When the author opens with a purported letter from a legendary figure – supposedly descended from the three Magi – who leads an unknown congregations of believers somewhere in the east…well, this will be quite a journey.

Even today, the names of the countries are colorful and fascinating, to name a few: Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan.  Major centers of civilization are to be found in the history of this region, cities such as Harappa, Mohenjo-daro, Babylon, Nineveh, Uruk, Akkad, Merv, Rayy, Constantinople, Damascus, Isfahan, Samarkand, Kabul and Kashgar.  Mystery piled on mystery.

A belt of towns formed a chain spanning Asia.