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There are currently 25 member reviews
for Prophecy
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Linda S. (Tucker, GA)
Google or Wikipedia contain spoilers - Wait 'till after you've read it!
Prophecy is a well-researched novel of historical fiction that centers around a real event and real people, but - spoiler alert! -don't be tempted to Google names and places until after you've read the novel. There is a large cast of characters and several plot lines so be prepared for some confusion, which can be distracting. I enjoyed this book, although not as much as the original in the series, Heresy, and feel it could have benefited from a more zealous editor; there were several examples of telling when showing would have been more effective. The author doesn't leave those who haven't read Heresy in the dark, but provides sufficient background so that Prophecy stands on its own. Historical fiction buffs, especially those who favor the Tudor period, will really enjoy the writing; the descriptions take you there!
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Laura P. (Atlanta, GA)
Prophecy
S.J. Parris's second book featuring former Dominican monk Giordano Bruno as he navigates the religious upheavals of Elizabethan England does a good job of balancing the "historical" and the "thriller" elements of its story line. Parris does an excellent job of creating her setting, and the overlay of murder and mayhem onto the events of the times is entirely believable. Bruno is a well developed character, and the action of the story is, for the most part, well-paced. The loose ends remaining at the end of the tale suggest a series of Giordano Bruno thrillers may be in the works. If you like stories from this time period, you'll most likely enjoy this book.
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Jacquelyn H. (Blanco, Texas)
PROPHECY by S.J. Harris
I love historical fiction and this book filled the bill. It is the second book by S.J. Harris written with Giordono Bruno, the Dominican monk returning as it's lead character. I found the characters of the medieval world believable. The plot is interesting but drags some at times. Overall, this book is enjoyable and a good read but it will not win any literary prizes.
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Kristine I. (Carmel, IN)
Slow Paced Thriller
This is a solid historical mystery, but for me it wasn’t what I would call an historical thriller as the cover claimed. I enjoyed the history of the book which sent me more than once to look up facts online. While I liked the narrator and felt that I connected with him, I found myself having trouble keeping the other characters straight in my mind because there were so many of them, they just didn’t come alive to me. It was as if the mystery was hidden because there were too many story lines rather than clever plotting. There were some story lines I would have wanted expanded a little more. I think fewer, richer characters would have made the story a fuller, more satisfying read.
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Gina R. (West Hollywood, CA)
Slow Read
Unless you're a devout fan of S.J. Parris and have read the Heresy, the prequel to Prophecy, I wouldn't recommend this book. It was very slow and dark and it never grabbed me. Its being marketed as a historical thriller so I expected it to be a page turner like The Historian, but it was very hard to get through and unfortunately I didn't very much enjoy this read.
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Katherine S. (seaford, VA)
Elizabethan Enigma
Prophecy is OK, not great. Many interesting details about Elizabeth I's reign in 1583 London; it's a fairly true to life story. It felt like it wanted to be a page-turner, but got bogged down with its' own history. Described as an Historical Thriller, but it is less than thrilling.
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Anita S. (BOYNTON BEACH, FL)
Mediocre Mystery
When I started reading this book, I really enjoyed it. I liked the date and location where it took place. The use of historical figures in the story and the superstitious thinking at the time was interesting. But about 1/3 of the way through, I began to lose interest. The plots, subplots, intrigues and questions got tedious and I found that I really didn't care about the outcome. Maybe if I had read the prequel book, I may have found it more interesting. I wouldn't really recommend it to book clubs.
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