Simon Magus is an enigma. Long derided as a heretic magician, the truth is much more complex. And fascinating. Keith Hill's dramatic retelling of Simon's story draws on documentary and legendary materials that show him to be a misunderstood pioneer of Western spirituality. An in-depth background essay explores his connection to Gnostic thought and how he came to be declared an enemy of Christianity. The Gnosis of Simon Magus is set in Jerusalem in 52 CE. The city is occupied by Rome, a puppet king sits in the palace, the populace is seething, and the Roman army's presence is provoking rebellion rather than instilling peace. In this cauldron, Jesus' apostle Kepa is struggling to guide the first Christian community. Enter Simon Magus. After the death of John the Baptist, Simon travelled to Egypt to study spiritual philosophy and penetrate the mysteries of magic. Twenty years after Jesus' crucifixion, he returns to Jerusalem with a former prostitute who knew Jesus well and lights another fuse in a city ready to explode.