“Alienation” by Jon S. Lewis :: The C.H.A.O.S Trilogy

After Invasion, I thought that Mr. Lewis might have trouble carrying on such a great story.
I now know that I thought wrong.

***

Colt McAlister is…
a stereotypical “California dude.”
a decent surfer.
a guitar  player.
living with his grandfather in Arizona.
The list goes on. And on the list, scribbled in pen right under “teenage hero,” is the word, “alien.”

Not one hundred percent, but there is alien blood in his body, blood which he previously knew nothing of. When he was very young, his parents allowed him to be injected with Thule blood. They hoped that he would fulfill an ancient prophecy claiming that the Thule, an evil alien race, would be vanquished by one of their own: The Betrayer.

And now he’s feeling the effects. Enhanced speed, agility, awareness- but at the same time, fear. Colt is en route for a school that trains and dispatches alien fighting soldiers. What if someone were to find out his secret? He bleeds red, but he moves twice as quickly as any common man. He has no scales, but is feared nonetheless by the mighty Thule warriors.

With the lives of millions placed within his hands, and a clock that continues to tick faster and faster, Colt must use all of his abilities to fight off the invading aliens and save the human race from total destruction.

***

Just as good as the last. My brain burnt out on goodness at about pg. 11. And I kept reading. 🙂 No profanity, no unneccessary gore, and repeating reminders of God’s very real power. Can’t wait for the next. (Which happens to be coming out in January.) Quite literally until the next...

I was provided with a complimentary copy of “Invasion” through Booksneeze, a book-for-review program. This in no way affected my views or opinions of the book.

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5 of 5 stars

11+

“Howl Sage” by Brock Eastman :: Sages of Darkness

First, a you-can-tell-I-don’t-do-graphic-design cover review; greenish flames, dead trees, creepy glaring wolf eyes. It’s got evil written all over it.

And the crazy thing? The mind-blowing heart-stopping  maybe it’s just me but WOAH! thing? It’s got- Oh, wait. Book review first. (Hah!)

***

When his father died, Taylor had to choose one of two options: Join a secret organization he knew near nothing about and avenge his father’s life through the power of God, or go on with life as a clueless teenage orphan.
It was an easy choice, really.

Within days of his father’s passing, Taylor is training to hunt demons. Full-blown, fuzzy-wuzzy, “Eat Your Soul for a Midnight Snack” demons. Werewolves are puppies compared to a Howl Sage, a minion of the Lord of Darkness that will escort a hellish army to your front door. The Swamp Sage is weak alone, but its strength comes in numbers. (Careful where you swing your sword.) And the Abominable Snowman’s got nothing on a Blizzard Sage, 30 feet of bellowing , furry terror.

But armed with a grappling-hook, a silver sword, and a pocket full of salt, (Don’t ask.) Taylor has a secret. He feels no fear. Enemies that would leave a grown man trembling find Taylor with a sword, a vengeance, and a God who will protect him at all costs. And as a hairy new threat rises up on the horizon, Taylor will need all these things to defeat those who oppose him. So the armies of darkness should be on their guard. A new hero is on his way; a hero who fears nothing.

***

An interesting concept no? “A hero who feels no fear.” You’d think it might take some of the excitement out of the story. But with Howl Sage, this wasn’t really an issue with me. 🙂 I mean, come on! A utility belt? A grappling-hook? All black clothing and general coolness?! This guy is like the Batman of modern day demon hunting fourteen year olds!

And finally, the big reveal, the moment you’ve all waiting for, the whole shpeel… Brock wrote me into the book. 8-D

W-O-O-T. Thanks, Brock. 🙂

_____

4 of 5 stars

12+

“Whirlwind” by Rober Liparulo :: Dreamhouse Kings

Whirlwind is the perfect title to this new installment of Liparulo’s Dreamhouse Kings series. The short, suspenseful chapters will have your head spinning in circles as you try to figure out just what is going on.

***

In Whirlwind, The King men are racing to find their mother, to escape Taksidian, and to find Phemus’s (their giant foe) origin. Any protection they have is stripped away by the forces opposing them. Walls are built, and just as soon torn down. The house that anchors gates in time is no safe haven.

And somewhat similarly, Time is no predictable thing. This is a truth that Xander and David learn when they go through a portal expecting to return home, and find themselves in a medieval torture chamber. Dark stone walls, cries of pain, dark, shadowed cells- no, this is not home.

Jesse stand at the door of death, with secrets that could change the world as we know it. Ed King waits impatiently for equally important information, which could be the salvation of the King family, offering safety and privacy. But Time waits for no man, nor for death. Every minute their mother could be getting farther away, or worse, as close as she’ll every be, offering a single chance to get her back, and then disappearing forever.

***

Whirlwind was my favorite book of the series so far. Stuff was happening, to put it blatantly. The plot was moving, and it was moving in a direction I liked. 🙂  My one issue with this book is more a matter of opinion than a fault. I felt like the short chapters (one or two page chapters usually,) made it hard for the characters to develop much. Usually, there were a couple of sentences between two or more characters, and then a cliffhanger, and then… it would switch to another characters Point of View. Besides this small fault, I enjoyed the book immensely. Until the next…

(If you didn’t understand this review at all, read my review of the first book in the series, The House of Dark Shadows.)

___

3.5 of 5 stars

13+

“Timescape” by Robert Liparulo :: Dreamhouse Kings

Glowing-eyed bearded guy on the cover. Cool, flowing, spiked script. Over all shadowy, mysterious feel. Yep. It’s another Dreamhouse Kings book.

***

In Timescape, the Kings are figuring things out. Like, how to save the entire planet from a gruesome demise. Or perhaps, how to rescue their mother from a time traveling maniac who’s after their home. And finally, Is “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” an appropriate family motto?

No, nothing is normal any longer. Every thought or movement is a reminder of pains suffered, or a cause of new pain. To reach for a fork sends a lance of pain through a broken arm. To answer the door is to risk your life. The police aren’t on your side, and the school you go to isn’t safe. Xander and David have nowhere to hide from the dangers that are all around them.

So they fight back.

With the help of a former army sergeant, the brothers and their father begin to fortify their home- locks on all the doors, cameras in the hallways, a guard in the hallway well they sleep. They search for information they could use against their adversary, Taksidian. Anything to save their mother. But what they find is more horrifying than anything else they’ve encountered thus far.

***

Dreamhouse Kings book 4, Timescape, was a bit of a mixed bag. There was some suspense, but it was watered down. Like drinking tea made with used leaves. Xander, the eldest brother, is known for being rash. That is, predictably rash. Imagine this scenario, repeated several times.

“Don’t do it, it isn’t safe,” said Dad. “Fine.” grumbled Xander, unhappily. *Dad leaves* “David, David- we just have to do it. It’s the only option.” “But Xander… uuuhh… okay.”

Almost every time. I’m at the point were I almost just want to say “facepalm” out loud. (Yes, I do that sometimes. ‘Cause I’m that cool.) But HEY. I’m still reading them. And I will continue to until I finish the series. And, on the plus side, this one talked about Divine Intervention (on God’s part, of COURSE,) and “someone up there” who must be watching, way more so than any of the previous books. So, thumbs up to that. Until the next…

—

3.5 of 5 stars

13+

“Invasion” by Jon S. Lewis :: The C.H.A.O.S. Trilogy

(This is my first review for Booksneeze. Tell me watcha’ think in the comments!) Invasion… was… crazy/mind-blowing/awesome/spectacular/fantasmal/bombastic/etc. I can’t really come up with words for this novel. Honestly, I said to my mom, “This is AWESOME.” I was on page two. 🙂

***

 Colt McAlister is the average California kid. Blond, mop-headed, blue eyes, fair skin- and he loves to surf. When on a vacation in Washington, his dad takes him to a military academy which turns out to be a training camp for potential cadets for CHAOS, a organization that protects Earth from anything not from Earth, i.e. Aliens. Six armed, fur covered, two-headed, robot melded Aliens.

But an accident makes it necessary for Colt to move, and the precious few things he learned at the academy are forgotten. Now living in Arizona, Colt struggles to fit in. But, after overhearing a conversation that, by all logical standards, did not make any sense, Colt starts to research, looking for answers. And as he soon finds, those “answers” are looking for him, too.

Nothing could prepare him for his coming discovery- Aliens are on Earth. In fact, they’ve been on Earth for quite a while, and they have gained enough control to bring the Earth to its knees. All that stands between the Aliens and world domination is McAlister. (And, perhaps, a computer hacker, a jock, and a jetpack or two.)

***

Classic Scifi, brilliant plot, and the characters were amazing. McAlister was 100% real, and the plot was engaging enough that I was up pretty late until midnight reading. 🙂 It was simply wonderous, and if I go on any longer I think I might tarnish its glory. The only thing I have left to say is “Go and buy it. And tip the cashier.” Happy reading!

 I was provided with a complimentary copy of “Invasion” through Booksneeze, a book-for-review program. This in no way affected my views or opinions of the book.

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5 of 5 stars

11+