There Will Come a Darkness

First in a planned trilogy, Pool’s Mediterranean-inspired fantasy debut explores issues of family, faith, fate, and free will. For millennia, the Seven Prophets helped guide humanity through visions of the future. Then they vanished, leaving behind one final prophecy forecasting the birth of a Last Prophet, who will be able to forestall an Age of Darkness. One hundred years later, the Prophets’ prediction appears to be coming true: a leader dubbed the Hierophant and his acolytes seek to snuff out magic and all those who possess it, while the Order of the Last Light believes that they’ve found the individual meant to stop him. The tale unfolds from the perspectives of five ethnically and socially diverse teenagers: paranoid fugitive Anton, exiled prince Hassan, conflicted knight Jude, single-minded assassin Ephyra, and terminally ill Beru. Pool skillfully manages her large ensemble cast, intertwining both their destinies and their story lines as their paths converge. Although initially dense with character introductions and complex worldbuilding, this inventive, gripping novel’s narrative drive remains strong thanks to its high stakes, abundant action, and realistic romances both gay and straight. Ages 14–up. [em](Sept.) [/em]