I’m a Taylor-Caldwell fan & even I admit the religious aspects of those two were VERY heavy-handed, and I consider D&GP to be a formative book in my life.
She did an uneven one with Jess Stearn while in a NewAgey reincarnationist
phase called I, JUDAS- of course from Judas Iscariot’s view. Her earlier JC was a Roman Catholic “fully God, fully man”, this JC was more a “metaphysical mind-science” guru.
Alas, of TC’s massive output, I think only CAPTAINS AND THE KINGS is still in print.
Novels I’d recommend-
Anthony Burgess’s MAN OF NAZARETH and THE KINGDOM OF THE WICKED, which were produced from his screenplay work on JESUS OF NAZARETH and A.D.
The novelization of A.D. wasn’t bad actually either.
I gotta recommend LAST TEMPTATION.
I have Frank Slaughter’s THE CROSS AND THE CROWN somewhere & also the Novelization of the 1920s Cecil B Demille KING OF KINGS in which the Risen Christ is called The Phantom or Phantasm. Eek!
OH! Paul L. Maier’s PONTIUS PILATE and THE FIRES OF ROME.