The Life of Herod the Great

In this unfinished novel, Hurston (1891–1960) attempts a biblical retelling similar to her novel Moses, Man of the Mountain, unspooling a stimulating if rushed revisionist narrative of Herod the Great. It opens with a 25-year-old Herod appointed as governor of Galilee by his father. The young leader quickly rids Galilee of bandit Hezekiah and his followers. The killings earn Herod adoration from Galilee’s residents but ire in Jerusalem, where some see his actions as reckless. Jealous Judean king Hyrcanus puts Herod on trial for the murders, but his powerful presence in court strikes his accusers silent and he’s set free. His strained relationship with Hyrcanus continues as Herod battles new enemies, grieves his father’s death by poisoning, gains the trust of Mark Antony, and becomes co-governor of Judea. After Hyrcanus is captured by an invading Parthian army, Herod saves hundreds of women from danger and then travels to Rome, where he demands to be named king of Judea. Because Hurston left the manuscript incomplete, chunks of the plot are missing, particularly toward the conclusion. Still, she delivers an intriguing counterpoint to the biblical “massacre of the innocents” story, framing Herod as a strong and complex protagonist, one who balances his political ambitions with his loyalty to his people. Hurston completists ought to snatch this up. (Jan.)