Kazantzakis infuses this tale with a fervent vision that is uniquely his own, highlighting the saintís heroic single-mindedness in the face of extreme physical and spiritual suffering. He portrays the saint as a great lover and inspiring leader, who embraced radical poverty in the face of many obstacles and temptations.

Kazantzakis' "Saint Francis" captures the "madness" of the Poverello of Assisi like no other book. Francis was truly a revolutionary character, but often biographies have a tendency to neuter him into a quaint, slightly eccentric character from a fairy tale. But Kazantzakis does not fall into this trap - he displays Francis in his full devotion to God and desire to imitate Christ completely. This can make one uncomfortable, as Francis appears unbalanced at times, but it drives home the point that the Saint of Assisi cared for nothing other than embracing Christ in poverty and love.

The book is written from the perspective of Francis' closest follower, Brother Leo. Kazantzakis' depiction of Leo as a simple, struggling, but devoted follower of Francis helps to enlighten his portrait of Francis by contrasting the two in their travels and struggles. At times, Kazantzakis is harsh in his depiction of others in Francis' life, especially Brother Elias, and even St. Dominic, but this all works to allow the reader to focus on the specific charism of Francis to preach - and live - Poverty, Chastity, Obedience, and Love.

Anyone with a devotion to St. Francis will be rewarded by reading this book - it has the power to force you to reevaluate your own life in the light of the life of the poor friar from Assisi.

I did know Saint Francis before but when i read this book it is with great honor I should say Nikos Kazantzakis is my Saint Francis!!

In 1972, I read The Last Temptation of Christ by Nikos Kazantzakis. I will always consider it one of the greatest books ever written. I found it an incredibly faith-affirming book and it changed my life as it changed my outlook on Jesus Christ. Thirty-five years later, I decided to read Saint Francis.

I was very disappointed. Not because it is a bad book, but because it fell way short of what I expected. Over the last three decades, I would say to anyone, "Open The Last Temptation of Christ to any page, and read. The words flow from each page like poetry." Such was not the case with Saint Francis.

I had a similar experience recently with Par Lagerkvist. I read Barabbas 40 years ago and then read The Sybil last year. I'll remember Mr. Lagerkvist for Barabbas, not for the disappointing Sybil. Similarly, I will remember Mr. Kazantzakis for the Last Temptation, not for Saint Francis. I truly believe that my failure to connect with these books recently is because of the translation, not because the author's work was of less value.

Saint Francis is a dark book of personal sacrifice. I continually saw visions of the Opus Dei sect as I read the book. Francis clearly led a life of personal sacrifice dedicated to the glory of God, but the translation left me empty and not inspired. I'll not refute any of the superlative reviews that this book has earned, but from this man's point of view, I'll be cautious in the future when selecting translated material regardless of the author.

I am pleased to find that a number of reviewers find this book life-changing. It presents the entire anguish of human being, and it is the book that describes one of the highest concerns of Kazantzakis, an issue that he deals on several other books, but never with such fever: the desire of the human being to talk with God, and the depths that the human mind has to go in believing and disbelieving, in facing irrationality and hearing the voice of God.
You do not have to be religious in the strict christian sense. If that is the case, then this book might be offending, as it presents the passions of man that tries to reach God in an 'uncoventional' way, that does not abide by the doctrine of the church.

Still, I was deeply affected and deeply shaken by this book, more than any other book of Kazantazakis that I have read. Reading it was a 'passion' in itself. I had to reach the same depths, and I felt some of the anguish of St. Francis, as presented by Kazantakis. A lst remark. Do not compare the book with a biography. St. Francis is a tragic hero, an embodiment of mans religious passions, an example of faith.

I have read a lot of books on St. Francis of Assisi, and viewed several films. Kazantzakis presents a "fictional re-creation" St. Francis as an aescetic who travels a journey that few of us would want to take. An aescetic with a disgust for anything having to do with "the flesh" Francis suffers throughout most of the novel from malnutrition, dehydration, and a collection of maladies brought on by the neglect and abuse of his own body, the "temple of the Holy Spirit." This form of mortification of the body has thankfully been abandoned, but was considered a path to salvation coming out of the Dark Ages. His fear/avoidance and mysognistic view of women was unfortunate, and I think this perhaps was a bit overblown and not well researched by Kazantzakis, for I have not found this pathological view in any other writings about St. Francis.
For a deeper understanding of St. Francis of Assisi, and the wide attraction of this most famous saint, please read G.K. Chesterton's biography of St. Francis. Don't get me wrong, I admire and love St. Francis and the revolution he began in Christianity, but I disliked his portrayal by Kazantzakis.