"But what are we without dreams?"
A world kept peaceful for a thousand years by the magic of the ruling vicars. But a threat lurks from a violent past. Wizards from the darkness have hidden their knowledge in a place called the keep and left a trail of clues that have never been solved.
Nathaniel has grown up longing for more but unwilling to challenge the vicars. Until his friend Thomas is taken for a teaching. Thomas returns but with his dreams ripped away. When Orah is taken next, Nathaniel tries to rescue her and ends up in the prisons of Temple City. There he meets the first keeper of the ancient clues. But when he seeks the keep, what he finds is not magic at all.
If he reveals the truth, he risks the words of the book of light coming to pass:
"If there comes among you a prophet saying 'Let us return to the darkness,' you shall stone him, because he has sought to thrust you away from the light."
There Comes a Prophet is about a society devoid of technology, the result of an overreaction to a distant past where progress had overtaken humanity and led to social collapse. The solution—an enforced return to a simpler time. But Prophet is also a coming of age story, a tale of three friends and their loyalty to each other as they struggle to confront a world gone awry. Each searches for the courage to fight the limits imposed by their leaders, along the way discovering their unique talents and purpose in life.
Reviews
"...the superb storyline and continually developing characters illuminate this engaging, futuristic tale...A must-read page turner." - Kirkus Review
"If the whole world falls into a Dark Age, which it could plausibly do, who could bring us out of it? According to David Litwack in There Comes A Prophet, the only answer is us, now, somehow reaching into the future." - Kaben Nanlohy for On Starships And Dragonwings
"As a high school teacher and avid reader, I am constantly in search of books for my students as well as myself. There Comes A Prophet is a perfect story for young adult readers, but its underlying theme and character development will keep any adult engaged. Nathaniel, Orah, and Thomas go on a journey to discover the keep, a rumored hidden treasure that many believe never existed or has been destroyed over time. Through their quest, the three main characters work to solve a riddle while meeting many strangers that provide them with more questions than answers. These questions, however, are the heart and soul of this book: How can just a few young people change the world? If all progress were stopped, would we look back to the knowledge and wisdom of our ancestors? David Litwack writes the message I hope all of my students hear: "Ideas combined with courage can change the world."
"Such a well-written book with so many thought-provoking concepts that I am sure readers will thoroughly enjoy it. --Fiona I. for Readers Favorite
David Litwack
Author of There Comes a Prophet
Now Available From Double Dragon Publishing