• 5 Star Reads
  • Audiobooks
  • Books on Screen
  • Children’s Books
  • Christian
  • Fiction
  • Giveaways

5 Minutes For Books

  • Home
  • About
    • Who Are We? Reviewer Bios
    • 5 Star Reads
    • Disclosure
    • Privacy Policy
    • About Us
  • Join In
    • 5 Minutes for Books Bookclub
    • Children’s Classics
    • Kids’ Picks
    • What’s on Your Nightstand
  • Link To Us
  • Contact
    • Advertise

Prophet, a 5-Star Read

May 3, 2012 by Trish

Imagine you are called by the Infinite Himself to be a prophet, and the only thing you know for sure is that prophets rarely have long lives. Then imagine you are just a girl, soon to be betrothed to be married, and accepting this gift will mean you must walk away from your intended, your parents, and even your own country, to follow His leading and speak for Him wherever He takes you. This is the choice facing Ela Roeh of Parne in R.J. Larson’s debut fantasy novel Prophet (Books of the Infinite #1).

Once Ela accepts this gift and is confirmed by the priests’ council, she and her sister Tzana leave Parne and journey through the desert. After escaping a desert monster called a scaln and encountering a band of soldiers whose leader tries to kill her, they eventually reach the capitol city of Istgard, a country of exquisite beauty marred by corruption and evil.

It is here that she meets Kien Lantec, an ambassador from the Tracelands who has been charged with conspiracy by the rulers of Istgard and whose story become intertwined with Ela’s as the story unfolds. The girls also bond with a destroyer, one of the massive and deadly horses ridden by the soldiers. Between these elements, the political intrigues within the various nations, and the prophetic visions and revelations given to Ela, this story has something for everyone.

This may sound like typical young adult fantasy fare, but I was completely blown away by this book. From the very first page, I found myself immersed in a world rich with symbolism and depth. Although Larson draws on images and events from the lives of the Old Testament prophets, she adapts and reinvents them in such a way that adds layers of meaning to this story without taking anything away from the Biblical accounts.

It is this richly drawn world, layered with compelling characters and a balanced mix of action and thought, that leads me to add this to our 5-Star Reads.

Thank you to Bethany House for providing an advance reading copy and for allowing me to be reminded of how wonderful it is to discover a new world within the pages of a book. You can see what else I am reading and discovering these days at my blog In So Many Words.

Filed Under: 12 and up, 5 Star Reads, Fiction, Sci Fi/Fantasy, Trish, Young Adult

« Raising Boys with ADHD
Faith Bass Darling’s Last Garage Sale »

Comments

  1. Pam ( says

    May 3, 2012 at 11:43 am

    Wow this does sound like quite a read. Thanks for the great review!

    • Trish says

      May 4, 2012 at 9:23 am

      It was a pleasure to write; I am really excited about this book!

  2. Michelle says

    May 4, 2012 at 9:13 am

    You mentioned adding this to the list of 5-star reads, but the book hasn’t been posted to the master list yet. Every time a new 5-star read gets added, I print a new list so that I am up-to-date when browsing for great reads at book sales and garage sales in the summer.

    • Trish says

      May 4, 2012 at 9:24 am

      What a great idea, Michelle!

      We are working on getting it added to the list. There was a small back-end glitch that we are looking into. Thanks!

      • Michelle says

        May 4, 2012 at 10:07 am

        Thanks so much! I will keep watching for it to be posted. I just didn’t want it to be forgotten along the way. I always look forward to the “rare” 5-star book posts.

Connect with us

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Welcome to 5 Minutes for Books. We are a team blog dedicated to sharing reviews and information about children's lit, fiction, memoir, and more. Read More…

Reviews

5 Minutes for Books

Jennifer Donovan
Managing Editor

MEET OUR TEAM



Connect With Us


Pinterest

Community

Cybils Logo Draft 3

Disclosure:

Find out about our relationships with publishers and affiliate networks in our full disclosure statement.

Recent Posts

  • Devil’s Delight
  • The Color Line
  • Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun
  • The Greenleaf Murders
  • Chaos at Carnegie Hall

Categories

Privacy Policy    |     Disclosure Policy
Terms & Conditions
© 5 Minutes for Mom

Let’s Socialize

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Pinterest is Our FAVORITE!

Find and Follow Us at
pinterest.com/5min4books

Copyright © 2023 · Tasteful theme by Restored 316