Review of Orlando in the Cities

[Justine Ocsebio]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Orlando in the Cities" by Sebastian Michael.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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The gods of Mount Olympus argue among themselves, each laying claim to the greatest patron city. A mortal boy from Crete, Orlando, must be sent on a mission to visit these cities, gather evidence, and settle the dispute once and for all. Orlando then finds himself moving from one city to another over the course of history, as he tries to make sense of the complex nature of humanity through time.

Orlando in the Cities by Sebastian Michael is a masterful blend of everything literature and history enthusiasts will love. The book effectively delivered a story that was told in different narrative styles, evolving in the same way as time and Western civilization do. There was an appropriate style for a certain time period in which Orlando was currently settled. For instance, the part of the story where Orlando was in Alexandria in 320 BCE was written like an epic poem, and when he was in France in 1789, the prose was written like a classic 18th-century novel. It was a bold undertaking to try to tell a story in such an unconventional way, but it was a unique aspect of the book that I appreciated the most.

This is such a thought-provoking book that philosophizes on human nature and existence and entertains our "what ifs" about certain events in history. One may also question Orlando’s existence. Was he just a figment of the imagination, or was he real enough to have an impact on these historic events and key figures?

If there was one minor quibble with the book, it had something to do with the plot. I felt like the initial premise, the idea that Orlando was sent on a divine quest, was kind of neglected at some point in the narrative. But it didn’t diminish the quality of the book enough to deduct a star. I liked the book as a literary homage to the events that shaped our history and the historical figures that made significant contributions to human civilization today. The book was professionally edited as well. Thus, my rating will be 4 out of 4 stars.

If you like books that revolve around time travel and history, you might be delighted to see Orlando meet famous historical figures throughout the story. It was really enjoyable to see them come to life in this book. I also recommend this book to those who enjoy reading poems or stories with excellent poetic writing.

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Orlando in the Cities
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[Laura P 2]

Thank you for this amazing review. You really got me interested in the book. I especially liked the part about the story being told in different narrative styles. It seems to be a thoughtfully written story.

[Umesh Bhatt]

Seems to be an interesting book. The presentation itself appears to be of a unusual and different kind. Thanks for the informative review.

[Mbenma Esther 080]

Travelling is my hobby and this is the catch for me. Thanks for the review.

[Nwadinso Michael]

This book involves the gods of Olympus and a young boy, Orlando, who is on a delicate mission. From the review, the author did a good job of constructing this thought-provoking piece. I would love to read this book. Thanks for your review.

[Aisha Yakub]

I think the author infused a lot of creativity into the delivery style of this book. I'm a fan of history, so this should be interesting for me. Great review.

[Hazel Mae Bagarinao]

I am not a literature and history enthusiast so this book is not for me. Nonetheless, congratulations to the author on BOTD!

[Yvonne Monique]

The book title did not make me think at all that the story could be such an interesting one, but fortunately the review helps a lot to understand the plot.

[Domeseo Camus Meda]

A BOOK BY SEBASTIAN MICHAEL WHICH TELLS THE STORY OF ORLANDO SENT ON A MISSION TO SOLVE A DISPUTE BETWEEN THE GODS OF MOUNT OLYMPUS WHO WERE ARGUING AMONG THEMSELVES EACH CLAIMING THE GREATEST PATRON CITY.
A BOOK FOR PASSIONATES OF TRAVEL IN TIME AND HISTORY..GOOD REVIEW

[Nemanja Jankovic]

"Orlando in the Cities" by Sebastian Michael tells the story of the Cretan boy Orlando, who, on the task of the gods, sets off on a journey from Olympus. The book is an interesting mixture of literature and history.

[Sushan Ekanayake]

'Orlando in the Cities' by Sebastian Michael weaves a compelling narrative of history and humanity. The creative blend of narrative styles matching the evolving epochs is an intriguing approach. Despite its minor quibbles, this book is a treat for fans of time travel and history. Congratulations on being BOTD!

[Sheen jenny]

Your insightful review of "Orlando in the Cities" shows engagement with its narrative styles, philosophical depth, and historical encounters. Despite a minor plot quibble, your enthusiasm shines through, making it a compelling recommendation for fans of time travel, history, and poetic storytelling.

[Gabrielle Burnie]

Thank you for your informative review. I am a lover of Greek mythology and also of sci-fi, and particularly of time travel stories, so it appears from your review that this is a book for me!

[Laney K]

This seems like an interesting historical and time travel book. Thanks for the informative review!

[Amy Luman]

I really do enjoy time travel (not so much, historical fiction) so I might give this a try. Congratulations on BOTD!