It always amazes me that for all my modern sensibilities and irreverent attitude towards religion, it is an ancient semi-religious myth that is the most fascinating story I have ever read.

It amazes me that at a time when we could reasonably expect people to glorify war (as indeed many of the characters in the story do), the strongest message in the story is that ultimately, even righteous war is futile, and cannot avoid evil.

Even if I cannot believe and accept all it says, I love the fact that the part of the book best remembered, the part where God speaks to man, is a debate rather than a set of instructions. And while God is ostensibly right at that point in the story, the author then goes ahead and shows that the doubts man had (has) have a strong basis in reality and are not in any way stupid.

It is a beautiful, poignant story filled with some of the most subtly well drawn characters. And despite being filled with moralizing and "lessons of life" episodes, succeeds in engaging the reader rather than talking down to her/him.