Customer Reviews

Shadows of Fate (Oracle's Legacy)

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

 

 

This is the second book in the Oracles Legacy Trilogy, the first Children of Sun (Oracle's Legacy) focuses on the family and how Ollie's behaviour and temperament affects them all. The second book starts where the first ended, with Ollie's death. Except she isn't dead, she has been kidnapped. The first half of the book is an in depth description of how the power elements and the Structure works, which in turn helps us to understand the destiny of Ollie, her brothers Bones and Ellis and of course her lover Granger. There are quite a few surprises in store for the reader. I am really enjoying the combination of sci fi with a grand mixture of characters, which is written in way that reminds me of great comtemporary stories. The writer has created people that the reader can relate to, without thinking "no that is way beyong the realms of reality", instead it has recognizable elements about family or sibling relationships that most people will smile or grimace at. Again another great read and I am looking forward to reading the third book.Dawn of Illumination (Oracle's Legacy). I highly recommend this author.

Shadows of Fate (Oracle's Legacy)

Oracle's Legacy: Shadows of Fate is the follow-up novel to Oracle's Legacy: Children of Sun and is the authors second book. The story continues from where Oracle's Legacy: Children of Sun left off. Tightly woven, the story of Ollie Mason and her family continues to hold the reader spellbound as the plot thickens and draws nearer to the climax.

Sometimes it's hard to put a finger on why I like or dislike a book. Oracle's Legacy is a series like that. I've enjoyed reading all three volumes... The characters are developed enough that I either like or dislike them as is supposed to be... and some characters, while not necessarily on the side of good, are still interesting enough that I like them too. The story is a mix of suspenseful scenes with some comic relief, all serving to move the plot along to where book two transitions easily into the third volume of the epic.

Caviat: Lots of violence, yet not unnecessarily violent, given the context of the story. Recommended to readers of epic fantasy who do not mind a fair amount of violence in the book, but should be read following Oracle's Legacy: Children of Sun.

Oracle's Legacy: Shadows of Fate was provided to me free by the author in exchange for this review. This review has been simultaneously posted on Dragon Views, LibraryThing, Amazon.com and wherever else deemed appropriate for this book's content.

It is the second volume in a trilogy of books that transcends the tag of science fiction. The book picks right up where Volume I (Children of Sun) left off. Shadows of Fate begins slowly recapping the last pieces of the first book. A familiar and friendly face appears to us from the start with the Oracle Bethea. She's being held an apparent willing prisoner in a penthouse owned by the Head of Flame Arthur Clifton. The structure that we've been given bits and pieces of until now is beginning to crumble. The battle is underway between the many forces that welcome this collapse and those that do not. Ollie, the character of focus in the first volume, and her family will be caught in the middle of the impending chaos.

Holbrook has created a world that is familiar and at the same time unique. It is a world filled with power and energy. The powers that reside in the people who populate this world are as fascinating as the storylines. For every killer, there are healers. We are given soul possessors, mind benders, flame throwers, seers, and the mysterious shadow dwellers that appear more prominently in Oracle's Legacy: Shadows of Fate Volume 2. There is major power in almost every character we meet, but it never gets old. Most likely because the great contrast in that they all have major weakness to equal those powers.

The second book is a lot of info (a product of being the middle of three books) but that never diminishes the flow or enjoyment. There is so much that needs to be explained or set up for the third novel. One of the most enjoyable aspects of Shadows of Fate is being able to be there and see how the relationships and people in the story grow. While Ollie is still clearly a huge piece of the story, we get to see more of her family and surrounding characters. Relationships are built and the action is different from that of Oracle's Legacy: Children of Sun Volume I.

The action is often unexpected and enthralling. Holbrook weaves an intense tale of power, secrecy and fate. The world is vivid and entertaining but the characters are the main power here. Each and every one of them from the frail yet powerful Bones to his brilliant brother Ellis and stubborn and stern Ollie are wonderfully created. Volume II is just as fast paced and action packed as the first. While it is possible for Shadows of Fate to stand on its own as a novel, reading the first book beforehand adds to the enjoyment. Both books are detail filled and imaginative.

James Evans Remick II

Reviewer for Book Pleasures

This took me longer to read than I would have liked. That happens when my husband has a four day weekend and things get busy. Most everything I would want to say about this book, I said in the review of the first book. All the things I loved about the first one were here.

But, this book suffers from what I'll call second book in a trilogy syndrome. By that I mean it's a bridge between an action packed first book, and (what I believe will be) an action packed third book. There's more information than action going on here. And that's not necessarily a bad thing. The world building in this story is still incredible. I can't imagine how much time the author must have spent coming up with all the details. Sometimes, as a reader, it's hard to keep all those details and the characters straight. I almost feel like I need to take notes. :)

And even though this book was more information oriented than action oriented, there were still some really cool action scenes. One in particular I would love to see play out on a big screen, because I can just picture the magnitude and the awesomeness. In fact, sometimes while I'm reading I almost feel like I'm reading a movie script, because I think this story would work really well as a movie. But then, I'm really a sucker for superhero movies.

I'm very excited to read the third book when it comes out, and see how it all ends. I just hope it has a happy ending, because I'm not sure I could take a sad ending to this trilogy. I want it to end well. Again, I would recommend these first two books of the trilogy. This is a new author to keep an eye on, for sure!

"...perfection is fruitless...wake your eyes to mistakes, for they are catalysts of great knowledge, opening many roads that perfection can't offer." -1st Oracle

Yes, you could read R. B. Holbrook's second book, Shadows of Fate, in the Oracles's Legacy Trilogy as a stand-alone novel. After all, it's nearly 500 pages of action-packed supernatural adventure! But why would you want to? Check out my review of the first in the Trilogy, Children of Sun, and begin right from the beginning! I know you will be glad you did! Remember to use the Glossary to understand the civilization into which you will enter for this short time.

Bones, a young boy, was the reason Ollie had died. She allowed her energy to be transferred, much as you would blood, to keep him alive. She knew that Bones had a special role to play in the future!

Ollie had been brought back to life when she had died as a small child. Jamili, her father had used his energy at that time. This time, however, she had been dead for four days and the House of Moon being known as Demon's Wrath had pulled her back from death. He wanted her as his own and for many reasons.

But first he had to break her to his will...

Violence was part of those in the Structure, but readers should be aware that what happens to Ollie will be difficult to read. This book has violent content and parental guidance should be used. But if you enjoy following the lives of powerful, fascinating, sexy women, picture one who has the capability to use energy as a tool and the guts to use it, and you'll know that Ollie fought to give as good as she received, considering the torture she was forced to bear! No matter how much, each of her brothers and sisters were experiencing problems resulting from Ollie no longer being there to support them.

Few in Ollie's family knew that she was alive. But many of them, especially Vlad who was able to track her bloodline and Cee who was a healer, began to have dreams and/or could feel her energy, each feeling that they were only suffering from their personal loss. And in the Moon complex where she was held captive, only one woman, a healer, was assigned to help her through her days of beatings and resulting anger and pain.

Ollie's twin brother had changed the most since her death. Mainly he had also learned what his future role would be. Now, as Ollie strives to regain her strength and escape, the rest of her family and loved ones were also looking toward a dangerous future that was being foretold.

But none of them knew at that time that the danger would be Ollie...

Science Fiction? Yes but once you enter the Structure you will become spellbound, flinching when beams of energy are used, waiting breathlessly while buildings crash down, trees are uprooted and thrown as spears, walls are destroyed and one member of the Structure strikes down another and another!

For imaginative genius, I've not read anything like Oracle's Legacy: Shadows of Fate by R. B. Holbrook!