Eye of the Oracle by Bryan Davis

Book 1 of Oracles of Fire

Summary:

What ancient mysteries lurk behind the amazing stories in the Dragons in our Midst series? Eye of the Oracle takes the reader back in time to the days when dragons abounded. From the era just before Noah's ark, through the battles between dragons and mankind in the time of King Arthur, and to the haunting presence of dragons in our day, this stunning prequel reveals the mysteries that led to the bestselling fantasy adventure that began with Raising Dragons.

How did dragons survive the flood? Who helped preserve an ancient evil force that led to the dragons' demise in the days of King Arthur? What heroic sacrifices kept that evil from exterminating the dragon race forever? If you enjoyed the heart-stopping action and spiritual depth of the first four books in this series, you won't want to miss the astonishing story that began it all. Eye of the Oracle will captivate young and old alike, and it will challenge every every reader to search deep within for answers to the mysteries in their own hearts. 

Opening Lines: 

I am a daughter of the earth, sown and rooted in the soil of the land of the dead. I am an underborn, a slave girl, a bondservant to a dark mistress of evil. For centuries I have toiled, flinching at the sound of whips, grimacing at their sting on my back, and mourning for my fellow slaves as they expired at the hands of our tormentors. One by one, they perished, and now I stand alone.

This is my story, and a story of sorrow often begins in darkness. I must lead you through the valley of the shadow of death, for only a journey through shadows will allow us to fully comprehend the beauty of heavenly light.