Oracle's Fire

Chronicles of the Tree #3

by Mary Victoria

The Tree is all the world. And that world is dying ...

After Samiha is thrown from the docks in Argos city, Tymon is condemned to a life of slavery in a Tree-mine. During his ordeals, he glimpses a vision of his love and becomes obsessed by the thought that she is still alive. When disaster strikes the mine, he is left wandering the tunnels at the heart of the Tree, clinging to the hope that he might find her once again.

Meanwhile, the Saint′s crusade is tearing the Four Canopies apart, and Lace and his Masters pursue their own deadly plans. Even as Tymon travels deep into the Tree, the Envoy′s acolytes are sent out on a mission to Lacuna, the legendary World Below ...

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

576 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2011

About the author

Mary Victoria was born in Turners Falls, Massachusetts. Despite this she managed to live most of her life in other places, including Cyprus, Canada, France, New Zealand and the UK. Before writing her first three novels, she made monsters flap and stomp over Middle Earth. She now lives in London with her husband and daughter.

Reviews

[Olga Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review was originally published at Crickhollow Books. Please leave comments there

The journey ends here, at the edge of the world, in the Heart of the Tree and in the world below the Storm. Leaving the gentle build of the first two instalments in it’s wake, the final volume in the Chronicles of the Tree flows seamlessly towards a remarkable conclusion.

Tymon and Jedda continue on a quest fraught with emotion, the bitter anguish of loss and the hunger for redemption driving them relentlessly on, besieged every step of the way by Lace, as he batters at their resolve with wave upon wave of dark magic.

Delving deeper into the minds of some familiar characters, such as the Grafters and the Jays, we also see strong developments in the psyches of Jedda and Wick, and a bright new star named Zero, instrumental in Tymon’s journey. The plot is superbly crafted, with much of the action simultaneously taking part in different locations, with small and tightly woven threads of each characters’ role played in a common and critical pursuit.

Rarely does such powerful imagery leap from the written word, at times beautiful, terrifying, and captivating at every turn, creating a vivid depiction of a world on the brink of disaster and the extraordinary heart of those determined to save it at any cost.

[Fionnuala]

This is the third volume of Mary Victoria's Chronicles of the Tree and she works out an amazing resolution to the problems besetting the various peoples living in the Canopies. The reader becomes totally absorbed in the plight of the characters as well as appreciating the intelligence and wisdom woven through the text . The story follows several characters on parallel adventures without in any way confusing the reader and the pace is just right, zipping along nicely without any rollercoaster effect. And most importantly, the language is rich and beautiful. I will be eager to read what she produces next.

[Jon Lebensold · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an excellent finish to the trilogy! The last 200 pages were gripping, leaving me frustrated when my iPad kept running out of battery. The way that all the seemingly distant plots all winded together towards the end kept the story flowing. The ending was archetypical and yet I had no idea what to expect!

[Salimbol · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very satisfying ending to this excellent fantasy series, suitably bittersweet, and with more solid character development for the protagonists. I find myself most impressed with how fully the world of the Tree (in terms of ecology, cultures, etc) has been realised; with the fully-developed mythology and how even typical fantasy tropes, such as the use of prophecy, didn't go unquestioned; and with the author's insistence on the humanity of her characters and refusal to demonise even the worst of societies or to romanticise the rebels. The few flaws include some parts of the finale feeling somewhat fragmented, a few slightly clumsy shifts in viewpoint, and being a little too prone to telling rather than showing. All in all, I think Mary Victoria is a gifted author, and I'm looking forward to seeing how her talents develop.

[Rochelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sad to see the end of this world but happy to have it end how it did. Really great trilogy a must for all fantasy readers!