Blood of the Prophet by Kat Ross | Underrated Fantasy for the Win

Blood of the Prophet

By Kat Ross

The Fourth Element Series #2

Published on September 12, 2016

Fantasy, Young Adult






This book was provided to me from Xpresso Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. I swear on my bookshelf that this has not affected my opinion of the book.

Visionary. Alchemist. Savior. Saint.The Prophet Zarathustra has been called many things. Now he spends his time drawing pictures of weird-looking goats. That’s what happens when you’ve been stuck in a prison cell for two hundred years. But the man who might be mad, and is definitely supposed to be dead, has suddenly become very valuable again…It’s only been a few weeks since Nazafareen escaped the King’s dungeons with her daēva, Darius. She hoped never to set foot in the empire again, but the search for the Prophet has led them to the ancient city of Karnopolis. They have to find him before Alexander of Macydon burns Persepolae, and Darius’s mother with it. But they’re not the only ones looking.The necromancer Balthazar has his own plans for the Prophet, and so does the sinister spymaster of the Numerators. As Nazafareen is drawn in to a dangerous game of cat and mouse, her newfound powers take a decidedly dark turn. Only the Prophet understands the secret of her gift, but the price of that knowledge may turn out to be more than Nazafareen is willing to pay…

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You can catch up on the series with the first book, The Midnight Sea. If you are still not convinced that you need to give this series a shot, then check out my glowing review of The Midnight Sea.

Review

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There are a lot of fantasy books out there. You can find a fantasy book about everything: fairies (not your standard Tinkerbell but something darker), vampires (both sparkly and deadly), werewolves, trolls, and anything in between. A lot of these fantasy books have become household names, like Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings. Almost everyone knows the Boy Who Lived and his nemesis, He Who Shall Not Be Named. But Kat Ross has proven that a fantasy novel does not have to be well-known to be amazing. 

I have mentioned Ross's fantasy series before. The Midnight Sea was one of the most unique fantasies I have read in a while. The characters, magical system, and setting were all completely out of the ordinary. And I am glad to say that the same happened with Blood of the Prophet. 

The politic turmoil that was foreshadowed in The Midnight Sea comes to fruition. Basically, all heck breaks loose and our wonderfully sassy main character, Nazafareen, is right in the middle of it with her bonded daeva. The story picks up right where The Midnight Sea left off. Ross did not waste any words as she launched back into her story of danger, loyalty, slavery, and corruption.

I will say that Blood of the Prophet was a lot darker than The Midnight Sea. Ross set up a world without mercy or care for the weak, and it shows through in the character's environment. Karnopolis was described perfectly. It had a good side (though not much of it), a bad side, and a dangerous side, which is of course where our heroes end up. I loved how Ross was willing to describe the suffering and turmoil of the city and its occupants without sugar-coating anything. I felt the pressure of living under constant fear of Numerators and magi. I felt the grit and dirt of walking the back alleys of the cities. Most of all, I felt the corruption and evil as it infected the city. 

Thankfully, there was a cast of amazing characters to bring some light into the plot. Nazafareen was as sassy and hot-headed as always. I love how her condition did not impede her stubbornness or bravery. All she wanted to do was right the wrong that caused a whole race to be forced into slavery. I loved how she was willing to embrace herself as she was, without worrying what others thought. Her storyline kept getting more and more interesting as the layers of her character were revealed. 

While I felt a little bit disconnected from Darius in the first book, Ross fully developed his character in Blood of the Prophet and made me feel for the poor daeva. As Nazafareen and Darius continued to develop their relationship, I learned more and more about this poor soul who craved justice for his people. He is the perfect calm to Nazafareen's storm. 

While Blood of the Prophet was still essentially about Nazafareen and her comrades, there were also other perspectives that added to the story. This is where the sequel differs from the first installment of the series. Blood of the Prophet is truly a three-dimensional story that includes an abundance of perspectives. I loved hearing from the good guys as well as the bad guys. This contrast added controversy and irony to the plot, which had me on the edge of my seat throughout the novel. 

Blood of the Prophet is the perfect sequel to one of my favorite underrated fantasy series. The magical mixture of tragedy, adventure, suspense, love, and danger kept me reading way past my bedtime. The story is perfect for those looking for a unique fantasy novel that was engulf you with its tale of sassy heroes and vehement villains.

Author Bio

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Kat Ross worked as a journalist at the United Nations for ten years before happily falling back into what she likes best: making stuff up. She lives in Westchester with her kid and a few sleepy cats. Kat is also the author of the dystopian thriller Some Fine Day (Skyscape, 2014), about a world where the sea levels have risen sixty meters. She loves magic, monsters and doomsday scenarios. Preferably with mutants.

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Giveaway

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Have you read The Midnight Sea? Have my raving reviews convinced you to give this series a chance? Have you ever read a YA book about magical Persians before? What are your favorite underrated fantasy books?