By Tessa Pulyer Posted on

Ashfall Prophecy by Pittacus Lore #BookReview #scifi

Syd Chambers grew up on Earth with his human mother and barely remembers his alien father from Denza, who left on a mission when Syd was very young. After leaving Earth, Syd learned the truth of his father’s disappearance on the planet Ashfall–his father had died protecting a devastating secret about the history between humans and Denzans.

Syd is now faced with a choice–free humanity from imprisonment on Earth, which will allow them to come into physical power beyond their wildest dreams; or destroy Earth so that humans never have a chance to enslave, torment, and kill other species again. It has been prophesied that Syd is destined to become a world-killer, but Syd is determined to choose his own fate, and knows there must be another path forward that will honor his father’s sacrifice.

What’s it about (in a nutshell):

Ashfall Prophecy by Pittacus Lore is a YA sci-fi story set in space and starts where Ashfall Legacy leaves off. Syd Chambers has learned the truth of his father’s disappearance and all that he was trying to protect in book one, and now he must decide whether to free humanity or destroy Earth. How much will fate dictate this decision, and how can Syd choose his future and that of Earth?

Initial Expectations (before beginning the book):

I read book 1, Ashfall Legacy, last year, so I expect to read more of that tale. The first book is fast-paced with plenty of action and cool planets and creatures to explore. Hopefully, book two will be similar, and it would be nice if it were even better.

Actual Reading Experience:

My actual reading experience was a bit of a challenge early on. Enough background information was not provided to jog my memory about the details from when I read the first book a year ago. I had trouble remembering the different components of each species of the significant support characters though I generally remembered the events. So you must read this book soon after Ashfall Legacy for the best reading experience.

I loved all of the action in this story. Spaceships chasing one another, kidnappings, and other events kept the story flowing and the pages flipping. It stays narrowly focused throughout, which I also enjoyed, and it’s an exciting tale from start to finish.  

Lastly, I enjoyed the twist on the role of humans in the universe. It is relatively unique and creative, and I’ve never seen humans represented this way amongst various other creatures or the Earth portrayed the way it is, for that matter.

Characters:

The characters did not go through a lot of growth in Ashfall Prophecy. Not like they did in Ashfall Legacy. I would have liked to have had more development, but I understand that the story covers a relatively short period of awake time, so it may be difficult.

Narration & Pacing:

The narration is fascinating in this book. Most of it is in 1st person through Syd’s eyes, but a few chapters focus on Darcy, and those are written in 2nd person. If you’ve never read a story told in the second person, you are in for quite a unique experience. The pacing is fast, primarily with spaceship chases and other conflicts, but it does slow at points. Changing to second-person narration slowed down my reading as I worked to process what I was reading.

Setting:

The setting is space and a few different planets with unique creatures. I think the aspect that I love the most is world-building. It is incredibly imaginative, with plenty of sensory descriptions that make you feel like you are there on each new planet and in the spaceship. There is much for the reader to explore that made my imagination soar.

What It Reminds Me Of:

This story – books 1 and 2 – are more of a Chosen One type of story but in space. I don’t read many books set in space, but it reminds me of the Ender Quintet series by Orson Scott Card.

To Read or Not to Read:

If you enjoy Chosen One stories set in space, then the Ashfall series is one that you will want to consider. It is essential to start with Book 1, Ashfall Legacy, as you will have trouble following what’s going on in Ashfall Prophecy if you don’t.

Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫 (4.25)

  • Originality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5.0)
  • Writing Quality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐(5.0)
  • Pace: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.0)
  • Character Development: ⭐⭐💫 (2.5)
  • ‘Couldn’t Put It Down’-ness: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.0)
  • World-Building: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5.0)

16 Replies to “Ashfall Prophecy by Pittacus Lore #BookReview #scifi”

  5. WendyW says:

    Terrific review, Tessa! I have such a terrible memory, that I would have trouble remembering the first book and it would takes some kind of recap to help me out.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Lady Tessa says:

      I remembered general plot but I needed to remember specifics about characters and my brain said, “nope, no way – I ditched that info 100 books ago.” 🤣🤫😇

      Like

  6. Louise H says:

    Oh, that fine line between providing enough little clues and reminders (essential if it’s been a while since the previous book) and not rehashing far too much of the events from earlier instalments. I’m glad you enjoyed this one in the end.

    Liked by 2 people

  7. Books Teacup and Reviews says:

    I love space chase and space actions after reading illuminae series. this sounds really good. Not recalling details from previous book is annoying, it’s the reason I prefer to read series back to back. Amazing review!

    Liked by 2 people

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