Title: I, Jetebais
Author: Robert Martin Bishop
Publisher: AuthorHouse
ISBN: 978-1-5049-8574-1
Genre: Religious Thriller
Pages: 303
Reviewed by: Tara Mcnabb
Pacific Book Review Star
Awarded to Books of Excellent Merit
Pacific Book Review
Set against the ancient backdrop of Biblical history and the tumultuous struggle between good and evil, I, Jetebais by Robert Martin Bishop is a powerful narrative which brings to the forefront basic questions about human existence. While the story features some familiar names from the Bible, the main character, Jetebais, is the center of the drama. Now a fallen angel, Jetebais was once a good apostle of faith who followed the word of God. But after being seduced by Satan and his followers, Jetebais became a lethal weapon of destruction, delighting in the suffering and manipulation of mankind. Feeling betrayed by God himself, Jetebais joins in the belief that the misery they inflict on man is the best form of revenge against a God which abandoned them long ago.
What used to be a dark form of amusement eventually turns into self-loathing and regret for the conflicted Jetebais. Growing weary of Satan’s relentless thirst for torment, he begins to see the profound consequences of their actions, and vows to make amends. But how? With Satan’s suspicious nature and fiery temper, this is easier said than done. When the possibility presents itself to dictate his crimes in secret to a simple mortal man named Paul, Jetebais jumps at the chance. What follows is an unlikely relationship that transforms both individuals in ways they never imagined.
Bishop combines important incidents of the Old Testament and Judeo-Christian literature throughout the narrative, resulting in an epic, sweeping second history of the fall of mankind. There are unexpected twists, such as a sudden jump through time to the present day. This lends the story an interesting angle that deepens the character’s motivations and heightens the stakes. Themes of forgiveness and redemption are strongly presented through Jetebais’ use of confession as catharsis. Is it possible for a tortured soul to completely free itself of guilt through disclosure, thereby finding some sort of peace? Or is true peace never really possible?
The exploration of these points are where I, Jetebais becomes an almost revolutionary text. The book does not pretend to know or preach easy answers to life’s struggles, nor offer comforting remarks on why evil exists. And in that alone lies the genius behind the fiction. Choosing to seek atonement for ones actions is a very personal journey fraught with self-doubt, fear, and mistrust. It is this experience which shape who we are, and who we become. And as I, Jetebais shows, the cleansing and redemptive power of such a quest can rival that of any evil on earth, no matter how sinister.
Fans of mythology and Christian writings will surely find something to love about Bishop’s ground-breaking saga.
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