Princess of Prophecy

by Alexander Thomas

"Determinedly amusing; a playful swipe at the quest genre (and society)... OUR VERDICT: GET IT"
— Kirkus Reviews

A soothsayer promises timeless romance to anyone that defeats an invincible sorcerer king three times. Would you mess with a prophecy like that?

You might, if it messed with you first.

Princess Maryan flees an arranged marriage and takes up the challenge of the prophecy. In her way stand ravaging hordes of the undead, ignorant politicians, and her own conniving parents. She tries to recruit great warriors to her cause, but she's stuck with a bankrupt knight, a magic-less mage, and an ex-barbarian.

Yet when battle is joined, even the unluckiest of failures can become heroes. And that's convenient, since the survival of many kingdoms are at stake, and this is one prophecy that no one should trust.

Genres: Fantasy

292 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 19, 2023

About the author

Alexander Thomas has worked at various times as a physicist and mathematician, and now makes a living as an engineer. He reads a lot of history, writes some fantasy and science fiction, and tries not to take anything too seriously.

He lives in the United States, in the Pacific Northwest, with his family.

[Photo by Conrad Chavez]

Reviews

[Jessica (Odd and Bookish) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book for free for promotional purposes.

What a fun fantasy story!

First off, this book is hilarious. It’s very satirical and pokes a lot of fun at own society. Parts of the story were reminiscent of the pandemic and how some political leaders and society handled it. I found it very clever. One of the funniest parts of the book was ogre speak, which was essentially really foul and rude language. Since this book is aimed towards a young adult audience any foul language is completely censored with asterisks, so you just have to use your imagination on what was censored.

As for the characters, they were all so fun. I loved Princess Maryan; she was a smart and savvy protagonist. The rest of the group (Sir Humphrey, Gunthar, Yang, and Cornelius) were also lovable. Other standouts were Maryan’s suitors who were all so ridiculous.

The story itself is a little silly but in a good way. I enjoyed joining Maryan and her friends on their quest to fulfill the prophecy.

Lastly, the book does include a map, which I always find so helpful in fantasy books. I liked being able to follow their journey across the land.

Overall, if you are looking for an entertaining fantasy story filled with adventure and humor, consider reading this book!

[CiCi | bookameme · Rating 5 out of 5]

Satirical Fantasy Reminiscent of Monty Python

Thoughts: 💡
Whimsical and sarcastic, this book feels like someone merged a modern Candide with Alice in Wonderland and infused it with some D&D vocabulary. I found myself chuckling through the whole book at all the outlandish shenanigans and exaggerated hyperbole then straight up snorting a laugh at some of the sarcasm. From religion, to politics, to news and the media industry, and a gripe or two about the hassle of revisions on manuscripts and the publishing industry, everything was under scrutiny. Then the author had to go and top everything off by giving us the most ridiculous “scripture quotes” for chapter headers. They included important information like how to ghost a party, and the importance of tea (and yes, tea is extremely important for this story), and why to avoid a dragon.

✨Note✨I found it humorous that the author wrote characters with intentionally colorful language then started the words out with asterisks. It just added another level to the whimsical randomness of this story and it made me laugh.

Stats:📊
Satirical Fantasy: Epic Quest, Vague Prophecy, Thinly Veiled Cynicisms and Criticisms, Hilarious Sarcasm, Swords, Sorcery, Magic, Magical Creatures, Magical Artifacts, A Made Up Religion, Politics, Anti-Romance📘
Third Person, Past Tense, Multi POV mixed with an Absent Narrator

[Bryanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was hilarious! Very much in a mocking kind of way but I loved it. Super random and fun. Fantasy with very little romance but a solid plot.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Abigail Singrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This lighthearted, humorous fantasy doesn't take itself too seriously. It made me laugh out loud on the first page and was delightfully charming till the end.

When it's prophesied that someone must defeat the Lich King three times to stop his undead army, Princess Maryan jumps at the chance to fulfill the prophecy. It's far better than the arranged marriage her parents are trying to arrange with Prince Mikhail, whose last three wives have died in suspicious circumstances and who might be too familiar with the undead.

Along the way, Princess Maryan gathers a company of eccentric, unlikely companions: a gallant but almost bankrupt knight with a broken magical sword who is quite upset he isn't in the prophecy; a former barbarian who is most concerned with if his clothes are in fashion; a Chronicler who's afraid of danger but determined to write the story of the prophecy; and a mage who can't wield magic but doesn't flinch when asked to lead an army.

Princess Maryan also has to deal with the inconveniences of a mayor who thinks denying the existence of the undead is the best solution, as well as a constant string of suitors sent by her parents and who keep meeting terrible ends. When Princess Maryan and her friends finally meet the feared Lich King, they learn that each time he's beaten, he comes back stronger. The third battle will take all of their smarts and magical powers, but these unlikely heroes will not back down.

Thank you to the author for a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[readwithvel (bookishrebel01) · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're looking for a lighthearted fantasy, add this book to your tbr!
Princess of Prophecy is Alexander Thomas's debut fantasy novel.

This story follows our main character Princess Maryan whose parents are pressuring her to find a suitable husband. In an attempt to flee an arranged marriage, she takes on the adventure and challenge of fulfilling a prophecy.

Princess of Prophecy is a cozy, fantasy comedy adventure with a dash of romance. The perfect way to describe this story is light-hearted, hilarious, silly chaos, and overall fun. This book is a fast-paced and quick read that had me hooked from the start and laughing from the first page. It was very well written and in such a way that it was easy to get engrossed in the story. It will leave you loving and annoyed with the characters and so amused by the plot that you won't want to put down the book until the story is over.

If you’re looking for something quick-paced that is light and funny and will keep you entertained throughout I highly recommend this book!!

Read if you like :
- Cozy Fantasy
- Adventure
- Lighthearted Hilarious Plot
- Magic and Magical Creatures

Thank you @bookinfluencerscom for the gifted review copy!💙

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book for an honest review.

Princess Maryan of Offerdel is under pressure from her parents to find a suitable husband. Her most prominent suitor is a vampire from a nearby kingdom. However Maryan does not want to be auctioned off by her parents.

At a summer banquet Maryan receives a prophecy from a beggar woman of how the evil Lich King can be defeated. Maryan takes the prophecy to heart and with an accompanying knight and chronicler sets out to vanquish the Lich King.

This is quite a long book and it is relentlessly silly, however it is amusing and at times very funny. The characters of Maryan’s heroic company are all charming.

I enjoyed it and would recommend it if you’re looking for a silly lighthearted and enjoyable read.

There is a very funny post script of the full lyrics of the song ‘The Dragon of Huck’. The author is a funny and witty wordsmith. I liked it a lot.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let me start out by saying that I found this funnier than most so-called "funny fantasy"; I actually laughed twice, and smiled a number of times (I'm a tough audience for comedy), and that by itself merits a fourth star. However, the execution was mostly mediocre, the satire felt too heavy-handed at times, and as a story, rather than a satire, it only just worked for me.

It satirizes both the fantasy-quest genre and our contemporary world. The problem was that it was hard to tell at times whether something clunky in it was part of the genre satire or just the author's actual ability level (stories that satirize bad writing generally have this issue, unless the author is extremely skilled). And the contemporary satire, particularly the mayor who refuses to face facts he doesn't feel able to deal with and actively works against a solution to real problems because of it, is driven into the ground. On the flip side, the hipster characters are repurposed along the way as very non-hipsterish archers and turn out to be effective in that role, which undermined the satire for me.

There's one character - fortunately for my sanity, only one - who speaks an awful cod-medieval dialect full of inaccurate usages. This has the benefit of making his voice distinctive, at least, but there's no explanation for it, and the medievalisms are deeply inaccurate, and I don't know if that's because the author doesn't know the correct usage or is trying to be funny. I always tend to suspect the "doesn't know" explanation, because most people don't know, and the general standard of the prose backs up that explanation; there are many excess coordinate commas, a few missing capitals, missing verbs, misplaced or missing apostrophes, badly phrased sentences, mispunctuated dialog, and vocab errors (whence/whither, laid/lain, laying/lying, reigns/reins, oxen/ox, knicks/nicks, bestride/astride, marshall/marshal). See my notes for specifics. I wish I could say the copy editing is average, but it's below average, despite (according to the author's afterword) having been past about 20 people. Only one of those was an editor, and it's not clear if she was a copy editor; if she was, she needed to make another pass or two (or else isn't aware of some of the issues).

But what about the story? Well, the thing is, it's supposed to be a satire of bad quest stories with a princess and a prophecy and a bunch of assorted companions encountering various unlikely challenges and ultimately prevailing, more by good luck than anything. But... it's largely exactly the thing it's supposedly satirizing, complete with one-note characters. Reading Terry Pratchett has taught me to expect characters, even in a "funny fantasy" satire, to have more to them than just a single quirk and a motivation that doesn't stand up well if you look at it too closely. I know, comparing most "funny fantasy" books to Pterry is like comparing most Regency romances to Jane Austen, but one of the things that can make a satire stand out from what it's satirizing is to give it more depth and self-reflection, beyond one scene in which the characters talk about why what they're doing makes no sense in the world in which they're doing it. One of my success criteria for comic novels is that they should work as a compelling story even if the humour fails to land, and even though some of the humour in this one landed for me, the story... didn't.

On the humour side, there were some good running gags, some passages where a metaphor was amusingly over-explained, and a couple of flashes of satirical insight.

All in all, then, it makes it into the Bronze tier of my 2024 recommendations list, mainly because it was intermittently funny. Better execution would have landed it in Silver.

[Country Mama · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the debut novel of the author Alexander Thomas. I loved this book first off y'all. The very first thing that I love in a book, is a map! I love seeing the world of the characters and where everything is.
Secondly, the book is hilarious! There is so much going on in the book and the author uses excellent satire making his writing fun and engaging. The book has hipster archers, a knight in really shining armor, a fashion-conscious Barbarian, a magicless mage, a warrior princess, and a politician so true to life that one can find them in almost any circle of power.
The book is about our MC, named Maryan, who is a princess. Maryan is running away from Prince Mikhail, one of the most eligible princes in the realm. Maryan however wants nothing to do with him, and therefore decides to instead follow an incredibly vague prophecy to defeat a centuries old Lich king. This Lich King is said to weld the powers of undeath and magic, granted to him by a teapot and a teacup forged in the crucibles in creation by the titans themselves.
The story to me, reads like a really well-done D and D adventure. There is a lot of progression in the story similar to a D and D campaign where they will fight something and then the characters will get better and better with each battle. For example, there is Gunther who has low-self-esteem in the beginning as he is a weak Barbarian and is picked on by the other Barbarians in his tribe. He does eventually come into his own 'power' at the end of the book.
There are several characters that interact with our MC, Maryan in this book as well. The characters are relatable as they all have limitations, like all human beings do. In this book, the characters however, overcome their personal limitations, they become who they can be as a people. It is a great message in this as when people overcome their limitations, they can do pretty much anything they want to do. There are also two sets of characters, ones that overcome their personal growth arcs. The second set of characters are the people who remain arc types no matter what they do, they stay the same from beginning to the end.
One of my favorite characters in this book is, the knight Sir Humphrey. Sir Humphrey is the classic chivalrous knight. He has boundless courage to the point of stupid sometimes, but he does really well when he learns what he has effectively. There is more to life than Chivalry. He gets better and better at what he is, he just needs to unlock what he already has as a character. That resonates with me as a reader, because I am like this in real life. Sometimes you need to use what you have and think about what to do, but also to be effective at things is important too. I really like this story of growth personally.
The ending of the story wraps up the characters journey very nicely, but I will not spoil that ending. You must read the book! I would love to read more from this author and maybe play some campaigns with him in D and D! He reminds me of Douglas Adams and The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, which is one of my most favorite Satirical books of all time.
I recommend this book to fans of satirical stories who are looking for a hilarious read and want to read a really well written book.

[Ag · Rating 5 out of 5]

This. Book. Ya’ll. This. Book. I don’t know how to describe this book and that’s not something that happens to me very often.
First, there is no way I can put this book in one box of a genre. Or even two genres. This is like some mix of all-flavor beans but bookish and for some weird reason, it works. It works so well, it works like some cursed charm, but it does.
It is hilarious and hilariously written, yet if you think more about it… well, you come to realize that it might not be THAT hilarious after all, yet it still keeps being hilarious. It’s, like, you know – when you have a banter thing going on with a close friend and you actually talk about a serious matter, but add all the inside jokes you have and laugh your heads off, all while talking about whatever was the serious thing you were talking about? Yeah, this is what it reminded me of.
And now, to my favorite part (a very tiny part it was, yet it made me snort more than I’d like to admit): the character who thought that the best way to deal with a problem is to deny that the problem is there to begin with. It reminds me so much of… oh, yeah, reminds so much of Everything Out There.
Now, it has been a few weeks since I read this book. I keep thinking about it and there is one thing I keep coming back to. That’s me thinking that this author has his very unique way with words (and worlds), I’d really like to see whatever he ever writes – I hope he keeps writing, and I keep thinking how this book deserves all the attention there is, all the attention it can get. It is so unlike any other “fantasy” thing, and the humor is super catchy there. This is one of those books that made me feel so lucky and so special to be able to read and discover it.
My daughter asked if I was done reading it (yes, I was) and then said she was taking this book and adding it to her collection of books. This is hers now. She said she wants to read it. and I’m with her there.
I was thinking about it the other day and I realized that actually, this might be a very good gift to a bookwormish teen also. even though I know (I think I know, I could be wrong though?) that the target audience for this book is/was not kids, I think I will work well with YA audience as well.
It is good, well-written, and entertaining, and despite being written by a man, this is not a case of “men writing women” (and that is something, that is something!). Princess Maryan is hilarious and smart, and such a quirky weirdo in her own world – what’s not to love there, right? Yeah, ok, here I go now and say give this book to your teens, they will enjoy it too!

[Courtney Lake · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, it was silly and rings somewhat of "Kill the Farmboy" or the other irreverent plays on your typical fantasy quest trope. With some very overt references to current cultural and political climate topics.

Interestingly, I didn't feel that any of the characters was "Main". While we have the princess narrating the story, to a degree, the other characters play just as heavily in the plot. It works, I was able to follow and be engaged with the story, but sometimes I felt a little adrift without a firm anchor point to ground the storyline.

I knew from the outset that this book was going to be a commentary after the first few pages set up the Princesses parents cluelessly setting her up with an obviously evil character that no one except her seems to see the bazillion red flags surrounding him.

The absolutely "hit you over the head with a frying pan" obvious parallels between the coming legion of the undead and the Covid 19 Pandemic was endearing and I thought cleverly done, but didn't fit fully with the story so it stood out like. It felt like the author had an idea and the rest of this book is to let hem do this one idea.

The parody and tongue in cheek references were sometimes groan inducing, but I still finished the book and felt it was an entertaining read. I had a good time summarizing it for my household at dinner, and I think it was worth the time invested.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jill Jemmett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Princess Maryan’s parents want her to get married, but the suitors they’ve chosen for her are awful. The main suitor is a vampire who likes to lock people in cages and hang them up in trees. When Maryan hears a prophecy about defeating the Lich King, she runs away from a potential marriage on a long journey. She meets many colourful characters along the way, such as an unfashionable barbarian, a knight with a sword that doesn’t work, and a mayor who is in denial about the dangers his town is facing.

This was such a funny, satirical adventure story. I laughed out loud so many times. I really liked the references to modern culture in this fantasy world, such as an artist who was an “influencer” and sent sketches to the town square for people to “like” and comment on. I highly recommend this story for fans of funny fantasy!

Princess of Prophecy is a fun and hilarious fantasy!

Thank you Alexander Thomas and Bookinfluencers.com for providing a copy of this book as part of a paid campaign.

[Gee.Tea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy of Princess of Prophecy for free, courtesy of BookSirens and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This was a wonderful fantasy novel written in a similar style to The Princess Bride and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, by which I mean it’s funny and rambling, delivering all sorts of world building information in a way that doesn’t feel like an info dump. I enjoyed this style immensely, however there were moments where it felt a little forced.

The characters were likable, the romance was minimal and the plot, while a little slow at times, was never boring. I would 100% recommend Princess of Prophecy for anyone looking for a lighthearted fantasy read full of whimsy.

[Kara (Books.and.salt) · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Times of legendary crisis calls for leaders of legendary smartness. - Considered Revelations, Book 112 ‘Leaders Who Are Very Smart’”

I cannot even begin this review without first expressing that this book had me in stitches before I had even reached the Ominous Prologue. It’s very clear that Thomas aimed to take a swipe at the classic fantasy adventure, mocking everything from a prophecy that reads like a tacky greeting card to ridiculous “insightful” quotes at the start of each chapter. Reading this truly felt like someone transcribed their friends’ first dnd session.

The characters are extremely goofy, and oftentimes irritating, but they all fit the wacky narrative so well that I can’t bring myself to complain. Honestly I thought Gunthar was an absolute riot.
The ending dragged a bit for me simply because defeating the Lich got a bit repetitive. With that said, I had an absolute blast reading this and I believe fantasy enthusiasts and RPG players alike will feel the same!

[Karen Lroc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer:
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I really really enjoyed this book! It had me giggling manically most of the way, and even though some of the humor felt a bit forced, it was still a lot of fun. I also enjoyed the clear satirical elements, and at times I was getting vibes of both Terry Pratchett’s books and of Monty Python with the particular combination of funny and sharp. Between the barbarian warrior in khakis, a whole town of medieval/fantasy hipsters, a whole species that speaks only in obscenities, and an incredibly accurate portrayal of modern politicians in general, this book is definitely worth the read!

[Lisa Albright · Rating 5 out of 5]

This enjoyable fantasy read is full of sardonic humor and dry wit that feels as though the narrative is essentially mocking itself. I liked the sense of whimsy and fun the author created with the unique and occasionally absurd characters that appeared to join Princess Maryan in her quest to fulfill the prophecy. The story itself is charming and light-hearted, and I found myself captivated and wholeheartedly cheering on the unlikely heroes. This book is a great deviation from my usual genres and I loved every moment spent in this intriguing world.

I received a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Miriam Verbeek]

I loved this book!

It is quirky, breaks so many 'rules' about how plots 'should' progress but it works. From the empty-headed parents to the valient but dumb knight to the clear-thinking and patient main protagonist (the Princess), the characters are engaging even if they are delightfully two-dimensional. The latter half of the book dragged a bit. Killing the Lich King seemed to have just a few too many iterations. But all in all, well done! I particularly liked the segues into technical details about metals, electricity and engineering.

[Susanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely one of my favourite books this year! Hilarious, I couldn´t stop grinning while reading. This book reminded me of the "Monty Python" movies/series. "Princess of Prophecy" is a totally unique book and I hope I can read a lot more books by Alexander Thomas. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Briony Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Monty Python Presents Konasuba

The book has wonderful vibes of a fun and silly dnd campain. Some of the side characters I could hear in my DMs voice as I read!
It made me smile. The highlights of the book was each character's big moment. I was always so excited for them and cheered on this group of misfits til the end!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was hilarious. I was giggling from beginning to end. I especially love the allegory to the pandemic. That was great.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

⚰️ Mini Review ⚰️

This one was actually pretty funny. Reminded me so much of a D&D campaign. Had me laughing. There were a few parts and things that were a little repetitive and got frustrating at times, but overall it was a good read.

[Forrest Trepte · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this tale of adventure told in hilarious style.

[Gianna ✧*:･ﾟ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fed up with palace life and unwanted suitors, Princess Maryan embarks on a quirky quest: defeat an undead king thrice for "timeless romance" (whatever that means!) Expect side-splitting chaos, useless companions, and Maryan discovering who she truly is.
First off don't expect a serious book going into this, this book was pure fun, just absolute silliness and comedy which made me laugh out loud so many times!
The plot itself is enough to keep you hooked, I honestly could not put this down and stayed up to finish this. It gives very much a series of unfortunate events vibes which I love!! With random and fun things happening along a main plot that you actually want to see to the end!!
It was honestly a cozy and fun read that would make an incredible movie adaption!!

[Lettering library · Rating 4 out of 5]

How would you feel about fighting the Lich King?" "I'd rather avoid it." "And finding legendary romance?" "I'm discovering that other people's idea of romance doesn't necessarily match my own." "What if your only other option was to marry Prince Mikhail?" "How exactly does one fight a Lich King?"

This book was so much fun! It follows the story of princess Maryan, the princess of Offerdell. Her parents want her to get married for political gain and a lot of grandchildren. But she doesn't want to marry someone she doesn't love, so when during a banquet a peasant lady presents a prophecy, or for being specific a limerick, about the threat of the linch king, she decides to run without anything and go for the adventure. But she doesn't do it alone, a lot of people join her journey, a knight, a chronicle, a barbarian and a wizard, but not the kind you will expect 😂. It was an entertaining and light-hearted read, so much fun and sarcastic, I never knew what would happen next. I loved Maryan's growth and independence and her journey in finding herself. The story was so unique and creative, intended to be a satire of prophecy books, marking all of the typical cliches. In a way it reminded me of Shrek. Can't wait to read other books of this author in the future

If you want to find more of my reviews you can find me on Istagram @the.lettering.library

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.