Review: "The Oracle Year: A Novel", by Charles Soule, 2018

The Oracle Year by Charles Soule
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

"The Oracle Year: A Novel", by Charles Soule, 2018

Charles Soule's debut novel, released in 2018, is witty and fast-paced about a man who wakes up one morning and can predict the future. Will Dando posts his predictions online as the Oracle to protect his identity. The revelations cause social unrest, geopolitical fighting, and chaos in general. All of which garnered some powerful enemies looking to control, or even kill, Will Dando.

The book, at times, read and felt like a series of comic book volumes, which I suppose I should not be so surprised given the author's previous body of work is in comics. The story got off the ground pretty quickly and, just as quickly, got mired with details of characters with no apparent function of how they would fit into the plotting. If you are patient enough to get past the halfway point, the payoff is worth it. All the players start fitting into roles that make sense for the plot.

About 1/3 through, I wanted to put the book down and mark it "DNF" (did not finish), but I'm glad I stuck it through the middle slump. I understand why this book is currently being adapted to a television series; it has all the hallmarks of what makes each chapter and cliffhanger episode. Quite similar to how Flash Forward by Sawyer was adapted to a television series. If there is another installment in this series, I will probably pick it up, and I would definitely tune in for the show as long as it doesn't get butchered like Flash Forward.

I give this book 3.25 stars out of 5.

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Review: Oracle," by Andrew Piper, 2021

Oracle by Andrew Pyper
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

"Oracle," by Andrew Piper, 2021

Oracle is a psychological thriller by author Andrew Pyper and narrated by Joshua Jackson as an Audible Original.

In ORACLE, Nate Russo, an FBI psychic, tracks an elusive serial killer, finding the missing and murdered by "reading" those close to them. The latest case has Nate and his partners tracking a serial killer who likes to bury women and girls alive. 

This is crime-fiction, psychological thriller, and haunted house all blended and done very well. The first few chapters started slow but quickly built momentum. And as I got to the halfway point, I found myself racing faster and faster towards the conclusion. For a book I normally wouldn't pick up given the nature of the story, I am delighted I did. I will probably continue on to the Dreamland Murders to get my fill of Nate Russo.

I give it 4.5 out of 5.

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