The Oracles of Troy

The Oracles of Troy

Book Four in The Adventures of Odysseus

The Oracles of TroyWhen the greatest warriors of Greece have fallen, only the cunning and determination of one man can bring victory.

Achilles and Ajax are dead and the hope of the Greeks has died with them, leaving the army restless for their homes and threatening rebellion.  Then a series of oracles appears, utterances from the gods that must be fulfilled if Troy is to be defeated and the war brought to an end.  Agamemnon, leader of the Greeks, knows that only one man has the courage and intelligence to complete the tasks set by the Olympians: Odysseus, king of Ithaca.

From an island haunted by a vengeful madman to a forsaken tomb and its deadly guardian, from the palace of a hostile king to the sacred heart of Troy itself, Odysseus and his friend Eperitus must follow the trail toward the greatest deception of all time.  The Trojan horse.

Reviews

‘Not since the late David Gemmell has anyone managed to make the legends and heroic myths of the Greeks at Troy so grittily real, so marinated in sweat and blood and dark deeds’ — Rob Low, author of The Oathsworn and The Kingdom series

Blogs etc.

‘The Oracles of Troy is a fantastic read and an excellent continuation of the story of The Iliad from the perspective of Odysseus by Glyn Iliffe. The Armour of Achilles was a fantastic read and left us hungry for more, and The Oracles of Troy delivers plenty more. The level of detail in portraying those who were involved after the deaths of Achilles, Ajax and Hector is excellent, and the history of each event pertaining to their role in the oracles is marvellous. The description of each event is so detailed you can imagine you are actually there, be it in the dark with only a flaming torch for light and the Ithacans for company searching for the oracles, or fighting at the front of the army on the beach. This is definitely a read-through-the-night book that you just won’t want to put down. Certainly well worth the wait. One word: BRILLIANT!’ –Simon, Edinburgh Book Review

‘The narrative account and description in the telling of the story is strong. I felt drawn-in at the first page. The characters came alive in my mind, and their stories were vivid and powerful’ –Annette, Impressions in Ink

‘Blending well-researched history with fantastic action equals a great series so far and I can happily tell you The Oracles of Troy is every bit as good as its predecessors. Opening where the previous book left off, it doesn’t take long to get into the action, with Odysseus using his fabled cunning to persuade an old acquaintance to join their Trojan war effort. This aspect of Odysseus’s character is something that must be rather difficult to write – thinking up clever ideas all the time – but Iliffe has managed it superbly throughout the series and it really does add an interesting dimension to a genre that is often just about kicking ass and taking no prisoners. That said, there’s plenty of asses kicked in The Oracles of Troy as the war, finally, comes to a close with the Greeks building their legendary Trojan Horse (I won’t go into detail in case I spoil the plot for anyone but really…everyone knows what happens right?!) With a series like this, when the plots and characters are so well known and loved, it has to be a hard task to write them while retaining a sense of tension, suspense and excitement but have no fear, the book is a joy to read from beginning to end’ –Steven A McKay, The Review Group

‘When an historical novel recounts an episode from history, there is no escaping the dramatic irony of the audience knowing exactly what will happen while the characters on stage – on the page – do not, have no clue, but in the story of the Trojan War, we really do seem to be watching the participants swept blindly on through the sea of time… In the wrong hands, of course, this can get boring. But Glyn Iliffe’s are not the wrong hands. Although we know what will happen the tension builds and we have to keep reading. In part, he does this by giving one of the leading roles to a fictitious character, Eperitus… We have no idea what is going to happen to him – and we care! As the book draws to a close, we are on the edge of our seats… I enjoyed it immensely and I want you to enjoy it too’ –Kanti Burns

Readers

‘In re-telling the stories of Homer’s epic poems The Iliad and The Odyssey and also interlacing other Ancient Greek myths, Glyn has written a compelling novel. It has gory battles; bodice ripping moments; intrigue; mythology and offers a colourful insight into the life and times of Ancient Greece and Ilium. This book could stand alone but is best read in conjunction with the earlier trilogy. I personally can’t wait for the fifth book which will describe Odysseus’s return from Troy homeward bound to Ithaca… Having studied Homer’s original texts, these novels are an excellent, accessible entrée to this genre’ –Amazon 5-star review

‘I’ve been following this series since the first book and as an early Christmas present to myself I bought the latest addition – The Oracles of Troy. And of course, as with the previous entries, it’s an enthralling tale of adventure and tragedy, bringing the world of Ancient Greece and Troy to life. Where I think Glyn really excels though is in how he brings together the genres of historical fiction and fantasy in his deft and subtle use of the Greek gods and their artifacts while never losing sight of the human stories and characters at the heart of the tale. And how real those characters seem – true to their time and place and never infused with out of place ‘contemporary’ opinions. If you like Ancient Greece, the works of Tolkien, or Game of Thrones, and are looking for something new, give The Adventures of Odysseus a try’ –Amazon 5-star review

‘Having read Glyn Iliffe’s previous novels based on the tales from the Illiad and the Odyssey, I waited for his latest, The Oracles of Troy. I was not disappointed. For me, all of his books recapture the magic that I have experienced when reading the stories for the very first time in my school days. Glyn Iliffe writes with absolute confidence and a thorough knowledge of his subject matter. His deceptively easy style draws the reader straight into the narrative with mesmeric absorption. The twists and turns of the plot hold the tension throughout, so that the gods’ intermittent intervention is a welcome relief. The characters are strong, convincingly drawn, their varied adventures constantly playing on the reader’s emotions. Descriptions are vivid; eye-watering vivid in the battle scenes. Glyn Iliffe is a wonderful writer, bringing freshness into well known stories. I believe his series is a must-read for the scholars of ancient Greece as well as for the readers seeking an absorbing and satisfying read’ –Amazon 4-star review

‘Iliffe is one of those authors that hooks you early, and leaves you eager for more even as you’re finishing a book. Although you don’t have to have read the previous three books (this is The Iliad, after all!), I highly recommend you do – the author weaves a world that retells and expands upon the history we all know so well, adding in some wonderful twists that keep you cheering for his characters. This series is fast becoming the definitive reference for Greek historical fiction, and I can only recommended this wonderful addition’ –Amazon 5-star review

‘Coming from a teen, this book is fantastic! I started on the Percy Jackson series years ago, and while they are great books I grew out of them with age. I started looking toward other books geared towards an older audience, but most novels about Greece and fantasy fall into two categories; too gory to be pleasurable, or geared toward children. This book is a great combination of both. It has all the violence and drama a proper Greek novel should have, but it is not overpowering or the dominant theme. Glyn uses the cunning of Odysseus while also telling a fantastic story of Eperitus. The book to me is a perfect blend of storytelling, violence, and accuracy of myths. Glyn takes popular myths and weaves them into his story. I loved these books so much, I finished the 4 books released in a week. Can’t wait for the next one, Glyn!’ –Amazon 5-star review

Where to buy 

The books are available to buy in Paperback or Kindle format below:

 

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