Behold the Man (novel)

Behold the Man is a science fiction novel written by Michael Moorcock, first published in 1969. It tells the story of Karl Glogauer, a time traveler from the late 20th century obsessed with the historicity of Jesus Christ. Disillusioned with modern life and convinced of the impossibility of a divine Jesus, Glogauer travels back in time to Palestine during the purported lifetime of Jesus to witness the events firsthand.

The novel explores themes of religious belief, messianism, and the nature of historical truth. Glogauer's experiences in the past are transformative and disturbing, challenging his preconceived notions and leading him to a profound, if unsettling, understanding of the origins of Christianity.

The narrative is known for its dark and often controversial content, particularly its unflinching depiction of the past and its reimagining of the Jesus story. Behold the Man is considered one of Moorcock's most challenging and thought-provoking works, and a key text in the New Wave science fiction movement. The book examines the power of myth and the human need for belief, suggesting that the story of Jesus, regardless of its literal truth, has had a powerful and lasting impact on Western civilization.