The Oracle
Published on 28. February 2011
352 pages
978-0-330-52760-6 (ISBN)
Description
Valerio Massimo Manfredi's The Oracle is a modern thriller inspired by an ancient prophecy.
1973. Professor Periklis Harvatis, working alone and late into the night on an important archaeological dig, unearths a magnificent golden vase upon which the enigmatic images of a long-lost second Odyssey are engraved, showing the mystery of Ulysses' final voyage. But in the very same chamber, the Professor sees something so frightening that less than seven hours later he dies . . . but not before he has ensured the safety of the vase.
Ten years later, a series of gruesome deaths connected to the rape and murder during the student protests in Athens of a Greek woman, on the same night as Professor Harvatis's discovery, is perplexing the authorities. Each atrocity is accompanied by a dire quotation from the ancient sources, exposing an ingeniously cruel mind.
Who is behind these murders? How are these two events connected? And what is the significance of the age-old prophecy of the Odyssey?
1973. Professor Periklis Harvatis, working alone and late into the night on an important archaeological dig, unearths a magnificent golden vase upon which the enigmatic images of a long-lost second Odyssey are engraved, showing the mystery of Ulysses' final voyage. But in the very same chamber, the Professor sees something so frightening that less than seven hours later he dies . . . but not before he has ensured the safety of the vase.
Ten years later, a series of gruesome deaths connected to the rape and murder during the student protests in Athens of a Greek woman, on the same night as Professor Harvatis's discovery, is perplexing the authorities. Each atrocity is accompanied by a dire quotation from the ancient sources, exposing an ingeniously cruel mind.
Who is behind these murders? How are these two events connected? And what is the significance of the age-old prophecy of the Odyssey?
Reviews / Votes
Remarkable . . . one of life's unalloyed pleasures: praise for Valerio Massimo Manfredi * New York Times *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Pan Macmillan
Target group
Interest Age: From 18 years
File size
1,54 MB
ISBN-13
978-0-330-52760-6 (9780330527606)
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Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Person
Valerio Massimo Manfredi is professor of classical archaeology at Luigi Bocconi University in Milan. Further to numerous academic publications, he has published many works of fiction, including the Alexander trilogy which has been translated into thirty-eight languages in sixty-two countries. His novel The Last Legion was released as a major motion picture. He has written and hosted documentaries on the ancient world and has penned screenplays for cinema and television.
