Customer Reviews

Day of the Scarab: Book Three of The Oracle Prophecies

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I usually like Catherine Fisher's writing and stories, but I must say that for me "Day of the Scarab" was only mediocre. While the story was interesting enough, the characterization good, there were too many pages used to carry the storyline forwards. I think 50 or more could have been pared down with no harm.

The other thing I thought didn't work in this book was the choppy editing. It's one thing to flip from location and character from one chapter to the next. Another to do it multiple times within the same chapter... chapter after chapter.

For those who read the first two books, you'll probably want to track it down anyways to see what happens. Whether Seth and Mirany get together and what happens with The Jackal and Argelin.

Overall I thought the series was entertaining. The world building excellent.
Better than average.

Pam T~
mom and reviewer, BooksForKids-reviews

Really liked the ending to this series. I wish there would have been more finality between the main love interest in this story. A kiss would have been nice. But overall I liked the ending and felt everyone got exactly what was coming to them. These are intense and complicated books I would recommend them to the very intelligent younger reader or a 16 year old who loves to read.

I enjoyed the beginning of Day of the Scarab. I felt that it had nice dark undertones, and the characters were starting to be strong. Unfortunately, the novel lost my interest after the halfway point. At that time I realized that the series was almost over and it was largely unimportant events. Now, I'm not trying to bash the series, I really did enjoy it overall, but I did get to a point where I asked myself what the point of the novels were. I didn't learn anything from them, the characters still came off as weak to me, and the plot wasn't very exciting. I don't feel like the characters did anything to improve themselves other than drink some water. The god wasn't awe inspiring or special, and was more concerned with playing with toys and joking in your mind than doing anything important. I have a hard time loving novels that have characters I don't care about, and I just never grew to like any of the characters in this series. I did want to know about the final outcome of the city, and in that aspect I was satisfied, but everything else left me severely wanting. There is some intrigue in this book, and a bit of action, and it is decent overall. If you enjoyed the other books I would suggest reading this, but it did not blow me away and did not realize it's full potential. I liked the environment and the religion, but everything else I had issues with. Even with all of my problems it kept me interested enough to finish, so that says something.

General Argelin, after killing Hermia, one of the Nine and Speaker for the god, crowns himself king and Archon. The real Archon returns from the Well of Songs to see his people caught in a stranglehold by the dictator who rules with an iron fist and his mercenary army. The Nine are scattered; Mirany the new Speaker is in while Argelin destroys all pictures, paintings, books describing the Rain Queen, the goddess of the kingdom of death who he blames for Hermia's demise.

Seth, a scribe takes a job as Argelin's assistant in the hopes of finding a way to free the people. The Emperor's fleet stays off the coast because his heir prince Jamil is held hostage. A way is found for the king to travel to the underworld to try and free Hermia from the Rain Queen. He takes Alexos the Archon (god on earth), Mirany and their ally the musician Oblek to the realm of the dead while Seth is chosen as the new Speaker until Mirany returns. Seth gathers an unusual group of allies in the hopes of saving the land from the god, the emperor and his soldiers.

What began in SNOW WALKER and continued in the ORACLE BETRAYED comes to a glorious conclusion in DAY OF THE SCARAB. This book is reminiscent of the Andre Norton young adult tales that were enjoyed by an adult audience. The characterizations are superb and there is plenty of action and adventures to maintain readers' interest but it is the theme of good vs. evil that will resonate with the audience who sees that there are shades of gray in each individual so they are not all good or all evil.

Harriet Klausner

After reading the series, all three books will go to the library for their book sale. I am not impressed by the writing or the characters.