Customer Reviews

Bozra, A Shepherd's Journey, Cradle to Cross Trilogy

5 star:		(4)
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3 star:		(1)
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This is a simple, eloquent story whose central character is always in the wrong place at the wrong time. His life takes place all around Jesus' life and ministry, from Angelic visitation to his family of shepherds (which he sleeps through), the divine birth to crucifixion. It's becomes somewhat amusing that he only hears of the miracualous, yet he is a believer. We walk by faith, not by sight; this is a central message.

Mac lifts us out of the modern busy world and with few words gives us pages of crisp and stirring language. He places us in the body and mind of a shepherd boy who misses the coming of Yeshua as he becomes a man who misses the passing of Yeshua as he becomes a father who . . . finds what has been left behind for all of us to love and embrace and cherish. It is a story of becoming. It is wonderful story for Easter.

I felt the rays of sun on my face, the mist in the air, the sand under my sandals, missed opportunities and then........Bozra is a wonderfully written story about the life of a shepherd. I felt as though I was living and experiencing every facet of Bozra's life.

Mac McConnell has written such a compelling, wonderful story. You will feel all of the emotions, traditions and trials of a young shepherd boy. As I read the book I felt tears, laughter, goosebumps and amazement. Mac has truly written a superb book!!!!

I will be adding Bozra to my collection along with Mac's other book, "Forever Changed".

This book would make an excellent gift for your friends and family!!!!

I was more than enamored by this book. Mac offers a vivid description of what shepherding was like in first century Palestine. While Bozra is a fictitious shepherd, he is very much the typical shepherd going about his trade and life during the events of Jesus' life. You learn how the shepherds reacted to Christ's teachings through their meetings. You get a feel for what life was like on the fringe of the greatest event(s) to ever take place between "In the beginning" and the Second Coming of our Lord.

The mastery in telling Bozra's story without ever touching the Scripture is, in my estimation, nothing short of amazing. All throughout Bozra's life, you have an idea of what is going on in Jerusalem with this man, Yeshua. This is not because Mac filters in Scripture. Rather, it is because you, the reader, are familiar with Scripture.

For example, while we are familiar with Matthew 2:16-18 (the killing of children by Herod), you will never read those three verses the same again once you have read what happened to Jeheil, his brother, on his trip into Jerusalem. The vivid imagery wrenched my soul and made me realize that I had never really read Matthew 2:16-18 for all of its horrible glory.

When I first talked with Mac, I told him I was highly skeptical of historical fiction when it came to biblical characters and that I would probably be more critical than not in my review. I could not have been more wrong!

(NOTE: As a book reviewer, one must hold the author's of Christian books to a higher standard since they are attempting to guide fellow believers through Christian principles and practices. Some books that come across my desk never make it to the "write the review" pile.)

I am happy to say that I have found a new favorite author, and the only favorite author I have in this genre, of historical fiction. I now have all five books written by Mac McConnell and will review them as I read them. I was even blessed to be able to write a blurb for the back of his next book, Footsteps of St. Peter: The Early Years.

If you are a skeptic like I was (am?), then do yourself a favor and purchase a copy of this book. If you don't like it (highly unlikely) let me know and I will buy it from you (I can only afford a limited number!). If you do like it (love it!) you thank me. You will then want others to read it and enjoy the experience as much as you did.

I enjoyed reading Bozra. I learned a lot about the job and lifestyle of shepherds through this book. (I never thought about sheep stampeding.) I enjoyed reading the book and being involved in the story. The book made me think about scriptural references to how the 12 tribes were to encamp around the temple and tabernacle. I enjoyed how this little Shepard boy got to learn about how special the sheep were that he was raising. They were the sacrificial sheep. I enjoyed the story of the angels visiting the shepherds. I liked your twist to the story and how this little boy kept missing out on all the big events. This book kept me involved in the story. It took me about two days to finish. Even though I'm a slow reader, I could have finished it in one. This book holds suspense and a love story inside it. Various Jewish Feasts and ceremonies are described in story form. The ending of the book held a nice surprise for me. It didn't finish as I had expected. I liked the book very much. Thanks Mac!