My thanks to Netgalley, Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and Bantam Press for an advanced copy to review fairly and without bias.
Let me declare at once I am an atheist. So why read this book ? Well I have always been fascinated by people who have a belief. and why in the face on no evidence they persist in believing a god. So, I started to read this book in the hope that it would illuminate why religion holds such sway. Unfortunately I was so disappointed. I never got very far with it the style of a fairy tale based on some archaeological surmises. If you believe in an all powerful deity, if you need religion crave solace then maybe this book will offer you something. If you want knowledge and a better understanding of mankind then read "The Tell". I have given it two stars one for what I think it is worth and second because the author took the effort and I suspect is probably a nice person.

To summarise the author, it's important to stress as a review that this book is not about whether or not God exists, or in what form. It's really about examining the inconsistencies and ambiguity of the belief systems which us as humans have developed over time and through different cultures around the world.

It does an incredibly good job. It has to be said it's not an easy accessible read but it is a comprehensive analysis of various faiths and belief systems. To stop it becoming more like a dry academic text, the author cleverly weaves stories to illustrate the points raised, which keeps it engaging and brings to life whatever subject is being discussed. It's not completely successful here, and can meander, but a good attempt.

The book carries extremely comprehensive references should the reader wish to follow up on any of the points made.

In short, it's a serious book, not for those looking to just skate over the subject, but an interesting read, nonetheless.

Superb book, providing a clear and fascinating history of man's need for the spiritual, encompassing views and thoughts of leading thinkers in history, archaeology, philosophy, psychology and other related disciplines in an always readable, entertaining and understandable mix.

I found this to be a fascinating and well-written read. Although based on a mountain of research, the book flows like a story and is very easy to read. It provides a fascinating insight into how and why religion has become such an important part in people's lives in all parts of the world. As others have pointed out, the conclusion maybe doesn't reflect the arguments that were built in the body of the book.

Thanks to Net Galley Random House and the author for my ARC copy in return for an honest review.

As an atheist I would never normally have considered reading this book but I am do pleased I did. Aslan takes the reader through a brief history of major religions which are based on gods. He looks at the social, political and psychological development of belief.
Aslan does not try to convert or preach. As Buddhism does not have a belief in God, it is barely mentioned but some of his conclusions mirrored Buddhist thought. Further exploration of these ideas would have been interesting.

A timely journey into man’s relationship with religion and how this impacts on the world. Written in an accessible style and researched in a considered way this book delivers on every page.

Not a subject I normally read, but glad I did. An interesting overview of religious theories from prehistoric origins to present days, followed by Reza's personal views on spirituality. A subject not easily told, but in this case very easy to understand and read.

In July, I read a book called [book:Evolving Brains, Emerging Gods: Early Humans and the Origins of Religion|34889233] by E. Fuller Torrey. It presents the evolutionary theory of the creation of gods by examining the cognitive development of man and I found it truly fascinating.

In this short work, Reza Aslan similarly explores the creation of gods by man. It's not a scientific approach and I found little if nothing new in the first two thirds of the book. I appreciate this is largely because I'd already read Torrey's work. In the final third however, Aslan explores comparative theories of gods or God, looking closely at Judaism, Christianity and Islam. His analysis is excellent and leaves me wanting to learn more about the origins of religious thought, narratives and materials.

It seemed inevitable to me that Aslan's arguments would lead to the firm conclusion that gods are, or God is, a human construct. In his work [book:Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth|17568801] he provides a critical analysis of the human construction of the Jesus narrative and this work looked to be heading to a similar rational conclusion. Then, in the final pages, Aslan, who was raised in Islam, converted to Christianity and then returned to Islam, talks about his most recent conversion to Sufism and his 'epiphany' when he came to realise that God is all. In other words, God is everything and everything is God, whether you believe it from a spiritual viewpoint, religious or scientific stance, everything in our universe including ourselves is God. We are evolutionarily programmed to humanise our gods but "God" in his / the Sufi view has no material existence. <i>..a God who is pure existence, without name, essence or personality.</i> I was rather taken aback by this, what seemed to me, sudden change in direction from a logical, measured view to a spiritual one.

I enjoy Aslan's writing and thinking but I was a little bit disappointed that his conclusion, to me at least, appeared to signal that he wasn't so much exploring the question of who or what or why or if there is a god or gods but seeking in the end to justify his own belief. I'm left wondering how someone with such depth of knowledge and learning of the human construct of gods, the historical machinations that led to, for example, the creation of the Jesus cult and monotheism, can still have such a profound faith. The answer is that throughout the evolution of man this need for a superior being or beings has continued to be inate. Belief in a soul that is separate from the body has emerged in every society throughout time and it is this belief that, in Aslan's own words <i>begat our belief in God</i> and that is why it's so difficult to resist.

With thanks to Random House UK and NetGalley for a review copy.

I had a few issues with this book. No doubt the history of the various religions was absolutely fascinating, exploring polytheistic belief systems to its evolution into monotheism. However, the connections suggested between how God is seen to be humanized is not very clear, rather it seems to be a throwaway remark about two psychological concepts that force human beings to look at everything with human eyes.


It is also not very clear in terms of its explanation on why God must be one and not many. As an atheist/ agnostic reading this, the historical elements were more of interest as the philosophical aspect seems to fall short due to the lack of exploration on why God even became a concept.

5 ⭐️ stuff. Many thanks to NetGalley, publisher and author for sharing the ARC.

Honestly, my experience with ARCs so far was very disappointing. Also, I haven't encountered Reza Aslan before. So my expectations were pretty low to start with.

But then I started reading... and was blown away. This is such a strong book. It is succinct, very balanced, logical and delightful to follow. The author is a fantastic storyteller! This is a non-fiction story that will steal you away from your fiction TBR. The language is gripping and immersive.

If you have enjoyed Yuval Noah Harari books Sapiens and Homo Deus - you will enjoy this book too, I am sure.

I started making highlights/notes on my Kindle and probably ended up highlighting over a quarter of the book! This gem is full of insightful facts, examples and observations. It is also remarkably accessible. I freely admit to a long history of giving up midway many other books on comparative religion. This one is remarkable.

I guess what I am saying, this book is out next month. Check it out. It is well worth your time. I will be getting myself a hardback copy for my bookshelf and future reference.

I also plan to give another Reza Aslan's title a go Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth. He appears to be top shelf non-fiction writer.

Easier to read than expected.
Some parts did lose my attention as I just wasn't interested
But I definitely have a different understanding now then I did before