The Third Dawn by Thomas J. Nichols

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Compelling and often emotional reading.

The Third Dawn by author Thomas J. Nichols is a new historical fiction account of the greatest story ever told. Written from multiple points of view of the participants, the author breathes life into the people, events, history, and place.

One of the main characters, Nur, enters the story as a wise beyond his years and divinely guided child who grows to manhood within the Holy Family as Jesus's adopted brother. The bits and pieces of Jesus's danger-fraught beginnings are expanded into a realistic account using contextual clues from the Bible and the author's knowledge of the region's time period, cultures, and geo-political history. I enjoyed how the author wove together incidents from Jesus's life, with Nur playing the instrument of God's divine intervention, warning of danger or plots against the infant, and as the two brothers traveled together later as young men, preparing Jesus for his coming discipleship, trials, and death. The descriptions and details from their journeys and experiences were especially vivid and made for mesmerizing and often emotional reading.

Particular attention is given to the members of the Holy Family's household and relatives. I appreciated the inclusion of the impacts on his parents, especially his mother. The story does not end with Jesus's ascension but follows Mary's life, with Nur there to support her, to her death and the Assumption.

I recommend THE THIRD DAWN TO readers of historical fiction, especially those who enjoy religious and inspirational subjects.

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