A Cross of Centuries, Twenty-five Imaginative Tales About the Christ
edited by Michael Bishop
Thunder’s Mouth Press, $16.95, 411 pages, ISBN: 1560259264
reviewed by Barry Hunter

Timing can work out in the strangest ways. This book has been in the works for a while and the timing of its release comes when there is a cross to be borne and the presence of Christ in our lives is needed. I hope I’m not the only one that feels that way (but I only speak for myself) and I’m sure many of you understand the way that I feel.

Here are twenty-five different looks at Christ by twenty-six unique voices ranging from Ray Bradbury, Henry Kuttner, Michael Moorcock, and Oscar Wilde to Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Barry Malzberg, George Zebrowski and Michael Bishop. But to me more important than the story is the comment on each by the author and a splendid introduction by Bishop. There is also a Recommended Reading list and brief bio that only adds to the enjoyment and understanding of the collection.

Most of the stories are reprints but several are new to this anthology. The interesting thing about the stories is that they feature everything from "Jesusworld" – a theme park, a high school prom, a hitchhiker, a time traveler, and an immortal to a Greek island, a rag collector, and a novel way to bake a miracle.

This is a well done, well conceived anthology that presents a look at Christ in unusual ways. You don’t have to be of a particular faith to enjoy this. All you need is an open mind and a little time.