Survival Secrets by Lana Christian

Survival Secrets by Lana Christian
Series: Book 2 of 2 (Book 3 to come)
Publisher: Scrivenings Press LLC (September 23, 2025)

Review by Mae Clair

I love Biblical fiction, especially when it is well-researched and presented. Lana Christian promises an “immersive experience” for readers and more than delivers with this sprawling tale set shortly after the birth of Christ.

Although this is book two of The Magi Encounters, I had no problem picking up the plot (I hadn’t read book one). It took only a short while to settle in and become familiar with the characters and their relations to one another. The author does an excellent job of establishing what came before. In no time at all I was engrossed, swept away to a distant time amid the dusty towns, wilderness, and roads of the Parthian Empire.

Akilah, Rashidi, and Tallis, the three wisemen who followed THE STAR in the first novel, now attempt to return to Egypt while steering clear of Herod Antipas, Roman soldiers, and territorial disputes. The journey takes their caravan into the Wilderness of Paran on a trek fraught with danger and increasing hardships. (The scenes involving an aged camel and a dust storm had me on the edge of my seat!).

Political intrigue against a backdrop of unrest plays out like a chess match, but enhances rather than distracts from the spiritual aspects. Most of the characters are discovering and learning about Adonai for the first time, their faltering steps of faith enriching the depth of their decisions. I ached with Akilah as he prayed for God to deliver the caravan to Egypt.

Shortly after the start, the story splits into three distinct sections—Akilah and Rashidi with the caravan; Tallis who is taken prisoner; and Akilah’s cousin, Farzaneh—an astute woman searching for a deeper understanding of the God of the Hebrews. I was particularly smitten with the thread following Tallis, though all three parts held me spellbound. Farzaneh’s arc is rich with backstory but easy to follow, especially as it takes unexpected twists in the present.

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Elyakim paused, gauging Farzaneh’s confusion. “When Messiah comes, the world will never be the same again. He will reveal what’s in people’s hearts, and many hearts are dark indeed. Kings who believe they alone deserve their throne… Jews with their own ideas of what the Messiah should be instead of what the holy writings say He is. All those people have much to lose from Messiah’s coming. Religions—even empires—will shake or crumble.”

Survival Secrets, Lana Christian

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Attention to detail is surpassed only by attention to the characters and their motivations. If I had any quibble at all, I would have liked better visuals of each. I was a good distance through the book before I grasped several character ages—a few of which surprised me. Perhaps they were better established in book one. Overall, a minor trifle considering the deft layers of story Christian wove together in this mesmerizing tale. Chapters are short which makes reading the next almost mandatory when the writing and storyline are so engaging. Note that while all the major plot threads are resolved by the end, the overall tale continues in a third book yet to be released.

If you are a fan of Biblical fiction, Survival Secrets is not to be missed. I enjoyed it so much, once I finished, I immediately went back and bought the first novel New Star, which I promptly devoured. I can’t wait for book three! I give Survival Secrets five enthusiastic fish!

I received an ARC of Survival Secrets from the author for an honest review.