Today I have the pleasure of reviewing this great young adult dystopian book, There Comes A Prophet by David Litwack.
Title: There Comes A Prophet
Series: n/a
Author: David Litwack
Publisher: Double Dragon Publishing
Release Date: 9th July 2012
Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction
Format: eBook
Source: via Xpresso Book Tours from Author for an honest review on tour
Who among us will cast aside a comfortable existence and risk death to follow a dream?
A world kept peaceful for a thousand years by the magic of the ruling vicars. But a threat lurks from a violent past. Wizards from the darkness have hidden their sorcery in a place called the keep and left a trail of clues that have never been solved.
Nathaniel has grown up longing for more but unwilling to challenge the vicars. Until his friend Thomas is taken for a teaching, the mysterious coming-of-age ritual. Thomas returns but with his dreams ripped away. When Orah is taken next, Nathaniel tries to rescue her and ends up in the prisons of Temple City. There he meets the first keeper of the ancient clues. But when he seeks the keep, what he finds is not magic at all.
If he reveals the truth, the words of the book of light might come to pass:
“If there comes among you a prophet saying ‘Let us return to the darkness,’ you shall stone him, because he has sought to thrust you away from the light.”
My Review
This isn’t something that I would normally read and to be honest it took me a little bit to get into the fray. Mr Litwack is certainly a very talented author and has an easy way with his words, but this was a little religious for my liking. I really did enjoy the overall story and loved the world building, strong characters and the little romance thrown into the mix.Nathaniel, Thomas and Orah have grown up together and are the best of friends. They are all around the same age, give or take a few months and are always joined at the hip. Growing up in a small town, in a world without technology, without electricity and with a religious vicar ruling them all; their lives are anything but easy and carefree.
Once a season a priest comes to visit each town to determine if any children have come of age and need a teaching in their Temple City. Any child with rebellious actions or thoughts are determined they need to be put in line and kept in the Light. This particular season, Thomas has come of age and is taken. Their teachings are never spoken about and for good reason. It inflicts fear in all the followers and keeps everybody loyal.
Thomas is gone for weeks and when he comes home, is a changed man. He is afraid and hurting and never wants to go back to the Temple. The next season, Orah is taken and Nathaniel cannot accept she has gone, determined to rescue her, he treks to Temple City. Upon waiting for the Vicar’s decision, Nathaniel is placed in a room next to an old man. This man confides in Nathaniel and tells him of a deep secret that can change their entire world. He is a Keeper and Nathaniel is to be the Seeker. There was a secret society that has all the information to save the world and bring down the vicar ruling. To keep the secret safe, a series of clues were left and this would direct the Seeker to the Keep.
Nathaniel and Orah are allowed to leave under conditions and secretly decide to follow this quest. They never want anybody to undergo the teachings again. Thomas finds out about their departure and tags along. The three head off on their adventure, trying to see if this century old secret is true or false.
Are the threats that the Vicar’s have spoken of all these years true? Is the Dark really as bad as they claim? Can they all survive the trials of the trek without being caught? What will happen if they find the Keep? What will happen to their world?
I loved the characters very much, Orah is my favourite with her sass and cheeky know it all attitude, she was fun to watch grow and become a woman. I really felt for Thomas, he went through a lot and felt horrible after his teaching, but really surprised me in the end. Nathaniel was the strength that kept them going and he discovered some things about himself along the way. This book was certainly surprising and I can’t wait to read more by Mr Litwack.
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"I never doubted it. But now what I want to know is what happens when we get there? What do the keepmasters expect of us? How does it end? When a seeker finds what he seeks, what does he become?"
~ 52% on my Kindle
About the Author
Using two fingers and lots of white-out, he religiously typed five pages a day throughout college and well into his twenties. Then life intervened. He paused to raise two sons and pursue a career, in the process becoming a well-known entrepreneur in the software industry, founding several successful companies. When he found time again to daydream, the urge to write returned. There Comes a Prophet is his first novel in this new stage of life.
David and his wife split their time between Cape Cod, Florida and anywhere else that catches their fancy. He no longer limits himself to five pages a day and is thankful every keystroke for the invention of the word processor.
Giveaway
One (1) eBook (open internationally) OR one (1) Paperback (Open US/CANADA ONLY) of There Comes A Prophet by David Litwackends midnight 3rd April 2013
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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