"Saviors" in Literature

My preference is for the portrait(s) of saviors and/or prophets found in literature over those found in scripture probably has a lot to do with the fact that I am an atheist. However, I have a sneaking suspicion that even many believers find the literary take on such figures to be both more interesting and enjoyable, or would if they have not read this type of literature*. I have read quite a few novels and short stories in this area and have liked virtually everything I have come across. Other than the presence of a savior/prophet figure(s) there is a wide variation among them. I may at some point in the future recommend other works but for now I would like to recommend three novels in particular.

Fyodor Dostoevsky's The Idiot.

Rudolfo Anaya's Jalamanta: A Message From The Desert.

Christopher Moore's Lamb: The Gospel According to Bif, Christ's Childhood Pal.

I have listed them in order of publication since I did not, could not, list them in order of preference. Each work is quite different in style and theme and each is wonderful in a variety of ways. I have also intentionally left out any description. I suggest that anyone interested randomly choose one and start reading. If you want to share what your reaction is I'd love to hear it. I'd also add that whether you end up liking any of these novels each author is well worth reading further works. The above are not necessarily my favorite work by that respective author.


*The works found in "Christian Inspired", "Christian Fiction", or similarly labeled sections of book stores does not count. From what I've managed to read of that "genre" it is all mindless homogenous crap. They all seem to use the same tired techniques. The elements (especially plot and character) are unimaginative and uninspiring. How anyone can tell one from another is beyond me. It is just bad writing.

Dear hoopoe, welcome! You will be our guide...

I like birds. No, I'm not turning into Bubba Gump. I thought I'd bring up another religious based book that I have read and found very interesting. "Dear hoopoe, welcome! You will be our guide;..." is the opening line to Farrid Ud-Din Attar's The Conference of the Birds. I have heard over and over how beautifully written scriptures tend to be and that they are worth reading just for literary elements. Personally, I have have never found that to be true of the Bible or of the Qur'an. They just don't impress me on any level. However, The Conference of the Birds I will state is a literary masterpiece. Even though it is not technically scripture it serves a similar purpose.

I may disagree with its religious meaning but the structure is quite interesting and it does manage to introduce a number of philosophical ideas and questions as well as making some rather insightful social commentaries. Like many allegories it makes use of animals, in this case birds. The "conference" takes place as the birds embark on a pilgrimage. In places the structure varies and the conversation gets a little choppy but overall it is well worth reading.

Having been translated from Persian and in some instances Persian and Arabic I cannot be sure of the degree to which editions/translations may vary. Personally, I have only read one translation:

Attar, Farid Ud-Din.  The Conference of the Birds. Trans. Afkham Darbandi and Dick Davis. New York: Penguin, 1984.