Book Review: Call Me Joe by Martin Van Es and Andrew Crofts

I recently had the pleasure of reading a completely different kind of book. I’ve never read something like Call Me Joe before, and I’m probably unlikely to do so again.

Goodreads Blurb

Call Me Joe by Martin Van Es and Andrew Crofts

The world is on the brink of disaster.

The environment, society and mankind itself are facing extreme challenges in a world that is both more connected and yet more divided than ever before. Fear and confusion seep into all parts of everyday life now, more than ever, the world needs one voice, one guide…

One day the Earth is plunged into darkness and when light appears again so does a man – call him Joe – claiming to be the son of God.

Can Joe bring the world’s most creative thinkers and leaders together to tackle the ills of mankind?

Can he convince us all to follow him before it’s too late?

In this compelling and prescient novel, Martin van Es and Andrew Crofts highlight the key concerns of our time and imagines a future where we, at last, all work together to ensure the future of our world and all the life that calls it home.

Review

Call Me Joe opens jam-packed full of tension as the world is catapulted into darkness. It felt really “sci-fi” and I thought the book would very much take this path. But the story took a whole new turn with the appearance of Joe.

The best way I can describe Call Me Joe is a modern telling of what it would be like if Jesus returned. Now, it is brave to write a story reimaging Jesus as it can be very easy to offend religious people. And I while I do think there will be a certain demographic that will consider this book blasphemous, I believe the character of Joe/Jesus was done tastefully. In fact, this new savior is much more appealing to a younger age group, considering his viewpoints are much more modern.

But Call Me Joe is not just an imagining of the return of Christ. It is also a stark reminder of what we are doing to the world, especially in terms of climate change. The author also does a great job of depicting the major world leaders. As a reader, we are really made to feel their fear of losing power. This fear is well-balanced by the joy of the “common people” at the return of their savior. Whether Joe is able to overcome fraught opposition and convince the world to change its ways, well, you are just going to have to read the book to find out.

Get your copy of Call Me Joe here.

I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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