Synopsis
William and Baldric were successful in trekking across the uncharted lands of the elves. After reaching the Viridian Veil and warning Lord Thinduill of Dadro’s deceit, they thought their journey had come to a close. But in truth, it had only just begun—and the more they descend into the battle for Cellagor’s fate, the more they’ll learn about their own mysterious pasts.
Preceding their arrival to the Veil, Avolin’s visions revealed that William and Baldric were tied to the Book of No Quarter. Upon learning this, Lord Thinduill insisted they accompany him to the elven capital of Leof Ealdwin.
Meanwhile, Rhan is no more, and its ashen remains mark the beginning of a new age. Arnion’s sacrifice may have altered the fate of Cellagor, but his father’s resolve continues to be tested. In the north, houses have reunited once again, and the Braxi army slowly encroaches on the Unspoken Border. Talfryn remains the last standing house to refuse Dadro’s rule—but they must rekindle old alliances if they mean to survive further bloodshed.
Word of Dadro’s victory over the elves continues to spread across the realm. Thousands have sworn their fealty to him, and whispers of a promising union linger on the horizon. But war does not come without its price. Dadro’s brother has yet to recover from the Battle of Rhan, and the pyromancer Aleister’s treachery remains unseen. With his ambitions still unknown, neither side is safe during this ushering in of a new age.
Review
Firstly, thank you to Adam R. Bishop for sending me an ARC to review. This obviously doesn’t affect my review or thoughts.
I was very excited to read A Prophecy Unsung after an explosive ending in A Sea of Cinders, that also left a lot open for a big sequel. Adam R. Bishop hasn’t disappointed in this regard, throwing the reader right back into the action and story, with not just a bigger book but also a book with exceptional pacing and a strong plot.
A Prophecy Unsung opens up with William, Gus and Baldric’s journey towards the elven capital to gather more answers about the Book of no Quarter. At the same time, Dadro continues his conquest and schemes, and sets his eyes on Talfryn. Amid this new characters come into play with new side plots that open up the world much more. There’s much more complexity in this book, which Bishop weaves together really well.
What I massively stood out for me in A Prophecy Unsung were the characters. The character development was fantastic and continued strongly throughout the book. Alongside this, the interaction and relationships between the characters was fantastic, making them likeable and characters one could really care about. An exceptional addition was the witty banter between a number of characters, especially William, Gus and Baldric, making way for some genuinely funny and heartwarming scenarios. I really enjoyed all the chapters focusing on Richard, Krea and Rowan. These three had really interesting story arcs, with some pretty gnarly situations, that left me rooting for them. It felt like their story arc focused a lot on the importance of family and protecting others. Scolland was a new character, that I was fully invested in, and I think he will have some key parts to play in the coming books.
The pace of this book was exceptionally well done, meaning it was never boring, with a story that continued to flow and capture me throughout. I looked forward to picking up this book and continuing on with the story. What also stood out was that each characters voice was the perfect length and despite the size and multiple POV’s it never felt like a slog. The action was epic and on a grand scale, with visceral and fast paced scenes that kept me on the edge of my seat.
Alongside this, there were some pretty epic reveals and cliffhangers, that left me instantly yearning for the next book.
If this series is new to you, then I highly recommend you pick up the first book, A Sea of Cinders, and if you aren’t sure whether to continue, then I implore that you do, as A Prophecy Unsung is a fantastic sequel, that massively opens up the world, has an array of interesting characters and fantastic pacing.
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