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Reviewed by Stephen Brayton for Readers' Favorite
Balthazar, a.k.a. The Antioch Ghost, a prolific thief, has been captured by King Herod's men. On the day of his execution, he escapes, along with two other prisoners. On the run again, they make their way to Bethlehem where they spend the night in a stable occupied by a man, his young wife and newborn infant. They also learn of Herod's heinous plot to kill every infant under the age of two in order to nullify the prophecy of a Messiah destroying his kingdom. Balthazar and his friends help the family flee from Bethlehem and plan to escape to the safety of Egypt. However, Herod hasn't given up and enlists the aid of Augustus Caesar who sends his top military man, an eager up and comer named Pilate. While outwitting their pursuers, Balthazar finds himself plagued by dreams of an angel, and slowly undergoes a transformation of spirit.
This is a wonderful what-if tale of the three wise men. There is something for everyone here: adventure, political chicanery, supernatural mystery, and a spiritual uplifting optimism when rooting for the underdog. The narrator does an excellent job of distinguishing voices and keeping the story relatively light-hearted. However, it is not all fun and there are horrific scenes at which I cringed. The tale is honest in its portrayal of the violence and the power hungry. Grahame-Smith's historical characters are so vividly described, from the disease-ridden, pedophile Herod to the mysterious Magus to the innocent Mary. The power and influence of God is heavily laced throughout. I thoroughly enjoyed this story set in a time and place so often written about but never fully understood.
