If you’re anything like me, your knowledge of the Three Wise Men of the Nativity is limited to children dressing up like them at Christmas pageants. But author Lana Christian’s debut novel, New Star, has opened my eyes to answers of questions I had never asked before. 

Primarily, what happened in these men’s lives prior to observing the star that prompted their journey to Judea? And what happened after they left—going home by a different way—while sought by evil Herod the Great?

You don’t need to wait till Christmas to see how Lana Christian answers these questions in a very plausible way through her novel. 

Blurb

Akilah, a highly respected priest-scholar in Magi society, considers all his astronomy discoveries well-deserved stepping-stones to a more fulfilling life. But the appearance of a new star challenges his priorities. As Persia totters on the brink of an undesirable king coming to power, Akilah declines a position that could turn that tide. Instead, he studies a star that doesn’t appear in any almanac or religious writings. Except Jewish.

When he and his colleagues uncover a few Jewish prophecies linking the star to an eternal king, Akilah becomes the target of Persia’s religious and governmental conflicts. Jailed for crimes he didn’t commit, Akilah must rely on questionable resources to free himself and reach Jerusalem.

Persia’s purists aren’t the only ones bent on keeping their country free of Jewish influences. As dangers at home and abroad plunge Akilah and his colleagues into three countries’ religious conflicts and circumstances beyond their imagining, Akilah realizes his knowledge of Jesus could potentially destroy Magi society and its power over Persia’s official religion and government. Untrusting of his Council, a thousand miles from aid, and bound in a potentially career-ending contract, Akilah must decide how far he will go to protect what he knows of Jesus—and whether the cost of his belief is worth the risk.

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My thoughts

I’d never thought of all the ramifications and consequences of the Magis’ visit to Bethlehem/Judea, following the star that was long gone by the time they arrived.

I never thought about what they might have sacrificed to go on this journey—looking for a king who could only be seen as a threat to the world as they knew it. Not just the future king of the Jews, but the promised Messiah foretold as King over all.

Much discernment was needed to determine if this star an anomaly or a true sign that could change the outcome of Akilah and his companions’ lives and worldview and society at large.

As the characters encountered obstacle after obstacle, I kept asking myself why I had never thought of these things before? I never seriously considered this story from the Magis’ point of view. Sunday school tradition would have us conclude that the wise men were following a star during their whole trip, and it easily led them thousands of miles to Jerusalem, their worst threat being wolves and robbers up to that point.

The story stays true to original Biblical account of the Magi, fleshed out by meticulous research. In fact, I was amazed at the research that went into this novel—yet the details create an immersive Persian setting complete with vivid imagery, customs, culture, science, history, and religion without bogging down the story. It’s intelligent with  compelling three-dimensional characters, integrated with touches of humor.

Yet this is no light read, but that’s a good thing. There’s plenty of character development, intrigue, and suspense. Much has to happen before the three Magi can even embark on this trip as Akilah seeks support, negotiates, and tries to convince others of the value of seeking this star’s location. An elusive star that showed up once, then disappeared.

Akilah  is driven by the desire for truth while combatting those in his culture who would do anything to keep the status quo. It raises the question: how far will someone go to oppose those in power, those who will exact control at any price, suppressing the truth?

Initially, there’s more dialog and character interaction than fast-paced action (which is fine), but every conversation and choice present high stakes that could jeopardize the Magis’ safety. 

Herod the Great is portrayed expertly as the conniving, evil man he was. After the Magi visit the Christ child, they encounter numerous troubles on the way back—going home by another way to avoid Herod who wants knowledge they are safeguarding. Again, I’d never thought about their trip home, other than the fact they were taking a different route. But the author show us what could have happened. A perilous trip with typical dangers is now compounded by Herod’s vendetta. And in this ancient land of Judea  steeped in messianic prophecies, the Magi meet both believers and non-believers.

This story solidifies why I love Biblical fiction, and gives me new appreciation for the challenges individuals faced during crucial points of Biblical history. 

You can read this novel any time of year, not just at Christmas. After all, the Magi missed the original Christmas by a couple of years.

Join me for some Q & A with Lana Christian.

Questions about New Star

What led you to writing Biblical fiction? Have you dabbled in other genres?

By nature and nurture, I’m a science geek—so, by extension, I also love archaeology. When I read a Bible story, I want to know what was happening behind the story—world events, politics, culture. My “thing” is connecting the dots between the Bible, history, archaeology, and practical application for today. In fact, you’ll see that in every blog I write on my author website. Those blogs are collectively called “Encouragement from Living History.”

Regarding other genres, I wrote a biblical nonfiction book that’s now out of print. I have a historical fiction duology in progress. I’m also working on a series of devotional books, a modern-day retelling of a biblical story, and a contemporary faith-based story.

I can see how your love of science and archaeology serves you well in writing Biblical fiction. How and why did you choose the Magi story to start with?

I was home watching Shadow Mountain Community Church’s Dec. 17, 2017, church service, which included a seventeen-minute live Nativity. It was like God shined a light on each part of that Nativity, starting with the star, and whispered into my ear, “There’s a story to tell here.” Everyone has some passing knowledge about the Wise Men’s part in the Christmas story, but who knows the Wise Men’s story? That’s what I set out to do.

I’m glad you heard that whisper. Were you in charge or did your characters hijack the story?

Oh my, yes—my characters frequently hijack the story. For example, in New Star, the character I originally thought would be the main antagonist turned out to be a scapegoat for the true bad guy that I hadn’t envisioned yet!

That’s quite a turnaround! Share a bit of your writing process.

You’ll never see me write an outline, but I do a great deal of work on character development before I ever start writing. It’s key for me to nail down their backgrounds, past wounds, relationships with other characters, motivations for thinking and acting the way they do, and so on. 

After I feel good about that, I write something akin to a synopsis. I know each character’s arc before I start writing, but I don’t necessarily know ahead of time how I’ll stage all the scenes. However, I’m fairly sure I know how they’ll react when I put them in different situations because of the character development I did as my first prewriting step.

How do you decide how to distinguish these three men from each other?

New Star mentions a favorite food for each character. Those foods contribute to the story in multiple ways. My characters differ by age and other characteristics as well. The youngest of the three Wise Men is 30, another is 40, and the oldest is 50. The lead Wise Man is much taller than the other two. One of the Wise Men was born in Egypt, so his skin tone and hair differ from the other two Wise Men. And all three have different research specialties: astronomy, engineering, geography, world religions, etc.

It’s helpful to have those distinctions. What’s the most unusual thing you had to do, learn, or research to create this story?

Persia’s legal system was complex and fascinating. It was unique in its time. It also protected and elevated women in ways we wouldn’t imagine, given the state of current affairs today in the Near East.

It was fascinating to see how you brought that into your novel. Besides studying the Biblical text, what research did you do?

Loads! I studied historical records of the day. Accounts still exist that were written by first-century historians such as Josephus, Herodotus, and others. I read a lot of archaeology texts. Museums like The Smithsonian were great online resources for seeing photos of clothing, jewelry, pottery, weaponry, and more. 

I consulted international encyclopedias that specialized in Persian history. I read about ancient religions, as the Magi served multiple religions in their duties as priests. I learned what plants and crops grew in each area that I wrote about. And I learned more about camels than I ever thought I’d need to know. (They’re fascinating!)

What great resources! Which cultural details did you have to fill in with your imagination?

Some cultural details are lost to history, so I had to assume a few things about etiquette, like how people in different classes of society addressed each other. I fictionalized the protocol for the Magi meetings, as well as what their main building in the Magi complex looked like. I relied on details of Persepolis to help me but added some details of my own.

Which scene was particularly challenging to write, and why? (No spoilers!)

A scene where Herod the Great was talking with his son, Antipas, was particularly hard to write. I had to simultaneously depict Herod’s genius, ruthlessness, and paranoia without overdoing any aspect of his character. I had to extrapolate Herod and Antipas’s motivations based on the history I’d learned about them. I had to crawl around inside Antipas’s head to figure out his relationship with his powerful father. I think I did a good job because reading the finished scene made my skin crawl.

Questions about writing

Which books and/or authors have most inspired you in your writing journey?

Madeleine L’Engle and her books are my biggest source of writing inspiration. I admire everything about her life, writing, and witness. Financially, she needed to write, yet she endured years of publishers’ rejections—including a particularly tough ten-year stretch. She suffered many personal losses and weathered constant criticisms of her writing. 

Yet she maintained this attitude: “You have to write the book that wants to be written. And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write it for children.” That’s part of her genius. Children and adults alike love her books because they can be read on multiple levels. Her books check all the boxes for imagination, adventure, tension, a faith-based message, and more.

I love Madeleine L’Engle’s novels! She truly was a genius. Not everybody embraces fictionalized versions of Bible stories. What concerns do you have about writing Biblical fiction? 

All writing is hard work, but biblical fiction carries an extra weight of responsibility to be authentic and accurate. That starts with remaining true to the biblical narrative and continues through all the historical research I do. The Bible and reliable historical records are the bedrock of my writing. 

Where those details leave off, I write what would be most plausible, given the sum of my research. I use my “sanctified imagination” to fill in the blanks with character motivations. 

With the Wise Men, I wanted to create relatable, 3D characters so readers would appreciate what they risked and what it cost them to look for Jesus. More broadly, I want readers to see that reading biblical fiction can be just as thrilling and fulfilling as reading any other genre.

You’ve definitely succeeded with that. What’s next for you as an author?

New Star is the first installment of a four-book series called The Magi’s Encounters. The next book in the series, Survival Skills, is with my publisher as we speak and should be released this fall. I’m starting to write Book 3, which will be due to the publisher in early 2026. 

In my spare time, I have other books in various stages of development. Stay tuned for more to come!

If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?

Keep at it. Honing your craft is super important, but fortitude and perseverance are even more important—because the journey will take far more work and time than you think it will. 

Most of all, keep God in the center of that equation. Co-creating with Him is awesome. He will honor your sweat equity and will multiply your faithfulness in ways you can’t possibly imagine.

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Back to Laura . . . On a similar note . . . 

I’ve written a Biblical fiction novel myself, set in the time of Christ—but the Magi are merely mentioned, definitely not spotlighted. I hope to publish it at some point. 

Meanwhile, if you like historical fiction not quite as ancient, you might enjoy my newest novel A Hundred Magical Reasons  (launched January 2025). This story spotlights L. Frank Baum, author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, his friendship with a young girl, and his impact through the decades. Set in Holland, Michigan, this dual timeline novel alternates between 1980 and the early 1900s. Read more and watch the book trailer here. 

A Hundred Magical Reasons awards:

• Hawthorne Prize Winner for Fiction (May 25, 2025)
• First Place in The BookFest for Literary Historical Fiction (April 2025)
• First Place in the Firebird Book Awards for Biographical Fiction (April 2025)
• Literary Titan Gold Book Award for Fiction (March 2025) 
• Bronze Medal for the Illumination Book Awards for General Fiction (February 2025)
• 3 five-star Readers’ Favorite reviews

If you like Southern fiction and small town/rural stories about family dynamics and secrets, you might enjoy my novel All That Is Hidden. Set near North Carolina’s Smoky Mountains in 1968, the story spotlights the bond of family and the connections of a tight-knit community. Northern exploitation threatens as a father’s hidden past catches up to him and tests family ties. Learn more and watch the trailer here.

All That Is Hidden awards:

• Pacific Book Review finalist for fiction (May 20, 2025)
• American Legacy Book Awards finalist for Coming of Age (May 2025)
• Three 5-star Readers’ Favorite Reviews (May 2025)
• First Place in the Firebird Book Awards for Southern Fiction (April 2025)
• First Place in the Firebird Book Awards for Literary Fiction (April 2025)
• Winner of the Artisan Book Reviews Book Excellence Award
• Semifinalist in Serious Writer’s Book of the Decade contest

I invite you to join my monthly newsletter for writing updates, freebies, and giveaways. Sign up and I’ll send you 7 Oz-inspired recipes:  A-Taste-Of-Oz-Cookbook-Sampler.com

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Lana Christian bio

Lana Christian is an award-winning author in business and creative writing. In the corporate world she won numerous APEX awards for her newsletters and training materials. In creative writing, she has won seven faith-based writing awards, including a Pencraft Award in January 2025. Lana believes most problems can be solved with common sense, hiking, or chai tea–but all problems can be solved with God. Connect with her on Facebook, X (Twitter) at @LanaCwrites, or her website. Her website includes her devotional blog, “Encouragement from Living History.” Receive her free newsletter, early access to blogs, book progress news, and a free e-short: lanachristian.com/contact/.

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Join me next time for a visit with author Alicia Van Huizen.

Meanwhile, have you read New Star or any New Testament-based Biblical fiction? Answer in the comments below.

Ever reading,

Laura

Sign up for my monthly newsletter and receive the 7 free Oz-inspired recipes:  A-Taste-Of-Oz-Cookbook-Sampler.com