Day of the Scarab: Book Three of The Oracle Prophecies (Oracle Prophecies, 3) - Softcover

Grade 7-10–Mirany, one of a select group of priestesses called the Nine, struggles alongside her friends and allies–including a thief lord called the Jackal and Alexos, a boy who embodies divinity–to defeat the renegade general Argelin, who has made himself king. The ruthless ruler destroys statues of the god and particularly despises the Rain Queen, goddess of water and of the dead, including Hermia, whom Argelin has unintentionally killed and intends to reclaim from the underworld. Fisher's fantasy world, introduced in the first two books in the series, is a fully realized creation, mingling characteristics of ancient Egypt, ancient Greece, and even the later Byzantine Empire when the Vikings had become a threat. The headlong rush of Fisher's writing is perfectly suited to teens raised on blockbuster movies and video games. Full of dialogue and action, the brief scenes force readers to concentrate on what is happening and to whom, allowing the accumulation of detail and circumstance to supply the explanations. Readers who have not first read the earlier titles will find themselves puzzling over background material, though much is cleared up by dialogue as the story progresses. The book is so full of incident and character, and the scenes shift so rapidly, that it can be difficult to keep the various plot threads separate. Likewise, the constant breathless pace may lessen the impact of the climax for some readers. Most, however, are likely to be swept along in this entertaining and evocative adventure, eager to keep turning the pages.–Coop Renner, Hillside Elementary, El Paso, TX
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