Lazarus, Man

I read Chapter 1-13
Terrific writing, it held me engrossed all the way, often in tears.
You have a strong narrative voice and you set the scene very skillfully: I could picture the people and Jerusalem, Golgotha, the desert, the coast of the Dead Sea etc. Your way of story telling has great impact. I know of Jesus bringing Lazarus back from the dead and then of Jesus' trial and cruxificion, but I have never heard of Lazarus' life afterwards...it feel very authentic and I wonder if made it up or whether there is some reference to his later life in the bible.
I've given this 6 stars and when I eventually have a space on my shelf I shall back it (I have a backlog at the moment, so it will be awhile.) I wish you all the best with this story, I'm sure it will be a success.
Cherry
The Girl from Ithaca

{Lazarus, Man} - Scott Toney

Today I thought I'd try out something new... and, feeling like a bit of 'Scott Toney brilliance', I clicked into 'Lazarus, Man'.

This is a terrific start and I absolutely love the crisp, fast-paced, dark beginning... You set the scene perfectly and woww I'm really excited because some of the images remind me of things in 'The Awakening'. I think you'll know what I mean! 'He tried to move but found he could not...' this reminded me of 'Black Pearl Tears' and how the mystical figure is prevented from touching the lost child lol.

Anyway, you're a master and I'm so excited that, after I finish 'The Ark of Humanity', I have two other 'Scott books' to indulge in :) Reading your books is like eating amazing, delicious chocolate cake. Simply, you can't get enough.

Cara

Scott you are a genius. This is exciting! I woke up this morning wrapped in sheets from a bad dream. I thought I was Scrooge. But lo, here is a rich and skillfully written book about Lazarus. I have to say that there are many who would love to see that scene. I am definitely going to ask God for a playback on that one! But this book takes us through the events after Lazarus’ rising from the grave and his feelings of being lost, disoriented perhaps. This bring a very human aspect to the miracle and I like how you convey his bewilderment in the first and second chapters. As he greets the crowd, my heart raced as he introduced himself. ‘I am Lazarus who Jesus raised from the tomb. These are my lands.’

High stars without hesitation. Prayers for publication in His time. Claire ~ Chasing Pharaohs.

Scott,
WOW! This is an amazing piece! After just the opening two lines, I was absolutely compelled to read on. I love the premise... through the eyes of Lazarus; and your writing style beautifully takes it all the such higher ground. I love the line: "Earth caved in about him as he rose from the grave..." I think it actually gave me chills! This is truly amazing work. I will be back to finish what you have posted and look forward to the completion of this piece.
All the very best,
Faith Rose
Now To Him

I read Chapter 1-13
Terrific writing, it held me engrossed all the way, often in tears.
You have a strong narrative voice and you set the scene very skillfully: I could picture the people and Jerusalem, Golgotha, the desert, the coast of the Dead Sea etc. Your way of story telling has great impact. I know of Jesus bringing Lazarus back from the dead and then of Jesus' trial and cruxificion, but I have never heard of Lazarus' life afterwards...it feel very authentic and I wonder if made it up or whether there is some reference to his later life in the bible.
I've given this 6 stars and when I eventually have a space on my shelf I shall back it (I have a backlog at the moment, so it will be awhile.) I wish you all the best with this story, I'm sure it will be a success.
Cherry
The Girl from Ithaca

Scott, I loved the pace of this book. You have a good narrative voice for this book and of course this genre. I think you have found your niche and you execute it so well. I like the way you move the book along on the crest of a wave and when you feel it falling off you put your descriptive narrative voice on once more and the book restores its direction. That is intelligent writing at its best. i think the pace matches this book too. I see good things in store for this book and I wish you luck. High score.
Sean Connolly. British Army on the Rampage. (B.A.O.R) Please consider me for a read or watch list wont you?? Many thanks. Sean

This is an amazing account of one of Jesus Christ's great miracles. The scene is described really well and reminds the reader of the enormous miracle that Jesus is performing here. It is interesting to take a look from the perspective of Lazarus. I have only one suggestion....when the smell of the earth is mentioned, the smell of rotting flesh could also be mentioned to add more impact to the miracle.
You may easily disregard this as I see you have an entire quiver of books here and are quite an established author.
Awesome stuff!

Gary

Enterprising approach to a Christian themed fiction that is sparky and engaging throughout its opening chapters. Plenty of action development and character challenges makes this a very readable novel. Highly starred.

Clive Radford
Doghouse Blues

I love the start of this book, but read this and see if you would not change some of your wording. "Jewish Burial

The New Testament is very clear that the burial of Christ followed the customs of the Jews.

In preparing a body for burial, the Jews would place it on a stone table in the burial chamber. The body would first be washed with warm water. (http://www.barr-family.com/godsword/burial.htm)

It was the custom, as verified in the New Testament, to prepare the corpse (after cleansing) with various types of aromatic spices.

In the case of Christ's burial, 75 pounds of spices were used. One might regard this as substantial, but it was no great amount for a leader. For example, Gamaliel, grandson of the distinguished Jewish scholar Hillel, also was a contemporary of Jesus. Saul of Tarsus studied under him. When Gamaliel died, 86 pounds of spices were used in his burial. Josephus, the Jewish historian, records that when Herod died, it required 500 servants to carry the spices for his body, So the 75 pounds for Jesus was not at all unusual.

After all the members of the body were straightened, the corpse was clothed in grave vestments made out of white linen. There could not be the slightest ornamentation or stain on the cloth. The grave linens were sewn together by women. No knots were permitted. For some this was to indicate that the mind of the dead was "disentangled of the cares of this life". To others, it indicated the continuity of the soul through eternity. No individual could be buried in fewer than three separate garments.

At this point, the aromatic spices, composed of a fragrant wood powdered into a dust known as aloes, were mixed with a gummy substance known as myrrh. Starting at the feet, they would wrap to the armpits, put the arms down, then wrap to the neck. A separate piece was wrapped around the head. I would estimate an encasement weighing a total of between 92 and 95 pounds.

John Chrysostom, in the fourth century A.D., commented that "the myrrh used was a drug which adheres so closely to the body that the graveclothes could not easily be removed."

Hope this helps.

" I do not care for my life, but the least i can do is help others, if i must live."
Dear Scott,
Lazarus is one of my favourite Bible stories, however, i have never read anything about his life after Jesus resuscitated him. Your book "Lazarus, Man" is a revelation. I so enjoyed reading it. I enjoyed reading "The Ark of Humanity" and this one was just as powerful and profound. Thanks for writing it. :)
Six stars and on my shelf.
Maria
The Path to Survival

Its a really solid start for a novel. well written and clean. However, I have to agree with Biblesleuth. I am a total buff for Biblical archaeology and history. I read and watch everything I can get my hands on. Just going back over the same old script written by men who didn't even know Jesus is selling yourself short. Throwing the untainted historical Jesus into the beautiful framework you have right now would create a mind-blowing dynamic novel which would do the world a favor to get published. Please just do me a favor and read everything you can find on the historical Jesus, especially the connections between the Sicarri, the Zealots, the Essenes, the tensions between Temple Priesthood pushed into place by the Herod regime and the freedom fighters, the incredible level of violence in the Holy Land at that time, and the total vicious barbarity of the Roman Occupiers, the fact that Pilate was a ruthless and violent man that died in disgrace in Rome, and the determination of the Roman state to crush the Jewish Rebellion fermenting in the region. I would strongly suggest watching all the 'Naked Archaeologist' you can, or any documentary involving Simcha Jacobovic

Hi Scott,
I decided to review this book since I realized I had already read and loved your current one. :)

I liked the fact that in this book, we get a fresh take on a well-known Bible story. It feels real, and the questions Lazarus asks are likely questions anyone in his position would ask. The only thing I felt was a little off for me was the dialogue; it felt a little stilted or forced. But that is the only real critique I can make. :)

Congrats on producing another great book. I hope it continues to do well.

Best,
Dyane
The Purple Morrow

Hi Scott,
This is certainly a well-written piece, and you keep the action moving at a good pace. Personally, I do tend to agree with Katie that your presentation of Jesus is a bit "cheesy," and in my opinion this makes this more of a "Christian-bookstore novel" than a historical novel. I am just saying that I had hoped Jesus would be portrayed in a more realistic, human way, but there is certainly a market for this perspective, and i wish you the best of luck with it.
But moving along, my main comment for this book is that--for all the people who loved it--I think that some research will show you that you are in error about your understanding of Jewish burial practices during the Second Temple period. That is, the references in chapters one and two to Lazurus emerging from the "soil" would not have been the case, for the Jews did not bury their dead underground. (Unless, as was almost the case with Jesus, they are too poor to afford a proper tomb.) Instead, the washed and wrapped body is placed on a shelf inside the tomb, the tomb is sealed, and the body is left to rot down to bare bones. ("But Lord, his body will stink, for it has been four days!") This practice is also evident in the details of Jesus' resurrection, with, inside the tomb, the cloth that covered Jesus' head "still lying there in its place." In any case, after a few years the tomb was re-entered, and the fleshless bones we're gathered together and placed in an ossuary, or bone box. This was done to make room on the shelves for more bodies, as tomb space, particularly around cities like Jerusalem, was at a premium.
So there you go. Please let me know if your research corroborates my suggestion, but as it stands now I think this is an oversight that really needs to be addressed.
Respectfully,
Eric
The Second Symbol

Hi Scott, I really like your idea and the way you set the scene is nicely atmospheric. I love how you start with Lazarus become awake again, still in the ground. The first few paragraphs are excellent. Would you forgive me, however, for saying that the way you introduce Christ feels a bit cheesy to me though? Obviously I know this is just the opinion of one person and there will be countless others who like what you've done, but I feel you go too fast and too cliched into the portrayal of Christ. A more human aspect of him needed? To say 'how could we doubt you are the son of God' on the first page is just too much and reversed my initial feelings of your work because it turned it into a preach rather than a novel. Maybe just pull back the reigns a bit? However, as I said, I love the theme and think this will go far. Good luck.
Katie Ridley, 'The Last Message'. x

Historical accuracy: It was Mary Magdalene who anointed Jesus’s feet, not Mary the sister of Lazarus.

Hannah, I want to say right off the bat that I really appreciate your time and comment. The fact that you came to read my work means a lot to me and I take your advice seriously. I wanted to say here though that it was, in fact, Mary of Bethany, Lazarus' sister, that washed Jesus' feet. I have spent the morning re-varifying that and it was definutely her.

Have a wonderful day and thanks so much for reading and commenting!

- Scott, Lazarus, Man

Hi, Scott! I promised several months ago to read your "Ark of Humanity", but since it's reached the Ed's desk, I thought I'd comment on one of yours that are still rising.
They is really interesting, and I like your colorful style of writing. Your engaging storytelling draws the reader in well, and I ended up doing two chapters instead of one. And then I saw some oopses, and spent tons of time on it. I know how hard it is to hear the words "plot mistake", and if you want, I can delete the next section of the comment once you've read it. But there are some accuracy problems--which should be fairly easily fixed--that I felt bad having to point out. You've got a good bit more studying to do.

Chapter one: It is customary to capitalize pronouns that refer to God.

Chapter two: “Six days before Passover”: Add a comma after Passover.
“Martha spoke as she entered”: typically “spoke” instead of “said” is used before a quotation, not after. Said would be fine here.
“loafs”: correct spelling is “loaves” unless it is used in the sense of “he just loafs around all day”.
Historical accuracy: Jesus and His disciples were too poor to ride camels. They usually walked.
“What a miracle…”: This type of phrase is followed by an exclamation point, even when there are other words in between.
Historical accuracy: It was Mary Magdalene who anointed Jesus’s feet, not Mary the sister of Lazarus. The host at the place (one Simon) had not washed the visitors’ feet, an outright insult in those days of sandals and dust roads. Lazarus was present at the anointing of Jesus’s feet, so you could probably keep the exchange—just move it/edit it.
“went to leave the room”: oh, grammar alarms sounding! “went out” or “rose to leave” or something else of the sort.
“Let her keep it for the day of my burial…” A closer representation would be, “She has done this for my burial”
It looks like you read the account only in John. The same story is told in Matthew 26, Mark 14, and Luke 7.
“They silenced when…”: People don’t “silence”; they get quiet, or silence each other.

Hope this helps!
~Hannah ("Rosalia"/ "Carolina and Hubert")

I read through your creative story on Lazarus, and loved how you captured his perspective in such a beautiful, moving style. The mood of the book is so clearly demonstrated in your use of imagery and in your themes included in the book of life and death and light and dark.

Historically, your descriptions are an accurate reflection of the time period. There seem to be few if not any errors in your work. Lots of stars! Kara

A Gate Called Beautiful

I like the new cover.
:)

I look forward to rereading this fantastic story. Great cover! I like it a lot :)
Donna :)
No Kiss Good-bye

Hi Scott,
I read the first half of Lazarus Man today.
Once again I am awed by your talent. I did not know much about Lazarus (besides the being raised from the dead) so the story was an interesting look at how the God pushed him to his purpose.
Very Impressive!
Mindy

Hi Scott; I must congratulate you on an engrossing start to your book. This was so good that It felt like the script for a Charlton Heston biblical blockbuster. The pace of your writing is perfect, easy to follow even though the subject matter is quite deep. The precision of your writing is impressive. I feel your work could be read and appreciated by many different age groups as it is truly universal in the real meaning of the word.
Well done and keep up the top notch work.
RMA
The Snow Lily
Sea Spray and Stars

{Lazarus, Man} – Scott Toney
Chapter 5:
The beginning of this chapter was just as powerful as the ending of the last, and what I particularly enjoyed reading about was Lazarus’ thoughts: how the darkness reminded him of the time before his resurrection. You made me think about what it would like to die and come back again… such a fascinating topic.

I was touched by Lazarus when he showed compassion for the soldier, and that is a beautiful message you pass on to readers – ‘love our enemies even when they strike against us.’ I thought back to ‘The Ark of Humanity’ and the way you portray how even ‘good’, pure souls can be corrupted by feelings such as vengeance. Indeed, the only answer is to love.

When Lazarus comes by the tomb at the end of the chapter, you bring the reader full circle; back to his thoughts, and back to his questioning. The way you portrayed emotion here, and the bitter emptiness, touched me. Particularly the last line ‘He moved through the emptiness of the world.’ You command words with skillful mastery, this was truly chilling!

Your fan :)
Cara

{Lazarus, Man} – Scott Toney
Chapter 4:
Wow this was a powerful chapter. You describe the crucifixion with burning, vivid clarity. I felt as though I was there in the crowd, witnessing for myself. I was captivated throughout the chapter… your words made the scene so alive.

What I also particularly like is the portrayal from Lazarus’ perspective. The ending was gripping, when Lazarus is questioning God over the suffering of Jesus, and pondering his own reason to life. The hook at the end… literally pulled me on to the next :)

I had my ‘editing hat’ on when I started, and in the first para picked up that you say ‘position..’ twice, so it is a touch repetitive. I thought I was in a nitpicky mood… but then after the second paragraph, I was so immersed in your tale.

Amazing! Have a terrific day!
Cara

why no long pitch here? it deserves one! maybe it is under edit! you are a prolific and talented writer. you have told this story well. after being in israel, i can picture it all much better.
j
what every woman should know

{Lazarus, Man} – Scott Toney
Chapters 2 and 3:
Scott,
How delighted I am that I have more of your work to read, after finishing ‘The Ark of Humanity’!

I have continued reading Lazarus, Man, and am enjoying your portrayal of this story. I particularly like the perspective of Lazarus, and the struggle he faces – both internally as he ponders ‘Why bring me back from the dead, Lord, and then take back what you have given?’ and physically, as he is forced into hiding so as not be crucified alongside Jesus. I look forward to seeing how you will tell this story!

I also loved Lazarus’ determination at the end of chapter 3; ‘determined to help Jesus in some way.’ Excellent stuff! :) Have a terrific day!
Cara
p.s. I’m so excited that you finished reading ‘Dawn of Destruction’! I’m also glad you enjoyed my ‘extras’ – I didn’t realize I had them in the document I sent you! They were just random scenes I didn’t really want to delete as I was nonetheless editing and sharpening the rest of the manuscript!
p.p.s. Thank you so much again for all your support, and again, have an amazing day :)

Ahh, very refreshingly easy to follow compared to the Arc of Humanity - at least for me. Up to chap. 4, and like to continue tomorrow. I have Lazarus in my book too, somwhere at the middle and near the end. I used him differently however, unless the end of your book coincides with mine. I feel he was a parabolic illustration that no man can make a free will decision to accept Christ. If one is 'dead' in one's sins before salvation, a dead thing or a dead man can do nothing by himself, as we know Lazarus could not of himself come out of the grave when he was 'first' called.
George

{Lazarus, Man} - Scott Toney

Today I thought I'd try out something new... and, feeling like a bit of 'Scott Toney brilliance', I clicked into 'Lazarus, Man'.

This is a terrific start and I absolutely love the crisp, fast-paced, dark beginning... You set the scene perfectly and woww I'm really excited because some of the images remind me of things in 'The Awakening'. I think you'll know what I mean! 'He tried to move but found he could not...' this reminded me of 'Black Pearl Tears' and how the mystical figure is prevented from touching the lost child lol.

Anyway, you're a master and I'm so excited that, after I finish 'The Ark of Humanity', I have two other 'Scott books' to indulge in :) Reading your books is like eating amazing, delicious chocolate cake. Simply, you can't get enough.

Cara

What an imagiantion and your style of creatinng the stmosohere is great. Good reading, will make a great movie. Anyhow would that raise any issue from chaurche i wonder!

Do your long pitch, anyway it would not matter as much now. I will, continue reading it. Highly rated.

Hi, Scott – I’m a sucker for stories about Biblical characters, so I’ve wanted to read this for a while. As you may know, I am accompanied on my reviews by my English teacher alter-ego, The Grammar Hag. Whatever you don’t agree with was likely her doing.

I love the beginning. When Lazarus thinks to himself, “Jesus,” I chucked because I knew he was actually seeing Christ and not cursing. I don’t know if you did it on purpose, but it has a way of assuring us we are reading the work of a Christian writer.

The Hag thinks you should revise the last line of chapter 1: “…headed to his room, lay down on his bed, closed his eyes, and gave in to the darkness and rest.”

Course wood should be coarse wood. I’m guessing you haven’t had much time for line-edits, what with having a book on the desk. I’m amazed at the amount of work involved once a writer hits the top 20.

I’m so caught up in the story that I’m not critting any longer. You’ve woven another remarkable story here. Well done!

Hope this one is as successful as the other (=:
~AudreyB
Forgiveness Fits

Scott,
This is great stuff. I loved Lazarus's confused and compassionate character; no doubt he's forever changed by the miracle that has been done to him. I liked the crucifixion scene, a vivid scene, as told from the POV of Lazarus. You write in an unassuming and humble style that does not get in the way of the plot or the characters. That is hard to do. I compliment you on your hard work and dedication to your craft. I am touched by this man, and I think you have a solid audience out there who will enjoy this story immensely. Keep up the great writing and thanks again. God bless,

Sam Cronin
Mule

Scott,
Well done with the opening chapters! This story is easy to read, a solid tempo with a conversational, unassuming prose that doesn't constrict the plot. That takes a terrific amount of skill. I like how you've painted Lazarus's character as one confused and compassionate, no doubt affected by the miracle that was done to him. I thought the crucifixion was poignantly vivid, and fresh, as told from Lazarus's angle. Your writing is filled with humility, and humility is very attractive to a reader. I compliment you on your work. Keep up the good work and thanks for sharing your work!

Sam Cronin

Scott, just finished all the chapters. It is a marvelous story, with powerful physical descriptions with even a more powerful message of a man's inner transformation and purpose. It is magnificent! Great pace, written in an easy to read flow.
T. Donna Robison
(No Kiss Good-bye)

The second book you authored that takes my breath away!
T. Donna Robison (No Kiss Good-bye)

Here’s the rest of my comments/suggestions for you, Scott. Well done! I hope to see it in print as well!

14
- The sun baked his exposed flesh as he held the baby tight. … At times the baby boy had awoken and cried, but Lazarus was able to sooth [soothe];
- As he opened his eyes sunlight burned into them, blinding him with light. [maybe ‘with light’ is not needed here];
- His skin was so dry. Is this really John? … Lazarus held his sun burned hand [sunburned hand];
- She has such a beautiful smile. How amazing is it that John had a midwife in his caravan? [consider, ‘How amazing it is that John had a midwife in his caravan!’];
- John waded out into the gentle river and Lazarus followed him. … As Lazarus neared John the man came to him [‘the man’ is a bit confusing here – for a moment I thought that another man came to the river; maybe it needs rephrasing];
- Lazarus took John’s hand firmly and then clasped … in the short time since we’ve met.” [since we met.”];
- Lazarus kneeled near the basket and kissed the baby’s forehead that he had rescued. [consider ‘the rescued baby’s forehead’ otherwise it sounds a bit awkward].


15
- The caravan entered Antioch’s main thoroughfare as a crowd thronged its market. … Then, suddenly, Lazarus heard the cry. [‘the cry’ or ‘a cry’?];
- At this John called for the caravan to halt and stood in their cart. … And I bring you great news of Jesus the Christ’s [is ‘the’ necessary after ‘Jesus’?];
- The man with the bread basket stood next to their cart. “I have never been baptized. I believe that Jesus was our Lord’s son. Would you baptize me?” [maybe reverse the sentences here, “I believe that Jesus was our Lord’s son, but I have never been baptized. Would you baptize me?”];
- As John baptized and spoke with members of the crowd Lazarus … Once they are alerted of our presence then surely they will be upon us. [perhaps you don’t need ‘then’ here as you use it once more in the same paragraph];
- “I will see what I can do. I’ll return shortly.” … “Excuse me sir, [“Excuse me, sir,];
- After a moment’s hesitation the beggar stood and … in the direction he was lead. [led].
16
- Lazarus breathed deeply. It was a breath of purpose … “I can think of no better time then now [than now];
- The dirt road they walked wove up [weaved up; you’d better consult a native speaker here but I’m pretty sure that’s how it should be];
- “I love you both so much. I wanted to return to you in Bethany but could not for fear for my life.” [perhaps better, ‘for fear of my life’].

Kindest regards,
Ivan

Hi Scott, this is a terrific start. The writing draws one in immediately; you can feel the entombment. Nice echo of the bible with the theme of light and dark. (light shone in the dark, but the darkness did not know it/John). Good luck with it. My backing. Malve (Falconello)

Scott, you have another amazing book here.
The way you left the pitch short, because it said a lot in just that.
Also the idea of telling of Lazarus is really great. It is different! I never really stopped to think, what was Lazarus like after coming back to life. He knew he was risen from the dead, but then what? This is a good idea for a book.
You did a good job writing it too.
Super job!

Shelby Z./Driving Winds

Dear Scott,

I have had a chance only to look through your book and I liked it. That is a great theme that you have picked. I hope it will make to the top of the list. I will try to read all the book. Blessings!

With each chapter I'm falling in love with "Lazarus, Man" more and more. Chapter 12 is very, very beautiful. I look forward to reading the continuation.

A few suggestions for you:
Chapter 11
- “Barbacus!” Lazarus shouted as he neared land. … THUMP! his boat ran [perhaps ‘His boat …’ - capitalized];
- It’s as if they’ve vanished. … I will leave the bags for them incase they return. [in case];
- I am alone. Lazarus opened his eyes and stood as a tear raced down his face. “Why Lord? [not sure here, but maybe this should go with a comma: “Why, Lord?…”].

Chapter 12:
- Baah, a sheep sounded nearby … [perhaps it’s ok; consider ‘…a sheep bleated nearby…’];
- “These sheep,” Jesus motioned … Sheppard over them [I believe it should be “Shepherd over them”].

Sincerely Yours,
Ivan

Scott,
I love to read this style of book, so please forgive me if I seem overcritical of your work. I will try not to be.

I like the opening scene in this chapter. You started it with Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead--a very poignant description of the event. You might explore Lazarus point of view a little more. How does he feel about being raised from the dead? After Jesus tells him he is healed. you change point of views. That was kind of confusing for a second. If I am reading it wrong let me know. I want to understand it. This is definitely one I will read to the end. Just thought I would let you know that up front.

"All I ask is your belief and your mouths to spread God's word...." That part doesn't sound quite right. You might consider changing the wording a little.

You have two point of views in the first chapter,right? Lazarus and Jesus? People have made comments about point of view to me. I am changing it. You might watch your point of view. Make it obvious when you change from one to another.

You have done an excellent job making your dialoge believable. I especially like the things Jesus says. It sounds just like him.

I noticed very little in the way of grammatical errors, so you are pretty good there.

Well, I hope this helps.

Tina Burton
Tears in Heaven
Battle of Love

Hi Scott – here are just a few thoughts as I was reading the prologue and the first three chapters. The novel reads well, and I will be interested to hear how you develop the plot.

In the prologue, why does Jesus tell people not to praise him? This seems to contradict in Chapter 1 when the crowd kneeled before Jesus.

I would be surprised if Mary and Martha had servants (but I've been incorrectly surprised before).

The spelling of “Pharoses” was not familiar. I am more familiar with the spelling “Pharisees”. Regardless, it might help to include some context of who they are, and why they would want to kill Lazarus.

For some reason the phrase “He wasn’t alert in the sun of the day but instead focused on the blurred city in the distance” seemed to jar a little – maybe if he wasn’t alert it would be hard to focus?

When you write: “Surely they will find Jesus guilty. How could such a man not be the Messiah?” My understanding was that Jesus was tried for “falsely claiming to be the Messiah”, and so was not found guilty and crucified by the Romans for actually being the Messiah.

“because he has made himself the Son of God” – maybe change to “he has called himself the Son of God”?

Minor typo “I was myself of this!” should be “I wash myself of this!”.

Pilate says “Take him yourselves and crucify him…”, but then the crowd tries to convince Pilate to crucify him. I wondered if the sequencing is out a bit. Also, you don’t seem to mention that (I think) the Jews were not legally able to put anyone to death, so the Romans had to carry out the execution.

Hope these comments are helpful.

Peter.
Falscastra – Journey to the King

Hey Scott,
I am trying to add Lazarus Man to my watch list but so far it hasn't made it, but will keep trying. I'm looking forward to reading it, because it must be as good as the others!
Monica Pride

Hey Scott,
I was extremely glad to see the continuation of ‘Lazarus, Man’ and here are a few things for you to perfect your great book.
Chapter 9
- Nicholas’ eyes opened and Lazarus was heartened to see his hazy eyes had lost redness. [consider, ‘Nicholas opened his eyes and Lazarus was heartened to see they had lost their redness.’ – sounds smoother IMHO];
- Moments passes and Lazarus looked to the sun above. [Moments passed];
- “Matthew’s body must be moved and I alone can not move him. [cannot] Nicholas can not help [cannot];
- “I can drag him into the cavern from here,” Barbacus said as sweat dripped down his scared forehead. [scarred forehead];
- They laid Matthew’s frail, lifeless form … There were bones of many men here beneath were they set the body. [maybe, ‘where they set the body’ – not sure].

Keep going like this, my friend! :)

Sincerely Yours,
Ivan

Hi Scott,

Someone recently told me, and I'm not sure where they sourced this, that Lazarus went to live in Cyprus for fear of his life being taken. There he apparently helped the local people.

I'm delighted that you're familiar with the scriptures to build a strong case for Lazarus of "what might have happened" and I have enjoyed reading the story thus far. One thing that may help in your opening chapter is a little research in relation to Jewish burial customs of the time. The corpse embalmed in linen strips and various spices was put into a cave, the stone door rolled closed, then and left there for a year or so, when the bones then would eventually be retrieved and placed into an ossuary. As far as I understand it, Jews did not bury all their dead in the soil; many were buried in caves -- this was certainly true of Lazarus and later Jesus. With this in mind, I would probably re-work the section about Lazarus' experience in awakening in relation to the "soil".

A good read. Thanks.

Thanks also for your encouraging words with Hope of the Resurrection.

John

Faith, I hope you don't mind me posting your comment on the book's page. It really meant a lot to me!

- Scott

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Hey Scott,
You are very welcome! Lazarus, Man is an amazing book, and it has the power to touch and change people... I love that! :)
Thank you again for the re-backing... what a nice surprise!
Thanks so much,
Faith

I can't not back it, Scott!

New chapter! Superb!

A couple suggestions:

- “You would risk our disease? What afflicts you sir that you [What afflicts you, sir, that you];
- On a bed in a corner of the structure another man laid, his body completely covered [perhaps, ‘another man lay’, and I’d drop ‘completely’];
- The second bed was near Lazarus and the man in it… as he watched the man in his bed [not sure if you need ‘in his bed’ – it’s implied by what has been mentioned earlier].

Hope that will help.

Sincerely Yours,
Ivan

Hi Scott,

I loved the way you use descriptive imagery to give the reader the feeling as if they were actually right there with Lazarus as the plot unfolds. You add a context around the existing scriptures that helped me to think about what it would be like to be Lazarus, Mary, or Martha in the story - the danger, the fear, the uncertainty about being given a second chance. Great job.

Given 6 stars and backed.

God bless,

Julie Van Meter
A Beautiful Gift

excellent :)

Hey Scott, terrific stuff! On my Watchlist for now. I enjoy what you're doing with the genre, the theme. Nice!

blessings,
Jim

Really liking this. Easy to read yet full of images and visual writing. Only on chapter two at the moment but will comment when finished. There's only one thing that jarred and that was the mention of soil and pushing through soil from his grave. I understood that the bodies were just laid in the cave in the dry air and wouldn't have been covered with soil - is this wrong? I'd be interested to know. Anyway - back to the book. A great idea, not come across it before, and very well written.
Cariad.

Very interesting idea. Great writing. I stumbled in one place, but quickly pressed on. You're a good story teller. Good luck!

D. S. Hale

Scott, Scott, Scott-You're amazing! What spin! What perspective! It reads like a missing book. This is well written, fascinating, and well researched. You obviously know your scripture well enough to tell the story through Lazarus' eyes. Very enjoyable. 6 stars. Dina

Happy Thanksgiving, Scott. Read the first two chapters, and am familiar with the Biblical passage. Interested in where you are taking this and will continue to shelve. Now back to eating! Dina

I read the first chapter and loved it. Backed!
FD