Prophecy by R.T. Kaelin

Fans of R.T. Kaelin's novel, Progeny, (count Booksie's Blog among the biggest fans), will be excited to read the second installment in the chronicle of Terrene and the battle between the gods that control it.  The god of Chaos has decided to take over the land, and has gathered several gods to work with him.  Opposing him are the gods who strive for balance.  Both groups use the mortals of Terrene to work out their conflicts.

Key to the battle are the champions of Terrene, the White Lions.  They were instrumental in saving the world the last time the gods collided.  A prophecy says that when needed, the original White Lions and their children, The Progeny, will reunite and fight again.  The characters from the first novel in the series, Nik and Kenders, are back.  In the first book, they found that they were progeny.  In this second one, they begin to come into their legacy and develop the skills and abilities that will help them in the immense battles to come.  They are accompanied by their adoptive brother, Jak, and other characters, such as Sabine and Helene, girls they saved in the last tale, and others who fought with them.

Of course, they have the White Lion at their side.  Broedi, a giant hillsman, was their guide, the man who taught them what they were and started their training.  In this book, we meet some of the other surviving White Lions.  There is Tobias, whose gift is visions of the future, and Wren, who can speak with nature.  We also meet new allies of different races.  Klin is an Acadian, who is a master of the magic strands and becomes Kender's main teacher.  Okollu is a mongrel, a half-man, half-wolf.  His race is part of the Sudashian army committed to winning Terrene for the god of Chaos, but he becomes an ally of the opposing side instead.

The war rages on, with the outcome uncertain.   The forces of good are vastly outnumbered and very late to the game.  The forces of evil have been making their plans for months and are ready for battle.  Each side has advantages and weaknesses.  Alliances are made and broken, loyalties and strategies change daily.  In the midst of war, family relations remain strong and even love finds a way to break through.  Which side has the strongest weapons and the best chance of survival?

Kaelin has successfully moved the story of The White Lions and their Progeny forward in The Prophecy.  The characters are developed more fully while more of the background to the world of Terrene is explored and explained.  The web of connections is intricate and the new characters and races are skillfully introduced.  Under it all, the beat of coming war and disaster is always felt, impelling the storyline forward.  This book is recommended for fantasy fans who will be left waiting impatiently for the third and concluding volume in this series.  This novel is another masterful job by R. T. Kaelin, who is gaining a name as a fantasy author to be aware of.