Review – Oracle’s War by David Hair
Odysseus is back in David Hair’s pseudo-autobiography of the hero’s early days. I loved the first book in the series, and while the second certainly has a lot going for it, there were some things I didn’t like. But let’s start with the plot. In the interest of not being too spoilerific, I’ll try not to mention too much from the first book for those who have yet to have the pleasure of reading it.
The war between the gods is amping up, and the stakes are being raised for Odysseus too. Our hero has made a measure of peace with his father, but the relationship is strained, and it’s affecting his whole family. Then, just before his sister’s wedding, a sorcerer shows up and ruins it, forcing her to marry someone else, someone neither she nor Odysseus approve of. Our hero sets sail after the varmint, ending up on Delos, where he learns of a dangerous prophecy that suggests the Trojan domination of Achea is not the slam dunk that was formerly announced. In fact, Odysseus learns some staggering news that throw most prophecies into doubt. His pursuit of the sorcerer continues, forcing him to raise an army and invade Thebes. However, the army are as much a threat to him as the people on the other side of the city walls. Even with his enhanced Theloi powers, can our hero fight through staggering odds and win the day?
All the staples from the previous books are still here. Odysseus is an engaging lead and storyteller, who flashes arrogance and humility in equal parts. His courage and quick thinking gets him through many scrapes. Bria is there to keep him grounded, and provide humour for those of us reading, The fight scenes are impressive, the plot keeps us guessing as it weaves through the book, and the fickle gods always make us wonder at their motivations.
However, there’s too much recapping of what happened in the previous book for my liking. As the tale is narrated from Odysseus’ point of view, it bogs down the action at times and made me groan a little. I also felt that much of thus recapping was repeated at various parts of the book, perhaps a skippable first chapter might have been more appropriate.
Still, really enjoyed the book, and definitely looking forward to book three.
Not as good as the first, but still a solid four stars worth of entertainment.
