Mara is unforgettable. “Sprouted from the earth, flourished in the pull of magnetic harmony, and blossomed in the light of spectral promise.” She was born into the underworld as the result of an experiment. When her master tried to recreate her kind, he failed. No wonder! Perfection couldn’t be recreated. Mara is stunningly beautiful and remarkably intelligent, but she’s only a slave. She thought, maybe, it was all right. She could go on working with magnetic stones, digging in the dirt, and feeding spawns. Then, Mara receives an unexpected gift that brings her in connection with Elohim’s prophet. Everything changes.

 

Alongside her friends, Mara becomes increasingly aware of the evil plots of Morgan, who rules the underworld and is the bane of dragons and humans above. Through times of loneliness, love, and danger, Mara devotes herself to stopping Morgan and her allies from destroying the dragons and taking over the world, no matter what it costs.

Prophecies swirl around Mara and her friends, leading one way and then another, giving enlightenment and confusion, causing humans and dragons to rise and fall as they seek to interpret the words of the Lord correctly before more can go wrong. Their decisions could bring the dragons’ rescue or their demise.

 

Eye of the Oracle is the first book in Bryan Davis’ Oracles of Fire series. It’s the prequel that leads up to the acclaimed fantasy, Raising Dragons. From before the time of Noah’s Flood, through the Tower of Babel and medieval times, up to the modern age, Eye of the Oracle weaves the intricate mysteries of the war that has been going on for centuries.

 

Davis continues to mix in Arthurian legend in a Christ-honoring way, giving this story a variety of cultural vibes. He does such a good job of bringing the worlds and cultures together that nothing seems out of place. The complexity of this book is stunning! As a reader, it makes the book even more intriguing with each chapter. As a writer, it gives me a great appreciation for time and effort put into this work. I can only imagine the plotting, research, and development it took to ensure that every twist, story, character, and culture were exactly right. This book so worth reading!

 

Eye of the Oracle is my favorite Bryan Davis book! It brings to us the stories of so many characters – humans and dragons alike – that are alluded to in the Dragons in our Midst series, yet untold until now.  Davis brings to light all the characters of old whose lives are interwoven with those of Billy, Bonnie, and their friends in nearly unimaginable ways. Among these characters are my top three favorites. 

 

Elam, a grandson of Noah who lives forever as a young man;
Gabriel, a boy with wings who is physically present in some realms and a mass of light in other realms;
And Mara, the stunning slave girl.

 

I love Mara’s innocent reactions to the world above her. Every time she visits, the evil shocks her and the righteousness thrills her soul. As she learns ever so much more about the plots and people around her, Mara grows in faith, love, and unwavering loyalty to the cause of the righteous. It’s the character who grows and gets to know their own convictions while we’re reading who becomes unforgettable. Mara is the kind of character I hope are in my books, as well.

 

Throughout the centuries in this book, the love of Elohim, God, penetrates the lives of the characters and empowers them to press on through the blackest of night. And it is Mara who reaches to understand the depth of this love and share it with those around her.

 

Praise be to God for His love beyond all measure that reached out to us while we were slaves to sin. “God demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Also, Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). And this is what Jesus did! He died on our behalf that the chains of sin and death would be broken. We are now freedmen. Hallelu Yah!

 

Eye of the Oracle merely launches the spectacular and powerful story within the Oracles of Fire series. I know, 609 pages and it’s only the beginning of something much more complicated, thrilling, and mysterious! Seriously, if you haven’t read this book, now is the time to begin!