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Ninth Witness takes us back in time to Yeshua's childhood. The story the Thoenes spin captures your attention, and most of all, your heart. Yeshua meets up with cousin Yochanan and one of His future disciples: their interaction seems completely normal. The story however, is mostly about Jude, orphan from the Galilee. My heart went out to him, and the resolution of his predicament is sure to bring tears to your eyes. I have a minor gripe with the death of one character—suddenly, just like that, he was gone without a very good explanation.
Now for the not-so-positive: the authors devise a creative solution to a question that has plagued Christians over the centuries. This being a work of fiction, they have artistic license to do so. But that doesn't mean we as Christians have a license to get our theology from novels.
Bottom line: for the Thoene fans, worth a read. ( )