On Tour with Prism Book Tours
The End of the MagiBy Patrick W. Carr
Christian Historical Fiction
Hardcover, Paperback, Audiobook & ebook, 384 Pages
November 5th 2019 by Bethany House Publishers
Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Source: Received to Review
Centuries before the magi arrived in Bethlehem,
a prophecy sets a young magus on his path . . .
Following his vision of the coming Messiah, the prophet Daniel calls forth a select group of men who will count down the calendar until the arrival of Israel's promised king. Centuries later, as the day draws near, Myrad, a young magi acolyte, flees for his life when his adoptive father and others are slain by a ruthless Parthian queen.
Equipped with very little, in haste Myrad escapes the city and, searching for a way to hide from the soldiers scouring the trade routes, tries to join the caravan of the merchant Walagash. The merchant senses that Myrad is keeping secrets, but when the young man proves himself a valuable asset, an epic journey filled with peril, near captures, and dangerous battles begins.
With every day that passes, the calendar creeps closer to the coming Messiah. And over everything shines the dream of a star that Myrad can't forget, and the promise that the world will never be the same.
My thoughts: The story of the three wise men is familiar to Christians. They are briefly mentioned in the New Testament. This story explores who and what the wise men could have been.
The book begins with Daniel in Babylon 537 BC. He creates a group of people called the Magi who count down the days until the Messiah would be born. The Magi over the years become corrupted with the political power that they have been given. Tragedy strikes the Magi and Myrad escaped with the calendar and other political documents. He was hunted and took measures to make sure his task was successful. Myrad had a disability, he was born with a clubbed foot that made him easily recognizable and slowed down his flight from Persia.
This book is fascinating. The thought of "what if" and "what could have happened" during the time period propelled me to keep reading. I loved following Myrad on the trade routes through the desert. He faced life-threatening situations and was sustained by his God and belief.
This book is perfect for this season. But it is so much more. It is an adventure. It is about faith and prophetic dreams. It is about a young man learning and growing. It also has quite a bit of the time periods of culture.
Praise for the Book
"Carr retells the story of the Magi in this bustling biblical adventure . . . . Myrad's divine vision of the star and his arduous trek battling his own physical problems to pay homage to the Messiah capture the majesty of biblical narratives and will appeal to Christians well versed in scripture."--Publishers Weekly
"Patrick Carr brings us a captivating tale in The End of the Magi. Based on the Holy Bible, he weaves a fictional tale of the adventures of a group of magi from the east looking for the Messiah. Myrad is a strong main character even though he doesn't see himself as strong. He has great character traits and these help him find triumph over tragedy. . . . The End of the Magi is a great holiday read and gives us much to think about in our journey to know God better."--Fresh Fiction
Patrick W. Carr is the author of the acclaimed fantasy series The Staff and the Sword. A Cast of Stones won the 2014 Carol Award for Speculative Fiction and the 2014 Clive Staples Award. A Cast of Stones and The Hero's Lot were both finalists for 2014 Christy Awards. He teaches high school math and makes his home in Nashville, Tennessee, with his incredible wife, Mary, and their four sons.
Tour Schedule
- One winner will receive a print copy of The End of the Magi and a $20 B&N gift card
- Four winners will each receive a print copy of The End of the Magi
- US only
- Ends November 29, 2019
I like the cover
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