In The Prophet of Edan, Philip Chase speeds up the plot and adds a heavy destructive element to proceedings, something that we only saw at the tail end of The Way of Edan. As a result, The Prophet of Edan is more fast-paced and action-packed than Book 1, which, in my books, is a very good thing.
Caergilion and Adanon have fallen, crushed by the military might of the Torrlanders and their fell allies. The Prophet of Edan, hungry for more, sets his eyes on the island nation of Asdralad, eager to add the ancient kingdom to his list of growing conquests. The king of Torrland grows increasingly drunk on power, going from one brazen choice to another galling act. Who will stop the might of Torrland?
Meanwhile, there are stirrings in the east as the many wild tribes of the Illarchae finally band together under the brutal war leader Surt, intent on leading the offensive on the great Andumaic kingdoms of the east. Will Dayraven be able to take charge of the elf-sharf that lends him access to the world of origins, or will its vast power consume him? And, most importantly, will his friends and allies be able to hold off the teeming hordes of the Way before and if salvation comes?
As you read this series, you understand why it gets so much praise from renowned names in epic fantasy like John Gwynne, Janny Wurts, and Mark Lawrence.
There's much more character development here, with the author keen on dwelling slightly more on the development arcs of secondary characters like Orvandil, Gnorn, and Arna. It's still far too few pages for extensive character development, especially given the plot proceedings. However, the author still does an admirable job of fleshing out many secondary characters.
In The Prophet of Edan, much attention is given to the development and expansion of the world of Eormenlond. The author tries even more than before to make the audience see as much of the continent as possible. With several pages devoted to world-building and action, The Prophet of Edan exceeds its prequel in both scope and depth.
There's a lot of action between the pages, at least two major battles involving both land and see theatres. It would be a significant plot-spacing shift, even if The Way of Edan were not exactly slow-paced.
The first two books in this series were released within a year, and I think it's awesome that the third book will also be available before the end of 2023. It's pretty rare that you read such a great series without at least 12 months between books.
So, provided that Return to Edan is a thrilling conclusion to the series, Philip Chase will have dropped three absolute bangers of fantasy literature within a year. That would be a remarkable achievement and elevate the author to the ranks of established fantasy gurus whose works will be eternally anticipated by thousands of fans even when they're still very much in the works.
The Way of Edan remains a highly recommended traditional fantasy series- one of the very best out there!
