Tersias the Oracle [Paperback]

G. P. Taylor (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 17, 2007

London is in the aftermath of a near-apocalypse—a comet has just missed earth, leaving the city in chaos. in this time of uncertainty, only the blind boy oracle, tersias, can see what the future holds. but awareness of his power is growing, and he is captured by solomon, a false prophet whose minions swarm london. An unlikely alliance of teenage highwaymen and a charlatan magician swear to break down solomon’s Citadel and rescue tersias from the false prophet’s clutches. they wonder if tersias’s power can save them all. but they haven’t realized the source of his second sight, and they aren’t aware of a much darker force that torments his soul. . . .

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 8-11–This sinister tale takes place after the events in Wormwood (Putnam, 2004) and centers on a magical knife stolen from its owner by a young London thief. The theft sets off a chain of events involving a barmaid, a would-be magician, and Tersias, a 12-year-old blind boy who predicts the future with the help of a malevolent, supernatural Wretchkin. Lord Malpas, the rightful owner of the cursed knife, remains a sketchy character and readers never know what drives him. As is usual in Taylor's work, good vs. evil and the quest for ultimate power drive the plot and the characters in a dizzying display of malicious machinations. Violence and cruelty are overcome by the strength of love in a miraculous ending too neat to be entirely believed. Teens who enjoy complex, dark tales would be better served by Marcus Sedgwick's The Book of Dead Days (2004) and The Dark Flight Down (2005, both Random).–Sharon Grover, Hedberg Public Library, Janesville, WI
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Gr. 8-11. This macabre, old-London tale of corruption and redemption revolves around 12-year-old Tersias, a blind oracle. His is a sorry life, locked in a cage, forced to speak the future to earn coins for an abusive owner. Tersias' prophetic powers come from a Wretchkin, a nefarious otherworldly creature who also uses Tersias for his own gain. Other power-hungry sorts seek to use the boy as well, including Lord Malpas, burdened with a dark family curse, and Solomon, an apocalypse-obsessed cult leader. The boy's only friends are a band of young thieves who have robbed Malpas of two magical objects coveted by most of the story's characters, and which bring them all together in a final confrontation. Though some holes in the backstory and weak characterizations may pose obstacles for less-motivated readers, this is still more accessible than Taylor's Shadowmancer and Wormwood (both 2004), and the story's gritty setting, moody tone, and brisk action will appeal to many. Holly Koelling
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Firebird (May 17, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0142408468
• ISBN-13: 978-0142408469
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,309,593 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

A motorcyclist and former rock band roadie turned Anglican minister, Graham Peter (G. P.) Taylor has been hailed as "hotter than Potter" and "the new C. S. Lewis" in the United Kingdom. His first novel, "Shadowmancer," reached #1 on the "New York Times" Best Sellers List in 2004 and has been translated into 48 languages. His other novels include "Wormwood" (another "New York Times" best seller which was nominated for a Quill Book Award), "The Shadowmancer Returns: The Curse of Salamander Street," "Tersias the Oracle," and "Mariah Mundi." Taylor currently resides in North Yorkshire with his wife and three children.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars To see the future, May 7, 2006

By 

E. A Solinas "ea_solinas" (MD USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Tersias (Paperback)

Since the beginning of time, people have always wanted to know the future. But wanting to know the future takes a nasty turn in G.P. Taylor's "Tersias the Oracle," his third book set in a grimy, 19th-century London. While it's not as horrendously preachy as his last two, it's still a flaccid adventure with cartoonish characters.

The comet Wormwood has just narrowly missed London, and teen highwayman Jonah is back to robbing -- a cursed knife and mysterious alabaster box. Elsewhere, seedy Magnus Malachi makes money off a blind beggar boy, Tersias. Tersias is accompanied by an invisible imp, the Wretchkin, which lets him see the future. As a result, the sinister Lord Malpas -- whom Jonah robbed -- wants Tersias' help.

But there are other people who want Tersias' visions for themselves, including a cult called the Solomites. Their leader, Solomon, soon kidnaps Tersias and Jonah's friend Tara, and keeps them both prisoner in the Citadel, with the intent of brainwashing them both. To rescue his friends, Jonah will have to shape up and join forces with Malachi.

Yes, this is a sequel of sorts to Taylor's previous two books, "Shadowmancer" and "Wormwood." The good news is, he has eased up on that smack-in-the-face religious content, which dripped from every page of his previous novels. The bad news is, that's the ONLY improvement.

Taylor's books are still riddled with rambling descriptions, pompous dialogue ("She is a woman, flesh and blood!"), and cartoonish action scenes. The plot meanders all over the place, and there are long stretches where it seems like Taylor doesn't have the slightest idea what to do next.

And his taste for melodramatic, powerful bad guys hasn't waned. Just forming a killer cult isn't enough -- Solomon has to have flesh-eating locusts too. And Lord Malpas has a family curse! And Malachi changes from bad to good for no real reason! As hard as he tries to restrain himself, Taylor can't get past the goofy villains, and so whatever shreds of a coherent plot were in there.

And the characters don't help -- it's virtually impossible to like any of them, especially since the hero, Jonah, is a selfish brat; it's hard to see why Tara is so nuts about him. The title character is a pompous bore who doesn't seem to find it disturbing that he has an imp in his head.

While GP Taylor has toned down his unsubtle religious matter, his stories are still amateurish and ridiculously cartoonish. Tersias may see the future, but it's a good thing he didn't foresee "Tersias the Oracle."

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Work! VERY CREATIVE But not SHADOWMANCER, January 11, 2007

By 

William Nichols "EOM" (Birmingham, AL USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Tersias the Oracle (Paperback)

I am a avid reader of fiction. Be it fantasy, historical, or Christian.
I have read G.P. Taylor's other works Shadowmancer and Wormwood. I find his writing to be extremely decriptive; very cinemtic. He is very talented at placing the reader in the middle of the story. He effectively communicates this gifting in Tersias the Oracle. I grew to know London. Even though I've never been there before, I think I just might recognize it if I was there. That is G.P. Taylor's style of writing. I did feel he developed the main characters quite well in this most recent work. I grew to love Malthias (I'm not sure if that is the name for sure. It's been a few weeks since I read it). At first this character is a despicable excuse for a human being, but he soon grows into a respectable decent individual. This is G.P.'s way of communicating God's grace and redemption, and he does quite a fantastice job if I must say.
On a seperate note, I did not care for the ending. I rated it four stars since I felt it was too brief and left me with too many questions. Shadowmancer and Wormwood left me feeling that way as well. Nonetheless, all of his books make a good read. I recommend them all!

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT BOOK, May 26, 2006

By 

Barbara A. Doyle "Mike Doyle" - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Tersias the Oracle (Paperback)

Review by Mike Doyle
I love all of G.p. Taylors books! They are so different then regular fantasy. I love it how I feel like I have been transported to london and I am actually there right a long side the Jonah, Tara and Solomon and all the other characters. I love how G.P. Taylor combines spirits and humans together. Buy this book it was very good. Also if you have not read Shadowmancer or Wormwood I really think you should. Thoses books are really good but they are also different, but in a good way. So its not your average fantasy book but there great ones.

Can't wait for G.P. Taylors next one in September: The Curse of Salamander Street: A Sequel to Shadowmancer.