READ RAGE...."Pilate: A Brutal Bible Tale" by Steven Rage
by Mary on Sun Mar 16, 2008 9:28 am

This brilliant alteration of biblical accounts into a modernized tale of drugs, death and deception is not for the easily offended or faint of heart. With graphic scenes of violence, sex and torture Steven Rage has given us a view of Christ’s final days had he lived in our modern world. His unique cadence and elaborate descriptions vividly animates every aspect of his writing. Whether offended or captivated, whoever reads this book will not soon forget it.
Mary Menzel for: allthesebooks.com

Pilate: A Brutal Bible Tale

Steven Rage

Outskirts Press, Apr 2008, $12.95

ISBN: 9781432717971

The Harbor is a crime filled, drug infested place. In that environs Pilate is a notorious drug dealer working for mob kingpin Herod. Over the past few months Pilate has failed to meet his assigned quota so his superior fires him and replaces him with an even more ruthless soul. He also has Mary Magdalene murdered. Pilate brings Mary to Immanuel, whose disciples insist she is the Christ. She raises Mary from the dead and kisses Pilate resulting in his remembering his past lives.

Except for his first life, Pilate was a vampire performing evil deeds during the Inquisition; during the California Gold Rush and he feasted while the plague devastated London. He kept on making the same errors and Immanuel knows her time has arrived to fulfill her mission on earth. Will Pilate betray her as he has done when she was Jesus or will he finally learn the eternal lessons?

This is not an inspirational work nor is it blasphemous (at least in my liberal mind). The story line uses biblical villains and places them reincarnated in the present where they repeat their evil deeds as they have done often in the past, but documented two millennia ago. Immanuel and the disciples with the exception of Judas, who finally remembers his first betrayal, are treated with respect and honor in this unique religious horror thriller. Steven Rage has written an enthralling tale that brings back the time Jesus walked Israel to her walking in the present,

Harriet Klausner for AMAZON.COM


Pilate: A Brutal Bible Tale

Steven Rage

Reviewed by Ashley Merrill

Disgusting, horrific, but oddly gravitating, this story follows the betrayal of Jesus in the bible, but in a dark fashion. Portrayed in a dark, frightening place called the Harbor, this book is filled with vampires, drug lords and plata, an extremely addictive and destructive drug. The story goes step by step along similar lines of the bible story, starting with Jesus finding disciples, and encompassing a following of drug addicts that are now becoming clean. The men and vampires that base their lively hood on selling drugs to these now clean men, are angered at the fact that this holy women has such a strong pull on everyone. They will do whatever it takes to see that order is restored and that plata continues to overtake the residents of the Harbor’s lives.

Lines such as, “A plump grub dragged its bulk across the pupil of Herod’s eye. The grub disappeared around the curve, back into the dark side of the socket. The grub left a long snotty string of bloody excrement in its wake (p. 178),” is enough to make even the strongest of stomachs curl. I asked myself many times why I continued to read the story, but found that the more disgusted I was, the more curious I was as to how far the author would take me.

Steven Rage delves into the dark side of humanity. He reaches into the sick and twisted recesses of our brain and feeds it, even though we try and deny that we may actually enjoy reading what he is giving us. He does an amazing job at keeping the reader interested and repulsed. I had a permanent look of sordid wonder on my face throughout the entire story. He takes you through Jesus’ betrayal and what happens to Judas as a result of the betrayal. This is a story that you do not want to miss. It is not for the faint of heart or for people that would be offended that this story was reshaped in such a ghastly way.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is in touch with their darker side and is willing to admit that we all crave the taboo and brutal side of humanity. It is a great story with a sick twist and is highly entertaining.

Ashley Merrill for: frontstreetreviews.com

MORE on horror writer Steven Rage at: myspace.com/stevenrage. Visit today, or I shall tell the devil where ye lay....