The first book in the Prophecy Rock trilogy is a fast-paced fantasy story set in a world divided by an endless war – but heroes rising from a new generation might just change that.

The world is divided into two major powers – the Renzai Empire and the Vicedonian Kingdom, who are in war for as long as most people remember. Between them is a land that shifts from one side to another. The prologue shows young Raden fleeing the destruction of his hometown, one of the largest towns in the disputed zone.

Both sides believe in prophecy that, one day, the Creator will choose someone worthy to end the endless war. Candidates appeared time and again, their power immense, but never fully ascending, and the war continued.

Years later, Raden is a promising soldier in the Renzai army. Solitary and brooding as he’s been seeing strange symbols and visions since fleeing the burning town and barely escaping with his and his sister’s life. Raden, along with his friends Gama and Kara (and Gama’s changeling dog Oli), is sent to investigate the rumors of a Candidate in the ranks of the enemy. Their goal is to observe from a distance as the three of them may avoid detection – and if they actually found a candidate, they’d stand little chance against its power.

After some time, they arrive to a place where they do, indeed, find the candidate – hurling large slabs of rocks like they’re nothing. Unfortunately, they fail to avoid detection. In a harrowing battle with the candidate, they’re all brought low – but power awakens in Raden. With a combined effort and despite heavy injuries, they manage to kill the candidate, though Kara dies in the fight and Raden is knocked out by the overuse of his newfound powers.

Raden is then brought home, where he is given some basic lesson on controlling his power, before being tasked to lead a strike against the fortress of Sargatum.

On the Vicedonian side, the focus is on the two princes – Xander, the older and wiser prince who has already seen (and won) battles and the younger and much more impulsive Aric. Aric, who had always felt underappreciated and growing in Xander’s shadow, tends to be violent to “lesser” people, which quickly made him an unsympathetic figure to me.

Wishing to prove himself, Aric “hijacks” the Krakens, one of the most fearsome units of the Vicedonian army. He convinces their leader – eager for action after months of guarding a position that is in no danger whatsoever – to aid the battle directly in hopes of proving himself and earning something to his name. To arrive in time, he takes a shortcut through a haunted forest, an experience that changes not just him but the whole Kraken unit.

The Krakens arrive barely in time for the battle, and they besiege the Renzai outpost, only to find it empty – and a trap. Not only the Renzai reinforcements attack a position prepared to corner the Vicedonians, many Kraken soldiers fall victim to their own fears awakened in the dark forest and turn into creatures of darkness. The army of Aric and Xander retreats to regroup, and Aric is sent to Sargatum to gather reinforcements – the impregnable fortress should be able to spare some soldiers and their commander is someone who might react better to Aric than to Xander.

There, the two storylines collide. Raden leads a siege, using his powers to aid the battle. Aric, having arrived just before the siege began, is forced to take part in the fight. Brought to the brink, he’s offered dark powers, which he accepts. He, too, can’t wield them properly and the fortress is destroyed, forcing both sides to retreat and regroup before the conflict reaches another stage… in the second book.

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Read date: 28.1. – 9.2.2024
Published: 28.1.2013
Goodreads/Amazon rating: 3,90/4,1
My rating: 80%
Length: 392 pages
My highlights

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The book has quite a high pace, but “mechanical” issues – a lot of head-hopping and several flashbacks that don’t have scene-breakers (after training this habit in my early writing experiences, I’m a bit sensitive to this). Other than that, the story is quite of a simple nature but works well.