Somewhat subdued in comparison to its bloody predecessor, Prophet Reborn finds Lucas and Alec questioning their beliefs and their miracles—"Who was to say that his gift, his ability to self heal and to foster healing in others, wasn’t some kind of evolution?”—and systems of religious authority, especially those that encourage zealotry, all while tending the wounds each has endured. Mysteries and a sense of looming dread still loom over them though, especially related to the prophecy of their father which called for the killing of a “misguided” son in order to “renew” the Church of Satan—what if it referred to Lucas rather than Alec?
While the emphasis here is on the brothers’ individual journeys, both physical and spiritual, with special attention paid to each’s shifting about Johnson’s character-driven follow-up still builds to deaths, new identities, an explosive confrontation involving hostages, armed compounds, and federal authorities—and legitimate shocks, especially as the brothers’ wayward paths converge and they and readers discover, together, who they’ve become. This engaging sequel will please fans of the first book open to big questions, challenging developments, less ritual violence—and, just maybe, a happy ending.
Takeaway: This thriller about faith healing, satanism, and fraternal prophecy is uncommonly thoughtful.
Great for fans of: Dan Chaon, Lynn Hightower.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
IR Rating 4.2 out of 5 stars -- an IndieReader Approved read...
...Brothers clash, seeking mercy and redemption, with the help — and hindrance — of divine intervention in Diane M. Johnson’s PROPHET REBORN, the sequel to PERFECT PROPHET.
...Alec Lowell is a former heavy metal superstar who survives an assassination attempt by his brother...and is “blessed” with divine healing powers. But Alec isn’t happy about being God’s chosen instrument. He’s dragged around as the highlight (and cash cow) of Reverend Joshua Light’s Healing Tour. Alec’s touch is enough to transform the diseased, destitute, and downtrodden, but carrying out God’s plan is exhausting work that distances Alec from his wife and son–and even his mistresses.
Alec’s brother, Lucas, is on his own troubled spiritual journey. Seeking redemption for attacking his brother, Lucas finds his way to a cult-like commune run by Reverend Jonas Adonis. Adonis tells Lucas that in order to save himself, he needs to save someone else. So Lucas decides to kidnap Alec’s son, Jake, and whisk him away to the commune for spiritual cleansing.
The plot is twisty, but Johnson keeps everything on track with deft plotting and strong characterization... She delivers a detailed portrait of two brothers in spiritual crisis... Both brothers ultimately get what they need, but not without great personal sacrifice...
Spiritual questions abound...from Reverend Light’s religion-for-profit to Reverend Adonis’s religion-for-power. Alec and Lucas may be sinners, but they don’t deserve the existential torment heaped upon them. Johnson’s God can be cruel, and, at times, as terrifyingly indifferent as any of Lovecraft’s unholy deities...The heavens pass down buckets of wormy mud, and it is up to the recipient to make mud pies, sand castles, or sift through it carefully, searching for flecks of precious metal.
Sympathetic characters and strong pacing make PROPHET REBORN, the sequel to PERFECT PROPHET, a white-knuckle thrill ride.
~Rob Errera for IndieReader
In this supernatural sequel, a faith healer and his son become targets of a dangerous, misguided man searching for redemption.
As part of a satanic cult’s prophecy, a man named Lucas attempted to kill death-metal guitarist Alec Lowell. But Alec survived and became a popular evangelical faith healer. Lucas escaped arrest and lived on the streets until finding surprising solace at a Christian commune somewhere in the Southwestern United States. Now he believes that to prove his “spiritual worth,” he’ll have to save someone. He tracks down and kidnaps Alec’s son, Jake. Lucas is convinced that the boy, as the son of a false prophet, deserves salvation. The Rev. Jonas Adonis, the commune’s leader, is initially upset by the abduction but eventually accepts that God has led Jake to him. It’s not exactly a tranquil place; many at the commune carry guns, apparently in preparation for an apocalypse. Even their leader is far from amicable, and when Alec comes looking for Jake, Adonis demands he validate his faith healing by performing a miracle. As a few commune members begin distrusting Adonis, they may opt to help the Lowells, and with all those weapons readily available, chaos seems inevitable. Johnson’s novel is relentlessly grim. Characters are generally despicable and won’t earn much reader sympathy, including an individual whom someone kills in a black-magic ritual. But there are standouts in the cast, from Alec’s long-suffering wife, Belinda, who tenaciously searches for her son, to bright 10-year-old Maggie, who separately befriends Lucas and Jake. As in the preceding volume, supernatural components are subtle, like Alec’s ability to heal others. The author sets a brisk momentum by quickly diving into the story, making reading the first book a virtual necessity. A frenzied final act and an unexpected turn deliver a bracing ending that seemingly hints at a third installment.
A dark but exhilarating tale of black magic and religious fanatics.-- Kirkus Reviews
A 2023 Readers' Favorite Book Award finalist in the category of Christian Thriller
Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite
Prophet Reborn is a work of fiction in the horror, thriller and suspense sub-genres, and was penned by author Diane M. Johnson. In the second novel of a continuing series, we join the action where Perfect Prophet leaves off, and once again the book does contain adult content, including brief sexual scenes and some graphic violence and explicit language. We find Lucas as a failed satanic high priest, and his search for redemption takes him to a Christian commune where he tries to prove his worth. But things take a turn for the worse very quickly, and Lucas’s shot at redemption gets as warped as his own morals, endangering himself and others in the process.
Author Diane M. Johnson has created a highly engaging and disturbing horror novel that ticks plenty of boxes for fans of the genre. One of the things I particularly liked about this novel was the close psychological focus on the central figure, which allows us to get into his head and see where things are going to go wrong even before they happen. This creates a wonderful sense of dread which, combined with the use of imagery and disturbing themes, gives you an edge-of-your-seat feeling throughout the reading process. I also felt that the dialogue was particularly impactful, revealing much about character but also moving the plot on with some very memorable and dynamic scenes. Overall, I would definitely recommend Prophet Reborn for fans of the first book in the series, but also for intense horror fans in general.
