Prophase: A Present Tale
by Mitchel Street
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Pub Date Mar 20 2014 | Archive Date Oct 24 2014
Description
Become swept away into a world of light just beyond our perception.
Piper Walker, a high school senior, has seen her share of hard times. At a young age, she lost her mother to breast cancer shortly after her brother Charlie was born. Raising her baby brother under the wrathful eye of an abusive and alcoholic father, she relies heavily on her small, but tight core of friends. Lisa, her best friend from kindergarten, and Chris, her longtime boyfriend, help to keep her above water. Along with her friends, Piper’s elderly neighbor, Ester, and her lynx point Siamese cat, Jazz, become the extended family she never had.
Even before her mom died, Piper always felt different. She was opposite of her popular best buddy Lisa, and didn’t enjoy doing what most other teenage girls liked to do. She wasn’t much for fixing up and thought hanging out was boring. Music and nature were her muses. Piper grew up next to a forest with countless paths, one of which led to the high school; the others to myriad of seasonal wonders. Piper spent countless hours in the woods exploring and finding solace in the trees, wild flowers, and every kind of animal. Although somewhat shy and insecure of her voice, Piper was lead vocals and a passionate bass player for a garage band called ‘The Coat Tails’ that consisted of Lisa, Chris, and their close friend Josh. Having never sounded better, they were sure to win the senior talent show.
After a Spring Fling dance, a near-death experience prematurely rebirths Piper to her destiny, for not even she knows who she really is. Her identity has remained buried deep for her protection. She awakens to a dimension where light laden with emotions emits from everything around her. Overnight, Piper and her world are transformed into something radically different. What she thought was real was only the beginning, a thin veneer to actual reality. Universal truths are turned upside down. She wakes to a magical world with an ancient history and kingdoms of races. Life becomes way more beautiful, complex, and breathtaking than she ever imagined.
A menagerie of supernatural and metallic gleaming mythical characters come to assist Piper to take her first steps in her new world and keep her safe. The realm of brilliant auras, feelings, and endless color surround her creating a language she doesn’t understand. She begins a long journey to discovering and mastering her powers and senses that defy fantasy. Riding gravity waves, casting spells, and leaping to exotic locations become her new curriculum.
However, amongst the Eden lies a fatal danger. For centuries, a tyrannical rule has suppressed and strangled the enchanted world she is now part of. A most brilliant Guardian, named Eli, and his council, the Arbitri, have become the only voice. Evolution has stopped. Only Piper has the power to bring about change.
Amongst the unspeakable beauty, unknown danger, and the desire to find out who she really is, Piper stumbles upon an unexplainable, first-time love that becomes the only thing that she can cling to in her stormy and unexpected life. From the first time his voice dances on her ear drums, she is taken by something wonderfully unreal.
Piper now must juggle her two worlds – and disguise her increasing abilities and morphing appearance while attempting to be the slightly nerdy teenager everyone knows.
This story captivates the imagination with the beauty of nature and the celebration of love, life, and light – and the power of one girl.
Piper Walker, a high school senior, has seen her share of hard times. At a young age, she lost her mother to breast cancer shortly after her brother Charlie was born. Raising her baby brother under the wrathful eye of an abusive and alcoholic father, she relies heavily on her small, but tight core of friends. Lisa, her best friend from kindergarten, and Chris, her longtime boyfriend, help to keep her above water. Along with her friends, Piper’s elderly neighbor, Ester, and her lynx point Siamese cat, Jazz, become the extended family she never had.
Even before her mom died, Piper always felt different. She was opposite of her popular best buddy Lisa, and didn’t enjoy doing what most other teenage girls liked to do. She wasn’t much for fixing up and thought hanging out was boring. Music and nature were her muses. Piper grew up next to a forest with countless paths, one of which led to the high school; the others to myriad of seasonal wonders. Piper spent countless hours in the woods exploring and finding solace in the trees, wild flowers, and every kind of animal. Although somewhat shy and insecure of her voice, Piper was lead vocals and a passionate bass player for a garage band called ‘The Coat Tails’ that consisted of Lisa, Chris, and their close friend Josh. Having never sounded better, they were sure to win the senior talent show.
After a Spring Fling dance, a near-death experience prematurely rebirths Piper to her destiny, for not even she knows who she really is. Her identity has remained buried deep for her protection. She awakens to a dimension where light laden with emotions emits from everything around her. Overnight, Piper and her world are transformed into something radically different. What she thought was real was only the beginning, a thin veneer to actual reality. Universal truths are turned upside down. She wakes to a magical world with an ancient history and kingdoms of races. Life becomes way more beautiful, complex, and breathtaking than she ever imagined.
A menagerie of supernatural and metallic gleaming mythical characters come to assist Piper to take her first steps in her new world and keep her safe. The realm of brilliant auras, feelings, and endless color surround her creating a language she doesn’t understand. She begins a long journey to discovering and mastering her powers and senses that defy fantasy. Riding gravity waves, casting spells, and leaping to exotic locations become her new curriculum.
However, amongst the Eden lies a fatal danger. For centuries, a tyrannical rule has suppressed and strangled the enchanted world she is now part of. A most brilliant Guardian, named Eli, and his council, the Arbitri, have become the only voice. Evolution has stopped. Only Piper has the power to bring about change.
Amongst the unspeakable beauty, unknown danger, and the desire to find out who she really is, Piper stumbles upon an unexplainable, first-time love that becomes the only thing that she can cling to in her stormy and unexpected life. From the first time his voice dances on her ear drums, she is taken by something wonderfully unreal.
Piper now must juggle her two worlds – and disguise her increasing abilities and morphing appearance while attempting to be the slightly nerdy teenager everyone knows.
This story captivates the imagination with the beauty of nature and the celebration of love, life, and light – and the power of one girl.
Advance Praise
Rating: 5.0 stars
Reviewed By Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite
Prophase, A Present Tale, is a young adult contemporary fantasy novel written by Mitchel Street. Piper is a senior in high school who lives with her father and younger brother. When her mother died, her father seemed to shrivel and become an angry and bitter man who terrorized Piper and Charley. She had a boyfriend, Chris, a best friend, Lisa, and the closest thing to a mother, Esther, the elderly neighbor whose love and support were always there for her. Then there was Jazz, Esther's elderly Lynx-Point Siamese cat, who seemed to have adopted Piper and would appear at her window each night and snuggle with her all night long. The Coat Tails, a group composed of Lisa, Chris, Josh, another friend, and Piper, was getting ready to compete in the Senior Talent Show and Spring Fling was just days away. Then everything started getting complicated.
Mitchel Street's young adult fantasy is recommended reading for adults as well. This rather extraordinary book is one of the most impressive coming of age tales I've read. Street writes beautifully, with a poet's gift for creating light, color and song with words, and the illustrations that grace the front of most chapters are inspired and pair magnificently with the story. Piper's coming of age is special, as is every person's, but her circumstances are unique indeed. The gifts and heritage that are revealed to her are the stuff of high fantasy, as are the dazzling displays of nature, magic and light that are woven throughout this tale. Reading Prophase, A Present Tale, was an awesome experience for me and I very highly recommend it. From the Author Rating: 5.0 stars
Reviewed by Kathryn Bennett for Readers' Favorite
In Prophase: A Present Tale by Mitchel Street, Piper Walker who is a high school senior has had a hard life already for one so young. Her mother died of breast cancer a short time after her brother Charlie was born. Her father was an abusive alcoholic and she had to contend with him as she raised her brother. While life is hard, she does have a good group of friends that she can rely upon: Lisa who has been with her from kindergarten, Chris, her boyfriend for a long time, and there is also an elderly neighbor named Ester and a lynx point Siamese cat. It is only when a near-death experience happens that Piper is reborn to find her destiny, her real identity; reborn and awake in another dimension, with ancient history and new races before her.
This is certainly one of the more interesting books I have read so far this year. I love this new world of auras and light, love and interesting characters. Following Piper as she finds out who she is and learns about this new world is something I think on some level we can all follow. We all have our own coming of age, even if ours is less fantastic and not in a magical realm. The creative joy that went into writing this book is evident; you can tell that Mitchel Street put a great deal of time, energy, and everything else into this book. Anyone who enjoys reading about fantasy and new worlds with a group of characters they will grow to love is going to enjoy Prophase.
Rating: 5.0 stars
Reviewed by Faridah Nassozi for Readers' Favorite
Right from childhood, Piper had always felt different from the other kids her age and had a special kinship with nature. With all the troubles in her life - a dead mum, a drunken dad, and having to raise her little brother - nature and a few unconditionally loving friends had always been her safe haven, giving her peace and solace. When Piper turned 18, however, life as she knew it came to an end and she started on a new journey beyond any human comprehension. Her boyfriend had just dumped her, completely devastating her and putting an end to her happiness, but all this was pushed to the background as she labored to embrace her new circumstances. Following a night of bizarre events that included a flying car, Piper works up to a new reality; her body has completely changed, transforming her into a striking beauty; she has developed visual skills that allow her to see into people's souls; she has super enhanced senses of smell and hearing; and she can move at the speed of wind, if not faster. With the help of Esther, her adorable elderly neighbor, Piper starts to discover her real identity, but has no full comprehension of the incredible journey still ahead of her and the challenges involved as she endeavors to embrace her role as a Guardian and at the same time maintain her cover as a normal high school teenager.
Prophase: A Present Tale by Mitchel Street is a beautifully crafted masterpiece of a story that perfectly bounces between the real world and a mesmerizing new reality. The novel has compellingly vivid descriptions that allow you to get a true picture of the story, drawing you in and transferring you to another time and place that is the plot and setting of Prophase. Mitchel Street has mastered the canny ability to speak to the reader in a way that is completely captivating, prompting a real emotional connection between the reader and the characters. This comes out throughout Prophase as Piper tries to make sense of her new circumstances and the emotional chaos that accompanies her on this journey. Prophase: A Present Tale by Mitchel Street is the type of novel that gives you a thrilling reading experience and leaves you with a beautiful, indescribable feeling when you turn the last page.
Rating: 5.0 stars
Reviewed By Kim Anisi for Readers' Favorite
Prophase by Mitchel Street is the story of Piper Walker, a girl who has enough problems as it is. Her boyfriend wants a break, but then kisses another girl during a school party. Her best friend still wants her to perform in their band even though Piper doesn't want to be anywhere near her ex. Her mother is dead and her father is a hopeless, aggressive alcoholic that never treats her and her brother nicely. As if that was not enough, one day Piper changes: her body becomes more toned, her hair turns curly, her eyes and her face are prettier, and she can suddenly move with inhuman speed and influence things with her thoughts. She can also see people's auras. And her friendly, elderly neighbor Esther turns out to be more than everyone thought. Where do Piper's powers come from? And who wants to harm her?
I was pleasantly surprised by the lovely design of Prophase by Mitchel Street. The book is made up of various chapters within different sections. Each section starts with a lovely image with a meaning that correlates to what is going to happen in the story. It turns reading the book into an even nicer experience. I wish I could give six stars for the design and appearance because it stands out from other novels.
The story itself is also very good. I enjoyed every page and never felt bored at all. The story progressed at the right speed, but towards the end I wished it would be slower because I did not want the book to end. You can't help but really feel for Piper and wish her the best. It's a lovely story and I would certainly read more from this author. He has a fantastic writing style.
Reviewed By Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite
Prophase, A Present Tale, is a young adult contemporary fantasy novel written by Mitchel Street. Piper is a senior in high school who lives with her father and younger brother. When her mother died, her father seemed to shrivel and become an angry and bitter man who terrorized Piper and Charley. She had a boyfriend, Chris, a best friend, Lisa, and the closest thing to a mother, Esther, the elderly neighbor whose love and support were always there for her. Then there was Jazz, Esther's elderly Lynx-Point Siamese cat, who seemed to have adopted Piper and would appear at her window each night and snuggle with her all night long. The Coat Tails, a group composed of Lisa, Chris, Josh, another friend, and Piper, was getting ready to compete in the Senior Talent Show and Spring Fling was just days away. Then everything started getting complicated.
Mitchel Street's young adult fantasy is recommended reading for adults as well. This rather extraordinary book is one of the most impressive coming of age tales I've read. Street writes beautifully, with a poet's gift for creating light, color and song with words, and the illustrations that grace the front of most chapters are inspired and pair magnificently with the story. Piper's coming of age is special, as is every person's, but her circumstances are unique indeed. The gifts and heritage that are revealed to her are the stuff of high fantasy, as are the dazzling displays of nature, magic and light that are woven throughout this tale. Reading Prophase, A Present Tale, was an awesome experience for me and I very highly recommend it. From the Author Rating: 5.0 stars
Reviewed by Kathryn Bennett for Readers' Favorite
In Prophase: A Present Tale by Mitchel Street, Piper Walker who is a high school senior has had a hard life already for one so young. Her mother died of breast cancer a short time after her brother Charlie was born. Her father was an abusive alcoholic and she had to contend with him as she raised her brother. While life is hard, she does have a good group of friends that she can rely upon: Lisa who has been with her from kindergarten, Chris, her boyfriend for a long time, and there is also an elderly neighbor named Ester and a lynx point Siamese cat. It is only when a near-death experience happens that Piper is reborn to find her destiny, her real identity; reborn and awake in another dimension, with ancient history and new races before her.
This is certainly one of the more interesting books I have read so far this year. I love this new world of auras and light, love and interesting characters. Following Piper as she finds out who she is and learns about this new world is something I think on some level we can all follow. We all have our own coming of age, even if ours is less fantastic and not in a magical realm. The creative joy that went into writing this book is evident; you can tell that Mitchel Street put a great deal of time, energy, and everything else into this book. Anyone who enjoys reading about fantasy and new worlds with a group of characters they will grow to love is going to enjoy Prophase.
Rating: 5.0 stars
Reviewed by Faridah Nassozi for Readers' Favorite
Right from childhood, Piper had always felt different from the other kids her age and had a special kinship with nature. With all the troubles in her life - a dead mum, a drunken dad, and having to raise her little brother - nature and a few unconditionally loving friends had always been her safe haven, giving her peace and solace. When Piper turned 18, however, life as she knew it came to an end and she started on a new journey beyond any human comprehension. Her boyfriend had just dumped her, completely devastating her and putting an end to her happiness, but all this was pushed to the background as she labored to embrace her new circumstances. Following a night of bizarre events that included a flying car, Piper works up to a new reality; her body has completely changed, transforming her into a striking beauty; she has developed visual skills that allow her to see into people's souls; she has super enhanced senses of smell and hearing; and she can move at the speed of wind, if not faster. With the help of Esther, her adorable elderly neighbor, Piper starts to discover her real identity, but has no full comprehension of the incredible journey still ahead of her and the challenges involved as she endeavors to embrace her role as a Guardian and at the same time maintain her cover as a normal high school teenager.
Prophase: A Present Tale by Mitchel Street is a beautifully crafted masterpiece of a story that perfectly bounces between the real world and a mesmerizing new reality. The novel has compellingly vivid descriptions that allow you to get a true picture of the story, drawing you in and transferring you to another time and place that is the plot and setting of Prophase. Mitchel Street has mastered the canny ability to speak to the reader in a way that is completely captivating, prompting a real emotional connection between the reader and the characters. This comes out throughout Prophase as Piper tries to make sense of her new circumstances and the emotional chaos that accompanies her on this journey. Prophase: A Present Tale by Mitchel Street is the type of novel that gives you a thrilling reading experience and leaves you with a beautiful, indescribable feeling when you turn the last page.
Rating: 5.0 stars
Reviewed By Kim Anisi for Readers' Favorite
Prophase by Mitchel Street is the story of Piper Walker, a girl who has enough problems as it is. Her boyfriend wants a break, but then kisses another girl during a school party. Her best friend still wants her to perform in their band even though Piper doesn't want to be anywhere near her ex. Her mother is dead and her father is a hopeless, aggressive alcoholic that never treats her and her brother nicely. As if that was not enough, one day Piper changes: her body becomes more toned, her hair turns curly, her eyes and her face are prettier, and she can suddenly move with inhuman speed and influence things with her thoughts. She can also see people's auras. And her friendly, elderly neighbor Esther turns out to be more than everyone thought. Where do Piper's powers come from? And who wants to harm her?
I was pleasantly surprised by the lovely design of Prophase by Mitchel Street. The book is made up of various chapters within different sections. Each section starts with a lovely image with a meaning that correlates to what is going to happen in the story. It turns reading the book into an even nicer experience. I wish I could give six stars for the design and appearance because it stands out from other novels.
The story itself is also very good. I enjoyed every page and never felt bored at all. The story progressed at the right speed, but towards the end I wished it would be slower because I did not want the book to end. You can't help but really feel for Piper and wish her the best. It's a lovely story and I would certainly read more from this author. He has a fantastic writing style.
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Available Editions
| EDITION | Ebook |
| ISBN | 9780991554300 |
| PRICE | $3.99 (USD) |
Average rating from 9 members
Featured Reviews
Melissa P, Reviewer
This is a great YA fantasy! This is one that everyone will like and will be able to relate to! This is a coming of age story about Piper who has hurdles to cross. The author does a great job holding the readers attention and made it hard for me to put the book (Kindle) down.
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley.
