome and the Temple. His is a story of friendship and rivalry, of a time of uncertainty and enquiry, a testing of belief, endurance and loyalty.

With his richly painted backdrop of ancient Palestine, Stead goes beyond the boundaries of the story known to us all and convincingly enters the mind of one of its key players. This bold novel, with its wonderfully clear narrative prose, is fresh, provocative and compelling.