The Prophet: Intro to the Kota Series

The Kota Series #0

by Sunshine Somerville

If your nightmares came true, what would you do to save the future?

Hazen Stephenson grew up pampered, and he knows it. But he’s never had it easy. Hazen’s nightmares aren’t merely products of his imagination, and he wrestles daily with guilt, responsibility, and questions of fate. Setting off across the globe, he meets people he’s dreamed about and changes their lives…for better and for worse.

Then he meets Renny Nado, who never dreamed her Creative Writing degree would amount to much. But a people called ‘The Kota’ say her gifts point to an important destiny, and she must convince Hazen of their purpose.

Meanwhile, the world is full of pain, hate, and political upheaval. Should they accept what the Kota say about the future and their place in it? Or should they keep their heads out of the clouds?

82 pages, ebook

Published June 5, 2017

About the author

Sunshine Somerville is a Science Fantasy author who loves blending genres. She has a degree in English Literature and self-published her first book at the ripe old age of nine.  She currently lives on the beachy side of Michigan with her husband, two fur babies, and two human daughters. 
The Kota Series is a Science Fantasy epic based on youthful obsessions with X-Men, Star Wars, The Chronicles of Narnia, Dark Angel, and A Wrinkle in Time.
The Alt-World Chronicles is an Urban Fantasy series inspired by weird recurring dreams, a brainstorming session in the shower, and one ridiculously hot summer lived in Kansas City.
A Fairly Fairy Tale is Sunshine’s first Middle Grade Fantasy book. She got the idea from her family’s crest, which portrays a dragon shooting flames from both ends, and from a niece whose second favorite word is farts.

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Reviews

[Darlene · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free electronic copy of The Prophet by Sunshine Somerville in exchange for an honest review. The book is the prequel/introduction of the Kota Series. It follows a young man name Hazan who has prophetic nightmares and his dream counterpart Renny. They are recruited by the Kota, alongside another prophet team to compile the prophesies their dreams and nightmares foretell in an effort to save humanity’s future. I'd class it as a YA read with a Sci-Fi/Fantasy mix. The Prophet is both easy to read and entertaining. I am interested in reading the rest of the series. I recommend this to YA, Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Apocalyptic lit fans.

[Charles Remington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hazen Stephenson has nightmares - disturbing, sometimes terrifying, dreams about the distant future or sometimes about tragic events that will happen imminently and which he feels an urgent compulsion to try to influence. Sometimes he succeeds, but not always; unfortunately, there is no way of telling in advance which dream scenarios are changeable and which are not, that is, until he meets Renny Nado. The Prophet by Sunshine Somerville chronicles the dramatic change in Hazen’s life as he makes the shocking discovery that Renny shares his dreams, literally having exactly the same dream at the same time. But the fantastic difference is that Renny only shares the dreams in which the actual circumstances can be changed. This is going to make a great deal of difference to Hazen’s life but Renny has other plans - she wants Hazen to meet with a sect called the Kota, a group deeply interested in Hazen’s dreams of the future, a group which believes his dystopian dreams are prophetic and need to be documented in order to guide future generations. This will involve travelling to the sect’s temple in Tibet and avoiding the attention of a disturbed psychopathic member of the Kota who believes that new prophets must die in order to preserve the timeline. Working in Tibet with others who experience the same nightmare dreams, Hazen and Renny try to record a series of prophecies to assist the Kota and those who will follow, but a hunter is out there determined that they will not succeed.

I am happy to say that Sunshine Somerville has the knack of grabbing your attention and keeping it throughout her pacey narrative. The Prophet is a short but well written novella that appears to precede her dystopian ‘Kota’ series. Unfortunately, I have not read this series, but The Prophet may serve to clarify some of the themes and precepts for those who have. Having read this prequel though, I am encouraged to give the main series a try. Ms Somerville is a talented author and sure to achieve great success in her chosen genre. I have no hesitation in recommending this book to fans of dystopian sci-fi.

[Sunshine Somerville · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by Romuald Dzemo for Readers' Favorite

The Prophet: Companion Story is an entry in The Kota Series by Sunshine Somerville, a dystopian novella with great and exciting characters. The dystopian setting conjures powerful, grim images. Hazen Stephenson, a man who experiences disturbing lucid dreams, sets out across the world to meet people he encounters in his dreams, and he has a lot of impact on their lives. Renny Nado has a Creative Writing Degree and has never considered what to do with it, although “The Kota” people see it as playing an important role in the greater scheme of things. Could she make Hazen see the purpose of her gifts? What role would they play in a world that is sinking, marked by political tensions, greed, and hatred?

The Prophet: Companion Story is a riveting read, one you’d complete in one sitting, not because it is short, but because it is gripping. As one reads on, one can’t help but think about the current political situation in the US. Although this is a story with powerful dystopian elements, it reflects a lot of contemporary political drama, with the greed and madness and hatred seeping through political minds. One also understands the place of gifts in the economy of life. Our gifts are meant to serve a purpose and it is wonderful to see how Renny Nado gets anxious about hers. Sunshine Somerville has crafted a beautiful story that has many lessons for humanity, a story that will make readers rethink what role they play in life in their time. The prose is beautiful and the plot follows a simple, yet gripping structure. I finished reading this one before I even remembered I started reading. It’s a delightful piece of writing, indeed.

[John Barnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating

I knew this was a prequel to the main series..and wasn't sure what to expect. However, as I advanced throughout the book, the thought of 'prophets' sharing the lying and yang of their visions until satisfied that they had left a permanent marker for those chosen for future tasks to save mankind not only believable but feasible too.
Neither was I surprised when their base was set in Tibet where relevance to today's Dalai llama was unmistakable. A fascinating foresight into how the future might unfold but similarly not surprised that there would be an evil minority Hell bent on total control of the planet - mirroring the political and financial systems of the present day! I look forward to reading the entire set and enjoying man's struggle for survival

[Velvet · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick read and a prequel to the author's KOTA series, this novelette charmed me the minute one of the characters interrupted a conversation to explain the difference between a trope and cliche. "The Prophet" follows Hazen, a young man with troubling visions of the ill-fated, who tries desperately to intervene and save as many lives as possible. But when he meet Renny, he is introduced to a sect that recognizes his dreams for what they could be, a warning of a dark future with an event horizon closer than anyone realizes.

Since this is a prequel, I feel like I might have had a more emotional reaction to the introduction of certain characters had I read the novels ahead of time, but this little gem stands on its own. The writing is smooth, the characters are interesting, and this little taste definitely sets you up to want to read the rest of the series.

[Shannan Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book totally wowed me! The author is new to me and I sure am glad I found her. This intro to the Kota series was so good. I read the book in just a couple of hours. I was hooked right at the beginning and the story held me captive until the end. The ending left me really wanting more! I was immediately drawn to the two main characters Hazen and Renny. Hazen has been a part of Renny’s dreams and she just knew she had to find him. Even though this was a quick read, it was packed with suspense. I highly recommend this book to lovers of fantasy and science fiction. I cannot wait to read more of this series.

[Tresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read, Hazen can see the future and he does his best to prevent people from dying, though he's not always successful. When he meets Renny who knows who he is and what he does for she has seen him in her dreams, she tells him of a group, Kota and he needs to meet them. Very unique storyline and characters!!

[Amber Daniels · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting intro to a series and I have found a new author to stalk. I really am interested to see where this story will go from here. I would have given 5 stars but as a personal choice I don't give 5 to intro or short stories. Must Read though, I don't think it will disappoint.

[Lisa Eiff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great starting point

I really enjoyed this book. It only took a few hours to read, and this story is very easy to grasp. I'd recommend this intro to anyone that is a fan of supernatural books with a realistic vibe.

[Chandra Fry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Story!

This short story was a great intro into what promises to be a great series! I thoroughly enjoyed reading it! I look forward to reading the rest of the series!

[Sandy Lipinski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Sci-fi with believable characters. Hazen became an unsung hero. He had dreams that he tried to rid himself from .Then he accepted his fate and tried to save lives. He meets a woman that has been dreaming about him for years. She has some answers for Hazen and he's no longer alone.