Prophet

By: R.J. Larson

Narrated by: Brooke Heldman

Length: 10 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

"Close your eyes, Ela of Parne. Close your eyes and you will see." Ela Roeh of Parne doesn't understand why her beloved Creator, the Infinite, wants her to become His prophet. She’s undignified, bad tempered, and only 17 - not to mention that no prophet of Parne has ever been a girl. Worst of all, as the elders often warn, if she agrees to become the Infinite's prophet, Ela knows she will die young. "Istgard has turned their back on Me. See the evil they do." Yet after experiencing His presence, she can't imagine living without Him. Determined to follow the Infinite's voice, Ela accepts the sacred vinewood branch and is sent to bring the Infinite’s word to a nation torn apart by war. Here she meets Kien, a young Traceland ambassador determined to bring his own justice for his oppressed people. As they form an unlikely partnership, Ela must surrender to her destiny... and determine how to balance the leading of her heart with the leading of the Infinite. "Will you accept the branch and speak My will? Will you be My prophet?"

Download the accompanying reference guide.

©2012 R. J. Larson (P)2012 Oasis

love love loved it

even though it's fiction I could totally relate to what the prophets in the bible had been to. Trying with all that is in them to warn the people to no avail.
loved the narrators voice also... cannot wait to get into The Judge

Fantastic

Great story, and narration. Biblically based. I have listened more than once. You too will listen more than once.

Novel tries to inspire... misses the mark

What did you like best about Prophet? What did you like least?

This book tries to create a sort of historical type fiction for Christians who want to see some of the Old Testament come alive in a believable way. The author creates a prophet character who is most similar to Elijah. The prophet converses with the god of a fictional world and He guides her in delivering his message to various leaders who are embroiled in conflicts in a setting that closely resembles the ancient near East of our world. The god of this world is known as the Infinite, and the reader is to basically read the story as if this Infinite is just like the God of the Bible.

The problem with the story is that while the character resembles Elijah rather closely... I did not think that the 'Infinite' interacted with the prophet in any way resembling the way God interacts with His prophets in scripture. Additionally the author has created dialogue between the Prophet and the Infinite... and I think there are some inherit difficulties in writing lines for a god who is supposed to be analagous to YHWH.

Additionally the narration was difficult to accept particularly when the main character was crying out to the Infinite. She sounded whiny, and fearful most of the time.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

The plot has two distinct external conflicts which are loosely related. Both conflicts are resolved in similar fashion. I do not think the author was trying to create a grand mystery. The purpose of the book is to demonstrate that the God of scripture is faithful in doing what He says He will do. In this way we see the Infinite fulfilling the prophecies of Ella in due course.The major difference between this book and the God of the Bible is that the prophecies in this book are all wrapped up during the course of a few months. There are no long-term prophecies. (perhaps another reason the Infinite does not seem to be as awesome as YHWH)

What didn’t you like about Brooke Heldman’s performance?

The characteristics of the Infinite are interesting. The author tries to debunk some of the false notions people have about God by having the prophet character grow through her own misconceptions and the Infinite corrects her as she goes.

I also think it is good that the author shows a variety of unbelievers / skeptics who are good characters and are open to listening to the prophet in spite of their skepticism about the god she is telling them about. The author avoids the cliche of making all believers good, and all unbelievers bad.

Was Prophet worth the listening time?

The narration is my chief complaint with this book. The narrator really put a lot of effort into making the main character's despair come to life. (This means there was a lot of whining coming at me through my earbuds) The voice for the Infinite was steady and quiet... the voice for the prophet was sometimes loud and shrill. Not a good combination.

Any additional comments?

Good concept, but the main problem with the story is the use of dialogue between this god and the believer. I am not sure if there is a good solution here. The only other time I have read a book where the author creatres dialogue for a god who is analagous to God is CS Lewis' Narnia books. I never had a problem with Azlan speaking and revealing certain aspects of the real God... but this book seems different. The author throws the reader right into the middle of the prayer dialogues between the god and the prophet and these interactions are just bizarre. Azlan was never simply at the beck and call of the Narnia children in the way that the Infinite is to Ella.

I think the author does a good job a creating a character who performs signs and miracles similar to what we see in scripture (particularly with Elijah/Elishah) And I think that the characteristics of this Infinite are basically consistent with the God of the Bible.

Gripping story

I loved this story, but not so much the narrator. Did not have the best knack for different voices. I will probably read instead of listen to the next book in this series.

Pleasant surprise bc I considered previous reviews on performer prior to purchasing.

What a lively depiction of our Father's heart and the burdens (good/bad) carried by those called by Him.

Such a timely read, on a personal level.

I was totally engrossed in the story so the performance wasn't a hindrance. Actually, I was only vaguely aware of it since I'd read other reader's reviews. My recommendation: buy the book. It will speak to your heart if you enjoy Christian fiction - I quickly identified and cared for the characters so I heard the story more than the performer. I suppose I got lost in the wonderfully woven plot.

I thought the reader did a good job!

What did you love best about Prophet?

Explores what it would be like to represent God ("The Infinite") at a level where you were given glimpses of the immediate future in order to represent God in a time of judgment and change.

What other book might you compare Prophet to and why?

The Exodus in the Bible where God speaks to Moses, along with the prophetess Huldah, a bit of Deborah, and a bit of Isaiah thrown in just for good measure.

But, throw into the mix just a little bit of normal teenage girl who has human emotions and feelings, humor, and depression. A bit like Katness from the Hunger Games.

What does Brooke Heldman bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Here's the rub. She expresses A LOT of emotion! If you don't like this, you will be put off a bit. But I certainly felt that her exclamations of emotion generally fit the character well. She was passionate for the reading! Bravo! My children also really like her voice. We all think she struggles a bit with some of the darker male characters (though we think she does well with the lighter ones).

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It reminded me that God is interested in the course of history and he does see all. I am not one to cry, but I did empathize very much and cared about the characters.

Any additional comments?

I wanted to dispel some of the negative reviews. I and my children have enjoyed this book and will go on in the series.

lt is the bible with new faces

Would you consider the audio edition of Prophet to be better than the print version?

Yes, but then again I am more audiobook than written book. You can multitask with audio.

What other book might you compare Prophet to and why?

The bible. So far this series it's like taking Isaiah, Jonah, Jeremiah, Job, and King David and slamming them all together.

Which character – as performed by Brooke Heldman – was your favorite?

Kennen

If you could take any character from Prophet out to dinner, who would it be and why?

God. Who wouldnt want to dine with their creator?

Kajspirit says:

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes! Love story, action, Spiritual relationship. I really enjoyed this story!

Who was your favorite character and why?

Love interest of the Prophet and the new king. I love men with strong moral character, passion and wisdom.

What aspect of Brooke Heldman’s performance would you have changed?

I did not care for the voice she chose for the Prophet.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Not sure. But I would like to see it become a movie. The whole Trilogy.

Any additional comments?

I love stories set in this era of history. The Spiritual content makes it even better!

a favorite

I don't know how many times I have read this book. I love recognizing the similarities to the stories in the Bible. After reading this book I bought the rest if the series, and have read them over and over again. They open up lots of opportunities for me to talk with God.

The Infinate

Where does Prophet rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Definitely at the top of the list.

What did you like best about this story?

The story is an interesting journey of excitement, love, action, and devotion. Yes, would make an excellent movie.

What about Brooke Heldman’s performance did you like?

Perfect voice for the book.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No extreme reaction however, it is different from any that I have read.