About:

We all know the story- a young Jewish girl is called to the palace for a sort of Biblical-era beauty contest, and what happens next is the stuff of legend. But in an era known for its intrigue and mayhem, what else was going on behind the scenes? 

Combining history and some creative license with the story found in the Bible, Jill Eileen Smith explores the palaces of Persia and, with a fresh new look, visits the story of Esther that we know so well. 

My Review:

I've always loved the Biblical account of Esther. Everything- from the moments of indecision, to Esther's acts of bravery and the triumph in the end- made me admire Esther and wish to be like her. That's one of the reasons I was so excited to read this in-depth look at her story, although I was a little nervous, since some authors recreating Biblical stories tend to veer off the original story's track. 

Esther, Xerxes, Mordecai- the relationships they created with each other were true to the Bible (with some inventing, of course) and compelling. They became human, with hopes and fears and dreams, and even though you've read the story before, you really want to keep reading so that everything turns out all right for them (even though, if you've read the Bible, you know how it all ends!). 

Quite a few different viewpoints are covered right off the bat, which stole my attention from the story and seemed a little unnecessary. I was really wanting Esther to be the focus (it's her story, right?) but that didn't happen as soon as I thought it would. Though after awhile, I began to appreciate everyone's points of view and how they contributed to the story. 

Even though the author does invent a few things along the way (mainly just personality types and that sort of thing) the story is true to the Bible, and also the historical accounts that she dug up. In fact, I noticed there was several times she word-for-word quoted the Bible (which was really satisfying and helped me to follow along as I read the Biblical account as an accompaniment). 

I loved seeing the combination of history and Bible collide in this novel- it reminded me of how God is in control of everything: our past, present, and, yes, even our future. Definitely something we need to be reminded of when, like now, the world seems to be going into chaos. 

I voluntarily received this book from the publisher in order to write an honest review. All opinions are truly my own.

About:

At eight years old, Shulle has known only life in a small village with her loving but peculiar father. When Uncle Shebna offers shelter in Jerusalem in exchange for Shulle's help tutoring King Manasseh, Judah's five-year-old co-regent who displays the same peculiarities as her father, she's eager to experience the royal court. But Shulle soon realizes the limits of her father's strict adherence to Yahweh's Law when Uncle Shebna teaches her of the starry hosts and their power.

Convinced Judah must be freed from Yahweh's chains, she begins the subtle swaying of young Manasseh, using her charm and skills on the boy no one else understands. When King Hezekiah dies, twelve-year-old Manasseh is thrust onto Judah's throne, bitter at Yahweh and eager to marry the girl he adores. Assyria's crown prince favors Manasseh and twists his brilliant mind toward cruelty, beginning Shulle's long and harrowing journey to discover the Yahweh she'd never known, guided with loving wisdom by Manasseh's mother: Isaiah's daughter, the heartbroken Hephzibah. Amid Judah's dark days, a desperate remnant emerges, claiming the Lord's promise, "Though we're helpless now, we're never hopeless--because we serve El Shaddai." Shulle is among them, a girl who becomes a queen through Isaiah's legacy.

Description and photo from waterbrookmultnomah.com

My Review:

The End of the Magi
By Patrick W. Carr
Christian Historical Fiction
Hardcover, Paperback, Audiobook & ebook, 384 Pages
November 5th 2019 by Bethany House Publishers

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 Review: 

Genre: Biblical Fiction

♥♥♥♥ four out of five hearts = very good

We've almost made it to the holiday season, and when I saw this book was coming out, my Christmas-loving heart was so excited to read it. Besides being a tale of adventure, Myrad's story seemed a little different than that of the average Christmassy hero's (think Hallmark... this is basically the oposite of that).



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
About the Author


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.

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