Scan barcode
A review by rwatkins
The Art of Prophecy by Wesley Chu
4.0
I really liked it. Overall: 4/5 (19.5/25)
If you like wuxia films, with Chinese inspirations and martial arts, this is that done well in book form. There are a lot of classic fantasy tropes blended in, including prophecy, a Chosen One, martial training school, mentors, a noble brat and found family. There is an odd clash between the humor and more serious moments and themes, but overall this is an excellent fantasy read reminiscent of movies like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, One-Armed Swordsman, Hero and others in that style.
Minor Spoilers Below.
Plot: 3.5/5
A linear plot with some unexpected twists that didn't always serve the story well, but didn't actively harm it either.
The main plot involves a prophecy/religion centered around the belief that a destined chosen boy will one day kill the unkillable leader of an enemy people. Early on, this prophecy and religion are challenged to their core, when a nobody lucks into killing the unkillable, threatening the religion and the chosen one at its center. It doesn't help that the destined is not as prepared to become a warrior or leader as he should be.
With the breakdown of the prophecy and lack of training, the chosen is in peril from all ends and must hide while trying to train properly for his destiny, just in case.
Some promises made, such as a certain mentor-trainee relationship, are sharp-turned into something else, which may bother some readers. When these promises are broken with twists in the narrative, the trajectory the story does take is still entertaining.
Characters: 3.5/5
Many of the characters will feel familiar, fitting fantasy and wuxia staples.
Taishi, the elder grizzled veteran and war arts master, who watches over the chosen that reminds her so much of her son.
Jian, the sheltered and spoiled Chosen One, overly confident of his skills, now questioning his identity, his upbringing and his place in the world.
Qisami, the snarky but upbeat assassin sent after Jian and Taishi.
Sali, the gruff soldier trying to free her people from servitude after their unkillable leader is gone.
These character tropes and roles are all predictable but mostly enjoyable.
Setting: 4/5
The Chinese wuxia influences of martial arts as poetry in nature is evident with the descriptive names of fighting techniques. The actions and martial magic, such as dancing upon winds, leaping off leaves, stone-like skin, they are all so cool to me. Although nothing felt entirely new to me, I don't read much anime or manga, so I never feel an overabundance of these things in my reading, so it's refreshing when I do come across it, rather than the same bland Euro-medieval weapons, fighting and world.
Places like the Cloud Pillars, Sand Snake, and Grass Sea are all unique and flavorful. I hope to visit more of these memorable locations in future installments.
The map is one of the most beautiful, but it doesn't service the story very well. Many locations named in the story are not on the map. Kingdom borders are unclear. The Grass Sea is probably the eastern portion bordering the Blue Sea, but it isn't labeled or explained clearly through the writing. I'm relying on minimal context clues at times to follow along with the adventure on the map.
Style: 4.5/5
The pacing is good, with action scenes used throughout to break up training montages and mystery aspects so it never feels stalled or boring.
The writing is accessible and I never felt at a loss about what was going on. Some of the fight maneuvers are described only through their names, which may not be ideal, but I thought the titles of actions were descriptive enough to imagine what was happening.
Foreshadowing isn't the best, as some story promises do feel broken and some turns can be jarring. But I still had fun with wherever the story went, so this wasn't a huge negative for me.
Themes: 4/5
The Broken Prophecy and what that might mean for the zealots, the Chosen One, the commoner followers let down, the opportunists, the political competitors, the level-headed and patient who think beyond the immediate curfuffle - this is the driving theme for this novel and series. There are also aspects of revolution, seeking freedom, betrayal, found family, political and religious complications, difficulties of refugee life, and using violence as a tool to protect and hurt others.
I liked what was tackled here.
If you like wuxia films, with Chinese inspirations and martial arts, this is that done well in book form. There are a lot of classic fantasy tropes blended in, including prophecy, a Chosen One, martial training school, mentors, a noble brat and found family. There is an odd clash between the humor and more serious moments and themes, but overall this is an excellent fantasy read reminiscent of movies like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, One-Armed Swordsman, Hero and others in that style.
Minor Spoilers Below.
Plot: 3.5/5
A linear plot with some unexpected twists that didn't always serve the story well, but didn't actively harm it either.
The main plot involves a prophecy/religion centered around the belief that a destined chosen boy will one day kill the unkillable leader of an enemy people. Early on, this prophecy and religion are challenged to their core, when a nobody lucks into killing the unkillable, threatening the religion and the chosen one at its center. It doesn't help that the destined is not as prepared to become a warrior or leader as he should be.
With the breakdown of the prophecy and lack of training, the chosen is in peril from all ends and must hide while trying to train properly for his destiny, just in case.
Some promises made, such as a certain mentor-trainee relationship, are sharp-turned into something else, which may bother some readers. When these promises are broken with twists in the narrative, the trajectory the story does take is still entertaining.
Characters: 3.5/5
Many of the characters will feel familiar, fitting fantasy and wuxia staples.
Taishi, the elder grizzled veteran and war arts master, who watches over the chosen that reminds her so much of her son.
Jian, the sheltered and spoiled Chosen One, overly confident of his skills, now questioning his identity, his upbringing and his place in the world.
Qisami, the snarky but upbeat assassin sent after Jian and Taishi.
Sali, the gruff soldier trying to free her people from servitude after their unkillable leader is gone.
These character tropes and roles are all predictable but mostly enjoyable.
Setting: 4/5
The Chinese wuxia influences of martial arts as poetry in nature is evident with the descriptive names of fighting techniques. The actions and martial magic, such as dancing upon winds, leaping off leaves, stone-like skin, they are all so cool to me. Although nothing felt entirely new to me, I don't read much anime or manga, so I never feel an overabundance of these things in my reading, so it's refreshing when I do come across it, rather than the same bland Euro-medieval weapons, fighting and world.
Places like the Cloud Pillars, Sand Snake, and Grass Sea are all unique and flavorful. I hope to visit more of these memorable locations in future installments.
The map is one of the most beautiful, but it doesn't service the story very well. Many locations named in the story are not on the map. Kingdom borders are unclear. The Grass Sea is probably the eastern portion bordering the Blue Sea, but it isn't labeled or explained clearly through the writing. I'm relying on minimal context clues at times to follow along with the adventure on the map.
Style: 4.5/5
The pacing is good, with action scenes used throughout to break up training montages and mystery aspects so it never feels stalled or boring.
The writing is accessible and I never felt at a loss about what was going on. Some of the fight maneuvers are described only through their names, which may not be ideal, but I thought the titles of actions were descriptive enough to imagine what was happening.
Foreshadowing isn't the best, as some story promises do feel broken and some turns can be jarring. But I still had fun with wherever the story went, so this wasn't a huge negative for me.
Themes: 4/5
The Broken Prophecy and what that might mean for the zealots, the Chosen One, the commoner followers let down, the opportunists, the political competitors, the level-headed and patient who think beyond the immediate curfuffle - this is the driving theme for this novel and series. There are also aspects of revolution, seeking freedom, betrayal, found family, political and religious complications, difficulties of refugee life, and using violence as a tool to protect and hurt others.
I liked what was tackled here.