I suppose before I started this book I was expecting a more Anne Elisabeth Stengl feel to it, since I have read all her books. But RJ Larson has a completely different style all her own. Her style was plainer than I thought it would be. There wasn't any imagery or poetry at all. But it was clear cut and easy to read. I enjoyed that aspect of it.
Prophet gives insight on what the life of a prophet would be like in the Old Testament of the Bible. It was very intriguing. To be a prophet is both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because God-or in this book, the Infinite-was very, very close to His prophet. Ela could hear the Infinite's voice in her head, telling her what to do, what to say. And she was constantly having visions of the future. Many bad, but some good. The curse of being a prophet like Ela was was that prophets often had to warn the leaders of countries to repent and turn away from their gods or else destruction would come upon them. Almost always, Ela's warning was for nothing, because the kings of these countries would be too proud, haughty, and hard hearted. It brought her much sadness and grief. But it was very realistic of what God's prophets thought and did back in Biblical times.
I enjoyed RJ Larson's fantasy lands and creatures. A scaln is possibly one of the most terrifying creatures I've ever read about. And I was infatuated with Ela's destroyer, Pet (or Scythe). It was very interesting to read about these fantastical creatures. The most annoying aspect of this book was when King Tek An referred to himself as we and us over and over. I found myself irritated and happy when his part in the book was over.
I thought that Kien, Ela's love interest, was somewhat shallow, though honorable. He could have been a bit more complex than he was. He often sounded like a boy when the author switched to his point of view. And Ela was very much a woman. I also almost rolled my eyes when the thought popped into Ela's head that she loved him. She didn't exactly elaborate on why she loved him, but just that she did. Technically, through most of the book, Kien was acting more like a child in thought and action than a man. I was disappointed in his character. Ela came out much stronger, more courageous and beautiful than Kien ever did. She was a well developed character, with more complexities. I enjoyed getting to know her. And I loved reading about how intimate she was with God. It made me want to speak with Him more.