Thesila Prophecy: The Journey Home
An Intriguing, Imaginative, and Original Fantasy January 10, 2014
THESILA PROPHECY: THE DISCOVERY by Robert M. Rumble is unique in several ways. The story opens with people awakening in a magic cave/chamber on a strange new world with a setting similar to medieval Europe. The main character, Mashuan, finds a magic bow in the chamber. It’s a “spirit weapon” with a female personality named, Dalistra. She quickly became my favorite character as she often displays jealosy when Mashaun attracts other female attention. Besides the native human population, there are elves and a number of dangerous creatures for the characters to deal with as they set out on a journey to find the ancient city of Thesila.
The most unique feature of the story is that Rumble chose to write it in the present tense. It is the first book I have ever read that uses this style, storytellers normally choose the past tense to narrate their stories. I personally believe that Rumble chose the present tense to convey the feeling that the dream/story was unfolding right in front of the reader as if sharing the dream in real-time. It took a few chapters to get accustomed to the style; however, the intrigue of the story kept me turning pages. Here is an excerpt from an early chapter that illustrates his use of present tense. The scene involves bandits attacking a caravan that Mashuan is traveling with:
“The black of night slowly gives way to the faint orange glow as the early morning light brings the battle more into focus. Mashaun can see from his vantage point on a wagon that the caravan guards are outnumbered and that their only real advantage is the defensive position. It is then that he hears the clashing of steel behind him and knows that the enemy is in the camp….”
Rumble’s descriptive prose and worldbuilding are commendable as are the descriptions of action scenes. I enjoyed the story and recommend THESILA PROPHECY: THE DISCOVERY to lovers of fantasy that want the experience of a dream-quest with swords and sorcery (and an enchanted bow:) on a magical world.
Note: The story is the same, only the subtitle has changed.