Star of Wonder

Secrets of the Lost Empires #1

by Tracy L. Higley

An epic quest across the sands of Arabia

In the exotic land of the east, a group of scholars studies the night sky for generations, until finally a star bursts onto the scene, signaling the birth of a new world leader.
But when an ancient document surfaces, whispering of an artifact of immense power, the temptation to seek out its power infiltrates their caravan.
The soldier, the mage and the Egyptian princess each has a secret to protect. But if they are going to survive the dark forces battling for their prize, they must learn to trust each other—in what will surely be the journey of a lifetime.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction, Christmas, Biblical Fiction, Christian, Historical, Fiction

130 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2015

About the author

Tracy Higley has been attempting to time travel through the pages of books since she was a child. She started her first story at the age of eight, and has since authored nearly twenty books, including the acclaimed Seven Wonders Series, and the Time Travel Journals of Sahara Aldridge. She earned a Master’s Degree in Ancient and Classical History, and has traveled to Egypt, Greece, Jordan, Israel, Italy, and Turkey, researching her books and falling into adventures. Peruse her travel journals and learn more fascinating history at www.tracyhigley.com.

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Age Appropriate For: 15 and up for spiritual warfare, violence, and magic (used by those controlled by Satan)
Best for Ages: 18 and up

This is a review of the whole Incense Road Trilogy.

Several years ago, someone told me about an author who was giving away some of her paperbacks to bloggers just by asking. I jumped at the change. Little did I know I would be finding one of my favorite authors of all time.

Some people won’t like this series because there is a lot about spiritual warfare, even physical manifestations of that warfare. There are even some people able to cast spells. However, I have to say that I honestly believe that such things exist. I also love how God is always more powerful then the darkness.

This book was part treasure hunt story, part spiritual warfare, and part biblical fiction. All of it was powerful and gripping.

Well researched, grounded firmly in the scriptures, this story gripped my attention from the first page and didn’t let go until I read the last one. I had a book hangover, it was so good, and so powerful. I felt like I had journeyed along with these men and women. I felt like I to had been changed by the events they witnessed.

My only complete was that toward the end of the third book, Higley diverged some from the scriptural account and had the magi warned Joseph to flee to Egypt.

I highly recommend this book for those who are interested in the story of the magi, those who like books that deal with spiritual warfare, and gripping biblical fiction tales.

[Malia Saldaña · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was really excited to read this book and see how the author portrayed this aspect of the Wise Men. It took me awhile to really get into the book and finally understand what was going on, but at the end I was really enjoying it. At first, I wasn’t so sure about Misha,but now I really like him. I love Kamillah. I’m excited to see more of her in the next novella. I’m not so sure about Reza yet though. I need to read more before I can exactly say. I don’t like Zahir. This was definitely an interesting way to portray the wise men. I’m excited to read the rest of the series and find out what happens.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Star of Wonderwas a good story, but at the same time I didn't enjoy it all that much. Maybe because the story is so short, or because it's only the first part of a three part series, but this book was a slower read - especially for being only 107 pages. Would I continue with this series? Maybe, if the price was right, but I don't plan on buying them anytime soon. Didn't enjoy it that much. I have LOVED other books by this author, so if this book isn't for you still try some of her other books.

2.5 stars

[Katja Labonté]

Free on Amazon! (28.5.22)

[Nadine Keels · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was easy to see how Zahir had put this document together with the positioning of the regal star and its indication of a birth unlike any the world had seen. A ruler to rule the nations.

I don't know what all I was expecting when I picked up Star of Wonder by author Tracy Higley. That is, I figured The Incense Road trilogy would be the road leading to the birth of Christ, but besides that, my space for expectations was pretty blank.

I was unprepared for the stirring adventure this story on the sands of Arabia becomes, something bringing Aladdin and Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark to my mind. It's a story of heritage and the need for acceptance, of intrigues for power and position, and of a young, first-level mage's quest for "an object of power that could sway the course of nations." Granted, Misha-el, the mage, is more concerned with the object of power for his ailing mother's sake than for the fate of nations.

Now, I didn't get a full grip on the story's pacing. It was a bit difficult for me to make complete sense of some of the earlier action, as certain parts felt rushed or vague, but I also lost a measure of interest in the details during a couple of slow parts. Still, overall, I found this novella to be a pleasant, and rather fascinating, surprise.

I think, for anyone who finishes the first stage of this star-led journey, it'd be nigh on impossible not to want to go on to read the next book on the Incense Road.

[Amber Lemus · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first started reading this story, I thought I wouldn't like it. The magic and darkness of the Persian magi and such almost made me put it down. But it gets better toward the end.
The story and characters are interesting and the theme of ancient artifacts intrigued me.
Beware though, this one isn't a story by itself. It's the beginning to the rest of the series and leaves you without any answers.

I did enjoy it and will probably read the rest of the series.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unlike most novellas, this had a complete story and plot. However, since this was kinds the followup to The Queen's Handmaid I was expecting a lot. This was a little confusing with several terms not being explained.

I am interested in reading the next book. Hopefully it will be more like The Queen's Handmaid.

[carlita_is_probably_reading · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novella kind of reminded me of Aladdin, except there is religion involved.

[Kristin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Note: Kristin reads and reviews both Christian and secular fiction on A Simply Enchanted Life. Out of respect for my readers, I am including a content review. This content review will help you decide whether this book is suitable for you.

Christian or Secular: Christian
ASEL Rating: Mild language& violence. (Safe for most audiences. See full content review)
Full Content Review may contain spoilers
Profanity: Mild. Two occasions in this book used the word "damnable" or "damned" in a manner that didn't feel "Biblical" and much more like mild profanity.
Sex: None
Violence: Mild (no detailed description)
Drugs & Alcohol: None
Trigger Warning: None


Star of Wonder is book #1 in The Incense Road series by Tracy Higley. Other books in the series include Star of Night (#2) and Royal Beauty (#3)

My Thoughts:
Who were the magi? We often think of a nativity with three wise men on camels but the truth is, the Bible never says that there were only three magi. It only makes sense that this was an order of scholars who devoted their time to studying the stars.

Tracy Higley always does such a wonderful job with her research that I just had to pick up this book to learn more.

Though I'm a long time fan of Tracy's, I did find it harder to get into this book. It had a slow start and relics were mentioned that I had to use kindle hover on to find a Wikipedia entry to know what I was reading about. Though I have read the Bible through multiple times; I couldn't recall that the serpent in the wilderness was called Nehushtan.

He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan. 2 Kings 18:4

My lack of Biblical knowledge isn't the author's problem but I can't help but wonder how many others couldn't remember this. Maybe prefacing a chapter with this verse or a description earlier in the book would have cleared my confusion. There is a description near the end of the book but I would have appreciated it earlier in the story.

There are several plot lines going on. Misha's quest for the Nehushtan, his mother's illness, his heritage, a possible love interest and rivalry with fellow magi. This book had a lot going on.

I would like to love this story but I'm feeling a bit indifferent. I think that I should have picked up the 3-in-1 collection and read this as a book rather than as three separate novellas.

My interest is piqued and I will continue the series but it's entirely too early to know what I will think of the story as a whole.

This review originally posted on A Simply Enchanted Life

[Lana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book full of magic, and mystery surrounding the artifact they are all seeking across the Arabian desert sands. Misha is more of a Persian than a Jew however he still feels like an outcast amongst the rest of the mages studying under his mentor Zahir. His parents are part of the Chakkiym and will not let him forget this. He feels hounded by the voices at the edge of his vision and by the star which is cursing him. He wants so much to be accepted and to become the first high mage yet all he seems to do is try to please everyone and they all seem to want something from him. When he ventures on a quest together with Zahir, Kamillah and Reza they all have their own motif for going. He wants to find the ancient artifact Nehushtan as it has healing powers, and his mother who he left behind is dying, but Zahir wants this for his King. Misha wants to help his mother, impress his father, please his mentor, outdo his rival, support his best friend and win Kamillah. However things take a turn for the dire when he does locate the artifact and as he had been warned the curse is triggered. A battle for the artifact ensues but if the mage, the soldier and the princess cannot work together they will not find what they are seeking. Can they overcome their distrust and work together to defeat Zahir their mentor? Wow such an exciting book, with such a lovely setting keeping us all hooked to reading the next book in the series.

[Linda Matchett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy fictionalized accounts of the Christmas story, and I really enjoyed Tracy Higley’s Star of Wonder. I liked that this version was told from a different point of view than usual – that of a young mage named Misha. The book drew me in from the very first sentence: “From that first night nine months ago, a sickness had been growing in me, like some hideous creature waiting to be birthed.” There was constant tension which kept me turning pages. I also liked the way the description and dialogue immersed me into the setting and era. The characters were unique and interesting, and each had his or her own agenda. I loved seeing how it all came together as they sought the same thing for different reasons. I felt bad that Misha had such a strained relationships with his father. Because of their conflicting expectations, they are distant and barely communicate. Misha’s mother is caught in the middle of these two men she loves. The book ended somewhat abruptly, and I didn’t really like that. It was too much of a cliff-hanger for me. I recommend the book for folks who enjoy biblical fiction as well as those who enjoy “quest” type books.

[Joleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
This is an alternate telling of how the star of wonder was seen by people from other cultures.

Was it an warning? Was it a foreboding? Or was it a sign of something wondrous?

The book also contained a struggle between good and evil. Between those who follow false gods and those who only want the One True God's will to be accomplished.

The King in this book was Phraates IV who was King of the Parthian Empire from 37 to 2 BC, right about the time the star was making its way to Israel. A band of men (traders, soldiers, guards and Chaldeans (diviners called Kasdim in this book). They were in search of a magic artifact to heal the king's tormented mind.

"…had interpreted the Nehushtan as the object imbuing the leader with supernatural power, I saw something different. Not a ruler holding an object of power, but a ruler who was Power itself. Dominion over all people and all of creation, not because of what He possessed, but because of who He was.
Messiah."

This was a novella, part of several books making up the whole story of the journey to find what many seek…for different reasons.

[Christine L. Henderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a unique historical read in that it takes place around Christ's birth with a few characters that are in the Biblical account and others that are not. It deals with several groups of people who are seeking where the star leads. They seek profit, freedom, or enlightenment and clash with each other in the process. The mix of characters create good tension with a lot of double-handedness. Will they be able to work together or tear each other apart before the end of the series?

What I wish had been included in the book is some historical reference as to who these groups were to make it easier to follow. This is the first of the series, which means the author wants to leave you with the need to continue to the next book. I've always liked books in a series to be able to stand alone. This one did not do that. It left a chain of unfinished threads with no resolution.

[LeAnne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found it hard to get into this book, mainly because the protagonist is so unlikeable. He grows on you, and young readers especially will identify with his desire to make his own way in the secular world and not be identified with his father's Jewish religion. I know the book is leading up to the visit of the magi to the Christ child, but there is a lot of other stuff going on here. I had to look up what the much-sought Nehushtan was (the bronze serpent lifted up in the wilderness, which although broken, might still be found and used for healing.) Tracy Higley is a master of the cliffhanger chapter ending, but I wish she had picked up with how the character got out of the situation instead of so often jumping ahead to where that is past. As other reviewers have said, she believes in the supernatural and spiritual warfare, and that biblical worldview comes through loud and clear.

[Dayanara Ryelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

Despite the description, I was under the impression that this book (or rather the trilogy, since I got them as an omnibus) would tell a story of how Balthazar, Melchior and Gaspar decided to travel together and end with meeting the infant Yeshua, and that perhaps the mage, soldier and princess were just supporting characters.

Nope. The primary driver of this one is one of three pieces of a staff that Moses once owned, and Gaspar is barely mentioned—only then in regards to the scrolls that were the central plot of the prequel. Even then, the finding and fetching of the first part of the staff turns this into a nothing burger of a story.

I won't be bothering with the other two books, and am taking a break from the author's books for a while. I can't stand the disappointment any longer.

[Jacqueline · Rating 4 out of 5]

In general, I enjoy the way Tracey Highley writes historical fiction - about events far back in the past. The titles of this novella and the two that follow give anyone who knows the words to the Christmas carol "We three kings" a good idea of the subject matter. The story is set at a time just before the birth of the - at the time, mythical - Messiah but is involved far more in the politics of the region. A mad king, his evil, conniving Maji and his mysterious hold over the beautiful, enigmatic Egyptian, Kamillah. Misha, a lovable rogue given an important mission that he doesn't believe in by his father, but with his own mission in mind, and his best friend, Reza, a scholar at heart, expected to be a soldier king by his father. All the ingredients to make a dangerous region at a dangerous time even more dangerous. Add perceived magic and an annoying star and you have an interesting story of the life and times of the differing peoples of the era and area

[Lena Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect for Christmas or any time of year

I started reading this because I wanted to read a Christmas themed book. However I found that the story was very different that what I expected. It is very loosely based on the story of the Magi that followed the star to visit the infant Jesus but the story diverges enough to be an independent, unique story. In many ways, it shares elements with historical or epic fantasy, revolving around the search for an object of power.
The story was short and fast paced. It left me wanting more.

[Chanover55 · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting concept; a young mage of Jewish decent and the wonder of the star that will eventually lead him to Bethlehem. The chief mage is a miserable man who manipulates everyone around him. Add to the mix and army commander a beautiful Egyptian woman and a group of Jewish wiseman and you have the beginnings of what could be a good story. My problem with the book is that it is less than 100 pages so all it really does is set the story up. In looking for the other books in the series I could only find them as a 3 book collection; not willing to pay for a book I already own.

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read The Queen's Handmaid before reading this series. I use the word series very loosely because this book reads like it just stops abruptly and combining this book with the other two novellas would read better as one novel. It seems the publisher chopped them up so they could sell them separately and make more money. Now the three were a reasonable price this year and I bought them. I will save my review for the final book.

[Anne-Marie Webster · Rating 5 out of 5]

A new author for me, and one that kept my nose in the book until I finished this novella. I found the characters and the plot to be captivating and really wanted to see the entire story concluded. Alas, this was a very effective "carrot." Immediately upon concluding this book I investigated the author in any of the libraries in western MA. A definite NO. Perhaps I will have to place the remaining books in this series on my Christmas list. Inquiring minds want to know!

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m really enjoying this series. I started with The Queen’s Handmaid which is a full length novel (given that I got it free, I was expecting it to be shorter). Having read that, I forgot that The Incense Road trilogy is all novellas. So I was surprised to get to the end so quickly.

I am looking forward to reading the next two books in this series. I love how Tray Higley grounds her fiction in history. It feels like the story could have really happened.

[Shannon McNear · Rating 5 out of 5]

In search of "something different" for a Christmas read, I pulled this out of my dusty Kindle TBR pile and ... was pulled in right away. 4.5 for adventure, intrigue, and Higley's always-silky-smooth writing style. Immediately after finishing I went back and read The Queen's Handmaid for backstory and loved that one as well. You definitely also need #2 and #3 of this series to appreciate the full scope of the story! Absolutely wonderful take on the three magi.

[Janet Sketchley · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I started reading this one, I didn't realize it was book 1 of a trilogy, but I'll happily finish the series. Really enjoyed the voice, the intrigue, and the hint of spiritual warfare.

For someone planning to buy and read, I'd suggest buying The Incense Road Collection as one ebook bundle instead of the individual novellas, because this one leaves much to be finished in the other books.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed.

It is interestingly to read and see the research the author put into the story. I love reading about this time period. How different men and women were treated and how the cast system was so prevalent. Yet belief in a higher power was the theme of every thought of everyday. I will look forward to the next book.

[Dan Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and enjoyable, this book puts you in the middle of a caravan traveling to find an artifact briefed to be the brazen serpent crafted by Moses in the wilderness. The setting is when the new star signifying the birth of Jesus has appeared. There are two more books in this series which I will definitely be reading.

[Christine Weald · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading nightfall in the garden I found this difficult to get into. The description of the Egyptian country was good as was the references to their ancient practices and gods. It finished with the revealing epilogue but still left one wondering. A way to persuade the reader to get the next book in the series.
Unfortunately I will not continue as it wasn’t compelling enough.

[Michael Keller · Rating 5 out of 5]

A bright star shines over Judah

Heralding the birth of the Messiah, the king of the Jews, the bright star beckons to students of the Orient. The star whispers to some, screams at others, but unmistakably it announces a change.
A new slant on the story, this novella draws you in. Good characters, well written, intriguing storyline. This is a good read.

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

More than maji

I did enjoy this book, but there are so many plots it does get a bit confusing. Also, there is not a great feeling of resolution at the end. It is one story woven over 3 books.

[Ed Lake · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prelude to a birth

I have read many of this authors books and this one did not disappoint me. A story of intrigue and deception. Pick it up and get comfortable, it is worth the time.

[Barbara Keigher · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was very good, excellent even.
I do wish it could have been a stand alone, even tho it is a part of a series.

But of course it is well written
and begins to reference Scripture.
It was short enough to read in a day...( the novella version anyway)