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hesticht's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Murder, and Child death
Moderate: Violence, Stalking, Kidnapping, Grief, and Death
Minor: Death of parent
livyalusk's review against another edition
4.0
I believe the reason Michael Koryta has such interesting characters is his consistency with themes. He almost immediately lets you know what the messages are in the book, and they appear within the characters in a range of interesting ways. By focusing more on themes, even the most shocking moves by the characters seem so perfectly in-character, giving you a sense of a real person. But this is all praise for the writing in general, what about the book specifically?
This part is sort of a response to a common criticism I've seen in other reviews: If you want a classic whodunnit story, you may be the wrong place. It's a crime story, yes, but it's more a story of people and their weaknesses. What I mean by this is that the real mastermind doesn't seem all that relevant, but I like that aspect as I don't want to constantly be pointing fingers at the main cast. I want to watch it unfold like a realistic case while learning about the characters and what their stories are meant to convey.
This book was clearly written by a man, but stay with me. I don't mean that as a negative thing at all. This book is all about weakness in a way that only a man would: football analogies, bible references, and palpable frustration. He's definitely writing exactly what he knows as a white man from Indiana, but it's totally fine. I think if I said that statement alone, many would jump to concluding that it was misogynistic or something, but I genuinely just think he's using his interests just as anyone else would. Men are still people and don't have to write girlbosses to be valid, in fact it's probably best they do what they know. Still, his male characters are much richer than the female ones which obviously makes me more detached from them as a girl. However, I should add that in another novel of his he had a female POV and I thought she was a brilliant character. I have yet to get to If She Wakes, though, so I'll let you know what I think of the women that book revolves around.
As someone who already studies their own flaws anxiously and often, the constant idea of predators was difficult to read, but it's good for a book to provoke you for a while. Besides, it's probably harder for men. If anyone wants to test that hypothesis, do tell me
This part is sort of a response to a common criticism I've seen in other reviews: If you want a classic whodunnit story, you may be the wrong place. It's a crime story, yes, but it's more a story of people and their weaknesses. What I mean by this is that the real mastermind doesn't seem all that relevant, but I like that aspect as I don't want to constantly be pointing fingers at the main cast. I want to watch it unfold like a realistic case while learning about the characters and what their stories are meant to convey.
This book was clearly written by a man, but stay with me. I don't mean that as a negative thing at all. This book is all about weakness in a way that only a man would: football analogies, bible references, and palpable frustration. He's definitely writing exactly what he knows as a white man from Indiana, but it's totally fine. I think if I said that statement alone, many would jump to concluding that it was misogynistic or something, but I genuinely just think he's using his interests just as anyone else would. Men are still people and don't have to write girlbosses to be valid, in fact it's probably best they do what they know. Still, his male characters are much richer than the female ones which obviously makes me more detached from them as a girl. However, I should add that in another novel of his he had a female POV and I thought she was a brilliant character. I have yet to get to If She Wakes, though, so I'll let you know what I think of the women that book revolves around.
As someone who already studies their own flaws anxiously and often, the constant idea of predators was difficult to read, but it's good for a book to provoke you for a while. Besides, it's probably harder for men. If anyone wants to test that hypothesis, do tell me
billymac1962's review
5.0
The Prophet popped onto my radar rather suddenly, and just as suddenly I was reading it. It seemed just the thing I was looking for.
It didn't disappoint. In fact, it's one of the better books I read this year. And this is something to celebrate, looking back on a year that tragically boasted 12 DNFs.
This is the story of a football town, and the disappearance of a young girl. The focus is on two brothers, Kent Austin, the coach of the high school football team with a State championship in sight, and Adam, a bail bondsman (and thanks to this novel I now understand what that is). Michael Koryta spins this mystery/crime thriller while keeping the small town feel present, and this works on every level.
I could totally empathize with every character in this book. Fantastic stuff.
It's a rare thing for me to read over a hundred pages in one sitting, but I did that today to finish the story. It has been a while since a novel was so hard for me to put down. This isn't literary greatness, but the character development sure is, and although there was one minor hiccup that irked me a bit, I can't dock a star.
Reading is all about entertainment for me, and being able to buy into the characters and story. The Prophet delivered, and I am very happy to dish out five stars for this one.
As a bonus, I now have a burning desire to start Friday Night Lights, thanks to the comments in Brandon's review...this will happen soon :)
Incidentally, is it just a bizarre coincidence that Koryta chose the name Kent Austin? Kent Austin is a very well known former CFL quarterback for the Saskatchewan Roughriders, turned coach for several teams.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kent_Austin
It didn't disappoint. In fact, it's one of the better books I read this year. And this is something to celebrate, looking back on a year that tragically boasted 12 DNFs.
This is the story of a football town, and the disappearance of a young girl. The focus is on two brothers, Kent Austin, the coach of the high school football team with a State championship in sight, and Adam, a bail bondsman (and thanks to this novel I now understand what that is). Michael Koryta spins this mystery/crime thriller while keeping the small town feel present, and this works on every level.
I could totally empathize with every character in this book. Fantastic stuff.
It's a rare thing for me to read over a hundred pages in one sitting, but I did that today to finish the story. It has been a while since a novel was so hard for me to put down. This isn't literary greatness, but the character development sure is, and although there was one minor hiccup that irked me a bit, I can't dock a star.
Reading is all about entertainment for me, and being able to buy into the characters and story. The Prophet delivered, and I am very happy to dish out five stars for this one.
As a bonus, I now have a burning desire to start Friday Night Lights, thanks to the comments in Brandon's review...this will happen soon :)
Incidentally, is it just a bizarre coincidence that Koryta chose the name Kent Austin? Kent Austin is a very well known former CFL quarterback for the Saskatchewan Roughriders, turned coach for several teams.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kent_Austin
tduchscher's review
4.0
My favorite author! I did miss the paranormal element in this novel but the twists and suspense was in full effect! What amazed me is even after I knew who the killer was and that they were dead I still was eager to find out what happens to the two brothers and what was going to happen to them next. A lot of symbolism and a great read! Football is a part of the book but I didn't feel that it was
Too heavy on the topic. Which makes it enjoyable for everyone
Too heavy on the topic. Which makes it enjoyable for everyone
cmvcaulfield's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
gofrisch's review
3.0
Not bad. Will continue to give this author more chances. This was one of his first books.
dantastic's review
5.0
The Austin brothers haven't spoken in years, not since high school when their sister was abducted and murdered when one of them should have been driving her home. Now, Kent is a football coach and Adam is a hard-drinking bail bondsman. When Adam unwittingly sends another girl to her doom, the two brothers must work together to find her killer...
Holy. Shit. This was one hell of a book.
The Prophet, while appearing initially to be a crime book, is really about what happens to families after a tragedy. In this case, it's about how Marie Austin's death sent her brothers in opposite directions and how another girl's death eventually brought them back together.
Adam Austin can't seem to get past his sister's death and hides from it with alcohol and a simmering capacity for violence. Kent Austin threw himself into his career as a high school football coach and the church. It would have been easy for Koryta to make either of them a stereotype but they are both well-rounded characters. It's a testament to Koryta's skill that he made me care about Kent's high school football team's winning season, which takes up a large part of the book.
I can't say enough good things about this book. Koryta had me guessing up until the end. It knew it wouldn't be a happily ever after ending but it still hit me like a shotgun blast to the chest. I may have let a man tear escape before the final page was turned.
The Prophet looks like a fairly standard crime book on the surface. A psychopath is on the loose and police can't seem to catch him. A certain wise man likened The Prophet to Mystic River, which I think is very accurate. The Prophet is one of those books that transcends genre and proceeds to kick ass on several levels. Five out of five stars.
Holy. Shit. This was one hell of a book.
The Prophet, while appearing initially to be a crime book, is really about what happens to families after a tragedy. In this case, it's about how Marie Austin's death sent her brothers in opposite directions and how another girl's death eventually brought them back together.
Adam Austin can't seem to get past his sister's death and hides from it with alcohol and a simmering capacity for violence. Kent Austin threw himself into his career as a high school football coach and the church. It would have been easy for Koryta to make either of them a stereotype but they are both well-rounded characters. It's a testament to Koryta's skill that he made me care about Kent's high school football team's winning season, which takes up a large part of the book.
I can't say enough good things about this book. Koryta had me guessing up until the end. It knew it wouldn't be a happily ever after ending but it still hit me like a shotgun blast to the chest. I may have let a man tear escape before the final page was turned.
The Prophet looks like a fairly standard crime book on the surface. A psychopath is on the loose and police can't seem to catch him. A certain wise man likened The Prophet to Mystic River, which I think is very accurate. The Prophet is one of those books that transcends genre and proceeds to kick ass on several levels. Five out of five stars.
alanburch79's review
4.0
Well, finally finished this great book. It's not that it takes a long time to read, I just had life getting in the way ;) Definitely recommend this one, you won't be disappointed.
mamacrow's review
5.0
This is like no other book I have ever read! A crime mystery about the victims and how one violent act rips a family apart and breeds more violence and heartache. The character development is so strong, and so precise for the victims, though I did find it lacking for the murderer, but it really isn't about him anyways and that is why it is different. This is absolutely a page turner, and I just couldn't put it down, and couldn't even skip past the football parts, Koryta's writing is that good! And, by the way, I hate football! Lastly I will say this, I was in tears at the end, I felt THAT much for the characters!