Title: Prophecy of a Planet: The Meeting
Author: Anthony B. Smellie
Publisher: Sydoney D. McLeod
ISBN: 978-1956663044
Pages: 86
Genre: Folklore / Action & Adventure Fiction
Reviewed by: Jack Chambers
Hollywood Book Reviews
Throughout all human cultures and throughout all of human history, in one form or another, there has always been a recurring theme in life and literature of “making a deal with the devil.” While many think of people selling their soul to the Christian devil for wealth, fame, or love, this deal doesn’t always stop and end with a demonic overlord of sorts. Sometimes these deals came from those claiming to be gods, others mortals who believed themselves powerful enough to be gods in their own right. Either way, the deal always ended the same, with a trail of violence, pain, and misery that left only the wish giver what they wanted in the end: chaos. This has always stood as a warning to people never to take the easy way out of life and to assess one’s own goals, for taking the road traveled far too often is a path leading to destruction.
In author Anthony B. Smellie’s Prophecy of a Planet: The Meeting, the author delves further into the mythos of the alien fantasy world filled with warring clans and a dark entity fueling the ever-growing conflicts. After several cycles have come and gone since the defeat of the dark being fueling the conflict between their world’s clans, the powerful and ancient leader of the Adeians named Matoca returns to life, eager to return to his goals of taking control over all the clans. To do this, he calls a meeting of other powerful and ancient Adeians with whom he hopes to assert control, but each has their own personal agendas, and they must learn to work together while also watching their backs as their desire begins to merge with the need for control over the world which left them behind long ago.
The author did an incredible job of building upon the world and mythos they developed in the first book, Ambush. The way the author flips the script, so to speak, on its head and delves into the antagonistic figures behind the conflict to showcase how things are reignited once more in this world’s never-ending battles was remarkable to read. The duplicitous nature of these characters and their own personal goals help to really peel back the layers of the mysteries of this world, and the growing conflict between these characters perfectly mirrors the conflict that arises within the clans as a result of their machinations.
This is the perfect read for those who enjoy short yet powerful folklore, mythology, and fantasy reads. In particular, this book will resonate with readers who enjoy lengthy, detailed series with powerful imagery which could serve as a companion to the first book in this growing franchise. As a fan of this genre, it was so remarkable to see this world come to life on the pages and see the author laying the foundation for the growing conflict that defines this fantasy world. The imagery of the author’s writing style allows the world-building to shine brightly, as the settings and atmosphere feels alive and fresh in the readers’ minds as the story plays out.
Thrilling, captivating, and engaging, author Anthony B. Smellie’s Prophecy of a Planet: The Meeting is a must-read short fiction and folklore fantasy story readers will not want to put down. The chilling dynamics between this cast of characters and the rise of this powerful antagonist will showcase the visceral nature of this world and the powerful obstacles the heroes of this series will soon be facing as the story unfolds all around them.