Review: The End of the Magi by Patrick W. Carr


The End of the Magi by Patrick W. Carr
Stephanie's Rating: 5 out of 5 bookmarks

Book Synopsis:
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.

Wow. What a journey! Mr. Carr blew this one out of the water. I am a very fast reader and usually find myself lightly skimming over uninteresting parts in otherwise good stories. Not so for this book! I carefully read every single word! There was no superfluous scenery or unnecessary conversation; every phrase was carefully crafted to work together to build an amazing tale of action, suspense, and international intrigue. Into such a scene steps our protagonist, Myrad. The reader is not given omniscient knowledge or insight beyond that experienced by Myrad. The reader must walk the same confusing and frustrating path that he walks. We come to the understanding of times and events and people at precisely the moment that he does. We experience the same despair, rejoice in the same victories, and ask the same questions.

Myrad, and every character around him, has been fully developed to be exactly the character that is needed for each scene. Some characters you will like, some you will not, but each person demands from you, the reader, an emotional connection.

Patrick W. Carr
Myrad is on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, following a star only he and a few other magi can see. Near-death experiences, closed trade routes, and nations at war cannot deter him from his chosen course. He knows there is a significance in the star, but doesn't fully understand its effect in his life until long after the star has faded.

Mr. Carr takes a well-known portion of Scriptural happenings, the birth and death of Jesus the Christ, and weaves before it and after it a story so compelling and well-researched that it causes the reader to experience this setting of Scripture as if for the first time, and in a deeper way. Read this story! Join Myrad in the quest for understanding of the Scriptures! Your mind and heart will be engaged from beginning to ending, and you will be stirred.

I would recommend this book to anyone from age 12 and up. There aren't any objectionable scenes that I can remember, no untoward innuendoes to mar the work, and much will be learned along the journey. This book will challenge you to face your weaknesses and confront your inadequacies. I give this book a full 5 out of 5 bookmarks with no hesitation!







Stephanie Garrett is a busy homeschooling mom of three who somehow always finds time to read. She has been a voracious reader since childhood and even won a bicycle in elementary school for having read the most books! She enjoys learning and growing and never turns down an opportunity to try something new. Her first love is the Lord and service to Him, second is family, and third...is reading. She believes that anyone who learns to read with comprehension can go anywhere and do anything! She also enjoys music, theatre, sewing, and mathematics.



Disclosure: The publisher provided us with a free copy of this book for promotional purposes. A favorable review was not required. This post contains affiliate links.

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