Rose of the Prophet

My favorite literary genre is fantasy. I love being swept up in a story of another world, with different rules, customs and people. My absolute favorite series is The Lord of the Rings but there are a few others that I quite enjoy as well. One of those is the Rose of the Prophet trilogy. The books were co-authored by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman and were published from 1988-1989. It is a story of romance, treachery, magic and mystery. I have read the trilogy three or four times now, and each time I fall even more in love. The last time I was reading the books, I was struggling not to laugh out loud.

The series takes place on the world Sularin, which is ruled by a group of 20 gods. The 20 gods make up a single, central god called Sul. When the gods are in accord, the world is balanced. But, as so often happens when there are so many who desire power, the gods fight and chaos occurs. Not all of the gods are major characters in the series; only 5 are featured heavily. And the gods are rarely seen. Instead, their agents appear to the humans. The Immortals are generally either angel,s djinns, 'efreets, or imps. And they are probably the funniest part of the series. The djinn are conniving and mischievous and get into all kinds of trouble. They are the comedic relief in the books, which is good because the books can get dark.

The series starts with two nomadic tribes being told by their god, Akhran, that the children of the Sheiks must marry. During the ceremony, the bride is tied up and gagged and the groom is drunk. Clearly, the marriage is off to a good start. The two tribes are constantly at odds. Zohra's tribe is comprised of sheep-herders and Khardan's tribe breeds horses. Zohra's tribe is also ashamed of her because she is stubborn and "manly". She goes so far as to stab Khardan on their wedding night. If any couple needed counseling, it is Zohra and Khardan. But they are wonderful. Even though they do nothing but fight, they still have a connection. We only see hints of tenderness between them, and even at the end they are fighting about where they will live. The biggest sign that there is something more to their relationship happens when Zohra refuses to sleep with Khardan's blood brother, Auda ibn Jad. He propositions her, saying that he wants a son before he dies. But she refuses and ibn Jad tells Khardan she will bear many sons of the man she loves.

The other major character in the story is Mathew. He is a sorcerer who is disguised as a woman, an interesting case of mistaken identity. He is very timid in the beginning but learns to stand on his feet and stand up for himself and those around him. He is the one who teaches Zohra how to do more extensive magic. The nomadic tribes only practice woman's magic so the fact that Mathew can do magic is astonishing. But he teaches Zohra a lot. Together, Mathew, Zohra and Khardan save the nomadic tribes. They do not bring peace, per say, as the series ends with the tribes fighting among themselves. But the tribes are saved and the gods are in balance again so there is hope that everything will be alright soon.

If you love fantasy and are looking for something new to read, then I highly recommend the Rose of the Prophet trilogy. It's refreshing, funny, and romantic. And it's also a part of another genre of literature that I adore called mythopoeia, where an author creates his own mythology. These books are definitely a created mythology. There is a vast world with its own gods and social order to be found in this trilogy. It's a beautiful series and one you should definitely read.