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The House War #6
Oracle
In this epic fantasy series for fans of George R. R. Martin and Robin Hobb, Jewel Markess must contend with deadly court politics, and visions of looming magical threats.
Beneath the streets of Averalaan, capital city of the Essalieyan Empire, lie the three Princes of the firstborn, doomed to sleep until the end of days. When gods walked the world, they feared the Sleepers—and the Sleepers are waking.
House Terafin has already felt the consequences of their stirring.
To save the city and the House over which she rules, Jewel Markess ATerafin must face the Oracle. She leaves a divided House and a city haunted by demons in human guise. At no time in Terafin’s history has it faced the dangers it now faces, and it will face them bereft of its leader.
But the path of the Oracle was old when the gods ceased to walk the world. Ancient creatures stalk winter skies at the behest of the demons, who mean to ensure that she will never reach the Oracle’s side.
Secrets, long hidden from all but the firstborn, will finally be brought to light. Choices will be made, and paths chosen, from which there will be no return....
Beneath the streets of Averalaan, capital city of the Essalieyan Empire, lie the three Princes of the firstborn, doomed to sleep until the end of days. When gods walked the world, they feared the Sleepers—and the Sleepers are waking.
House Terafin has already felt the consequences of their stirring.
To save the city and the House over which she rules, Jewel Markess ATerafin must face the Oracle. She leaves a divided House and a city haunted by demons in human guise. At no time in Terafin’s history has it faced the dangers it now faces, and it will face them bereft of its leader.
But the path of the Oracle was old when the gods ceased to walk the world. Ancient creatures stalk winter skies at the behest of the demons, who mean to ensure that she will never reach the Oracle’s side.
Secrets, long hidden from all but the firstborn, will finally be brought to light. Choices will be made, and paths chosen, from which there will be no return....
723 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 5, 2015
37 people are currently reading
550 people want to read
About the author
Michelle West
73 books467 followersSee also:
Michelle Sagara West
Michelle Sagara
Michelle is an author, bookseller, and lover of literature based in Toronto. She writes fantasy novels as both Michelle Sagara and Michelle West (and sometimes as Michelle Sagara West). You can find her books at fine booksellers.
She lives in Toronto with her long-suffering husband and her two children, and to her regret has no dogs.
Reading is one of her life-long passions, and she is sometimes paid for her opinions about what she’s read by the venerable Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. No matter how many bookshelves she buys, there is Never Enough Shelf space. Ever.
She has published as Michelle Sagara (her legal name), as Michelle West (her husband's surname), and as Michelle Sagara West (a combination of the two).
Michelle Sagara West
Michelle Sagara
Michelle is an author, bookseller, and lover of literature based in Toronto. She writes fantasy novels as both Michelle Sagara and Michelle West (and sometimes as Michelle Sagara West). You can find her books at fine booksellers.
She lives in Toronto with her long-suffering husband and her two children, and to her regret has no dogs.
Reading is one of her life-long passions, and she is sometimes paid for her opinions about what she’s read by the venerable Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. No matter how many bookshelves she buys, there is Never Enough Shelf space. Ever.
She has published as Michelle Sagara (her legal name), as Michelle West (her husband's surname), and as Michelle Sagara West (a combination of the two).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
January 26, 2016
For all those who've complained in the past about the lack of political intrigue in the earlier House War books, this one has it in spades, and ensures that that intrigue will continue into the last book of the series.
Not to mention the clarification on the differences between, and origin of, the Allisiani and Ariani and the hierarchy within the Hells and why it is the way it is. Along with the other things that are clarified/explained. Lord Islader makes a appearance, along with Lord Darranatos and a plethora of other demons and dragons.
Jewel continues her quest to become a Sen Adept, she continues to build her host -- she continues to learn and become what she must in order to face what is coming and preserve the things she most cares about.
In my opinion, no one writes high epic fantasy like Michelle West. She has always had a clear vision of where her stories are headed. In her blog posts she's even stated that she already knows how it ends. But it is in the journey between the beginning of her books and the last word on the last page of the last book is written, that all the fun happens!
Not to mention the clarification on the differences between, and origin of, the Allisiani and Ariani and the hierarchy within the Hells and why it is the way it is. Along with the other things that are clarified/explained. Lord Islader makes a appearance, along with Lord Darranatos and a plethora of other demons and dragons.
Jewel continues her quest to become a Sen Adept, she continues to build her host -- she continues to learn and become what she must in order to face what is coming and preserve the things she most cares about.
In my opinion, no one writes high epic fantasy like Michelle West. She has always had a clear vision of where her stories are headed. In her blog posts she's even stated that she already knows how it ends. But it is in the journey between the beginning of her books and the last word on the last page of the last book is written, that all the fun happens!
January 27, 2016
It pains me to give this a 3 but it just didn't live up to the rest of the series. It was soooo slow to get into then spent more than half the time not focused on the Oracle quest. I usually love the parts about the den but there was more about them than what Jewel was trying to accomplish, which should have been the point. And this was beyond a cliff hanger - without the anticipation. It just ended and I still felt like I hadn't really gotten to the end of the novel.
August 16, 2015
The very best yet of this series! Ms. West begins to reveal the origins and connections between the various groups - the Arianni, the gods, the first born, the Kialli and the rest of the demons, the Sen, the Cities of Men, and the citizens of the current empire. They are even more complicated and far more satisfying than I expected. In addition, secondary characters that were previously incidental (not common at all in this series!), come into their own - well developed with good back stories. If you don't like complicated and detailed world-building and a plethora of complicated and fascinating characters, this series may not be for you.
The story line continues to follow Jewel's quest to understand and gain control of her powers, hence her trip to the Oracle, preserve the Terafin House, and, just possibly, save the empire. Her den must step up to the plate to preserve her position as The Terafin, maintain some order in the House, and play serious politics inside and outside the House. I am eagerly awaiting the next title, planned to be the last. The end of the war continues to be very much in question.
This is a very complex series. As a stand alone read, ORACLE would not be at all satisfactory. The previous five titles are absolutely necessary for full comprehension of the story. This is a big commitment in reading. It is well worth every minute!!!!!! I cannot think of the last time I was so invested in a series. Oh, yes I can! It was Michelle West's Sun Sword series, which serves as a sort of prequel to The House War, while being very much its own story.
Michelle West is a fine writer. Her world building, story lines, and characters are among the best I've experienced. I cannot recommend her work too highly. You should read THE HIDDEN CITY, the first title in the series, and prepare to be entranced.
The story line continues to follow Jewel's quest to understand and gain control of her powers, hence her trip to the Oracle, preserve the Terafin House, and, just possibly, save the empire. Her den must step up to the plate to preserve her position as The Terafin, maintain some order in the House, and play serious politics inside and outside the House. I am eagerly awaiting the next title, planned to be the last. The end of the war continues to be very much in question.
This is a very complex series. As a stand alone read, ORACLE would not be at all satisfactory. The previous five titles are absolutely necessary for full comprehension of the story. This is a big commitment in reading. It is well worth every minute!!!!!! I cannot think of the last time I was so invested in a series. Oh, yes I can! It was Michelle West's Sun Sword series, which serves as a sort of prequel to The House War, while being very much its own story.
Michelle West is a fine writer. Her world building, story lines, and characters are among the best I've experienced. I cannot recommend her work too highly. You should read THE HIDDEN CITY, the first title in the series, and prepare to be entranced.
November 6, 2018
great story, but really hard to read.
September 30, 2023
After a particularly rough start, I was afraid that, like Skirmish and Battle, this new House War installment would be another book that failed to recapture the epicness and the awesomeness of The Sun Sword series. But I was pleasantly surprised that Oracle moves the story forward in unexpected ways and is chock-full of revelations the way Sea of Sorrows turned out to be. As such, it's the best work focused on the aftermath of the Sun Sword thus far.
The main problem continues to be Jewel and the pivotal role she plays in the House War series. Three volumes in, it's obvious that Jewel alone cannot carry such a complex tale on her shoulders. Regardless of how fascinating some of the plot twists involving her continue to be, when it's great it's usually in spite of Jewel, not because of her. She remains the same insufferable and annoying young woman we've known for a long time, with very little character growth to speak of. It doesn't help that two other major protagonists, namely Teller and Finch, are bland and often boring. As mentioned before, The Sun Sword benefited from its diverse cast, all of whom having important roles to play in the outcome of the series. I opined that the downsizing of the House War books was definitely detrimental to the series as a whole. The good news is that Michelle West upped her game in Oracle, with two new important POV characters whose perspectives bring new energy and originality to a cast that sorely needed both.
Here's the blurb:
In this epic fantasy series for fans of George R. R. Martin and Robin Hobb, Jewel Markess must contend with deadly court politics, and visions of looming magical threats.
Beneath the streets of Averalaan, capital city of the Essalieyan Empire, lie the three Princes of the firstborn, doomed to sleep until the end of days. When gods walked the world, they feared the Sleepers—and the Sleepers are waking.
House Terafin has already felt the consequences of their stirring.
To save the city and the House over which she rules, Jewel Markess ATerafin must face the Oracle. She leaves a divided House and a city haunted by demons in human guise. At no time in Terafin’s history has it faced the dangers it now faces, and it will face them bereft of its leader.
But the path of the Oracle was old when the gods ceased to walk the world. Ancient creatures stalk winter skies at the behest of the demons, who mean to ensure that she will never reach the Oracle’s side.
Secrets, long hidden from all but the firstborn, will finally be brought to light. Choices will be made, and paths chosen, from which there will be no return....
It will come as no surprise that the worldbuilding remains the most amazing facet of these novels. As mentioned in my previous review, in many ways it's what is holding the story together at the moment. It's evident that there is a depth to Michelle West's universe that rivals those of Tolkien, Erikson, and Bakker. Morever, it's a depth that keeps growing with each new installment. That's truly saying something, especially since Oracle raises the bar in a way we haven't seen since Sea of Sorrows. New revelations about the firstborn, the Ariani, the Sleepers, the gods and goddesses, the cats, Meralonne, the Oracle, the Winter Court, the Sen, the Cities of Man, and more add yet new layers to what is already one of the most convoluted fantasy series of all time. The author continues to shine in that regard and that's no easy feat.
In both Skirmish and Battle, the characterization left something to be desired. As mentioned in my review of both books, I believe that your mileage will vary regarding this. Readers who love Jewel will likely enjoy them as much as the others. Perhaps more, if truth be told. For those for whom, like me, Jewel is just one of the protagonists and not their favorite, it remains very tricky. I claimed that I doubted that Jewel could carry this series on her own, ever. And I stand by those words until proven wrong. I bemoaned the absence of thoughtful perspectives of such flawed protagonists as Diora, Teresa, Kallandras, Margret, Valedan, Alina, Ser Anton, and others. With each new installment, West continues to give more importance to Finch and Teller, yet both den members can't seem to come into their own. House business and commercial ventures and unending conversations meant for the younger ATerafin to be brought up to speed by more experienced people got so boring that I considered skipping whatever had to do with them. I didn't, but it was close. What differentiates Oracle from its two predecessors is the addition of new important POVS, those of the botanist/spy Birgide Viranyi and of den member Jester, and to a lesser extent, that of Andrei, which brought new life to the House War series. Even better, as Jewel walks the path of the Oracle, we see events unfold through the eyes of her companions nearly as much as her own, which helps a lot if you're not rooting for team Jewel. This novel is the one in which there is the best balance between points of view, and it makes for a better overall reading experience.
Once more, the pace throughout Oracle can be quite uneven. As was the case with both Skirmish and Battle, everything that has to do with the greater scheme of things is interesting and the implications for the future quite engrossing. Not since Sea of Sorrows has West revealed so many secrets and I for one can't wait for what comes next. I always believed that Jewel was meant to replace the seer Evayne when all was said and done, yet what the author has in store for her is way more awesome than that! However, dealing with the minutiae of House business continues to make for long and boring chapters. Case in point the first 200 pages or so if this book. Once Jewel and her companion set out on their quest, the next 160 pages follow Jester delivering three messages for Finch and an incident at the Merchants' Guild. Trouble is, if not for the Finch/Teller/House business chapters, Oracle would have been as good as the Sun Sword books. The rationale behind spending so many pages (in both series) elaborating on House Terafin business/members/what not is that Jewel will need something she loves and cannot stand to lose to stand up against the forces of evil that will try to destroy the capital and the rest of the world. We've known this since forever, so I'm wondering why West feels the need to "waste" hundreds and hundreds of pages over the course of numerous books just to hammer this into readers' minds. We get it. Seriously, we do. Thankfully, after that horribly slow beginning, such sequences are fewer and far between. But they still bring the tale's momentum to a standstill every time they occur.
As is usually her wont, West brings this novel to its conclusion with another captivating endgame. The finale, a little overlong and overdone, sets the stage for what should be something special. But since Firstborn is essentially the first half of War, which grew too big to be published as a single novel (this is a recurring problem for West, it seems), I'm concerned as to how well it will stand on its own.
Still, building on past plotlines and unveiling new ones, Oracle elevates the House War series to new heights.
For more reviews, check out www.fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com
The main problem continues to be Jewel and the pivotal role she plays in the House War series. Three volumes in, it's obvious that Jewel alone cannot carry such a complex tale on her shoulders. Regardless of how fascinating some of the plot twists involving her continue to be, when it's great it's usually in spite of Jewel, not because of her. She remains the same insufferable and annoying young woman we've known for a long time, with very little character growth to speak of. It doesn't help that two other major protagonists, namely Teller and Finch, are bland and often boring. As mentioned before, The Sun Sword benefited from its diverse cast, all of whom having important roles to play in the outcome of the series. I opined that the downsizing of the House War books was definitely detrimental to the series as a whole. The good news is that Michelle West upped her game in Oracle, with two new important POV characters whose perspectives bring new energy and originality to a cast that sorely needed both.
Here's the blurb:
In this epic fantasy series for fans of George R. R. Martin and Robin Hobb, Jewel Markess must contend with deadly court politics, and visions of looming magical threats.
Beneath the streets of Averalaan, capital city of the Essalieyan Empire, lie the three Princes of the firstborn, doomed to sleep until the end of days. When gods walked the world, they feared the Sleepers—and the Sleepers are waking.
House Terafin has already felt the consequences of their stirring.
To save the city and the House over which she rules, Jewel Markess ATerafin must face the Oracle. She leaves a divided House and a city haunted by demons in human guise. At no time in Terafin’s history has it faced the dangers it now faces, and it will face them bereft of its leader.
But the path of the Oracle was old when the gods ceased to walk the world. Ancient creatures stalk winter skies at the behest of the demons, who mean to ensure that she will never reach the Oracle’s side.
Secrets, long hidden from all but the firstborn, will finally be brought to light. Choices will be made, and paths chosen, from which there will be no return....
It will come as no surprise that the worldbuilding remains the most amazing facet of these novels. As mentioned in my previous review, in many ways it's what is holding the story together at the moment. It's evident that there is a depth to Michelle West's universe that rivals those of Tolkien, Erikson, and Bakker. Morever, it's a depth that keeps growing with each new installment. That's truly saying something, especially since Oracle raises the bar in a way we haven't seen since Sea of Sorrows. New revelations about the firstborn, the Ariani, the Sleepers, the gods and goddesses, the cats, Meralonne, the Oracle, the Winter Court, the Sen, the Cities of Man, and more add yet new layers to what is already one of the most convoluted fantasy series of all time. The author continues to shine in that regard and that's no easy feat.
In both Skirmish and Battle, the characterization left something to be desired. As mentioned in my review of both books, I believe that your mileage will vary regarding this. Readers who love Jewel will likely enjoy them as much as the others. Perhaps more, if truth be told. For those for whom, like me, Jewel is just one of the protagonists and not their favorite, it remains very tricky. I claimed that I doubted that Jewel could carry this series on her own, ever. And I stand by those words until proven wrong. I bemoaned the absence of thoughtful perspectives of such flawed protagonists as Diora, Teresa, Kallandras, Margret, Valedan, Alina, Ser Anton, and others. With each new installment, West continues to give more importance to Finch and Teller, yet both den members can't seem to come into their own. House business and commercial ventures and unending conversations meant for the younger ATerafin to be brought up to speed by more experienced people got so boring that I considered skipping whatever had to do with them. I didn't, but it was close. What differentiates Oracle from its two predecessors is the addition of new important POVS, those of the botanist/spy Birgide Viranyi and of den member Jester, and to a lesser extent, that of Andrei, which brought new life to the House War series. Even better, as Jewel walks the path of the Oracle, we see events unfold through the eyes of her companions nearly as much as her own, which helps a lot if you're not rooting for team Jewel. This novel is the one in which there is the best balance between points of view, and it makes for a better overall reading experience.
Once more, the pace throughout Oracle can be quite uneven. As was the case with both Skirmish and Battle, everything that has to do with the greater scheme of things is interesting and the implications for the future quite engrossing. Not since Sea of Sorrows has West revealed so many secrets and I for one can't wait for what comes next. I always believed that Jewel was meant to replace the seer Evayne when all was said and done, yet what the author has in store for her is way more awesome than that! However, dealing with the minutiae of House business continues to make for long and boring chapters. Case in point the first 200 pages or so if this book. Once Jewel and her companion set out on their quest, the next 160 pages follow Jester delivering three messages for Finch and an incident at the Merchants' Guild. Trouble is, if not for the Finch/Teller/House business chapters, Oracle would have been as good as the Sun Sword books. The rationale behind spending so many pages (in both series) elaborating on House Terafin business/members/what not is that Jewel will need something she loves and cannot stand to lose to stand up against the forces of evil that will try to destroy the capital and the rest of the world. We've known this since forever, so I'm wondering why West feels the need to "waste" hundreds and hundreds of pages over the course of numerous books just to hammer this into readers' minds. We get it. Seriously, we do. Thankfully, after that horribly slow beginning, such sequences are fewer and far between. But they still bring the tale's momentum to a standstill every time they occur.
As is usually her wont, West brings this novel to its conclusion with another captivating endgame. The finale, a little overlong and overdone, sets the stage for what should be something special. But since Firstborn is essentially the first half of War, which grew too big to be published as a single novel (this is a recurring problem for West, it seems), I'm concerned as to how well it will stand on its own.
Still, building on past plotlines and unveiling new ones, Oracle elevates the House War series to new heights.
For more reviews, check out www.fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com
October 2, 2015
For probably the first time in this series, we get a much closer look at one of the other members of Jay’s den, Jester. While he hasn’t taken on a level of importance as some of the others, like Finch or Teller, we see that he does have a roll to play that hints at becoming more important than just a background character.
We have seen it in other books, but in this book, the gathering of additional support for the entire group, not just Jay, becomes more prominent and solidified. Both in firming up support from past characters as well as introducing some new ones. The specific enemies are still left unclear as new potentials have appeared.
While we got to see quite a bit of growth for some of the den members, Finch in particular, and learned a bit more about Meralonne and Hectore of Araven’s servant Andrei, there wasn’t as much for some of the other characters that I was either expecting or hoping for in this book. I really thought we’d see something more from Angel and learn a bit more about his specific role in relation to Jay. We did get a some, but I kind of thought there would be more. Avandar fell into the background a bit more in this one as well. Since I’m fascinated with his character, I always want more from him.
As is often the case with any book from this author, I wasn’t ready to be finished by the time I got to the end, but for a few more than the usual reasons this time. It didn’t have quite as clean of an ending as her books usually do, and that left me hanging in a way that I wasn’t thrilled with. I don’t want to give it away, but I honestly expected something totally different, or maybe more dramatic. None of that really takes away from how amazing the book overall is because I know that all of the loose ends that have been left are leading up to what should be the last book, so it works.
I will say that I couldn’t help but be brought to tears in this one. It has been a while since a book tore at me that hard, but this one… yeah, it got to me. It has me wondering if I should by stock in tissues in time for the final book of the series is released.
We have seen it in other books, but in this book, the gathering of additional support for the entire group, not just Jay, becomes more prominent and solidified. Both in firming up support from past characters as well as introducing some new ones. The specific enemies are still left unclear as new potentials have appeared.
While we got to see quite a bit of growth for some of the den members, Finch in particular, and learned a bit more about Meralonne and Hectore of Araven’s servant Andrei, there wasn’t as much for some of the other characters that I was either expecting or hoping for in this book. I really thought we’d see something more from Angel and learn a bit more about his specific role in relation to Jay. We did get a some, but I kind of thought there would be more. Avandar fell into the background a bit more in this one as well. Since I’m fascinated with his character, I always want more from him.
As is often the case with any book from this author, I wasn’t ready to be finished by the time I got to the end, but for a few more than the usual reasons this time. It didn’t have quite as clean of an ending as her books usually do, and that left me hanging in a way that I wasn’t thrilled with. I don’t want to give it away, but I honestly expected something totally different, or maybe more dramatic. None of that really takes away from how amazing the book overall is because I know that all of the loose ends that have been left are leading up to what should be the last book, so it works.
I will say that I couldn’t help but be brought to tears in this one. It has been a while since a book tore at me that hard, but this one… yeah, it got to me. It has me wondering if I should by stock in tissues in time for the final book of the series is released.
March 16, 2018
Really great book. But heartbreaking. There were a couple points where I had to take a break, because it was just so heartbreaking.
I love the world and all its complexities. I love the characters. I love the slow unfolding of history - the discovery of firstborn, of Meralonne, and finally getting some idea of who Andrei is.
But I'm so very afraid that in the end, Jewel will lose everything she is, in order to preserve what she loves. And it just kills me. Because aside from her den-kin and her handful of allies, they don't deserve it. What have the Kings/Exalted/Ten/Astari ever done to deserve such a sacrifice from her? She's been treated like an enemy. Fuck them all. She can protect her people, and the rest of them can try their luck with Allasakar or the Sleepers, since they seem to so disdain her and/or find her so dangerous.
I love the world and all its complexities. I love the characters. I love the slow unfolding of history - the discovery of firstborn, of Meralonne, and finally getting some idea of who Andrei is.
But I'm so very afraid that in the end, Jewel will lose everything she is, in order to preserve what she loves. And it just kills me. Because aside from her den-kin and her handful of allies, they don't deserve it. What have the Kings/Exalted/Ten/Astari ever done to deserve such a sacrifice from her? She's been treated like an enemy. Fuck them all. She can protect her people, and the rest of them can try their luck with Allasakar or the Sleepers, since they seem to so disdain her and/or find her so dangerous.
November 28, 2015
I love Michelle West. I've been reading her since the Hunter books came out in the 90s and I've been waiting for this book for a long time... but not this version, which needed serious editing for pace and content. How many times can the characters have the same conversation?? How many times can everything just stop while they talk at each other and explain things for pages and pages?? About 570 pages worth actually. I really feel like I could have read the last 100-150 pages and gotten all the important parts. In fact all the stuff we've been waiting for happens in the epilogue in the last 20 pages! It was a really frustrating read for me.
3 stars seems too much, but how else can I rate a book I've been waiting for for 20 years??
3 stars seems too much, but how else can I rate a book I've been waiting for for 20 years??
July 19, 2016
Might as well name this book deux ex machina. A pity as the characters are very likeable
January 27, 2019
Riveting series
I finished the whole series in about 3 weeks! Jewel's story grabbed me and I couldn't put it down and I'm happy there's a new book release next month.
I finished the whole series in about 3 weeks! Jewel's story grabbed me and I couldn't put it down and I'm happy there's a new book release next month.
July 3, 2020
I was excited about this book because Jewel was FINALLY going to take the Oracle's journey, something we've been explicitly building towards for the last two books of The House War as well as the entire Sun Sword series, which happens concurrently with this one. Of course, we only get to one of the Oracle's tests and are told that it was not even the most important one. It's balance out by the political intrigue and a significant knowledge drop about what led to Allaskar's first defeat.
Some recurring themes for Jewel are her intense fear of abandonment, her fear of losing her moral compass if she claims her power, and her utter unwillingness to knowingly sacrifice anyone, ever. She claims these fears as her non-negotiable boundaries but they're crutches. Jewel is childish in her belief that she can fight and win against a god without any negative consequences. It limits her and at this point, she is starting to hurt more people in her willful ignorance and procrastination than she would by taking the reins of her power and taking action. Because she is gone, the demons have grown bolder and the book starts with a massacre at the merchant's guild house. The more she stalls, the more demons get to run amok but I guess they don't matter since she's never met them *eye roll*. It's a curious blind spot but I guess it's in keeping with the fact that Jewel remains in extreme denial of any fact she dislikes until the last possible moment. The only thing more annoying is the constant refrain of her cats hissing, stepping on people's feet, saying "stupid girl" and talking with every other word in italics like this. Please, God, make it stop!
As usual, the non-Jewel parts of the book were my favorite. For the first time ever we get a detailed look at how her den is on their own. Getting to know them as grown ups, I hope they find a way to support Jewel without having to sacrifice themselves. Her love of them looks a lot like codependence as we see just how much the den may be inclined to make other decisions, but are bound by what Jewel would do. Six books into this series, Jester finally gets some character development and it turns out, he's pretty interesting! He gets taken under Haval's wing as they help Finch get into position to claim the regency to hold the house for Jewel. Teller should get the regency as right-kin but he doesn't have the nerve for it. Although he is particularly cherished and relied upon by Jewel, he's just a bit of a wet blanket and is her brother in denial. Jester and Finch, however, have nerves of steel and the practicality that Jewel lacks. We finally get to see why Amarais wanted Finch mentored by Jarven, and what she learned. I came away from this liking Jarven less, but Finch, Jester and Haval a whole lot more.
If we can speed up Jewel's oracle journey and keep up the rest of the momentum, the last two books will be epic.
Some recurring themes for Jewel are her intense fear of abandonment, her fear of losing her moral compass if she claims her power, and her utter unwillingness to knowingly sacrifice anyone, ever. She claims these fears as her non-negotiable boundaries but they're crutches. Jewel is childish in her belief that she can fight and win against a god without any negative consequences. It limits her and at this point, she is starting to hurt more people in her willful ignorance and procrastination than she would by taking the reins of her power and taking action. Because she is gone, the demons have grown bolder and the book starts with a massacre at the merchant's guild house. The more she stalls, the more demons get to run amok but I guess they don't matter since she's never met them *eye roll*. It's a curious blind spot but I guess it's in keeping with the fact that Jewel remains in extreme denial of any fact she dislikes until the last possible moment. The only thing more annoying is the constant refrain of her cats hissing, stepping on people's feet, saying "stupid girl" and talking with every other word in italics like this. Please, God, make it stop!
As usual, the non-Jewel parts of the book were my favorite. For the first time ever we get a detailed look at how her den is on their own. Getting to know them as grown ups, I hope they find a way to support Jewel without having to sacrifice themselves. Her love of them looks a lot like codependence as we see just how much the den may be inclined to make other decisions, but are bound by what Jewel would do. Six books into this series, Jester finally gets some character development and it turns out, he's pretty interesting! He gets taken under Haval's wing as they help Finch get into position to claim the regency to hold the house for Jewel. Teller should get the regency as right-kin but he doesn't have the nerve for it. Although he is particularly cherished and relied upon by Jewel, he's just a bit of a wet blanket and is her brother in denial. Jester and Finch, however, have nerves of steel and the practicality that Jewel lacks. We finally get to see why Amarais wanted Finch mentored by Jarven, and what she learned. I came away from this liking Jarven less, but Finch, Jester and Haval a whole lot more.
If we can speed up Jewel's oracle journey and keep up the rest of the momentum, the last two books will be epic.
March 1, 2022
Once I got into this book, wow it just enthralled me.
There were two main groups/storylines that were followed, and in previous books in this series where there multiple storylines, I definitely had favorites that I got a little more excited for than the others. Here, though, I would get embroiled with Jewel and co and their adventures, then be immediately disappointed when a new chapter began back with the rest of House Terafin, then get embroiled in that, and be immediately disappointed when we were back with Jewel, etc., for the majority of the book.
For one, it was nice getting scenes from Jester’s perspective! He’s been pretty much absent/unimportant through the entire series so far, and as a result I didn’t particularly care for him, but now I do. Finch continues her uprise and growth as she effectively becomes regent, Jewel’s party picks up some hot women of power to go with all the hot men of power [+cats] in her party (finally it’s a little less of a brofest), and we learn a bunch of intriguing new lore.
I also liked the gardener, and thought the forest awakening was suitably epic. Even the multitude of crafty old men didn’t annoy me as much! Maybe because they were used more sparingly, maybe because they were a little more out of their depth, maybe because I liked who they were paired in scenes with, maybe for all of the above reasons.
I’m very intrigued with where the whole Calliastra thing is going - will she actually kill someone? Will she join them back in House Terafin or only on this quest? Will she ever meet Kiriel??? I also thought the entire foreign mindset of how the Arianni (and whatever the female version was called) was well set out - very not human, but comprehensible.
It was a nice moment that Jewel got to momentarily be back in House Terafin, and kind of take stock and have some muted emotional reunions, before having to leave again.
My one minor complaint/question is that the Oracle trial at the end seemed a little anti-climatic? I know the main trial was leaving Carver in the wasteland, but they kept saying how there was still the Oracle’s trial to go, and then it was shoved into the epilogue and bam, done? Maybe it still isn’t finished.
I also felt super teased because Jewel asked like five times about how the firstborn were ‘born’ (since it wasn’t via pregnancy) and either people didn’t answer or it got interrupted. By the end it was almost funny. I assume it will become important/get explained later, though.
Anyway, I really enjoyed this all the way through!
There were two main groups/storylines that were followed, and in previous books in this series where there multiple storylines, I definitely had favorites that I got a little more excited for than the others. Here, though, I would get embroiled with Jewel and co and their adventures, then be immediately disappointed when a new chapter began back with the rest of House Terafin, then get embroiled in that, and be immediately disappointed when we were back with Jewel, etc., for the majority of the book.
For one, it was nice getting scenes from Jester’s perspective! He’s been pretty much absent/unimportant through the entire series so far, and as a result I didn’t particularly care for him, but now I do. Finch continues her uprise and growth as she effectively becomes regent, Jewel’s party picks up some hot women of power to go with all the hot men of power [+cats] in her party (finally it’s a little less of a brofest), and we learn a bunch of intriguing new lore.
I also liked the gardener, and thought the forest awakening was suitably epic. Even the multitude of crafty old men didn’t annoy me as much! Maybe because they were used more sparingly, maybe because they were a little more out of their depth, maybe because I liked who they were paired in scenes with, maybe for all of the above reasons.
I’m very intrigued with where the whole Calliastra thing is going - will she actually kill someone? Will she join them back in House Terafin or only on this quest? Will she ever meet Kiriel??? I also thought the entire foreign mindset of how the Arianni (and whatever the female version was called) was well set out - very not human, but comprehensible.
It was a nice moment that Jewel got to momentarily be back in House Terafin, and kind of take stock and have some muted emotional reunions, before having to leave again.
My one minor complaint/question is that the Oracle trial at the end seemed a little anti-climatic? I know the main trial was leaving Carver in the wasteland, but they kept saying how there was still the Oracle’s trial to go, and then it was shoved into the epilogue and bam, done? Maybe it still isn’t finished.
I also felt super teased because Jewel asked like five times about how the firstborn were ‘born’ (since it wasn’t via pregnancy) and either people didn’t answer or it got interrupted. By the end it was almost funny. I assume it will become important/get explained later, though.
Anyway, I really enjoyed this all the way through!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 14, 2024
....Nothing happened in this book.
There has been a great deal of added complexity. Brand new characters who haven't even been dreamed of have been added. Former side characters have taken on new shades of meaning, and non-animate entities have become anthropomorphic...and yet, there has been no progress. We are in essentially the same spot that we were in when we started this book.
I know that way back when, when I started the Sun Sword, I said this series was a slow burn, but holy cow, is it a slow burn. I swear, the Wheel of Time moved faster than this.
Yet, here I go, on to the next one, because I'm an addict....gasp!!! Horror! None of my libraries have this book! How can this be?! I have SIX library cards?!?!?! How is it that not one of them can help me in my time of need?!?!!?!? Wait! I haven't tried the Hiroshima library system yet...I doubt very seriously it has it...It doesn't.
Now what do I do?!? Do I buy it? Will I ever read it again?! Can I survive not knowing what happens?
I wish I could buy kindle books and then donate them to one of my libraries, I wouldn't feel so bad buying it then. At least I would know that there was a possibility that it would be read more than once.
There has been a great deal of added complexity. Brand new characters who haven't even been dreamed of have been added. Former side characters have taken on new shades of meaning, and non-animate entities have become anthropomorphic...and yet, there has been no progress. We are in essentially the same spot that we were in when we started this book.
I know that way back when, when I started the Sun Sword, I said this series was a slow burn, but holy cow, is it a slow burn. I swear, the Wheel of Time moved faster than this.
Yet, here I go, on to the next one, because I'm an addict....gasp!!! Horror! None of my libraries have this book! How can this be?! I have SIX library cards?!?!?! How is it that not one of them can help me in my time of need?!?!!?!? Wait! I haven't tried the Hiroshima library system yet...I doubt very seriously it has it...It doesn't.
Now what do I do?!? Do I buy it? Will I ever read it again?! Can I survive not knowing what happens?
I wish I could buy kindle books and then donate them to one of my libraries, I wouldn't feel so bad buying it then. At least I would know that there was a possibility that it would be read more than once.
January 10, 2025
This installment was definitely not what I was expecting! Not a lot of action but so much work being done to weave a delightful story. I had to put this one down for longer periods than normal to think about what I had just read. I generally love books like that. But to appreciate where this is going, I think I need a break from the series for a while and to come back to it with fresh anticipation and eagerness. This isn't the kind of series that leads itself well to marathon reads, but it is definitely one worth taking your time with!
(An additional note on the Kindle version of this series. For some reason, the text isn't solid black. It's more of a dark grey, that is much harder to read than solid black text, and is harder on the eyes. Maybe something for the current publisher to consider if uodated Kindle editions are added in the future)
(An additional note on the Kindle version of this series. For some reason, the text isn't solid black. It's more of a dark grey, that is much harder to read than solid black text, and is harder on the eyes. Maybe something for the current publisher to consider if uodated Kindle editions are added in the future)
October 1, 2023
I am a little torn about this novel
We follow two plotlines : Jewel on her way to see the Oracle and the Den trying to manage house Terafin while she is away.
I enjoyed the Den part as it deals with politics and infighting. I enjoyed Jewel's portion a lot less.
Part of the problem is we are dealing with power creep and as foes and allies become more powerful the coherence of the universe is put in question...
AT this time I think I want to read the next novel but I am not really excited to do so now which demonstrate my loss of interest in the story. What keeps me around is the amount of time I have already invested in this ( this is 14th book I read in this universe, I feel like since book 4th of this serie the quality has gone down a little).
We follow two plotlines : Jewel on her way to see the Oracle and the Den trying to manage house Terafin while she is away.
I enjoyed the Den part as it deals with politics and infighting. I enjoyed Jewel's portion a lot less.
Part of the problem is we are dealing with power creep and as foes and allies become more powerful the coherence of the universe is put in question...
AT this time I think I want to read the next novel but I am not really excited to do so now which demonstrate my loss of interest in the story. What keeps me around is the amount of time I have already invested in this ( this is 14th book I read in this universe, I feel like since book 4th of this serie the quality has gone down a little).
August 24, 2023
Here I am again. I had given up on this series but I decided to read this because I wanted to see how Jewel’s test with the Oracle would go. And boy was I disappointed. It was so anticlimactic. I enjoyed the parts of the den, Jester’s and even finch’s and I wish we had more of the Astari but alas. Anyway I quit.
January 16, 2025
meh. the first couple of books in this series are ok to somewhat riveting. then there’s a big drop in quality and purpose. i did read all of it because i can be a bibliomasochist, and i had to finish what i started.
May 1, 2018
amazing! I really enjoy this author and the depth that she brings to a story
June 23, 2019
The story slowed down a bit and the ending was so fast it felt anti-climactic. But I enjoyed it. It just wasn't as exciting as the other books. I'll keep reading the series, though.
October 28, 2021
It was so slow paced I couldn’t get hooked into it! I may retry in the future but I don’t think I’ll reread in the next year or two.
October 3, 2023
Actual Rating: 3.75
January 6, 2021
"andrei was practically shrieking - in his perfectly silent way."
"he desires power because he believes it will allow him to live without consequences."
"pity is what we offer those who are so unfortunate we cannot conceive of living their lives. sympathy is what we offer when we have lived their life, or when we've feared to have no choice but to live it. we offer it because we understand what the other person now faces."
"she thought of the ways in which everyone she knew had been half-broken; they'd retained enough of their sanity to remake themselves, but not enough to become whole. that is the fate of humanity; we are fragile and simultaneously strong enough to keep moving."
"we cant be protected from life. we can - while we are very young - be protected from death."
"i want you to be happy." (Levec).
"that is a sad definition of happiness. you believe that we cannot see the world as it is and know happiness. and so we must be raised and coddled in ignorance. perhaps, if we never learn what a sword is, we will somehow never die at the end of one. perhaps if we never learn that people do bad things, bad things will never happen to us." (Adam).
"Happiness is not all of one thing, and sorrow doesnt obliterate happiness. it might, if we were trapped forever in the moment of sorrow. if the rest of life couldnt touch us or warn us. but we're not."
"you cant protect me from life. not even the matriarch could do that. you can help me to see life clearly. you can help me to see whats in front of my face, because sometimes the sun is in my eyes, and i cant. but you cant decide -for me- what my life has to be about, or what it has to mean, or what it cant mean. i am not you. you are not me."
"lies were meant to face outward, like a mask; no one wise turned lies inward."
"jester, i have half a mind to strangle you."
"i'll take the other half."
"your answer is yes. and it is no. and it is yes. it revolves, evolves, shifts. it is built on the folly of hope; it is shredded by frustration and despair; it is tainted by guilt and grief. and yet, at its core, it remains."
"i only have the time for so many battles in a day, so i have to choose the right ones. i've been called far worse than stupid in my life, its mostly harmless." (Jewel)
"it is a very good thing that i cannot travel back in time and give my younger self the dressing down he so richly deserves." (Jarven)
"she often thought that fingernails served no actual purpose except to accrue evidence of the labor that divided the patricians from the working class." (Birgide, botanist/gardener)
"joy had been the absence of pain. what then did planting and nurturing and tending have to do with joy? pain was absent, yes. pride was present - when the careful nurturing and planning actually worked. but it was more than that. these were alive. they took root, they grew, they aged - and yes, they died. they did not war; they did not politic; they did not rage. they existed and they offered - to those who could grasp it, peace." (Birgide)
"no one can make the choices you will have to make for you. no one can absolve you of them."
"if i make a mistake-"
"yes. large choices have large consequences. that is what power is."
"he wasnt certain if he was offering comfort or seeking it."
"grief could, and did, destroy the living if the living couldnt somehow make peace with it."
"change is inevitable." (Andrei)
"no two oak trees are alike. but they are recognizably the same type of tree. i want to change the way an oak sapling does. i want to grow deeper roots. i want to grow thicker branches. i dont want to become an apple tree or a rose bush or whatever else other people value. so i will change, because i am a man, and all men change." (Hectore)
"and you will remain constant, because you are hectore and you will always be hectore."
"that is the mistake you make. you think 'hectore' describes one thing. it does not. all men - all people - are many, many things. monstrous men are capable of great acts of kindness, kind men of monstrous selfishness. we dont want one thing we want many, many things, all at once, some contradictory. we are shadowed at times by regrets and desires that make no sense at all to us."
"you will not bow to the inevitable."
"i will bow to any inevitability that i see. your fear is not my certainty."
"he desires power because he believes it will allow him to live without consequences."
"pity is what we offer those who are so unfortunate we cannot conceive of living their lives. sympathy is what we offer when we have lived their life, or when we've feared to have no choice but to live it. we offer it because we understand what the other person now faces."
"she thought of the ways in which everyone she knew had been half-broken; they'd retained enough of their sanity to remake themselves, but not enough to become whole. that is the fate of humanity; we are fragile and simultaneously strong enough to keep moving."
"we cant be protected from life. we can - while we are very young - be protected from death."
"i want you to be happy." (Levec).
"that is a sad definition of happiness. you believe that we cannot see the world as it is and know happiness. and so we must be raised and coddled in ignorance. perhaps, if we never learn what a sword is, we will somehow never die at the end of one. perhaps if we never learn that people do bad things, bad things will never happen to us." (Adam).
"Happiness is not all of one thing, and sorrow doesnt obliterate happiness. it might, if we were trapped forever in the moment of sorrow. if the rest of life couldnt touch us or warn us. but we're not."
"you cant protect me from life. not even the matriarch could do that. you can help me to see life clearly. you can help me to see whats in front of my face, because sometimes the sun is in my eyes, and i cant. but you cant decide -for me- what my life has to be about, or what it has to mean, or what it cant mean. i am not you. you are not me."
"lies were meant to face outward, like a mask; no one wise turned lies inward."
"jester, i have half a mind to strangle you."
"i'll take the other half."
"your answer is yes. and it is no. and it is yes. it revolves, evolves, shifts. it is built on the folly of hope; it is shredded by frustration and despair; it is tainted by guilt and grief. and yet, at its core, it remains."
"i only have the time for so many battles in a day, so i have to choose the right ones. i've been called far worse than stupid in my life, its mostly harmless." (Jewel)
"it is a very good thing that i cannot travel back in time and give my younger self the dressing down he so richly deserves." (Jarven)
"she often thought that fingernails served no actual purpose except to accrue evidence of the labor that divided the patricians from the working class." (Birgide, botanist/gardener)
"joy had been the absence of pain. what then did planting and nurturing and tending have to do with joy? pain was absent, yes. pride was present - when the careful nurturing and planning actually worked. but it was more than that. these were alive. they took root, they grew, they aged - and yes, they died. they did not war; they did not politic; they did not rage. they existed and they offered - to those who could grasp it, peace." (Birgide)
"no one can make the choices you will have to make for you. no one can absolve you of them."
"if i make a mistake-"
"yes. large choices have large consequences. that is what power is."
"he wasnt certain if he was offering comfort or seeking it."
"grief could, and did, destroy the living if the living couldnt somehow make peace with it."
"change is inevitable." (Andrei)
"no two oak trees are alike. but they are recognizably the same type of tree. i want to change the way an oak sapling does. i want to grow deeper roots. i want to grow thicker branches. i dont want to become an apple tree or a rose bush or whatever else other people value. so i will change, because i am a man, and all men change." (Hectore)
"and you will remain constant, because you are hectore and you will always be hectore."
"that is the mistake you make. you think 'hectore' describes one thing. it does not. all men - all people - are many, many things. monstrous men are capable of great acts of kindness, kind men of monstrous selfishness. we dont want one thing we want many, many things, all at once, some contradictory. we are shadowed at times by regrets and desires that make no sense at all to us."
"you will not bow to the inevitable."
"i will bow to any inevitability that i see. your fear is not my certainty."
June 6, 2015
917W7DQL65L._SL1500_Picking up a Michelle West book is a little like it used to be when picking up a new Robert Jordan book. The stories are complex, the world is rich, the characters grow and change, the books are thick, and after waiting a year or so since the last book, you need to do a little re-reading.
Jewell Markess has always been one of my favorite characters from West. Jewel is a seer, which allowed her to survive her childhood on the streets, gather and save an unlikely group of outcast children, and carry them with her to the prestige of Terafin, one of Averlaan's Top Ten Houses. Jewel appears in the Huntbrothers dualogy (the books that introduced me to West's writing) and the Sun Sword series.
The interesting part of the House War series is that half way through it, there is a hiatus in Jewel's story as she travels through a few Sun Sword books (I keep promising myself that I'll read both series together sometime... when I have a couple months of free time for reading...). One of the really wonderful things about West is that her stories and plotlessness traverse across each series without missed cues, errors, and inconsistencies that can often be found in other writers. There is a reason it is always worth the wait for West's next book!
Oracle, which is the six book of the House War series (unless you count the books in the Sun Sword series), examines the responsibilities and losses that come with power, and Jewel's residual guilt for decisions she would not change, even when it costs the life of a loved one. Embarking on the Oracle's test, Jewel leaves loved ones behind to hold her House, her forest, and her city strong against demons and gods while she traverses across worlds.
I picked up Oracle, realized I didn't remember how the characters had gotten into the current situations, then went back to re-read Battle, book five. I soon remembered why I enjoyed these characters. While West's characters spend time reflecting and growing, they also spend time surviving multiple crises and situations as they move through a complicated world. The stories are fast paced enough to keep you interested, but don't have that "grip you by the seat of your pants while you hang on for dear life" feeling that some plots can have. You have time to enjoy the complexity of the story and personalities of the characters. You survive putting the book down to deal with your real life, but enjoy picking it back up again.
West also does a nice job of tying in previous story points without excessive re-telling. She also gives enough that if, like me, you are a somewhat negligent reader and stumble over occasional references to earlier stories's events (that you don't remember), the stumble neither detracts significantly from the current storyline nor bogs down the reader with heavy backstory.
Overall, Oracle is a typical good book from Michelle West. Don't pick it up, though, if you haven't read the rest of the series. If you are looking for something shorter and haven't read Michelle West before, try West's Huntbrothers duology, Hunter's Oath and Hunter's Death, to gain a sense of the world. Then take the first three books of the House War series: The Hidden City, City of Night, and House Name. Chronologically, the Sun Sword series would be next, but Jewel doesn't appear right away, and her story is one of the unfinished plots at the end of the Sun Sword series. Skirmish, Battle, and Oracle continue Jewel's story.
Jewell Markess has always been one of my favorite characters from West. Jewel is a seer, which allowed her to survive her childhood on the streets, gather and save an unlikely group of outcast children, and carry them with her to the prestige of Terafin, one of Averlaan's Top Ten Houses. Jewel appears in the Huntbrothers dualogy (the books that introduced me to West's writing) and the Sun Sword series.
The interesting part of the House War series is that half way through it, there is a hiatus in Jewel's story as she travels through a few Sun Sword books (I keep promising myself that I'll read both series together sometime... when I have a couple months of free time for reading...). One of the really wonderful things about West is that her stories and plotlessness traverse across each series without missed cues, errors, and inconsistencies that can often be found in other writers. There is a reason it is always worth the wait for West's next book!
Oracle, which is the six book of the House War series (unless you count the books in the Sun Sword series), examines the responsibilities and losses that come with power, and Jewel's residual guilt for decisions she would not change, even when it costs the life of a loved one. Embarking on the Oracle's test, Jewel leaves loved ones behind to hold her House, her forest, and her city strong against demons and gods while she traverses across worlds.
I picked up Oracle, realized I didn't remember how the characters had gotten into the current situations, then went back to re-read Battle, book five. I soon remembered why I enjoyed these characters. While West's characters spend time reflecting and growing, they also spend time surviving multiple crises and situations as they move through a complicated world. The stories are fast paced enough to keep you interested, but don't have that "grip you by the seat of your pants while you hang on for dear life" feeling that some plots can have. You have time to enjoy the complexity of the story and personalities of the characters. You survive putting the book down to deal with your real life, but enjoy picking it back up again.
West also does a nice job of tying in previous story points without excessive re-telling. She also gives enough that if, like me, you are a somewhat negligent reader and stumble over occasional references to earlier stories's events (that you don't remember), the stumble neither detracts significantly from the current storyline nor bogs down the reader with heavy backstory.
Overall, Oracle is a typical good book from Michelle West. Don't pick it up, though, if you haven't read the rest of the series. If you are looking for something shorter and haven't read Michelle West before, try West's Huntbrothers duology, Hunter's Oath and Hunter's Death, to gain a sense of the world. Then take the first three books of the House War series: The Hidden City, City of Night, and House Name. Chronologically, the Sun Sword series would be next, but Jewel doesn't appear right away, and her story is one of the unfinished plots at the end of the Sun Sword series. Skirmish, Battle, and Oracle continue Jewel's story.
December 25, 2022
3.5 stars.
A find in an obscure occult shop. I didn’t realize it was part of a series, but that doesn’t matter because the author repeats herself soooo much that I was able to get the gist of it without having to read the first four or five books. I hate DNFing a book when I’m almost finished with it, especially if I really enjoyed the first half, but the author drags everything out so much that I kind of gave up at the end and just skimmed. If she took out half the descriptions and the dialogue where characters talk for paragraphs repeating what we already know than this book would be half the length of what it is now. Other than that, it was interesting. I did really like some of the characters, mainly Brigide and Jester, and it had a very dream-like quality to it.
A find in an obscure occult shop. I didn’t realize it was part of a series, but that doesn’t matter because the author repeats herself soooo much that I was able to get the gist of it without having to read the first four or five books. I hate DNFing a book when I’m almost finished with it, especially if I really enjoyed the first half, but the author drags everything out so much that I kind of gave up at the end and just skimmed. If she took out half the descriptions and the dialogue where characters talk for paragraphs repeating what we already know than this book would be half the length of what it is now. Other than that, it was interesting. I did really like some of the characters, mainly Brigide and Jester, and it had a very dream-like quality to it.
July 12, 2015
One of my all-time favourite authors in the Fantasy genre continues to amaze. No other I've yet encountered can so deftly communicate both inward and outward landscapes that I'll never forget. The psyche as her sandbox and language so many grains of silica, she doesn't just pile words into a castle-shaped mould and call it a story. She clearly goes to the effort of selecting every matrix component, before roaring into it the heat of inspiration and the breath of deep insight. The results are mind-bending works of art: intricate in shape and complexity, near flawless of finish, and glinting with rainbow clarity that delights at every angle of inspection.
Arrival of the next and final book in this series will be bittersweet for me. In the mean time, I'll be rereading previous volumes, as well as the parallel story arcs of her related series (Sacred Hunt books and Sun Sword books). I'll undoubtedly notice hidden gems and puzzle pieces that I hadn't fully appreciated at first pass, or that will take on new meaning now.
For those relatively new to Michelle's work, I recommend...
1) Starting with either The Sacred Hunt duology (2 books) and/or The Sun Sword series (6 books) before attempting anything else by her - even this current series. That's because these House War books comprise a follow-up story arc to those previous two series, and will sit much more comfortably after you've digested them.
2) Taking note of both her pen names: Michelle West and Michelle Sagara. I'm not sure how she herself chooses which name to publish different titles under, but I've noticed I tend to prefer her Michelle West work. While her Michelle Sagara titles tend to be "easy reads" and have a more readily accessible, mainstream fantasy vibe, I feel her artistry is most evident under Michelle West - which titles incidentally demand far more attention and somewhat more effort from their readers. So if you're after something fun and easy, go Sagara. If you hanker for more depth, head West.
Arrival of the next and final book in this series will be bittersweet for me. In the mean time, I'll be rereading previous volumes, as well as the parallel story arcs of her related series (Sacred Hunt books and Sun Sword books). I'll undoubtedly notice hidden gems and puzzle pieces that I hadn't fully appreciated at first pass, or that will take on new meaning now.
For those relatively new to Michelle's work, I recommend...
1) Starting with either The Sacred Hunt duology (2 books) and/or The Sun Sword series (6 books) before attempting anything else by her - even this current series. That's because these House War books comprise a follow-up story arc to those previous two series, and will sit much more comfortably after you've digested them.
2) Taking note of both her pen names: Michelle West and Michelle Sagara. I'm not sure how she herself chooses which name to publish different titles under, but I've noticed I tend to prefer her Michelle West work. While her Michelle Sagara titles tend to be "easy reads" and have a more readily accessible, mainstream fantasy vibe, I feel her artistry is most evident under Michelle West - which titles incidentally demand far more attention and somewhat more effort from their readers. So if you're after something fun and easy, go Sagara. If you hanker for more depth, head West.
December 1, 2024
All the same issues that other reviewers had, but somehow none of it matters. It’s the rare kind of immersive fantasy world that feels totally complete.
May 29, 2015
Oracle (House wars #6) like all Michelle's books needs to be savoured slowly like your favourite ....... please insert your poison,to enjoy the book in it's full glory, I prefer Cote d'or chocolate for those who are willing to bribe for positive reviews.
But and here's the but - if your grey cells are anything like mine, a bit challenged, I would highly recommend, if you have the time and the patience ( the latter I didn't possess) to go back and read if not the whole series at least the last book or two, because I have to admit I struggled to remember who is who in the zoo.
Once over that hurdle I must admit I loved the book, Michelle has way of writing that gently reminds you of each person's role in the story and it quickly felt that I had read the previous book just the other day rather than a good few years ago (can you believe the last book was 2012). Even though the book has a similar feel to the Chronicles of Elantra, The House Wars give a much stronger voice to supporting characters with Jewel in the center of the intricately woven tapestry of politics, war and gods - what more can I say but go out and get it.
But and here's the but - if your grey cells are anything like mine, a bit challenged, I would highly recommend, if you have the time and the patience ( the latter I didn't possess) to go back and read if not the whole series at least the last book or two, because I have to admit I struggled to remember who is who in the zoo.
Once over that hurdle I must admit I loved the book, Michelle has way of writing that gently reminds you of each person's role in the story and it quickly felt that I had read the previous book just the other day rather than a good few years ago (can you believe the last book was 2012). Even though the book has a similar feel to the Chronicles of Elantra, The House Wars give a much stronger voice to supporting characters with Jewel in the center of the intricately woven tapestry of politics, war and gods - what more can I say but go out and get it.
July 20, 2015
First, a comment on the series. The Essalieyan Saga is, in my somewhat informed opinion, the single most undersold epic fantasy out there. This novel is approximately book 15 in a world of wonders and book six in a contiguous series called the House War. I highly recommend newcomers to start either at The Hidden City (House War book 1) or at The Broken Crown (Sun Sword book 1).
Oracle as a book is, as I've come to expect from Ms West, highly character driven. I mean this in the best possible way; it's an immersive experience that my wife claims left her a book widow for a weekend.
Taken as part of a series I was pleased to see all of the major plot lines advanced. We are now heading for the main confrontation at full speed and the next book (War) promises to be something special.
On the downside, I felt there were a few too many moral quandaries which the characters had to work through. In moderation, this works well but to me at least it was a little overdone.
Overall though, yet another example of first class fantasy from Ms West. Sitting proudly on my bookshelf alongside the rest of the series.
Oracle as a book is, as I've come to expect from Ms West, highly character driven. I mean this in the best possible way; it's an immersive experience that my wife claims left her a book widow for a weekend.
Taken as part of a series I was pleased to see all of the major plot lines advanced. We are now heading for the main confrontation at full speed and the next book (War) promises to be something special.
On the downside, I felt there were a few too many moral quandaries which the characters had to work through. In moderation, this works well but to me at least it was a little overdone.
Overall though, yet another example of first class fantasy from Ms West. Sitting proudly on my bookshelf alongside the rest of the series.
July 6, 2016
Finally got to Michelle Sagara's main series. I love her Cast in series so I knew I would not dislike the series but the volumes of the books made me hesitate. I shouldn't have and should have trusted the author. Amazing story of growth and determination and hope! I did feel frustrated with Jay's choices as I often do with Kaylin's choices. Her views are for the "little people" and not really for the big picture, though those decisions do effect the greater parts of her world. Also Jay being special for being "just a human" but having incredible power rang close to Kaylin just being human but being "the chosen." I did see those similarity with the Cast in series but not so much that it bothered me. I suppose I need to get into the Sunsword series to know about the other characters that are not explained much in this series...
I cannot wait to read more !!
I cannot wait to read more !!
June 9, 2016
This capped off a complete reread of the House Wars series. I had read Oracle only once when it came out last year, then I got a Jewel yen at the ides of March. With a complete re-read preceding I can say that Oracle fulfills many a series and character hope and expectation, with enough new stuff to keep me wanting to know more. The end felt just right, and I wait with great anticipation for War (book 7, still being written among the two other in-progress series by the author, expected mid 2017 at earliest) to find out how all the developments in Oracle will work out.
In the meantime I look forward to getting a Michelle Sagara West fix with the next book of the Cast series due out in October 2016
In the meantime I look forward to getting a Michelle Sagara West fix with the next book of the Cast series due out in October 2016
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