Scan barcode
zraitor's review
5.0
–>I received a free copy of this in exchange for an honest review.<–
Kitty is taken in for questioning by the Rebels on who is responsible for the plague and everyone prepares to take the fight to the Kingdom...
Where I felt book four was too slow this one, however, moves at an incredibly fast pace. We see the characters deal with all their various trauma and manage to repair most of the relationship woes that have always been a huge thing in these books. It was nice to see them all finally just chill a bit.
And of course action, lots of action! It's a war, sort of. Realizing they can't take the fight to the Kingdom directly the Rebels do all sorts of underhanded things to win which unfortunately includes some icky stuff with Thom. It does resolve his major issue of being used in that way though at least.
There are also a few more twists and turns left yet waiting for the reader even this late in the game. Every book in this series always still manages yet more backstory and world building and it was great again one last time.
This time we take turns with each of the three main character's perspectives, although Nate doesn't get nearly as much as the other two which I felt was a shame as he is finally likable. From needing to say darling every other sentence, to fighting with everyone for no reason, and just generally being annoying he makes a complete turnaround at the end at least...
As this is the final book in the series most of the story outside the fighting is about bringing the main character's issues to a close and it does so in a satisfying way. They still have their many mental scars but they all have grown and changed so much since the beginning and it was rewarding to see them all move on finally.
Kitty, Thom, and Nate and all the still-living side characters gather to take down the Kingdom once and for all. Can they, and what will they do with their freedom if they manage to win it?
Kitty is taken in for questioning by the Rebels on who is responsible for the plague and everyone prepares to take the fight to the Kingdom...
Where I felt book four was too slow this one, however, moves at an incredibly fast pace. We see the characters deal with all their various trauma and manage to repair most of the relationship woes that have always been a huge thing in these books. It was nice to see them all finally just chill a bit.
And of course action, lots of action! It's a war, sort of. Realizing they can't take the fight to the Kingdom directly the Rebels do all sorts of underhanded things to win which unfortunately includes some icky stuff with Thom. It does resolve his major issue of being used in that way though at least.
There are also a few more twists and turns left yet waiting for the reader even this late in the game. Every book in this series always still manages yet more backstory and world building and it was great again one last time.
This time we take turns with each of the three main character's perspectives, although Nate doesn't get nearly as much as the other two which I felt was a shame as he is finally likable. From needing to say darling every other sentence, to fighting with everyone for no reason, and just generally being annoying he makes a complete turnaround at the end at least...
As this is the final book in the series most of the story outside the fighting is about bringing the main character's issues to a close and it does so in a satisfying way. They still have their many mental scars but they all have grown and changed so much since the beginning and it was rewarding to see them all move on finally.
Kitty, Thom, and Nate and all the still-living side characters gather to take down the Kingdom once and for all. Can they, and what will they do with their freedom if they manage to win it?
jugglingpup's review
3.0
To see a full review check it out here/
Wow, the ending! There was so much jam packed into the end that it was head spinning. That ending made the book for me.
Wow, the ending! There was so much jam packed into the end that it was head spinning. That ending made the book for me.
amymaltman's review
5.0
I'm bad because I didn't post reviews for books 3 and 4, but that's because I didn't want to take the time to write them. I just wanted to dive right into the next book. Besides, they would have said exactly what this review is going to say.
Each book in this series improved upon the last. The intricacies and depth of the world building, including the various cultures. The character development and arcs. The relationships, between characters and between the characters and the environment. The complications and tensions and dangers and heartbreak. The rising stakes. The plot, and the messages behind the plot (whether those messages were intentional by the author or invented by me, I don't know, but they're worth mentioning). Better, and better, and better.
With each book in the series, I grew to adore and admire the main characters more, especially Thom, Kitty, and Riddle. Oh, Riddle. I cannot say enough good things about him. Even his name makes me smile. Selfless, brave, damaged Thom. (What is with me and damaged male characters? Seriously. I have a problem.) And strong, resilient, brave Kitty. I still adore Nate, and I get a kick out of Blaise. All the relationships (whether friend or foe) feel steeped in backstory and history that flesh them out and make them feel genuine such that you find yourself laughing along with inside jokes or gritting your teeth with anger. I think perhaps one of the best things about the characters is their ability, their willingness, to show their vulnerabilities. It makes them that much more real.
In summary, read these darn books. If you don't, I'll have to seek you out and sic my ankle-biting dogs on you. Trust me, that is a fate you should do your best to avoid.
Each book in this series improved upon the last. The intricacies and depth of the world building, including the various cultures. The character development and arcs. The relationships, between characters and between the characters and the environment. The complications and tensions and dangers and heartbreak. The rising stakes. The plot, and the messages behind the plot (whether those messages were intentional by the author or invented by me, I don't know, but they're worth mentioning). Better, and better, and better.
With each book in the series, I grew to adore and admire the main characters more, especially Thom, Kitty, and Riddle. Oh, Riddle. I cannot say enough good things about him. Even his name makes me smile. Selfless, brave, damaged Thom. (What is with me and damaged male characters? Seriously. I have a problem.) And strong, resilient, brave Kitty. I still adore Nate, and I get a kick out of Blaise. All the relationships (whether friend or foe) feel steeped in backstory and history that flesh them out and make them feel genuine such that you find yourself laughing along with inside jokes or gritting your teeth with anger. I think perhaps one of the best things about the characters is their ability, their willingness, to show their vulnerabilities. It makes them that much more real.
In summary, read these darn books. If you don't, I'll have to seek you out and sic my ankle-biting dogs on you. Trust me, that is a fate you should do your best to avoid.
shiragottfried's review
4.0
A perfect ending to this wonderful series. I’m not ready to leave these characters behind but I’m so glad they got the endings they deserve.
sarah_bell's review
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
fazila's review
5.0
Check out the full review on my website. CLICK HERE
SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL : YOUTUBE
FOLLOW ME ON : TWITTER INSTAGRAM
FR REVIEW :
DISCLAIMER : Thank you, Rebecca Crunden for providing me with an ARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
A Time Of Prophecy is the final book in The Outlands Pentalogy. When I say I adore this series and I am in love with most of the characters, I am not even exaggerating. I was putting off reading this one because I was scared and didn’t know if my heart was capable of handling any more pain. These books have wrecked me and I mean that in the best way possible. I loved my experience of all the books in the series and this one did not disappoint either. I had high hopes and Rebecca delivered!! Now that I have gushed let’s get to the review.
The book was a satisfying conclusion to this wonderful series. The story is told in multiple POVs which I am a huge fan of. With each book in the series taking one character’s POV to tell the story, this one included all the major players and we get to see them tackle the issues head-on and understand their thought processes while they were at it. The plot moved at a more sedate pace and took its time to develop and conclude. It was not only realistic, it felt natural as well. The story takes us not only through the political conflicts but also through the relationship and personal conflicts. One thing that stands out throughout the series is how well the characters and their arcs are crafted. Chef’s Kiss!!
The plot progresses slower when compared to the previous books, taking the time to ensure closure and healing for the characters. The issues that surface in the books are dealt with with ease and promptly. I loved seeing some twists that were subtle and being surprised by how even things that were believed true for years could come out to be different and say another version in the future.
The story is equally memorable like the others in the series and leaves a mark on you. You miss the characters and the world, the very moment you finish the book. This is a series I want to return to at some point. The story of survival, love, family, hope, and honor is the one to stay in the minds of the readers for a long time to come. The evolution of the characters, the expansion of the world, and the execution of the plot were all fantastic. It felt very much believable and realistic. The genuine emotions the characters showed to the perfectly imperfect relationships and flawed main characters all added to the brilliant story making it an unforgettable read. I loved how each romantic relationship was well thought out and was not picture perfect in any sense. The possibility of more to come for some of these characters leaves the readers on a high note and with so much hope.
Overall, if you are looking for a dystopian sci-fi, fantasy story to sweep you off your feet with brilliant characters, and a unique setting, and an interesting plot, do pick this one up. This is one of the most underrated series and I wish more people were talking about this. Almost everyone is sleeping on it. I also hope this gets optioned for anime as it would be phenomenal. I gave the book 5 stars and my heart. For all the people who are sleeping on this series, Wake The F Up and read this book!! You are missing out on this gem of a series and trust me when I say you need this book in your life. You don’t even know what you are missing out on!! If you didn’t understand by now, yes, I am recommending this series, and yes I am urging you to go get this book, like right now.
SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL : YOUTUBE
FOLLOW ME ON : TWITTER INSTAGRAM
FR REVIEW :
DISCLAIMER : Thank you, Rebecca Crunden for providing me with an ARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
A Time Of Prophecy is the final book in The Outlands Pentalogy. When I say I adore this series and I am in love with most of the characters, I am not even exaggerating. I was putting off reading this one because I was scared and didn’t know if my heart was capable of handling any more pain. These books have wrecked me and I mean that in the best way possible. I loved my experience of all the books in the series and this one did not disappoint either. I had high hopes and Rebecca delivered!! Now that I have gushed let’s get to the review.
The book was a satisfying conclusion to this wonderful series. The story is told in multiple POVs which I am a huge fan of. With each book in the series taking one character’s POV to tell the story, this one included all the major players and we get to see them tackle the issues head-on and understand their thought processes while they were at it. The plot moved at a more sedate pace and took its time to develop and conclude. It was not only realistic, it felt natural as well. The story takes us not only through the political conflicts but also through the relationship and personal conflicts. One thing that stands out throughout the series is how well the characters and their arcs are crafted. Chef’s Kiss!!
The plot progresses slower when compared to the previous books, taking the time to ensure closure and healing for the characters. The issues that surface in the books are dealt with with ease and promptly. I loved seeing some twists that were subtle and being surprised by how even things that were believed true for years could come out to be different and say another version in the future.
The story is equally memorable like the others in the series and leaves a mark on you. You miss the characters and the world, the very moment you finish the book. This is a series I want to return to at some point. The story of survival, love, family, hope, and honor is the one to stay in the minds of the readers for a long time to come. The evolution of the characters, the expansion of the world, and the execution of the plot were all fantastic. It felt very much believable and realistic. The genuine emotions the characters showed to the perfectly imperfect relationships and flawed main characters all added to the brilliant story making it an unforgettable read. I loved how each romantic relationship was well thought out and was not picture perfect in any sense. The possibility of more to come for some of these characters leaves the readers on a high note and with so much hope.
Overall, if you are looking for a dystopian sci-fi, fantasy story to sweep you off your feet with brilliant characters, and a unique setting, and an interesting plot, do pick this one up. This is one of the most underrated series and I wish more people were talking about this. Almost everyone is sleeping on it. I also hope this gets optioned for anime as it would be phenomenal. I gave the book 5 stars and my heart. For all the people who are sleeping on this series, Wake The F Up and read this book!! You are missing out on this gem of a series and trust me when I say you need this book in your life. You don’t even know what you are missing out on!! If you didn’t understand by now, yes, I am recommending this series, and yes I am urging you to go get this book, like right now.
liz_ross's review
adventurous
dark
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
I was provided with an e-copy of the book by the author in exchange for a honest review.
This is exactly the kind of finale this series needed. I couldn't have thought of a better way to finish this amazing series.
The whole book is leading you to the inevitable rebellion that has been expected since book one. But at the same time there's so many things on the way, in part because none of the main characters really wants that rebellion as that will mean they will end up even more broken than they already are. And whereas these things add some mystery to the book - you are never sure if the rebellion is really about to start until it actually starts -, sometimes they also drove me crazy as there were moments the characters seemed to be doing nothing but existing - which is already a lot for characters that are broken beyond repair and haunted by terrifying demons that only exist inside their mind, but that doesn't really add much to the story and makes the pace a bit too slow.
I did like to see the characters handling those demons, their past, their traumas. That's something Crunden did really, really well. She has never once forgotten what her characters went through and she never used it just to make them more interesting - those traumas are present in every moment of their lives and condicionate them, those traumas are acknowledge and dealt with as they should be. And that is quite amazing, because in a kingdom where everyone has way too much to deal with, it would have been so easy to forget part of what happened sometimes. Crunden never does.
The one thing I liked the most, though, was the rebellion. How even that was conditioned by their traumas. How they had to fight those traumas in order to make the rebellion happen. And in the end, that rebellion is the ultimate fight against their traumas, it's the key to actually start healing, because for as long as the kingdom exists, there will always be new traumas, new losses and no one can really heal like that.
There are also things that bothered me, though. For once, how dumb can the entire kingdom be to buy Thom's story that easily? Even Taenia did it with little hesitation. How and why?! Who in their right mind (or as close as anyone in that kingdom can get to that) would buy that story? Thom had his life way too facilitated by people who should have never believed him and the only reason I can see for that is plot convenience and I hate when that happens.
Other thing I find way too hard to believe is how everyone that is actually important to the story found a way to survive. Let's be realistic, the most important characters are also the ones who risked the most, who fought the most dangerous enemies. And yet not even one of them is dead?! How??!!
Quick note: the way Crunden approaches so many controversial matters in such a natural way is absolutely perfect and I really admire her for doing that. Not wanting kids, abortion, sexual orientation. And much more. All handled perfectly.
Full review coming soon!
This is exactly the kind of finale this series needed. I couldn't have thought of a better way to finish this amazing series.
The whole book is leading you to the inevitable rebellion that has been expected since book one. But at the same time there's so many things on the way, in part because none of the main characters really wants that rebellion as that will mean they will end up even more broken than they already are. And whereas these things add some mystery to the book - you are never sure if the rebellion is really about to start until it actually starts -, sometimes they also drove me crazy as there were moments the characters seemed to be doing nothing but existing - which is already a lot for characters that are broken beyond repair and haunted by terrifying demons that only exist inside their mind, but that doesn't really add much to the story and makes the pace a bit too slow.
I did like to see the characters handling those demons, their past, their traumas. That's something Crunden did really, really well. She has never once forgotten what her characters went through and she never used it just to make them more interesting - those traumas are present in every moment of their lives and condicionate them, those traumas are acknowledge and dealt with as they should be. And that is quite amazing, because in a kingdom where everyone has way too much to deal with, it would have been so easy to forget part of what happened sometimes. Crunden never does.
The one thing I liked the most, though, was the rebellion. How even that was conditioned by their traumas. How they had to fight those traumas in order to make the rebellion happen. And in the end, that rebellion is the ultimate fight against their traumas, it's the key to actually start healing, because for as long as the kingdom exists, there will always be new traumas, new losses and no one can really heal like that.
There are also things that bothered me, though. For once, how dumb can the entire kingdom be to buy Thom's story that easily? Even Taenia did it with little hesitation. How and why?! Who in their right mind (or as close as anyone in that kingdom can get to that) would buy that story? Thom had his life way too facilitated by people who should have never believed him and the only reason I can see for that is plot convenience and I hate when that happens.
Other thing I find way too hard to believe is how everyone that is actually important to the story found a way to survive. Let's be realistic, the most important characters are also the ones who risked the most, who fought the most dangerous enemies. And yet not even one of them is dead?! How??!!
Quick note: the way Crunden approaches so many controversial matters in such a natural way is absolutely perfect and I really admire her for doing that. Not wanting kids, abortion, sexual orientation. And much more. All handled perfectly.
Full review coming soon!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, Violence, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Police brutality, Slavery, and Death of parent
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Torture, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Child death, Cannibalism, Adult/minor relationship, and Abortion
tavleen_words's review
4.0
A satisfying end to a wonderful series!
"A Time Of Prophecy" is the fifth and final book in The Outlands Pentalogy. It has been years since I have devoured a series this fast. I couldn’t help it. Not only was this a fascinating dystopian series, but the characters completely captivated me.
This book follows its own set of fresh events as well as ties up the entire series and the journey of the various characters. It takes us back to the kingdom, to Muntenia, along with some events taking place in the Outlands.
This series is highly character-driven. The character development in the final installment for Kitty, Nate, and Thom was nothing less then what they deserved. Each of them was tested more than they had ever been before. Their past scars and trauma were brought to the surface and they dealt with it, growing closer to each other.
I have to mention Thom. He gripped my heart right from the third book that narrates his story and quickly became one of my favorite characters of all time. This book brought out a side of him we had not seen before. He struggled with self-acceptance because of the things he had done in his past. I found him to be the most complex character and hence, the most interesting.
The romantic in me was eager to see what would happen with Thom and Riddle and I wasn’t disappointed at all. Their relationship was strange, yet beautiful and pure. They were more careful with each other’s feelings than they had been with anyone else’s. Thom was very considerate of Riddle even though his feelings didn’t progress as quickly as Riddle’s had. I loved seeing them grow closer to each other.
The author did a great job of creating intriguing side characters. Riddle, Blaise, Gao, and Charles are just a few of the characters I loved reading about and that I am going to remember.
This series kept me on edge, made me fall in love with fantasy again, and introduced me to characters I’m having difficulty saying goodbye to. I haven’t read many dystopian series but the Outlands Pentalogy is, without a doubt, the best one I have read so far. I cannot recommend it enough. I would love to re-read it in the future.
I recommend this series to all fantasy and dystopian lovers who are looking to read something fresh. Read this series for its wonderful world-building, setting, fast-pacing, and unforgettable characters.
Check out more of my book reviews, recommendations, and other content on my blog Travelling Through Words and bookstagram!
"A Time Of Prophecy" is the fifth and final book in The Outlands Pentalogy. It has been years since I have devoured a series this fast. I couldn’t help it. Not only was this a fascinating dystopian series, but the characters completely captivated me.
This book follows its own set of fresh events as well as ties up the entire series and the journey of the various characters. It takes us back to the kingdom, to Muntenia, along with some events taking place in the Outlands.
This series is highly character-driven. The character development in the final installment for Kitty, Nate, and Thom was nothing less then what they deserved. Each of them was tested more than they had ever been before. Their past scars and trauma were brought to the surface and they dealt with it, growing closer to each other.
I have to mention Thom. He gripped my heart right from the third book that narrates his story and quickly became one of my favorite characters of all time. This book brought out a side of him we had not seen before. He struggled with self-acceptance because of the things he had done in his past. I found him to be the most complex character and hence, the most interesting.
The romantic in me was eager to see what would happen with Thom and Riddle and I wasn’t disappointed at all. Their relationship was strange, yet beautiful and pure. They were more careful with each other’s feelings than they had been with anyone else’s. Thom was very considerate of Riddle even though his feelings didn’t progress as quickly as Riddle’s had. I loved seeing them grow closer to each other.
The author did a great job of creating intriguing side characters. Riddle, Blaise, Gao, and Charles are just a few of the characters I loved reading about and that I am going to remember.
This series kept me on edge, made me fall in love with fantasy again, and introduced me to characters I’m having difficulty saying goodbye to. I haven’t read many dystopian series but the Outlands Pentalogy is, without a doubt, the best one I have read so far. I cannot recommend it enough. I would love to re-read it in the future.
I recommend this series to all fantasy and dystopian lovers who are looking to read something fresh. Read this series for its wonderful world-building, setting, fast-pacing, and unforgettable characters.
Check out more of my book reviews, recommendations, and other content on my blog Travelling Through Words and bookstagram!
More...