Lukas' Maiden Voyage

In Gene Price’s debut middle-grade book, the events surrounding Christ’s journey to Jerusalem are related by the donkey who carried him.

Owned by a proprietor of a livery stable, Lukas is a lame, half-blind donkey who, due to his disabilities, has never been chosen to give others a ride. Both Lukas’s father and brother have died, and Lukas’s nurturing mother lives with him at the stable. Two of his stable mates make Lukas’s life especially difficult; Nimb and Obus are beautiful, strong Arabian stallions who mock and torment him, bragging about carrying princes and potentates.

Lukas has two reoccurring dreams: one, about a mysterious, brilliant light that brings him a profound peace, and the second, in which Lukas sees a man surrounded by crowds begging him to restore their health. One day, when a kind man wearing a tattered cloak chooses Lukas to carry him to Jerusalem, Lukas suddenly feels strong and confident. During the ride, man and donkey are magically able to communicate, and Lukas learns his father and grandfather played a significant role in the man’s life. Later, Lukas puts the pieces together and realizes his rider was Jesus, and that he carried him to his crucifixion.

The book’s expository flashbacks are woven in seamlessly, and the story and dialogue flow steadily. There are several surprising “aha” moments when loose ends are tied up unexpectedly (such as when Lukas realizes he carried Jesus). Price’s unique use of Lukas as narrator creates an immediate, empathetic connection with readers.

Unfortunately, the art is less successful; Jeffrey G. Collins’s creative use of mixed-media illustrations supports the text well, but inferior black-and-white printing blurs its finer details.

Although the author states the book is “intended for all Christians who grew up hearing about the life of Christ’s ministry,” it can also inform those unfamiliar with biblical teachings. Overall, this is a sweet story for a parental read-aloud or a lovely, engaging addition to a Sunday school lesson.

- BlueInk Review

A debut novel tells the story of Jesus’ Crucifixion through the eyes of the donkey who carried him through the streets of Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.

Lukas is a young, crippled donkey with one blind eye. His life in the stables is full of pain and torment, but his faith in God is unwavering. He wants desperately to be able to provide transportation to someone just once, despite the impediment of his twisted leg. One day, his wish is granted when a kind stranger requests to ride him. During the short journey, Lukas is amazed to discover that he is not in any pain and is able to walk without tripping. People in the streets part for the pair to pass, laying down palm fronds and cheering for the man on Lukas’ back. Lukas is so thrilled by his success that he wants desperately to see this caring stranger again and learn more about him. He is granted a dream, a vision of this man being tortured and nailed on a cross. He learns that the rider was none other than Jesus, the Son of God. After this harrowing vision, which seems as though it would be the climactic event of Price’s novel, Lukas is thrown into memories of his past, and readers learn of his birth and upbringing and how he was destined for the honor of carrying Jesus, just like his fortunate father and grandfather before him. The straightforward Christian narrative is punctuated by debut illustrator Collins’ masterfully drawn horses and donkeys laid over various collage images, all in black and white. To fully enjoy this heartfelt story with a surprising main character, readers must be willing to take for granted that stable animals would have an understanding of the Bible. In a short afterword, the author asserts that this book is for young readers who enjoy The Lion King and the Harry Potter series, though the connections to these works seem tenuous. Depicting the rewards of following God’s will, this volume should appeal to readers who appreciate retellings of biblical events from unexpected viewpoints.

A Christian tale that features an unusual animal protagonist.

- Kirkus Reviews

With a protagonist who is meek but not truly weak and a clear message of faith overcoming adversity, the book expands on an important component of Christian faith.

Lukas’ Maiden Voyage by Gene Price is a creative fable about the young donkey that Jesus rode on his way to be crucified. The story explores the Christian relationship with God and the importance of having faith in God’s purpose for his worshipers.

Lukas is a young donkey with a bad leg, a weak back, and a blind eye. His father and twin brother died just after his birth, and he is picked on by the young Arabian stallions that share the stable he and his mother live in. Despite his many problems, he is kind and gentle. He dreams that someone will choose to ride him, allowing him to be of service to the stable and its owner. He also believes his greatest purpose is to serve God.

When Lukas is at last led from the stable and learns that he is to be ridden, he is certain that he won’t be able to support the rider. He finds, however, that not only is the man on his back light as a feather, he can also communicate with him.

He speaks with the man about God’s plan and leaves the encounter proud of his success and looking forward to hopefully seeing the man again, without realizing that he has just carried Jesus into Jerusalem where he will be crucified. A dream of the crucifixion, followed by a visit with the spirits of his father and grandfather, leads him to understand the honor that God has bestowed upon him. His first journey transforms his life dramatically.

The plot is fairly complex, with flashbacks in time and miraculous events and spiritual lessons layered into the mundane life Lukas lives. The choice to revisit such an important story from the Bible but to tell it from the perspective of a donkey is both creative and clever, as it expands the world Jesus would have inhabited in a manner that does not infringe upon biblical canon and that is also very palatable to kids.

The plot moves at a comfortable pace, following Lukas’s daily activities. There is not a great deal of action; the plot is not difficult to follow, but the remarkable events of the story keep it interesting.

Lukas’s mild personality is balanced by the bullying stallions Nimb and Obus, who are believably cocky and cruel, and the dynamic between Lukas and the horses is very honest and one that many children will recognize.

The text is accompanied by a series of illustrations by Jeffrey G. Collins. Most of these depict horses or donkeys and are beautifully and realistically rendered, though the few human figures are more cartoonish in appearance. The illustrations add visual interest and bring the animals in the stable to life.

Children who are interested in biblical stories will find Lukas’ Maiden Voyage to be a creative and satisfying book. With a protagonist who is meek but not truly weak and a clear message of faith overcoming adversity, the book expands on a very important component of Christian faith while sparking the imagination of its young audience.

- Foreword Reviews