The Prophecy by Erin Albert
(The Fulfillment Series #1)
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy
Growing up on a small farm in the kingdom of
Vanguard, seventeen-year-old Layla Givens lives a
deceptively tranquil existence. But her carefully constructed life quickly falls apart when she’s abducted by a religious zealot who proclaims her The Fulfillment of an ancient peace prophecy and whisks her away to marry her greatest enemy.
Wilhelm, Prince of the Ethereals, is reluctant to meet his new bride. He's grown up believing Vanguards are evil, an enemy to fight and fear...not love. Can he set aside his prejudices and work alongside Layla to bring lasting peace after centuries of war?
Nash, a loner who has never fit in, carries a huge secret, one big enough to destroy both kingdoms. When he accidently meets Layla, he’s no longer content to live in the shadows, but he must resist his growing attraction—for her safety and for the longevity of the two kingdoms.
When Nash's secret is revealed, a firestorm sweeps through both realms, with Layla at the center. Now she must choose between duty and desire while the fate of two nations hangs in the balance.
The world building that Erin does in The Prophecy is awe-inspiring. It's so rich and developed. It was very interesting to read of the different groups and see how they interact and play off of each other. Layla was such a well written and developed character. Erin was able to drag me through a range of emotions with her story. There is a bit of a love triangle. Most of you know that I groan at them repeatedly. But I have to say that the love triangle in The Prophecy is a good example of how to do them correctly. It wasn't there for the sake of drama and that made all the difference. (That doesn't mean that I didn't rage and cry and laugh at it, though!)
I know I said it earlier, but I really am in awe that this is Erin's debut novel. Fantasy can be a genre that quickly tires me. (Even though I love it.) But Erin has really carved out a brilliant story with The Prophecy. It's written in such a captivating way. If you love YA fantasy, I don't know what you're doing with your life if you haven't picked up The Prophecy!
**I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review with no compensation.
Action-packed. (Heehee, I got in two words by using a hyphen.)
2. If you could choose any TV show to promote your book on, which would you choose?
I’d totally choose Game of Thrones. That series, all five books and Season 1 of the show, really helped inspire The Prophecy. His creation—a medieval world with supernatural elements—heightened my creativity. Besides, I’d die of happiness if Tyrion, Jaime, or Jon Snow said the title of my book in an after-show promo! I’m squeeing inside just imagining it!
3. Which character was the hardest to flesh out and write?
Ironically, Layla. The first time I wrote the book, she came off whiny and wishy-washy. As a Vanguard, she should demonstrate strength—internal and external—with a hint of impulsivity. So, I rewrote her, and she got much more positive feedback the second time.
4. Which one do you prefer: bookmarks or dog-eared pages?
I definitely prefer bookmarks. I’m usually lazy and let my Kindle mark my place for me, or I try to remember the page number in my head. I have a thousand bookmarks, but I never can seem to find one when I need it.
5. If you could have the career of any author as your own, which author's would you pick? Why?
Wow, so many authors went through my head. My fiancé (pen name: Deek Rhew) and I ran through a lot of different options before settling on one. I guess I’m going to go with George R. R. Martin, except I’d finish Books 6 and 7. ;) I would love to have a cult-like following for my books and characters, and I’d love to see my work on either TV or the big screen.
6. You can only read one book (that isn't one of yours) for the rest of your life. Which is it?
Any book in the Percy Jackson series. I am a HUGE Percy Jackson fan and think Rick Riordan is a genius. I need Percy’s snark and wit!
7. If you could choose any literary world to live in, where would you pick?
I’m pretty sure I’d end up dead in any literary world I visited, but I’d say Percy’s world. I’d love to go on quests and have demigod superpowers. Oh and I’d have to be Percy’s girlfriend… ;)
8. What, or who, inspired you to write?
I’ve always been a writer, from the time I was four and composed my first poem. I’d say growing up, Judy Blume, Beverly Cleary, and E.B. White helped kick start my creative juices.
9. Lastly, what's up next for you? Any projects we should be looking out for?
I am currently working on The Fulfillment, the third book in The Fulfillment Series (of which The Prophecy is book one). I also have in the works a futuristic thriller called Number 25589. The story that keeps me up at night is my short story “Volatile,” which I want to turn into a full novel.
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Erin's Dream Cast for The Prophecy!
Ethereals:
King Jesper: Scruffy John Corbett
Queen Sansolena: Me (and I’m not even kidding)
Prince Wilhelm: A young Charlie Hunnam (We nearly died when he got cast for 50 Shades because Wil is about as far from Christian Grey as you can get—LOL!)
Princess Vespa: AnnaSophia Robb
Vanguards:
King Rex: Joe Manganiello
Queen Montessa: Jennifer Connelly
Prince Vance: Max Schneirder
Layla Givens: Danielle Campbell
Samson Mantar: Darren Criss
Grant Mantar: Adam Gregory
Lia Mantar: Melina Govich
Mysterious Stranger
Nash: Young Jensen Ackles
Volton Mars: Ewan McGregor
EcclesiasticsElder Werrick: James Gandolfini (RIP)
I have read and loved Erin's book too. I concur, she is truly a brilliant author with an absolutely great story!! Great review and interview. Totally enjoyed it!
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