Lucius is a Roman soldier serving Caesar through a glorious era of power and conquest. But near the end of his military service, battle-weary and conflicted, he questions his purpose and loathes the lust for power that inspires the battles he is sent to fight. He comes from a family committed to military service, but his father instilled in him progressive ideas that open his mind and allow him to seek answers beyond duty and loyalty. So, when he is reassigned to Galilee to help Pontius Pilate keep order and boost morale among his troops, his life is changed forever by a teacher who performs miracles, heals the sick, raises the dead, and dies with a cry of victory on a cross. When he is duty-bound to find the teacher’s followers and expose their whereabouts, he finds renewed purpose and understanding of sacrifice.

Inspired by scripture, this enthralling story illuminates the teachings of Christ and the call to follow him. Set over 2.000 years ago, the narrative imagines the lives of everyday people encountering the Messiah and reconciling their minds and hearts to all that they witness. Seeing the life of Jesus, the teacher, through the eyes of a soldier offers a unique perspective and brings history and religion alive as the story unfolds. Lavery explores power, kindness, forgiveness, and sacrifice in this masterful rendering of biblical history. These old stories are given new life through Lucius’ search for truth, understanding, and purpose. Already a man of virtue, Lucius represents the seeker who cannot deny the divine nature of the teacher he encounters in Galilee. All that he witnesses leads him to believe and to follow without question this man who is “no mere mortal.” This captivating tale incorporates historical details, deeply felt truths, and biblical insight that resonates and entertains.

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