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Oracle #1
Oracle's Hunt
A security-critical facility is destroyed to get to it and it is called Oracle.
That's all USFID investigator Donovan Pierce knows. And while he is told to find whoever perpetrated the deadly attack, and find them fast, he is also warned not to look for Oracle itself.
Lara Holsworth never expected Oracle to be in any danger. She would like nothing more than to keep it secret and Pierce away from it—and from her, but hiding is no longer an option.
With those who now know too much more determined than ever to destroy Oracle, will its protectors' cooperation be enough to keep it safe?
That's all USFID investigator Donovan Pierce knows. And while he is told to find whoever perpetrated the deadly attack, and find them fast, he is also warned not to look for Oracle itself.
Lara Holsworth never expected Oracle to be in any danger. She would like nothing more than to keep it secret and Pierce away from it—and from her, but hiding is no longer an option.
With those who now know too much more determined than ever to destroy Oracle, will its protectors' cooperation be enough to keep it safe?
- GenresThriller
422 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 8, 2017
15 people are currently reading
47 people want to read
About the author
A. Claire Everward
4Ìýbooks61ÌýfollowersA. Claire Everward is a suspense author with a love of knowledge and a lively imagination that made writing the natural thing for her to do.
Claire is also the author of the Oracle suspense series and Blackwell series and is currently working on the next two books in the Oracle series with the help of her two hyperactive cats and a laptop named Stanley Jr.
Claire is also the author of the Oracle suspense series and Blackwell series and is currently working on the next two books in the Oracle series with the help of her two hyperactive cats and a laptop named Stanley Jr.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
October 30, 2017
Stunning technothriller
This is a fast-paced, entertaining, near future technothriller. When Federal agent, Donovan Pierce, investigates a break-in at a secure government facility, he's drawn into a mystery surrounding the enigmatic Oracle project. Donovan teams up with confident and intelligent expert, Lara Holsworth, from the facility, and together they look for answers. The pair reminded me of Mulder & Sculley from the X-Files. The plot is complex and well-crafted, and the characters are believable and convincing. The writing is smooth and the dialogues flow very well to produce an enjoyable read. Highly recommended.
This is a fast-paced, entertaining, near future technothriller. When Federal agent, Donovan Pierce, investigates a break-in at a secure government facility, he's drawn into a mystery surrounding the enigmatic Oracle project. Donovan teams up with confident and intelligent expert, Lara Holsworth, from the facility, and together they look for answers. The pair reminded me of Mulder & Sculley from the X-Files. The plot is complex and well-crafted, and the characters are believable and convincing. The writing is smooth and the dialogues flow very well to produce an enjoyable read. Highly recommended.
November 6, 2017
The beginning of the book was a bit confusing for me � so many acronyms � and seemed a bit talky, but I really enjoyed the story. A high-tech, near future thriller with a terrorist trying to steal or destroy Oracle � which appears to be an advanced AI project designed to battle the bad guys around the world.
Turns out the person who “operates� Oracle is an unusual woman with amazing abilities. And when the terrorist gets close, the action picks up rapidly. The agent investigating the theft of highly classified data from the agency that houses Oracle is denied information about what Oracle is. Which only motivates him to find out.
Besides the terrorist plot, there’s also a rather well-done romantic plot between two of the main characters which I enjoyed a lot. It was refreshing that it was not your typical mushy, sex-driven romance.
I hoped as I was reading to learn more about the mysterious woman’s talents and skills, but they were never explained. Maybe that’ll happen in a sequel.
Turns out the person who “operates� Oracle is an unusual woman with amazing abilities. And when the terrorist gets close, the action picks up rapidly. The agent investigating the theft of highly classified data from the agency that houses Oracle is denied information about what Oracle is. Which only motivates him to find out.
Besides the terrorist plot, there’s also a rather well-done romantic plot between two of the main characters which I enjoyed a lot. It was refreshing that it was not your typical mushy, sex-driven romance.
I hoped as I was reading to learn more about the mysterious woman’s talents and skills, but they were never explained. Maybe that’ll happen in a sequel.
December 20, 2017
Book Review � Oracle’s Hunt by A. Claire Everward
I was given an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review - thanks to The Book Club on Facebook.
This is the first book in the Oracle Series.
Donovan Pierce is a United States Federal Investigative Division Agent and he has been called to a new case � the destruction of the data storage facility for the worldwide defense and security services. This will not be a mission to be taken lightly. Ever since a group of forward thinking citizens of the world had formed a peaceful alliance calling themselves the Internationals and had grown in numbers, strength and support from major powers, there were factions desperate to topple the peace and take power for themselves. This latest act of sabotage shows all the signs that it has been carefully orchestrated by one such group, as the level of professionalism has ensured that there are no traces of evidence left behind. Except one.
The terrorists couldn’t have known that the old security cameras for the facility were still operating, and that Donovan’s IT team have picked up one very important word: Oracle. But as the investigation commences, it is starting to feel to Donovan that someone is blocking his access to the information that he requires � someone with the highest level of security clearance. Then imagine his surprise the following morning when his new neighbour is sitting sipping coffee in the garden and she is none other than the elusive female who was part of a video call shutting down the investigation into this word the previous day! This is Lara Holsworth.
I really enjoyed the concept behind this book, particularly with current world politics as they are, and I immediately felt sympathetic to Donovan and also felt his frustration. He becomes more convinced that Lara is central to Oracle�..but just what is it and has the impossible been achieved with a functioning human/Artificial Intelligence interface? I must admit that I had to quiz my electronic/computer science engineer son about this � and was still none the wiser by his explanation! The relationship that unfolds between the two main characters is as interesting as the investigation, but I am not going to give away any spoilers! Lara is enigmatic, intriguing and attractive to both Donovan and the reader, and of course Donovan is described as a very fine specimen as well as being a fantastic investigator.
The plot is intricate (I had to keep reminding myself of the different abbreviations for the various agencies � not so easy to flick back and forth on a Kindle)), fast paced and rang alarm bells for me as the reader for just how much fact there could be in this. With the increasing number of terrorist attacks that we see in the real world, it is hard to dismiss the criminal elements as merely fiction. But it kept me on the edge of my seat and I found it very difficult to put the book down, devouring it in a couple of days. I was delighted to see the opening for next in the series pop up on my Kindle and it is on my Christmas list.
If you love contemporary, investigative plots with great three-dimensional characters, you will enjoy this. Five stars from me!
I was given an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review - thanks to The Book Club on Facebook.
This is the first book in the Oracle Series.
Donovan Pierce is a United States Federal Investigative Division Agent and he has been called to a new case � the destruction of the data storage facility for the worldwide defense and security services. This will not be a mission to be taken lightly. Ever since a group of forward thinking citizens of the world had formed a peaceful alliance calling themselves the Internationals and had grown in numbers, strength and support from major powers, there were factions desperate to topple the peace and take power for themselves. This latest act of sabotage shows all the signs that it has been carefully orchestrated by one such group, as the level of professionalism has ensured that there are no traces of evidence left behind. Except one.
The terrorists couldn’t have known that the old security cameras for the facility were still operating, and that Donovan’s IT team have picked up one very important word: Oracle. But as the investigation commences, it is starting to feel to Donovan that someone is blocking his access to the information that he requires � someone with the highest level of security clearance. Then imagine his surprise the following morning when his new neighbour is sitting sipping coffee in the garden and she is none other than the elusive female who was part of a video call shutting down the investigation into this word the previous day! This is Lara Holsworth.
I really enjoyed the concept behind this book, particularly with current world politics as they are, and I immediately felt sympathetic to Donovan and also felt his frustration. He becomes more convinced that Lara is central to Oracle�..but just what is it and has the impossible been achieved with a functioning human/Artificial Intelligence interface? I must admit that I had to quiz my electronic/computer science engineer son about this � and was still none the wiser by his explanation! The relationship that unfolds between the two main characters is as interesting as the investigation, but I am not going to give away any spoilers! Lara is enigmatic, intriguing and attractive to both Donovan and the reader, and of course Donovan is described as a very fine specimen as well as being a fantastic investigator.
The plot is intricate (I had to keep reminding myself of the different abbreviations for the various agencies � not so easy to flick back and forth on a Kindle)), fast paced and rang alarm bells for me as the reader for just how much fact there could be in this. With the increasing number of terrorist attacks that we see in the real world, it is hard to dismiss the criminal elements as merely fiction. But it kept me on the edge of my seat and I found it very difficult to put the book down, devouring it in a couple of days. I was delighted to see the opening for next in the series pop up on my Kindle and it is on my Christmas list.
If you love contemporary, investigative plots with great three-dimensional characters, you will enjoy this. Five stars from me!
October 22, 2017
A security-critical facility is destroyed to get to Oracle and that’s all USFID investigator Donovan Pierce knows. While he’s told that he needs to find the perpetrators of this deadly attack, and find them quickly, he’s also warned not to make any attempts to find Oracle itself or any information pertaining to it. Simply put Oracle is far above his security clearance. Lara Holsworth never even considered it possible for Oracle to be in danger and wants nothing more than to keep it a secret and to keep Donovan away from it...and her. But with some very real enemies determined to destroy it, hiding is no longer an option. Will Lara and Donovan be able to keep Oracle safe?
Really, I enjoyed every aspect of this fast paced novel. This author definitely has a knack for character development. She even made me feel sympathy for the hacker that Elijahn used. He was a bad guy so I didn’t want to see him get away completely, but I found myself feeling sorry for him, a little, and not wanting him to be killed. I absolutely adored Lara and found myself in awe of her intelligence and how much she cared about bringing everyone home. Donovan was amazing and so very good st his job. Really, all of the characters were incredibly well written, even the villains. They all had such dynamic personalities. There’s so much more I could say about this wonderful novel, but I worry about giving spoilers so I’m just going to say, y’all need to hurry up and read it!! You’re going to be glad that you did.
Really, I enjoyed every aspect of this fast paced novel. This author definitely has a knack for character development. She even made me feel sympathy for the hacker that Elijahn used. He was a bad guy so I didn’t want to see him get away completely, but I found myself feeling sorry for him, a little, and not wanting him to be killed. I absolutely adored Lara and found myself in awe of her intelligence and how much she cared about bringing everyone home. Donovan was amazing and so very good st his job. Really, all of the characters were incredibly well written, even the villains. They all had such dynamic personalities. There’s so much more I could say about this wonderful novel, but I worry about giving spoilers so I’m just going to say, y’all need to hurry up and read it!! You’re going to be glad that you did.
December 16, 2017
I am a big fan of thrillers and giving this book 3.5 stars. I didn't dislike this book, however there were certain points in the story I felt needed to be more developed.
The concept of the story was very interesting. Oracle is a big secret that is to be protected, it is under attack and USFID's Agent Donovan Pierce is the lead investigator. Unfortunately, he can not question what Oracle is. However, the closer he gets to the investigation the more difficult this becomes. There's a lot of technical talk, which to be honest, I skimmed through. At the beginning, there was also a lot of acronyms making it confusing.
Lara is part of the team, which is protecting Oracle. Lara and Donovan become increasingly close. However, one thing that I struggled to grasp was Lara's constant reluctance to get close to Donovan and open up to him. There was a constant back and forth, love/hate relationship between the characters, which I felt dragged on a little. Lara's reluctance to open up was also mentioned countless times, however no explanation was given for this. Maybe this may be mentioned in the second book. Overall, not a bad read.
The concept of the story was very interesting. Oracle is a big secret that is to be protected, it is under attack and USFID's Agent Donovan Pierce is the lead investigator. Unfortunately, he can not question what Oracle is. However, the closer he gets to the investigation the more difficult this becomes. There's a lot of technical talk, which to be honest, I skimmed through. At the beginning, there was also a lot of acronyms making it confusing.
Lara is part of the team, which is protecting Oracle. Lara and Donovan become increasingly close. However, one thing that I struggled to grasp was Lara's constant reluctance to get close to Donovan and open up to him. There was a constant back and forth, love/hate relationship between the characters, which I felt dragged on a little. Lara's reluctance to open up was also mentioned countless times, however no explanation was given for this. Maybe this may be mentioned in the second book. Overall, not a bad read.
February 22, 2018
I definitely enjoyed the slow-burn relationship between Lara and Donovan. The author lets the tension build slowly, backed by shared work experience, antagonism, and competition. While I don’t have enough military or security experience to judge the verisimilitude of the military details, they made sense to me and I was able to follow them, though the acronyms took a while to get used to. I wrote them down so I could refer to them as they appeared. The mystery itself was intriguing and complex, and I’m glad clues and evidence weren’t found immediately, like on many detective shows. I enjoyed Donna as the voice-of-fun character. Great for someone who loves technothrillers with believable characters.
December 5, 2017
Oracle hunt by a. Claire everward.
Oracle?
Who or what is it?
Can agent Donovan pierce find out!
Can he find who has broken into the database vault?
Who is lara?
Wow. An absolutely fantastic read with great characters. Loved lara and Donovan. Can't wait for next part. 5*. Recommended.
Oracle?
Who or what is it?
Can agent Donovan pierce find out!
Can he find who has broken into the database vault?
Who is lara?
Wow. An absolutely fantastic read with great characters. Loved lara and Donovan. Can't wait for next part. 5*. Recommended.
September 7, 2021
3.5 rounded up to 4
I received a copy of Oracle's Hunt from Voracious Readers, in return for an honest review.
So... I loved the concept, and the characters. The story as a whole was well written and very gripping. It has a nice twist on what Oracle is, plenty of action, and a sprinkle of loving.
Now my issue with it, is that it was way too wordy. I know that sounds silly, it's a book it's meant to have words. But sections of this just felt long! Which lead to me taking so much longer to read this than I would have liked.
That being said, I'll definitely be grabbing grabbing sequel as I look forward to seeing where this story goes.
I received a copy of Oracle's Hunt from Voracious Readers, in return for an honest review.
So... I loved the concept, and the characters. The story as a whole was well written and very gripping. It has a nice twist on what Oracle is, plenty of action, and a sprinkle of loving.
Now my issue with it, is that it was way too wordy. I know that sounds silly, it's a book it's meant to have words. But sections of this just felt long! Which lead to me taking so much longer to read this than I would have liked.
That being said, I'll definitely be grabbing grabbing sequel as I look forward to seeing where this story goes.
March 28, 2022
Tight prose, tense action from start to finish.
This is a well written speculative thriller set in the near future. Following a disaster at a top secret facility dealing in information, an investigation is called and characters on either side of the incident start working together. This sets the stage for secrets and relationships.
The main characters are sharp and strong, the plotting is solid, and the writing has a fantastic rhythm to it. The author knows how to write—you are in great hands here.
Several elements felt just a tad predictable—the love angle, one of the twists near the halfway point, and at times I had to do a quick double-check to keep track of who was speaking (but that could me). So much of this story was fresh and engaging and I gobbled it all up. I’m delighted to see that this is book number one, because the author is worth putting on a favorites list.
This is a well written speculative thriller set in the near future. Following a disaster at a top secret facility dealing in information, an investigation is called and characters on either side of the incident start working together. This sets the stage for secrets and relationships.
The main characters are sharp and strong, the plotting is solid, and the writing has a fantastic rhythm to it. The author knows how to write—you are in great hands here.
Several elements felt just a tad predictable—the love angle, one of the twists near the halfway point, and at times I had to do a quick double-check to keep track of who was speaking (but that could me). So much of this story was fresh and engaging and I gobbled it all up. I’m delighted to see that this is book number one, because the author is worth putting on a favorites list.
December 16, 2017
A security-critical facility is destroyed to get to it and it is called Oracle.
That's all USFID investigator Donovan Pierce knows. And while he is told to find whoever perpetrated the deadly attack, and find them fast, he is also warned not to look for Oracle itself.
Lara Holsworth never expected Oracle to be in any danger. She would like nothing more than to keep it secret and Pierce away from it—and from her, but hiding is no longer an option.
With those who now know too much more determined than ever to destroy Oracle, will its protectors' cooperation be enough to keep it safe?
What a fantastic book this is! I really loved both Donovan and Lara. The characterization is good, the descriptions are so good I could have been there with them. I would recommend this book to everyone. I can’t wait for the next in the series. 5*
That's all USFID investigator Donovan Pierce knows. And while he is told to find whoever perpetrated the deadly attack, and find them fast, he is also warned not to look for Oracle itself.
Lara Holsworth never expected Oracle to be in any danger. She would like nothing more than to keep it secret and Pierce away from it—and from her, but hiding is no longer an option.
With those who now know too much more determined than ever to destroy Oracle, will its protectors' cooperation be enough to keep it safe?
What a fantastic book this is! I really loved both Donovan and Lara. The characterization is good, the descriptions are so good I could have been there with them. I would recommend this book to everyone. I can’t wait for the next in the series. 5*
October 17, 2017
Okay in case you wonder - yes I'm the author's sister. And the book is brilliant. It's a suspense novel with a touch of mystery, thriller, techno-thriller, romance and more. In short, there's something for everyone who loves a good suspense and loves to be kept on the edge and surprised. The characters are strong (especially the women), the story is intense and touches matters that our world will be dealing with in the near future. I'm glad it's only the first in a series. I'm also glad I'm the first one to read it before publishing :)
February 20, 2018
A scientifically sound Techno-Thriller that went in depth without drowning the reader. Although this is not my typical cup of tea, I was intrigued by the premise and quickly drawn into the tale. Fast-paced, suspenseful with an edge of your seat plot and just enough romance to keep the characters believable and engaging, it reminded me of a Dan Brown saga; lots of details and plenty of ‘what-if’s. My only stumbling block was the many acronyms used at the beginning, which left me feeling quite muddled, but it wasn’t enough to make me close the book.
October 8, 2017
A fasted paced, futuristic thriller that sure gets your mind going in over drive. Lara is a woman that you cant help but admire the brilliance of her mind. Donovan, you can not help but admire his determination and fiecely protective nature. Over all, a brilliant, well written mastermind.
November 22, 2022
The first chapter of this book raises several interesting questions: first, what is Oracle? Second, who is going to great lengths to steal data about it? Third, what is the role of civilian Lara Holsworth in a world of military types? Fourth and finally, what, if anything, might develop between Lara and investigator Donovan Pierce?
This story takes place in a world similar enough to present reality that it seems familiar, except for some significant differences. The primary one is the existence of an international entity based in Brussels that acts like a UN peacekeeping body, except its reach is global and individuals can have International citizenship. This is a clever device on the part of the author, since it obviates any need to stick to real-world situations. The setting feels plausible for later in the 21st century, given some drastic political changes and technological developments.
Technology is present in almost every scene. Instant messaging, touch-activated devices, small screens and huge screens, sensors, self-driving cars, data encryption, and AI. The early chapters don't have much of the action normally found in thrillers. There are no weapons or explosions, although the opening scene shows the aftermath of such an event. For the most part, the plot unfolds slowly in intense conversations, rather than with characters racing around. And there are a lot of initialisms and acronyms—no surprise, given the heavy presence of military agencies. It took this reader a while to become familiar with them.
The four questions are pretty much answered by the 60% point, after which the plot refocuses on finding and disabling the adversary before he achieves his goal. Tension escalates as these goals converge, and resolves in a dramatic chase scene.
After that, there are several chapters in which the psychological states and emotions of the two main characters take centre stage. The pace slows drastically as each nuance is expressed and evaluated. In many scenes, the point of view changes from one character to the other within the same paragraph, which is slightly confusing.
For me, the best part of this book was the shiny black technological milieu against whose background the human story unfolds. It's described in enough detail to seem realistic, but is never overwhelmingly complicated. It was key human elements that strained my credibility, particularly because they are not explained. Perhaps there is an explanation in the second book of the series, but I would have appreciated at least some hints in this one.
This story takes place in a world similar enough to present reality that it seems familiar, except for some significant differences. The primary one is the existence of an international entity based in Brussels that acts like a UN peacekeeping body, except its reach is global and individuals can have International citizenship. This is a clever device on the part of the author, since it obviates any need to stick to real-world situations. The setting feels plausible for later in the 21st century, given some drastic political changes and technological developments.
Technology is present in almost every scene. Instant messaging, touch-activated devices, small screens and huge screens, sensors, self-driving cars, data encryption, and AI. The early chapters don't have much of the action normally found in thrillers. There are no weapons or explosions, although the opening scene shows the aftermath of such an event. For the most part, the plot unfolds slowly in intense conversations, rather than with characters racing around. And there are a lot of initialisms and acronyms—no surprise, given the heavy presence of military agencies. It took this reader a while to become familiar with them.
The four questions are pretty much answered by the 60% point, after which the plot refocuses on finding and disabling the adversary before he achieves his goal. Tension escalates as these goals converge, and resolves in a dramatic chase scene.
After that, there are several chapters in which the psychological states and emotions of the two main characters take centre stage. The pace slows drastically as each nuance is expressed and evaluated. In many scenes, the point of view changes from one character to the other within the same paragraph, which is slightly confusing.
For me, the best part of this book was the shiny black technological milieu against whose background the human story unfolds. It's described in enough detail to seem realistic, but is never overwhelmingly complicated. It was key human elements that strained my credibility, particularly because they are not explained. Perhaps there is an explanation in the second book of the series, but I would have appreciated at least some hints in this one.
July 19, 2022
Techno-thriller extraordinaire! Someone wants ‘Oracle� and they want it badly. But what is ‘Oracle� and do they want to destroy it or control it? These questions will keep readers intrigued and rushing through this fast-paced futuristic thriller. Fed. Agent Donovan Pierce and intelligence expert, Lara Holsworth team up to investigate the destruction of the information storage facility housing the clandestine ‘Oracle�, but not to probe into Oracle itself. Great characters, intrigue and danger make for great chemistry between the two main characters. In our present age of awakening sentient AI and the ethical implications surrounding it; this made for an interesting and current read. Highly recommended contemporary mystery.
September 7, 2019
When a top secret facility is attacked, investigator Donovan Pierce is thrown in way over his head in A. Claire Everward’s Oracle’s Hunt. On the reverse side, Lara Holsworth is tasked with keeping Oracle a secret. Pierce is a compelling character, but my favorite part was the almost opposing dynamic between him and Lara and the ultimate mystery behind Oracle. This is a great techno thriller for anyone looking to get their blood pumping out there!
October 5, 2022
Claire has a mix of passion and mystery in this book. In reading it I found myself thinking of NCIS and FBI and a world spys and secrete ops.
If you like thrillers with a hint of mystery and spice of love then this is a book for you.
If you like thrillers with a hint of mystery and spice of love then this is a book for you.
April 16, 2018
A little something for everyone!
This book is suspenseful and action-packed with a great blend of futuristic technology, and romance. The author has an amazing writing style and created authentic characters, which made their choices and sacrifices relatable.
This is just the beginning, and I look forward to finding out what’s in store for Donovan and Lara. I’m keeping my eye on this author!
This book is suspenseful and action-packed with a great blend of futuristic technology, and romance. The author has an amazing writing style and created authentic characters, which made their choices and sacrifices relatable.
This is just the beginning, and I look forward to finding out what’s in store for Donovan and Lara. I’m keeping my eye on this author!
July 30, 2018
‘Oracle’s Hunt� by A. Claire Everward is a superb technothriller, bang up to date for our twenty-first century, which would give Tom Clancy a run for his money if he were still writing his novels today. As with all thrillers in this sub-genre, it touches on many technical issues, which could be a trap to bog down the reader for the less experienced writer, though not so in this case. The novel is set slightly into the future, relative to current times, though the issues faced by the protagonists are very much present today too. Author Everward takes the reader through the complexities of the events she describes with an admirable clarity that allows the reader to become fully aware of the stakes involved.
Though this is a fast-paced technothriller primarily, it is grounded in a very human story featuring the two main protagonists. One, a battle-hardened government investigator; the other a key element in the Oracle of the title. The clever way the author treats this growing relationship adds depth to the story throughout and has the reader rooting for them as they become targets for the villain of the piece. And a good thriller becomes great often because of the quality of the bad guy, and in this case, the villain is outstanding. He is everything the typical thriller reader loves to hate. Ruthless, intelligent, cruel, yet not as aloof as might be given the author allows us many insights into how he thinks and why he is doing what he does.
Curiously, one of the tale’s creations, that of the Internationals, might become a reality of sorts soon in our present day world, given the EU’s suggestion of creating a European Citizenship. We could be looking at a prophetic work here too, as well as a hugely entertaining yarn.
This is a new author for me and I will be reading more from her. I highly recommend this action-packed thriller to people who enjoyed Tom Clancy’s novels when he was at the height of his career, and those of Michael Crichton, Dale Brown and James Rollins. Great read!
Though this is a fast-paced technothriller primarily, it is grounded in a very human story featuring the two main protagonists. One, a battle-hardened government investigator; the other a key element in the Oracle of the title. The clever way the author treats this growing relationship adds depth to the story throughout and has the reader rooting for them as they become targets for the villain of the piece. And a good thriller becomes great often because of the quality of the bad guy, and in this case, the villain is outstanding. He is everything the typical thriller reader loves to hate. Ruthless, intelligent, cruel, yet not as aloof as might be given the author allows us many insights into how he thinks and why he is doing what he does.
Curiously, one of the tale’s creations, that of the Internationals, might become a reality of sorts soon in our present day world, given the EU’s suggestion of creating a European Citizenship. We could be looking at a prophetic work here too, as well as a hugely entertaining yarn.
This is a new author for me and I will be reading more from her. I highly recommend this action-packed thriller to people who enjoyed Tom Clancy’s novels when he was at the height of his career, and those of Michael Crichton, Dale Brown and James Rollins. Great read!
February 11, 2022
This is book one of the Oracle series and the main character is US Federal Investigative Division (USFID) Agent Donovan Pierce, who is called in to find out who caused an explosion that wiped out a highly protected US based data storage facility. His job is to find out who did it, but also why they did it and to make sure it doesn’t happen again. The facility held data for all the major defense and security agencies worldwide, so he should get unlimited resources to do his job. He is the man that can find a clue in next to nothing, when all hope is lost. That was why they called him in. When he saw his boss Leland White turn up at the scene, he knew the pressure to find answers was immense. The facility had only a light sprinkling of human operators, being mostly highly automated and watched from a remote site on the USOMP mainframe. One clue he might find is on an older camera system that was still operating, after a refit to more modern cameras took place a year ago, as it was easier to just leave them in place! Only one camera showed any useful footage and gave them a view of two perpetrators placing explosives on the data storage units and one using a hacking device to download some data.
A close up of the perps screen shows that each bit of data that was deciphered showed only one word. That one word was the same one each time, just Oracle!
The action moves to the International Diplomacy, Security and Defense’s (IDSD) dark Mission Command, where a military operation is being remotely viewed by something known as Oracle, organising the command centres views of satellite, drone and ground feeds and analysing everything, then deciding what moves needed to be done by their forces on the ground, in the air and anywhere else. Lara Holsworth is the person in control of the command centre and running Oracle as such. Once Oracle stepped in, everyone else in the mission command centre sat and didn’t make a move, but ready to provide backup if required. She and her boss now find out that the attack on the data storage unit was targeted at them and specifically Oracle. Someone has been working for quite a while to get as far as they have and hacked the IDSD data storage to get information on Oracle and may well have found something! Lara wants to talk to Agent Pierce, who is heading up the USFID-SIRT (Serious Incident Response Team) unit, which specialises in handling such high level investigations. She wants to know what he has found out so far and also who was responsible for her and Oracles safety. When her boss and his talk via video Donovan and Lara are there as well and feel an immediate connection until they hide it and she then puts her head back down and says nothing
When Donovan asks what Oracle is, neither Lara nor her boss say what it is, or give any hint of even knowing anything about it. When he asks if she will be assisting him in the investigation, he gets a curt no, in reply. The videoconference with IDSD only raised more questions for Donovan, especially with him being unable to get any information about Oracle, what is was or even if it existed at all. With all his connections and reach, he should have gotten some response. The fact the IDSD won’t tell him what Oracle is won’t stop him finding out who is behind the attack, but it might slow him down! It doesn’t help that he can’t find anything on Lara Holsworth either and she is obviously tied into all of this. When he spots her the next day in the garden next door, he finds out she is his new neighbour! He soon figures out that maybe what was being searched for is an advanced AI, but one with a human mission coordinator linked into the AI. That person would have to be highly intelligent, able to make decision in an instant with multiple sources of information flooding their senses, as well as last for hours on end in a highly emotional and physical scenario. He has the idea that whoever destroyed the data storage facility are now after Oracle and more importantly the human person who is ley to the advanced human AI interface and without who it could not operate. He has a very good idea of who that person could be, but together they now need to stop the group responsible for the attack.
Part of society worldwide, classed themselves as Internationals, over the years forming their own rules and organisations, even with their own passports and identity, allowing them to live anywhere in the world. They oppose the US Global Intelligence and IDSD efforts in bringing peace to warring factions, trying to bring the reality of world peace through alliances worldwide. They want to do this themselves, to unite it by treating humanity as a whole, not the separate sharp fragments often aimed at each other and not working towards peace effectively. The Internationals will do all they can to stop Donovan from getting to the truth of what happened. A secret and well-hidden militant group decided to do the same as the Internationals had achieved over the last few decades, but with militants. Lara and Donovan will get even closer as they try to stop the man behind this new militant group and the threat he brings to all. Lara has had to close herself off to love and the pain of when love died, using her empathic depths to work Oracle and try to ensure all the soldiers under her watch made it back from the missions she oversaw. Donovan knows that the people Elijahn and his militants have a list of, are all in danger, but Lara is the true target. Without her Oracle would fail to function as it does and there is no one else as find tuned to its operation as her. He wants to provide her with a full protective detail until they can figure out Elijahn’s next move, but she is too stubborn to not live her life as she wants to, no matter what danger she could be in. She would rather he and his militants targeted her, than others and messes with the protection teams orders, to place only herself as a target. That doesn’t make Donovan very happy!
This is a futuristic story with a big brother AI overview able to see everything going on in the world and it even more difficult to hide wrongdoing than in the past. It starts off as a bit of a slow read to start, with lots of acronyms being used and long winded titles of people in the storyline. Action ramps up as Donovan turns up the pressure on his initial investigation and meets the enigmatic Lara, the Oracle herself, not that he knows that when he first meets her. Love catches her unawares, something she thought she had long pushed away from her, when she actually sees Donovan for the first time and both are struck with an instant pull to the other. She doesn’t want anyone to be placed in danger to save her, but Donovan is hard wired to protect her, no matter what! The Oracle will prevail in discovering all about the man behind the attack and his army of militants, but must place themselves in a trap if they are to stop him. A cracking read with lots of action. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
A close up of the perps screen shows that each bit of data that was deciphered showed only one word. That one word was the same one each time, just Oracle!
The action moves to the International Diplomacy, Security and Defense’s (IDSD) dark Mission Command, where a military operation is being remotely viewed by something known as Oracle, organising the command centres views of satellite, drone and ground feeds and analysing everything, then deciding what moves needed to be done by their forces on the ground, in the air and anywhere else. Lara Holsworth is the person in control of the command centre and running Oracle as such. Once Oracle stepped in, everyone else in the mission command centre sat and didn’t make a move, but ready to provide backup if required. She and her boss now find out that the attack on the data storage unit was targeted at them and specifically Oracle. Someone has been working for quite a while to get as far as they have and hacked the IDSD data storage to get information on Oracle and may well have found something! Lara wants to talk to Agent Pierce, who is heading up the USFID-SIRT (Serious Incident Response Team) unit, which specialises in handling such high level investigations. She wants to know what he has found out so far and also who was responsible for her and Oracles safety. When her boss and his talk via video Donovan and Lara are there as well and feel an immediate connection until they hide it and she then puts her head back down and says nothing
When Donovan asks what Oracle is, neither Lara nor her boss say what it is, or give any hint of even knowing anything about it. When he asks if she will be assisting him in the investigation, he gets a curt no, in reply. The videoconference with IDSD only raised more questions for Donovan, especially with him being unable to get any information about Oracle, what is was or even if it existed at all. With all his connections and reach, he should have gotten some response. The fact the IDSD won’t tell him what Oracle is won’t stop him finding out who is behind the attack, but it might slow him down! It doesn’t help that he can’t find anything on Lara Holsworth either and she is obviously tied into all of this. When he spots her the next day in the garden next door, he finds out she is his new neighbour! He soon figures out that maybe what was being searched for is an advanced AI, but one with a human mission coordinator linked into the AI. That person would have to be highly intelligent, able to make decision in an instant with multiple sources of information flooding their senses, as well as last for hours on end in a highly emotional and physical scenario. He has the idea that whoever destroyed the data storage facility are now after Oracle and more importantly the human person who is ley to the advanced human AI interface and without who it could not operate. He has a very good idea of who that person could be, but together they now need to stop the group responsible for the attack.
Part of society worldwide, classed themselves as Internationals, over the years forming their own rules and organisations, even with their own passports and identity, allowing them to live anywhere in the world. They oppose the US Global Intelligence and IDSD efforts in bringing peace to warring factions, trying to bring the reality of world peace through alliances worldwide. They want to do this themselves, to unite it by treating humanity as a whole, not the separate sharp fragments often aimed at each other and not working towards peace effectively. The Internationals will do all they can to stop Donovan from getting to the truth of what happened. A secret and well-hidden militant group decided to do the same as the Internationals had achieved over the last few decades, but with militants. Lara and Donovan will get even closer as they try to stop the man behind this new militant group and the threat he brings to all. Lara has had to close herself off to love and the pain of when love died, using her empathic depths to work Oracle and try to ensure all the soldiers under her watch made it back from the missions she oversaw. Donovan knows that the people Elijahn and his militants have a list of, are all in danger, but Lara is the true target. Without her Oracle would fail to function as it does and there is no one else as find tuned to its operation as her. He wants to provide her with a full protective detail until they can figure out Elijahn’s next move, but she is too stubborn to not live her life as she wants to, no matter what danger she could be in. She would rather he and his militants targeted her, than others and messes with the protection teams orders, to place only herself as a target. That doesn’t make Donovan very happy!
This is a futuristic story with a big brother AI overview able to see everything going on in the world and it even more difficult to hide wrongdoing than in the past. It starts off as a bit of a slow read to start, with lots of acronyms being used and long winded titles of people in the storyline. Action ramps up as Donovan turns up the pressure on his initial investigation and meets the enigmatic Lara, the Oracle herself, not that he knows that when he first meets her. Love catches her unawares, something she thought she had long pushed away from her, when she actually sees Donovan for the first time and both are struck with an instant pull to the other. She doesn’t want anyone to be placed in danger to save her, but Donovan is hard wired to protect her, no matter what! The Oracle will prevail in discovering all about the man behind the attack and his army of militants, but must place themselves in a trap if they are to stop him. A cracking read with lots of action. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
November 11, 2017
This is meant to be a technothriller set in the near future. It's got some of the same plot devices relevant today--Terrorists and government agencies.
The plot works and it's believable, but some of the pacing was a little off for me. I got that the author was trying to build up some sort of love/hate relationship between Lara and Donovan, but eventually, after several chapters of "RAWRR I will protect you!" "RAWRR I don't want you to!" "I'm going to shoot you!" I wanted it to move past that into something else. I felt like maybe I would have enjoyed it more if some of those chapters had been cut and less time devoted to Lara and Donovan going back and forth about that and seeing more Oracle in action or more into the investigation or into Elejahn's head.
I did enjoy the book, it just took me a little while to get through it because of those specific scenes. I guess I was a little more interested in how Oracle itself worked (and I'm not revealing that because it's a big plot point). The Oracle secret gets revealed fairly early on in the book, but for a lot of the beginning, Donovan is trying to figure out what it is and why someone broke into a data center to steal information about it. Once we know the mystery behind Oracle, I wanted to know more about how this theory worked and how it effected the people involved with it.
That's just me personally as a reader and I think people who like thriller movies would enjoy this. It reads like a spy movie or an action movie with the different plot elements and banter
The plot works and it's believable, but some of the pacing was a little off for me. I got that the author was trying to build up some sort of love/hate relationship between Lara and Donovan, but eventually, after several chapters of "RAWRR I will protect you!" "RAWRR I don't want you to!" "I'm going to shoot you!" I wanted it to move past that into something else. I felt like maybe I would have enjoyed it more if some of those chapters had been cut and less time devoted to Lara and Donovan going back and forth about that and seeing more Oracle in action or more into the investigation or into Elejahn's head.
I did enjoy the book, it just took me a little while to get through it because of those specific scenes. I guess I was a little more interested in how Oracle itself worked (and I'm not revealing that because it's a big plot point). The Oracle secret gets revealed fairly early on in the book, but for a lot of the beginning, Donovan is trying to figure out what it is and why someone broke into a data center to steal information about it. Once we know the mystery behind Oracle, I wanted to know more about how this theory worked and how it effected the people involved with it.
That's just me personally as a reader and I think people who like thriller movies would enjoy this. It reads like a spy movie or an action movie with the different plot elements and banter
December 12, 2017
Wow. That is the best way to describe this book. When I started to read it, I was worried that it was going to be too science-fictiony (yes I am allowed to make up words in a review) for me but it went down a surprisingly different path. I loved everything about this book; the story, the characters, the pace, the depth of detail. It has action, romance, slow parts, fast parts, tension and some mystery. All of the characters have depth and the interaction between the two main characters could not have been done better. Backgrounds and personalities of many of the characters slowly develop instead of being thrown at you and reasons for them doing what they do come out. All of the characters fit in with the two main ones and enhance the story, even the most minor ones. This is a well thought out book.
Is Lara a realistic character? No, but that is the point. As you get dragged deeper and deeper into the story, you more and more want it to be possible that someone like her could really exist. Her character matches her role perfectly. Donovan, on the other hand, is very believable. Anyone who has ever read anything about members of the special forces can easily accept how he acts, thinks and feels. He is a complex and well-written character.
I have been getting a bit of a reputation for being a harsh book critic. I usually find fault with all of the books I read and it is not often I give a five star review. For me, a book has to really earn it and this one definitely does. If there was a way to give 6 stars, I would.
Is Lara a realistic character? No, but that is the point. As you get dragged deeper and deeper into the story, you more and more want it to be possible that someone like her could really exist. Her character matches her role perfectly. Donovan, on the other hand, is very believable. Anyone who has ever read anything about members of the special forces can easily accept how he acts, thinks and feels. He is a complex and well-written character.
I have been getting a bit of a reputation for being a harsh book critic. I usually find fault with all of the books I read and it is not often I give a five star review. For me, a book has to really earn it and this one definitely does. If there was a way to give 6 stars, I would.
May 23, 2017
“Oracle� is definitely a must-read for all fans of thriller genre. It’s fast-paced and will keep you on the edge of your seat from the first page to the very last one.
The plot is set in the near future, where a group of terrorists destroy a highly-protected facility to obtain information about an “Oracle.� Only, when Donovan Pierce is called to investigate the crime scene he realizes that no one knows what this “Oracle� is and why it is so important to the United States. During one of the meetings, while trying to get to the bottom of this, he encounters a mysterious woman, Lara Holsworth, which turns out to be a much more important figure behind “Oracle� than he could ever imagine�
The characters were wonderfully written, and I couldn’t help but root for them in the direst of the situations. Lara and her dedication to her work together with her brilliant mind truly made her a heroine to admire. A futuristic world, multi-dimensional characters and naturally flowing dialogues definitely make “Oracle� a five star read. Highly recommended.
The plot is set in the near future, where a group of terrorists destroy a highly-protected facility to obtain information about an “Oracle.� Only, when Donovan Pierce is called to investigate the crime scene he realizes that no one knows what this “Oracle� is and why it is so important to the United States. During one of the meetings, while trying to get to the bottom of this, he encounters a mysterious woman, Lara Holsworth, which turns out to be a much more important figure behind “Oracle� than he could ever imagine�
The characters were wonderfully written, and I couldn’t help but root for them in the direst of the situations. Lara and her dedication to her work together with her brilliant mind truly made her a heroine to admire. A futuristic world, multi-dimensional characters and naturally flowing dialogues definitely make “Oracle� a five star read. Highly recommended.
October 17, 2017
Fast-paced. Thrilling. Romantic. This was great techno thriller with a dash of romance thrown in for good measure. The story starts in the midst of things as Donovan tries to determine who set out to destroy a facility. I had a hundred questions and was propelled forward by the gripping narrative as he searched for those answers with me. I was so happy to find the layers revealed a lot more than I anticipated.
Lara is a brilliant heroine that has so much going for her. She is deep and strong willing. I liked that she doesn’t feel the instant connection with Donovan the same way he does. It allowed for the natural evolution between them and that gave plenty of breathing room for the story as well.
The Oracle itself was fascinating, adding to the futuristic feel of the setting. That part of the story web held my imagination captive. The pacing is crisp and the narrative easy to slip into. I really hope I get to read more in this world and with these characters.
Lara is a brilliant heroine that has so much going for her. She is deep and strong willing. I liked that she doesn’t feel the instant connection with Donovan the same way he does. It allowed for the natural evolution between them and that gave plenty of breathing room for the story as well.
The Oracle itself was fascinating, adding to the futuristic feel of the setting. That part of the story web held my imagination captive. The pacing is crisp and the narrative easy to slip into. I really hope I get to read more in this world and with these characters.
April 17, 2018
This book is like marmite - you can love it or hate it. If you're fan of technothillers with acurate bit of the romance - you'll def love it.
Strong main characters and one super villan. And Oracle. What or who is Oracle? Donovan Pierce needs to find out before terrorists will destroy it. But will Lara be able to help him with his search or is she hiding more secrets?
This book is my first read written by this author. I didn't give it 5stars only because there was too many acronims on the first pages, which were confusing and (to be honest) a bit boring (thiller should be keeping you in The Plot, not thinking about security this or security that. I can't even remember those acronims now); and main secret was reveled too quickly for my liking - but in the end I enjoyed this read and I think it's a good start of pretty interesting thiller series. Not for everyone, for sure. Just like marmite :D
Strong main characters and one super villan. And Oracle. What or who is Oracle? Donovan Pierce needs to find out before terrorists will destroy it. But will Lara be able to help him with his search or is she hiding more secrets?
This book is my first read written by this author. I didn't give it 5stars only because there was too many acronims on the first pages, which were confusing and (to be honest) a bit boring (thiller should be keeping you in The Plot, not thinking about security this or security that. I can't even remember those acronims now); and main secret was reveled too quickly for my liking - but in the end I enjoyed this read and I think it's a good start of pretty interesting thiller series. Not for everyone, for sure. Just like marmite :D
December 6, 2017
This story takes quite a while to get going, and quite a while to establish the key characters. Much of the story is told in blocks of prose, or in blocks of dialogue more like monologues. The antagonist remains a bit of a mystery, and the story would have benefited from showing us what happened to him rather than telling us. The relationship between the two protagonists develops slowly, but after a time you begin to develop strong feelings for them and for their relationship. This relationship avoids mushy romance or sex scenes, and is all the stronger for that.
One the story gets going it becomes quite exciting, and the last third of Oracle's Hunt was a particularly good read. In the end I did enjoy this novel, but it took me a while to get through it because of the languid pacing early on.
One the story gets going it becomes quite exciting, and the last third of Oracle's Hunt was a particularly good read. In the end I did enjoy this novel, but it took me a while to get through it because of the languid pacing early on.
July 14, 2017
Couldn't stop reading
I don't want to spoil the book, it's so good nothing should be given away, so I can't say much. What I can say is that A. Claire has come up with two wonderful, complex, believable, interesting characters and set them in a unique position. Both are intelligent, self assured, strong minded, experienced experts in their fields. When they bump heads neither one wins, or loses. When they work together they can take on the world's most determined militant warlord. And they are going to have to, because neither one of them can act on the unasked for attraction growing between them until he is stopped. And after learning to trust each other that is something they both want to investigate. And I want to read more about.
I don't want to spoil the book, it's so good nothing should be given away, so I can't say much. What I can say is that A. Claire has come up with two wonderful, complex, believable, interesting characters and set them in a unique position. Both are intelligent, self assured, strong minded, experienced experts in their fields. When they bump heads neither one wins, or loses. When they work together they can take on the world's most determined militant warlord. And they are going to have to, because neither one of them can act on the unasked for attraction growing between them until he is stopped. And after learning to trust each other that is something they both want to investigate. And I want to read more about.
February 1, 2018
This book is worthy of a "24" series, even though the events span over a longer period of time. Everyone is hush hush about what Oracle is, which makes it difficult for Donovan to find those who are trying to destroy it. One thing I really liked about the book was that although it talked about technical concepts, they were easy to understand. I work on AI applications at work, and was glad that the author explained that they need to be "trained" in order to "learn." This is a cumbersome process, but it is one that is moving AI forward. The story also has plenty of twists that make it unique among the techo-thriller genre. The writing is good, the characters are relatable, and the plot is intriguing.
June 10, 2017
A fast paced thriller set in the near future, very smoothly written.
Very much what I would call an escapist read where I was happy to suspend belief and enjoy the ride.
Donovan, a top investigator is called in to discover who broke into and destroyed a high security government complex. The main target of the attack was something called Oracle but nobody is prepared to explain what Oracle is. The assumption of Donovan and the attacker is that it is some kind of military artificial intelligence. When the truth is discovered the protection of Oracle becomes far more personal for Donovan.
An intriguing story with likebale central characters I thoroughly enjoyed.
Very much what I would call an escapist read where I was happy to suspend belief and enjoy the ride.
Donovan, a top investigator is called in to discover who broke into and destroyed a high security government complex. The main target of the attack was something called Oracle but nobody is prepared to explain what Oracle is. The assumption of Donovan and the attacker is that it is some kind of military artificial intelligence. When the truth is discovered the protection of Oracle becomes far more personal for Donovan.
An intriguing story with likebale central characters I thoroughly enjoyed.
December 30, 2017
This was an amazing thriller novel! It was very techno savvy and being a really not techie person myself it was a little bit of an adjustment in the beginning but don't let that scare you off. It at heart was a thriller with a good believable storyline and while being a futuristic story still seemed pretty relevant to me. I liked Donovan as a character and how protective he was, and I really enjoy strong female leads so pretty much the main characters were spot on for me! I highly recommend to anyone who enjoy thrillers. Honestly, tho, it's got a bit for everyone no matter what genre you prefer!
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