Book Reviews

Book Blurb

Alex Sheridan has no memories of life before the age of 7, when he emerged from the sea on the coast of modern Greece. Scarred and scared, Alex was adopted by an American family but knew he was very different from others when he discovered that he not only had unusual powers, but he also had powerful dreams; visions that were not his own, yet were somehow a part of him.

Alex is an illustrated man. The scars on his body, which he’s had styled into intricate tattoos, tell an ancient story and reveal a past life that ended in sacrifice, murder, and betrayal. It is a story that belongs to another, a boy who’d died many centuries earlier in Ancient Greece at Apollo’s temple at Delphi. The boy is sacrificed in the name of greed by a priest who lusts for the power of the Oracle, but he’s spared by Apollo and ascends with the gods to live under their protection for fifty lifetimes before returning to fulfill his destiny.

A directive given by Alex’s murdered lover just before he dies, sends Alex to Greece where he begins to unravel the mysteries surrounding himself and his past – a past that may only be able to be deciphered by one man, Luke MacKinnon, an American professor who is an expert in the history and language of Ancient Greece, and a man whom Alex had met only very briefly a short time before.

Luke is a self professed daydreamer whose life is “anything but normal.” He is dedicated to a field of work that sometimes removes him from his own world and leads him into an ancient past that leaves him little time to connect with anyone but his students. When he’s contacted by the US military to assist them in finding a powerful weapon that was prophesied to exist, Luke finds that the key to its discovery lies in decoding the mystery of “the painted man.” When he discovers that he is a part of that ancient prophesy, his connection to Alex becomes an unbreakable bond that propels them both into danger.
 

NOTE: This book was previously released by Silver Publishing in August 2010.

 

Book Review

I do love me a story with a good mystery that needs solving, and one with paranormal and mythological overtones makes everything even better. Add the riddle of a "forgotten" past, scars that nobody can explain, and some international thievery and intrigue, and I am one happy reader. Oh yes, and the romance is great as well! Oracle has all of that and more suspense than you'll know what to do with, and the best news, now that I finally got around to reading it, is that a sequel will be out very soon.

 

Alex is an empath. That alone makes him special, but all the secrets in his past, the unexplained scars on his body, and the other abilities he develops make him even more mysterious. Beyond that he is also a very nice man, desperate for love, unable to remember even his parents. He is pretty alone in the world and when his lover dies, the only person who was able to touch Alex without causing him to feel pain is gone. All the mystery around Alex's past is interesting enough, but when he meets Luke and there is suddenly a more than casual connection, the suspense increases and reaches into Alex's personal life as well.

 

Luke is a great guy. He may have been called in for his talent with languages, and thinks he is "only" looking for the Oracle of Delphi, but he soon finds out there is much more going on than he suspected. A man who believes in facts, he has a hard time dealing with all the supernatural aspects and provides a good balance for the more paranormally-inclined Alex. I also loved the way he stands by Alex once they discover there is more to their relationship than a professional link.

Using an existing legend like the Oracle of Delphi and re-interpreting it with a paranormal angle, giving it a modern slant, and adding characters I cared for from the very beginning made this story a joy for me to read. The balance between action/adventure and romance is really good, letting both parts of the story shine. If you like mystery and intrigue in your romances, if you enjoy a plotline that will keep you in suspense, and if you prefer to read about characters who are real and human in their reactions, then you will probably enjoy this books as much as I did. Bring on the sequel, RJ!

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book has been provided by the author for the purpose of a review.

Additional Information

Format	ebook and print
Length	Novel, 313 pages/61375 words
Heat Level
Publication Date	06-June-2013
Price	$4.49 ebook, $10.99 paperback
Buy Link	http://www.amazon.com/Oracle-RJ-Scott-ebook/dp/B00D97AKGU