An explosive and unauthorized biography of Hollywood star Tom Cruise hit US bookshelves on Tuesday, despite an angry denial of the book's most startling allegations from The Church of Scientology.
Cruise, one of the most high-profile members of the group, had no immediate comment to make on the book, according to his publicist's office, while the church described the book as "a bigoted, defamatory assault replete with lies."
Penned by British journalist and writer Andrew Morton, who lifted the lid on Princess Diana's marriage in "Diana: Her True Story," the book offers a mostly unfavorable portrait of Cruise as a calculating control freak.
The Church of Scientology, which comes across as the real subject of the book, issuedequested to be interviewed or be presented with any allegations so we could respond. Morton refused despite our insistence in offering our cooperation," it said in a statement issued to the US press.
"At no time did he request interviews nor did he attempt to get any information from us. Accuracy and truth were not on Morton's agenda," it added.
It dismissed the contents of the book as "vicious sensationalism of the lowest order" filled with "false and scandalous allegations."
The book details lawsuits the Hollywood star has filed over the years against media reports alleging he was homosexual and infertile, while examining the role Scientology played in his marriage to fellow Hollywood star Nicole Kidman.
"Virtually every allegation made about the church concerning Mr. Cruise's relationships are false and nothing more than tabloid innuendo," the church said. The book says Kidman saw the church as "the third wheel in her marriage."
"Insinuations that Mr. Cruise is second-in-command of the Church are not only false, they are ludicrous," it added.
In response to perhaps the most bizarre claim of the book it said: "Is it possible Katie (Holmes -- Cruise's wife) and Tom's baby could be the vessel for L. Ron Hubbard's (the founder of Scientology) spirit?...
"The Church does not, and never has believed any newborn is the reincarnation or the offspring of its founder, Mr. Hubbard."
"Was Katie impregnated by L. Ron Hubbard's frozen sperm? ... As distasteful as it is to have to say it, Mr. Hubbard's sperm was never frozen."
The book routinely refers to scientology as a "cult" saying it "likes to market itself, falsely as an 'applied religion.'"
Cruise, meanwhile, is described as "a movie messiah who reflects and refracts the fears and doubts of our times, trading on the unfettered power of modern celebrity, our embrace of religious extremism and the unnerving scale of globalization."
Litigation surrounding the book seems a distinct possibility. It is not being published in Britain for legal reasons, but the Church of Scientology is reportedly considering legal action against US publishers St Martin's Press.
The church did not comment on the reports when contacted Tuesday.
Seemingly aware of Cruise's history of libel challenges, the book quotes the star as telling Harper's Bazaar "I don't like suing people ... I take no pleasure in it.
"But there comes a point where it's beyond silly; it's destructive. I will sue. I will sue every single time that I can until it stops. And when they stop, I will stop."
Regardless of possible legal maneuvers, the buzz surrounding the book, entitled "Tom Cruise: An Unauthorized Biography," had already helped propel the book to number nine in Amazon.com's list of top sellers Tuesday.
Described in the book's dustjacket as "a leading authority on modern celebrity," Morton has also written books about pop icon Madonna and former England soccer captain David Beckham and his wife and Spice Girl, Victoria Beckham.