A Conspiracy of Prophets – Suzannah Rowntree
The last thing Lukas Bessarion wants is to warn the crusaders…yet if he refuses, a bloodthirsty demon will seize power.
Syria, 1098: After a gruelling siege, the crusaders finally capture Antioch—but within days, the besiegers become the besieged. Clawing for survival in a doomed city, the Franks turn to a new power for help: the mad prophet, Peter Bartholomew.
Plagued by his own unwanted visions, Lukas Bessarion knows the vicious Bartholomew is controlled by the demon Lilith, now growing in power. But none of the Franks—from naïve ladies to murderous counts and princes obsessed with political rivalry—seem worth saving.
Worse, if Lukas accepts his destiny as a prophet, he’ll need to renounce earthly power—like his father’s enchanted lance, hidden beneath Antioch. With the Lance, he hopes to avenge his beloved Ayla and lead his own people to victory. But Lukas isn’t the only one who wants the Lance.
Lilith’s thirst for blood is insatiable. And to satisfy it, she will stop at nothing to gain control of Lukas, the Lance, and the entire crusade…The Watchers of Outremer historical fantasy series continues with this dark and thrilling sequel to SPFBO finalist A Wind from the Wilderness! Pick up A Conspiracy of Prophets today to experience the darkest days of the First Crusade, as demons and demigods battle for the soul of an army.
A Conspiracy of Prophets by Suzannah Rowntree This book was difficult for me to read. I will be the first to admit that I like happy books.This book was…not, really. One might be wondering why I’m sharing it in this group, but… bear with me.Let me begin again. This book followed several characters. Some were threads of hope and goodness in a sea of desolation(one of which legit made me tear up because it was so utterly beautiful). Others wholly succumbed to the darkness pulling them down.So, yes. Many parts of this book were hard for me to read. I ached for Some Characters to see reason, to make good choices, and… they didn’t, and it broke my heart a little.But it was masterfully done. Because it was the perfect example of seeing how goodness can come from darkness. Knowing how things play out in the future(which is…the last couple books….this series is timey wimey), it’s evident that the poor choices made out of greed and hatred here will/do directly lead to good things down the line. (And THAT is why I share this review here.)The historical aspect, as always, was well researched and portrayed. History was definitely not as picturesque as it sometimes gets portrayed, and Rowntree does NOT shy away from that. She embraced the pain and suffering and downright gross stuff. She made the world feel real and immersive for all the senses. She portrayed the complex political battlefield as well as the physical battlefields. She doesn’t shy away from showing people as they were, either–how there were good people and bad people on every side of a conflict…and many people were somewhere between the two extremes. These books are hard. But it is the sort of story that will linger, the sort of story that is worth thinking about long after you close the book. I look forward to the next installment in The Watchers of Outremer series.
This review was written by Constance Lopez. Constance knows magic is real. Dragons, faeries… and don’t even get her started on unicorns. She grew up having epic duels in the woods with her siblings, and nature is still one of her favorite places to be. If she isn’t out there working on her stories, she’s dragging her children and husband on adventures (they always enjoy it once they’re outside). Except in summer. For those months she hides inside, because Texas heat is real and it hates her.
Books have always been her haven and inspiration, and now she writes her own noblebright stories, hoping to pass those feelings along to others. Fantasy, of course. Because everything is better with magic. Her debut YA fantasy will release in Spring 2021.
