11. Prophecy by Ellen Oh

The greatest warrior in all of the Seven Kingdoms... is a girl with yellow eyes.

Kira’s the only female in the king’s army, and the prince’s bodyguard. She’s a demon slayer and an outcast, hated by nearly everyone in her home city of Hansong. And, she’s their only hope...

Murdered kings and discovered traitors point to a demon invasion, sending Kira on the run with the young prince. He may be the savior predicted in the Dragon King Prophecy, but the missing treasure of myth may be the true key. With only the guidance of the cryptic prophecy, Kira must battle demon soldiers, evil shaman, and the Demon Lord himself to find what was once lost and raise a prince into a king.

Intrigue and mystery, ancient lore and action-packed fantasy come together in this heart-stopping first book in a trilogy.

 

 

 

 

This book had such potential!!!!  Here's what I wrote on my Goodreads review:

 

I was a little hesitant to read this book because it had the lowest ratings on my to-read shelf. However, it fit into one of the categories I needed for my reading challenge so I picked it up.

It made me really sad to give this book two stars. It had great potential. The story was interesting and unique and I was really drawn into the character of Kira in the first two chapters.

But the writing drove me nuts. It was choppy and a little childish at times. It was hard for me to see past the poor writing and enjoy the story, which was very disappointing.

 

I was reading some other reviews on Goodreads, and one person put it perfectly: this book is a classic example of the author TELLING you what happens.  Ellen Oh TELLS us that Kira's mother is kind, she TELLS us that Kira is a fierce warrior, she TELLS us that the general is a wise man... but she doesn't show it.  Weave the story and show us the world of the Seven Kingdoms.  Please, please, PLEASE stop telling me how a character acts and instead show my with your writing.

 

It made it very hard to enjoy the story.  I felt like I was a little child reading this, because the author wrote in such a way that you weren't allowed to use your imagination.  It was laid out for you and there was hardly any descriptive writing.

 

But I really wanted to root for Kira.  :(

 

Rating: 2/5

 

- a book at the bottom of your to-read list