The Robe Download Free (EPUB, PDF)
A Roman soldier, Marcellus, wins Christ's robe as a gambling prize. He then sets forth on a quest to find the truth about the Nazarene's robe-a quest that reaches to the very roots and heart of Christianity and is set against the vividly limned background of ancient Rome. Here is a timeless story of adventure, faith, and romance, a tale of spiritual longing and ultimate redemption.
Paperback: 528 pages
Publisher: Mariner Books; 1 edition (April 7, 1999)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0395957753
ISBN-13: 978-0395957752
Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 1.3 x 8.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (306 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #42,770 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #94 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Religious & Inspirational > Historical #1705 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Literature & Fiction #3987 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Historical
As a classic many recognize in the movie version, I'd have to say to anyone that has seen the movie and not read the book, you're missing a lot. The movie is a cheap imitation of a novel that sucks you in from page one and doesn't let go until the end. Rarely do I read a book more than once ... I have read this book several times. Some authors have the inherent ability to draw you into the world they've created. Some authors possess the uncanny talent to make you really know the characters - love them or hate them. Some authors can make you feel as though you're walking side by side with the characters, living with them and enduring their emotions, seeing the things that they see. Some authors just have IT, and Lloyd C. Douglas is one of them.The sweeping pageantry of one man's quest to find truth in a world corrupted is a quest that will stay with you long after the final page has been turned. Without giving too much away, the quick synopsis would be this: The story begins with Marcellus Gallio, the son of the rich Roman Senator Marcus Lucan Gallio, being commissioned to take command of the Roman fort at Minoa (Gaza). His trusted slave and friend, Demetrius, makes the journey with him, and they find at the fort a desolate scrap of land and a group of ruthless ruffians who don't take kindly to leadership. Marcellus takes firm control at Minoa, and it is from here that he and Demetrius end up in Jerusalem during Passover. It is at this particular Passover that Jesus is tried under Pontius Pilate and crucified. The detachment from Minoa, lead by Marcellus, is ordered to execute Jesus. During the Crucifixion, the officers get drunk to avoid the harsh reality of the task they've been assigned. They start to gamble and at one point, they gamble for Christ's robe.
I'm really torn on rating this book. Lloyd Douglas shows himself in this book to be an excellent storyteller. The first 100 or so pages of the book (out of 500) were wonderfully entertaining and carried me right along. I read snippets aloud to my husband. The characters are well-developed and engaging and are like real-live people.But once, the story got into Marcellus' interest in the Christian faith, that's when there started to be problems. I believe the Bible is the Word of God, and I do my best not to pick and choose what to obey or to explain things away. I think it is a very serious matter to add to or take away from what it says. That's one reason when researching this book that I was glad to read that Jesus was not present as a character, but learned about from others. That is slightly inaccurate, He is seen at a distance by Demetrius on Palm Sunday, and his impressions are shared, but there's no interaction. There is plenty of interaction later on with some of the disciples, and events, including miracles are described that are not mentioned in the Bible. Barnabas is portrayed extensively, and it's all speculation. And Peter seems a bit too welcoming and friendly with Gentiles based on the Biblical account. One concern is what's actually given as a positive in the Afterword, that the mental picture of the individuals in the Bible is greatly influenced by their portrayal in the story. That's a concern of mine.The robe of Jesus, won by Marcellus gambling at the foot of the cross, shows up throughout this book. The Bible tells of a woman who touched the hem of Jesus' robe and was healed. Based on this, Douglas endows the robe with healing properties after Jesus' death, like a talisman.
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