The difficulty with deciding to purchase a self-published book is that you’re taking a gamble both with your money and your time (if the book was free.) Life is short–you don’t want to spend hours reading a poorly written, dull story. And if you, like me, have strict yet at times irritating reading principles ingrained in you then you also will hate not finishing a book. Thankfully, my reading principles weren’t compromised with Prophecy of the Flame.
First and foremost the cover of this book caught my attention. It’s not overly detailed, a trait I come across perusing Amazon books which shamefully will cause me to dismiss a potentially good read. The image of a solitary, red-headed female clad in a blue-silver cloak had an air about her that screamed bad-ass warrior. I normally am more partial to male protagonists when it comes to fantasy and sci-fi. But from the first chapter I knew Archmage Reba, the lead in this work, was a heroine of a different flavor.
I don’t believe in giving away plot details in a book review. All you need to know is that the plot premise is simple yet imaginative. Five characters including Reba (Rebecca while still on earth) are initially still on earth in a hotel at a Live Action Role Playing convention. In a flash of light, they are summoned to a parallel universe–a kingdom called Cuthburan that is in grave need of the services from these newly transformed warriors.
While Reba is the only woman among the company, she isn’t 100% warrior like her male peers. She has a definite feminine side the author brings out, describing Reba’s inner conflict of remaining faithful to her husband who is back on earth while being immersed in a new culture where nobody gives a second thought to infidelity or promiscuity. I believe women who enjoy fantasy/paranormal romance novels would identify with this character and her struggles that are similar to that of many women in today’s world. Reba struggles to remain in check while being constantly pursued by a crown prince she finds physically irresistible if not personably. All the while the crown prince’s brother provides a relief to the reader as a more likable character and match for Reba, even if she isn’t taking the bait. At the end of Book 1 we still don’t know how this game of cat and mouse ends up, but luckily the next two books are already available on Amazon.
While I am not a religious person and usually shy away from novels with any mention of religion, the Christian undertones in this book were subtle and did not mess with the plot. There is enough romance in this book that is enjoyable without the graphic sex scenes that can be irritating and feel out of place and sometimes take over the plot entirely. To conclude, this book was a quick read and I found myself wanting to find out what happens next which is the ideal reading experience, I think most readers can agree. I highly recommend this novel for fantasy readers, especially females who love a good, strong ass-kicking heroine like Archmage Reba.
Between The Leather Binding 