Oracle's War

Oracle’s War is the second book in the Olympus Trilogy by David Hair and Cath Mayo. The first book is Athena's Champion where Odysseus learns he is a theoi and starts going on dangerous missions for Athena. Oracle's War continues Odysseus, Bria, and Athena's journey. Odysseus and Bria are once again sent off on a dangerous mission without knowing the full reason why. It's a fast-paced and interesting story filled with family drama, political intrigue, war, strategy, and morality. This series is fascinating, and I can't wait to see how it continues.

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.

In the second book of the Olympus Series, Odysseus, one of Athena's champions, finds himself caught between conflicting prophecies. What was supposed to be the happy wedding day of his sister to her beloved turns into a nightmare brought about by the hands of a meddling, powerful seer and sorcerer, Tiresias, who wants Odysseus to go after him for his own purposes. Ordered to go after the seer by his father and his patron goddess, Odysseus quickly finds himself on his way with the daemon Bria, Athena's newest champion Diomedes, his faithful servant and friend Eurybates, and several Ithacan soldiers to the island Delos, where a novice had a spontaneous prophecy that suggests impregnable Thebes is not so impregnable, and the sons of the seven men who marched on Thebes only to be slaughtered stand a chance of recovering their family's honor. Odysseus finds himself with no choice but to convince them to go to war, all while Tiresias will do everything in his power to destroy Odysseus and ensure the rogue prophecy fails to come to pass.

Oracle's War is a nice follow up to Athena's Champion. Like the first book, it strings together several stories of mythology and ancient Greece to present a coherent and well-reasoned out story. Indeed, it fleshes out the stories and makes them more interesting, and easier to follow as sometimes the stories become convoluted with too many names and places. I don't know what ancient Greece might have been like, but Hair and Mayo present many possibilities that could have actually happened, especially when it comes to war.

Actually, that's the one thing that I wasn't fond of. Of course, I see the war as being a necessary and large part of the story, but the graphic detail of the battles and pointless pillaging was unsettling. I might wish there had been less of it or that it was glossed over, but it would have taken away from the feel of the book, the story the authors were telling, and made the historical fantasy part that much less authentic. Still, it is unsettling and comprises a good chunk of the book.

There were 3 things I wasn't fond of in the first book: 1) I felt too many liberties had been taken with the stories, 2) the weird modern impression I got from it, and 3) the romance between Odysseus and Kyshanda. This time around, I don't have the same complaints. Whether this is because it wasn't as evident or because I knew what to expect and my mind could be more forgiving, I'm not sure. But I did enjoy this book much more than the first. I also am not as familiar with the Seven Against Thebes story, so it was interesting to read about as well as how the sons were able to avenge their fathers.

The characters were interesting. The setting was well-described. The plot moved along at a good pace. Nothing superfluous happened. This book has what I like to think of as internal validity (I don't think it's real outside of the sciences and this may not an accurate use of the term, but it makes perfect sense in my head), meaning everything made sense, everything fit together, everything that was present in the first half came full circle in the second half, and there was nothing pointless presented just to make the story longer or more interesting. I love books with internal validity (again, I probably just made this up). Actually, I got so excited to see something presented in the first half pop up in the second half that I had to put the book down for a little bit just so I would be able to fully enjoy the scene. It was glorious. And Odysseus is a genius.

Oracle's War is as stunning as the first book. But, where I didn't entirely enjoy the first book, I'm glad to say I loved the second book, and I look forward to the rest of the series. It's set to be a trilogy, but I hope there will be more books beyond that.



Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher, Canelo, for a free copy of this book. All opinions are my own. Oracle's War is due to be published on April 29, 2019.

This is the second book in the Olympus Series. Hair and Mayo have written another thriller. I enjoyed the book. The historical perspective was perfect. I felt like I was transported back to ancient Greece.

The day the final novel of The Olympus Series and George R.R. Martin’s next World of Ice and Fire installment hits the shelves will, without a doubt, be the worst day of my life.

I would be pulling out clumps of hair in trying to decide which copy to buy first.

David Hair and Cath Mayo make a hell of a team, quite literally drenching the world of the Olympus Series in tomes of lore so much so that I ended up getting a copy of Stephen Fry’s Mythos just to try and keep up with the gods and their descendants. And man, the gods and their followers are fickle creatures, employing scandals, schemes, and betrayals with such abundance that you’d think it will be a cold world if these ancient deities still walked today – should they physically manifest themselves, that is.

The characters in the series are written with such off-the-page originality that this makes them incredibly dynamic and three-dimensional. It’s apparent how much effort David and Cath have both put into the thoughts that brought these individuals to life as each character is so embroiled in their own hidden agendas that I wouldn’t be surprised if we’d start seeing novellas about many of them, if only to give us more insight into their backgrounds or what they got up to in their own secret adventures (I am deliberately thinking about a particular body-jumping daemon here).

With plenty of political intrigue, petty sibling rivalry, squabbling princes eager to boost their egos, and old gods clinging to lost times and forgotten worshippers, Oracle’s War is a great novel you definitely don’t want to miss out on. It is, without a doubt, part of a story that’s worth good money and a few hours of reading indulgence.

I loved this book as much as I loved the first installment in this series.
It's fascinating and entertaining, there's an amazing world building, and the characters are interesting.
I look forward to read other books by this author.
Many thanks to Canelo and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

David Hair and Cath Mayo have done it again! They continue the action-packed tale of Odysseus, this time bringing our epic hero to the gates of Thebes and stop its might from trampling across Achaea. We again see Bria, the lusty daemon who guides Odysseus throughout his quest, and meet Diomedes and his war-hungry, headstrong Argive cousins who walk alongside Odysseus towards their glorious destiny.

While the first of the series, Athena's Champion, was personally the better of the two, I can't deny this one was extremely well researched and well written. It was full of testosterone, but what would you expect from a Greek myth-inspired story? There is no boring moment, despite already knowing the ending beforehand. I particularly enjoyed the theme of family and honor on all sides, from Odysseus himself to the Argive warriors. Overall, this was another fantastic dive into the politics of family, god-worship, and the future of Achaea.

Oracle's War by David Hair and Cath Mayo, a pretty good sequel. The Trojan war is looming and Odysseus has been recruited by Athena to help her small band of hero's improve the chances of the Greeks. Because at this point in time it all points to the Trojans winning.

COMPLEX AND INTELLIGENT, A REAL TREAT OF A BOOK!

I was completely sold by the first book in this series, and this one did not let me down. Rarely have I read a book that felt so intelligent, yet approachable and engaging.

"The more I know of the gods, the less I revere them."
-Odysseus

After having gone to Erebus and back to save the kidnapped princess Helen, Odysseus is back at Ithaca to witness the wedding of his sister, Ctimene, to their childhood friend, Eumaeus. But when the wedding is ruined, Odysseus smells a plot, which leads him to the island of Delos. A new prophetess has emerged at the Delos shrine of Artemis and Athena has an interest in learning of her prophecy. Once again Odysseus teams up with the daemon Bria and they are joined by Athena's newest champion, Diomedes. The new prophecy takes them all the way to the famed, unpenetrable walls of Thebes.

THE GOOD STUFF

The mythology: One of my favourite parts of the first book was without a doubt the complexity of the world and mythology. I loved how the authors had reworked the mythology to account for some of the inconsistencies, that we often see in Greek mythology (such as the origin of Aphrodite or Apollo's emergence as a sun god in stead of Helios). This also added an extra layer of politics and rivalry between the gods, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

"[...] they're thinking about escape more than victory. That's how you lose."

The intelligence: I often read others describe books as 'intelligent' and I often just shake my head and laugh it off. But now, it is my turn to say "this is one seriously intelligent book!". I would like to elaborate. Greek mythology is, at best, slightly complicated and somewhat confusing. It takes real intelligence to make it sensible and relatable. But that's not the only thing, that impressed me and made me think of this book as intelligent. The plot in itself integrated many different legends and heroes, and, combined with the mythology, that could have been very overwhelming if it wasn't done right. But it totally was! That takes some serious intelligence, to piece all of tha together seemlessly.

The mystery of Bria: The first book introduced us to the mystery of Bria's circumstances - who/what is she, and how did she come to be that? Well, this book doesn't answer that question, it only adds another layer of mystery, and even though it is a somewhat minor part of the story, it is something that really caught my attention and got me thinking. I really want to know the answer!

THE NOT SO GOOD STUFF

The disconnect: Maybe this is only something that bothers me because I am familiar with the legend of Helen and her marriage to Menelaus, but for me, it seemed as if the story in the first book wasn't finished. It felt unresolved because we didn't get to the part about Helen and Menelaus' marriage, how that came to be and the role that Odysseus played in it. So this book almost felt like a new story that was somewhat unrelated to the first book, apart from the characters anyway. But since the story of Helen and Menelaus is essential to the Trojan war - which this series seems to be leading up to - I have faith that we will see Helen again in the 3rd book.