Rebecca Reviews ~ The End of the Magi by Patrick W. Carr

Paperback, 384 pages

Published November 5th 2019 by Bethany House Publishers

Following his vision of the coming Messiah, the prophet Daniel creates a select group of men who will count down the calendar to the arrival of Israel’s promised king. Centuries later, as the day nears, Myrad, a young magi acolyte, flees for his life when his adoptive father and others are put to death by a ruthless Parthian queen.

Having grabbed only a few possessions, Myrad escapes the city, and searching for a way to hide from the soldiers scouring the trade routes, he tries to join the caravan of the merchant Walagash. The merchant senses that Myrad is hiding secrets, but when the young man proves himself a valuable traveler, an epic journey filled with peril, close escapes, 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.

Rebecca's Review

3.5 stars

"From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven 'sevens' and sixty-two 'sevens'." Daniel 9:25

Counting the years. Counting the months. Magis meticulously counted the days until the promised Messiah would come, according to the prophet Daniel. When a magnificent star appears in the sky, a young magi acolyte dreams of such a star, with a voice calling out to him saying, "I am". Then tragedy strikes and Myrad is forced to run for his life following the death of his adoptive father; his physical handicap making the journey all the more difficult as he trudges across the Parthian desert. Miraculously, he gains favor with a wealthy merchant, thus launching the beginning of the "end of the magi".

Intriguing barely scratches the suface of this story, for the author's imagination takes over much of what we don't know about the famed biblical visitors, and skillfully weaves in the known; resulting in a tale that is not only believable, but fascinating. Readers well versed in ancient history will find the story much easier to understand, but those who are not will feel sufficiently schooled.

Rising above it all is the reassuring truth that God can even use a "club footed Persian boy"to accomplish His purposes; for "it's almost as if God takes delight in accomplishing His ends in the most unlikely way possible. . . . . . (His) promises are sure, whether they come sooner or later." In spite of this being a more difficult than average book to read, its impact will remain unforgettable.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. The opinions stated above are entirely my own.

Senior Reviewer, Rebecca Maney

Rebecca is a graduate of Bryan College with a degree in Christian Education, and is currently serving at the First Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church in Gastonia, North Carolina as the Director of Children's Ministry. With over 30 years of experience in her field, she has had many opportunities to use her love of reading and writing in creative ways across the generations. A wife, mother of four "nearly" grown children, and grandmother to four beautiful grandchildren, Rebecca has been able to return to her love of reading and more recently reviewing, with a renewed passion for the "beauty of story".