Prophet (Books of the Infinite) [Paperback]

R. J. Larson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2012 | Series: Books of the Infinite (Book 1)

"This tale captured me and held me hostage to the very last page. Breathlessly waiting for the next book."--Donita K. Paul, author of The Dragon Keeper Chronicles and The Chiril Chronicles

Ela Roeh of Parne doesn't understand why her beloved Creator, the Infinite, wants her to become His prophet. She's undignified and bad-tempered, and at age seventeen she's much too young. In addition, no prophet of Parne has ever been a girl. Worst of all, as Parne's elders often warn, if she agrees to become the Infinite's prophet, Ela knows she will die young.

Yet she can't imagine living without Him. Determined to hear the Infinite's voice, Ela accepts the sacred vinewood branch and is sent to bring the Infinite's word to a nation torn apart by war. There she meets a young ambassador determined to bring his own justice for his oppressed people. As they form an unlikely partnership, Ela battles how to balance the leading of her heart with the leading of the Infinite.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Close your eyes, Ela of Parne. Close your eyes and you will see.

Ela Roeh of Parne doesn't understand why her beloved Creator, the Infinite, wants her to become His prophet. She's undignified, bad tempered, and only seventeen--not to mention that no prophet of Parne has ever been a girl. Worst of all, as the elders often warn, if she agrees to become the Infinite's prophet, Ela knows she will die young.

Istgard has turned their back on me. See the evil they do.

Yet after experiencing His presence, she can't imagine living without Him. Determined to follow the Infinite's voice, Ela accepts the sacred vinewood branch and is sent to bring the Infinite's word to a nation torn apart by war. Here she meets Kien, a young Traceland ambassador determined to bring his own justice for his oppressed people. As they form an unlikely partnership, Ela must surrender to her destiny...and determine how to balance the leading of her heart with the leading of the Infinite.

Will you accept the branch and speak my will? Will you be my prophet?

". . . this tale captured me and held me hostage to the very last page. Breathlessly waiting for the next book."
Donita K. Paul, bestselling author of THE DRAGON KEEPER CHRONICLES

"The Istgard have renounced the Infinite, so he has called on Ela Roeh to become his prophet. She's not the most likely choice for the job, being 17 and unrefined. On top of that, she's female--a first time for a prophet. Still, she accepts the role and tries to bring His message to her war-torn nation. In her new role, she meets an ambassador named Kien, and they form an alliance. Soon, Ela must decide how to keep true to her promise while following her heart. Character-driven and suspenseful, this outstanding young adult speculative fiction launch does a great job of world building." --Library Journal (starred review)

About the Author

R. J. Larson is the author of numerous devotionals featured in publications such as Women's Devotional Bible and Seasons of a Woman's Heart. She lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with her husband and their two sons. Prophet marks her debut in the fantasy genre.

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Bethany House Publishers; Original edition (April 1, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 076420971X
• ISBN-13: 978-0764209710
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 1.1 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (76 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #979,878 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

R. J. Larson is the author of numerous devotionals and is suspected of eating chocolate and potato chips for lunch while writing. She lives in Colorado with her husband and their two sons. The Books of the Infinite series marks her debut in the fantasy genre.

"Larson makes the fantasy genre thrilling even for readers who wouldn't normally venture into mystical realms. Though the battles waged resemble tales from the Old Testament, there is no preaching here, merely a compelling story of good versus evil in which good is sure to triumph." --Booklist

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars ARC reading April 7, 2012

By Nikka321

Format:Paperback

I was really quite shocked with how much I enjoyed this book. Being an athiest, and personally finding blind faith in "god" a little disturbing, I wasn't sure I even wanted to read this book. But I decided to give it shot, and I am so glad that I did, because I would have missed a true treasure otherwise.

This story is the first installment in the Books of the Infinite series, and follows the trials and tribulations of Ela, the newest, and only known female Prophet of the Infinite.

The style of writing was very easy to read and follow, which can not always be said for books in an imaginary world setting. It flowed really well, and quite truthfully hooked me in almost from the first page. I anxiously await the next book

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Completely Enjoyed It--Wide Audience Appeal April 13, 2012

By Melissa VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

The Infinite's vision caused her to faint; the suffering and death beyond comprehension. But this vision is just the beginning of Ela's journey as a servant of the Infinite--a journey that will take her to three different countries to plead with them to return to the Infinite. However, Ela has little hope of returning to her home and living a long life. After all, there's a faithful saying in Parne, "A silver-haired prophet has failed." By accepting the Infinite's offer, she knows her task will be difficult and that she'll face ridicule and suffering along the way, but despite the hardships facing her, the thought of living without his presence is unbearable. In a captivating tale, reminiscent of Old Testament history, Prophet vividly portrays the story of a young woman seeking to fulfill her role as a servant of the Infinite.

Let me just start off by saying I love this book. It grabbed my attention from the very start and held it all the way to the end. This is a relatively short book at only 250 pages, but within these pages is excellent action and a beautiful display of a prophet's courageous service. While reading Prophet, it isn't difficult to imagine Ela walking a path similar to Jeremiah or the antagonists she faces being the kings of Israel.

Prophet is listed as an adult fantasy novel, but it'll easy appeal to a much broader audience. With its young heroine and light descriptions, the story moves at the rapid pace found in many young adult novels. Those who like bible fiction will enjoy the strong Old Testament feel while readers of speculative and supernatural books will most likely find Prophet enjoyable for the strong interaction between Ela, the Infinite, and the spiritual beings.... This is a very versatile book, with wide appeal, but instead of feeling as though it is undecided on a genre, it embodies many genres.

While I enjoyed the story being told, what hooked me was the interplay between Ela and the Infinite. It brought to mind the relationship between Thomas and Elyon in Ted Dekker's Circle books. I adored Ela and the Infinite's dialog as well as Ela learning that she might not want an answer to every question that pops into her head. I was hopelessly drawn to the Infinite's voice, finding it easy to imagine his word being God's words. The tone and inflection in the Infinite's dialog fit with what is easily imagined in scripture and I looked forward to reading more of their interaction.

My only complaint is truly a personal quirk. While Ela is obedient to God and I admire her compassion, I really felt like she should have agreed with God's judgment rather than continuing to dislike it. In our culture God is often portrayed as an angry, jealous, demanding, cruel God and many people point to the Old Testament for their ideas. He is blamed for all that is wrong in this world though we're given freewill and make our own decisions. While I think Larson does a nice job of showing the Infinite's willingness to extend mercy until the last minute, what the reader never get, is Ela truly being `okay' with the Infinite's judgment. She wants them to repent, which should be our attitude. However, I really wanted Ela to accept God's judgment in a less grudging manner. Of course, this is the first book in this series and perhaps I should be more patient and wait for her character to evolve.

Over all, I loved this book. It is highly engaging, moves at a nice pace, imaginative, and spiritually beautiful. The Old Testament feel is well executed and easily reminds the reader of Israel's monarchy/prophet relationship. Prophet is the first book in the Books of the Infinite series and I can't wait for the next one!

Review copy provided courtesy of Bethany House Read more ›

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Surprisingly Good August 21, 2012

By Tamara

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I don't normally like overtly Christian works of fiction, even though I am a Christian. Typically, I find them to be preachy and filled with unremarkable, overly-good characters, and unbelievable story lines. However, I found this book to be surprisingly fun and a good read. The writing was very good. The characters were believable and likable. And, while I *thought* I might know how things were going to end, there were enough surprises that I wasn't sure about it (and still am not, since this was the first book in a series.)

I think this book could be appealing even to those who are not Christian (or Jewish, since it has a strong Old-Testament feel). I recommend it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book January 4, 2013

By EAH

Format:Paperback

I picked up this book on a whim and boy was I glad I did! It's one of my favorite books now. And I had no idea it was a Christian novel so that was shocking to me because I am pagan. I love the world Larson weaves very magical.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Fantasy world felt underdeveloped, but story helped keep interest December 31, 2012

By Jonathon D. Burns

Format:Paperback

Ela of Parne is only 17 years old, yet the Infinite has chosen her to be His prophet. She is the first female prophet of Parne and she knows that prophets die young. That is not exactly an encouraging thought. Ela is called to Istgard, where the people have turned away from the Infinite. In a story strongly influenced by the judges and prophets of the Old Testament, Ela must convince the people to turn from their sinful ways or be doomed.

Joining her is her younger sister, Tzana, who suffers a disease causing her to age pre-maturely. She also meets up with Kien, an ambassador from Traceland who also seeks to save his people from Istgard. Will Ela faithfully serve the Infinite, knowing it will likely lead to her death, or will her feelings win out?

It didn't take long for me to be sucked into the story. R.J. Larson's opening was very descriptive, and I could easily envision what was taking place. The introduction of Ela also gave me a clear picture. The dialogue was smooth, and flowed easily. Each character was fairly distinct in their speaking style, making it easy to follow the many long sections of dialogue when the speaker was not always clearly identified.

As I read further, the descriptiveness of events stayed clear, though descriptions of the world seemed muddled at times. At first I thought this was going to be set in Biblical times, but quickly found it to be a fantasy story set in a Middle Eastern-ish realm. There are several different groups of people, but at times I had a hard time understanding the full differences between them. With the exception of the horse like `destroyers,' I had a hard time visualizing some of the strange creatures Larson introduces.... Though a fantasy story, the world didn't feel as if it needed brand new creatures being created.

While I always had a clear picture of the lead characters, at times they seem a bit too perfect. Ela doesn't always understand the Infinite's reasoning, but she still follows his commands. She also has a bit of a temper, but that tends to be underplayed, and when she is angry, it tends to be more of a righteous anger. She lacked any real flaw and any changing she went through tended to happen near the beginning, when she first became the prophet. For the rest of the book, she seems relatively unchanged. I did find Kien to be an interesting character, but he had more of a supporting role.

Though not a perfect book, Prophet did hold my interest throughout, and I liked the ties it seemed to have with the prophets and judges from the Bible. I would be interested in reading the sequel, Judge.

3/5 Stars Read more ›