What if since the dawn of time, there were people living among us with special powers? Powers based on the ability to manipulate energy- telekinesis, mind-control, control over nature, etc. In
R.B. Holbrook’s Oracle’s Legacy, those people walk among us.
Oracle’s Legacy is a trilogy that started with
Children of Sun and continues with the recently released,
Shadows of Fate. Around 12,000 BC, Tesen was the first human to discover the ability to manipulate energy and with others who had this same ability, he established the first tribe, called Uni’Ki. That first tribe was destroyed nearly 6,000 years later, when they began abusing their powers and using them against the powerless humans. It was then that Structure was established. Structure divided those with power into eight houses depending on how they controlled energy: Blade, Breath, Flame, Heart, River, Stone, Sun and the nearly now extinct, Moon. Those with powers bear a tattoo-like Seal. How much of their bodies the Seal covers depends on the level of Enlightenment they have achieved. One progresses higher in Enlightenment and gains more power as they master an understanding of the balance their individual power requires. There is a Grand House, made up of selected members of the different Houses, that governs Structure and one Oracle, that has the most power of all and is chosen to give guidance to their people.
centers around a dysfunctional Structure family of nineteen brothers and sisters, who share a common biological father and have all been taken in by the two oldest son’s Mama. The story itself is driven by twins, Ollie and Ellis. Ollie is a ruthless killer you can’t help but love. While she is a skilled assassin and knows her way around weapons, part of her power gives her the ability to make others turn on themselves. She is brash, over the top, often out of control, and the only thing she is as devoted to as job is protecting the family she loves. Ellis is the yin to her yang. He is the quiet scholarly one that does his best to keep her grounded, until Granger appears and then he must decide whether to trust his sister’s instincts or continue to be her over-protective brother. R.B. Holbrook builds her characters and their world over the course of this first book with a sensory overload (in a good way) of non-stop action. By the end of the first book, when the Oracle starts to die, all the Houses will be trying to have their candidate chosen to be the new Oracle. Ollie and her family will be put to the test trying to protect the Oracle and survive the struggle for power.
picks up where
Children of the Sun leaves off and instead of losing speed as some second books do, Holbrook continues to deliver even more non-stop action and further insight into the characters, book one introduced us to. In this second volume, we learn the fate of the Oracle and her family of protectors.
Shadows of Fate is an even better book than it’s predecessor, however it is hard to tantalize you with details that won’t give away the cliffhanger ending of book one. Although this book is a lot longer than the first, because Holbrook sets such a good pace, it never feels too long. I think the best way I can describe it for sci-fi fans out there, is in terms of a blockbuster movie. Remember how when the first Harry Potter or Transformer movie came out, how unique it was and how the action was so great you couldn’t believe it when the credits started rolling. Then around the 4th Harry Potter or the recent sequel to Transformer, halfway through you were fidgeting and checking the time. Not because the movie was interesting or action packed, but because the film makers had just drawn things out a little too long. Well Holbrook has created the anti-thesis to that. Her books get better with each volume. In fact, when you get to the end the only negative you can think of is, “What?!? I have to wait for the final volume!” In
Shadows of Fate, you will learn more about the dark and often hidden members of the House of Moon. Some characters will be revealed to be more harmless than they previously appeared and some seemingly innocent, helpful characters will be revealed to be truly evil. Although, I’m dying to tell you more, I will refrain, because this trilogy is excellent and I highly recommend it to sci-fi/fantasy readers.
If you love a story that gives you everything, love, romance, murder, mayhem, corruption, deception,….. then you will be hooked on these books. If you love comic books, the words in these books will come to life before your eyes. If you like Heroes, but wish they would stop introducing new characters, wrecking the storylines and just wandering off, then
Oracle’s Legacy will give a new set of heroes to follow that won’t leave you hanging or confused. 4.5 out of 5 energy spikes.
These books were provided by the author. Come back in December for an interview with her.
This post is part of the Book Review Blog Party on
Cym Lowell's site.
I will look for these this weekend when I'm at New Bern's Waldenbooks!
ReplyDeleteOh man! My TBR mountain just continues to get higher and higher! I LOVE this kind of paranormal/sci-fi! As you said, the only drawback - yet at the same time a good thing - is having to wait for the next book. The drawback being the frustration, the good being the anticipation.
ReplyDeleteYou had said this one would be difficult to write without giving too much away - you did a great job, Chris! Once again -- you have succeeding in making me want to read this series!