Raindancer Reviews: PROPHET OF CHAOS by @jayhamlet #ChaosTour
Prophet of Chaos
Written by J. Hamlet
Genre(s): Fantasy
Nathaniel is a man of many gifts. First and foremost is the power of Prophecy. Whenever he sleeps, he dreams of triumphs and tragedies alike, and how to either make them happen or prevent them. With that knowledge, he’s thwarted the world-shaking schemes of Angels and Demons alike. Not surprisingly, every elite agent of both Heaven and Hell are always hunting him, wanting to be the one to take down the notorious man known to most as The Prophet. He’s spent most of his life as a homeless drifter: hiding, dreaming, and passing along the intel from his revelations to those who can take actions, be they government agents, freelance wizards, or less savory occult figures.
Recently, he’s been plagued by a series of recurring visions that threaten to force him out of his shadowy life and into the spotlight. He’s seen the world ready to plummet into a new dark ages. A Senator with presidential aspirations is on one side, backed by the most ruthless of Heaven’s forces and seeking to transform the world into a brutal theocracy. A church of Demon-worshipping terrorists also stand ready to launch a bloody revolution through mass murders, demonic possession, and civil war that will literally bring about Hell on earth. Nathaniel stands in the middle, struggling to stop both sides from realizing their chosen versions of humanity’s future with everything in his mystical arsenal. And he can’t do it alone.
Raindancer's Review
Hand of Chaos
In Hand of Chaos, the first book of this series, we are introduced to Anna. She works for a top secret branch of the government which deals with supernatural threats. Each member of her team has different powers: Anna can control arcane magic, and the others are cursed with immortality, were-tigers, shamans, or necromancers. The book opens with a battle against zombies and traces the team’s journey to find the person behind it–and the plan that is bigger than they ever thought.
The idea behind this series is fascinating: Basically, the realms of Heaven and Hell have been battling it out for millennia throughout the galaxy, and Limbo works to keep either realm from destroying regular people’s lives. Anna and her friends are agents of Limbo, but throughout the book, we meet characters who serve Heaven or Hell, each with their own special powers and characteristics. And Anna herself is an interesting character to follow–she’s doing her best to live a normal life in the midst of some very abnormal events and abilities. Some of the most fascinating scenes in this book follow Anna as she learns new kinds of magic.
Prophet of Chaos
I have to admit, when I started reading this book, I was very disappointed that the MC from Hand of Chaos was no longer the MC. After the events of the last book, I really wanted more information on Anna and how she dealt with the aftermath. Still, I grew to like the new main characters as the book went on (and we do get glimpses of Anna throughout the story).
We read several viewpoints throughout the book, from self-righteous descendants of angels to characters who are kept alive by demon blood. But the main characters are Nathaniel, the Prophet who will do whatever it takes to keep Heaven and Hell from destroying the human world; Derek, a graphic designer who discovers that he is an enchanter–and suddenly has to flee for his life from forces and beings he didn’t even know existed; and Corinne, a member of the same governmental organization as Anna who is seeking revenge. Each viewpoint shows the reader something new about the impending danger, and we see how little room for error Nathaniel has, how unlikely it is that he will enable the version of the future that will end peacefully.
This book has a great exploration of the realms of Heaven, Hell, and Limbo, even more so than Hand of Chaos. We get to understand more about how this world works and who the main players are, and Prophet of Chaos sets up the next book in the series nicely.
In Hand of Chaos, the first book of this series, we are introduced to Anna. She works for a top secret branch of the government which deals with supernatural threats. Each member of her team has different powers: Anna can control arcane magic, and the others are cursed with immortality, were-tigers, shamans, or necromancers. The book opens with a battle against zombies and traces the team’s journey to find the person behind it–and the plan that is bigger than they ever thought.
The idea behind this series is fascinating: Basically, the realms of Heaven and Hell have been battling it out for millennia throughout the galaxy, and Limbo works to keep either realm from destroying regular people’s lives. Anna and her friends are agents of Limbo, but throughout the book, we meet characters who serve Heaven or Hell, each with their own special powers and characteristics. And Anna herself is an interesting character to follow–she’s doing her best to live a normal life in the midst of some very abnormal events and abilities. Some of the most fascinating scenes in this book follow Anna as she learns new kinds of magic.
Prophet of Chaos
I have to admit, when I started reading this book, I was very disappointed that the MC from Hand of Chaos was no longer the MC. After the events of the last book, I really wanted more information on Anna and how she dealt with the aftermath. Still, I grew to like the new main characters as the book went on (and we do get glimpses of Anna throughout the story).
We read several viewpoints throughout the book, from self-righteous descendants of angels to characters who are kept alive by demon blood. But the main characters are Nathaniel, the Prophet who will do whatever it takes to keep Heaven and Hell from destroying the human world; Derek, a graphic designer who discovers that he is an enchanter–and suddenly has to flee for his life from forces and beings he didn’t even know existed; and Corinne, a member of the same governmental organization as Anna who is seeking revenge. Each viewpoint shows the reader something new about the impending danger, and we see how little room for error Nathaniel has, how unlikely it is that he will enable the version of the future that will end peacefully.
This book has a great exploration of the realms of Heaven, Hell, and Limbo, even more so than Hand of Chaos. We get to understand more about how this world works and who the main players are, and Prophet of Chaos sets up the next book in the series nicely.
J. Hamlet has made what you might call a career out of being a red tape slinger and beltway bandit and has lived in and around Washington, DC for most of his adult life. Originally from the dirty sands of Chesapeake, VA, he's been writing to pass the time and exorcise his demons since he was a teenager. He wrote many horrible books back then. These are better, at least he hopes so. His writing blends many different genres: spy thriller, supernatural thriller, and philosophy into an intoxicating and original mash. He also enjoys nerding out about food, baking, beer, homebrewing, and taking too many pictures of his dog.
