Lucius is a centurion, proud, loyal to Rome, and hungry for power. He takes his job seriously and despises Jews. After being sent to Jerusalem, he meets a rabbi that forces him to reconsider everything. Lucius witnesses miracles, new teachings, and A Death Well Lived.

The story chronicles the change that Lucius goes through as he is introduced to the ministry of Jesus. He begins to wonder if what he knew was actually wrong. Seeing Jesus do things that are out of the ordinary, Lucius wants to find out why Jesus acts different from the other rabbis, and what draws Lucius to Him. The message of forgiveness is shown vividly in the book. The questions Lucius has mirror what most of us face in having to leave things behind to follow Christ.

The people and events come together to form a wonderful story with a message that everyone needs to hear. As you read, you are gently drawn into the book and the feelings and experiences of the characters. The characters themselves are realistic and, when written history allows, authentic. Though we don’t have all of the details about this time, Overdorf’s depiction is in line what what is known. All of this makes for an intriguing story.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through the BookCrash.com book review program. All opinions are my own.