Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Summit University Press; Original edition (September 16, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9781932890051
• ISBN-13: 978-1932890051
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces

Editorial Reviews

This is the story of Issa, or Jesus, and his journey into the empire of Kushan. It provides a glimpse into the convergence of Jesus' missing years and the rise of the Kushan Empire in the Middle East. The adventure of two young boys, Issa and Vima, and their unlikely companions reads like a modern adolescent tale. Each of the young boys is preparing for a life of service among their peers. One will become royalty and one will live in obscurity. The battles between good and evil are classic and will cause readers to cheer for the good guys. The inclusion of a monkey who can detect good and evil is particularly interesting and will delight readers.

The author has taken a great deal of poetic license, creating a fictitious life for Jesus. Religious scholars will find a great deal to argue with concerning Biblical references, characters' personalities, and Jesus' need for further teachings from ancient religions. However, read simply as young adult fiction, it is a well-written story.

Lois Drake has made good use of her experiences in Tibet and China. She provides readers a look at life in the early years of Middle Eastern culture. Historians will enjoy the descriptions of the inner workings of the Persian, Kushan, and Hun empires. The introduction of the Order of Melchizidek brings to mind The Da Vinci Code and its secret organizations.

Readers seeking religious fiction will not find it here. There are too many assumptions and too many biblical fallacies to be a clear representation of the gospel story. However, readers seeking good fiction for middle school and young adult readers would do well to add this title to their collection. Drake has written a good story and presented some historical perspectives along the way.

Joyce Rice

Clarion Reviews
--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.
Product Description
The Bible explicitly records the life of Jesus, with one exception-his life between the ages of 13 and 30. Yet, ancient Buddhist scripture records the life of Saint Issa, which astoundingly parallels the life of Jesus of Nazareth. ISSA is a story of Jesus's life during the missing years, his journey through Asia, the power within he had to master and the tests of the heart he had to pass before he could change the world.