Magi

by Daniel L. Gilbert

In this debut Christmas novel, Daniel Gilbert combines ancient history, detailed astronomy, prophecy, and legend in this imaginative tale of one of the original magi and his life-changing meeting with the new child king.

Genres: Christmas, Fiction, Christian, Historical Fiction

176 pages, Hardcover

First published October 31, 2007

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Reviews

[Rose | Adventurous Bookworm · Rating 2 out of 5]

So many characters...

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't think calling this book cute is what the author was going for...it is a look at Christmas and Jesus' birth from one of the Magi's Point of Views.

A fictional account of what it might have been like for the wise men, the trials of their travels and how not everyone was looking for the messiah to be born.

Probably a better read during the holiday season instead of after-but, when you get it as a Christmas gift....

[Claudia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Biblical fiction is generally not my bag. The Flyleaf of this book made it sound pretty good and worth reading. However I was just picking it up and reading it a page or two at a time so it was difficult to get interested. I finally decided to finish it and polished it off within a couple of days. It was actually not a bad read and gave a feel for the time period.

[Briansmom · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice cozy read about the "Three Wise Men." Some unexpected stuff; very interesting.

[Erinn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unusual book. I wanted to read it during the Christmas season but was unhappy with the fictional twist on the story of the Magi & the birth of Jesus. This book seemed a little too out there for me. I prefer the traditional story I have come to know.

[Mawdiay Faith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story about the Magi who came from the East to worship baby Jesus! The depictions were beautiful! The conflict and ensuing redemption arc of the main character was wonderfully played out.

[Michael K. Willis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magi by Daniel L. Gilbert is very well researched, very well written, and an excellent read.

[Gail]

Great story!

[Theresa Lange · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very, very good!

[Catherine Gillespie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Daniel Gilbert’s novel “Magi” is an entertaining story of how the Three Wise Men might have undertaken the journey to present gifts to Jesus. Informed by research into historical sources, Gilbert’s novel has an authentic feel to it, although much of the story is of course based on conjecture. What I liked most about the book was the details. Since it’s a version of the Christmas story but told from a different perspective, that gave the author a reason to mention details like how Jerusalem looked and how the Temple worked, about Herod, and about the way Joseph and Mary would have lived in Nazereth, without seeming like a data dump. Although some of the plotting and pacing was problematic, over all I think this is a good book for the holiday season when things can get busy but you still might like to read something now and then.

{Read my full review on A Spirited Mind}

[Debra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ramates is seeking personal glory by hunting an illusive white leopard far into the night. But a large unusual star appears in the night sky and his life of this eastern magi proceeds in an totally different direction. The details of his life in the Parthian kingdom and polictical intrigue that surrounds the launching of the caravan to find the Deliverer associated with the star are wonderfully laid out. You know where the story is going to end, but the path to that end is a delightful read. A small book to spark a Christmas mood.

[Fred Kohn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was attracted to this book because of its cover and size. It felt good in my hands. When I flipped through the pages, I found that the characters had been given imaginative names. I hustled over to goodreads and found that the book had good reviews. So I was quite disappointed to find the plot trite and lacking imagination. I gave the book two stars instead of one because I did manage to learn something about Parthian customs, and that was a plus.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

An imaginative retelling of the story of Jesus' birth from the POV of one of the wise men who come to visit him. Many historical details are plain wrong, and Gilbert takes liberties with the story that don't always make sense. The characters aren't particularly deep, and the protagonist's transformation, though believable and edifying, is not drawn at the depth I would have preferred.

A quick, easy read. Engaging but not life-altering.

[Karen B · Rating 4 out of 5]

This little novel is all about the journey to seek the Christ Child and the journey to find one's inner self. From the Diyala River in what is now Iraq to Bethleham we follow Magi Ramates as he follows his Star.