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First Contact
The Oracle
Carl Meier is a private in the German Sixth Army. He's been sent to occupied Greece on a secret mission in late 1944 as the Wehrmacht is withdrawing from the country. Carl has been assigned to support Professor Hans Schmidt in the excavation of the ruins at Delphi, searching for a wunderwaffe—a wonder weapon that could help Germany win the Second World War. Deep within a cave, he finds a golden orb. On touching it, Carl connects with an alien intelligence that has lain dormant on Earth for thousands of years—The Oracle.
“The German soldier has not learned to retreat. He stands, and when necessary, he dies where he stands.” — Adolf Hitler.
FIRST CONTACT is a series of stand-alone novels that explore humanity's first interaction with extraterrestrial life. This series is similar to BLACK MIRROR or THE TWILIGHT ZONE in that it is based on a common theme rather than common characters. This allows these books to be read in any order. Technically, they're all first as they all deal with how we might initially respond to contact with aliens, exploring the social, political, religious, and scientific aspects of First Contact.
“The German soldier has not learned to retreat. He stands, and when necessary, he dies where he stands.” — Adolf Hitler.
FIRST CONTACT is a series of stand-alone novels that explore humanity's first interaction with extraterrestrial life. This series is similar to BLACK MIRROR or THE TWILIGHT ZONE in that it is based on a common theme rather than common characters. This allows these books to be read in any order. Technically, they're all first as they all deal with how we might initially respond to contact with aliens, exploring the social, political, religious, and scientific aspects of First Contact.
- GenresScience Fiction
330 pages, Paperback
First published October 24, 2025
39 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
October 29, 2025
Cawdron Does it Again!
This is at least the 15th novel of Peter Cawdron’s that I have read. All have been excellent reading and thought-provoking entertainment. Every time I read another one new to me, I say, “This is his best.” This time, I just could be right.
This is at least the 15th novel of Peter Cawdron’s that I have read. All have been excellent reading and thought-provoking entertainment. Every time I read another one new to me, I say, “This is his best.” This time, I just could be right.
October 29, 2025
Masterful
All of Peter’s First Contact series is exemplary, but this one is outstanding. He has become my favourite author. Highly recommended.
All of Peter’s First Contact series is exemplary, but this one is outstanding. He has become my favourite author. Highly recommended.
November 2, 2025
Damn, he's good!
I've read almost all of the author's output, and that's a lot, since being captivated by 3Zekiel. Each one is a separate stand-alone story with the common theme of First Contact. I won't provide any spoilers, but reading the Afterword after each story sends me looking for the source material and gives depth and insight into By the way, this review could apply to any of the author's works.
I've read almost all of the author's output, and that's a lot, since being captivated by 3Zekiel. Each one is a separate stand-alone story with the common theme of First Contact. I won't provide any spoilers, but reading the Afterword after each story sends me looking for the source material and gives depth and insight into By the way, this review could apply to any of the author's works.
October 27, 2025
Original, brilliant, spellbinding, thought provoking.
An amazing view of mankind at his worst that gives us hope for our future. The characters will live in our hearts for a long time.
An amazing view of mankind at his worst that gives us hope for our future. The characters will live in our hearts for a long time.
November 17, 2025
Did the ancient Greeks make First Contact with extraterrestrial intelligence?
We humans are a race of storytellers. Over the course of the 300,000 years that we have commanded the power of speech, we have huddled in caves, sat around campfires, recited epic poems, published books, produced stage-plays, and used modern media to tell our stories. But in fundamental ways even the most modern of those stories are little different from the tales told in the earliest days of our race.
The window-dressing changes, the costumes and customs are different, but our stories today still dwell upon the timeless subjects. Birth, growth, and death. Love and hate. Joy and suffering. War and peace. Loyalty and betrayal. These same themes, elaborated in ancient Greek myths, come back to life in contemporary storytelling again and again. The Australian science fiction author Peter Cawdron makes skillful use of this protean material in the latest of his standalone First Contact novels, The Oracle.
A powerful story grounded in myth and history
The most compelling stories we tell are the simplest, with a single protagonist or two in tandem. And so it is in Cawdron’s The Oracle. The book is grounded in the ancient Greek myth woven around the historical figure of Oracle at the temple of Apollo at Delphi. The priestess advised both commoners and kings. In Cawdron’s version, we follow Sophia, the last descendent of the head priestess, and a brilliant German soldier named Karl Meier.
Both are teenagers when they meet in the turmoil of World War II as the Wehrmacht prepares to abandon Greece to the British. Their lives intertwine for just one day around the Omphalos, which Cawdron frames as the eyes, ears, and voice of an extraterrestrial Oracle buried in a hillside near the village of Delphi. The novel is one of Cawdron’s very best. I loved it.
Two teenagers and an extraterrestrial scientist
Cawdron’s story dwells on the relationship between Karl and Sophia. But it’s interrupted on occasion by interludes set on the distant planet of Pythia where a scientist named Tor Mah tracks the transmissions from the Oracle.
Sixteen-year-old Sophia is the granddaughter of the last fully trained head priestess of Delphi. Her grandmother died before she could instruct the girl in how to conduct herself in the presence of the Omphalos. (No one has had direct contact with the Oracle itself, which is deeply buried beneath an ancient spring.) So Sophia has taught herself how to interpret the predictions that come through the Omphalos.
“Karl has never been outside of Germany before, but he studied classical languages and excelled in Greek literature in high school. He’s a prodigy.” And he is on a mission to Delphi to assist an eminent archaeologist who believes he can find the Oracle. Karl will be his interpreter. And when the pair succeed in locating and retrieving the Omphalos, the story takes a sudden turn into violence.
On Pythia, we learn the Oracle’s backstory, its purpose and function, through the experiences of the scientist Tor Mah. Suffice it to say that it serves the inhabitants of Pythia, not those of Earth.
An AI summary of the novel
Because AI can do a better job summarizing a story than I can, I turned to my favorite chatbot, Claude (Sonnet 4.5). Below is the text that resulted. It’s word-for-word what Claude wrote, with three exceptions:
** I’ve deleted the distracting URLs linking the text to its sources,
** Added subheads to make the text easier to read, and
** Corrected the misinterpretation that Karl’s contact with the Omphalos represents First Contact rather than that of the ancient Greeks.
A secret mission for a Nazi “wonder weapon”
Set in late 1944 during the final days of World War II, The Oracle follows Karl Meier, a private in the German Army dispatched on a secret mission to occupied Greece as the Wehrmacht withdraws from the country. Karl is assigned to assist Professor Johannes Schmidt (also referred to as Professor Hans Schmidt in some sources) with an archaeological excavation at the ancient ruins of Delphi. Their mission is to locate a wunderwaffe—a “wonder weapon”—that Nazi leadership desperately hopes will turn the tide of the war in Germany’s favor.
Deep within a cave at the Delphi site, Karl makes an extraordinary discovery: a mysterious golden orb. When he touches the artifact, Karl establishes a connection with an alien intelligence that has remained dormant on Earth for thousands of years—the Oracle. This discovery transforms what began as a military operation into [modern] humanity’s first contact with extraterrestrial life.
A standalone novel in a series
The novel is part of Cawdron’s “First Contact” series, a collection of standalone novels that explore various scenarios of humanity’s initial encounters with alien life. Similar to anthologies like Black Mirror or The Twilight Zone, the series is connected by theme rather than recurring characters, allowing each book to be read independently. The series examines the social, political, religious, and scientific implications of first contact from different angles.
Peter Cawdron, a New Zealand/Australian science fiction author, specializes in hard science fiction—plausible stories that conform to known scientific laws rather than relying on fantastical solutions. His writing style shows the influence of classic science fiction authors such as Philip K. Dick, Arthur C. Clarke, and Michael Crichton.
Combining World War II history with science fiction
The Oracle combines historical World War II setting with speculative first-contact science fiction, raising intriguing questions about what might happen when desperate circumstances lead humanity to discover something far beyond their understanding. The novel explores themes of warfare, desperation, ancient mysteries, and the profound implications of encountering intelligence from beyond our world during one of humanity’s darkest periods.
About the author
Goodreads credits Australian science fiction writer Peter Cawdron with 74 books, including 33 in his ongoing First Contact series. (I count them a little differently, figuring The Oracle as number 30. I’ve reviewed all 29 previous works at Peter Cawdron’s insightful First Contact book series on Mal Warwick on Books.) Cawdron, born in New Zealand 1967, now lives in Queensland, Australia.
We humans are a race of storytellers. Over the course of the 300,000 years that we have commanded the power of speech, we have huddled in caves, sat around campfires, recited epic poems, published books, produced stage-plays, and used modern media to tell our stories. But in fundamental ways even the most modern of those stories are little different from the tales told in the earliest days of our race.
The window-dressing changes, the costumes and customs are different, but our stories today still dwell upon the timeless subjects. Birth, growth, and death. Love and hate. Joy and suffering. War and peace. Loyalty and betrayal. These same themes, elaborated in ancient Greek myths, come back to life in contemporary storytelling again and again. The Australian science fiction author Peter Cawdron makes skillful use of this protean material in the latest of his standalone First Contact novels, The Oracle.
A powerful story grounded in myth and history
The most compelling stories we tell are the simplest, with a single protagonist or two in tandem. And so it is in Cawdron’s The Oracle. The book is grounded in the ancient Greek myth woven around the historical figure of Oracle at the temple of Apollo at Delphi. The priestess advised both commoners and kings. In Cawdron’s version, we follow Sophia, the last descendent of the head priestess, and a brilliant German soldier named Karl Meier.
Both are teenagers when they meet in the turmoil of World War II as the Wehrmacht prepares to abandon Greece to the British. Their lives intertwine for just one day around the Omphalos, which Cawdron frames as the eyes, ears, and voice of an extraterrestrial Oracle buried in a hillside near the village of Delphi. The novel is one of Cawdron’s very best. I loved it.
Two teenagers and an extraterrestrial scientist
Cawdron’s story dwells on the relationship between Karl and Sophia. But it’s interrupted on occasion by interludes set on the distant planet of Pythia where a scientist named Tor Mah tracks the transmissions from the Oracle.
Sixteen-year-old Sophia is the granddaughter of the last fully trained head priestess of Delphi. Her grandmother died before she could instruct the girl in how to conduct herself in the presence of the Omphalos. (No one has had direct contact with the Oracle itself, which is deeply buried beneath an ancient spring.) So Sophia has taught herself how to interpret the predictions that come through the Omphalos.
“Karl has never been outside of Germany before, but he studied classical languages and excelled in Greek literature in high school. He’s a prodigy.” And he is on a mission to Delphi to assist an eminent archaeologist who believes he can find the Oracle. Karl will be his interpreter. And when the pair succeed in locating and retrieving the Omphalos, the story takes a sudden turn into violence.
On Pythia, we learn the Oracle’s backstory, its purpose and function, through the experiences of the scientist Tor Mah. Suffice it to say that it serves the inhabitants of Pythia, not those of Earth.
An AI summary of the novel
Because AI can do a better job summarizing a story than I can, I turned to my favorite chatbot, Claude (Sonnet 4.5). Below is the text that resulted. It’s word-for-word what Claude wrote, with three exceptions:
** I’ve deleted the distracting URLs linking the text to its sources,
** Added subheads to make the text easier to read, and
** Corrected the misinterpretation that Karl’s contact with the Omphalos represents First Contact rather than that of the ancient Greeks.
A secret mission for a Nazi “wonder weapon”
Set in late 1944 during the final days of World War II, The Oracle follows Karl Meier, a private in the German Army dispatched on a secret mission to occupied Greece as the Wehrmacht withdraws from the country. Karl is assigned to assist Professor Johannes Schmidt (also referred to as Professor Hans Schmidt in some sources) with an archaeological excavation at the ancient ruins of Delphi. Their mission is to locate a wunderwaffe—a “wonder weapon”—that Nazi leadership desperately hopes will turn the tide of the war in Germany’s favor.
Deep within a cave at the Delphi site, Karl makes an extraordinary discovery: a mysterious golden orb. When he touches the artifact, Karl establishes a connection with an alien intelligence that has remained dormant on Earth for thousands of years—the Oracle. This discovery transforms what began as a military operation into [modern] humanity’s first contact with extraterrestrial life.
A standalone novel in a series
The novel is part of Cawdron’s “First Contact” series, a collection of standalone novels that explore various scenarios of humanity’s initial encounters with alien life. Similar to anthologies like Black Mirror or The Twilight Zone, the series is connected by theme rather than recurring characters, allowing each book to be read independently. The series examines the social, political, religious, and scientific implications of first contact from different angles.
Peter Cawdron, a New Zealand/Australian science fiction author, specializes in hard science fiction—plausible stories that conform to known scientific laws rather than relying on fantastical solutions. His writing style shows the influence of classic science fiction authors such as Philip K. Dick, Arthur C. Clarke, and Michael Crichton.
Combining World War II history with science fiction
The Oracle combines historical World War II setting with speculative first-contact science fiction, raising intriguing questions about what might happen when desperate circumstances lead humanity to discover something far beyond their understanding. The novel explores themes of warfare, desperation, ancient mysteries, and the profound implications of encountering intelligence from beyond our world during one of humanity’s darkest periods.
About the author
Goodreads credits Australian science fiction writer Peter Cawdron with 74 books, including 33 in his ongoing First Contact series. (I count them a little differently, figuring The Oracle as number 30. I’ve reviewed all 29 previous works at Peter Cawdron’s insightful First Contact book series on Mal Warwick on Books.) Cawdron, born in New Zealand 1967, now lives in Queensland, Australia.
November 12, 2025
It will come as no spoiler to anyone familiar with Cawdron’s writing to learn that the Oracle—yes the one of ancient Grecian legend—is an alien artifact sent to Earth to study life on this planet. This story takes place in Greece in the later days of World War II. The Germans are being driven back, the English and Russians are both moving in, and a home grown Communist movement is threatening to thwart any hope of freedom for the beleaguered citizens of Greece.
The Germans, on the defense on all fronts, are frantically seeking any sort of super-weapon that might turn the tide. Rumors reach German high command that there may be something more to the legends of the Oracle than just old myths. So they send Professor Johannes Schmidt, accompanied by a young soldier, Karl Meier, who is fluent in a half dozen languages including Greek.
They get to Delphi, reputed locale of the Oracle, and there they meet Sophia, seemingly a sweet village teenage girl. Karl, a loyal soldier to the Reich, is almost immediately smitten. But there are two things about Sophia that neither Karl nor the Professor know: she is priestess and custodian of the Oracle of Delphi—the very wunderwaffe the Germans are seeking—and that the Oracle has foretold her death by nightfall of that very day, and that the last thing she will see is Karl’s face. Even though she knows the Oracle is never wrong, she understandably wants to put as much distance between herself and Karl as she can. Sounds like a recipe for the world’s most awkward first date, doesn’t it?
The story shifts to the Oracle itself, which came to Earth thousands of years before, but was buried in a landslide some two millennia ago. Its purpose is to gather as much information about Earth as it can, and is a genuine artificial intelligence with judgment and the ability to integrate wildly divergent data. [An example of the difference from yours truly: the Oracle might use diverse threads of information to discern the rise of civilization in the Americas and changes wrought by global warming. Thus it may be able to predict the destruction of a major city on the Florida peninsula by a Cat Seven storm one day. Our “Artificial Intelligence” might respond to a question about Miami being completely destroyed by a massive hurricane the day before by reciting “Reports that a city named Miami was destroyed by a hurricane are incorrect because no city by the name of Miami exists today.”]
The Oracle, limited in scope by the landslide, can still sample the air and detect tiny vibrations, and thus becomes aware of the rise of a civilization and of internal combustion engines. It gains significant knowledge from the most minute of clues.
As always the research behind the story is meticulous, and Cawdron takes no shortcuts at the advantage of the readers’ credulity. With each story, Cawdron’s characters gain more depth and humanity, and they were solid to begin with. Further, he seems to excel in stories with war settings (The Art of War, The Anatomy of Courage) and I can’t help but be mindful of that as I am writing this on Remembrance Day. Cawdron understands what November 11th is about.
Now available at Amazon.
The Germans, on the defense on all fronts, are frantically seeking any sort of super-weapon that might turn the tide. Rumors reach German high command that there may be something more to the legends of the Oracle than just old myths. So they send Professor Johannes Schmidt, accompanied by a young soldier, Karl Meier, who is fluent in a half dozen languages including Greek.
They get to Delphi, reputed locale of the Oracle, and there they meet Sophia, seemingly a sweet village teenage girl. Karl, a loyal soldier to the Reich, is almost immediately smitten. But there are two things about Sophia that neither Karl nor the Professor know: she is priestess and custodian of the Oracle of Delphi—the very wunderwaffe the Germans are seeking—and that the Oracle has foretold her death by nightfall of that very day, and that the last thing she will see is Karl’s face. Even though she knows the Oracle is never wrong, she understandably wants to put as much distance between herself and Karl as she can. Sounds like a recipe for the world’s most awkward first date, doesn’t it?
The story shifts to the Oracle itself, which came to Earth thousands of years before, but was buried in a landslide some two millennia ago. Its purpose is to gather as much information about Earth as it can, and is a genuine artificial intelligence with judgment and the ability to integrate wildly divergent data. [An example of the difference from yours truly: the Oracle might use diverse threads of information to discern the rise of civilization in the Americas and changes wrought by global warming. Thus it may be able to predict the destruction of a major city on the Florida peninsula by a Cat Seven storm one day. Our “Artificial Intelligence” might respond to a question about Miami being completely destroyed by a massive hurricane the day before by reciting “Reports that a city named Miami was destroyed by a hurricane are incorrect because no city by the name of Miami exists today.”]
The Oracle, limited in scope by the landslide, can still sample the air and detect tiny vibrations, and thus becomes aware of the rise of a civilization and of internal combustion engines. It gains significant knowledge from the most minute of clues.
As always the research behind the story is meticulous, and Cawdron takes no shortcuts at the advantage of the readers’ credulity. With each story, Cawdron’s characters gain more depth and humanity, and they were solid to begin with. Further, he seems to excel in stories with war settings (The Art of War, The Anatomy of Courage) and I can’t help but be mindful of that as I am writing this on Remembrance Day. Cawdron understands what November 11th is about.
Now available at Amazon.
October 30, 2025
I say this each time I review a Peter Cawdron book, it is hard to believe that he has now churned out thirty-three First Contact books with each being excellent, hard science Science Fiction. Each novel is unique, each approach to First Contact is new, and his writing is always engaging. And I haven’t even gotten to the Afterword, one of my favorite parts of his books.
The Oracle is a story of first contact that takes place over two days at the end of the German occupation of Greece during World War II. It is based on some historical facts, some greek myths, and a lot about human thinking and emotion. I am not a fan of historic fiction but, luckily, Cawdron has not written an alternate history book but just a first contact story that takes place during a historic period. As he says, “The key point here is that both love and hate reward the brain. They’re both pleasing, and because of this, they’re prized by the brain. We like to think of ourselves as logical, but we’re not - we’re passionate.”
The book has a little romance, an interesting explanation of how certain myths developed, aliens, not too much gore, and a fast moving storyline. In fact, this book is probably the most action packed story Cawdron has written. This is not a page turner, it is a page flier. The need for sleep was the only reason to put it down.
As always, Cawdron is at his best when he is presenting aliens evaluating humans. More often than not, we do not pass muster. Fortunately, at least in Cawdron’s alien’s eyes, we have a few redeeming features. As Tor Mah explains, “Humans are not barbaric. They were, but they’re in the process of maturing. Like a child, they’re growing up, but no one becomes an adult on a single day.” Let us hope he is right.
The Oracle is a story of first contact that takes place over two days at the end of the German occupation of Greece during World War II. It is based on some historical facts, some greek myths, and a lot about human thinking and emotion. I am not a fan of historic fiction but, luckily, Cawdron has not written an alternate history book but just a first contact story that takes place during a historic period. As he says, “The key point here is that both love and hate reward the brain. They’re both pleasing, and because of this, they’re prized by the brain. We like to think of ourselves as logical, but we’re not - we’re passionate.”
The book has a little romance, an interesting explanation of how certain myths developed, aliens, not too much gore, and a fast moving storyline. In fact, this book is probably the most action packed story Cawdron has written. This is not a page turner, it is a page flier. The need for sleep was the only reason to put it down.
As always, Cawdron is at his best when he is presenting aliens evaluating humans. More often than not, we do not pass muster. Fortunately, at least in Cawdron’s alien’s eyes, we have a few redeeming features. As Tor Mah explains, “Humans are not barbaric. They were, but they’re in the process of maturing. Like a child, they’re growing up, but no one becomes an adult on a single day.” Let us hope he is right.
October 26, 2025
As a sci-fi author myself, I don't know how Peter Cawdron manages to write so many novels on first contact with extraterrestrial intelligence without being repetitive. He's done it again with The Oracle: a suspenseful, engaging story with another fresh take on first contact.
The Oracle shakes things up by being set in Greece during World War II, with references going back to ancient Greek mythology. The main character is Karl Meier, a private in the German Army on an urgent mission during the Wehrmacht's chaotic withdrawal in 1944. In the interest of avoiding spoilers, I don't want to reveal more about the main storyline. There is, however, a thought-provoking, underlying theme of the horror and futility of war, as Private Meier transforms from an idealistic follower of Hitler to a man facing the reality of war and the pointless suffering resulting from it. This anti-war sub-plot reminded me of Peter's outstanding 2024 novel, The Anatomy of Courage, which I also wouldn't hesitate to recommend.
As with his previous First Contact novels, The Oracle includes a detailed afterword that explains the story's historic references, the supporting scientific data, the geography of the setting, ancient Greek Mythology, and much more information to satisfy even the most strident wonk. This bonus information serves to enhance the book's plausibility as well as the author's detailed research and credibility.
The Oracle shakes things up by being set in Greece during World War II, with references going back to ancient Greek mythology. The main character is Karl Meier, a private in the German Army on an urgent mission during the Wehrmacht's chaotic withdrawal in 1944. In the interest of avoiding spoilers, I don't want to reveal more about the main storyline. There is, however, a thought-provoking, underlying theme of the horror and futility of war, as Private Meier transforms from an idealistic follower of Hitler to a man facing the reality of war and the pointless suffering resulting from it. This anti-war sub-plot reminded me of Peter's outstanding 2024 novel, The Anatomy of Courage, which I also wouldn't hesitate to recommend.
As with his previous First Contact novels, The Oracle includes a detailed afterword that explains the story's historic references, the supporting scientific data, the geography of the setting, ancient Greek Mythology, and much more information to satisfy even the most strident wonk. This bonus information serves to enhance the book's plausibility as well as the author's detailed research and credibility.
October 29, 2025
This is possibly Peter Cawdron's best work since Cold Eyes. His wordplay in this book is nothing short of outstanding. Once again, he creates characters that you want to befriend with character development so good, you feel as though you have known them for years.
Peter tackles the subject of First Contact and how human beings would react to it from a different viewpoint in each of his books. His books show the human condition as much as a science fiction theme will allow. This time, the contact comes from an alien spacecraft sent to Earth thousands of years ago that eventually becomes the Oracle of Delphi in Greek mythology. It is again discovered during WWII by the Germans looking for their wonder weapon. The ensuing tale with both good and bad players is beyond reproach and is very, very enjoyable reading.
I'm not sure why Peter Cawdron is not as famous as other authors who have achieved fame with movie deals, because his writing far surpasses most authors of today. His books deserve a much wider audience than they currently have. If the reader of this review decides to buy the book, please leave a review of your opinion when you are finished. This is how obscure authors can gain a wider audience.
Peter tackles the subject of First Contact and how human beings would react to it from a different viewpoint in each of his books. His books show the human condition as much as a science fiction theme will allow. This time, the contact comes from an alien spacecraft sent to Earth thousands of years ago that eventually becomes the Oracle of Delphi in Greek mythology. It is again discovered during WWII by the Germans looking for their wonder weapon. The ensuing tale with both good and bad players is beyond reproach and is very, very enjoyable reading.
I'm not sure why Peter Cawdron is not as famous as other authors who have achieved fame with movie deals, because his writing far surpasses most authors of today. His books deserve a much wider audience than they currently have. If the reader of this review decides to buy the book, please leave a review of your opinion when you are finished. This is how obscure authors can gain a wider audience.
November 13, 2025
I really enjoyed this science fiction story based on historical facts and myths set during the final years of WWII in Greece. As usual, Cawdron weaves an interesting tale infused with meaningful character development. The story literally drips with personal philosophical reflection by the protagonist (love it!). I know it is science fiction, but it could also be historical fiction using science fiction as a backdrop to allow the characters to develop as humans with typical human emotions and choices.
The First Contact series has found a way to place human characters at the center while still teasing the reader with ideas of what first contact with another intelligent species would be like. These are stories about how people deal with challenges and conflict rather than fighting invading aliens.
Looking forward to more of this series!
The First Contact series has found a way to place human characters at the center while still teasing the reader with ideas of what first contact with another intelligent species would be like. These are stories about how people deal with challenges and conflict rather than fighting invading aliens.
Looking forward to more of this series!
November 4, 2025
a waste of time and I love Peters books
Don’t buy this,. It has no plot. It’s rambles. You don’t care about Karl nor Sophia. You don’t care about the oracle. There’s no overarching plot, no depth. Nothing to root for. A hard pass. Peter has run out of ideas and totally overthought this book and plot. I want my time and money back. It really sucks. I love Peters books but he really really dropped the ball on this one and I wouldn’t waste my time ever again on this book. It sucks. It’s like a spiteful book for his ex wife. Like Marvin Gaye. I hated it. Run away from this.
Don’t buy this,. It has no plot. It’s rambles. You don’t care about Karl nor Sophia. You don’t care about the oracle. There’s no overarching plot, no depth. Nothing to root for. A hard pass. Peter has run out of ideas and totally overthought this book and plot. I want my time and money back. It really sucks. I love Peters books but he really really dropped the ball on this one and I wouldn’t waste my time ever again on this book. It sucks. It’s like a spiteful book for his ex wife. Like Marvin Gaye. I hated it. Run away from this.
November 10, 2025
war is not a comfortable place for me
However this story isn’t really about war. It’s about humans and humanity as so many/all of Peter’s storytelling are.
My main takeaway is the reminder that Hitler was a populist politician. He wasn’t the first and we certainly have a few around today.
Also a reminder about the gift of kindness to each other in our lives. Compassion and understanding for any division proclaimed by those who seek to control the world.
However this story isn’t really about war. It’s about humans and humanity as so many/all of Peter’s storytelling are.
My main takeaway is the reminder that Hitler was a populist politician. He wasn’t the first and we certainly have a few around today.
Also a reminder about the gift of kindness to each other in our lives. Compassion and understanding for any division proclaimed by those who seek to control the world.
November 14, 2025
I love this author, but…
This author has so many amazing first contact book that I’ve deeply enjoyed. This one didn’t resonate with me. If you’re into WWII, Greek history, I highly recommend reading this book. If not try some of his earlier works. I want to give it 5 stars as it’s so well written, but the violence of that time is not for me. Hopefully you’re the type that enjoys War stories, battles, & Greek history, then this book is for you.
This author has so many amazing first contact book that I’ve deeply enjoyed. This one didn’t resonate with me. If you’re into WWII, Greek history, I highly recommend reading this book. If not try some of his earlier works. I want to give it 5 stars as it’s so well written, but the violence of that time is not for me. Hopefully you’re the type that enjoys War stories, battles, & Greek history, then this book is for you.
November 15, 2025
This was a very interesting read. It takes place in World War II in Delphi, Greece. Greece is full of mythology and this Oracle, with the help of the Omphalos, can have one thinking of the possibility of this being true. One needs to stretch their imagination and belief. Could any of this have been true is something for you to decide. Thank you, Peter Cawdron, for a rather thought provoking sci-fi read.
November 2, 2025
The Oracle
Another delightful read by Mr. Cawdron. Usually stingy with my stars, I only gave 4, as the book left me somewhat uncomfortable. But I always enjoy his reflections of today's global challenges, and in particular, reflections of 80 years ago as it relates to the madness of today. Keep it up, Peter. Good on ya!
Another delightful read by Mr. Cawdron. Usually stingy with my stars, I only gave 4, as the book left me somewhat uncomfortable. But I always enjoy his reflections of today's global challenges, and in particular, reflections of 80 years ago as it relates to the madness of today. Keep it up, Peter. Good on ya!
November 8, 2025
I just finished The Oracle. It's going to be awhile before I can read another novel because I'm still living with Sophia and Karl. I read historical fiction and science fiction. Peter Cawdron's latest book satisfied both of those categories. Five Stars!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I've read all his First Contact books. He never disappoints! And what will he think up next?
November 5, 2025
Peter continues to evolve first contact in interesting and unique ways. The usual smart characters. Lots of action in a few days. Easy read to immerse yourself in WW2 in Greece. Always learn a lot when reading a Cawdron novel. From Greek mythology to the horrors of modern war. Grab your copy & get ready for a ride.
November 5, 2025
The Oracle
Greek mythology, war, love and aliens! What’s not to like? Peter Cawdron is one of the VERY few authors whose books I buy without reading a sample. He (and his books) are that good!
Greek mythology, war, love and aliens! What’s not to like? Peter Cawdron is one of the VERY few authors whose books I buy without reading a sample. He (and his books) are that good!
November 16, 2025
another great first contact
I love this series and this one does a great job of linking ancient history, WW2 events, and distant alien culture. An exciting story and a great thought provoking book
I love this series and this one does a great job of linking ancient history, WW2 events, and distant alien culture. An exciting story and a great thought provoking book
November 21, 2025
Action packed great read
I really enjoyed reading this action packed but well written book, great researched and historically correct for the time period and location even though fiction. Keep up the good work, I am looking forward for more of the same. Thanks.
I really enjoyed reading this action packed but well written book, great researched and historically correct for the time period and location even though fiction. Keep up the good work, I am looking forward for more of the same. Thanks.
October 28, 2025
Another great read by Peter Cawdron
I’ve been reading his books for quite awhile and have yet to be disappointed. Give his work a try and I’m sure that you’ll be quite pleased.
I’ve been reading his books for quite awhile and have yet to be disappointed. Give his work a try and I’m sure that you’ll be quite pleased.
November 10, 2025
Great read
Can't wait for the next read. As always though provoking and exhilarating and grabs you from the first page. Could not put it down.
Can't wait for the next read. As always though provoking and exhilarating and grabs you from the first page. Could not put it down.
November 10, 2025
just read all his books
The best set of First Contact novels, such a range of ideas, and great writing. They’ll keep you busy for awhile! Enjoy.
The best set of First Contact novels, such a range of ideas, and great writing. They’ll keep you busy for awhile! Enjoy.
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