Prophase

A Present Tale

Young Adult - Fantasy - General
334 Pages
Reviewed on 04/18/2014
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

Mitchel Street is an avid storyteller with an innate passion for fiction writing. He was raised in rural Wisconsin near the shores of Lake Michigan across from a small forest that became his second home. As an adult, M. Street has lived on the East Coast in Boston, on the West Coast in San Jose, and now resides South, in the great city of Austin, TX. A love for nature, art, spirituality, and science has been his foundation. He has been fortunate to have been adopted by cats, dogs, birds, frogs, turtles, and Monarch butterflies. His professional background is rooted in Engineering having earned a graduate degree in Computer Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is technically published (under a different name). He is currently creating Metaphase and Anaphase, the follow-on to Prophase, part of the Mitosis series.Mitchel Street is an avid storyteller with an innate passion for fiction writing. He was raised in rural Wisconsin near the shores of Lake Michigan across from a small forest that became his second home. As an adult, M. Street has lived on the East Coast in Boston, on the West Coast in San Jose, and now resides South, in the great city of Austin, TX. A love for nature, art, spirituality, and science has been his foundation. He has been fortunate to have been adopted by cats, dogs, birds, frogs, turtles, and Monarch butterflies. His professional background is rooted in Engineering having earned a graduate degree in Computer Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is technically published (under a different name). He is currently creating Metaphase and Anaphase, the follow-on to Prophase, part of the Mitosis series.Mitchel Street is an avid storyteller with an innate passion for fiction writing. He was raised in rural Wisconsin near the shores of Lake Michigan across from a small forest that became his second home. As an adult, M. Street has lived on the East Coast in Boston, on the West Coast in San Jose, and now resides South, in the great city of Austin, TX. A love for nature, art, spirituality, and science has been his foundation. He has been fortunate to have been adopted by cats, dogs, birds, frogs, turtles, and Monarch butterflies. His professional background is rooted in Engineering having earned a graduate degree in Computer Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is technically published (under a different name). He is currently creating Metaphase and Anaphase, the follow-on to Prophase, part of the Mitosis series.Mitchel Street is an avid storyteller with an innate passion for fiction writing. He was raised in rural Wisconsin near the shores of Lake Michigan across from a small forest that became his second home. As an adult, M. Street has lived on the East Coast in Boston, on the West Coast in San Jose, and now resides South, in the great city of Austin, TX. A love for nature, art, spirituality, and science has been his foundation. He has been fortunate to have been adopted by cats, dogs, birds, frogs, turtles, and Monarch butterflies. His professional background is rooted in Engineering having earned a graduate degree in Computer Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is technically published (under a different name). He is currently creating Metaphase and Anaphase, the follow-on to Prophase, part of the Mitosis series.Mitchel Street is an avid storyteller with an innate passion for fiction writing. He was raised in rural Wisconsin near the shores of Lake Michigan across from a small forest that became his second home. As an adult, M. Street has lived on the East Coast in Boston, on the West Coast in San Jose, and now resides South, in the great city of Austin, TX. A love for nature, art, spirituality, and science has been his foundation. He has been fortunate to have been adopted by cats, dogs, birds, frogs, turtles, and Monarch butterflies. His professional background is rooted in Engineering having earned a graduate degree in Computer Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is technically published (under a different name). He is currently creating Metaphase and Anaphase, the follow-on to Prophase, part of the Mitosis series.

    Book Review

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. Piper would worry sometimes about leaving her brother in the fall when she started school at Madison. Otherwise, her life was pretty wonderful. 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.

Kim Anisi

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.

Ray Simmons

Prophase is a Young Adult or Teen novel set in modern day Wisconsin. It is the story of Piper Walker, a teenager who finds out she is more than the average American teen that she appears to be. Piper is a high school senior. Her mom is dead and Piper misses her with an inconsolable ache. Piper’s father is a mean-spirited alcoholic slowly drowning in his own sorrow. The only bright spots in Piper’s home life are her little brother Charlie, Esther, an old grandmother figure who lives next door, and Jazz, Esther’s cat. Piper has friends at school and even has a nice boyfriend. She is just hanging on until high school is over and she can escape to college. Things are bad but they could be worse. They get worse when her boyfriend suddenly dumps her for the head cheerleader. Piper goes into an emotional tailspin that culminates in a near fatal automobile accident during which she finds out she has strange and incredible abilities.

Mitchel Street has created a wonderful story for young people in Prophase. It has a spunky, likable main character. It has a well explained mythos and history, and a pseudo-scientific explanation for the powers that Piper and others of her kind display. The writing and story will appeal to teens. There is plenty of high school drama and that intensity of youth where every problem is a huge problem and love and friendship mean everything. I think teen girls will identify with Piper. I give Prophase four stars.

Faridah Nassozi

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.

Kathryn Bennett

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.

Azew

"Prophase" by Mitchel Street is an engaging young adult novel set in modern-day Wisconsin, where we follow the life of Piper Walker. Piper is a relatable high school senior dealing with the loss of her mother and the challenges posed by her father's alcoholism. Her life has a few bright spots, including her younger brother Charlie, her kind neighbor Esther, and Jazz, a mysterious cat. The story takes an intriguing twist when Piper's boyfriend abruptly ends their relationship, sending her into an emotional spiral. A near-fatal car accident then reveals Piper's extraordinary abilities, setting the stage for a journey of self-discovery and empowerment.

"Prophase" delves into the intense world of high school drama, where every problem feels significant, and the complexities of love and friendship hold great importance. Mitchel Street's writing style is engaging and tailored to appeal to a teenage audience. Mitchel Street has crafted a compelling narrative that resonates with young readers. Piper is a relatable and likable protagonist, making it easy for teens to connect with her struggles and triumphs. The author skillfully incorporates well-explained mythos and history, along with a pseudo-scientific explanation for the supernatural powers displayed by Piper and others like her.

However, the grammatical error in the sentence " I don't want you to frighten you, but you must believe" is the repetition of the word "you." The correct sentence should be: "I don't want to frighten you, but you must believe." Esther was misspelled as Ester in one of the sentences as well.

Overall, "Prophase" is a well-crafted young adult novel that offers an enthralling mix of drama, self-discovery, and supernatural elements. It provides an authentic portrayal of the teenage experience while adding a unique twist to Piper's abilities. I would highly recommend "Prophase" to teen readers who enjoy stories of resilience and empowerment. This book deserves a solid four-star rating.

Reading this book is truly an extraordinary experience, and it comes highly recommended. Mitchel Street's ability to blend the ordinary with the extraordinary, the mundane with the magical, makes "Prophase, A Present Tale" a literary gem that should not be missed.