The End of the Magi

Written by Patrick W. Carr

Narrated by Jonathan Todd Ross

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.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Nov 5, 2019
• ISBN: 9781980052395

Reviews for The End of the Magi

[hes7 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Follow the star this holiday season in Patrick W. Carr’s The End of the Magi. It is a story of prophecies and politics, an epic journey of secrets, peril, courage, and the coming Messiah. History springs to life with clarity and imagination and will forever alter your understanding of the beloved Christmas story.I have long known the wisemen as an element of Jesus’ birth story, but never gave much thought to their experience. As Carr fleshes out their humanity and purpose, especially through the character of Myrad, I could not help but be captivated by the story that he pens.If you love Christmas reading, like I do, and need a break from feel-good romances, The End of the Magi is a book you should read.I received a complimentary copy of this book and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

[bookworm_lisa · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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.Source: I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

[fcplcataloger · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

As I read this book, I found myself turning to my Bible and I also 'googled' to see what was fact and what was fiction. It is very apparent that Patrick W. Carr has devoted a lot of time to research this book that relates the prophet Daniel's prediction as to when the Messiah would be born. The book begins in 537 BC Babylon and readers are given a story of danger, adventure, and deep faith, as the Magi, or wise men, begin their watch. The End of the Magi centers on Myrad and his dream that shows a huge star that appears to be stationary in the sky. It is as his journey continues, made more difficult because of his club foot, that he continues to dream and it is in one dream that he is told "Behold", the voice said, "the promised one has been born."' The Last of the Magi is filled with historical details and Bible scripture but Carr also adds wonderful human interest. I was especially touched by the description of the Magi finally meeting Mary, Joseph, and Jesus and reading Mary's explanation of all that had occurred. I also enjoyed seeing Myrad emerge from being very self-conscious about his club foot to a confident man who had found the Messiah and also the love of a young woman. But it his witnessing The Day of Pentecost and hearing Simon speak in his native Persian language that brought me to tears. That night, as he gathered with his friends and they shared the bread and the wine, Myrad wondered 'Would anything be ordinary again?' After reading this book, I know that I won't because this book has increased my understanding of all of these events. The End of the Magi is a must-read for those who enjoy biblical fiction!I received a copy of this book from Bethany House but I wasn't obligated to leave a positive review. This are my own thoughts.

[sbmc-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

"God's leading isn't always as obvious as having His messenger show up in the middle of your afternoon prayers. Sometimes He whispers so softly to your heart, you scarcely know He's spoken."This is actually the first book by Patrick W. Carr that I have read and I am completely mesmerized. This book is a bit different from the speculative novels that the author is known for; it's a well-researched and captivating Biblical fiction centered around prophecies of Jesus' birth and the magi eagerly awaiting the Messiah's triumph, also foretold by the faithful prophets of old. The writing is intense and splendid, and it draws you into the heart of the political and religious unrest in the Persian Empire, as well as the Roman Empire. The protagonist is an unlikely hero, a club-footed Persian apprentice adopted by a Hebrew magus in the capital of the Persian Empire. Myrad, despite his physical handicap, is intelligent, truthful, humble, loving, and loyal. As he reluctantly inherits his adoptive Hebrew father's lifelong task to keep the calendar according to the old prophecies, Myrad encounters danger, betrayal, adventure, true friendship and kinship and acceptance, hope and even love. Even in the midst of his doubts and uncertainty, Myrad works to spread the word of the One True God in a pagan and pluralistic world. The story spans majority of Myrad's adult life and it will bring fresh insight into God's plan of salvation finally unfurling with the birth of Jesus and exploding across the nations with His death and resurrection.All fans of Biblical fiction will absolutely love this book. It's a must read, especially as we approach the season of Christmas. I received a copy of the book from Bethany House and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.

[lawonder10 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Myrad was a cripple, yet when his mother died, the magus, Gershon, took him in and adopted him. He raided him as his son, and taught him in the ways and knowledge as a magi acolyte.. Their close relationship ended in the terrible day at the palace, where the newly pronounced queen had him and others slaughtered. Myrad fled to this fathers house to grab a few important and sacred belongings, barely fleeing from there with hos life. He had to obtain the shelter of a caravan in order to avoid being caught and slayed. many regarded his crippled body as a curse and refused his plea to join them. However after endlessly searching, and through his persistence, the merchant Walagash allowed him to join them. Little did any of them realize what events would take place in the upcoming months and years.... Would Myrad be able to honor his father and fulfill his dreams? This is an excellent story in honor, integrity, greed, perseverance, and in overcoming obstacles. It is a well-written tale, using creative imagination concerning an event in history which is vaguely addressed. The characters are well portrayed and feel very real. The events and scenes are well defined and visualized with relative ease. The Book Cover is too dark to effectively attract "the browser's eye". However the Title is very interesting and fitting to the book content. I did find it disconcerting that some important parts were left out of a well-known biblical event. A couple of other places in the story is not in accordance to most individuals understanding, yet is left open to interpretation. The author used that to create his own, interesting, scenario. I recommend this book, especially for holiday reading. *This book was gifted to me with no pressure for a positive review. This is my honest review.