Alan Bayles, author of Double Jeopardy, is back with his second installment in the Mirror Wars series!
Get excited people, because Oracle’s Vision is going to take you on a rollercoaster of a ride.
Before we dive into this book, let’s talk about the cover! OMG! This book’s cover is absolutely eye-catching! The sight of Oracle holding Earth and just CRUSHING it! The cover itself helps to set the tone for this novel. The author is letting readers know from the beginning what the plan is – Oracle is looking to conquer the Earth and crush all who dare to defy them. It’s a great teaser for what’s to come for sure!
Oracle’s Vision may have a slow start, but don’t let that fool you! This book’s slow start is just the author setting the stage to hold you captive before long and leave you with this question – “When is book three coming?” LOL! Are you, ready?
When you start reading this book the hope and expectation is going to be that Oracle’s Vision picks up where Double Jeopardy ended. Hate to disappoint you, but that’s not how things are going to go. Don’t get too disappointed though! The author starts Oracle’s Vision out in a similar fashion to how he began Double Jeopardy. Bayles takes readers to the past once again. We get a glimpse behind the scenes as the past is laid bare and we are allowed to see how the overall situation began to build. Piece by piece the author lays down the foundation of Oracle’s past so that we can be led forward into the future.
From the very beginning, a new character is going to be introduced. This individual means well, but as the saying goes – “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” It doesn’t take long for Oracle to take this character’s good intentions and flip them around to attack them with it. This powerful character is dealt a blow by Oracle, that allows her to gain a foothold in Earth Prime. Of course, humans had a helping hand in it as well, but this is where the chaos begins to unfold.
The beginning chapters of this book are truly intriguing as events begin to unfold that yield Oracle’s crossing over into a new world. With their stolen “infusion” of power, they have found the means to answer a pulse of energy that draws them in. This establishes their foothold in Terra. The first act of this book gives you the establishment of a variety of characters who you will only see in this part of the book. However it will beg the question – will a particular character make a reappearance at a later time? However, the author’s intent becomes cemented as he connects the past to the present in this series. You are going to get characters from Terra meeting characters from Earth, but different periods. Just take care that it doesn’t blow your mind. LOL!
After “Act One” plays out the story shifts in time and jumps forward to more familiar characters leaving you with questions and a strong desire for answers. Answers that you will have to wait to get, but it will be worth it.
Welcome back, Colonel Barnes and DI Barnes. So nice to see you both again. Colonel Barnes may have been captured, but he is no less dangerous. This conniving character is as sneaky as ever, and author Bayles shows readers that Colonel Barnes knows how to play people like a fiddle. Colonel Barnes has his own agenda, but when things take a turn he offers his help. Can he be trusted? You’re going to get the sense that he’s up to no good (which is always), but what path will he truly choose to put his life on? Prepare for some jaw-dropping twists ahead, because Bayles brought it with this book.
One thing that readers are going to appreciate about this book is that we’re going to get some backstory concerning Colonel David Barnes. Barnes is a real piece of work. The author is going to show readers that Barnes didn’t wake up one day and decide that he was going to be “overly” ambitious. No, this character has been like this from the beginning. When you read the things that he was willing to do for his own family…it is both heart-breaking and jaw-dropping at the same time.
Author Bayles brings, once again, a wide cast of characters to Oracle’s Vision. You won’t be settled with one character for long before the story transitions to another. This will be what really keeps readers engaged in the book. You just never know who the story is going to transition to. Sometimes there will be one that you’ll hope the author follows so that you can find out what happens next. In these rare scenarios, you’ll be rewarded, as the author does exactly that since the storyline will be headed in a particular direction.
While the story has a slow-ish beginning, this book can be described as a tsunami. You will feel or sense the initial quake, the rumblings that warn of a shift coming. You’ll probably shake it off, and think that it’s nothing. But the deeper you go, that’s when you’ll start noticing other signs. The “water” receding from the shoreline, but when you think to look again that’s when the wall of water is going to be crashing down on you.
Oracle’s Vision is absolutely going to sweep you away. When the chaos hits…it HITS! Oracle is more prominent in this book and that really takes Oracle’s Vision up a notch from Double Jeopardy. You’re going to be bombarded with jaw-dropping moments one after another. Don’t worry, the author will give you a break for some time, eventually. LOL! But this book is just…wow!
Author Bayles truly showcases the ruthlessness of Oracle throughout this book. From their using techno-parasites to take over unsuspecting victims, to the depths of their cruelty and depravity when they wipe out an entire nation/country! When we tell you that Oracle is unhinged, we mean exactly that. There is nothing that Oracle is not willing to do to solidify their hold on the power that they are seeking. Oracle is that character that you are going to love to hate the whole way through.
This book is a divinely orchestrated mixture of horror, drama, and futuristic science fiction. It is perfectly blended together to evoke emotional reactions to the storyline that will keep you coming back for more. From jaw-dropping revelations to scenes that will literally bring tears to your eyes and have you vowing revenge on behalf of the fallen. Know this – in this book? No one and no THING is safe.
Now, don’t go thinking that this book is all “darkness”, “chaos”, and “cruelty.” There are some lighter moments sprinkled throughout the book. The author maintains some levity to keep the book from being a complete fest of epic darkness. The characters (most of them anyway) are human beings, so we get a touch of humor here and there. It’s a nice way to break up the heaviness of the overall storyline since so much destruction is taking place.
Oracle’s Vision is going to end on a cliffhanger. It’s not a major one, but it will have you wondering what is going to happen next. Of course, the final chapters are full of devastation, heartbreak, and a surprise twist that you won’t see coming. While the ending doesn’t have that “chilling factor” that book one did, it will still do the job of teasing readers to eagerly anticipate the coming of book three in the future.
This book is an epically delicious addition to the Mirror Wars series and one that readers are not going to want to miss out on. Readers who enjoy science fiction novels packed with intense drama, surprises and twists around every corner, and a nice amount of horror – this book is for you! For those who have read Double Jeopardy and enjoyed it, we encourage you to grab this book and find out what happens next. This is not a standalone novel, so if you haven’t read Double Jeopardy, grab it now! What are you waiting for?!
Pros:
- Tons of twists and surprises
- Engaging storyline
- Fantastic variety of characters
- Drama filled
- Page-turner
Cons:
- None of merit
Scribble's Worth 
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