Other reviews of The Shepherds Prayer

More Reviews of The Shepherds' Prayer

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Reviews in Publications

From The Destin Log, 2007

From Christian Examiner

Author and publisher Richard Barry weaves the entire Christmas story into historical context in his book The Shepherds' Prayer: A Christmas Novel. Although released last year, the message is timeless as it takes a fictional look at what happened to the shepherds after Christ's birth. The book is available as a hardcover book and as a three-CD audiobook. The audio version of the book is narrated by the "golden voice" of John McDonough, an accomplished actor, singer and narrator who has appeared on Broadway, in television and in movies. The book and the CD retail for $12.95 each, plus shipping. Bulk discounts available. Visit Shepherdsprayer.com

Independent blogger Reviews

From Adam's Ale

Years ago one of the jobs I had included having to go to yard sales (can you believe it?) and from time to time personal treasures would be purchased. One of these treasures was an ancient, leather bound book by the title, “Night Scenes in the Bible.” In it, the author used his imagination to fill in gaps in the Biblical stories with pious fiction to lead the reader deeper into the mysteries of otherwise well known passages. One story in particular that really stayed with me over the years was “The Road to Emmaus.” I was in the seminary making a private holy hour and reading this book and was transported so deeply into the story that from that point on it became one of my favorite accounts from Scripture. It helped me see the story from different angles and place myself squarely in the prose.

“The Shepherds’ Prayer; A Christmas Novel” by Richard M. Barry does much the same thing. I must say that it never occurred to me that good citizenry of Bethlehem may not been overly thrilled about the Messiah being born in their town. Barry says of it, “. . . there was also great sadness that resulted in Bethlehem when Herod ordered the killing of all the male babies. Not much has been written or is ever said about that traumatic event and how it must have impacted the people of Bethlehem and their attitudes about the poor Galilean child who was the target of Herod’s wrath.” Don’t worry though; it is not a gruesome tale but one full of hope and joy, a tale truly for the Christmas season.

The term “novel” however might be a bit of an overstatement. When I was contacted they actually wanted to send two different books and when I heard the term “novel” I recommended they send only one as I would not have time to read and review two before Christmas. Well, as it turns out it is much shorter book than anticipated and the average reader could knock it out in a sitting or two. It is definitely not a literary masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination, but it is a good contemplative story. I would probably recommend it more for younger readers who enjoy reading or for families that read and listen to stories together. If I had a family I would probably enjoy reading them a chapter at night (there are eight chapters) but as it is, I do think I’ll send copies to my Godchildren. There is a nice gift plate inside the book for such purposes.

From Christy's Book Blog

Shepherd's Prayer by Richard M. Barry is a beautifully produced self-published book. Anam is a young man with a mysterious past who feels compelled to seek out the truth about his birth. This quest takes him to first century Bethlehem with a baby's sheepskin blanket marked with the name Jesus. In Bethelehem, he is shunned and scorned until the shepherds tell him their miraculous story, and he starts to make sense of his past and find his future. This short, but sweet book digs into the story of the shepherds who witnessed Christ's birth and the aftermath of the Slaughter of the Innocents in Bethlehem. Barry writes with a good eye for detail about biblical times, but at times the language of these earthy people seems a bit flowery. He also tends to tell what Anam is thinking/feeling rather than allowing it to show in the story. There's a twist to Anam's identity which is entirely satisfying, and I was very pleased with Barry's portrayal of Jesus. This is an unusual tale that Barry tells well. It would make a lovely Christmas or anytime gift.

From Mommy of Three

A while back, I was contacted about reviewing a copy of this book. I agreed, and it was sent to me. I read this last week while I was sick, and I must say that I had mixed feelings about it until Chapter 6. I did not read any other reviews of the book, or the jacket before I began because I like to be completely unbiased when I begin a book for review. The story is set in the time frame of Christ's birth, and although it is fictional, it is Biblically based. It involves the Shepherd's in the Birth Story. However, I was confused as to the identity of the main character until it was revealed. I had this nagging feeling that this guy was going to be portrayed as Christ, with a twist on his parents in the story and I was quite upset about that. I discussed it with my husband, but kept reading because I was committed to reading it entirely to do the review as promised.

I am so glad that I pushed through Chapter 5. The very beginning of Chapter 6 was my turning point, and I was hooked from that point on, and finished the book in 30 minutes after that. It was a very moving story, that when understood really brings this story to life. It was excellently written, and now that I am familiar with the premise, I will likely read it again so I can enjoy the first 5 chapters thoroughly. I am so very thankful for the opportunity to review this book, and I plan to buy this for a few people on my gift list this Holiday Season. The Faith portrayed by these Shepherd's and Anam's family, is unmatched. If you would like to purchase a copy of this book for yourself or someone on your holiday list, here is a link to it on Amazon. I rate this at 6 out of 5 bookmarks. Happy Reading!

From Laura Williams Musings

From Ramblin Roads To Everywhere

From Jenny Up The Hill

From Deena's Books

From Homeschool Blogger

I was recently blessed to receive a copy of The Shepherds' Prayer to review. What a lovely little book! This book, though it is rather short and can be read in one sitting, is packed with a wonderful storyline that prompts alot of thoughts concerning the time of Jesus' birth in Bethlehem. For example, have you ever stopped to consider how the shepherds must have felt? They were considered of a very lowly position, yet who did the Angel of God first appear to and proclaim the birth of the Messiah? Wow! Also, have you ever given much thought to the decree that Herod passed, requiring all male children, under the age of two, to be killed? Sometimes I think we become so familiar with the Bible account, that we tend to overlook some of the "extras" that aren't so stressed when the story is re-told. As the mother of an 18-month-old son, this point really makes me think~ I can't imagine my son being killed just because the king said so. I'd definitely want to fight to protect my child, at all costs.

From Building The Ark

The story is told from the point of view of a young man whose past is a mystery but for a single lambskin blanket containing a cryptic message. One night, he eventually works up the courage to ask his adoptive father for "his story" and what he hears leads him on a journey to discover his past and much more. Written in easy to read language and woven together with familiar people, places and events from Sacred Scripture, this story offers a chance to ponder the mystery of our own connections to salvation history. As the book is a mere eight chapters and one hundred and twenty-three pages, it would also make for a great Advent family read aloud.

From Becky's Christian Reviews

Some people have last minute shopping. A time where they are frantically shopping and everything is in a frenzy. I don't. I never have. Instead, I almost always have last minute reading. I read several last-minute books this year that I'm going to try to review today. One of them is The Shepherds' Prayer. This one is biblical fiction. The prologue depicts one woman's hurried escape from the Slaughter of the Innocents. The Roman soldiers who came to Bethlehem to slaughter all boys under the age of two. But the heart and soul of this book is about what happens thirty years later.

Anam is a young man--if you consider thirty or thirty-one to be "young" which I do--adopted by another family. His father--the man he calls his father--found him on the side of the road. His mother was dead as was the horse she rode on. Anam which means "no name" is what he is called since he was already eight days old, already circumcised. Anam is on a quest to find out about his parents--to find out who he is and where he came from. So Anam sets out on a journey to Bethlehem in search of answers.

From Books, Movies, Chinese Food

The Christmas season may be over but its story is always timely. I enjoyed reading this book. Its short and you can probably finish it in one sitting, but the story will last with you for a long time. I love biblical fiction that gives familiar characters from the Bible a storyline and a personality. Anam is a young man trying to find out his true identity. All he has from his birth parents is a blanket proclaiming the birth of a child in Bethlehem. Using this clue he goes to seek out who he really is. As he discovers the truth, he meets up with a group of shepherds, who are considered to be outcasts from the rest of the town. After hearing their story, he learns just how special that child was and how he is connected to that miraculous birth.

This is one of the first times I've read about the perspective of the people who had to deal with the slaughter of the male infants. I never thought about how painful and resentful they would be about Jesus, because his birth had caused them to suffer for no reason. The shepherds are given heroic status in this book, as the unsung heroes of the nativity story. They are usually portrayed as dirty and simple but you know why they were chosen to know about the birth of Jesus. I also liked very much that Jesus came back to hang out with them and reminisce. It made him more human to talk about how his mom still remembered them and Anam's family. I liked the twist about who Anam really is (don't want to spoil, but he's in the Bible). It gives yet another perspective on a familiar Bible character. I also did enjoy learning more about the culture and history of the time period.

From Wide Eyed Fiction

From The Bedford Review