When we hear the word "Magi," typically thoughts of Christmas and the three kings come to mind or O.Henry's famous story "The Gift of the Magi." We don't often think about how the individuals who were part of the group of people called "Magi" actually played a significant role and were important to their culture. When Patrick Carr's newest book The End of the Magi popped up on my reading list, I immediately jumped to the connection with Christmas but as I read the book, I discovered it was so much more.
Patrick Carr delves into the story of the Magi, and one apprentice specifically, well before the birth of Christ. This allows Carr to provide a very detailed account of the Magi, their role in society, and how they came to follow the star. Granted, The End of the Magi is fiction, but Carr has invested time in research as well. The story follow apprentice Magi Myrad from his initial dream regarding a star to the time when the star stops and he finds what he has sought. However, The End of the Magi does not end there. Carr picks up the story of the Magi again 30 years later and interjects them into the events of Holy Week as well. This part of the story brings the Magi full circle and provides insight into Carr's choice of title as well.

The End of the Magi is a great book to read around Christmas given who the main characters are and their final destination. However, it is a book that could be enjoyed at any time of the year given Carr's excellent writing and research. I found that Carr's story emphasizes that most people of this time period, including the Magi, expected the Messiah to overthrow Rome. This reminder is important. While not necessarily a book for children, The End of the Magi is appropriate for high school and up and perhaps to be read aloud to junior high. As such, it might fit the age group that has outgrown Arnold Ytriede's excellent Advent books but are still looking for a Christmas read-aloud.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received The End of the Magi via NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Whether he’s writing historical fiction or epic fantasy, Patrick W. Carr brings exotic settings to life and creates unlikely heroes who inspire strong reader loyalty.

The End of the Magi is an intense, danger-fraught novel of biblical fiction where the magi in question are those who come bearing gifts for the Christ child. But the story—and their role in it—doesn’t end there.

The culture and the prophecies fascinate, and the snippets of wry humour make me smile. And I love how the story shows God choosing to use someone from outside the Hebrew lineage, someone with questionable heritage and a physical deformity, as part of His purposes. How like God to use the unlikely and to include the excluded.

Favourite lines:

“The only thing worse than disagreeing with the king is being right when you do it.” [Kindle location 3182]

“You see yourself as a man cursed with a clubfoot and beset by trials at every turn… But I see a man who has triumphed over every obstacle placed before him.” [Kindle locations 3373 and 3376]

“It’s almost as if God takes delight in accomplishing His ends in the most unlikely way possible.” [Kindle location 3943]

This is a novel for Christmas or for any time of year, for savouring and for discussing. It reminds us that God works in His own methods and according to His own timetable, often in ways that surprise, and that He has a place for the willing heart in His service.

Well done, Patrick W. Carr! As a long-time fan of his fantasy fiction, I give my hearty approval to his first historical fiction.

For more about the author and to read samples of his work, visit patrickwcarr.com.

[Review copy provided by the publisher through #NetGalley. My opinions are my own.]

This book is NOT your typical retelling of the account of Jesus’ birth. This is not the “manger scene” that’s so familiar to all of us. This is not the Christmas story with all the pretty things we associate with it. It is, however, a rather gripping story about the Magi and their journey to follow the star to find the King of Kings.

This story is not always easy to read. The author has taken quite a few historical facts and shows us just how difficult the political landscape was in the times surrounding Jesus’ birth, and how that turbulence often turned to violence and murder. This book focuses on Myrad, a young man who has just become a magus. The evening of his first meeting with the magi, the political boiling pot overflows and many of the Magi are murdered, including Myrad’s esteemed father. Myrad himself begins a perilous journey of escape, but also one of seeking to find the meaning of the dreams he’s had about a bright star, unlike any other, appearing in the sky. His faith in God is all he has as he seeks to find the meaning of the dream and how that fits into God’s purpose for his life. He has become a “Keeper of the Calendar” that began back in the days of Daniel to keep track of prophecy about the Messiah being fulfilled.

This sweeping story takes the reader from the days of Daniel to the events in Acts Chapter 2. There were times I had to re-read something for clarification or refer back to chapters I’d already read. But that was fine, because this book was well worth reading. It gave me a whole different view of what was happening in the world when Christ was born.

This is a clean story, with no bad language or inappropriate scenes.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Patrick W. Carr presents to us "The End of the Magi," a work of Biblical historical fiction that dares to tackle the story behind those wise men who journeyed to visit the newly born Jesus of Nazareth. The focal character, Myrad is a club foot young man who has been adopted into the family of one of the Magi. He finds himself fleeing for life while simultaneously pursuing that long awaited goal of the Magi, to see the coming Messiah. The metaphoric use of an adopted, club foot child who is pursuing the Messiah cannot be lost on the reader. For those who appreciate Biblical historical fiction, I would strongly encourage the reading of this book.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley and was not required to write a favorable review. All opinions are my own.

This gets a solid 4 star rating from me. I truly enjoyed the writing of this story from start to finish. It was very captivating and pulled me in from the very first page. I loved the characters and how dynamic they were. I also enjoyed going on the journey within this book. Seeing different places, people and kings was quiet intriguing.

Myrad is the main character of the story who happens to be a semi-magi apprentice. He is the adopted son of Gershom. He's Persian, but he's very interested in the ways of God. Myrad was such a dynamic character from beginning to end. He was a magi, but also not. He was raised Hebrew, but was Persian. He believed, but had his doubts. He sought vengeance then had a change of heart. Seeing him in every aspect as a human was amazing. Myrad had a great mind as well. They way he did negotiations was amazing to me and his heart was PERFECT. The fact that he also had a "disability" and kept going was so encouraging, inspiring and heartbreaking!

Walagash was such an amazing man! I loved the way he cared for and loved on Myrad from the very beginning. He gives such wisdom and knowledge at times. He helps Myrad out in the best ways possible. I will say...that scene with the punch!!! I died. Great father figure!

Roshan was such an interesting character -- especially when that plot twist came in. I was NOT expecting it! Roshan is a strong will character. Very assertive, hands-on and do it myself type of person. Loved the way Roshan handled things.

I also loved Aban -- he reminded me of a cool grandpa and Storana was kickbutt!!! A warrior through and through. She was always on guard to protect Myrad in battle.

Masistas and Musa can BOTH go to a pit and drown...no seriously. Masistas is a terrible magi who's out for self and wealth. Musa was a black widow. She was evil, money hungry, power obsessed and downright pure evil.

The romance in this book was of course surprising! Totally unexpected, but well enjoyed. Myrad makes for a fine husband and his wife -- let's just say I'm basis.

Though I enjoyed this story, I didn't care for the final portion of this book because it felt rushed and "thrown together" with how much scripture was squeezed into the last 5-10 chapters.

Overall, I totally enjoyed this book and definitely recommend this book to all!!

This was a quite a shift away from Carr's usual fantasy stories but The End of the Magi used all the elements we've come to love in a Carr novel. He takes the reader deep into the heart and place of his stories so in The Magi we get to experience the nomadic merchant life of historical biblical times, so that we are almost able to smell the camels, taste the saltiness of the desert sand and feel the oppressive nature of the desert heat. He gives us wonderfully developed characters. Myrad, who tells the story, has a disability which he initially allows to restrict him but he learns to accept his club foot as not a limitation as he follows the prophesy of the book of Daniel to discover who will be the saviour of the Israelites.

Roshan, a precocious teenager, matures into a generous and loving adult (don't want to share a spoiler) with a directness and courageousness that is tremendously endearing. Roshan's father, Walagash, the savvy merchant is similarly a loyal and trusted confidant.

But this is Myrad's story and we see his journey of faith and trust in God grow as he experiences the hand of God in protecting him on numerous occasions plus the revelation of Daniel's prophecy.

The story is a slow-burn with a consistent pace that mirrors the pace of a merchant caravan moving from town to town and the many conflicts the group is challenged by throughout their long journey.

I hope this isn't the last we see of Carr's deviation away from fantasy stories. Here he takes the biblical story of the Magi and presents a fictional account of the lives of the men who were to meet the newborn Jesus and present him with those superlative gifts we sing about in Christmas carols.

As the Christmas season is fast approaching I'd encourage readers to check out The End of the Magi to broaden their view of these significant contributors to the nativity story.

I received a complimentary e-book copy from Bethany House via Netgalley with no presumption of a positive review.

"The End of the Magi" is a Christian historical novel set in Babylon in 537 BC and then around the birth of Christ (5 BC) and his death. The prophet Daniel tasks a group of Hebrews among the magi with accurately counting down the days to the appearance of the Messiah-King. Myrad was adopted by one of these magi and taught about the Hebrew beliefs and the prophecy. When his adoptive father and many other magi are killed at the command of a Roman concubine determined to rule as queen, he gathers his father's money and papers and flees. His clubfoot makes it difficult to travel quickly or hide his identity. He bargains what he has for what people want most and gains their help. In the process, he travels with several magi to witness the birth of Christ. However, the count won't be complete for another 30 years, and the Hebrew magi are determined to be there at the announcement of their Messiah-King.

The characters were complex, likable people who reacted realistically to events. The story was very suspenseful from start to finish due to the danger to Myrad and the people with him. God's hand was seen subtly working events so that Myrad and his companions not only survived but affected the major political and military events happening around them. Their lives were changed by the events they witnessed and participated in. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd highly recommend this exciting biblical adventure.

I found it very difficult to get into, and stay involved with, this story. We all know the story of the Wise Men and the star, and this book takes an interesting perspective into the history and politics surrounding those events, including the centuries leading up to it and the period immediately after their visit. It was an interesting premise, but the author's style did not work for me.

The adventure Myrad embarked on as he fled from the wicked queen who killed the magi to gain her throne was thought-provoking and insightful. I have participated in decades' of Bible studies and read a multitude of fictional works surrounding the life of Jesus. Yet it seemed that every other page I read in The End of the Magi, I was saying "I didn't know that" or "I hadn't thought about that". The approach Patrick W. Carr took to tell the story of the magi and how and why they journeyed is different from any I've seen before and yet completely true to scripture.

I love when I learn from the novels I read! Especially when the information integrates cleanly into the story so it is almost not like learning at all. The End of the Magi was filled with historical information that was new to me and was not forced at all.

The historical facts I learned as I read were fascinating. Yes, I did look up some things because I wanted to know how much was fact and how much was fiction. I now know far more about the Parthians than I had before! And I have a beautiful sense of the terrain the magi would have traveled through and what the journey could have been like. I enjoyed the depictions of the activity of the merchants at the oasis. It was quite a different picture than the image I had in my head and seems to make much more sense.

One of the most touching scenes was where Elias, the merchant, found it possible to obtain a copy of the Torah. The deep emotion he experienced and the reverence he showed for God's word was both tender and convicting! With many versions of the Bible in my house and several more on my phone, it is easy to forget what an incredible gift God's word to us is!

Those familiar with the prophecies in Daniel about the 69 weeks from the time the declaration to rebuild Jerusalem until the coming of the Messiah may be fascinated by the concept of the magi keeping a calendar to watch for these events as I was. I was especially intrigued by the way they were so confused when the star appeared 30 years too early based on their tracking!

The End of the Magi has the best of Biblical fiction. Adventure, history, oodles of research, and a deep reverence for God's word that flows off the pages. If you enjoy reading stories that make the events of the Bible come alive and touch your heart, be sure to pick up a copy.

I took a chance on this book because it was endorsed by a couple of authors that I enjoy reading and the concept absolutely fascinated me..... what if Daniel remained in Babylon to prepare the Magi for the coming of the Messiah? It put such a cool spin on the story of the wise men who came to visit the Christ Child. I really enjoyed this take on some familiar Bible passages and had me digging into Daniel for the prophecies as well. It also gave me pause to consider just how far the magi travelled when following the star. I will never read their story quite the same again!

This book follows Myrad, one of those who followed the star. I loved how God came through for him miraculously time and again, providing for him when he thought he was done for. Myrad was a rather likable character, very clever and very relatable. As a person born with a club foot, he understood persecution as well as the need to overcome more than the average person. His curiosity was his gift and brought him to the places that he found himself. The amount of adversity he overcame in this novel in order to seek out the Messiah was immense, but sometimes we are called to do similar things in our quest to be Christ-like as well.

I had a bit of a struggle at first in this book as Mr. Carr's writing style is different than I typically read, but once I got settled in to this book, it took on its own cadence and that became a non-issue. I would recommend this one to fans of biblical historical fiction. Special thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced e-copy of this book. I was not required to write a review and the thoughts contained herein are my own.

Daniel penned the words in his book of the Bible that the Messiah would come in seven sevens and sixty-two sevens … 483 years after the beginning of the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem. A group of men in the countries east of Israel, known as magi, began the countdown. For hundreds of years they kept a calendar for this event and passed it down from generation to generation. Gershom was one of the magi in Persia keeping a calendar. He adopted a young man named Myrad, when Myrad’s mother died, and taught him about God and the ways of the Hebrews. Myrad had become an apprentice to be a magus like Gershom and had had a dream of seeing a bright star in the west. This dream proved Myrad indeed had been blessed with the gift. Gershom is killed in the Roman queen’s attempt to take over the Persian government from her husband the king. He leaves three instructions for Myrad to follow … buy a horse, go to Rhagae and find a certain man. Myrad was determined to follow Gershom’s instructions, even with his handicap. He was born with a club foot and had much difficulty getting around. On his way, Myrad meets up with a camel caravan, finds favor with the trader and travels with them for protection.

Upon arriving in Rhagae, Myrad finds the magus he is looing for, along with several other magi gathered for the same purpose. Together they set out with the camel trader and his caravan to follow the star. They all agree this event is too early according to the calendar, but it is intriguing none the less, and they feel compelled to go. With an overthrow of the government and war looming, will they make this treacherous journey and find their long-awaited Messiah?

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. After being abandoned in the desert, hunted down like an animal, caught in a flood, drugged and caught up in a war, he continues his journey for his adoptive father. He is surrounded by supporting characters with quite an assortment of personalities, yet each has a role to fill in the story line and in Myrad’s journey. THE END OF THE MAGI is a great holiday read and gives us much to think about in our journey to know God better.

Patrick W. Carr is known for his fantasy novels, and these aren’t usually novels in which I have an interest. But when I saw a new novel with the title of the End of the Magi, well, I knew I was probably looking at a work of Biblically-based fiction. And I do find those interesting. Given the timing of its release, I presumed this was a Christmas tale, focusing on the Messiah’s birth. After all, isn’t that how we know about the Magi? But it’s actually so much more than that. It can be read at Easter, and at Pentecost, and at any other time you desire.

One of the things I enjoy about Biblical fiction is the opportunity to dig into Scriptural passages that I may have either glanced at or skipped over entirely. Carr has chosen a prophecy in Daniel 9:20-27 as a starting point for this coming of age boy’s adventure. From a layman’s perspective, we know that Daniel was set over a group of wise men in Persia which was to the east of modern day Israel. This is the area from which historical Magi came. It is pure conjecture as to whether Daniel created a group of wise men to count the days until the prophecy might be fulfilled but, when combined with historical record and tradition, the result is an entertaining tale.

The hero is a former street child named Myrad, raised by a Hebrew in the ways of the Magi. While riches might well be his for the taking, his primary aim after the man’s death is to continue his mentor’s hunt for the fulfilment of Daniel’s prophecy. Along the way, he meets both Hebrews and Gentiles and must make important decisions as to whom he can trust. I found my emotions rising and falling by various degrees throughout his journey. And, when it came to an end – much later than I’d anticipated – I knew The End of the Magi was one of my favorite books of 2019.

Disclaimer: I received an electronic copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. I was not required to write a review, and the words above are my own.

A delightful read and something different from what I'm used to reading. I liked it, enjoyed it and liked the biblical references.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC copy.

THE END OF THE MAGI by PATRICK W. CARR is the story of a young Parthian, Myrad, who becomes one of the three magi who follow the star to Bethlehem.
Myrad was adopted by Gershom, a magus who is marking the days of Daniel's prophecy. When Gershom is killed, Myrad, who has seen the unusual star, takes on the marking of the calendar. As he flees the king and queen's madness he joins up with a caravan owned by Walagash. Myrad has a club foot so it is hard for him to hide from those who are after him. The journey is long and hard and fraught with danger.
I like the part of the story that ties in with Jesus' birth and resurrection.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bethany House Publishers. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

I just finished this novel and it was fantastic! Because I enjoy the author's writing I didn't even read the synopsis! What a fun surprise this story was. I have recently become a huge fan of Biblical fiction so this story was a perfect fit for that genre.

Are there people in the Bible you don't really think much about after their bit in history is told? I've never really given the magi much thought other than the fact that they found Jesus to give him gifts and didn't return to Herod. Now, after reading this book I feel like the magi are more real to me! They had a life before AND after! I won't ruin the after part, but WOW!

So, the life before starts with the reader being introduced to Myrad. What a well written and unexpected view of one of the magi. His trials and tribulations that lead to him coming face to face with Jesus takes up the bulk of the story. After reading about Myrad, now I want to learn more about the other two magis lives! I mean, I know a bit as they were incorporated into the story, but I want to know them better.

The one "negative" that I would say in this book is the use of a$$ in the story. Don't get me wrong, it fits, but I feel that it would've been more appropriate to use donkey or mule. We'd still get the same impression using a different word. Other than that, I give this high praise and am ready for my next Patrick W. Carr novel!

The story begins in Babylon in 537 BC with Daniel at the end of his life and continues in 5 BC with the story of Myrad, the adopted son of one of the Magi that serves the King. Quickly embroiled in the politics of the day, Myrad takes what he has left of his father’s papers and coin and flees the palace. He finds other Magi that his father had known and they band together to follow the clues that Daniel left for them. The story goes to Nazareth where they find the baby Jesus where the star led them and then eventually to Jerusalem at the time of the crucifixion.

This is a delightful look at the Magi (what we call the Wise Men) and an interesting look at the politics and life of the times. This is one of those books you don’t want to put down to do the mundane tasks of your life (eat, sleep, work).

I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

The End of the Magi by Patrick W. Carr is a unique and predictable glance into the world of the wise men from the Nativity story. While most Americans have heard of the story, Carr decides to dive deeper into the background before the birth of Jesus. It was different and unexpected of a storyline. I didn't expect to travel so far back, starting with Daniel. I'm glad Carr did though. It made the story easy to follow. While the idea captured my attention, there were moments where the story dragged. I kept finding other things to do around the house instead of read, which is really odd for me. I didn't want to come back to the story. There isn't a lot of tension and running for their lives. The story does have a predictable ending. Would I recommend this story to others? Yes, if there looking for this type of story. While the plot didn't really wow me, the writing is fabulous. Carr definitely knows how to capture a setting and keep in the individual characters' minds. Overall, The End of the Magi by Patrick W. Carr is a wonderful read for fans of Mesu Andrews and Tessa Afshar. But for me, it didn't quite capture my attention.

I received a complimentary copy of The End of the Magi by Patrick W. Carr from Bethany House Publishers, but the opinions stated are all my own.

Ever since Patrick Carr's Cast of Stones series, I've been a faithful fan of his writing. It seems I'm always waiting for his next installment. The End of the Magi, Carr's latest novel, does not disappoint. The believable characters, rich setting, and intriguing plot line all flowed together into a well-told story that was hard to put down.

The End of the Magi centers around main character Myrad, an orphan with a club-foot who was adopted by one of the magi, wise men who served and advised the king, some of whom still served the Hebrew God of the prophet Daniel. When events take an unexpected turn, Myrad finds himself on the run, trying to discover the meaning of Daniel's prophecy and what his own dream of a distant and unmoving star might mean.

While the title itself carried the idea that this book might have a biblical link, mentioning the magi or wise men who visited the baby Jesus after his birth, I couldn't imagine how the pieces would fit together. I shouldn't have worried since Carr has proved himself a masterful storyteller over and over again. The descriptions, the characters, the setting, the plot--everything fit together in such a way I could hardly put the book down. I thoroughly enjoyed the book. And now, I am experiencing the let down of having finished the book and having to wait again for another of Patrick Carr's delightful novels.

Note: I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for this honest review. The opinions expressed are my own.