Title: Prophecy of a Planet: Ambushed-Clan Veloian – Part 1
Author: Anthony B. Smellie
Publisher: Independently Published
ISBN: 978-1090461117
Pages: 209
Genre: Folklore / Action & Adventure Fiction
Reviewed by: Jack Chambers
Hollywood Book Reviews
One of the best ways we as people have found to represent our need to be the heroes of our own stories is to lose ourselves in the heroics of fictional works. Whether those came from the ancient tales of heroes and gods of the Greek or Roman mythologies, to the modern-day tales of alien protectors who patrol the skies of our comic book worlds, these heroic stories resonate with us as we seek to find our own destinies in life and become the heroes we always felt we were meant to be. Yet these stories also serve as cautionary tales, as many villain stories begin with those who think they are heroes in their own mind as well.
In author Anthony B. Smellie’s Prophecy of a Planet: Ambushed, the first book in the Clan Veloian series, is a short yet powerful story of a new generation of heroes on a small planet for the clan Veloian, one of many clans of the Icka Domain, who follow their elders to the site of an ancient battle which has come alive after generations of being dormant. When twin brother and sister duo Belara, a Hunter, and Pentor, a User with special abilities such as telekinesis or mind links, follow their elders to the location of Great Battle where clans waged war with one another eons ago, they discover an ancient evil who instigated the battle has returned, and they must go on a journey to stop this evil before it is too late.
The author did a remarkable job of paying close attention to detail in his writing, really fleshing out a vast and remarkable fantasy world filled with magic and wonder which kept the folklore aspect of the story alive. The world-building and mythos the author has crafted here made this feel like a beautiful blend of James Cameron’s Avatar meets Lord of the Rings. The details regarding the different clans and the history behind their conflict was engaging to say the least, and made the action of the novel come to life on the pages through powerful imagery. Yet it is the unique character arcs of both Belara and Pentor, as each had their own unique journey to go on. Belara in particular had such a powerful arc, becoming a hero of her people and the future of the series as the shocking finale came about.
This is the perfect read for those who enjoy fantasy and folklore style storytelling, especially those who enjoy these genres when they have a lot of action and adventure in them. As a fan of these genres, I was enthralled by the author’s buildup of tension between the clans and the rich imagery the world conjured up in the reader’s mind. The culture and history shaped how these characters see the world and the darker truths remained hidden for so long, added a depth to the character’s journey made the story flow so much more smoothly.
Captivating, thrilling, and entertaining, author Anthony B. Smellie’s Prophecy of a Planet: Ambushed is the perfect first book in the Clan Veloian series of fantasy books and a detailed, rich story of folklore meeting mythology in a new and exciting way. The twists and turns this narrative takes and the explosive finale will not only leave readers wanting more, but keep readers on the edge of their seats as the final pages leave on an open-ended cliffhanger which changes the landscape of this world forever. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!