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Prophecy of the Kings #1-3
Prophecy of the Kings: The Trilogy
The fate of three worlds are intertwined, that of men, dragons and demons. The time is fast approaching when the fabric separating the worlds will be thin enough for demons to cross the divide once again, but the people are largely ignorant of this, preferring forgetfulness rather than confronting their fears. The Eldric, saviours of previous wars, have mysteriously disappeared from the world, leaving behind crumbling ruins. Vastra, recklessly ambitious and driven by greed for power, seeks an Eldric talisman and recruits Kaplyn and Lars to help. Together they unravel an ancient secret that could doom them all. The evil that is Trosgarth is spreading across the land, monarchs are slain to deny the Prophecy from coming to pass, Priest of Ryoch are trained to communicate via their Shaols (their guardian spirits), while grakyn and krell gather in the remote regions of the world. As yet the drums of war beat quietly but all too soon they will call for all out war and who then will be ready?
706 pages, Paperback
First published September 4, 2008
6 people are currently reading
838 people want to read
About the author
David Burrows
6 books43 followersDavid Burrows is the author of the award winning fantasy trilogy the Prophecy of the Kings (Gold Award 2010 Readersfavorite.com) and the prequel Drachar's Demons. Prophecy of the Kings was also Book of the Month on SFbooks.com. Sample chapters and reviews can be found at David's website http://davidburrows.org.uk/.
David has lived in Blackpool, Liverpool, Edinburgh and he now resides in the garden of England, Kent. He was a Captain in the TA (2/52 Lowland), an experienced mountain climber and more recently has taken part in Saxon/Viking re-enactment. David's fantasy writing has benefited from these real life experiences: hours slogging up and down mountains and fighting in a shield wall and although never maimed or killed, David has broken bones on several occasions, so the fighting at times has felt very real.
As with most aspiring authors, David's writing is part time, with the plots progressing in the evenings and holidays and also during his wife’s pregnancies. At times David's tales seemed to naturally take the characters into extreme peril, and for months he was left wondering as to their fate. Refusing to rewrite the tale to rescue them he patiently waited before inspiration struck and the story continued at a fast pace to the next cliff-hanger. Suffice to say David's two sons have now grown up and, as the quill dries, are of an age to read and appreciate this work and to develop their own writing. As to the characters in David's tales, they too have grown older and wiser; as to whether they survived the tale, only reading the novel will tell.
David hopes you take time to check out his works and enjoy them.
David has lived in Blackpool, Liverpool, Edinburgh and he now resides in the garden of England, Kent. He was a Captain in the TA (2/52 Lowland), an experienced mountain climber and more recently has taken part in Saxon/Viking re-enactment. David's fantasy writing has benefited from these real life experiences: hours slogging up and down mountains and fighting in a shield wall and although never maimed or killed, David has broken bones on several occasions, so the fighting at times has felt very real.
As with most aspiring authors, David's writing is part time, with the plots progressing in the evenings and holidays and also during his wife’s pregnancies. At times David's tales seemed to naturally take the characters into extreme peril, and for months he was left wondering as to their fate. Refusing to rewrite the tale to rescue them he patiently waited before inspiration struck and the story continued at a fast pace to the next cliff-hanger. Suffice to say David's two sons have now grown up and, as the quill dries, are of an age to read and appreciate this work and to develop their own writing. As to the characters in David's tales, they too have grown older and wiser; as to whether they survived the tale, only reading the novel will tell.
David hopes you take time to check out his works and enjoy them.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
June 4, 2010
I really wanted to like this and give it a good rating. The story is solid and compelling, but due to poor execution/presentation, I couldn't go on after page 146. The author has talent and good ideas, but one of the hazards of self-publishing is not working with an editor, and one was sorely needed here. There are an abundance of typos, sound-alike words used in the wrong place, and even plot holes which an editor would have helped resolve. After a while, this just became annoying and I put the book down for other things. I may some day go back to see how the story ended (at least part 1) but for now, I just have too many books demanding attention. I hope the writer will keep striving though, because he clearly has a solid grasp of fantasy and is learning his craft.
June 16, 2012
Prophecy of the Kings Trilogy is an omnibus edition and it contains three fantasy books (Legacy of the Eldric, Dragon Rider and Shadow of the Demon).
During the last couple of years I've noticed that several lesser known traditional fantasy books are often more interesting and fascinating than well known traditional fantasy books. Prophecy of the Kings is one of these books, because it's pure entertainment from start to finish. When I began to read this book I didn't know much about it, but the story turned out to be surprisingly entertaining and it was fun to read what happened to the characters and what kind of plot twists the author had invented.
Prophecy of the Kings is a story about a group of peple who try to save their world. Demons and their worshipers are trying to open a gateway to a demon world, which would let demons loose in the world and all the inhabitants would either die or become slaves. The heroes of this story try to find the mysterious Eldric, which have disappeared and have left behind only certain items (the Eldric may be the only a hope against the demons, so finding them is important). This quest takes the heroes on a big adventure and changes their lives dramatically.
The four main characters are Kaplyn, Lars, Vastra and Lomar. Kaplyn is a prince who escaped from his home. Lars is a man who was shipwrecked and can't return home to his family. Vastra is a mysterious sorcerer who doesn't reveal much about himself. He hires Kaplyn and Lars, because he needs help in order to find what he's looking for. Lomar is an interesting character, because he's an Alvalah (the Alvalah are albinoes who live in the middle of a secluded forest in a place called Gilfillan).
I was amazed how fluently the author wrote about the adventures of the characters and the events, which ranged from travelling in the forest to a war with the demons. Reading about beautiful landscapes, magical happenings and action scenes was enjoyable. The author has created an interesting history for his fantasy world, so revelations about the past were fascinating.
I think it's good to mention that the story is surprisingly complex. Although this book is clearly traditional epic fantasy, it's more complex than several other similar books, because David Burrows has had ambition to create a complex story. It's nice that the author manages to end Legend of the Eldric and Dragon Rider in an addictive way so that the reader wants to know what happens in the final book.
The author's love for traditional fantasy can be seen in this book, because the story is true to the genre in almost every possible way. This can either be seen as a good thing or a bad thing depending on the reader's interest in traditional fantasy (I know that there are several readers who don't like traditional fantasy, because they only want to read realistic adult fantasy without traditional fantasy elements, but there are also readers who enjoy good old-fashioned fantasy). I personally found this book to be entertaining, because I've always liked traditional fantasy and I've been able to enjoy reading it. (I'm not trying to be a spokesperson for traditional fantasy, but I have to mention that it seems that more and more people have become alienated from traditional fantasy, which is a shame.)
This book is full of intresting details and lots of traditional fantasy elements (sorcerers, magic, demons, dwarves, spirits, dragons etc). What I liked most was that the author wrote fascinatingly about the demigods (Kalanth), which were guardians of the world. I also enjoyed reading about the dwarves and the Alvalah, because both races were different and had their own cultures. Reading about the ancient and extinct Eldric was very fascinating, because the author managed to prolong telling about them and didn't reveal what happened to them in the beginning of the book. I also have to mention that the author has come up with an original idea involving aging and magical sleep (this kind of fantasy elements can usually be found in fairy tales, so it was interesting to read about it).
The home of the Alvalah, Gilfillan, reminded me a bit of Lothlórien (the forest realm of the elves in Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings). I'm not sure if Lothlórien has been an inspiration for this forest realm, but it's nice that the author invented Gilfillan, because it's a beautiful creation and the author writes almost poetically about it and its wonders.
In my opinion Prophecy of the Kings Trilogy is a good example of a neglected fantasy trilogy, which deserves to get more publicity, because several fans of epic fantasy stories may find it interesting. This kind of traditional fantasy is fun to read and it offers harmless entertainment for its readers, because the reader simply has to allow the story to transport himself/herself to an imaginary fantasy world. I'm sure that fans of Terry Brooks will like this kind of fantasy very much because there are certain similarities between Brooks' Shannara books and this trilogy. Fans of old-fashioned quest fantasy may also enjoy this trilogy.
I'll also mention that it was refreshing to read a fantasy book, which didn't contain sexual situations or swearing. The lack of these things makes this book ideal reading for younger readers (I'm sure that young adults will enjoy reading this book).
Although I liked this book, I think it's good to mention that there were some rough spots in this book. The character development could have been a bit better, because it would've been nice to read more about the feelings of the characters and how they grow as persons. Certain situations were solved a bit too easily and fast (this can be a bit annoying for readers who have read lots of traditional fantasy books), but this is normal in traditional fantasy. I think that the author's purpose has been to keep the story flowing as fluently as possible so that the reader doesn't become bored, because the heroes have to face many kinds of threats and problems and have to find a way out of difficult situations.
Despite certain shortcomings, Prophecy of the Kings Trilogy is an exciting, easily likeable and fast-paced fantasy adventure, which is difficult to put down once you start reading it. Fans of adventure stories will be delighted by how easily the author keeps the story flowing and delivers plot twists along the way (if you're looking for an enjoyable fantasy adventure, this trilogy will offer good entertainment for a few hours). I can recommend this book to readers who enjoy reading traditional epic fantasy stories, because it's among the best new traditional fantasy books published during the recent years.
During the last couple of years I've noticed that several lesser known traditional fantasy books are often more interesting and fascinating than well known traditional fantasy books. Prophecy of the Kings is one of these books, because it's pure entertainment from start to finish. When I began to read this book I didn't know much about it, but the story turned out to be surprisingly entertaining and it was fun to read what happened to the characters and what kind of plot twists the author had invented.
Prophecy of the Kings is a story about a group of peple who try to save their world. Demons and their worshipers are trying to open a gateway to a demon world, which would let demons loose in the world and all the inhabitants would either die or become slaves. The heroes of this story try to find the mysterious Eldric, which have disappeared and have left behind only certain items (the Eldric may be the only a hope against the demons, so finding them is important). This quest takes the heroes on a big adventure and changes their lives dramatically.
The four main characters are Kaplyn, Lars, Vastra and Lomar. Kaplyn is a prince who escaped from his home. Lars is a man who was shipwrecked and can't return home to his family. Vastra is a mysterious sorcerer who doesn't reveal much about himself. He hires Kaplyn and Lars, because he needs help in order to find what he's looking for. Lomar is an interesting character, because he's an Alvalah (the Alvalah are albinoes who live in the middle of a secluded forest in a place called Gilfillan).
I was amazed how fluently the author wrote about the adventures of the characters and the events, which ranged from travelling in the forest to a war with the demons. Reading about beautiful landscapes, magical happenings and action scenes was enjoyable. The author has created an interesting history for his fantasy world, so revelations about the past were fascinating.
I think it's good to mention that the story is surprisingly complex. Although this book is clearly traditional epic fantasy, it's more complex than several other similar books, because David Burrows has had ambition to create a complex story. It's nice that the author manages to end Legend of the Eldric and Dragon Rider in an addictive way so that the reader wants to know what happens in the final book.
The author's love for traditional fantasy can be seen in this book, because the story is true to the genre in almost every possible way. This can either be seen as a good thing or a bad thing depending on the reader's interest in traditional fantasy (I know that there are several readers who don't like traditional fantasy, because they only want to read realistic adult fantasy without traditional fantasy elements, but there are also readers who enjoy good old-fashioned fantasy). I personally found this book to be entertaining, because I've always liked traditional fantasy and I've been able to enjoy reading it. (I'm not trying to be a spokesperson for traditional fantasy, but I have to mention that it seems that more and more people have become alienated from traditional fantasy, which is a shame.)
This book is full of intresting details and lots of traditional fantasy elements (sorcerers, magic, demons, dwarves, spirits, dragons etc). What I liked most was that the author wrote fascinatingly about the demigods (Kalanth), which were guardians of the world. I also enjoyed reading about the dwarves and the Alvalah, because both races were different and had their own cultures. Reading about the ancient and extinct Eldric was very fascinating, because the author managed to prolong telling about them and didn't reveal what happened to them in the beginning of the book. I also have to mention that the author has come up with an original idea involving aging and magical sleep (this kind of fantasy elements can usually be found in fairy tales, so it was interesting to read about it).
The home of the Alvalah, Gilfillan, reminded me a bit of Lothlórien (the forest realm of the elves in Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings). I'm not sure if Lothlórien has been an inspiration for this forest realm, but it's nice that the author invented Gilfillan, because it's a beautiful creation and the author writes almost poetically about it and its wonders.
In my opinion Prophecy of the Kings Trilogy is a good example of a neglected fantasy trilogy, which deserves to get more publicity, because several fans of epic fantasy stories may find it interesting. This kind of traditional fantasy is fun to read and it offers harmless entertainment for its readers, because the reader simply has to allow the story to transport himself/herself to an imaginary fantasy world. I'm sure that fans of Terry Brooks will like this kind of fantasy very much because there are certain similarities between Brooks' Shannara books and this trilogy. Fans of old-fashioned quest fantasy may also enjoy this trilogy.
I'll also mention that it was refreshing to read a fantasy book, which didn't contain sexual situations or swearing. The lack of these things makes this book ideal reading for younger readers (I'm sure that young adults will enjoy reading this book).
Although I liked this book, I think it's good to mention that there were some rough spots in this book. The character development could have been a bit better, because it would've been nice to read more about the feelings of the characters and how they grow as persons. Certain situations were solved a bit too easily and fast (this can be a bit annoying for readers who have read lots of traditional fantasy books), but this is normal in traditional fantasy. I think that the author's purpose has been to keep the story flowing as fluently as possible so that the reader doesn't become bored, because the heroes have to face many kinds of threats and problems and have to find a way out of difficult situations.
Despite certain shortcomings, Prophecy of the Kings Trilogy is an exciting, easily likeable and fast-paced fantasy adventure, which is difficult to put down once you start reading it. Fans of adventure stories will be delighted by how easily the author keeps the story flowing and delivers plot twists along the way (if you're looking for an enjoyable fantasy adventure, this trilogy will offer good entertainment for a few hours). I can recommend this book to readers who enjoy reading traditional epic fantasy stories, because it's among the best new traditional fantasy books published during the recent years.
February 16, 2021
Good story in need of a good editor
It's a shame. This is a good story but really needs more work. I considered rating higher, but had to remind myself how many times I considered not finishing it. When you're distracted by the writing, not totally engrossed in the story, it can't be considered an outstanding book. Not only were the numerous issues like random point of view and grammatical problems, but the story itself had issues. Intrigue is good, mystery is good, but plain old confusion is not. The were plot points weren't resolved clearly, New characters were introduced often with little development, even the primary characters really had no arc. The book tried to be epic, but didn't have the momentum for it. So, although the story had a lot of potential, I really can't recommend the book.
It's a shame. This is a good story but really needs more work. I considered rating higher, but had to remind myself how many times I considered not finishing it. When you're distracted by the writing, not totally engrossed in the story, it can't be considered an outstanding book. Not only were the numerous issues like random point of view and grammatical problems, but the story itself had issues. Intrigue is good, mystery is good, but plain old confusion is not. The were plot points weren't resolved clearly, New characters were introduced often with little development, even the primary characters really had no arc. The book tried to be epic, but didn't have the momentum for it. So, although the story had a lot of potential, I really can't recommend the book.
October 9, 2009
This is the story of a young, irresponsible prince that ran away to have an adventure, and an adventure he got. Kaplyn, our prince that is last in line for the throne after his many older brothers, finds himself mixed up with stranded foreigners, power-hungry sorcerers, evil demons, religious zealots, ghosts, and bloodthirsty dragons. His journeys lead him to search for the Eldric people, a race of powerful sorcerers that disappeared after one of their own nearly destroyed the world thousands of years ago. The country of Trosgarth threatens the rest of the continent with impending war, and an ancient prophecy of the kings is the only clue for the people to defeat Trosgarth and restore peace. As the story progresses, the pieces of the prophecy fall into place little by little. The end of the trilogy culminates with a battle for the fate of the world and a surprising conclusion to the books.
In my opinion, the trilogy began on the slow side, and it seemed disjointed from a reader’s perspective. I truly pay attention to character development when I read, and I think that the author’s need to give background information about the world and its history got in the way with good character development. However, as the trilogy progresses, the author finally begins to figure it out. The story eventually begins to tell itself and comes together, and the reader begins to see more depth, growth, and maturity in Kaplyn. We see him as human, empathetic, and determined to stop evil in the world. Just what we should see in a main character. I would like to think that Kaplyn’s personal journey also reflects the author’s personal journey in writing these books; the reader can see the maturation of the author’s writing as the story progresses, as well.
Overall, despite the slow start, The Prophecy of the Kings has the potential to make it onto amazon.com with some additional editorial work. I enjoyed the story as it had great imagination and creativity, and I heartily wish David good luck with the future success of his book.
In my opinion, the trilogy began on the slow side, and it seemed disjointed from a reader’s perspective. I truly pay attention to character development when I read, and I think that the author’s need to give background information about the world and its history got in the way with good character development. However, as the trilogy progresses, the author finally begins to figure it out. The story eventually begins to tell itself and comes together, and the reader begins to see more depth, growth, and maturity in Kaplyn. We see him as human, empathetic, and determined to stop evil in the world. Just what we should see in a main character. I would like to think that Kaplyn’s personal journey also reflects the author’s personal journey in writing these books; the reader can see the maturation of the author’s writing as the story progresses, as well.
Overall, despite the slow start, The Prophecy of the Kings has the potential to make it onto amazon.com with some additional editorial work. I enjoyed the story as it had great imagination and creativity, and I heartily wish David good luck with the future success of his book.
April 24, 2011
Prophecy of the Kings is an excellent read! It's the combined trilogy by the author David Burrows.
Book 1 is Legacy of the Eldric. It sets up the story, following the story of Kaplyn, Lars and Lomar, with the sorcerer Vastra. I found this part to drag on a tad to much, but overall, the author did a wonderful job setting up the story. Likeable characters, both good and bad. The ending was intense, and I was so glad I had all three books, so I was able to dive right in to the second one.
Book 2 is Dragon Rider. This book was very intense and enjoyable all the way through. The author did a great job of keeping everything going, lots of twists and turns, but without getting off into other tangents. The ending was a bit more mild, but definitely drew one in to reading the third book right away. I enjoyed some of the stories behind the secondary characters as well. Not hugely detailed, but just enough to be able to root for them as the stories progressed.
Book 3 is Shadow of the Demon. It felt a bit slow at the beginning, though it really wasn't. It built up the storyline well, and ended with a big bang. I was curious as to how the author would end it, since one kept being led to believe the Eldric would come back. I found the twist to be extremely interesting, and made for a very good ending to the story.
The author has been compared to several of the great fantasy writers like Tolkien and Moorcock. I can certainly see a lot of similarities with regards to Tolkien, but he has managed to keep it on its own course, and a very enjoyable one at that.
Book 1 is Legacy of the Eldric. It sets up the story, following the story of Kaplyn, Lars and Lomar, with the sorcerer Vastra. I found this part to drag on a tad to much, but overall, the author did a wonderful job setting up the story. Likeable characters, both good and bad. The ending was intense, and I was so glad I had all three books, so I was able to dive right in to the second one.
Book 2 is Dragon Rider. This book was very intense and enjoyable all the way through. The author did a great job of keeping everything going, lots of twists and turns, but without getting off into other tangents. The ending was a bit more mild, but definitely drew one in to reading the third book right away. I enjoyed some of the stories behind the secondary characters as well. Not hugely detailed, but just enough to be able to root for them as the stories progressed.
Book 3 is Shadow of the Demon. It felt a bit slow at the beginning, though it really wasn't. It built up the storyline well, and ended with a big bang. I was curious as to how the author would end it, since one kept being led to believe the Eldric would come back. I found the twist to be extremely interesting, and made for a very good ending to the story.
The author has been compared to several of the great fantasy writers like Tolkien and Moorcock. I can certainly see a lot of similarities with regards to Tolkien, but he has managed to keep it on its own course, and a very enjoyable one at that.
December 15, 2009
Prophecy of the Kings is a fantasy trilogy that follows the adventures of Kaplyn, an immature overindulged prince who yearns to escape the tedium of court by embarking on an adventure. The adventure winds up encompassing a longer time span than Kaplyn would have ever expected and the world that he knows undergoes a complete upheaval. The creatures that Kaplyn only knows as characters in tales are actually based in fact and the adventure becomes a fantastical journey to save the world. Kaplyn is accompanied by several unusual companions that he meets during his travels and he undergoes several startling transformations during his quest.
The first book is a bit choppy and somewhat difficult to read but forms an important base for the remaining two books in the series. Overall, the author uses an intriguing mixture of imaginative characters to provide an entertaining fantasy centering around a particular prophecy that could apply to more than one character. There are several nice plot twists that alter one’s perceptions of a particular species and a gratifying maturation of the main character as he overcomes the many obstacles that he encounters. An entertaining trilogy that could warrant transformation into a quartet of books.
April 30, 2014
The Prophecy of the Kings trilogy is a fantastic epic. David Burrows creates a vibrant and compelling world which captivates his readers. Kaplyn, a prince of Allund, travels to escape the boredom of being the ninth in line for the throne of Allund. He stumples upon outlaws who plan to kill a stranger named Lars and comes to his aid against his better judgement. Together the pair, set off to compete in the Pendrat games and come across a wizard named Vastra whom asks for their assistance retrieving a pendant from an ancient city. From here Kaplyn and Lars' destiny is set and before long they have set into motion a five hundred year old prophesy that holds the fate of their world in the balance. [return][return]The first book started a little slow but quickly grabs a hold of the reader. Burrows develops his characters well and by the end of the first book you feel compelled to keep reading to find out the outcome of the tribulations the characters must go through. The second and third books are equally engaging and the pace quickens with every page. I truly enjoyed this novel and would recommend to all fantasy fiction fans.
August 3, 2009
This was a good book. Three companions start a journey to find a magical pendant and along the way become integral parts of a prophecy that could mean the end of the world as they know it. There is a constant change in scenery as they travel around their world gaining allies, seeking knowledge, and fighting battles. The characters are likeable, especially Lomar and Kaplan, and I couldn’t predict the story as it unfolded. There is no swearing or sexual content. This would be a great book for middle /high school age readers.
I received this book through an author giveaway on librarything.com. I can be a little critical when it comes to “quest” fantasy because I’ve read a decent amount of it. This trilogy was on the upper end of the spectrum. Burrow’s characters and world were well described and created. I wish there could have been some more character growth, outside of Vastra. It didn’t really have the intensity of the best novels of this type. Despite this, it deserves a read.
I received this book through an author giveaway on librarything.com. I can be a little critical when it comes to “quest” fantasy because I’ve read a decent amount of it. This trilogy was on the upper end of the spectrum. Burrow’s characters and world were well described and created. I wish there could have been some more character growth, outside of Vastra. It didn’t really have the intensity of the best novels of this type. Despite this, it deserves a read.
October 8, 2009
The story is very good. If you enjoy fantasy literature, you will like the story. The battle scenes are described very nicely, as is the scenery. I would have loved to see some more character development in some of the moderately important characters, but the most important characters are developed in such a way that one finds oneself interested in what will happen to them.
The only real complaint that I have about the book is that it is in need of some major editing. There are numerous errors in typing, including the use of incorrect words, duplicated words, and awkward sentences. I don't see this as the author's fault. I know from experience that when you spend lots of time looking at a written project it is almost impossible to see these errors. Instead I think an editor should be blamed for not finding the errors.
Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone looking for something a bit different but remeniscent of Lord of the Rings.
The only real complaint that I have about the book is that it is in need of some major editing. There are numerous errors in typing, including the use of incorrect words, duplicated words, and awkward sentences. I don't see this as the author's fault. I know from experience that when you spend lots of time looking at a written project it is almost impossible to see these errors. Instead I think an editor should be blamed for not finding the errors.
Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone looking for something a bit different but remeniscent of Lord of the Rings.
May 18, 2009
I received a copy of the full The Prophecy of the Kings Trilogy from the LibraryThing Member Giveaways program. I do enjoy this type of fiction and I thought that the first book may lead to me purchasing the other two, but the author was generous enough to send out a copy that had all three books in it.
I really enjoyed the story and found that the books were very easy to ready and very enjoyable. The story truly follows Kaplyn, a price of Allund, through his adventures after he leaves home to find adventure away from the restrictions of the Court. He meets up with many characters that follow him through the remainder of all three books. I felt that these characters all brought something to the story while still not making the story so complex that it was hard to follow. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys the fantasy genre of book.
I really enjoyed the story and found that the books were very easy to ready and very enjoyable. The story truly follows Kaplyn, a price of Allund, through his adventures after he leaves home to find adventure away from the restrictions of the Court. He meets up with many characters that follow him through the remainder of all three books. I felt that these characters all brought something to the story while still not making the story so complex that it was hard to follow. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys the fantasy genre of book.
September 22, 2011
I won this book in a First-Reads givaway, and I am so glad i did! This is a three part series...and I am glad that I have them all in one book. The first book ended in such a way that I would have had to make a trip to the city to find the second one if it had not already been there. David Burrows has created a world, that while similar to other fantasy settings, is supremely his own, and his characters live and react in that world.
The second and third book complete the story began in the first. Mr. Burrows has a way with words and his descriptions make you feel like you are actually traveling in the evil forest or trapped in the dark, dank dungeon. The characters are bosom friends or arch enemies and each character has a unique personality described by his actions and the reactions of his companions.
I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy settings!!
The second and third book complete the story began in the first. Mr. Burrows has a way with words and his descriptions make you feel like you are actually traveling in the evil forest or trapped in the dark, dank dungeon. The characters are bosom friends or arch enemies and each character has a unique personality described by his actions and the reactions of his companions.
I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy settings!!
March 23, 2014
Book Review: The Prophecy of the Kings by David Burrows.
This is a book that slowly builds into a great epic tale of adventure. Like a good stew, it takes time for the full flavour to be revealed but it is well worth the wait. It builds and builds as the story is revealed until it becomes a masterful piece of fantasy. It is a long read, but well worth the effort and you will be well rewarded for your perseverance. I know I was.
In particular, I loved the dark psyche of the dragons, which was very cleverly thought out and presented within the second part of the story. By the time you get to the third book of the trilogy, where you are transported into the realms of hell and fight demons, as well as feasting with dwarves, and many other adventures, the tale has you well and truly hooked, and there is no getting off until the final, explosive finale. Brilliant read.
This is a book that slowly builds into a great epic tale of adventure. Like a good stew, it takes time for the full flavour to be revealed but it is well worth the wait. It builds and builds as the story is revealed until it becomes a masterful piece of fantasy. It is a long read, but well worth the effort and you will be well rewarded for your perseverance. I know I was.
In particular, I loved the dark psyche of the dragons, which was very cleverly thought out and presented within the second part of the story. By the time you get to the third book of the trilogy, where you are transported into the realms of hell and fight demons, as well as feasting with dwarves, and many other adventures, the tale has you well and truly hooked, and there is no getting off until the final, explosive finale. Brilliant read.
April 6, 2013
An immensely satisfying read, this book introduces two 'princes' from very different backgrounds that we come to know as friends. We follow their travels in the company of a practitioner of arcane lore, himself unaware he is a pawn in a much larger scheme. As events unfold we are drawn into a yarn composed of many threads. The central story is subtely enriched by details from other experiences the characters have experienced. Burrow's creates a fantasy world rich in cultural diversity and full of imagination.
June 5, 2009
Fantastic fantasy series! This series has everything a fantasy lover like me wants out of a story. It had me constantly turning the pages to find out what happens next! Very exciting and gripping in every aspect of the word. I recommend this series to all fantasy lovers, I know you'll love it as much as I do!
Want to read
May 14, 2010Won this from a Goodreads giveaway, thank you Goodreads and thank you to David Burrows for writing and sponsoring the giveaway, I look forward to reading it.
December 16, 2020
Received as a Goodreads giveaway.
DNF - Did not finish
I wanted to love this book, as the synopsis made it sound like a great fantasy romp. However, I am 25% of the way through the omnibus and have no interest in any of the characters, all women we have met so far are 1-dimensional at best (and cryers) and I am also irritated by the grammatical errors mentioned in other reviews. I feel bad not finishing, but not badly enough to continue. A heavy edit is needed for this book....though there is promise in the premise.
DNF - Did not finish
I wanted to love this book, as the synopsis made it sound like a great fantasy romp. However, I am 25% of the way through the omnibus and have no interest in any of the characters, all women we have met so far are 1-dimensional at best (and cryers) and I am also irritated by the grammatical errors mentioned in other reviews. I feel bad not finishing, but not badly enough to continue. A heavy edit is needed for this book....though there is promise in the premise.
March 3, 2012
Prophecy of Kings: The Trilogy got added to the To Be Read list after seeing a 'Please Review My Book' thread on Amazon. I read the first chapter, it looked good, and onto the list it went.
Months later (because I'm not setting any speed records for book reviewing) I picked it back up again.
I didn't finish the trilogy.
I read all the way through the first book, and it's okay. There's nothing terribly wrong with the story or the plot. But it's not great, and the characters didn't do much for me. It's a very basic, generic high fantasy: A Young Prince With A Destiny teams up with the Recovering Alcoholic Warrior. They both get roped into a dubious quest by The Dark Mage. Eventually they're befriended by The Good Elf. There's an overarching plot involving the return of Great Evil and a lesser quest plot to see about Finding The Good That Can Save Us From Great Evil. Mostly though, book one sets the scene and introduces characters.
If that plot and those character types are your idea of a good time, grab a copy of this, you'll like it.
As for me, I'm a fan of character driven plot. And I like my characters smart. They can start off innocent and trusting (stupid), but they've got to have a pretty quick learning curve. It absolutely kills me to watch characters make the same mistakes over and over and over.
Which is part of why I drug through this book, reading a page or two at a time and feeling no compelling need to keep going. Kaplyn, The Prince With A Destiny, doesn't ever seem to learn anything. Now, by the end of Legacy of the Eldrich (Book One) that slow learning curve has bitten him, badly. So my hope is that in Dragon Riders (Book Two) he's finally learning. But I wasn't hopeful enough to do more than skim the first few chapters of Dragon Riders.
The world building is okay. Not great, not terrible. It's a pretty standard medieval-esque world filled with standard fantasy critters. The magical system was slightly off the beaten track, with the Dark Mage (technically a sorcerer) gaining his power by working with demons. The Elves (Alvalah) are all albinos, but besides that, they're the standard forest-dwelling, nature-loving, vegetarians. There's a tiny bit of politics, but it's forgotten about nineteen sentences after it gets brought up.
The formatting and proofing is okay. It's not great. In my copy random squares pop up in the text. Why? I have no idea. It doesn't look like some sort of bad translation of a non-standard character. They're between words, not in the middle of them. It's not every page, or even every chapter, but it is often enough to make an impression. The proofing needed help, too. Mostly punctuation issues, the sort of thing that if you're into the story you don't notice, but if you're already dragging through it, sticks out big time.
The writing is (Are you sensing a theme, yet?) okay. It's competent. I'll forgive a lot for gloriously sparkling snark infested dialog, and that just wasn't there. And I'm always happy to see beautiful word choice, and that wasn't there, either. Once again, it's not bad, there's nothing terribly wrong with any of this. But there was nothing about the writing that made me want to keep turning pages, either.
On a story edit side, I'd say the Quest For Good to Save Us plot line could have used some more urgency. We're told the Great Evil will be showing up in sixty years. Which isn't precisely the sort of timeline that makes readers want to go ripping through the pages to see if the good guys save the day in the nick of time. We get some more urgency toward the end, which helps.
There's a nice almost twist at the end. Alert readers probably know it's coming from about the 80% mark, but the characters are genuinely surprised. Actually the end is the best bit of the book, but slogging through 200 pages to get to the decent twenty pages didn't thrill me. And I'll admit that I'm still a bit fuzzy on what precisely happened in the end. Not that I can't tell you what happened in a blow by blow sort of way. I'm fuzzy on what precisely one of the characters thought he was doing at the end and why.
So, all in all, it's okay. I didn't hate it. I didn't love it. I know fantasy readers come in many, many flavors, and this is a story that will appeal to some of them. Just not me.
Months later (because I'm not setting any speed records for book reviewing) I picked it back up again.
I didn't finish the trilogy.
I read all the way through the first book, and it's okay. There's nothing terribly wrong with the story or the plot. But it's not great, and the characters didn't do much for me. It's a very basic, generic high fantasy: A Young Prince With A Destiny teams up with the Recovering Alcoholic Warrior. They both get roped into a dubious quest by The Dark Mage. Eventually they're befriended by The Good Elf. There's an overarching plot involving the return of Great Evil and a lesser quest plot to see about Finding The Good That Can Save Us From Great Evil. Mostly though, book one sets the scene and introduces characters.
If that plot and those character types are your idea of a good time, grab a copy of this, you'll like it.
As for me, I'm a fan of character driven plot. And I like my characters smart. They can start off innocent and trusting (stupid), but they've got to have a pretty quick learning curve. It absolutely kills me to watch characters make the same mistakes over and over and over.
Which is part of why I drug through this book, reading a page or two at a time and feeling no compelling need to keep going. Kaplyn, The Prince With A Destiny, doesn't ever seem to learn anything. Now, by the end of Legacy of the Eldrich (Book One) that slow learning curve has bitten him, badly. So my hope is that in Dragon Riders (Book Two) he's finally learning. But I wasn't hopeful enough to do more than skim the first few chapters of Dragon Riders.
The world building is okay. Not great, not terrible. It's a pretty standard medieval-esque world filled with standard fantasy critters. The magical system was slightly off the beaten track, with the Dark Mage (technically a sorcerer) gaining his power by working with demons. The Elves (Alvalah) are all albinos, but besides that, they're the standard forest-dwelling, nature-loving, vegetarians. There's a tiny bit of politics, but it's forgotten about nineteen sentences after it gets brought up.
The formatting and proofing is okay. It's not great. In my copy random squares pop up in the text. Why? I have no idea. It doesn't look like some sort of bad translation of a non-standard character. They're between words, not in the middle of them. It's not every page, or even every chapter, but it is often enough to make an impression. The proofing needed help, too. Mostly punctuation issues, the sort of thing that if you're into the story you don't notice, but if you're already dragging through it, sticks out big time.
The writing is (Are you sensing a theme, yet?) okay. It's competent. I'll forgive a lot for gloriously sparkling snark infested dialog, and that just wasn't there. And I'm always happy to see beautiful word choice, and that wasn't there, either. Once again, it's not bad, there's nothing terribly wrong with any of this. But there was nothing about the writing that made me want to keep turning pages, either.
On a story edit side, I'd say the Quest For Good to Save Us plot line could have used some more urgency. We're told the Great Evil will be showing up in sixty years. Which isn't precisely the sort of timeline that makes readers want to go ripping through the pages to see if the good guys save the day in the nick of time. We get some more urgency toward the end, which helps.
There's a nice almost twist at the end. Alert readers probably know it's coming from about the 80% mark, but the characters are genuinely surprised. Actually the end is the best bit of the book, but slogging through 200 pages to get to the decent twenty pages didn't thrill me. And I'll admit that I'm still a bit fuzzy on what precisely happened in the end. Not that I can't tell you what happened in a blow by blow sort of way. I'm fuzzy on what precisely one of the characters thought he was doing at the end and why.
So, all in all, it's okay. I didn't hate it. I didn't love it. I know fantasy readers come in many, many flavors, and this is a story that will appeal to some of them. Just not me.
June 7, 2010
This was not a book for me. I finished the first book in the trilogy and had to abandon the rest. I actually had high hopes for this book, especially after reading the preface. That hope dwindled after the first 20 pages.
Legacy of the Eldric has such an Eragon-esque feel I truly struggled to keep reading. The only exception was our travelers did not have access to a dragon - although, one was mentioned. It was amazing how terribly similar these two stories were. Both could have benefited with a good editor.
While the book could have been compelling, its labored detail of the most trivial drew out the story longer than it needed. In addition, the plot needed to be developed better – less jumpy, smother story line. I think this world could have been more enchanting if less time was spent taking the men on horseback though the countryside and focus on the preface. Simply, build the world and create the illusion of wonderment, then take the men on the quest – a more direct, to the point quest. Sadly, instead of wonderment, I was left with wondering why I was reading this book.
The genre of fantasy is a difficult world to create for all – not everyone will be drawn into the world a writer creates. I wish Mr. Burrows future success and hope he takes on an editor who is skilled in fantasy and helps draw out his talent.
Legacy of the Eldric has such an Eragon-esque feel I truly struggled to keep reading. The only exception was our travelers did not have access to a dragon - although, one was mentioned. It was amazing how terribly similar these two stories were. Both could have benefited with a good editor.
While the book could have been compelling, its labored detail of the most trivial drew out the story longer than it needed. In addition, the plot needed to be developed better – less jumpy, smother story line. I think this world could have been more enchanting if less time was spent taking the men on horseback though the countryside and focus on the preface. Simply, build the world and create the illusion of wonderment, then take the men on the quest – a more direct, to the point quest. Sadly, instead of wonderment, I was left with wondering why I was reading this book.
The genre of fantasy is a difficult world to create for all – not everyone will be drawn into the world a writer creates. I wish Mr. Burrows future success and hope he takes on an editor who is skilled in fantasy and helps draw out his talent.
October 21, 2009
I had a hard time rating this book because it kept me extremely interested for almost the entire book. Kaplyn is a great main character with courage and enough humility to help him be successful. The book didn't feel too long, and in fact, parts seemed to rush by maybe too quickly. The first 3/4 of the book gave me high hopes. However, as I got to the end of this book there were some extremely confusing parts. I think much of what happened between different worlds and regarding shaols made this book lose its appeal. It was strange compared to the rest of the book. The end wasn't entirely bad, but it contained much more fantasy than most of the book. (Granted this book was fantasy, but it just didn't flow with the first of the book.)
I would also recommend to any reader to not compare this book to Lord of the Rings. I made this mistake as I began reading and it made the reading a little more difficult because I kept waiting for wizards, hobbits and ents. After I got over this, the book was good.
I would recommend this book to people, but warn them that the end is not as good as the first. Thanks for sending me a copy
I would also recommend to any reader to not compare this book to Lord of the Rings. I made this mistake as I began reading and it made the reading a little more difficult because I kept waiting for wizards, hobbits and ents. After I got over this, the book was good.
I would recommend this book to people, but warn them that the end is not as good as the first. Thanks for sending me a copy
June 20, 2010
When I won this book from the goodreads First Read, I was very excited. The synopsis sounded interesting. However, the books did not deliver. I struggled through the first, and had I not received all three books and promised to read them and give my opinion to the author, I would not have finished it. The second book was better, and the third dropped off again. The main storyline was sometimes forgotten or neglected with focus going to side stories and events that didn't have bearing on the final outcome. I thought I knew where the book was going, early on, and with reinforcement along the way, but was disappointed in the end. All the usual elements of a fantasy book were present; magic, wizards, dragons, dwarves, nature-in-tuned beings, demons, foreigners, royalty, good, evil... But that was part of the problem. They weren't all necessary to the story.
August 12, 2009
I won this book in the Goodreads.com first reads giveaway.
I am almost finished with book one of the trilogy and it's just now starting to hold my attention. There are quite a few spelling and/or grammatical errors that are annoying and distracting. The story also has a lot of redundancy but I will keep reading and give a full review later.
Update:
I can't finish this book, maybe because it's just not my typical genre. My husband, who loves fantasy (such as Dragonlance), couldn't finish it either.
I am almost finished with book one of the trilogy and it's just now starting to hold my attention. There are quite a few spelling and/or grammatical errors that are annoying and distracting. The story also has a lot of redundancy but I will keep reading and give a full review later.
Update:
I can't finish this book, maybe because it's just not my typical genre. My husband, who loves fantasy (such as Dragonlance), couldn't finish it either.
Read
August 6, 2009I find the premise entertaining, but the beginning was too hard to get into and much of it clichéd. There's talent in the book, but I think it would benefit from someone (probably another author or voracious reader) going through it and doing some cutting down to give the opening a little more oomph. Personally, I couldn’t get past it’s slow pace.
August 15, 2009
Utter twaddle. This book combines ye olde English with modern London slang. It can't figure out what it's supposed to be. In desperate, desperate need of an editor and/or ghost writer. A very poor imitation of the Covenant Chronicles and Lord of the Rings. The pace is painfully slow.
on-hold
July 3, 2015I'm on page 160 of 680 of Prophecy Of The Kings: The person I see as the main character is lacking in common sense and it makes me dislike him. I understand the use of flaws makes him more "human" and relatable but the large quantity of them annoys me.
Read
February 12, 2011I am the author, please check out davidburrows.org.uk for reviews. The books are only available online
September 14, 2009
Couldn't finish this book. Although the plot is promising, it needs a strong editor to clean it up.
Want to read
September 11, 2009I'm having trouble getting into this book. I may not be in the right mood.
Read
February 18, 2013just let me go through this stuff once more before i give my opinion.mean while take a look at THE YOUTHS REBELLION BY O.MATT.i'd leke to get a few lines from you.e-mail o.matt4176@yahoo.com
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