Saul of Tarsus: A Rock Opera
Mark W. Dean
Columbus Book Publishers (2025)
ISBN: 979-8295417269
Reviewed by Rachel Dehning for Reader Views (12/2025)
Saul of Tarsus: A Rock Opera is the story of the Biblical man, Saul, a Jewish Pharisee who believed that Jesus and those who spoke of him were proclaiming blasphemy, so he made it his life mission to persecute and kill those associated with him. Saul later underwent a conversion that literally opened his eyes, changing his perspective, beliefs, and understanding of Jesus as the Son of God. His name was then changed to Paul, and he became a beloved apostle who is recognized as a cornerstone in the Christian church (in his time, Christianity was referred to as the Way) by spreading the gospel verbally and by writing letters to the churches he helped start. Many of which are included in the New Testament of the Bible.
Jesus did not preach that being a follower would be easy, and a study of Paul’s life proves that the Devil is always trying and tempting, but following and persevering will always win out in the end. Paul’s teachings and preachings are used in the Christian churches today, helping Christians, young and old, to learn and review the answers and instructions God has set in place for us during our temporary time on earth, before we will learn and know everything one day while with Him.
Saul of Tarsus is written like CliffsNotes, highlighting the important parts and supplementing the original text with an alternative way of presenting the information; however, the biblical accuracy remains intact. Along with average text, scenes are also described through rhymes, similar to poetry, but with the intention of accompanying music to the words (in a manner akin to a rock opera); the reader can clearly picture each scene as if watching a play run through their mind. A unique feature of this book is the use of QR codes after each “stanza.”
The overall book can be a quick, entertaining, and informative read, or readers can take their time as they study and go more in-depth on their own with the presented material and its relevance to our lives through the use of outside sources for supplemental information. I hope the best for the author, that one day his work will be made into the rock opera he has begun creating.
It should be noted that Saul of Tarsus, a rock opera contains within its pages 13 QR codes that correspond to each song that you can hear as you read through it. It literally brings you to the music and lifts the songs off the pages.