Description
By Megan Schaulis
The only way to save her people is to betray the king she vowed to protect.
After winning her place as Chief Protector, Novalise is in more danger than ever. King Zadien seeks to destroy the Alphanites, and the only way Novalise can stop him is by winning a Request—one undeniable favor offered only to those who save the king from a deadly threat. With no imminent danger at hand, Novalise will have to commit treason to save her people.
Zadien is finally stepping into his role as king. With his courageous new Chief Protector by his side, he’s determined to annihilate the traitors responsible for his father’s death. His romantic feelings for “Astra” haven’t faded, but pursuing her could leave his kingdom without a monarch. Is their fledgling relationship worth violating the law and risking his crown?
As the clock counts down for her people, Novalise must choose between manipulating the king’s affection and trusting the voice in her heart to lead her. When all her plans crumble, will she hide behind her new identity as a Protector or find a way to rise in such a time as this?
M.S. –
I could not wait for this book.to come out. This book starts old when Protector leaves off. Astra is now Protector of Zadien. She is still trying to keep her family and friends safe. I loved seeing the journey of Astra and Zadien come together. I read this book in 3 days. It was amazing. I was given this book by the publisher. All thoughts are my own. I cannot wait to.read more.by Megan Schulis.
Bethany –
Wow. What a wrap up to this Esther duology. I was hardly able to put the book down. Honestly, knowing it was based on the book of Esther didn’t help much; I kept wondering how on earth GOOD would prevail and how there would be a HEA. Schaulis is apparently brilliant, and the ending is marvelous. It’s painful to think of waiting until next year for Rebuilder (A Susa Chronicles Sequel).
My only complaint with both Protector and Proclaimer is that there is a love triangle, which I despise. This one doesn’t get icky in any way, but love triangles in general make me sad because someone has to lose out. It’s not really a spoiler to say who if you’ve read the biblical book of Esther, and it is a relief to see that the poor man who “loses” gets his own book next. I didn’t even realise there would be more in this world, so that was a nice surprise—especially when I found I could not get enough of Schaulis’ writing. She has definitely joined my list of “must read authors.”
Violence: on par with the first book. Honestly, maybe a bit less, though there is an actual battle scene in this book.
Romance: clean. A few kisses but nothing is overly described or sensual, and I’m so grateful to Schaulis for keeping this so mild.
While I did receive a copy of this book from the publisher, I have been anxiously awaiting the release of Proclaimer ever since Protector came out with such rave reviews, and this review is solely my own.
Talita A –
If I could give 10 stars, I would. Megan Schaulis is a brilliant writer. This book was incredible, and it is definitely going on my to-be-reread pile.
I loved Protector, the first book in this 2 part retelling of the story of Esther, and couldn’t wait for the release of Proclaimer so that I could find out What Happens Next!
Proclaimer literally starts where Protector ends, so I highly recommend reading Protector first, and then immediately follow with Proclaimer.
In Proclaimer, we continue the incredible dystopian tale of Astra, Zadien, Declan, Alpha, and the rest of the beloved characters from Protector. There is mystery, intrigue, romance, action, incredible spiritual depth, and so much more. Add a gorgeous cover to the latter and you have a book worthy of an award.
You will not mind losing sleep in order to read this book, and if they ever make this into a mini series, I will be first in line to watch it.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher, for which I am very grateful, but the opinions are completely mine, and I can’t wait to read what Megan will be writing next.
Paty Hinojosa –
OMG! Or should I say OMA? (you’ll get it when you read it), this book was amazing and I literally couldn’t put it down!
This is the sequel to PROTECTOR, and I have to start by recommend you to read this one first. If you haven’t read it, you’re lucky that you don’t have to wait for the sequel, as I did! Because these stories, and its characters are completely addictive. Like reading into the night kind.
I won’t describe the plot because it’s kind of complex -a dystopian world- and you can read the blurbs, but I can assure you that it’s fast placed plot with lots of unexpected twists and wonderful thought-provoking dialogues. The futuristic world created by the author is fascinating, with very advanced technology, but still with traditional customs as the King and the Royal family with its security system, the Council, and also very actual dilemmas, such as corruption, lack of religious freedom, manipulation, betrayal, human trafficking, etc.
The plot is faith inspired, because God -known as Alpha- is a primary character. But the way He is blended in the story never feels preachy. On the contrary it feels like a very close, personal, and friendly God, that loves his children, but will never impose Himself, just lights their thoughts and seeks for trust in Him, even if what He asks is not humanly logical. I loved the interaction between Alpha and Novalise (known in the story mostly as Astra): it was so loving and personal, even with banter. But not only with her, but also with other characters, depending on their opening to His voice.
The POV is not dual but triple and I loved that, besides Astra and Zadien, we had Dex’s point of view, which made it more interesting, as he is a key character to the story too.
The characters are so intricately described, that you feel that you are inside their mind while reading. I could almost feel their emotions resonating with mine! Both main characters have a deep growth during the story. They both face many challenges that will test their courage, loyalty, love, sacrifice and, ultimately, their faith and values.
Novalise’s character changed, from a young -coming out of age- girl wanting to live up to her brother’s expectations, to a young independent woman, self-assured (most of the time) and very loyal and courageous. Being named the Chief Protector puts tons of responsibility on her shoulders and she manages her -hesitant at first- team pretty well. Zadien changed even more, mostly thanks to Novalise, from an insecure and distrustful -thrown to the throne- King, to a mature man with leading skills and a compassionate, kind heart. And his love for Astra (her hidden identity name) was swooning to say the least! Love the romantic scenes, completely clean but with enough spark to make you sigh!
The secondary characters are amazing as well: Declan, Lynelle, Dahlia and the other Protectors, Lennox, Berg, and yes: Hatch! My heart ached for him!
All in all, this book has it all: forbidden -and enemies to lovers- love, royalty setting and events, danger, the evilest villains, lots of action and adventure, and a beautiful faith inspired message, all in one!
A very highly recommended and unputdownable book and series! I definitely think someone should make this series a movie or tv series!
Hannah Ruth Johnson –
After posting and sharing and ranting and raving my excitement about this book coming out, I was beginning to question if it would live up to not just the hype, but my own hype, but let me tell you, it was SO worthy of every OUNCE of hype.
Have I successfully overused the word hype? Probably, but that’s how it goes.
Proclaimer picks up right where Protector left off, without a single moment to breathe and relax. It’s intense, my friends. And yet, amid all the struggle and fighting, Alpha’s voice is always there, always speaking. And the message to both Novalise and Declan… the reminder that things always work out better when we trust God to work things out for our good… ugh. All the feels. The faith content in this duology is so present and potent. It’s amazing.
As in its predecessor, Proclaimer is a wee bit gory for my taste, but it never felt glorified or excessive. It was done well, which is not something that can be said of many books. And even Novalise and Zadien were rather disgusted with some of the things that made me cringe inside.
Now, the plot… I couldn’t put this book down, which was a very good thing considering I have a whole lot of books waiting to be reviewed, and I’ve got deadlines to make. The Alphanites’ plans and ideas had me so anxious, and I kept wondering how in the world it was all going to work out. And yet, Schaulis somehow made it all work out without simultaneously sucking all realism from the story.
I feel that the romance was much less than in the prior book (although it’s been a minute since I read it), however, it worked well for this novel. Between all the action and intrigue, I hardly had time to think about chemistry between my lovelies. And Novalise being promoted to Chief Protector definitely changed some dynamics of their relationship, as it should have.
Altogether, Megan Schaulis crafted a compelling, thrilling Esther retelling, and I’m so glad it all worked out the way it did. I think I’ve struck gold in the YA Christian fiction industry, and I won’t forget it anytime soon. Now to convince my library to purchase it…
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publishers. I was not required to provide a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone
Claire –
If you haven’t heard of or read Proclaimer by Megan Schaulis then you are missing out on a great read! Run, don’t walk to your nearest bookstore to pick it up for yourself! I would recommend reading the first book in the Susa Chronicles, Protector for better context first, but this book could be read on its own. I enjoyed Protector and honestly wondered if the sequel would be able to continue the exceptional experience. I am happy to report that Proclaimer has completely exceeded my already high expectations! I thoroughly enjoyed Proclaimer and highly recommend it. This is an action-packed, intriguing story with dystopian themes, a retelling of Esther, and deep life lessons.
The complexities of the storyline made the book a gripping tale that was impossible to put down. The intense plot and emotional depth of the characters kept swaying my guess of what would happen next, keeping my interest. I honestly wavered back and forth on several of the characters, especially Novalise’s brother and his questionable character and actions. I appreciated the clear references to faith and the importance of prayer and trusting in God. I also enjoyed the relationships that developed throughout the book and the change of heart that several of them experienced. I was not expecting the conclusion and the fierce fights, emotions, and deep human issues touched on by Ms. Schaulis. The character growth and development was so exceptionally well-done. I absolutely loved Proclaimer and cannot wait for the next book by Ms. Schaulis!!! This truly was an outstanding book and I am happy to highly recommend it! Happy readings!Disclaimer: White Crown Publishing graciously provided me with a copy of this book . All opinions are my own and part of an unbiased review.