The Master Yeshua: The Undiscovered Gospel of Joseph is a fictitious account of the life of Jesus Christ, and the early Church. The story is from the perspective of Joseph of Pella, the nephew of Jesus. This novel held my interest, and the dialogue kept moving. It was also creative of Joyce Luck to write this story as a narrative. While reading The Master Yeshua: The Undiscovered Gospel of Joseph, I could easily visualize the scenery described in the novel. An example of this is the depiction of the cave that Jesus, or Yeshua, was born in. I could also tell that much research went into the preparations for writing this book, because of the amount of details the main character, Joseph of Pella, gave. This novel held my interest, and is written in a language that can be easily understood. You will enjoy reading this book, but remember it is a work of fiction. 4 of 5 stars. ~ Lisa Covington, Manhattan Book Review, http://manhattanbookreview.com/book-reviews/the-master-yeshua-the-undiscovered-gospel-of-joseph/

A grounded retelling of Christ’s life and the early days of the church from the gospel of his ailing nephew. In this fictitious gospel, Joseph ben Jude, the nephew of Jesus (called by his Hebrew name, Yeshua), sets forth to correct the emerging myths that threaten to taint Christ’s legacy. Not long after his death, Yeshua’s origins have become steeped in superstition, with tales of a virgin birth of the literal son of God. Joseph tells instead of the careful planning and mystical divinations of the Essene Jews who selected his grandparents, Joseph and Mary, to conceive this prophesied Messiah. Luck (Melissa Etheridge: Our Little Secret, 1997) presents an accepting, progressive Yeshua who mingled his rabbinical studies with the teachings of the Hindus, the Zoroastrians, and the Buddhists. Joseph muses on Christ his uncle as much as Christ the Messiah, speaking at length about his father and other uncles, along with the extended family of Yeshua’s followers. Like in any family, there’s squabbling; the apostles struggle with how to lead after Christ’s death, and the public becomes confused and uncertain. These difficulties, along with competition and persecution from other religions, only serve to compound the misinformation Joseph seeks to debunk. Joseph’s prescience of the emergence of other philosophies is a clever conceit of the novel, which organically introduces gnostic and other alternative Christian teachings. Throughout the book, the resurrection is dissected as well, challenging the belief of Yeshua’s physical rebirth with the possibility of a spiritual one and breaking down the differences. These theories are impressively accessible and introduce new concepts that parallel fairly well-known historical and biblical events while using modern names for people and places throughout. An ideal example of how fiction can be used to present and explore alternative concepts in history and religion. ~ KIRKUS REVIEW, https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/joyce-luck/master-yeshua/

"There is a thin line between fiction and nonfiction. Luck walks upon this tension with her hermit's lamp--illuminating not only the misinterpretations of Jesus, but their roots in an oppressive archetype that is no less real today than it was two millennia ago."--J.S. Williams, author of Esoteric Science, Vols. 1-2. ~ J.S. Williams

Luck's rendering of Christ's life is steeped in the mystery and beauty of the holy scriptures while embracing the ancient history of the era. The Master Yeshua is a satisfying read for the biblical novice as well as for those raised in the tradition. ~ Kimberly C. Escamilla MA, MFA, Executive Director, International Poetry Library of San Francisco

Well-researched and creative, an intriguing contribution to Biblical fiction. ~ Roberta Reynolds, PhD.,Professor of English, College of San Mateo