What do you think?
Rate this book
The Edan Trilogy #2
The Prophet of Edan
Ruin follows in the wake of Torrlond’s victorious army and the beasts its priests enslave, leaving
no corner of Eormenlond untouched by the inferno of its war. Kingdoms and tribes line up on
opposing sides as the conflict rages, rekindling ancient hatreds and avenging old wrongs. As
Dayraven struggles to contain the vast power of his curse, he and Sequara confront the
destruction of all they hold dear. To salvage their world, they must sacrifice what most makes it
precious. With twists as wrenching as they are unexpected, The Prophet of Edan reveals the War
of the Way’s culmination.
no corner of Eormenlond untouched by the inferno of its war. Kingdoms and tribes line up on
opposing sides as the conflict rages, rekindling ancient hatreds and avenging old wrongs. As
Dayraven struggles to contain the vast power of his curse, he and Sequara confront the
destruction of all they hold dear. To salvage their world, they must sacrifice what most makes it
precious. With twists as wrenching as they are unexpected, The Prophet of Edan reveals the War
of the Way’s culmination.
592 pages, Paperback
Published June 18, 2023
24 people are currently reading
928 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
September 27, 2024
My complete review of The Prophet of Edan is published at Grimdark Magazine.
Reading The Prophet of Edan, the second book in Philip Chase’s Edan Trilogy, is a transcendent experience, epic in scope yet deeply personal.
The Prophet of Edan chronicles the War of the Way, a holy war launched by Bledla, Supreme Priest of the Kingdom of Torrlond, the self-declared Prophet of Edan who commands an army of enslaved dragons in his quest to conquer the land of Eormenlond. Bledla argues that his control over the dragons is “irrefutable proof of Edan’s blessing” in support of his blood-soaked war.
While The Prophet of Edan is full of exhilarating dragon-fueled battle sequences, this outward action is balanced by a delicate introspection that showcases some of Philip Chase’s most lyrical prose to date, especially as he recounts lead protagonist Dayraven’s journey of self-discovery.
Throughout literary history, ravens symbolize wisdom, magic, and understanding, often acting as psychopomps that connect the physical world with the spiritual realm. In Greek mythology, the raven is also a symbol of Apollo, the god of prophecy, providing a direct connection with The Prophet of Edan. Philip Chase is also heavily influenced by Welsh mythology, where ravens represent bravery during battle. Even today, a flock of ravens guards the Tower of London; a superstition dating back to the English Civil War states that, if the ravens are removed, the entire Kingdom of England will fall.
Dayraven’s path toward enlightenment is, for me, the highlight of The Prophet of Edan. Dayraven is torn between earthly pleasures and embracing his call toward something greater, afraid of losing his attachments while also recognizing the need to detach himself for the benefit of those he loves.
There is a strong Buddhist element to Dayraven’s training, which evokes the lyrical reflections of Siddhartha, Hermann Hesse’s masterpiece of self-discovery. The mystical introspection of The Prophet of Edan also reminds me of the journey of enlightenment in Haruki Murakami’s The Wind-up Bird Chronicle, where the main protagonist seeks inner truth in a world full of cruelty.
Dayraven’s internal struggles pit his own identity versus that of the elf-shard, which became embedded within him in The Way of Edan. Dayraven often feels like the elven will is somehow taunting or controlling him. As he strives for deeper meaning, Dayraven oscillates between fighting this magic inside him and accepting its presence.
Dayraven’s journey of self-discovery is set against the seemingly unstoppable Torrlond war machine, where Bledla exploits Torrlonders’ faith as a rationale for military and political conquest. Bledla’s outward manifestation of magic is juxtaposed with Dayraven’s internal quest toward finding the magic within himself. The conflict between Bledla and Dayraven also highlights the contrast between organized religion and a more personal spirituality, especially when the former becomes a perversion of the faith that it supposedly professes. In many ways, The Prophet of Edan also serves as a commentary on the inadequacy of any religion to decipher the full mysteries of the universe.
Moving beyond this spiritual commentary, another highlight of The Prophet of Edan is the relationship between Dayraven and Sequara, a young sorceress and future queen who is wise beyond her years. Sequara forms a special bond with Dayraven and helps him to find his own inner truth. I was truly touched by the development of their relationship throughout the book, which left me in tears by the end.
Philip Chase also excels in worldbuilding, having created an expansive fantasy world with Eormenlond, which is fully explored in The Prophet of Edan. The Prophet of Edan seems to have a greater influence from George R.R. Martin compared to The Way of Edan. In true style of A Game of Thrones, Philip Chase does an excellent job introducing us to the various cultures and politics across a sprawling world.
The pacing of The Prophet of Edan is excellent. I was a bit afraid that the plot would wrap up too cleanly at the end of this second volume, leaving little to be explored in the third book of the trilogy. Fortunately, my concern turned out to be misplaced, and Philip Chase left me eager to continue with Return to Edan, the final volume of the trilogy which will be published this fall.
The Prophet of Edan is an instant classic, the perfect follow-up to Philip Chase’s masterful debut, The Way of Edan, and a glorious lamentation that somehow transcends its own epic scope.
Reading The Prophet of Edan, the second book in Philip Chase’s Edan Trilogy, is a transcendent experience, epic in scope yet deeply personal.
The Prophet of Edan chronicles the War of the Way, a holy war launched by Bledla, Supreme Priest of the Kingdom of Torrlond, the self-declared Prophet of Edan who commands an army of enslaved dragons in his quest to conquer the land of Eormenlond. Bledla argues that his control over the dragons is “irrefutable proof of Edan’s blessing” in support of his blood-soaked war.
While The Prophet of Edan is full of exhilarating dragon-fueled battle sequences, this outward action is balanced by a delicate introspection that showcases some of Philip Chase’s most lyrical prose to date, especially as he recounts lead protagonist Dayraven’s journey of self-discovery.
Throughout literary history, ravens symbolize wisdom, magic, and understanding, often acting as psychopomps that connect the physical world with the spiritual realm. In Greek mythology, the raven is also a symbol of Apollo, the god of prophecy, providing a direct connection with The Prophet of Edan. Philip Chase is also heavily influenced by Welsh mythology, where ravens represent bravery during battle. Even today, a flock of ravens guards the Tower of London; a superstition dating back to the English Civil War states that, if the ravens are removed, the entire Kingdom of England will fall.
Dayraven’s path toward enlightenment is, for me, the highlight of The Prophet of Edan. Dayraven is torn between earthly pleasures and embracing his call toward something greater, afraid of losing his attachments while also recognizing the need to detach himself for the benefit of those he loves.
There is a strong Buddhist element to Dayraven’s training, which evokes the lyrical reflections of Siddhartha, Hermann Hesse’s masterpiece of self-discovery. The mystical introspection of The Prophet of Edan also reminds me of the journey of enlightenment in Haruki Murakami’s The Wind-up Bird Chronicle, where the main protagonist seeks inner truth in a world full of cruelty.
Dayraven’s internal struggles pit his own identity versus that of the elf-shard, which became embedded within him in The Way of Edan. Dayraven often feels like the elven will is somehow taunting or controlling him. As he strives for deeper meaning, Dayraven oscillates between fighting this magic inside him and accepting its presence.
Dayraven’s journey of self-discovery is set against the seemingly unstoppable Torrlond war machine, where Bledla exploits Torrlonders’ faith as a rationale for military and political conquest. Bledla’s outward manifestation of magic is juxtaposed with Dayraven’s internal quest toward finding the magic within himself. The conflict between Bledla and Dayraven also highlights the contrast between organized religion and a more personal spirituality, especially when the former becomes a perversion of the faith that it supposedly professes. In many ways, The Prophet of Edan also serves as a commentary on the inadequacy of any religion to decipher the full mysteries of the universe.
Moving beyond this spiritual commentary, another highlight of The Prophet of Edan is the relationship between Dayraven and Sequara, a young sorceress and future queen who is wise beyond her years. Sequara forms a special bond with Dayraven and helps him to find his own inner truth. I was truly touched by the development of their relationship throughout the book, which left me in tears by the end.
Philip Chase also excels in worldbuilding, having created an expansive fantasy world with Eormenlond, which is fully explored in The Prophet of Edan. The Prophet of Edan seems to have a greater influence from George R.R. Martin compared to The Way of Edan. In true style of A Game of Thrones, Philip Chase does an excellent job introducing us to the various cultures and politics across a sprawling world.
The pacing of The Prophet of Edan is excellent. I was a bit afraid that the plot would wrap up too cleanly at the end of this second volume, leaving little to be explored in the third book of the trilogy. Fortunately, my concern turned out to be misplaced, and Philip Chase left me eager to continue with Return to Edan, the final volume of the trilogy which will be published this fall.
The Prophet of Edan is an instant classic, the perfect follow-up to Philip Chase’s masterful debut, The Way of Edan, and a glorious lamentation that somehow transcends its own epic scope.
January 13, 2024
Review copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
3.5/5 stars
For better or worse, The Prophet of Edan is a heavily action-packed sequel to The Way of Edan.
This review is a few weeks late, but better late than never. The Way of Edan was an impressive debut novel by Philip Chase. I read that in early 2023, and in my opinion, it was one of the most memorable fantasy debuts published in the same year. The Prophet of Edan, the second book in the trilogy, has a lot to live up to. And although I still prefer The Way of Edan overall, I think many readers (as proven already) will end up loving The Prophet of Edan more. Starting with the arrival and destruction caused by a dragon, The Prophet of Edan continues from where The Way of Edan ended, and it immediately shows the type of sequel readers are getting in The Edan trilogy. It is safe to say The Prophet of Edan is a different kind of book compared to its predecessor. I cannot emphasize this highly enough. If you prefer a more balanced narrative that juggles the melancholic with the action scenes more equally, this book (most likely) is not for you. However, if you are a reader who tends to love reading a super action-packed fantasy novel filled with many detailed battle scenes, The Prophet of Edan is the book for you.
Let's begin by getting the criticism out of the way first. Honestly speaking, the pacing in The Prophet of Edan took me some time to adjust. Most of The Prophet of Edan are detailed battle scenes. From skirmishes and small battles to big action sequences, the characters in the series moved from one place to another too often and seemingly instantaneously. For example, a character is tasked to go to a place to gather an army. They part ways, with sadness, with Dayraven and the other main characters. After one or two detailed action-packed chapters, the characters on that mission return already. This situation did happen a LOT throughout The Prophet of Edan, and in my opinion, it made the battles and the separation between characters less impactful. But, it is worth noting that the payoff in The Prophet of Edan was superb.
I found it odd how The Way of Edan did not seem to contain the spark of Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson, Chase's favorite series of all time. And The Prophet of Edan has proven me wrong with the convergence in the final battle, which was incredibly well done. I have always preferred Chase’s prose during the contemplation, philosophical, calm moments, and character building. And this is still true to this day. I find his prose more suitable for these sections and storytelling. But the final battle of The Prophet of Edan displayed he is absolutely capable of writing big and tense battle sequences. Without going into spoilers, the duel scene—if you have read it, you will know what it is—that happened at the climax sequence, especially added by the chaotic situations of the scene, was impactful.
My criticism isn’t there to say there wasn’t any significant character development, though. Dayraven, our main protagonist, went through a LOT of changes in The Prophet of Edan. I did feel sad that one of my favorite parts of The Way of Edan, the dynamic between Dayraven and Imharr, is mostly missing here. But in return, I received one of the biggest pleasant surprises: The brotherhood between Orvandil and Gnorn. I must say, Orvandil and Gnorn have become my favorite characters in The Edan trilogy. This is something that I did not expect, but in these two characters, I found myself reminiscing about why I treasure the friendship between Legolas and Gimli again. And I am pretty sure they are one of the inspirations behind the character and friendship development between these two, even though Orvandil reminded me of Aragorn more.
Speaking of inspirations, it is clear from the first two books that Lord of the Rings, Beowulf, and Malazan Book of the Fallen are some of the big inspirations behind The Edan trilogy. But as a fan of Norse mythology, I was delighted by more transparent exposure and infusion of them in The Prophet of Edan. For those who don’t know, Laeroth is one of the other names for Yggdrasil, a sacred tree in Norse cosmology, and around this massive tree stems the nine realms. At the bottom of Yggdrasil, there was Nidhogg, the dragon that gnaws at the root of the world tree. These, among many, serve as a basis for the creation behind the world of Eormenlond. I won’t go into all the details, but Laeroth is the world tree in The Edan trilogy, and Hringvolnir is the dragon at the bottom of Laeroth. And obviously, a new character named Surt—one of the most iconic figures in Ragnarok—played a relatively big part in the narrative with Munvil. I highly enjoyed reading these implementations. And I expect better things to come in Return to Edan.
The Prophet of Edan was a pivotal middle book in The Edan trilogy. It is filled with many detailed action scenes, and Chase did a great job at using his second book to explore the themes of duty, love, family, and faith. Based on how concluding this volume was, I wonder how Return to Edan will turn out. The Prophet of Edan is a bigger book compared to The Way of Edan, and the last book in the trilogy is bigger than The Prophet of Edan. Will the Return to Edan be the best of the trilogy? I am excited to find out. I failed to follow through with Philip Chase’s rapid three-books-in-a-year publication rate, but I definitely will read and find out how the The Edan trilogy will be concluded in Return to Edan this year. Sooner than later. I am glad I chose The Prophet of Edan as the last book I finished in 2023. It was a great book to send me to the new year.
You can order this book from: Amazon | Blackwells (Free International shipping)
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel
Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: Alfred, Aliysa, Ambrosius, Andrew, Andrew W, Annabeth, Arliss, Barbara, Biskit, Brad, Cade, Chris, Christopher, Ciprian, Cullen, Dan, David, Donuts, Dylan, Edward, Elaine, Elias, Ellen, Francesca, Frank, Garrick, Gary, Gregory, Hamad, Helen, Jenn, Jesse, Joie, Jonathan, Jordan, Katrina, Kristina, Lara, Lourdes, Luis, Melinda, Michael, Michael, Mike, Miracle, Mordie, Nicholas, Norbert, Radiah, RCT, Redmischief, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Sirbu, Steph, Stephanie, Tiffany, Tracy, Trish, TS, Wendy, Wick, Woodman, Xero, Yosi, Yuri, Zoe.
3.5/5 stars
For better or worse, The Prophet of Edan is a heavily action-packed sequel to The Way of Edan.
This review is a few weeks late, but better late than never. The Way of Edan was an impressive debut novel by Philip Chase. I read that in early 2023, and in my opinion, it was one of the most memorable fantasy debuts published in the same year. The Prophet of Edan, the second book in the trilogy, has a lot to live up to. And although I still prefer The Way of Edan overall, I think many readers (as proven already) will end up loving The Prophet of Edan more. Starting with the arrival and destruction caused by a dragon, The Prophet of Edan continues from where The Way of Edan ended, and it immediately shows the type of sequel readers are getting in The Edan trilogy. It is safe to say The Prophet of Edan is a different kind of book compared to its predecessor. I cannot emphasize this highly enough. If you prefer a more balanced narrative that juggles the melancholic with the action scenes more equally, this book (most likely) is not for you. However, if you are a reader who tends to love reading a super action-packed fantasy novel filled with many detailed battle scenes, The Prophet of Edan is the book for you.
“Men were the cruelest of animals—especially those with swords at the throats of the helpless—and war had a way of bringing out the worst in them.”
Let's begin by getting the criticism out of the way first. Honestly speaking, the pacing in The Prophet of Edan took me some time to adjust. Most of The Prophet of Edan are detailed battle scenes. From skirmishes and small battles to big action sequences, the characters in the series moved from one place to another too often and seemingly instantaneously. For example, a character is tasked to go to a place to gather an army. They part ways, with sadness, with Dayraven and the other main characters. After one or two detailed action-packed chapters, the characters on that mission return already. This situation did happen a LOT throughout The Prophet of Edan, and in my opinion, it made the battles and the separation between characters less impactful. But, it is worth noting that the payoff in The Prophet of Edan was superb.
“My grief is there still, as you say, but rather than running before it, I’ve made it my companion. I know it well now, and having made my peace, it helps me on my way.”
I found it odd how The Way of Edan did not seem to contain the spark of Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson, Chase's favorite series of all time. And The Prophet of Edan has proven me wrong with the convergence in the final battle, which was incredibly well done. I have always preferred Chase’s prose during the contemplation, philosophical, calm moments, and character building. And this is still true to this day. I find his prose more suitable for these sections and storytelling. But the final battle of The Prophet of Edan displayed he is absolutely capable of writing big and tense battle sequences. Without going into spoilers, the duel scene—if you have read it, you will know what it is—that happened at the climax sequence, especially added by the chaotic situations of the scene, was impactful.
“There’s a difference between selfish attachment and love for life. Real love means you’re capable of sacrificing for something or someone… This is the source of your power.”
My criticism isn’t there to say there wasn’t any significant character development, though. Dayraven, our main protagonist, went through a LOT of changes in The Prophet of Edan. I did feel sad that one of my favorite parts of The Way of Edan, the dynamic between Dayraven and Imharr, is mostly missing here. But in return, I received one of the biggest pleasant surprises: The brotherhood between Orvandil and Gnorn. I must say, Orvandil and Gnorn have become my favorite characters in The Edan trilogy. This is something that I did not expect, but in these two characters, I found myself reminiscing about why I treasure the friendship between Legolas and Gimli again. And I am pretty sure they are one of the inspirations behind the character and friendship development between these two, even though Orvandil reminded me of Aragorn more.
“Who is to say why we love or whom we may love? And what’s the end of it all? Some loves seem to end in tragedy, as did mine. But I cannot regret it. I would never have understood half the things I know about life without that wonderful, painful experience.”
Speaking of inspirations, it is clear from the first two books that Lord of the Rings, Beowulf, and Malazan Book of the Fallen are some of the big inspirations behind The Edan trilogy. But as a fan of Norse mythology, I was delighted by more transparent exposure and infusion of them in The Prophet of Edan. For those who don’t know, Laeroth is one of the other names for Yggdrasil, a sacred tree in Norse cosmology, and around this massive tree stems the nine realms. At the bottom of Yggdrasil, there was Nidhogg, the dragon that gnaws at the root of the world tree. These, among many, serve as a basis for the creation behind the world of Eormenlond. I won’t go into all the details, but Laeroth is the world tree in The Edan trilogy, and Hringvolnir is the dragon at the bottom of Laeroth. And obviously, a new character named Surt—one of the most iconic figures in Ragnarok—played a relatively big part in the narrative with Munvil. I highly enjoyed reading these implementations. And I expect better things to come in Return to Edan.
“A warrior’s true quality always emerged when his foes surrounded him, and Munzil knew Surt would lead them to victory. He was as sure of him as he was of the gods.”
The Prophet of Edan was a pivotal middle book in The Edan trilogy. It is filled with many detailed action scenes, and Chase did a great job at using his second book to explore the themes of duty, love, family, and faith. Based on how concluding this volume was, I wonder how Return to Edan will turn out. The Prophet of Edan is a bigger book compared to The Way of Edan, and the last book in the trilogy is bigger than The Prophet of Edan. Will the Return to Edan be the best of the trilogy? I am excited to find out. I failed to follow through with Philip Chase’s rapid three-books-in-a-year publication rate, but I definitely will read and find out how the The Edan trilogy will be concluded in Return to Edan this year. Sooner than later. I am glad I chose The Prophet of Edan as the last book I finished in 2023. It was a great book to send me to the new year.
“We don’t choose the paths fate puts before us. We only pick which one we take. You did your duty, as did he. There’s often sorrow in that, but no shame. No shame in that.”
You can order this book from: Amazon | Blackwells (Free International shipping)
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel
Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: Alfred, Aliysa, Ambrosius, Andrew, Andrew W, Annabeth, Arliss, Barbara, Biskit, Brad, Cade, Chris, Christopher, Ciprian, Cullen, Dan, David, Donuts, Dylan, Edward, Elaine, Elias, Ellen, Francesca, Frank, Garrick, Gary, Gregory, Hamad, Helen, Jenn, Jesse, Joie, Jonathan, Jordan, Katrina, Kristina, Lara, Lourdes, Luis, Melinda, Michael, Michael, Mike, Miracle, Mordie, Nicholas, Norbert, Radiah, RCT, Redmischief, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Sirbu, Steph, Stephanie, Tiffany, Tracy, Trish, TS, Wendy, Wick, Woodman, Xero, Yosi, Yuri, Zoe.
October 22, 2023
This review will contain spoilers for book 1.
I can't remember if there were dragons in book 1 ... but I'm thinking there weren't as we had plenty of battles and lots of talk of magically enslaved trolls etc, but dragons really are the nukes of this "medieval" level warfare and if there had been dragons in book 1 then book 1 would have been all about dragons and I would remember...
Book 2 is all about dragons.
Both books are all about Dayraven, even though we do float through the point-of-views of quite a large number of characters.
Very early in book 1 Dayraven wanders off, gets knocked out, and wakes with the "elf shard" in his mind. He is now the carrier of a vast power that overshadows all others, only he doesn't know how to use it. If dragons are the Hiroshima-level nukes, then the elf shard is a hydrogen bomb that makes those look like firecrackers.
All of this creates an unusual dynamic which delivers a level of satisfaction that will vary from person to person depending on their tastes. It's a "chosen one" plot on steroids. The closest I can think of is Donaldson's Thomas Covenant (Lord Foul's Bane) except what keeps Dayraven from his power is not reluctance and disbelief, but an inability to master it.
On one level this imbalance in power risks making the other areas of the books feeling somewhat arbitrary. This man is a marvel with a sword, that woman is a mighty mage, this general has great tactics ... but none of that will matter once our man, Dayraven, masters his power. Until that point however, it's all buying time for the required navel gazing (not meant in a derogatory way - it's well written navel gazing).
In book 1 Dayraven was mostly struggling with the idea that he was powerful, discovering how powerful, and failing to aim his power - like a newbie turning on the Ghost-Buster gun. He brushes up against his major obstacle, the supreme priest Bleda, who without Dayraven is essentially Dayraven x 0.1 + control. Still way more powerful than the next most powerful person, and with both control and focus. Bleda knows what he wants and is out to get it.
In book 2 the dragons that Bleda controls serve as a proxy, allowing Dayraven (and Sequara and others) to pit their strength against Bleda indirectly as they wrestle for control of the dragons. Dragons largely make armies and castles obsolete. Rather like Game of Thrones dragons but there are more of them and they're rather more resistant to damage, plus Bleda can heal them.
If Dayraven takes control of the dragons then all the armies and ships and plots become rather beside the point.
So, book 2 is really the story of what will be (without winning over the dragons) ultimately futile efforts to delay the Torraland advances, all really just gaining time for Dayraven to sort himself out. And to this end he gets a bunch of training from queens and wizards.
The book takes a deeper look at how magical power is gained (within the framework it establishes) and frames the matter philosophically. Chase borrows both from Buddhism and from the Norse mythos, nowhere more clearly than when Dayraven settles down at the foot of a big tree and spends a rather long time there seeking enlightenment, not unlike the Buddha’s 49 days sat by the trunk of a fig tree. And in the process the tree morphs into Yggdrasil, the world tree, with realms of existence hanging from its boughs.
So, one major thread is Dayraven discovering how to gain control of his power and what must be sacrificed to do so. During this process we learn something about his opponent and understand him better.
The other major thread is the multi-facetted business of many nations and peoples coming together for a huge war. Here we bounce through quite an array of points-of-view to piece together an overview of the moving parts as they cross the map, and to understand the key players.
This large chunk of the book is classic epic fantasy written in the new-old-school style that readers of John Gywnne will appreciate.
Dayraven’s quest is deliberately written in the more archaic style that channels Tolkien – “mighty was the host that took the field that day” (not a direct quote, just aping the style). And this quest is closer to Tolkien in content too. A small group, narrowing to one person, striking out into the wilderness and aimed at a great terror with little hope of success.
It all comes together in an epic battle where beloved characters are imperilled (and maybe lost), armies surge, the conflict is peppered with individual acts of heroism, and our team “look to the west” in hope of uncertain support.
I feel I can say with great certainty that if you enjoyed book 1 you will enjoy book 2.
I’m a fan of both books. I had great fun with this one, and at the end there are moments of awe and emotion that most writers aim for and many miss.
+++++
My only real niggle, and it may be visited in book 3, is that the key to all of this, the H-bomb, is the elf shard. The result of Dayraven’s almost random wandering into a forest on a day of no obvious significance. The elves are so mysterious and mighty that in terms of power a mere “shard” of one in this boy outshines the best mage in all the lands like a floodlight vs a candle.
Even the “mother of all dragons” is awed by the elves and knows essentially nothing about them despite her millennia of life.
My niggle is: why does nobody seem to care? You can just wander into a wood and (if you’re lucky) pick up a H-bomb? Why are the major mages not full-time studying the elves? What do the elves want? What are they? Where did they come from? Why are they so strong? Why does nobody ask any questions about them?
I don’t think book 3 is called Elf of Edan – but that’s what I feel it should be about :D
Join my Patreon
Join my 3-emails-a-year newsletter #prizes
..
I can't remember if there were dragons in book 1 ... but I'm thinking there weren't as we had plenty of battles and lots of talk of magically enslaved trolls etc, but dragons really are the nukes of this "medieval" level warfare and if there had been dragons in book 1 then book 1 would have been all about dragons and I would remember...
Book 2 is all about dragons.
Both books are all about Dayraven, even though we do float through the point-of-views of quite a large number of characters.
Very early in book 1 Dayraven wanders off, gets knocked out, and wakes with the "elf shard" in his mind. He is now the carrier of a vast power that overshadows all others, only he doesn't know how to use it. If dragons are the Hiroshima-level nukes, then the elf shard is a hydrogen bomb that makes those look like firecrackers.
All of this creates an unusual dynamic which delivers a level of satisfaction that will vary from person to person depending on their tastes. It's a "chosen one" plot on steroids. The closest I can think of is Donaldson's Thomas Covenant (Lord Foul's Bane) except what keeps Dayraven from his power is not reluctance and disbelief, but an inability to master it.
On one level this imbalance in power risks making the other areas of the books feeling somewhat arbitrary. This man is a marvel with a sword, that woman is a mighty mage, this general has great tactics ... but none of that will matter once our man, Dayraven, masters his power. Until that point however, it's all buying time for the required navel gazing (not meant in a derogatory way - it's well written navel gazing).
In book 1 Dayraven was mostly struggling with the idea that he was powerful, discovering how powerful, and failing to aim his power - like a newbie turning on the Ghost-Buster gun. He brushes up against his major obstacle, the supreme priest Bleda, who without Dayraven is essentially Dayraven x 0.1 + control. Still way more powerful than the next most powerful person, and with both control and focus. Bleda knows what he wants and is out to get it.
In book 2 the dragons that Bleda controls serve as a proxy, allowing Dayraven (and Sequara and others) to pit their strength against Bleda indirectly as they wrestle for control of the dragons. Dragons largely make armies and castles obsolete. Rather like Game of Thrones dragons but there are more of them and they're rather more resistant to damage, plus Bleda can heal them.
If Dayraven takes control of the dragons then all the armies and ships and plots become rather beside the point.
So, book 2 is really the story of what will be (without winning over the dragons) ultimately futile efforts to delay the Torraland advances, all really just gaining time for Dayraven to sort himself out. And to this end he gets a bunch of training from queens and wizards.
The book takes a deeper look at how magical power is gained (within the framework it establishes) and frames the matter philosophically. Chase borrows both from Buddhism and from the Norse mythos, nowhere more clearly than when Dayraven settles down at the foot of a big tree and spends a rather long time there seeking enlightenment, not unlike the Buddha’s 49 days sat by the trunk of a fig tree. And in the process the tree morphs into Yggdrasil, the world tree, with realms of existence hanging from its boughs.
So, one major thread is Dayraven discovering how to gain control of his power and what must be sacrificed to do so. During this process we learn something about his opponent and understand him better.
The other major thread is the multi-facetted business of many nations and peoples coming together for a huge war. Here we bounce through quite an array of points-of-view to piece together an overview of the moving parts as they cross the map, and to understand the key players.
This large chunk of the book is classic epic fantasy written in the new-old-school style that readers of John Gywnne will appreciate.
Dayraven’s quest is deliberately written in the more archaic style that channels Tolkien – “mighty was the host that took the field that day” (not a direct quote, just aping the style). And this quest is closer to Tolkien in content too. A small group, narrowing to one person, striking out into the wilderness and aimed at a great terror with little hope of success.
It all comes together in an epic battle where beloved characters are imperilled (and maybe lost), armies surge, the conflict is peppered with individual acts of heroism, and our team “look to the west” in hope of uncertain support.
I feel I can say with great certainty that if you enjoyed book 1 you will enjoy book 2.
I’m a fan of both books. I had great fun with this one, and at the end there are moments of awe and emotion that most writers aim for and many miss.
+++++
My only real niggle, and it may be visited in book 3, is that the key to all of this, the H-bomb, is the elf shard. The result of Dayraven’s almost random wandering into a forest on a day of no obvious significance. The elves are so mysterious and mighty that in terms of power a mere “shard” of one in this boy outshines the best mage in all the lands like a floodlight vs a candle.
Even the “mother of all dragons” is awed by the elves and knows essentially nothing about them despite her millennia of life.
My niggle is: why does nobody seem to care? You can just wander into a wood and (if you’re lucky) pick up a H-bomb? Why are the major mages not full-time studying the elves? What do the elves want? What are they? Where did they come from? Why are they so strong? Why does nobody ask any questions about them?
I don’t think book 3 is called Elf of Edan – but that’s what I feel it should be about :D
Join my Patreon
Join my 3-emails-a-year newsletter #prizes
..
September 21, 2023
I have no idea how it has taken me three months to pick up this sequel to the fantastic The Way of Edan, but I finally rectified my mistakes!
The Prophet of Edan kicks off shortly where we left off, and it starts with a bang. This is a much more fast-paced read than its predecessor in the series, with Philip Chase expertly utilising his work in The Way of Edan. We are immersed back into this world of warring factions and chaos, full of magic and monsters, following a cast of compelling characters who are a joy to follow, whether you love them or hate them.
Takes what I loved about book 1 and somehow makes it better! Plus, I loved how the characters of the first instalment still underwent satisfying growth whilst new characters had an immediate impact and made their presence known.
5/5 STARS
The Prophet of Edan kicks off shortly where we left off, and it starts with a bang. This is a much more fast-paced read than its predecessor in the series, with Philip Chase expertly utilising his work in The Way of Edan. We are immersed back into this world of warring factions and chaos, full of magic and monsters, following a cast of compelling characters who are a joy to follow, whether you love them or hate them.
Takes what I loved about book 1 and somehow makes it better! Plus, I loved how the characters of the first instalment still underwent satisfying growth whilst new characters had an immediate impact and made their presence known.
5/5 STARS
June 28, 2023
The Prophet of Edan takes everything that made The Way of Edan great, and amplifies it to 100. The pacing is superb here, it truly sweeps you from your turnshoed feet and you rarely have a moment to catch your breath. Philip set up the world perfectly in book 1, so from the first chapter of POE we are thrust back into that world of elves, dweorgs, all manner of terrifying creatures and seeing magic. The character work is top notch and I felt a lot more emotion seeping through these pages.
There is that classic Tolkien feeling here, which Philip has somehow managed to capture, whether it be through the Anglo-Saxon influences, the love of the landscape or the lore. I will also say that in the last third, it felt as if I were reading another Faithful and the Fallen novel, imbued with that sense of heart and friendship that is so rife within those pages. That really is the greatest compliment I could ever give.
Also there is a character called Surt. Who catches a spear in mid-flight. Of course I was going to love it!
There is that classic Tolkien feeling here, which Philip has somehow managed to capture, whether it be through the Anglo-Saxon influences, the love of the landscape or the lore. I will also say that in the last third, it felt as if I were reading another Faithful and the Fallen novel, imbued with that sense of heart and friendship that is so rife within those pages. That really is the greatest compliment I could ever give.
Also there is a character called Surt. Who catches a spear in mid-flight. Of course I was going to love it!
Read
June 2, 2025Audiobook is done and should be out soon! Go buy it and listen to it!
Read
June 23, 2023Here is a link to my spoiler-free review: https://youtu.be/ksiaNuJRHcU
September 16, 2025
This was a reread via audio. Allen Walker did a tremendous job in bringing the story to life, replete with great choices for distinct character voices. He's really a really talented voice actor. As for the book itself, knowing where the story was going, I was able to see a lot more detail this time around, and felt that my experience was even better this second read. Particularly the cultural differences and the depth of both the religious elements and magical elements. My original review is below. 4.5/5
Original review:
Despite a rather disjunct start, once this book got going, I found it quite compelling. I really like Chase's writing style, and he did well with a lot of battle sequences in this one, even if I felt there were far too many. A really great ending to this one makes me really intrigued as to where the story will go in final book in the trilogy.
Original review:
Despite a rather disjunct start, once this book got going, I found it quite compelling. I really like Chase's writing style, and he did well with a lot of battle sequences in this one, even if I felt there were far too many. A really great ending to this one makes me really intrigued as to where the story will go in final book in the trilogy.
Read
August 9, 2023A conflict driven by religious fanatics gains impetus and rolls into mass conquest, opposed by an independent minded conglomerate of city states and northern culture with Norse influence. Battle, blood, dragons, heroes, and eastern philosophy thread this saga, with multi faceted world building, intricate settings, rousing action, and contemplative study see two young protagonists centering a band of stout heroes. Elves and a dwarf survivor of a displaced people are rendered with fresh originality, but bring a traditional flavor to modern storytelling told in a streamlined, straightforward prose style. Readers of John Gwynne's work will eat this up, and the ending sets the stage for the final volume coming soon.
June 17, 2023
The Edan Trilogy continues with an excellent second volume!
Readers wary of the infamous "second book syndrome" have nothing to fear: The Prophet of Edan is no mere bridge between books 1 and 2. It tells its own satisfying story, even as it does the necessary work of setting up the final chapter. Along the way, we are treated to everything that made The Way of Edan wonderful--and usually even more of it.
Action is certainly one of these. There are plenty of scenes to match (or exceed) the excitement of the thrilling final battle in book 1, starting with a positively cinematic prologue. Chase gets Tolkien comparisons--and they are apt--but PoE's prologue gives us Tolkien by way of Peter Jackson. A battle at about the 50% mark is another highlight, along with practically the entire last quarter of the book.
On the subject of action, I'll warn sensitive readers that The Prophet of Edan is somewhat more violent than its predecessor. It isn't grimdark, but there is plenty of grimdark out there that doesn't match the level of gore in Edan. I read this as a responsible depiction of the horrors of violence, but others might simply be disturbed.
Fans of the magic, with all of its philosophical underpinnings, should be very pleased. The magic gets some great development, and there are a number of scenes that serve as great examples of a soft magic system effectively taking center stage in the plot. Of course, one might argue that the hard/soft magic dichotomy isn't all that useful in discussing how magic works in a book, but for my (somewhat reductive) purposes here, it will do.
The series also continues to reward experienced genre readers with a narrative that can be appreciated on multiple levels. In the first book, Chase did it right at the beginning. Killing off your prologue POV character isn't terribly unusual, but then our first POV in chapter 1 dies too! Every sentence, right up to the moment of poor Oswy's untimely demise, screams, "Here is your protagonist!" On a surface level, it's simply a horrific scene, but to the seasoned fantasy veteran, there is a second layer where it's really quite the funny trick Philip played on us. Look for something similar in chapter 2 of Prophet of Edan. While I cannot claim to know the author's mind, there is a bit that I interpret as a sort of meta-commentary on sexual violence in fantasy.
As for the plot, I am very pleased with where we end up. The plot advances quite a bit further than I expected. That also happened in WoE--I was expecting a cliffhanger on that final battle, and instead, we got the resolution--but The Prophet of Edan exceeds that. A lot of arcs that I expected to run through to the end of the series get resolved instead. I really can't say what to expect from book 3 because of how far we get in book 2. We also see a great deal more of the other cultures around Eormenlond, expanding the world considerably. Also, there is a romance in the book, and it actually works. If you'd told me who it involved before I read the book, I'd likely have despaired that Philip intended to ruin his series. Instead, he pulled it off.
I could go on and on about The Prophet of Edan, but after all this rambling, I think I ought to just recommend that you read it yourself. Suffice it to say that it is great!
Readers wary of the infamous "second book syndrome" have nothing to fear: The Prophet of Edan is no mere bridge between books 1 and 2. It tells its own satisfying story, even as it does the necessary work of setting up the final chapter. Along the way, we are treated to everything that made The Way of Edan wonderful--and usually even more of it.
Action is certainly one of these. There are plenty of scenes to match (or exceed) the excitement of the thrilling final battle in book 1, starting with a positively cinematic prologue. Chase gets Tolkien comparisons--and they are apt--but PoE's prologue gives us Tolkien by way of Peter Jackson. A battle at about the 50% mark is another highlight, along with practically the entire last quarter of the book.
On the subject of action, I'll warn sensitive readers that The Prophet of Edan is somewhat more violent than its predecessor. It isn't grimdark, but there is plenty of grimdark out there that doesn't match the level of gore in Edan. I read this as a responsible depiction of the horrors of violence, but others might simply be disturbed.
Fans of the magic, with all of its philosophical underpinnings, should be very pleased. The magic gets some great development, and there are a number of scenes that serve as great examples of a soft magic system effectively taking center stage in the plot. Of course, one might argue that the hard/soft magic dichotomy isn't all that useful in discussing how magic works in a book, but for my (somewhat reductive) purposes here, it will do.
The series also continues to reward experienced genre readers with a narrative that can be appreciated on multiple levels. In the first book, Chase did it right at the beginning. Killing off your prologue POV character isn't terribly unusual, but then our first POV in chapter 1 dies too! Every sentence, right up to the moment of poor Oswy's untimely demise, screams, "Here is your protagonist!" On a surface level, it's simply a horrific scene, but to the seasoned fantasy veteran, there is a second layer where it's really quite the funny trick Philip played on us. Look for something similar in chapter 2 of Prophet of Edan. While I cannot claim to know the author's mind, there is a bit that I interpret as a sort of meta-commentary on sexual violence in fantasy.
As for the plot, I am very pleased with where we end up. The plot advances quite a bit further than I expected. That also happened in WoE--I was expecting a cliffhanger on that final battle, and instead, we got the resolution--but The Prophet of Edan exceeds that. A lot of arcs that I expected to run through to the end of the series get resolved instead. I really can't say what to expect from book 3 because of how far we get in book 2. We also see a great deal more of the other cultures around Eormenlond, expanding the world considerably. Also, there is a romance in the book, and it actually works. If you'd told me who it involved before I read the book, I'd likely have despaired that Philip intended to ruin his series. Instead, he pulled it off.
I could go on and on about The Prophet of Edan, but after all this rambling, I think I ought to just recommend that you read it yourself. Suffice it to say that it is great!
July 18, 2023
Just as with The Way of Edan, I feel as if there's more here than I can or have time to coherently put into a written review here. I will release a video review on July 25th, however, where I will go into more detail.
Also, just to get it out of the way: The Prophet of Edan also receives my certified "So Book" rating, just as the first book starting that inside joke (sorry for those of you reading who have no clue...it's a long story.)
The brilliance of The Prophet of Edan comes from the fact that in spite of it being the middle book of a trilogy, it does not suffer at all from the "middle book" syndrome that trilogies so often do. A lot of the reason for this comes down to the fact that the entire arch of this book is what one would expect to happen in a Book 3. And for all intents and purposes, that is exactly what this is. The Prophet of Edan is the finale of the trilogy in disguise. Let's talk about how this affects the course of the story:
The first act of this book is what one would expect to find in the "middle book", but since this only takes 200-ish pages (give or take), it couldn't very well have sensibly been a separate book, but it still needed to happen. Chase simply cuts out all of the bullshit fluff that one would encounter in this portion of the story, and then moves into the preparation for the climax immediately afterwards.
Brilliant decision on Philip's part. It completely circumvents the typical plotting and pacing of a trilogy, and it really builds towards a book 3 that will truly stand apart from the typical trilogy. Speaking of: how does The Prophet of Edan make way for Book 3, given that it actually resolves a lot of what Book 1 (and the first 1/3 of this book) built up to? Simple!
It's going to focus on the *aftermath*.
You see, there's something that many climaxes - especially of shorter or simpler series - get wrong. They go through the finale, and then all of a sudden, the world and the people live happily ever after (well, obviously not always, but this is how I'm putting it for the purposes of this discussion). In essence, they get through "The Last Battle" so to speak, and then act like everything is howdy-do and perfect all of sudden, with no transitory period getting from the wreckage to the beauty again. And even if they do, they don't focus quite enough on the thematic resonance of it.
This is, ironically, something that Lord of the Rings - as the essential precursor to basically all of the fantasy we know and love today - did VERY WELL. Return of the King's climax happens a DECENT ways before the book actually ends. It feels like it has about 3 or 4 different resolutions, and there's a BIG reason for that. It properly *shows the reader* that the world has changed, and that the characters have too. The Scouring of the Shire is the BEST chapter of the entire story, and a LOT of that is because of the thematic undertones - and overtones, to be fair - that carry it.
This is clearly the path that the final book of the Edan Trilogy is going for. The "big moment" so to speak has already happened - at least, so far as the the first book told us was going to happen.
But the war is FAR from over.
So book 3 will focus on that war. Those wars. All the battles throughout the land as a result of the toppling of a power from this book. Character arcs will be finished there, the war should truly be finished there, and the true path forward for the world (which I am excited to read in a standalone sequel probably coming in 2024, as per Chase himself) will be set forth there.
The Prophet of Edan BRILLIANTLY lays the seeds for this to happen. The last chapter introduces the various plotlines that the aftermath will follow, and does so JUST ENOUGH to make me super excited to read it, after being dumbfoundedly confused as to how Chase could possibly finish the trilogy. It also does so without making me feel like I was cheated out of anything, perhaps in part because the book was a TAD longer than I would've liked after how manageable The Way of Edan was.
With that ALL being said...why the 4 stars you might ask?
Well, after writing all of this out, I'm thinking it's more like a 4.5, but I'm unsure whether to keep it rounded down or to round up to 5. But I'm probably going to keep it at 4 for now, primarily because of how different this book FELT to read than the first.
What I mean by that is that one of the things that I loved so much about The Way of Edan was the MAGIC of it. Something about how it blended the classic with the modern worked so perfectly for me it was just infectious. In fact, reading the book was almost hard in a way because everytime I read it, it just made me want to go straight to my computer and do some more writing myself.
The Prophet of Edan didn't quite have that magic for me. I think part of this is because it all but abandons the "classic vibe" of that first entry. That's not necessarily a bad thing though, since its throwing away of the stereotypical trilogy format at the same time acts in - so far as I can see - the evident benefit of the trilogy as a whole. However, something about this book didn't quite speak - nay! sing! - to me the way the first book did.
But I feel quite confident that the last book will wrap everything up very well.
Here's hoping it does...and that it's also closer to The Way of Edan in length than this one was hahaha
P.S. Thank you to Philip for offering an e-ARC, which allowed me a head start! My apologies it still took over a month! (Final Fantasy 16 may be *partially* to blame for that). :p
Also, just to get it out of the way: The Prophet of Edan also receives my certified "So Book" rating, just as the first book starting that inside joke (sorry for those of you reading who have no clue...it's a long story.)
The brilliance of The Prophet of Edan comes from the fact that in spite of it being the middle book of a trilogy, it does not suffer at all from the "middle book" syndrome that trilogies so often do. A lot of the reason for this comes down to the fact that the entire arch of this book is what one would expect to happen in a Book 3. And for all intents and purposes, that is exactly what this is. The Prophet of Edan is the finale of the trilogy in disguise. Let's talk about how this affects the course of the story:
The first act of this book is what one would expect to find in the "middle book", but since this only takes 200-ish pages (give or take), it couldn't very well have sensibly been a separate book, but it still needed to happen. Chase simply cuts out all of the bullshit fluff that one would encounter in this portion of the story, and then moves into the preparation for the climax immediately afterwards.
Brilliant decision on Philip's part. It completely circumvents the typical plotting and pacing of a trilogy, and it really builds towards a book 3 that will truly stand apart from the typical trilogy. Speaking of: how does The Prophet of Edan make way for Book 3, given that it actually resolves a lot of what Book 1 (and the first 1/3 of this book) built up to? Simple!
It's going to focus on the *aftermath*.
You see, there's something that many climaxes - especially of shorter or simpler series - get wrong. They go through the finale, and then all of a sudden, the world and the people live happily ever after (well, obviously not always, but this is how I'm putting it for the purposes of this discussion). In essence, they get through "The Last Battle" so to speak, and then act like everything is howdy-do and perfect all of sudden, with no transitory period getting from the wreckage to the beauty again. And even if they do, they don't focus quite enough on the thematic resonance of it.
This is, ironically, something that Lord of the Rings - as the essential precursor to basically all of the fantasy we know and love today - did VERY WELL. Return of the King's climax happens a DECENT ways before the book actually ends. It feels like it has about 3 or 4 different resolutions, and there's a BIG reason for that. It properly *shows the reader* that the world has changed, and that the characters have too. The Scouring of the Shire is the BEST chapter of the entire story, and a LOT of that is because of the thematic undertones - and overtones, to be fair - that carry it.
This is clearly the path that the final book of the Edan Trilogy is going for. The "big moment" so to speak has already happened - at least, so far as the the first book told us was going to happen.
But the war is FAR from over.
So book 3 will focus on that war. Those wars. All the battles throughout the land as a result of the toppling of a power from this book. Character arcs will be finished there, the war should truly be finished there, and the true path forward for the world (which I am excited to read in a standalone sequel probably coming in 2024, as per Chase himself) will be set forth there.
The Prophet of Edan BRILLIANTLY lays the seeds for this to happen. The last chapter introduces the various plotlines that the aftermath will follow, and does so JUST ENOUGH to make me super excited to read it, after being dumbfoundedly confused as to how Chase could possibly finish the trilogy. It also does so without making me feel like I was cheated out of anything, perhaps in part because the book was a TAD longer than I would've liked after how manageable The Way of Edan was.
With that ALL being said...why the 4 stars you might ask?
Well, after writing all of this out, I'm thinking it's more like a 4.5, but I'm unsure whether to keep it rounded down or to round up to 5. But I'm probably going to keep it at 4 for now, primarily because of how different this book FELT to read than the first.
What I mean by that is that one of the things that I loved so much about The Way of Edan was the MAGIC of it. Something about how it blended the classic with the modern worked so perfectly for me it was just infectious. In fact, reading the book was almost hard in a way because everytime I read it, it just made me want to go straight to my computer and do some more writing myself.
The Prophet of Edan didn't quite have that magic for me. I think part of this is because it all but abandons the "classic vibe" of that first entry. That's not necessarily a bad thing though, since its throwing away of the stereotypical trilogy format at the same time acts in - so far as I can see - the evident benefit of the trilogy as a whole. However, something about this book didn't quite speak - nay! sing! - to me the way the first book did.
But I feel quite confident that the last book will wrap everything up very well.
Here's hoping it does...and that it's also closer to The Way of Edan in length than this one was hahaha
P.S. Thank you to Philip for offering an e-ARC, which allowed me a head start! My apologies it still took over a month! (Final Fantasy 16 may be *partially* to blame for that). :p
Read
September 25, 2024"Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword." Matthew 10:34
Some months back, I remember seeing a guy at my college who had attracted a crowd to himself. You see, he was one of those 'God hates gays,' Westburo Baptist types who believes that God basically hates anyone who isn't a white, straight Christian (or what passes as Christian to these people's view.) I shook my head in disgust, and despite my desire to just get away from the situation. I decided instead to observe this...man doing what he was doing, and all the while I was thinking back to The Way of Edan and its exploration into religious zealotry and the dangers that come from it. When I think of characters like Bledla, I now can't help but think of this guy.
I'm often surprised by people equating Christianity to conformity, because if you read Christ's message you'll find He was preaching the exact opposite. His whole message was trying to shake people out of their complacency and remember their purpose. Of course there would be people who would pervert that message to suit their own agendas or misinterpret what Jesus was saying, it's almost inevitable. As Emerson once said, to be great is to be misunderstood.
In our more secular, Enlightenment-influenced world, we are at a crossroads. What are we to do about spirituality and religion in a world where we have grown to understand so much? Is God even necessary now? More hardline secularists are content to blame religion for all the wars and conflicts in our world (except for all the other ones of course) or think of religion as something from our past that we should let go of. But one thing those people never seem to understand is that spirituality fills a deep need for people, that science and reason isn't enough to fill. Even though we are in a world where we have technologies and luxuries that we never could have dreamed of, we are still left disillusioned and seeking for more. If most religions could be summed up in a sentence, it would be 'there has to be something more than this.' It is this feeling that Philip Chase's Edan trilogy has captured so excellently.
Much like Chase, I have a deep fascination with religion and spirituality and it's something that I've wrestled with for much of my short life so far. It is clear from the Edan books that I have read so far that spirituality is also something that Chase has wrestled with as well. I don't know if he shares my thoughts about the tensions between secularism and spirituality in our modern world, but I find Chase explores this tension exceptionally in this series. Chase is far too intelligent a writer to stoop to didacticism or to tell people how they ought to feel about religion and spirituality. He merely shows you the lengths people will go to for their faith and their beliefs, and allows you to come to your own conclusions about them.
Admittedly, it took me some time to get readjusted to the world of Edan and the characters that Chase has created here. For one, I was overcoming a book hangover after reading Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, and I had to get reacquainted with all the characters from the previous book. But after getting into the rhythm of Chase's narrative, we once more get yet another fine narrative to add in the halls of great fantasy being told in the 21st century.
While Chase continues his themes of religion, spirituality, and how people use them for their own ends. In The Prophet of Edan, we see the effects of religious war. This is the war book, and Chase doesn't hold back from depicting the cruelties and horror of war. While Chase may not have the grit of Martin or even Abercrombie, it's clear his view of war is hardly romantic. Some of my favorite passages in this book were the reflections about warfare and how it often unleashes the worst, savage, and base parts of human beings. We see this particularly in the odious King Earconwald from Torrland, as he devolves from smug megalomaniac into psychopath as the war and the atrocities he routinely orders. We even see Bledla, the fanatical true believer of The Way snap as the realities of the war set in, but can only continue forward as he is convinced of his own righteousness. Tim O'Brien's quote about a war story being defined by its absolute and uncompromising allegiance to obscenity and evil comes into play here.
But to call this merely the war book would be doing The Prophet of Edan a disservice, as we also gain more insight into the magic of the world of Edan. Ironically, as much as I love the fantasy genre, I don't generally focus on magic. It's not what I really care about when it comes to fantasy, unless there's a book like the aforementioned Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell that really does something interesting with the magic. But Chase's exploration of magic proves interesting, and his view of magic aligns with my own on how it should be. While it isn't quite as strange and enigmatic as it was in Clarke's great work, there is enough mystique to where I remained interested in the secrets of what the world of Edan may hold and much like with Strange & Norrell, there is a price to using the magic of The Way and our main hero struggles with how much he'll give up in pursuits of more power so he can defeat the dreaded Bledla.
There were some issues I had with this book that I didn't with the previous book. Much of it came down to the fact that I felt some of the characters from the previous books lost some of their complexity, particularly Bledla. While Chase has explained that he felt Bledla had fulfilled his purpose, I was disappointed that he lost some of the complexity I had seen in him in the first book, including his long suppressed doubts about his purpose in spreading The Way and if he is truly the Prophet. But we also see this with Sequara, I wish there had been more inner conflict about her growing attraction to Dayraven, since much of her characterization in the previous book reminded me of the Jedi from Star Wars, loving and compassionate but forbidden from all attachments. To be fair, her and Dayraven's affection is portrayed in a believable manner, yet I was disappointed that there wasn't enough inner conflict about it.
While I lamented The Way of Edan was too familiar in its approach, much as I enjoyed it, The Prophet of Edan took some surprising directions that I hadn't expected. I wasn't sure if Chase was going to extend this war to the final volume or if he was going to end it here. I won't spoil where it goes, but I got really excited once I got to the end. It's quite rare that we get to see the 'after' from the happily ever afters that we're so accustomed to in our fantasy stories, and I am left excited to see where Chase takes this series next.
Overall, The Prophet of Edan is yet another well written, suspenseful, and constantly engaging. Chase has created a world that, while familiar, has enough distinctions to be its own beast. Chase definitely has the chops to give this series the ending that it deserves, and I am of the mind to think that he can do it.
*For those interested, I talked with Philip about The Prophet of Edan on my channel. Come here if you want to see it, though be warned we spoil the whole thing. Read the book first.*
Some months back, I remember seeing a guy at my college who had attracted a crowd to himself. You see, he was one of those 'God hates gays,' Westburo Baptist types who believes that God basically hates anyone who isn't a white, straight Christian (or what passes as Christian to these people's view.) I shook my head in disgust, and despite my desire to just get away from the situation. I decided instead to observe this...man doing what he was doing, and all the while I was thinking back to The Way of Edan and its exploration into religious zealotry and the dangers that come from it. When I think of characters like Bledla, I now can't help but think of this guy.
I'm often surprised by people equating Christianity to conformity, because if you read Christ's message you'll find He was preaching the exact opposite. His whole message was trying to shake people out of their complacency and remember their purpose. Of course there would be people who would pervert that message to suit their own agendas or misinterpret what Jesus was saying, it's almost inevitable. As Emerson once said, to be great is to be misunderstood.
In our more secular, Enlightenment-influenced world, we are at a crossroads. What are we to do about spirituality and religion in a world where we have grown to understand so much? Is God even necessary now? More hardline secularists are content to blame religion for all the wars and conflicts in our world (except for all the other ones of course) or think of religion as something from our past that we should let go of. But one thing those people never seem to understand is that spirituality fills a deep need for people, that science and reason isn't enough to fill. Even though we are in a world where we have technologies and luxuries that we never could have dreamed of, we are still left disillusioned and seeking for more. If most religions could be summed up in a sentence, it would be 'there has to be something more than this.' It is this feeling that Philip Chase's Edan trilogy has captured so excellently.
Much like Chase, I have a deep fascination with religion and spirituality and it's something that I've wrestled with for much of my short life so far. It is clear from the Edan books that I have read so far that spirituality is also something that Chase has wrestled with as well. I don't know if he shares my thoughts about the tensions between secularism and spirituality in our modern world, but I find Chase explores this tension exceptionally in this series. Chase is far too intelligent a writer to stoop to didacticism or to tell people how they ought to feel about religion and spirituality. He merely shows you the lengths people will go to for their faith and their beliefs, and allows you to come to your own conclusions about them.
Admittedly, it took me some time to get readjusted to the world of Edan and the characters that Chase has created here. For one, I was overcoming a book hangover after reading Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, and I had to get reacquainted with all the characters from the previous book. But after getting into the rhythm of Chase's narrative, we once more get yet another fine narrative to add in the halls of great fantasy being told in the 21st century.
While Chase continues his themes of religion, spirituality, and how people use them for their own ends. In The Prophet of Edan, we see the effects of religious war. This is the war book, and Chase doesn't hold back from depicting the cruelties and horror of war. While Chase may not have the grit of Martin or even Abercrombie, it's clear his view of war is hardly romantic. Some of my favorite passages in this book were the reflections about warfare and how it often unleashes the worst, savage, and base parts of human beings. We see this particularly in the odious King Earconwald from Torrland, as he devolves from smug megalomaniac into psychopath as the war and the atrocities he routinely orders. We even see Bledla, the fanatical true believer of The Way snap as the realities of the war set in, but can only continue forward as he is convinced of his own righteousness. Tim O'Brien's quote about a war story being defined by its absolute and uncompromising allegiance to obscenity and evil comes into play here.
But to call this merely the war book would be doing The Prophet of Edan a disservice, as we also gain more insight into the magic of the world of Edan. Ironically, as much as I love the fantasy genre, I don't generally focus on magic. It's not what I really care about when it comes to fantasy, unless there's a book like the aforementioned Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell that really does something interesting with the magic. But Chase's exploration of magic proves interesting, and his view of magic aligns with my own on how it should be. While it isn't quite as strange and enigmatic as it was in Clarke's great work, there is enough mystique to where I remained interested in the secrets of what the world of Edan may hold and much like with Strange & Norrell, there is a price to using the magic of The Way and our main hero struggles with how much he'll give up in pursuits of more power so he can defeat the dreaded Bledla.
There were some issues I had with this book that I didn't with the previous book. Much of it came down to the fact that I felt some of the characters from the previous books lost some of their complexity, particularly Bledla. While Chase has explained that he felt Bledla had fulfilled his purpose, I was disappointed that he lost some of the complexity I had seen in him in the first book, including his long suppressed doubts about his purpose in spreading The Way and if he is truly the Prophet. But we also see this with Sequara, I wish there had been more inner conflict about her growing attraction to Dayraven, since much of her characterization in the previous book reminded me of the Jedi from Star Wars, loving and compassionate but forbidden from all attachments. To be fair, her and Dayraven's affection is portrayed in a believable manner, yet I was disappointed that there wasn't enough inner conflict about it.
While I lamented The Way of Edan was too familiar in its approach, much as I enjoyed it, The Prophet of Edan took some surprising directions that I hadn't expected. I wasn't sure if Chase was going to extend this war to the final volume or if he was going to end it here. I won't spoil where it goes, but I got really excited once I got to the end. It's quite rare that we get to see the 'after' from the happily ever afters that we're so accustomed to in our fantasy stories, and I am left excited to see where Chase takes this series next.
Overall, The Prophet of Edan is yet another well written, suspenseful, and constantly engaging. Chase has created a world that, while familiar, has enough distinctions to be its own beast. Chase definitely has the chops to give this series the ending that it deserves, and I am of the mind to think that he can do it.
*For those interested, I talked with Philip about The Prophet of Edan on my channel. Come here if you want to see it, though be warned we spoil the whole thing. Read the book first.*
July 12, 2023
The pacing, the prose, everything, just so gooood.
Modern fantasy in its perfection.
I honestly can't wait for book three especially after that epilogue.
Modern fantasy in its perfection.
I honestly can't wait for book three especially after that epilogue.
February 8, 2024
An even better sequel.
The Prophet of Edan is a step up from its predecessor in every conceivable way.
The e-book maintains the excellent formatting of its predecessor. The characters and plotting continue to excel. The plot is both predictable and not; some of my predictions were correct (or seem as if they'll be proven correct in the final book), while some of them I 3D-chessed my way out of correct predictions.
The climax is incredible and very satisfying. After the climax, there is something of a wind-down period reminiscent of Return of the King (which is incidentally my favorite part of the entire Lord of the Rings Trilogy), and I have mixed feelings on it here, as while it brilliantly sets up the next book, there's a part of me that feels it sort of turned the climax into an anti-climax, at least to some degree.
Over all, The Prophet of Edan is an excellent book and a testament to Dr. Chase's ability as an author. I eagerly await the conclusion of the trilogy when time allows me to get to it.
An absolute must read.
The Prophet of Edan is a step up from its predecessor in every conceivable way.
The e-book maintains the excellent formatting of its predecessor. The characters and plotting continue to excel. The plot is both predictable and not; some of my predictions were correct (or seem as if they'll be proven correct in the final book), while some of them I 3D-chessed my way out of correct predictions.
The climax is incredible and very satisfying. After the climax, there is something of a wind-down period reminiscent of Return of the King (which is incidentally my favorite part of the entire Lord of the Rings Trilogy), and I have mixed feelings on it here, as while it brilliantly sets up the next book, there's a part of me that feels it sort of turned the climax into an anti-climax, at least to some degree.
Over all, The Prophet of Edan is an excellent book and a testament to Dr. Chase's ability as an author. I eagerly await the conclusion of the trilogy when time allows me to get to it.
An absolute must read.
May 22, 2024
It's been a while since I read the first book, but I enjoyed this one more considering the story and structure. As expected, Chase's prose remains compelling and immersive, although I felt there's a distinction in style when he transitions between battle and regular occasions ( Not necessarily a complaint, just something that stood out to me ). The story retains heart when it comes to friendships, and surprisingly, I liked the as well. Action scenes were gory and tense, the inclusion of was well done, and the ending left me wondering where the story goes, which is always a good thing. I think my favorite chapter was the one where As for issues, there's not much character development except for the protagonist, the pacing felt somewhat uneven and there's the occasional repetition of words, so it could use a bit more 'polishing' perhaps. But they didn't affect the story much, so it's a solid middle book that stands on its own and makes me want to read the sequel immediately.
July 6, 2023
Before I describe my experience with The Prophet of Edan, I feel it's important to offer my thoughts on it's author. Philip Chase is a professional. He treats others with respect, he seeks to teach to the interested, where others climb atop unasked-for soap boxes. His YouTube channel is professional in the manner material is presented. (Funny thumbnails included). His writing is professional. Philip Chase IS professional. A quality not always found in creatives, and entirely joyful when discovered.
This book is something special. Other reviewers will suggest "Tolkien-esque", but I'll stand my ground on the hill that this book is "Chase-esque." It's professional. The storytelling is 5 stars. The characters develop and grow in organic ways that make sense based on their life's happenings. Exceptional use of vocabulary emerges in ways that add to the epic scope of the world, without becoming obnoxious "words of the day" spattered throughout the chapters as if the author had a thesaurus amount of words saved for the occasion. The chapters flow seamlessly from one POV to the next, and while some of the events in the last 20% of the book were very foreshadowed, nothing diminished from a glorious delivery of what is, at heart, an epic tale.
The themes that Philip Chase built this book around (at least in my opinion) are done with his typical smile behind-the-scenes and never with a heavy hand. Spirituality, one-with-all-things, the pitfalls of tunnel-visioning one's larger existence at the expense of any other way of belief, all are ripe for the picking here, but your face is never smashed with it. There are other authors in the fantasy genre, who's books I adore, who can not seem to leave their personal political and spiritual beliefs out of every paragraph. Getting back to my point, Philip Chase is a professional. He says what he says and leaves the reader to think about it. It's offering a way of thinking, not demanding we as the reader buy into what he's preaching. All within an original story, and yes, this is an original story. Whether people compare it to other epic, classic fantasy tales - or as many seem to now call, "a classic fantasy with a modern twist", I don't buy it. I think this is an original story, professionally written, and delivered in a manner that I believe will bring readers to Philip Chase's future works more than he probably even realizes. Here's hoping.
This book is something special. Other reviewers will suggest "Tolkien-esque", but I'll stand my ground on the hill that this book is "Chase-esque." It's professional. The storytelling is 5 stars. The characters develop and grow in organic ways that make sense based on their life's happenings. Exceptional use of vocabulary emerges in ways that add to the epic scope of the world, without becoming obnoxious "words of the day" spattered throughout the chapters as if the author had a thesaurus amount of words saved for the occasion. The chapters flow seamlessly from one POV to the next, and while some of the events in the last 20% of the book were very foreshadowed, nothing diminished from a glorious delivery of what is, at heart, an epic tale.
The themes that Philip Chase built this book around (at least in my opinion) are done with his typical smile behind-the-scenes and never with a heavy hand. Spirituality, one-with-all-things, the pitfalls of tunnel-visioning one's larger existence at the expense of any other way of belief, all are ripe for the picking here, but your face is never smashed with it. There are other authors in the fantasy genre, who's books I adore, who can not seem to leave their personal political and spiritual beliefs out of every paragraph. Getting back to my point, Philip Chase is a professional. He says what he says and leaves the reader to think about it. It's offering a way of thinking, not demanding we as the reader buy into what he's preaching. All within an original story, and yes, this is an original story. Whether people compare it to other epic, classic fantasy tales - or as many seem to now call, "a classic fantasy with a modern twist", I don't buy it. I think this is an original story, professionally written, and delivered in a manner that I believe will bring readers to Philip Chase's future works more than he probably even realizes. Here's hoping.
July 14, 2023
In a time where many new Fantasy titles are pitched as 'Game of Thrones meets... Blank', Philip Chase has continued to embrace traditional Fantasy with the modern and The Prophet of Edan for me would be best described as Tolkien meets John Gwynne.
The Way of Edan was significantly shorter but served well to introduce us to the characters, setting and concepts. I suspect that it may have been tightly edited and revised to appeal more to potential traditional publishers but in a way this trilogy has now thankfully been self published and I feel that PoE has benefitted greater freedom for Chase to really expand on his story that draws heavily from his academic and personal interests that include medievalism, norse, celtic and Anglo-Saxon culture, Buddhism, language and enlightenment.
The longer page count (over 700) allowed for greater time to be spent with the different cultures and this enables the reader to better follow the more complex conflicts that unfold.
I was suitability impressed with the action and depictions of battle. Although not entirely grimdark, the descriptions were raw, up close and brutal - this is where I was frequently reminded of John Gwynne's style of action prose.
Despite being significantly more action (and Dragon) oriented, there was also plenty of introspection with themes exploring the nature of religion, corruption of power and the insignificant futility of mankind's petty struggles when compared to a higher level of consciousness or the deeper mysteries of the universe.
The second half of PoE really takes off and several chapters were of a quality that I would have been pleased to read towards the end of a Trilogy and some story arcs even felt satisfactorily complete. Luckily the closing pages promise more twists and turns to come and we only have to wait a short while for the concluding installment. Looking forward to seeing what happens - as the author might say "until next time...!"
The Way of Edan was significantly shorter but served well to introduce us to the characters, setting and concepts. I suspect that it may have been tightly edited and revised to appeal more to potential traditional publishers but in a way this trilogy has now thankfully been self published and I feel that PoE has benefitted greater freedom for Chase to really expand on his story that draws heavily from his academic and personal interests that include medievalism, norse, celtic and Anglo-Saxon culture, Buddhism, language and enlightenment.
The longer page count (over 700) allowed for greater time to be spent with the different cultures and this enables the reader to better follow the more complex conflicts that unfold.
I was suitability impressed with the action and depictions of battle. Although not entirely grimdark, the descriptions were raw, up close and brutal - this is where I was frequently reminded of John Gwynne's style of action prose.
Despite being significantly more action (and Dragon) oriented, there was also plenty of introspection with themes exploring the nature of religion, corruption of power and the insignificant futility of mankind's petty struggles when compared to a higher level of consciousness or the deeper mysteries of the universe.
The second half of PoE really takes off and several chapters were of a quality that I would have been pleased to read towards the end of a Trilogy and some story arcs even felt satisfactorily complete. Luckily the closing pages promise more twists and turns to come and we only have to wait a short while for the concluding installment. Looking forward to seeing what happens - as the author might say "until next time...!"
August 23, 2025
No one knows when darkness comes, but it comes.
From beginning to end, there is so much packed into The Prophet of Edan. While I think the action will draw in a lot of readers (yes, tons of dragons), for me I particularly enjoyed the internal struggle of Dayraven and his growth. Dr. Chase tackles some huge themes here, but the idea of 'how much of myself do I give up to something larger' really hit all the right notes for me. On the opposing side, Supreme Priest Bledla continues to be one of the best Bad Guys in all of Fantasy.
Everything I loved from The Way of Edan was turned up a notch, but then Chase expanded the whole story in so many ways. The Edan Trilogy is just superb epic fantasy and I can't wait to see how the it all ends.
-
8.51/10
4.5/5 ⭐️
From beginning to end, there is so much packed into The Prophet of Edan. While I think the action will draw in a lot of readers (yes, tons of dragons), for me I particularly enjoyed the internal struggle of Dayraven and his growth. Dr. Chase tackles some huge themes here, but the idea of 'how much of myself do I give up to something larger' really hit all the right notes for me. On the opposing side, Supreme Priest Bledla continues to be one of the best Bad Guys in all of Fantasy.
Everything I loved from The Way of Edan was turned up a notch, but then Chase expanded the whole story in so many ways. The Edan Trilogy is just superb epic fantasy and I can't wait to see how the it all ends.
-
8.51/10
4.5/5 ⭐️
January 26, 2024
Bigger and broader than its predecessor and expands the world in a more epic and enthralling story.
Can’t wait to see how this wraps up.
Can’t wait to see how this wraps up.
December 23, 2023
This is one of the greatest modern fantasies to be told, as book 2, The Prophet of Edan, has just proven. One of the greatest moments of true transcendence takes place in the latter half, which in turn propels the plot in directions nobody should see coming. It feels as though the storyline has ended, and the third book is yet to come. Along with the growth in character here, this book has absolutely floored me, and I can’t wait to finish the Edan trilogy. It should be immortalised as one of the greats for years to come.
October 23, 2025
Audiobook re-read: narration - 5, story - 4+
As I remembered from my initial read, this is a heavily action packed story. Perhaps even too action packed. I probably wouldn't have gotten through it again in my current state of mind, hadn't Allen's narration been as stellar as it was. I truly hope he'll have the opportunity (and pleasure!) to narrate more books beyond Chase's series. What makes me rate the story a bit higher than other people perhaps, is the many similarities between Dayraven's journey and that of Aang in ATLA, and the themes in common, spiritual and other, as I wrote in my original review below. My other thoughts there still hold upon re-read. I'm looking forward to concluding my re-read once the third audiobook is out.
4.5
Although The Prophet of Edan starts off at a run with an engaging (and explosive) action sequence, I initially had a tough time with it. November and December were quite busy at work, and because of that, the action-packed beginning unfortunately didn't match my reading mood. I hardly read at all until the Christmas break, to be fair.
However, once I had the required headspace to really dive into the story, it was a very smooth and enjoyable read. This middle book in the Edan Trilogy remained action-packed from the beginning to the end, with detailed, vivid and therefore easy to picture action sequences. In-between (and also during) the many battles and confrontations, Philip Chase nicely fleshed out the main characters as well as the world and lore of Eormenlond. Chase's detailed and smooth writing style made not only battles easy to picture, but also most of the more environmental and atmospherical aspects, whether it be gloomy forests or ancient cities.
As in the first book, I really liked how we can relate to the actions of characters with conflicting beliefs. When it comes to the themes of religious power and conviction, the presentation of the broad spectrum from scheming unbelievers to utter zealots felt nuanced and realistic again to me.
This time, multiple characters receive foresight through visions, which I thought were used in effective ways. Though they were relatively straightforward and predictable, they filled me with anticipation to find out how exactly these foreseen events would unfold.
Before mentioning my favourite aspect of the story, I'd like to stress that there really was a lot of battle and action. If that doesn't match your preferences, or such as initially in my case, your reading mood, I can imagine you may enjoy the book less. As I said though, the action is written very well and in fact reminds me of John Gwynne's writing. Fans of his will surely enjoy this series! However, I feel that this abundance of action plot elements came with the cost of a few interesting (side) characters from book 1 hardly having a role in book 2. I hope (and suspect!) we'll see more of them in book 3.
My favourite aspect of The Prophet of Edan lies in the fact that (at least from my perspective) it shares quite some similarities with Avatar the Last Airbender. Specifically, some of the (Buddhist) spiritual characteristics such as detachment and connection, as well as themes (identity, found family, betrayal, redemption, ...). But also plot-wise with Dayraven's struggle to master his gift on a time limit and carrying a huge responsibility on his shoulders being the only one to (probably) be able to stop the most evil of antagonists, and the effect this weight has on him and his relations with people around him. There are more similarities that I can't really go into because of spoilers, but since ATLA is my favourite story in any medium and very dear to me, this aspect further enhanced my immersion and enjoyment of the book.
Finally, the ending seems to promise a thrilling and moving conclusion to the series in the final instalment. I'm looking forward to reading Return to Edan some time soon!
Characters
🔲 Flat as cardboard
🔲 Solid main cast, shallow side characters
🔲 Well-written
✅ Complex and nuanced
🔲 Hard to believe they were fictional
Plot
🔲 Same old, same old…
🔲 Few surprises, nothing memorable
✅ Gripping
🔲 Exceptional
🔲 Mind-blowing
Worldbuilding
🔲 Takes place in our world
🔲 Incoherent
🔲 Superficial
🔲 Solid
🔲 Nicely detailed
✅ Paints a complete and vivid picture
Immersion
🔲 I felt detached
🔲 It was somewhat immersive
✅ It felt like I was there
Pacing
🔲 Hard to get through
🔲 Inconsistent
🔲 Well-flowing
✅ Pageturner
🔲 Unputdownable
As I remembered from my initial read, this is a heavily action packed story. Perhaps even too action packed. I probably wouldn't have gotten through it again in my current state of mind, hadn't Allen's narration been as stellar as it was. I truly hope he'll have the opportunity (and pleasure!) to narrate more books beyond Chase's series. What makes me rate the story a bit higher than other people perhaps, is the many similarities between Dayraven's journey and that of Aang in ATLA, and the themes in common, spiritual and other, as I wrote in my original review below. My other thoughts there still hold upon re-read. I'm looking forward to concluding my re-read once the third audiobook is out.
4.5
Although The Prophet of Edan starts off at a run with an engaging (and explosive) action sequence, I initially had a tough time with it. November and December were quite busy at work, and because of that, the action-packed beginning unfortunately didn't match my reading mood. I hardly read at all until the Christmas break, to be fair.
However, once I had the required headspace to really dive into the story, it was a very smooth and enjoyable read. This middle book in the Edan Trilogy remained action-packed from the beginning to the end, with detailed, vivid and therefore easy to picture action sequences. In-between (and also during) the many battles and confrontations, Philip Chase nicely fleshed out the main characters as well as the world and lore of Eormenlond. Chase's detailed and smooth writing style made not only battles easy to picture, but also most of the more environmental and atmospherical aspects, whether it be gloomy forests or ancient cities.
As in the first book, I really liked how we can relate to the actions of characters with conflicting beliefs. When it comes to the themes of religious power and conviction, the presentation of the broad spectrum from scheming unbelievers to utter zealots felt nuanced and realistic again to me.
This time, multiple characters receive foresight through visions, which I thought were used in effective ways. Though they were relatively straightforward and predictable, they filled me with anticipation to find out how exactly these foreseen events would unfold.
Before mentioning my favourite aspect of the story, I'd like to stress that there really was a lot of battle and action. If that doesn't match your preferences, or such as initially in my case, your reading mood, I can imagine you may enjoy the book less. As I said though, the action is written very well and in fact reminds me of John Gwynne's writing. Fans of his will surely enjoy this series! However, I feel that this abundance of action plot elements came with the cost of a few interesting (side) characters from book 1 hardly having a role in book 2. I hope (and suspect!) we'll see more of them in book 3.
My favourite aspect of The Prophet of Edan lies in the fact that (at least from my perspective) it shares quite some similarities with Avatar the Last Airbender. Specifically, some of the (Buddhist) spiritual characteristics such as detachment and connection, as well as themes (identity, found family, betrayal, redemption, ...). But also plot-wise with Dayraven's struggle to master his gift on a time limit and carrying a huge responsibility on his shoulders being the only one to (probably) be able to stop the most evil of antagonists, and the effect this weight has on him and his relations with people around him. There are more similarities that I can't really go into because of spoilers, but since ATLA is my favourite story in any medium and very dear to me, this aspect further enhanced my immersion and enjoyment of the book.
Finally, the ending seems to promise a thrilling and moving conclusion to the series in the final instalment. I'm looking forward to reading Return to Edan some time soon!
Characters
🔲 Flat as cardboard
🔲 Solid main cast, shallow side characters
🔲 Well-written
✅ Complex and nuanced
🔲 Hard to believe they were fictional
Plot
🔲 Same old, same old…
🔲 Few surprises, nothing memorable
✅ Gripping
🔲 Exceptional
🔲 Mind-blowing
Worldbuilding
🔲 Takes place in our world
🔲 Incoherent
🔲 Superficial
🔲 Solid
🔲 Nicely detailed
✅ Paints a complete and vivid picture
Immersion
🔲 I felt detached
🔲 It was somewhat immersive
✅ It felt like I was there
Pacing
🔲 Hard to get through
🔲 Inconsistent
🔲 Well-flowing
✅ Pageturner
🔲 Unputdownable
September 17, 2025
And done! Wasn’t sure what I was in for but loved it. Liked book 1 and this one blew it out of the water. A true epic fantasy classic is taking shape here. On to the finale!
October 19, 2023
It's a great second book in the series that moves forward the plot. The conclusion made me excited about the next book. The characters are fun and likable but also piss me off at times but in the best and worst ways. Great job.
September 28, 2023
Full disclosure, I have interacted with Philip Chase via BookTube and with the writing project Half-Human Heroes. This review is my honest opinion.
Is this novel based on a true story about a government agent trying to unlock psychic powers to give them an advantage against their enemies? It breaks my heart to report this book is a rip-off of the film The Men Who Stare at Goats and, unfortunately, Dayraven is no George Clooney.
That’s a joke. I’m just kidding, though there are goats getting stared at in this text.
I highly recommend this fantasy sequel. I suggest first reading The Way of Edan despite the fact someone could jump into the story here and it would make sense on its own. Philip Chase has my number, blending elements I love to see in literature into a masterfully crafted tale. Everything I put in my written review for the first book in this series, as well as what I’ve mentioned about it on my YouTube channel, applies to this work as well. The story left me so awe smacked, I was inspired to write my own parody tribute. It’s that good!
Is this novel based on a true story about a government agent trying to unlock psychic powers to give them an advantage against their enemies? It breaks my heart to report this book is a rip-off of the film The Men Who Stare at Goats and, unfortunately, Dayraven is no George Clooney.
That’s a joke. I’m just kidding, though there are goats getting stared at in this text.
I highly recommend this fantasy sequel. I suggest first reading The Way of Edan despite the fact someone could jump into the story here and it would make sense on its own. Philip Chase has my number, blending elements I love to see in literature into a masterfully crafted tale. Everything I put in my written review for the first book in this series, as well as what I’ve mentioned about it on my YouTube channel, applies to this work as well. The story left me so awe smacked, I was inspired to write my own parody tribute. It’s that good!
Want to read
February 25, 2024Dr. Chase was good enough to quickly write me back and even personally send me a physical copy of Way of Edan with no strings attached. I love his Youtube page and book reviews, he seems like a really cool dude.
I can't wait to dive into this series and write up reviews for each instalment. Thanks again to Mr. Chase for the opportunity:)
I can't wait to dive into this series and write up reviews for each instalment. Thanks again to Mr. Chase for the opportunity:)
October 9, 2025
3.5 stars for a read that had me consistently engaged but that didn't fully connect with me at the same time. I think Chase found a way to avoid middle book syndrome...by not having a middle book! Everything about this felt like a series finale, and I know that means the book to come is going to be doing something very nontraditional in exploring the aftermaths of world-shaking events and spiritual/mystical themes that are quite fresh for the genre...but it also meant that I didn't get as much development and build up of the characters, political factions, and plot that would make me as emotionally invested in the world-shaking events and their resolution as I'd ideally want to be.
I felt a bit emotionally distanced from everything playing out, as I fear I found myself in the midst of a massive climactic avalanche when I was hoping going in for one of those classic "nothing happens" middle books like Stone of Farewell or Golden Fool -- which lack big explosive plot events but do heavy lifting on character and plot development to set up ultra-impactful conclusions. The extra page time we spend with quieter sequences can help build out key locations and grow my attachment to the places and characters, so when the explosive events arrive I have a greater emotional stake in their outcome. The Prophet of Edan has us racing around the entire continental map so quickly that as soon as I started to find my footing in one location, we were off exploring a new one. The worldbuilding here is incredibly deep and one of the main draws, but the speed at which the narrative events happened was honestly too quick for me.
My investment here mainly stemmed from the vibrant cast of characters, with a variety of POVs and side characters I had fun spending time with (or with the case of Bledla maybe not fun, but man is he one of the more compelling villains I've read in fantasy). Dayraven has been an easy-to-root for protagonist from the beginning of the series, though I think I didn't quite experience his transformation and growth in this volume as fully organic or hard-earned (a lot of that is intentional I know, given the mysterious and otherworldly elf shard that is influencing him and pulling some strings). I really appreciate the Buddhist-inspired spiritualism and magic that is unlike anything I've read before in fantasy, but it didn't hit as viscerally as I think it was intended to, as Dayraven's experiences on this front came across somewhat abstractly to me and hard to grasp or fully inhabit.
I also struggled a bit connecting to the prose style, which felt a bit formal and distanced in the narration but ultra-modern in the dialogue (I have a very low threshold for tolerating corniness, and I fear the dialogue often veered that way for me). When Chase went a bit experimental/free-form in the prose in a certain section where Dayraven was communicating with an ancient beast mind-to-mind, I thought that just worked wonderfully and led to my peak engagement with the storytelling. He's reaching for something here truly transcendent and grand in scope, and I'm so curious where this is all headed next.
I felt a bit emotionally distanced from everything playing out, as I fear I found myself in the midst of a massive climactic avalanche when I was hoping going in for one of those classic "nothing happens" middle books like Stone of Farewell or Golden Fool -- which lack big explosive plot events but do heavy lifting on character and plot development to set up ultra-impactful conclusions. The extra page time we spend with quieter sequences can help build out key locations and grow my attachment to the places and characters, so when the explosive events arrive I have a greater emotional stake in their outcome. The Prophet of Edan has us racing around the entire continental map so quickly that as soon as I started to find my footing in one location, we were off exploring a new one. The worldbuilding here is incredibly deep and one of the main draws, but the speed at which the narrative events happened was honestly too quick for me.
My investment here mainly stemmed from the vibrant cast of characters, with a variety of POVs and side characters I had fun spending time with (or with the case of Bledla maybe not fun, but man is he one of the more compelling villains I've read in fantasy). Dayraven has been an easy-to-root for protagonist from the beginning of the series, though I think I didn't quite experience his transformation and growth in this volume as fully organic or hard-earned (a lot of that is intentional I know, given the mysterious and otherworldly elf shard that is influencing him and pulling some strings). I really appreciate the Buddhist-inspired spiritualism and magic that is unlike anything I've read before in fantasy, but it didn't hit as viscerally as I think it was intended to, as Dayraven's experiences on this front came across somewhat abstractly to me and hard to grasp or fully inhabit.
I also struggled a bit connecting to the prose style, which felt a bit formal and distanced in the narration but ultra-modern in the dialogue (I have a very low threshold for tolerating corniness, and I fear the dialogue often veered that way for me). When Chase went a bit experimental/free-form in the prose in a certain section where Dayraven was communicating with an ancient beast mind-to-mind, I thought that just worked wonderfully and led to my peak engagement with the storytelling. He's reaching for something here truly transcendent and grand in scope, and I'm so curious where this is all headed next.
April 18, 2025
My rating 4.7
The epic fantasy novel "The Prophet of Edan (The Edan Trilogy, #2)" by Philip Chase is a well-written novel with an interesting story and characters. The worlds where the action takes place are beautifully described, and the very end of the book is unique. The writer easily introduces us to the world where the action takes place, and the book is a pleasure to read.
Now, a little about the story: Torrlond’s victorious army, led by Supreme Priest Bledla, leaves behind ruins and defeated kingdoms in its path. Bledla’s dragons destroy any resistance from the enemy, no matter how bravely they fight. Bledla has decided to spread the faith of Edan throughout Eormenlond and has no mercy on anyone to achieve his goal. The whole world is burning, and the only one who can oppose him on this path is the beardless young man Dayraven. But Dayraven is only just learning to control his powers that the Elf left inside his brain. This power is so strong that he can barely control the Elf who wants to take him over completely at all costs. Unfortunately, the time that Dayraven has to learn is getting shorter because Bledla does not stand still and wants to destroy him at all costs. What awaits Dayraven is woven of darkness, will he be able to discover his path hidden under the veil of fate is full of secrets and unknowns. That path is woven of death and despair. But Dayraven's choice is to die or become the prophet of Edan.
I would recommend this book to all fans of epic fantasy.
The epic fantasy novel "The Prophet of Edan (The Edan Trilogy, #2)" by Philip Chase is a well-written novel with an interesting story and characters. The worlds where the action takes place are beautifully described, and the very end of the book is unique. The writer easily introduces us to the world where the action takes place, and the book is a pleasure to read.
Now, a little about the story: Torrlond’s victorious army, led by Supreme Priest Bledla, leaves behind ruins and defeated kingdoms in its path. Bledla’s dragons destroy any resistance from the enemy, no matter how bravely they fight. Bledla has decided to spread the faith of Edan throughout Eormenlond and has no mercy on anyone to achieve his goal. The whole world is burning, and the only one who can oppose him on this path is the beardless young man Dayraven. But Dayraven is only just learning to control his powers that the Elf left inside his brain. This power is so strong that he can barely control the Elf who wants to take him over completely at all costs. Unfortunately, the time that Dayraven has to learn is getting shorter because Bledla does not stand still and wants to destroy him at all costs. What awaits Dayraven is woven of darkness, will he be able to discover his path hidden under the veil of fate is full of secrets and unknowns. That path is woven of death and despair. But Dayraven's choice is to die or become the prophet of Edan.
I would recommend this book to all fans of epic fantasy.
December 20, 2024
3.75 ⭐ The Prophet of Edan builds upon the foundation of the previous book and the result is very enjoyable.
In this book, the world of Eormenlond gets fleshed out even further as we explore parts of the world that we hadn’t seen until now. We get introduced to new cultures, settings and set-pieces which continues to expand the feeling of “realness” and authenticity Eormenlond possesses. I mean, who doesn’t love a hidden city located in a remote and inaccessible mountain range?
The Tolkien influences continue to shine, especially in the attention given to the lore of this world. It is truly fascinating! Also, the first book introduced us to an unlikely friendship and The Prophet of Edan allows to see more of that friendship on page, which is amazing. Character relationships continue to shine and I can’t wait to see how it all ultimately ends in the next book.
My only critique of this book is that my favorite character in the series was barely on page in this book. We got a couple chapters in the first third of the novel, but after that, this character wasn’t present, which was a bit of a bummer for me. But hey, that’s a minor nitpick on my part because overall, this book was awesome!
Everything is set for a spectacular conclusion and I truly cannot wait to see how it unfolds in Return to Edan this September! Congratulations, Philip! You’ve done it again!
In this book, the world of Eormenlond gets fleshed out even further as we explore parts of the world that we hadn’t seen until now. We get introduced to new cultures, settings and set-pieces which continues to expand the feeling of “realness” and authenticity Eormenlond possesses. I mean, who doesn’t love a hidden city located in a remote and inaccessible mountain range?
The Tolkien influences continue to shine, especially in the attention given to the lore of this world. It is truly fascinating! Also, the first book introduced us to an unlikely friendship and The Prophet of Edan allows to see more of that friendship on page, which is amazing. Character relationships continue to shine and I can’t wait to see how it all ultimately ends in the next book.
My only critique of this book is that my favorite character in the series was barely on page in this book. We got a couple chapters in the first third of the novel, but after that, this character wasn’t present, which was a bit of a bummer for me. But hey, that’s a minor nitpick on my part because overall, this book was awesome!
Everything is set for a spectacular conclusion and I truly cannot wait to see how it unfolds in Return to Edan this September! Congratulations, Philip! You’ve done it again!
October 9, 2023
All killer no filler. Philip has mastered the art of avoiding the sophomore slump and make the second book feel as grand as the final book in a trilogy.
Filled with action, politics, friendship and a dash of romance, the Prophet of Edan ticks off all of the boxes without feeling like it ticks off all of the boxes.
I have the feeling that I know where the third book will be going but I had that with this book as well and boy was I wrong.
Orvandil, Gnorn and Dayraven especially have great character arcs, with Munzil's importance not to be underestimated.
Filled with action, politics, friendship and a dash of romance, the Prophet of Edan ticks off all of the boxes without feeling like it ticks off all of the boxes.
I have the feeling that I know where the third book will be going but I had that with this book as well and boy was I wrong.
Orvandil, Gnorn and Dayraven especially have great character arcs, with Munzil's importance not to be underestimated.
July 22, 2023
A excellent follow up to the first book! Philip Chase built upon the world and improved the story in every way.
The Prophet of Eden is an action packed classic fantasy story with new twists and surprises on known tropes. The dragons are cool, the elves are dangerous, the dwarves and giants bring the humor.
This book came to a satisfying conclusion in a way most second books do not. I am looking forward to the third!
The Prophet of Eden is an action packed classic fantasy story with new twists and surprises on known tropes. The dragons are cool, the elves are dangerous, the dwarves and giants bring the humor.
This book came to a satisfying conclusion in a way most second books do not. I am looking forward to the third!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews