Beyonders #3: Chasing the Prophecy by Brandon Mull

Galloran returns to Trensicort and regains his title as king. He immediately amasses an army to lead an attack on Maldor, the ruthless wizard threatening Lyrian. Galloran has the support of the Amar Kabal and the drinlings, two of the fiercest armies in the entire kingdom, and Rachel has developed her Edomic powers. Their chances of success are still very slim, and their only hope rests with Jason and his quest to uncover a prophecy. However, the prophecy is only known by a man who is thought to have died hundreds of years ago. Even if they can discover the prophecy, Galloran's supporters must still battle superior forces, giants, displacers, and Torivors. Jason is an unlikely hero, but an oracle has foreseen that he is the key to victory. However, she has also foreseen a traitor among Galloran's supporters, so efforts to defeat Maldor may be doomed before they even get started.

This plot has suspenseful twists as the characters face impossible obstacles. The most interesting thing is the characters themselves. They all have doubts about success and deal with them in different ways. Rachel considers returning to the Beyond, our real world, but she also thinks about sacrificing herself to Maldor. He has promised to spare the lives of her ten friends if she will become his apprentice. Ferrin is an especially entertaining character. As a displacer, he can remove body parts and reattach them later, including his head! He has pledged his support to Galloran, but he was a spy for Maldor and confesses he still has thoughts of helping him. The plot moved slowly in some places, but it was an enjoyable series.