Review: The Son of the Prophets by Bryan Wilson

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.

The Son of the Prophets is the thrilling second installment of the genre-bending science fantasy series Power of the Stars.

Review:

Overview

If you liked the Forsaken Planet then you are going to LOVE The Son of the Prophets. Wilson really comes into his own in this darker follow-up to his debut novel. I loved how we got to see these young characters from book one face the harsh realities of the war they have been training for.

“But I have never seen a system of governance deserving of the power it held, nor unwilling to misuse it. So I apologize for not sharing your confidence regarding your own.”

Characters

Ace, Roan, and Wilick are still my favorite characters. These three are my favorites because we get to see some of their flaws on the page which makes them feel so much more real, and for me, more intriguing. 

I loved the addition of a POV for Ace, who is far from perfect, but also has a good heart and really does go all in on the things he cares about. 

I also really enjoyed seeing a darker side of Wilick. We knew it was there from book one but I enjoyed seeing some of that play out on the page. 

I have a soft spot for Violet, who I thought was amazing from book one. While she gets a POV in book two I don’t feel like we really got to know more about her character in this installment. 

I am also, for the first time, interested in Tommy. He only had one POV chapter but I enjoyed the depth that getting inside his head added to his character. In the first book, he felt very much like an accessory for Colton so it was great to see some of his development. 

The addition of an animal companion in The Son of the Prophets was particularly fun! 

“Am I going to have to clean you? Colton asked him. Will your powers allow you to regrow the hand I rip off if you try? the animal replied.”

Overall I feel like we get a lot more depth in these fantastic characters in book two and I am here for it! 

Worldbuilding

The Son of the Prophets has all of the fantastic worldbuilding elements of book one including a magic system similar to Star Wars, but instead of the force humans can wield the power of the stars, known as solara. Set in a multi-planetary galactic empire with its own politics currently in the middle of a war between the two major political forces. I particularly loved the addition of an Earth-side adventure that was reminiscent of Indiana Jones as Colton searches for the final resting place of the prophet Earth. 

Plot

I loved the addition of more POV characters that allowed Wilson to weave an intricate plot with one focus on moving forward the storyline from book one around discovering the secrets behind The Son of the Prophets prophecy. We also got a fresh perspective and action-packed storyline that follows Ace and Morris as they join Wilck's team to take on a dangerous special assignment. 

“The greatest threat to humanity has always been and will always be ourselves.”

Romance

While The Son of the Prophets has a romantic subplot I’m actually not interested in the romance between Colton and Kyla. I personal haven’t seen a reason to care about Kyla as a character, we are told that she is great, but we really haven’t seen it on the page. While she has grown and is a more enjoyable character in this installment I still need to see more from her before I am invested. 

There is however a spark of a somatic subplot that I am interested in, and that is the potential for romance between Violet and Tommy. I am excited to see where that might go in book three. 

Enjoyment

I thoroughly enjoyed this next installment and can’t wait to see what Wilson has up his sleeve next. This moderately paced epic is perfect for settling in and relaxing with a good book. If you love classic sci-fi then Power of the Stars is a must read series.