The Oracle by KB Hoyle – Book 2 of The Gateway Chronicles
Posted by larkin in Fiction - Fantasy, Uncategorized
Back in April we reviewed The Six by KB Hoyle, and we loved it! So everyone here at Larkin’s Book Bloggers was super psyched to read the sequel, The Oracle. It’s not often that sequels live up to the first book in a series, but The Oracle did not disappoint!
A year ago Darcy Pennington had no real friends. A year ago she’d thought that magic only existed in fairy tales. A year ago she would have laughed at the idea of other worlds. Then everything changed when she’d visited Cedar Cove Family Camp and stumbled into a magical gateway to a world called Alitheia.
It is the summer before freshman year and Darcy and her five friends have come back to Cedar Cove Family Camp and Alitheia. This return is bittersweet because her elusive purpose in the magical realm continues to evade her. Egged on by Tellius, the boy prince she is prophesied to marry, Darcy rebels and impulsively “petitions” an entity called the Oracle and requests it give her information as to her purpose. In order to receive her answer she must travel to the Oracle, and so she embarks on a journey along with her friends and Yahto Veli, the nark. Too late she realizes her selfish entreaty has thrown the entire outcome of the prophecy itself into question and endangered everyone. Uncertainties mount between Darcy and her companions as they fight their way through enemy territory to locate the Oracle, and an unwelcome visitor from Cedar Cove adds a layer of mystery that none of them are prepared for.
But the perils of the quest are nothing when compared to what lies in wait for her in the lair of the Oracle. There is a cost associated with every question asked– a cost that may be far greater than Darcy is willing to pay. And someone may choose to make the ultimate sacrifice to free her from it.
So first off, if you haven’t read The Six, you must! The Oracle was incredible! Finally Darcy, Sam, and the rest of the six return to Cedar Cove – and they are all anxious to return to Alitheia. The mysterious Colin still troubles Sam – and he’s dropping even more hints that he knows what Darcy and her friends are up to. Are there more ways into the secret, magical world of Alitheia? The trouble really starts when Darcy invokes the Oracle and has to go on a mysterious quest – one that drives her and forces her onwards – she must find the answer to her question, does she have to marry the king? She is sent off with Dean, Perry, and numerous other members of Alitheia – including her dear friend Yahto Veli. Once they started this journey – I could NOT put this book down! It was non-stop action and suspense! There were two parts in particular that I just devoured – when the travelers discovered the mysterious village in the middle of the forest and when Darcy finally discovers the location of the Oracle. The Oracle scene was crazy – and what Darcy has to give up for payment…AHHH! I was so shocked and hope there is more to this part of the story in KB’s next installment! The characters were also great in this book. I loved reading about Darcy’s ever-progressing magical powers and how she used them throughout the journey. I also loved the new characters author KB Hoyle introduces in the journey to the Oracle, especially Terra. She was an awesome oread who was of the earth – and could basically disappear into the dirt and reappear elsewhere, pulling enemies and half burying them into the ground! Badru the magician was also super cool and added a lot of drama to the story. At first I missed the rest of “the six” – and wanted to get back to Sam, Lewis, and Amelia. But then I was just totally captivated by the journey and got lost in KB’s amazing storytelling. And then comes the jarring end with the return of the six back to their normal world – where another shocking turn awaits Darcy at the end. All of this totally has me anticipating book three of this amazing series! Overall – better than the first book and a must-read for fantasy lovers, guys and girls!
For more information on the series and author KB Hoyle, visit her blog at http://www.nightnark.blogspot.com/
Jen L., EMS Blogger
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