Synopsis
Ruin follows in the wake of Torrlond’s victorious army and the beasts its priests enslave, leaving
no corner of Eormenlond untouched by the inferno of its war. Kingdoms and tribes line up on
opposing sides as the conflict rages, rekindling ancient hatreds and avenging old wrongs. As
Dayraven struggles to contain the vast power of his curse, he and Sequara confront the
destruction of all they hold dear. To salvage their world, they must sacrifice what most makes it
precious. With twists as wrenching as they are unexpected, The Prophet of Edan reveals the War
of the Way’s culmination.
Review
Philip Chase writes like someone channeling Terry Brooks or J.R.R. Tolkien but with modern sensibilities, and The Prophet of Edan is the fullest expression of that yet. His prose, his dialogue, his approach to storytelling all hearken to a previous age of fantasy, but without the characteristics that motivated the genre to evolve into what it is today. The result is something that feels like a renaissance: older fantasy brought forward with the pacing and awareness of modern craft. If you love Lord of the Rings, you will love this book.
This one starts strong from the very first pages, immediately throwing you into a “things are happening” momentum that never really lets up. This is a plot-driven story, and it’s done beautifully. Chase moves pieces across his board with purpose and confidence, building toward confrontations that feel earned and inevitable.
The battle sequences deserve special praise. Chase doesn’t just write one-on-one combat. He captures the chaos of group conflict, one army meeting another, one squad clashing with the next, and he depicts the absolute base savagery required to survive those situations with unflinching accuracy. You feel the weight and the mess of it all.
One of Chase’s most exceptional skills is his ability to depict the emotional state of groups. Whether it’s a squad, an army, a congregation, or a village, he shows you the collective mood of these people in ways that feel true and vivid. He’s equally skilled at portraying the power a single person can hold over a willing crowd, the fervor, the enrapture, the emotional sway. You genuinely understand the antagonists, their followers, and the conviction that drives them.
The book leans heavily on narrative summary, but the prose is so lyrical, one word flowing into the next, that you don’t mind at all. Reading this book is like reading beautifully written history. There is a slight emotional distance from the characters as a result of the plot-driven approach, but the quality of the prose more than compensates. It’s a tradeoff that works.
Goldar is easily my favorite character, while the pairing of Orvandel and Norn is a consistent highlight. The lore and history of this world are genuinely interesting, though there are moments where characters discuss it at length and I found myself wondering why they were getting into the founding of nations when more pressing matters were at hand. Those moments are minor interruptions in an otherwise well-paced story.
The ending is worth noting: it feels more like the conclusion of a trilogy than a book two. Many of the series’ main conflicts reach resolution here, which might catch readers off guard. But don’t be alarmed. Chase sets up the third book by hinting at new conflicts born from the aftermath, and the result is a satisfying ending that still leaves you eager for what comes next.The Prophet of Edan is a really good book. It’s fantasy that feels like it has history in its bones, written with lyrical prose and a sure hand. Chase is doing something special with this series, and fans of classic epic fantasy owe it to themselves to pay attention.
Leave a Reply