Ellen Oh: Prophecy

[bibliogramma]

First in a trilogy, Prophecy by Ellen Oh is a solid if at times predictable YA fantasy. What sets it apart is Oh's choice to use Korean folklore and history to create her fantasy world.

Kang Kira, niece of the king, can sense demons. Because of a dream her mother had during her pregnancy about her unborn child being a great warrior, Kira has been trained in martial skills - and she uses these skills both to kill demons and to serve as bodyguard to her cousin, the young prince. When the king is betrayed to his death and the kingdom captured by the Yamato (historically, Japan invaded Korea on many occasions), Kira must save the prince, and help him fulfill an ancient prophecy - one in which she herself will play a greater role than anyone suspected.

There are many standard elements to the story - the prophecy, the protagonist who begins as misunderstood and discovers a great destiny, and a somewhat sketchy love triangle between the protagonist, the bad boy son of the traitor, and the good friend with a tortured past among them - but the use of a Korean-inspired setting and culture gives these elements a fresh feel. I quite enjoyed it and look forward to the next volume in the series.