Prophecy by Ellen Oh (Prophecy #1)

Fantasy: war, magic, and demons!
May 15, 2015
3 min read

Kira is the fiercest girl and certainly the most feared warrior in the seven kingdoms. She has a unique gift to sense the presence of demons and can dispatch them with ease before they harm innocent civilians. However, very few of the unwitting people she has saved with her kills are grateful. Kira has unusual yellow eyes, and many people are disgusted not only because of her obvious differences but also because she is a female soldier when women should be raising children. Kira works as a bodyguard for the prince, Taejo, but when the kingdom is attacked, Kira and the prince must flee. Now on the run, Kira watches helplessly as the kingdoms around her fall to the demons and their allies. The only hope of the people lies in an ancient prophecy that decrees that one warrior descended from the original king of all the kingdoms will save them all, and many people, including Kira, believe Taejo is the one who can fulfill the prophecy. However, with enemies hot on their trail, Kira and her companions must keep the prince out of demon hands, not matter what the cost.

Kira is a delightfully flawed character. She is disgusted by the way everyday people treat her, throwing stones even as she strives to keep them safe all because they don't fully understand her or her abilities. Kira tries to convince herself that her own happiness doesn't matter as long as she does her duty, viewing herself as a soldier. Kira knows that the king isn't fond of her and that her livelihood depends on her ability to be useful, almost as if she is a work animal and not a human. It's sad because after so many years of people treating her like a monster, it has had a profound effect on how Kira acts, from pulling her hood low over her eyes when she's in public to being surprised when people are kind to her. Kira values her freedom, refusing to marry and therefore allow herself to be caught up in family life that would keep her from doing her duty to the prince. She’s a very lonely person, but throughout the book she develops as people begin to treat her better as she proves that she’s not the monster so many people seem to think she is.

Speaking of the prince, I also enjoyed learning about him. Taejo is described to only be about twelve or so, but seeing so much suffering as his kingdom and family tumble into disarray has caused him to grow up fast. He's fully capable of defending himself and understands the consequences of his actions as he makes military choices that will decide the fate of his kingdom. However, I get the impression that he also understands that he's still learning, and with so much on his plate already, he doesn't want the responsibility of being a fabled warrior that is expected to save everyone from destruction. I can sympathize with him for that, and I can also relate to his somewhat impulsive behavior, jumping to defend the people he cares about sometimes without a second thought. As a future king, he has to learn that everything he does will impact what happens to his people.

The setting really was magical. Oh blended Asian culture and magic for a fantasy setting that is both a bit familiar and new. Traditional Korean games such as baduk or even terms for royalty like the Japanese word daimyo are integrated into the culture of the seven kingdoms. I also enjoyed the aspect of demons and mythology for interesting culture in the story.

Overall, I enjoyed Prophecy, but there were some things that could have been done differently. The fighting provided action, and the plot was solid and not paced badly. Nevertheless, I thought that perhaps Kira's character could have been explored a bit more. At one point in the story, after rocks are thrown at her, she experiences a surge of hatred towards the people who seem to see her only as a monster. However, this emotion is gone quickly, and Oh doesn't really address Kira's feelings towards the public as much as she could have. The same goes for her relationship with the court, among other things. I was appeased by the quick, heart pounding plot, even if the idea wasn't über original. I think this would be a good book for fantasy fans, and I hope to see the characters develop more in the sequel. 4/5 stars.