About the Book

Book: The Way Back to Eden: Book 2 of the Jaguar Oracle Series

Author: Kurt Mähler

Genre: Magical Realism

Release date: February 28, 2025

A Mystical Journey to Restore the Natural Order as Hope Guides the Way

In the lush wilderness of the Rio Grande Valley, a centuries-old prophecy is about to be fulfilled. The jaguars, once the revered rulers of the animal kingdom, have vanished—until a brave jaguar named Oracle begins a journey to summon the scattered tribes and restore their rightful place.

A captivating quest and an unforgettable journey home.

His quest intersects with young Paco and his extraordinary animal companions—a wise horse named Plod, a storytelling toad called Bog, and a clever raccoon named Patch—as they navigate the mystical landscapes of the Texas-Mexico borderlands and Brazos River bottomlands, a quest that weaves through ancient forests, mysterious towers, and sacred sanctuaries.

Guided by ancient wisdom and the enduring loyalty of his animal friends, Oracle’s epic journey leads him through a world on the brink of upheaval. As greedy developers encroach on the land and threaten the delicate balance of nature, Oracle must navigate a tangled web of human greed, betrayal, and violence to find the missing jaguarundi tribe and unite the warring factions of the animal realm.

The fate of the Valley rests on Oracle recovering lost memories and rediscovering the original harmony between man and beast. From vast Texan ranches to ancient palm forests, from well-ordered zoos to untamed wilderness, The Way Back to Eden weaves together a rich tapestry of cultures, legends, and the immutable power of the natural world.

Blending elements of magical realism, environmental advocacy, and pulse-pounding adventure, this sweeping tale transports readers into a vibrant, unforgettable world where Oracle’s quest is to preserve the ancient balance and the interconnectedness of all living things.

The Way Back to Eden, a deeply satisfying and thought-provoking fantasy epic, is the second installment in the six-volume Jaguar Oracle series. Discover the magic that awaits where ancient wildlife sanctuaries hold secrets, where ghosts and tree house hermits guide lost souls home, and where the path back to Eden might just be hidden in plain sight.

Follow the trail. Find the tree. Change the world.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Kurt writes in the prophetic and poetic tradition, inspired by the wonder of creation and the cultures of the nations. Guiding sources for his works include the Hebrew prophets, the Desert Fathers, Dante, Milton, George MacDonald, C.S. Lewis, and Tolkien.

Kurt and his wife, Karen, married since 1993, raised five children in Afghanistan and have spent more than twenty years in forty nations as encouragers in the Christian faith. Their travels led to the discovery of the beauty and wisdom of storytelling. Their roots include the Gulf Coast, Rio Grande Valley, and Heart of Texas.

Kurt writes to give readers courage for their faith journeys, as he believes that no disappointment, however profound, should prevent you from completing it.

More from Kurt

The Way Back to Eden expands the Jaguar Oracle epic into a full-fledged human drama alongside the animal one. Who among the animals do you enjoy? Who among the humans do you identify with? A clue to courage for your calling lies in that intersection.

Brazos Ben is based on a relative who built a three-story treehouse with running water and electricity. Just like we find in the story, he did so on sixty acres of bottomland beside a river, where he let most of his property go wild. It contained an old pecan orchard and an abandoned cabin.

Papá Eli, a member of the old-school “gentleman mafia” of Mexico, is based on the actor Cesar Romero.

Every plant, animal,  moon phase,  and constellation are the work of much research. I use an astronomy app called Starry Night Enthusiast 8, which I learned of from reading the profound scholarly work called The Great Christ Comet by Colin Nicholl, who used this app as a key aid in his attempt to determine the nature and trajectory of the Star of Bethlehem.

While the animal characters are on a journey to “remember their names”—what Adam spoke when he named them—the human characters are on a quest to get “back to Eden.” High-tech rancher Tripp is leveraging money. The hermit Brazos Ben is letting his land go wild. Papá Eli is creating a glass arboretum where he hopes to retire alongside the jaguar. Chase the zoologist is in touch with the omens of creation.

But the jaguar Oracle is on a deeper journey. He is trapped in a “mangarden” far from the Rio Grande Valley. He will need more than mere strength and skill to escape and return; he will need weakness and suffering. Can he drink the cup? Can he return to the Valley and restore the cats to their leadership (the ocelot, the bobcat, and the lost jaguarundi)? Can he bring the animal kingdom into a “final spring in their twilight days this side of Eden”?

Read and discover. Perhaps it will inspire you to drink the cup heaven has offered you, too. His grace is sufficient. His power rests in our weakness. His blood is enough. This is our way back to Eden.

Interview with Kurt

What is your real-life work schedule like when writing?

Insofar as love and wisdom allow, mornings are devoted to writing. I write pre-dawn for an hour or so, then, after breakfast and morning chores, I write another two to four hours.

Afternoons and evenings tend to be devoted to everything else, i.e., matters that do not require the generating of creative content and the solitude that lends itself to that endeavor.

Do you base your characters on real people?

Sometimes, yes. The main character in the Jaguar Oracle is a jaguar who, apparently, has spent time with a lion a lot like Aslan. In Book 2, The Way Back to Eden, there is a hermit based on a long lost relative of mine, and there is a cartel operative who is based on Cesar Romero, a Hollywood actor known for his role in the original Batman TV series.

In the audiobook, narrator Zach Lazar Hoffman bases the voice of the jaguar on that of Liam Neeson, and he bases the voice Patch raccoon on that of Tom Hanks.

What are your favorite books to read?

Telling parables in Afghanistan caused me to discover how humans, as God’s image bearers, are “wired for stories” by the hand of our Creator. This led to reading George MacDonald’s Christian fantasy in order to experience the same encouragement his writings gave Lewis and Tolkien in their journey of becoming Christian fantasy authors, and it did indeed inspire me. This included books like The Golden Key and At the Back of the North Wind.  I also returned to the roots of Christian poetry with an exploration of John Milton’s Paradise Lost and Dante’s Divine Comedy.

Currently, I am reading Take the Stairs, a best-selling book on discipline by Rory Vaden.

I am also reading The Philokalia,a five-volume collection of practical writings from the Desert Fathers and Church Fathers collected over the early centuries of the Faith. The book reads like blog posts on how to practically obey the commands of Christ, love our neighbor, win the battles of the mind, and cultivate a pure heart.

It is said that Saint Seraphim, a student of the Philokalia was so gentle that a bear befriended him, visiting him regularly. In my story, there is a child the birds name Miracle; he becomes friends with the jaguar, raccoon, and many other animals.

Where can readers find out more about you and your books?

My website kurtmahler.com is the place to start. There you can see the covers of my upcoming books in the Jaguar Oracle series and read the essays and poetry I post to impart courage for your calling. I am grateful to Nate Cornelius of Apparatus Digital Creative Agency for designing the site.

Any current or upcoming projects you’d like to tell us about?

The Way Back to Eden is the second of six books in the Jaguar Oracle series appearing over the next two years. Book 1, The Trail to the Lonely Tree, is available in print, digital, and audio forms on all major platforms. Book 3, The Search for the Shadow Cat, will appear in May 2025. This series is the primary work I am devoting myself to through 2026.

My hope is that these stories, in which are embedded parables, prayers, poems, proverbs, and prophecies, will impart courage for your calling.

Blog Stops

Vicky Sluiter, March 21 (Author Interview)

Simple Harvest Reads, March 22 (Author Interview)

For the Love of Literature, March 23 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 23

Fiction Book Lover, March 24 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, March 24

Tell Tale Book Reviews, March 25 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 26

Blossoms and Blessings, March 27 (Author Interview)

Artistic Nobody, March 28 (Author Interview)

Stories By Gina, March 29 (Author Interview)

Holly’s Book Corner, March 30

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, March 31 (Author Interview)

A Reader’s Brain , April 1 (Author Interview)

Blogging with Carol, April 2

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, April 3 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, Kurt is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card, a high-resolution digital map of the entire six-book tale, a high-resolution cover, and an audiobook copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54180