Operation Oracle

Merkiaari Wars, Volume 3

By: Mark E. Cooper

Narrated by: Mikael Naramore

Length: 13 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

Deep under The Mountain on Snakeholme, vast computer networks are running simulations, but they're flawed and General Burgton's self imposed mission to safeguard the Alliance is in jeopardy. Without reliable intelligence, he cannot protect the Alliance from itself, let alone the Merkiaari.

The missions he authorises are blacker than black, so secret that only he and the agents performing them know of their existence, but every operation relies upon his seemingly miraculous fore-knowledge of events and he is starting to make mistakes.

Needing a solution, Burgton breaks the Alliance's A.I ban and spends trillions of credits on project Oracle, but when the project fails, and desperation sends him looking for an answer, he compounds his crime. If he can't build an A.I, he'll just have to steal one!

©2013 Mark E. Cooper (P)2014 Mark E. Cooper

Even Better

Again, Nothing "Deep and Mind Twisting", but decent Space Combat Sci-Fi with Aliens and Bio-Armor, etc, if you like that sort of thing (Which I do).

Book 3 is Better than Book 2, which in turn is better than book 1 ;)

Book 3 starts out a little, I dunno.. let's say "At a skill level comparable to Book 1", but then it quickly gets better.. the writer seems to improve and refine his skills with each new book. The Clumsy Start MAY be due to some sections that are "Cut and Paste" right out of the previous books in the series, mostly when reiterating past events for people who may not have read the First books in the series.

I just hit the halfway mark in Book 4, and popped over here to see if there was a book 5 by chance (HEY! It CAN happen! I had it happen once before... no lie! ;)

It's a bit strange how the author sets up a MAJOR set of events, and then cuts away from them leaving loose ends that you are SURE he's going to come back to, and then suddenly he's setting up an entirely NEW series of events (Some even have totally new characters), which also kinda gets left hanging when he starts a NEW Branch of adventure down yet another path... I hope he ties all of these previous dangling ends together rather than just popping back to the same setting and it being "Several Months Later" (Which has happened a few times, right when you're expecting to read about a major battle).

I have to admit, at times I found myself thinking, "YES! We KNOW you know a LOT of cool character names, Stop naming everyone and GET ON WITH THE STORY!!!"

If you're hanging in there with the series past book one, the series DOES get significantly better with each new book!

The story keeps getting better and better

What did you love best about Operation Oracle?

What an engrossing story! This continuation of the Merkiaari Wars further develops the characters and the settings. New entities and challangpes are introduced promising many more directions for the plot to follow. Although there are powerful characters none are without weaknesses and vulnerabilities; there are no "Mary Janes" in this series!Mark Cooper is a masterful writer and owns this genre. He and Mickael Naramour make a fantastic team!

What does Mikael Naramore bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Mikael Naramour is not simply a narrator, he is an audio actor of prodigious skill. He really brings the story alive. I have been using this series as a distraction during my daily grueling 2hr walks. His performance makes the tine go by way to quickly. How he keeps the voices and the personalities so consistent is beyond me.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I'd like to see this evolve into an episodic series after the Merkiaari get their faces thoroughly rubbed in their own scat! Spin offs would be great too.

great story<br />

well told. worth the time. I'm looking forward to book 4. l will probably get it right away.

Where is the next audiobook?!

Where are the next audio books? Great story and a talented reader. Please hurray and produce the rest in the story. Thanks Barb.

One of the best

A great series you will not regret. Worth your time to read or listen to.

Vol.3

If you could sum up Operation Oracle in three words, what would they be?

I am already looking forward to the next audiobook of this series. The storyline is riveting, and finally we get to see what the motivation is behind the Merkiaari. We need more of this. Can't wait to listen to the next one.