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Moses: The Cross and the Gun — A Novel by Michael Elgamal


A Novel of Sin & Redemption

MOSES

The Cross & The Gun

Inspired by the life of Saint Moses the Black — a contemporary novel of violence, grace, and the brutal cost of transformation. Retold in a gritty urban setting.

A Novel by Michael Elgamal

Shadowed figure with shattered golden halo


Moses: The Cross and the Gun — Paperback Cover

The Story

The Cross, or the Gun.
He must choose.

Moe ruled the city with gun and fist. In a single night, he lost everything. Hunted and out of options, he finds sanctuary at an Orthodox monastery — where an elder meets his violence with unyielding grace.

As his old life claws him back, Moe stands at the edge of two worlds — the streets that made him, and a grace he never asked for.

Woven throughout are echoes of the Sayings of the Desert Fathers, the writings of John Cassian, the letters of Saint Macarius, and other patristic texts — ancient wisdom meeting modern spiritual warfare.
Redemptive
Literary Thriller
Faith & Spirituality
Desert Fathers
Orthodox Tradition

“If you would be victorious, taste the suffering of Christ in your person, that you may be chosen to taste his glory. The way to God is a daily Cross.”

— Saint Isaac the Syrian

What Readers Are Saying

Voices from the Community

A remarkable modern rendition… Elgamal conveys both the scandal and the beauty of the life of St. Moses the Strong.

Fr. Anthony Mourad

St. George & St. Anthony Coptic Orthodox Church

In imaginative, un-sanitized prose, Elgamal has captured the spirit of one of the greatest stories of repentance in the Orthodox tradition… This novelization is a true gift.

Sherry Shenoda

Author of Mummy Eaters & The Lightkeeper

Grounded in Tradition

Ancient Wisdom.
Modern Story.

Moses: The Cross and the Gun is rooted in the early Church — drawing on the Sayings of the Desert Fathers, the writings of John Cassian, the letters of Saint Macarius, and the patristic tradition. Serious, uncompromising fiction for those who hunger for stories that tell the truth.

Sayings of the Desert Fathers · John Cassian · Saint Macarius · Patristic Tradition · The Life of Saint Moses the Black

Ideal for Orthodox Christians · Catholics · Readers Drawn to Stories of Repentance

For Parishes & Readers

A Powerful Addition to Faith Libraries, Book Clubs & Parish Bookstores

Serious, uncompromising fiction grounded in the Church Fathers. For mature readers seeking a faith-rooted literary thriller.

Parish Bookstores

A conversation-starting addition to your community’s reading shelf.

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Faith Libraries

Orthodox fiction grounded in patristic sources, not sanitized platitudes.

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Book Clubs

Rich themes of repentance, grace, and transformation fuel deep discussion.

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