I while ago did I buddy read with Erin over at HISTORICAL FICTIONAL READER the first book in this series, Athena's Champion. So, it was only natural that we buddy read this one as well. You can read Erin's review here: https://historicalfictionreader.blogspot.com/2019/03/bookreview-oracles-war-by-david-hair.html

First I want to say that this book definitely works best if you have read the first book. The story in this book pretty much picks up right after the first book ended. And, one of the reasons I liked this book better than the first, is the fact that the characters have now been introduced and established in the first book. So, new readers may feel a bit lost. Secondly, I just want to say that I love this retelling of Odysseus life. Odysseus has always been a favorite of mine and I adore David Hair & Cath Mayo take on his life.

In Oracle's War is Odysseus younger sister preparing to get married to the man she loves, but a cruel act against her and her fiance change everything. To find out the truth must Odysseus travel to Delos where a new prophecy is causing turmoil. But, Odysseus enemy in this book is the great seer Tiresias who will not let anyone or any prophecy stop his plan.

I really liked the first book, but I found the story in this book to be even more captivating. Also, I was very happy to finally be introduced to a character that will play a very important role later on in Odysseus life. I will not spoil anything, so you just have to read the book to find out for yourself. It's a great book and I'm looking forward to next!

We start with few months after the last part finished in Athena's Champion where Odysseus's true lineage was revealed at Pytho which led to him fulfilling a prophecy by the same Oracle. This one starts off with his sister Ctimene marrying her childhood sweetheart, Maeus, but at the last moment the wedding is called off and she marries someone else. Odysseus suspects foul play and with the help of Bria - a daemon, Eurybates, and newly appointed Theoi Diomedes embark on a journey to Delos where the sorcerer Tiresias, who is suspected to be the one who meddled with Ctimene's marriage is headed.

On the way Bria updates him about a spontaneous prophecy by a novice Arnacia, but is shrouded in secrecy. They need to uncover what it is as it predicts about the long prophesied Trojan war. Once in Delos, Odysseus discovers that the the prophecy is closely related to him and the possibility of starting a war which can break the illusion of the impregnable city of Thebes. For this he needs to unite the Epigoni which is no small feat. Odysseus is caught between the prophecy, the gods and his mortal enemies including the seer cum sorcerer Tiresias. What happens next will decide the course of his, Ithaca's and his patron Goddess Athena's future.

This book was as good as the previous one. It was much more fast paced. The pages were just flowing. Not even one page was out of place. Something or the other was continuously happening. The characters remain fresh as ever. Odysseus has matured and how. His voice is much stronger, matching his renowned legend............................................................The best thing about it is that despite based on traditional mythology, the modern reader will never feel like he's reading something outdated. The language is fluid and narration, simple. Not an easy task for the majestic Greek mythologies.

for full review please www.bibliogyan.com

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Canelo for providing me with an ARC of this book. I really enjoyed the first book in the series and so was very excited to be offered the opportunity to read and review this sequel!

Odysseus has returned home to Ithaca after his adventures and fallen back into routine, albeit an uneasy one, now that his entire family is aware of his heritage. Not for long though, as chaos descends upon his sister Ctimene’s wedding, Odysseus sets out once more to avenge his family honour, accompanied by Bria, and Athena’s newest champion, Diomedes.

He appears to have made a dangerous enemy however, as the sorcerer who ruined his sister’s wedding turns out to be none other than the great seer Tiresias of Thebes. But a new prophecy has been given, and all of Achaea is in a tizzy as parties from across the Mediterranean race to Delos with the hope of uncovering the details of this closely guarded prediction. The Trojans are not far behind, and as they continue to plot their expansion to invade Achaea, this is an important piece of information for them to gain – and control.

The conflict between the gods, though few of them actually appear in person in this book, is ever crucial. With every oracle so far having prophesied the destruction of Achaea at the hands of the Trojans, many of the gods have been focussed on extending their influence eastward to Troy so as to survive. But this newest prophecy throws into question all others. It hints that Thebes, the impregnable city, may be conquered after all. And if one prophecy can be wrong, so can others. Of course, Odysseus finds himself right at the centre of this mess as he finds out that this newest prophecy seems to directly affect his own destiny.

Oracle’s War delves even deeper into the Greek myths, this time turning the focus to Thebes, the city that was said to be unconquerable. As with the first book, I really enjoyed the twist the authors put on well-known myths including Oedipus, the Seven Against Thebes and the War of the Epigoni. I found it really interesting that this book revolves heavily around prophecy, and the power the oracles held over people at the time. The discussions on the nature of prophecy were very thought-provoking in particular.

When it comes to character development, it’s easy to see just how far Odysseus has come. In Athena’s Champion, he was an untried teenager, trying to find his place in the world, but this – this was more like the Odysseus of legend, the strategist, the tactical thinker, visible especially in how skilled he has become in getting his way through words alone, such as when he was attempting to incite the Epigoni to go to war – he knows exactly where to strike. As he puts it: “Most Achaean warriors – nine in ten of them – think of honour first and all else second. That’s the breed: it’s all about their precious name, their repute, their prowess.” Many old faces return, and a few interesting new ones are introduced: Penelope among them. She was about the last character I expected to see at this stage and I did not initially recognize that link, but it was a welcome surprise.

At this stage though, I am extremely curious as to how this story is going to wrap up in just one more book. The plot is still focussed on events prior to the Iliad and the Trojan War and there is still so much left to tell. I for one am very interested to see how the authors are going to interpret this with their own style. The other thing I noted with this book was that while it is nice to have some prior knowledge of the myths (and it definitely provides more depth to the reading experience if you do), it is laid out and explained in such a manner that even those who are unfamiliar with the tales can catch on very easily. Lastly, despite this series being based on myths and legends, the narration style does not reflect it at all – something I would normally be wary of as a modern tone tends to detract from the tale, but it continues to surprise me just how well it suits.

Overall, Oracle’s War had a much more ominous tone to it, but despite the serious plot, there is humour to be found in unexpected places. Fast-paced and action-packed, this sequel is a must read for fans of Greek mythology.

Oracle's War is the second installment of David Hair and Cath Mayo’s Olympus trilogy and before getting too far into my thoughts on the book, I have to note the novels are not written as standalones and are best appreciated when tackled in order.

Much like its predecessor, Oracle’s War hits the ground running and does not let up till the final page. I don’t use the term action-packed often, but this story demands it. Hair and Mayo are masters at sustaining momentum, a fact which left me on the edge of my seat for much of my reading.

While based on ancient myths, these stories are not traditional in tone. Hair and Mayo cleverly blend and twist many of the well-known stories in ways that challenge their audience to expand their thinking and I love how this approach forces their readers to think about the material, to consider how mythologies develop, and how they grow and evolved to reflect the cultures that foster them.