The other day I finally finished my bus time reading, which was rather heavy for my morning and afternoon chill sessions with my best buddies on the bus. Without giving anything away, the premise of the book is that Jesus had a twin brother Christ.

The story is typical of Philip Pullman, who is best known for the Golden Compass series, he draws heavily from religious stories, both from the bible and from other sources, but adds a little touch of fiction. In terms of readability he turns dense, repetitive material from the bible and converts it to something you actually might be able to sit down and read, in one sitting!

The Good Man and the Scoundrel is akin to the Golden Compass in more than just ease of reading. The popular interpretation of the Golden Compass is that it is a criticism of the Church. Not to be confused with religion, Pullman is a deeply religious man, and just as in the Golden Compass he uses The Good Man and the Scoundrel to lampoon the Church and what it stands for.

Unlike the Golden Compass, the hidden anti-church agenda is not so much hidden as it is a folding chair to the back of the head. The character roles and their relation to his overall opinions of the church are more than blatant, to the point of acknowledgment.

It only took a few chapters to realize how the book was going to end, between the familiar content and obvious message. However, their is a twist, and it is the most pleasing type of twist. I like reading the last chapter of the book and thinking,  ”Wow that wasn’t what I expected, and it fit, cool!” but at the end of Pullmans book I found myself thinking, “Snaps, Philip you are such a beast of an author!” Suffice it to say the ending is extremely satisfying and thought provoking. This book is a great read, regardless of your political or religious views it presents some provoking arguments in an interesting medium.