Review: The Son of the Prophets by Bryan Wilson

“You are a good man, Colton Samson. The evils you face are going to try and make you forget that. And even if they succeed, remember that redemption is as simple as performing your next deed.”

Blurb:

"Those of white and those of flame will clash, and the universe will begin to shake."

Colton's mission is straightforward: go home to Earth, wield the power of the stars for all to see, and seek the prophet his planet was named after. But nothing has come easy since he left his world.

Traitors lurk in the shadows, causing chaos across the stars. War has begun, and with newfound responsibilities arising, those around Colton realize they will have to carry some of the burden if there's to be any hope of defeating the Army of Flame.

Ace and Morris set out on their own course, hunting a rogue admiral down at Willick's side. Meanwhile, Violet Doku travels with her fellow soldiers of Vintara Company, sailing to the mysterious Forsaken Barrier, where the fight they have trained for lies in wait.

Colton knows he will have to be quick with his tasks if he hopes to fulfill the prophecies and save mankind. But when age-old mysteries are answered, and past conflicts reemerge, he starts to question whether he can even save himself.

*Content warning: Violence, Minor profanity, Torture scene

Book Review:

Picking up where The Forsaken Planet left off, readers are thrust back into the world of Colt and his crew as they navigate familiar enemies and unforeseen obstacles on the search for the prophet. What started as a coming-of-age has progressed into a coming-into-power story of epic proportions. 

Characters - Most of them are really good (overall score: 8/10)

Immediately, the characters are more fleshed out, especially the ones for which we get extra POVs. It creates depth in the story with perspectives we didn’t see before.  I can also see Wilson changed the tune of particular characters to make them more relatable (likable even. I’m looking at you, MOM.)

Atmosphere – (overall score: 12/14)

Setting: I want to read more like this (9/10)

Wilson's world-building weaves fantasy with reality well. His blending of the characters' stories with human folklore added depth the first lacked. Where The Forsaken Planet suffered slightly from “first of a series syndrome”, Son of the Prophets picks up and improves on it.

Mood: Some scenes had me captivated (3/4)

While some scenes were slow, for the most part, this book was action-packed. 

Writing Style – (overall score: 15/18)

Storytelling: Engaging but missing something (7/10)

Bryan’s writing lacked confidence in scenes where it needed it. His writing is engaging and has improved since his first book, which is always good. It certainly didn’t take away from the story’s flow as a whole, but was noticeable in those scenes.

Grammar: No grammatical errors (4/4)

This is an arc, so I don’t place too much importance on this against the author since things like this can still be corrected before publication. However, I do not recall seeing any errors anyway.

Formatting: No issues (4/4)

Plot – A little different and well-paced (8/10)

As a sequel, readers will already be familiar with what’s happening, but the twists and turns had me flipping pages. This storyline is much more mature and action-packed than the first, and Colt and his crew are more established.

Intrigue – (overall score: 10/14)

General: Kept me guessing and engaged (7/10)

Again, as a sequel, we know what’s going on for the most part, but I was flipping pages!

Re-Readability: Would reread (3/4)

Logic - (overall score: 11/14)

Plot Logic: I understand but am not wowed (8/10)

As the middle of a series, it understandably doesn’t start from the bottom with the plot, but the places Wilson did take it build on the world he created. 

Character Logic: Some characters didn’t fit (3/4)

The extra POVs are a great addition. This went from a coming-of-age story to a coming-into-power story, and Colt rose to the occasion. However, I still wasn’t a huge fan of some characters. 

Excitement – Have told my friends about it (9/10)

Overall, this ride was thrilling, and I’m eager to share about it. It is an epic sequel!

Scores:

CAWPILE: 73/90

Read Jonathan’s review of The Forsaken Planet (Power of the Stars Book 1)

Read The Dragon ReReads review of The Son of the Prophets (Power of the Stars Book 2)