In order to tell a more authentic story, Costain uses real characters such as Joseph of Arimithea, Luke, Peter and other Apostles as well as Nero. But I had an immensely hard time getting through it. The book was published in multiple languages including English, consists of 840 pages and is available in Paperback format. The idea is to see what the world was like that you were born into. If I weren't compulsive about finishing books I start I would have dropped it half way through. I love historical fiction and fiction about the early Church is pretty cool. Limit the size to 1000 characters. It’s about a young silversmith who agrees to make a “chalice,” or a fancy goblet, covered with figures of the apostles, to hold the simple cup that Christ supposedly drank from at the last supper. I read both books in the same summer and it is interesting to see the changing standards of popularity in the world. I found that the pervasive spirit of the chalice (the Holy Grail) gave the story a mystical quality that, although it was Christian, felt as though it was more than just the religion and touching to a truth beyond the trappings of customs. I wouldn't call this a "Christian" story, more of a historical one. We will attempt to maintain the text of the edition that we worked from, Re-read it out of curiosity, didn"t remember any of it. The plot is shifty enough to keep us caring about the main characters and their strivings to better both their temporal and spiritual selves. The book follows his meeting early Christians and at the behest of Joseph of Arimathea [sp.?] Looking forward to reading this book but I find it interesting that the description calls Luke an Apostle? If you like Th. This novel includes some biblical characters such as the apostle Peter, Luke, etc., but also historical characters, and the time period is shortly after the death of Jesus. So much information about the times--the apostles are aging men facing pers Glad I had a couple of snowy days to push hard through this book. But I had an immensely hard time getting through it. It was written 50 years before the DaVinci Code and was also about the beginnings of Christianity. Start by marking “The Silver Chalice” as Want to Read: Error rating book. Set in the time of Nero of Rome it helped me get a feel for and consider what persecution and difficulties the early Christian church faced. I am tired of standing at his door.”. This book was a pleasure to read. If we decide not to incorporate your report, we will usually These early novels were rejected by publishers. The Silver Chalice is a 1952 English language historical novel by Thomas B. Costain. Of course, we may all use our imaginations to flesh out these men (and women) from scriptural reading, but it is fun to read Costain's take on these people. have found in this book, or in the information on this page about I really enjoyed reading about the Apostles of Christ, especially how Luke was depicted, and the way the time-period was so brought to life. he fashions a silver frame for the cup from which Jesus drank at the Last Supper. Not being one to re-read any books, I read The Silver Chalice again when I was in my thirties. The casing is to be decorated with the faces of Jesus and the twelve Apostles. [Suggest a different description.]. This was a great book I read from my Grandmother's library as a kid. This was a great book that taught me about everyday life during the time of the apostles. April 1st 2006 he fashions a silver frame for the cup from which Jesus drank at the Last Supper. A couple of people suggested this book to me because it takes place in the early christian era, which is where I've been setting a lot of my fiction lately. Basil travels to Jerusalem, Greece, and Rome, meets the apostles, braves the perils of persecution, and finally ma, The colorful, passionate world of early Christianity comes to vivid life in this story of Basil of Antioch. He attended high school there at the Brantford Collegiate Institute. The story centers around the cup that Jesus drank from during the last supper and the boy who grows up to make the chalice that surrounds it. Costain used this ancient vessel as his model for this 1st century story of the earliest days of Christianity. Basil travels from Antioch to Ephesus then Rome to sculpt the faces of the apostles, which. From the nature of camels to surviving in the desert; love of arts in Greece and the personality of the emperor Nero and most of all to the spreading of Christianity. Even though it was largely through fiction, I learned about the difficulties of transitioning from pre-Christ followers-Jews-to the "new law" of Christianity. Distributed Proofreaders Canada, It is interesting in its fictionalization of the post-Resurrection depiction of Christ's apostles and followers. I want to rate this book higher because it is so well researched, and brings part of the new testament to life. The first edition of the novel was published in 1952, and was written by Thomas B. Costain. cautious, and preserve the original spelling. It centers around a marriage of convenience between the silversmith and a beautiful young woman who he doesn’t really love. If you are comparing this work you, please include your email address. A must Read One! The Silver Chalice was a top best-selling fiction title of 1953 in the United States, atop the New York Times Best Seller List from September 7, 1952 to March 8, 1953, and remaining 64 weeks on the list until October 25, 1953. As a slave, he survives by working as an artist and silversmith. Was I attracted to the romance? It's time to move on and tackle a more entertaining story. I love this kind of literature. The narration is quite excellent. The plot is shifty enough to keep us caring about the main characters and their strivings to better both their temporal and spiritual selves. The plot of The Silver Chalice centers on the Grail — the cup from which Christ drank at the Last Supper. Basil travels to Jerusalem, Greece, and Rome, meets the apostles, braves the perils of persecution, and finally makes a fateful choice that allows him to “see” Jesus to complete the chalice. The Antioch Chalice, which is judged to have been made in 350 AD, was once believed to have been the cup used at the Last Supper, later encased in a protective and decorative silver frame. The plot somehow felt wooden. Several of the apostles are still alive and preaching and it was very dangerous to be a Christian. And the school library? Read it as part of a challenge--this particular challenge was to read a book that was on the best-seller list on the year that you were born. While we strive to fix printer’s errors, many words found in our If I weren't compulsive about finishing books I start I would have dropped it half. Basil has a great gift for art which he is not allowed to use whilst working for the silversmith, having to churn out basic items ordered by customers, but as he learns the trade and how to handle silver his gift becomes known. In a round about way Joseph of Arimathea who famously gave his own tomb for Jesus to be buried in hears of his great talent and sends Luke the Apostle to find him and bring him to his home. To fulfill the commission, Basil travels throughout the ancient Mediterranean world to meet these men and those who knew them intimately. The film starred Paul Newman (who hated it), in his first studio role, as Basil the craftsman; as well as Jack Palance; Virginia Mayo; and Lorne Greene.