Unholy Night is something of a puzzler. It’s by Seth Grahame-Smith, the author of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and Abraham Lincoln: Zombie Killer. The premise is as simple as the ones encompassed in those other two titles: It’s the story of Jesus’ birth, but instead of the three Magi being wise men or kings, they are three killers and thieves. I feel like there’s usually two ways these sorts of rewrites of an existing story go. In one kind of rewrite, especially around the Christmas story, this one change is made to the story but in the end, everyone is transformed and the essential nature of the story is reaffirmed. In another, the change to the story is used to question the entire thing and all the miraculous details are explained away. Grahame-Smith has followed a middle path. He’s changed the nature of the Magi, but the Christ child is definitely godly. And I’m not sure anyone learns any touching Christmas lessons. There’s also a occasional goriness, especially during sword-fighting scenes. So this book is probably not for everyone.
FuzzyCo grade: B-
