Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A.D. 30 | 2014 | Ted Dekker | Buy |
| 2 | A.D. 33 | 2015 | Ted Dekker | Buy |
The A.D. series is Ted Dekker’s foray into biblical historical fiction. Set in the first century, the duology follows Maviah, an outcast Bedouin woman from the Arabian desert who loses everything and finds herself on a path that leads to an encounter with Jesus of Nazareth. A.D. 30 tells the story of her transformation, while A.D. 33 picks up with the events surrounding the crucifixion.
Dekker approaches the material not as a strict retelling of the Gospels but as historical fiction filtered through a fictional protagonist. Maviah’s perspective as a woman with no social standing in the ancient world gives the familiar biblical narrative a fresh angle. The books move between desert politics, tribal warfare, and quieter scenes with the historical Jesus.
For readers who enjoy Ted Dekker’s fiction but want something grounded in real history rather than supernatural fantasy, the A.D. books offer a different side of his writing. The pacing is slower than his thrillers, with more attention paid to setting and character development.