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The Ouroboros Key
Prophetic dreams have haunted Dan Tenney since childhood, foretelling him of a life-changing event that is soon to take place. But before he can learn the meaning of his visions, he is attacked by a shadowy group of extremists: the Brotherhood of the Grail.
Finding sanctuary underground, an ancient relic comes into his possession and Dan begins to understand the path his visions have laid out before him. His quest will be fraught with an otherworldly people and an event that could tip the balance in favour of human existence—or disastrously against it. The mysterious Brotherhood will do everything in their power to prevent Dan from fulfilling his destiny as the Bearer of Ouroboros.
Finding sanctuary underground, an ancient relic comes into his possession and Dan begins to understand the path his visions have laid out before him. His quest will be fraught with an otherworldly people and an event that could tip the balance in favour of human existence—or disastrously against it. The mysterious Brotherhood will do everything in their power to prevent Dan from fulfilling his destiny as the Bearer of Ouroboros.
320 pages, Paperback
First published March 23, 2014
3 people are currently reading
332 people want to read
About the author
Patricia Leslie
4 books31 followersPatricia Leslie is an Australian fantasy author with a penchant for hidden history, myths, and mystery.
She is also a dedicated, some say compulsive, reader and collector of books.
She is also a dedicated, some say compulsive, reader and collector of books.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
June 23, 2014
*I received a copy of this book through NetGalley*
Review also on www.jolasbookshelf.wordpress.com
I enjoyed this really nice book by Patricia Leslie. I always liked a little history with my books, so it was a great pick for me. The action scenes were good written. The character were likable and I was keeping my fingers crossed for them to succeed.
I recommend this book to every mystery fan.
Review also on www.jolasbookshelf.wordpress.com
I enjoyed this really nice book by Patricia Leslie. I always liked a little history with my books, so it was a great pick for me. The action scenes were good written. The character were likable and I was keeping my fingers crossed for them to succeed.
I recommend this book to every mystery fan.
November 14, 2014
The Ourboboros Key is more than just the title of this novel; it is the centre of it. A myth-riddled ring passed down from the time of Adam and Eve, the ring epitomises the book – a blend of mystery, fantasy and religious myth. A novel especially for those who love to delve into the mysteries of ancient myths and times, Patricia Leslie keeps you guessing from start to finish.
The story follows Dan Tenney, a man haunted by dreams since childhood. As the visions become stronger, his destiny is set in motion, in a series of events that involves not only his friends but a succession of strange and otherworldly characters. Attacked out of the blue on an otherwise normal day, Dan’s life suddenly becomes seeped in mystery, which sets him on a path from the streets of Denver to a beautiful paradise that appears to almost transcend time and space. With an enigmatic and ruthless ancient Brotherhood determined to stop him, Dan and his friends become locked in a quest to not only save themselves, but the entire world from destruction and disaster.
The plot has all the makings of a great adventure – a mysterious, mythical object, a dangerous trek towards enlightenment, and a dastardly villain to keep things interesting. The connections between the characters are deep and complex, with relationships and links popping up where you least expect it. It becomes easy to sink into Dan’s world and get carried along for the ride, not quite realising how invested you’ve become in the fate of all these characters. The plot moves slowly in places, but feels right, as you empathise with the frustrations of the characters, feeling as if a higher power is trickling information down as they please, which really suits the novel. The story is filled with intricacies and little snippets of important information, which pop up when you least expect it, requiring strong attention, which pays off when the entire story unfolds in a beautiful picture.
As someone not deeply invested in the genres of mystery or fantasy, I found this novel a great bridge between the two. The reader is guessing right along with the characters, and the detailed myths are presented gently and gradually, which does not overwhelm like the lore in some fantasy novels. This novel blends the fantastical with the real in a way that welcomes a wide selection of readers, with characters that are easy to become invested in, and a story that continues to provoke interest for the entirety of the novel. A fun and delightful adventure.
The story follows Dan Tenney, a man haunted by dreams since childhood. As the visions become stronger, his destiny is set in motion, in a series of events that involves not only his friends but a succession of strange and otherworldly characters. Attacked out of the blue on an otherwise normal day, Dan’s life suddenly becomes seeped in mystery, which sets him on a path from the streets of Denver to a beautiful paradise that appears to almost transcend time and space. With an enigmatic and ruthless ancient Brotherhood determined to stop him, Dan and his friends become locked in a quest to not only save themselves, but the entire world from destruction and disaster.
The plot has all the makings of a great adventure – a mysterious, mythical object, a dangerous trek towards enlightenment, and a dastardly villain to keep things interesting. The connections between the characters are deep and complex, with relationships and links popping up where you least expect it. It becomes easy to sink into Dan’s world and get carried along for the ride, not quite realising how invested you’ve become in the fate of all these characters. The plot moves slowly in places, but feels right, as you empathise with the frustrations of the characters, feeling as if a higher power is trickling information down as they please, which really suits the novel. The story is filled with intricacies and little snippets of important information, which pop up when you least expect it, requiring strong attention, which pays off when the entire story unfolds in a beautiful picture.
As someone not deeply invested in the genres of mystery or fantasy, I found this novel a great bridge between the two. The reader is guessing right along with the characters, and the detailed myths are presented gently and gradually, which does not overwhelm like the lore in some fantasy novels. This novel blends the fantastical with the real in a way that welcomes a wide selection of readers, with characters that are easy to become invested in, and a story that continues to provoke interest for the entirety of the novel. A fun and delightful adventure.
August 24, 2015
Detailed yet eloquent descriptions set the scene for this novel. There is lots of scene setting throughout, every time that they changed location. It had an eerie and foreboding feeling, while also suspenseful and intellectually stimulating. There is a very believable mystic quality to the tale that isn’t overly pronounced, even though it is infinitely important. The mixing and melding of mythologies and their parallels had me on pins and needles. It did take me a bit to catch up with the action of the story and figure out just what was going on, but when I did, I was hooked.
The questers were such an intriguing bunch. I loved how different they each were and how entrenched in modernity they kept the story. The mixes of personalities had me feeling as if I were really part of the group. I loved the random things that each group member contributed.
Did I enjoy this novel? You can bet it. Do I see potential for a sequel? Heck yes, I’m dying to read it. I’d love to see what happens next in this captivating world.
Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this work in exchange for an honest review.
The questers were such an intriguing bunch. I loved how different they each were and how entrenched in modernity they kept the story. The mixes of personalities had me feeling as if I were really part of the group. I loved the random things that each group member contributed.
Did I enjoy this novel? You can bet it. Do I see potential for a sequel? Heck yes, I’m dying to read it. I’d love to see what happens next in this captivating world.
Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this work in exchange for an honest review.
August 26, 2014
This is an engaging mystery with a complex plot. Leslie writes very well and creates a great feel for setting in the novel and it romps along at fast pace.
When I first started reading this I thought it was going to be a bit of clone of all the grail / Messianic myths / conspiracy books (I was thinking along the lines of Michael Baigent through to Dan Brown). IT IS NOT a clone of any of these. Patricia Leslie has combined a blending of world mythology / folklore with religious myth in an entirely new way.
If you're a fan of mysteries and like your mythology / history give this a try - it's not what you expect.
When I first started reading this I thought it was going to be a bit of clone of all the grail / Messianic myths / conspiracy books (I was thinking along the lines of Michael Baigent through to Dan Brown). IT IS NOT a clone of any of these. Patricia Leslie has combined a blending of world mythology / folklore with religious myth in an entirely new way.
If you're a fan of mysteries and like your mythology / history give this a try - it's not what you expect.
September 16, 2016
I really enjoyed this book. I took longer to read it than normal, due to all the prep going on for release of my own book. But the temptation was constantly there to put all that aside and continue with the enthralling story Patricia has given us.
March 12, 2024
The Ouroboros Key, published by Odyssey Books, blends Sumerian mythology, esoteric Templar secrets, and a detective story, all played out in the mountains of modern day Colorado.
Before Dan Tenney can understand the strange dreams he’s had all his life, he’s attacked by an enigmatic group, the Brotherhood of the Grail. When he is whisked away from them into an underground sanctuary by an even less explicable pair of men, he comes into the possession of what is apparently an ancient relic. His dreams get worse!
As his friends search for Dan, we readers learn the clues, the connections and the mythologies at they do. This is as much a story about these characters and their idiosyncrasies as it is about the myth-riddled artefact. I liked this approach, as the details and lore of each mystery never got too heavy, too scholarly. We learn, together with our little band, enough to get some sense of things, and then are on the way again, as the quest develops into a dangerous trek in the mountains.
This novel will especially suit those who love to delve into the mysteries of ancient myths and at the same time enjoy a good adventure – and isn’t that most of us?
Before Dan Tenney can understand the strange dreams he’s had all his life, he’s attacked by an enigmatic group, the Brotherhood of the Grail. When he is whisked away from them into an underground sanctuary by an even less explicable pair of men, he comes into the possession of what is apparently an ancient relic. His dreams get worse!
As his friends search for Dan, we readers learn the clues, the connections and the mythologies at they do. This is as much a story about these characters and their idiosyncrasies as it is about the myth-riddled artefact. I liked this approach, as the details and lore of each mystery never got too heavy, too scholarly. We learn, together with our little band, enough to get some sense of things, and then are on the way again, as the quest develops into a dangerous trek in the mountains.
This novel will especially suit those who love to delve into the mysteries of ancient myths and at the same time enjoy a good adventure – and isn’t that most of us?
October 15, 2014
Strange, prophetic dreams of the world’s future are a regular occurrence for Dan, but ever since he recovered from a serious, nearly fatal head injury, the dreams intensified and evolved into even more powerful, stranger visions. When a group of radicals make an attempt on his life, he is rescued by two vagabonds. He stumbles upon an ancient artifact and this unleashes a profound mystery and the truth about his future and the burden he must bear.
This dark fantasy is a unique, fast-paced read about dark secrets and powerful supernatural forces. The bonds of friendship, plenty of intrigue, and a great mystery make this a fascinating story appropriate for fantasy lovers of all ages. Definitely a fun read and a page-turner!
This dark fantasy is a unique, fast-paced read about dark secrets and powerful supernatural forces. The bonds of friendship, plenty of intrigue, and a great mystery make this a fascinating story appropriate for fantasy lovers of all ages. Definitely a fun read and a page-turner!
March 31, 2014
Picked this book up at a writers festival last week and read it almost in one go. I love finding hidden gems and this little (well, 300 + page) novel from an independent Australian publishing house definitely counts as one of them.
Dan, an ex-military man turned photographer goes missing and its up to his friend Nick to find him. Cue the fantasy elements as the lines between reality and the supernatural begin to blur and what starts as a crime fiction turns into an epic quest across the USA.
It's a fast paced fantasy, blending Sumerian mythology in a Native American setting seamlessly. Enjoyable read!
Dan, an ex-military man turned photographer goes missing and its up to his friend Nick to find him. Cue the fantasy elements as the lines between reality and the supernatural begin to blur and what starts as a crime fiction turns into an epic quest across the USA.
It's a fast paced fantasy, blending Sumerian mythology in a Native American setting seamlessly. Enjoyable read!
June 20, 2014
Dan has been plagued by strange dreams his entire life, but none have been as weird as the dreams he is having since suffering a horrendous head injury. An attempt on his life leaves him in the clutches of death but he is rescued by two homeless men who nurse him back to life. Who is the strange brotherhood and what is their connection with him and the missing professor?
This is a story of supernatural forces, strong friendships formed by mutual loss, intrigue and mystery. The intensity seems to deepen as the story progresses, in similar fashion to The Da Vinci Code and I think fans of Dan Brown would definitely enjoy this book, as would any reader that likes the mystery genre.
This is a story of supernatural forces, strong friendships formed by mutual loss, intrigue and mystery. The intensity seems to deepen as the story progresses, in similar fashion to The Da Vinci Code and I think fans of Dan Brown would definitely enjoy this book, as would any reader that likes the mystery genre.
July 20, 2014
This is a strange but engaging novel involving a team of private detectives in modern-day Colorado and a mysterious fantasy land called Elphane.
The main characters are well-developed and the group of “heroes” are likeable, diverse and interesting.
The plot involves various creation stories, the Holy Grail, the equivalent of the Knights Templar and a lot of action.
The writing is quite descriptive and of good quality but this is more of a holiday read than literature.
It is a novel about destiny and the future and should be enjoyed by aficionados of Dan Brown and any thrillers with a historical/mythical background.
The main characters are well-developed and the group of “heroes” are likeable, diverse and interesting.
The plot involves various creation stories, the Holy Grail, the equivalent of the Knights Templar and a lot of action.
The writing is quite descriptive and of good quality but this is more of a holiday read than literature.
It is a novel about destiny and the future and should be enjoyed by aficionados of Dan Brown and any thrillers with a historical/mythical background.
June 29, 2014
Experiencing vivid drams for most of your life can be daunting especially if they keep repeating themselves, then meeting up with a stranger who you feel you have known all your life can throw you out of sync, so when our hero was brought up in Chaco canyon, New Mexico takes the stranger up into the hills of the Chao ruins where ancients mystery reveal ancients secrets everything starts to fall in place, its a mystery, intrigue story, with twists and turns and edge of seat reading.
June 26, 2014
A complex meeting of aincient and modern culture overlayed with characters linking both. The author took me on twists and turns throughout, detailing rites and rituals and contemporary views of religion and culture. A great first book by Patricia Leslie, looking fgoward to the next one!
May 7, 2014
Disclaimer: ARC copy from Netgalley.
The Ouroboros Key, by Patricia Leslie, was an interesting book. Taken from the myths of many different religions, she has woven them together into a seamless tale of intrigue and suspense.
The problem is that there is too much intrigue. I got nearly to the end of the book before I understood what was happening. It was probably intended that way, but it made for a frustrating read when you're 85% of the way through the book and you still have no idea what's going on. The book spent too much time with the characters wandering lost through the plot. The words "You'll find out in due time" got old real quick. I think she wrote it to be mysterious and lead up to a big finish, but it just left me frustrated by the time I figured out what was going on. The historical references behind the book were very lean and far and few in between.
Don't get me wrong if you're still reading this review though. I did enjoy the book. It was just lacking in explanations for far too long. The first half was good because the pacing was fast and it had car chases, stakeouts, impersonations, assassinations, and even murder. However, the second half dragged. I felt like I was slogging through the second half of the book in quicksand.
I think the history and myths behind this book were a little unexplained. It was interesting to find out who the mystery people were, but nobody asked any questions I wanted to know, like their history or anything about their culture. They were just like, "Oh, you're mysterious strangers. Okay. What's going on?" I think the book ended with a cliffhanger that wasn't well laid out also. I recommend this book to those who don't mind taking a while to get to the point and to those who like myth fiction.
The Ouroboros Key, by Patricia Leslie, was an interesting book. Taken from the myths of many different religions, she has woven them together into a seamless tale of intrigue and suspense.
The problem is that there is too much intrigue. I got nearly to the end of the book before I understood what was happening. It was probably intended that way, but it made for a frustrating read when you're 85% of the way through the book and you still have no idea what's going on. The book spent too much time with the characters wandering lost through the plot. The words "You'll find out in due time" got old real quick. I think she wrote it to be mysterious and lead up to a big finish, but it just left me frustrated by the time I figured out what was going on. The historical references behind the book were very lean and far and few in between.
Don't get me wrong if you're still reading this review though. I did enjoy the book. It was just lacking in explanations for far too long. The first half was good because the pacing was fast and it had car chases, stakeouts, impersonations, assassinations, and even murder. However, the second half dragged. I felt like I was slogging through the second half of the book in quicksand.
I think the history and myths behind this book were a little unexplained. It was interesting to find out who the mystery people were, but nobody asked any questions I wanted to know, like their history or anything about their culture. They were just like, "Oh, you're mysterious strangers. Okay. What's going on?" I think the book ended with a cliffhanger that wasn't well laid out also. I recommend this book to those who don't mind taking a while to get to the point and to those who like myth fiction.
January 18, 2016
An interesting book, well written and easy to follow along with the cumbersome detailed storyline, but still a good read, seems to almost be like a boys coming of age story with the hero finally having the girl in the end, although the group of boys is actually men with the token foreign (quintessential English) girl to help them along. Still I repeat it was well written and very pacey (not racy) in places
April 3, 2014
http://koeur.wordpress.com/2014/04/03...
Publisher: Odyssey
Publishing Date: March 2014
ISBN: 9781922200334
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 2.1/5.0
Publisher Description: Prophetic dreams have haunted Dan Tenney since childhood, foretelling him of a life-changing event that is soon to take place. But before he can learn the meaning of his visions, he is attacked by a shadowy group of extremists: the Brotherhood of the Grail.
Finding sanctuary underground, an ancient relic comes into his possession and Dan begins to understand the path his visions have laid out before him. His quest will be fraught with an otherworldly people and an event that could tip the balance in favour of human existence—or disastrously against it. The mysterious Brotherhood will do everything in their power to prevent Dan from fulfilling his destiny as the Bearer of Ouroboros.
Review: They blew it on the cover art. Cave + water + design + raven = lame. Should have expanded the raven as a focal center.
This is a tired and well used story-line that a lot of authors have attempted to re-create in the wake of Dan Brown’s success. Sangreal, Christ’s lineage, Templar offshoots with some fantasy (magic) events thrown in here and there in an attempt to grant the story-line some relevancy. This started out entirely too descriptive as the writer took way too much artistic license in scene development. This is a constant theme throughout the novel. Every scene gets this lengthy expansion addled with descriptive details. It may be interesting that, say, Simone likes Thai and orders from her favorite expensive restaurant as she has high-end tastes in clothes yada yada yada but I don’t need to know that in order to enjoy a story-line. There are pages and pages of descriptors that really don’t enhance the scenes. Even during chase events the author takes a minute to describe why Simone has turned off her phone.
There were some fall downs where weapons came into play like “She put her hand on the butt of her .38 special.” What? She put her hand on a caliber? In another scene he “pulls out his H&K pistol.” H&K what? P9? USP? P7? P2000? HK4? What caliber? Then Glock’s are thrown in with no model number and a Ruger P97 “guaranteed to blow the proverbial shit out of whatever I fire it at.” Huh? Since the P97 comes in .30 luger, 9mm, .40 and .45 calibers, which is the author speaking to? Also blowing the “proverbial shit” out of things is a function of the shooters ability coupled with the caliber. Using a Ruger P97 definitely lessens any innate ability a shooter may have. Elliot mentions his desire for a Armalite MH-12 Maghook (used in the Shane Schofield novels by Mathew Reilly). Too funny as this tool/weapon is fictitious.
Although I enjoyed the story-line I really hated seeing a fairly good writer start using the dreaded word crutches of “scowled, scowl, growled, growl, muttered, mumbled and grumbled” to expedite dialogue in an attempt to convey emotion without truly developing the characters at any point in the novel. Again, when I see those friggin’ words again and again I am disappointed for the author and her obvious fail. Also there was some weird southwest cowboy accents thrown in. Yeah, maybe people in Colorado or New Mexico talk like that, if they are transplanted from Texas. What was weird was that Dan would talk with an accent through one passage, then it would go away. His accent was like a boomerang throughout the novel.
If you like really long novels with a stretched out story-line, lots of dialogue and scene descriptions, then look no further than Ouro.
Publisher: Odyssey
Publishing Date: March 2014
ISBN: 9781922200334
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 2.1/5.0
Publisher Description: Prophetic dreams have haunted Dan Tenney since childhood, foretelling him of a life-changing event that is soon to take place. But before he can learn the meaning of his visions, he is attacked by a shadowy group of extremists: the Brotherhood of the Grail.
Finding sanctuary underground, an ancient relic comes into his possession and Dan begins to understand the path his visions have laid out before him. His quest will be fraught with an otherworldly people and an event that could tip the balance in favour of human existence—or disastrously against it. The mysterious Brotherhood will do everything in their power to prevent Dan from fulfilling his destiny as the Bearer of Ouroboros.
Review: They blew it on the cover art. Cave + water + design + raven = lame. Should have expanded the raven as a focal center.
This is a tired and well used story-line that a lot of authors have attempted to re-create in the wake of Dan Brown’s success. Sangreal, Christ’s lineage, Templar offshoots with some fantasy (magic) events thrown in here and there in an attempt to grant the story-line some relevancy. This started out entirely too descriptive as the writer took way too much artistic license in scene development. This is a constant theme throughout the novel. Every scene gets this lengthy expansion addled with descriptive details. It may be interesting that, say, Simone likes Thai and orders from her favorite expensive restaurant as she has high-end tastes in clothes yada yada yada but I don’t need to know that in order to enjoy a story-line. There are pages and pages of descriptors that really don’t enhance the scenes. Even during chase events the author takes a minute to describe why Simone has turned off her phone.
There were some fall downs where weapons came into play like “She put her hand on the butt of her .38 special.” What? She put her hand on a caliber? In another scene he “pulls out his H&K pistol.” H&K what? P9? USP? P7? P2000? HK4? What caliber? Then Glock’s are thrown in with no model number and a Ruger P97 “guaranteed to blow the proverbial shit out of whatever I fire it at.” Huh? Since the P97 comes in .30 luger, 9mm, .40 and .45 calibers, which is the author speaking to? Also blowing the “proverbial shit” out of things is a function of the shooters ability coupled with the caliber. Using a Ruger P97 definitely lessens any innate ability a shooter may have. Elliot mentions his desire for a Armalite MH-12 Maghook (used in the Shane Schofield novels by Mathew Reilly). Too funny as this tool/weapon is fictitious.
Although I enjoyed the story-line I really hated seeing a fairly good writer start using the dreaded word crutches of “scowled, scowl, growled, growl, muttered, mumbled and grumbled” to expedite dialogue in an attempt to convey emotion without truly developing the characters at any point in the novel. Again, when I see those friggin’ words again and again I am disappointed for the author and her obvious fail. Also there was some weird southwest cowboy accents thrown in. Yeah, maybe people in Colorado or New Mexico talk like that, if they are transplanted from Texas. What was weird was that Dan would talk with an accent through one passage, then it would go away. His accent was like a boomerang throughout the novel.
If you like really long novels with a stretched out story-line, lots of dialogue and scene descriptions, then look no further than Ouro.
January 11, 2018
I read The Ouroboros Key because the cover and blurb caught my attention on Netgalley. This review first appeared on my old blog Books That Hook. I am updating and expanding on that review.
Although I received a free copy for review purposes, my opinions are my own.
Quick Review: Interesting premise but inconsistent writing with pace and point-of-view problems
The Story
I started and stopped The Ouroboros Key many times before I finally pushed myself to finish it. I think the main reason for that was that the author started the book too early in the storyline. I was bored until around chapter four. It felt like backstory, which didn’t needed to be given up front. Once I got through those first three chapters, the story improved.
The plot was interesting once the reader knows that Dan has been kidnapped and Irene is missing. The pace picks up. My attention was held after the conspiracy theory and secret societies came into the story. I wasn’t really invested, though, until much later in the book when the characters make their quest into the mountain.
The ending disappointed me. With how long and how hard the characters struggled to get to that point, I expected a bigger finish.
On the positive side, I appreciated how the author stayed on task. The goal was always apparent, and the characters didn’t lose sight of it. Also, the conspiracy theory mixed with mythology made sense and was consistent.
The Characters
The two main characters, Dan and Nick, are developed well-enough. If there weren’t so many problems with the writing itself, I might have been able to connect with them more than I did.
The Writing
I was turned off by the writing style. It seemed choppy at times, overly wordy at other times. The dialogue was odd in places. For example, Dan sometimes had an accent and sometimes he didn’t.
Another dialogue-related problem was how a character would start speaking when I didn’t even know that character was in the scene. I think this was sometimes due to a lack of scene breaks. The writing would jump from one scene and location to another scene and location without a space or asterisks to indicate a scene break. This created point-of-view problems as well.
I also didn’t like how a chapter would start with “he” because it would take me a minute to figure out who “he” is and whose point-of-view the chapter was being told from.
Do I Recommend?
Maybe. If you like books about quests related to The Knights Templar or the Holy Grail, The Ouroboros Key might be worth checking out. Based on Goodreads reviews, it appears some people loved it. For me, it was just too dull in parts and the writing lacked refinement. I recommend people form their own opinions on this particular book.
My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars (C)
Although I received a free copy for review purposes, my opinions are my own.
Quick Review: Interesting premise but inconsistent writing with pace and point-of-view problems
The Story
I started and stopped The Ouroboros Key many times before I finally pushed myself to finish it. I think the main reason for that was that the author started the book too early in the storyline. I was bored until around chapter four. It felt like backstory, which didn’t needed to be given up front. Once I got through those first three chapters, the story improved.
The plot was interesting once the reader knows that Dan has been kidnapped and Irene is missing. The pace picks up. My attention was held after the conspiracy theory and secret societies came into the story. I wasn’t really invested, though, until much later in the book when the characters make their quest into the mountain.
The ending disappointed me. With how long and how hard the characters struggled to get to that point, I expected a bigger finish.
On the positive side, I appreciated how the author stayed on task. The goal was always apparent, and the characters didn’t lose sight of it. Also, the conspiracy theory mixed with mythology made sense and was consistent.
The Characters
The two main characters, Dan and Nick, are developed well-enough. If there weren’t so many problems with the writing itself, I might have been able to connect with them more than I did.
The Writing
I was turned off by the writing style. It seemed choppy at times, overly wordy at other times. The dialogue was odd in places. For example, Dan sometimes had an accent and sometimes he didn’t.
Another dialogue-related problem was how a character would start speaking when I didn’t even know that character was in the scene. I think this was sometimes due to a lack of scene breaks. The writing would jump from one scene and location to another scene and location without a space or asterisks to indicate a scene break. This created point-of-view problems as well.
I also didn’t like how a chapter would start with “he” because it would take me a minute to figure out who “he” is and whose point-of-view the chapter was being told from.
Do I Recommend?
Maybe. If you like books about quests related to The Knights Templar or the Holy Grail, The Ouroboros Key might be worth checking out. Based on Goodreads reviews, it appears some people loved it. For me, it was just too dull in parts and the writing lacked refinement. I recommend people form their own opinions on this particular book.
My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars (C)
May 19, 2023
The Ouroboros Key by Patricia Leslie
322 Pages
Publisher: Odyssey Books
Release Date: March 23, 2014
Fiction, Mystery, Action, Adventure, Premonitions, Conspiracy Theories, Holy Grail
Dan is a photographer at Chaco Canyon when he meets Nick. Nick is looking for a special place for his wife’s ashes. The two men form a friendship which turns into a working partnership with Nick’s private investigation business. Dan has always been plagued with nightmares or premonitions. After he is attacked and suffering from his injuries, his nightmares are back. He is taken care of by two homeless men. One of the men gives Dan a necklace with a ring on it. The ring is a snake eating its tail. Now the adventure begins in earnest.
The story’s pace is slow and then fast at times. The characters are developed, and it is written in the third person point of view. I love books with the Holy Grail theme. It is always an adventure but, in this story, it is personal to Dan. If you like Dan Brown’s books or Indiana Jones, you will enjoy reading this one.
322 Pages
Publisher: Odyssey Books
Release Date: March 23, 2014
Fiction, Mystery, Action, Adventure, Premonitions, Conspiracy Theories, Holy Grail
Dan is a photographer at Chaco Canyon when he meets Nick. Nick is looking for a special place for his wife’s ashes. The two men form a friendship which turns into a working partnership with Nick’s private investigation business. Dan has always been plagued with nightmares or premonitions. After he is attacked and suffering from his injuries, his nightmares are back. He is taken care of by two homeless men. One of the men gives Dan a necklace with a ring on it. The ring is a snake eating its tail. Now the adventure begins in earnest.
The story’s pace is slow and then fast at times. The characters are developed, and it is written in the third person point of view. I love books with the Holy Grail theme. It is always an adventure but, in this story, it is personal to Dan. If you like Dan Brown’s books or Indiana Jones, you will enjoy reading this one.
September 19, 2014
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Rated 1.5 Stars
It took me a week to read this book. And not because I didn't have time to read, but because I kept stalling. I found the story very complicated, too much happening at once. Too many cryptic clues, too many different people involved, too much mystery, too much happening at once.
I just could not keep track of it all. And so I didn't enjoy reading it, it became a task more than enjoyment. When reading it I felt like I should be taking notes to try and keep track of everything. This is not something I want when I read a book, I want to be able to relax and let the story take me away.
I'm sure a lot of people will enjoy this book, but for me it just didn't work out and I struggled to finish it.
Rated 1.5 Stars
It took me a week to read this book. And not because I didn't have time to read, but because I kept stalling. I found the story very complicated, too much happening at once. Too many cryptic clues, too many different people involved, too much mystery, too much happening at once.
I just could not keep track of it all. And so I didn't enjoy reading it, it became a task more than enjoyment. When reading it I felt like I should be taking notes to try and keep track of everything. This is not something I want when I read a book, I want to be able to relax and let the story take me away.
I'm sure a lot of people will enjoy this book, but for me it just didn't work out and I struggled to finish it.
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