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Two For Eternity
From the beginning of human history, two immortal beings have battled against each other. Vrag has pulled the strings of malevolent leaders, and has caused endless destruction and chaos. Raiken, his immortal counterpart, has opposed him at every turn.
Two for Eternity is both a historical and contemporary fantasy thriller that takes many controversial interpretations of history. From ancient Egypt and Babylon, through the time of Christ in Judea, spanning the Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, through World War II, Raiken and Vrag have engaged in an inhuman battle of wills. Now, the stakes have never been higher as Vrag has set his sights on the destruction of society. Raiken has always been the defender of humanity against his immortal enemy. They will battle one last time to settle their score for eternity.
Two for Eternity is both a historical and contemporary fantasy thriller that takes many controversial interpretations of history. From ancient Egypt and Babylon, through the time of Christ in Judea, spanning the Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, through World War II, Raiken and Vrag have engaged in an inhuman battle of wills. Now, the stakes have never been higher as Vrag has set his sights on the destruction of society. Raiken has always been the defender of humanity against his immortal enemy. They will battle one last time to settle their score for eternity.
312 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
March 1, 2018
Two For Eternity - Written by Carl Alves
What would immortally be like? Would it be worth it?
From the beginning of human history, two immortal beings have battled against each other. Vrag has pulled the strings of malevolent leaders and has caused endless destruction and chaos. Raiken, his immortal counterpart, has opposed him at every turn.
What did I like? I love history and travel; this fantasy thriller takes us on a trip that would be the envy of anyone with those loves. But would it be worth it? Living and dying, never knowing where and when losing everyone that we love just to begin all over again. This book answers some of those questions.
What will you like? Historical, emotional, fantasy, thriller, murder, defenders of humanity and the ultimate destructor! Travel high speed through the past and enjoy it from your favorite chair. The battle for all humanity rests between these two men and will last for eternity.
What would immortally be like? Would it be worth it?
From the beginning of human history, two immortal beings have battled against each other. Vrag has pulled the strings of malevolent leaders and has caused endless destruction and chaos. Raiken, his immortal counterpart, has opposed him at every turn.
What did I like? I love history and travel; this fantasy thriller takes us on a trip that would be the envy of anyone with those loves. But would it be worth it? Living and dying, never knowing where and when losing everyone that we love just to begin all over again. This book answers some of those questions.
What will you like? Historical, emotional, fantasy, thriller, murder, defenders of humanity and the ultimate destructor! Travel high speed through the past and enjoy it from your favorite chair. The battle for all humanity rests between these two men and will last for eternity.
Read
November 2, 2011It is a thought-provoking novel in many ways, and the story will definitely keep you turning the pages, as well as the explorations into different historical eras. Of course, the natural comparison would be to Highlander, which also sees two immortals locked in an eternal battle to determine who will win The Prize, but at least in that universe once you cut a guy’s head off, that’s it—there’s no coming back. In other words, the parameters of how to achieve a final death on an immortal Highlander are known. Also, there are multiple immortal beings like this when the story starts out (I wondered if the MCs, Vrag and Raiken, were the only ones to ever exist) but the numbers get narrowed down to two for Highlander’s epic battle with the Kurgan, possibly one of the best and most hilarious 80s villains ever ;-)
If you’ve always wanted to find something similar to Highlander in the fantasy section of your local bookshop, give Two for Eternity a try. Fans of exploring historical eras through fiction will also get a kick out of this novel.
If you’ve always wanted to find something similar to Highlander in the fantasy section of your local bookshop, give Two for Eternity a try. Fans of exploring historical eras through fiction will also get a kick out of this novel.
September 30, 2017
What An Amazing Adventure!
This is a story about good versus evil. Two immortal brothers one good one bad. They have been around for thousands and thousands of years. From the moment I started this book I was hooked.
The story is well done. There is also a lot of history throughout the story.
I really enjoyed this I have to say. The story always felt exciting to me. I am guessing from the ending that maybe a second book might be on the horizon, if so I would gladly read it. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy, history and unique story telling.
This is a story about good versus evil. Two immortal brothers one good one bad. They have been around for thousands and thousands of years. From the moment I started this book I was hooked.
The story is well done. There is also a lot of history throughout the story.
I really enjoyed this I have to say. The story always felt exciting to me. I am guessing from the ending that maybe a second book might be on the horizon, if so I would gladly read it. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy, history and unique story telling.
July 1, 2012
This is only the second time travel book I have ever read, and indeed, this one is so completely different than any I have ever read. It not only appeals to time travel enthusiasts but historians as well. The age-old battle of good versus evil is a main thrust of the book, and if you can set all your preconceived notions aside, you just might find yourself buying into this book.
I was very pleased that the profanity was almost nonexistent, and there were no bedroom scenes. In addition to that, the scenes depicting violence were realistic and often repulsive but exceptionally well-done. Raiken and Vrag were well-developed characters, and the hatred between these two "supernatural" beings made for quite an interesting tale.
I was intrigued by the different interpretations that the author brought to well-known historical events such as Egypt, the time of Christ, and WWII. The spin that he put on the tale of Columbus truly made me think that perhaps the story I was taught in elementary school may have left a few things out. It is something I need to research for myself.
I struggled most with the reincarnation of these two characters throughout history. I also would have liked to have seen Raiken turning to Christ every time after his encounter with the Son of God. Instead, Raiken seemed to assimilate into the popular religions of his time and country. Christ was still hailed as supreme when it was convenient, but it would have been nice to have seen Him figure into the story a little more. I also would have liked to have known where these two came from. Was Raikan an angel and Vrag a demon? I never felt like I truly understood. But maybe I wasn't intended to.
Time travel is something that I often cannot embrace very easily. If you like time travel and history, you may just find this book a real treat. Otherwise I may suggest that you steer your interests towards other books.
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.
I was very pleased that the profanity was almost nonexistent, and there were no bedroom scenes. In addition to that, the scenes depicting violence were realistic and often repulsive but exceptionally well-done. Raiken and Vrag were well-developed characters, and the hatred between these two "supernatural" beings made for quite an interesting tale.
I was intrigued by the different interpretations that the author brought to well-known historical events such as Egypt, the time of Christ, and WWII. The spin that he put on the tale of Columbus truly made me think that perhaps the story I was taught in elementary school may have left a few things out. It is something I need to research for myself.
I struggled most with the reincarnation of these two characters throughout history. I also would have liked to have seen Raiken turning to Christ every time after his encounter with the Son of God. Instead, Raiken seemed to assimilate into the popular religions of his time and country. Christ was still hailed as supreme when it was convenient, but it would have been nice to have seen Him figure into the story a little more. I also would have liked to have known where these two came from. Was Raikan an angel and Vrag a demon? I never felt like I truly understood. But maybe I wasn't intended to.
Time travel is something that I often cannot embrace very easily. If you like time travel and history, you may just find this book a real treat. Otherwise I may suggest that you steer your interests towards other books.
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.
April 13, 2015
Full disclosure: I never would have read this book had the author not personally contacted me to request I do so and offer an honest review. I was intrigued, so I took him up on the offer.
Implausible plot? Yes. But that's the fun of such a book. Twin brothers named Raiken and Vrag--one good, one evil--have the gift of immortality. They die. They are reborn. They remember everything they knew or experienced in previous lives. It's a type of time travel, but going forward so no knowledge the future is involved.
The plot focuses on Raiken and Vrag's seemingly endless battles over the centuries, beginning about 10,000 AD in Africa and continuing to modern day. Although author Carl Alves obviously did extensive historical research, the writing style could be greatly improved. He simply describes, rather than weaving a story in such a way that the reader feels he or she is experiencing the action along with the characters, as so many of our greatest writers do. In addition, it's the same story over and over--just different time periods and locations. One brother kills the other and the story begins again.
There is extensive violence with lurid descriptions of bloodshed, death and dying. I think the ideal audience for this book is teenage boys. They would enjoy the seemingly endless battle scenes, and they would learn a bit of history in the bargain.
I was very disappointed in the quality of the editing. The numerous typos, grammatical errors and editing mistakes have resulted in a two-star rating. I might consider a three-star rating if the errors were fixed.
Implausible plot? Yes. But that's the fun of such a book. Twin brothers named Raiken and Vrag--one good, one evil--have the gift of immortality. They die. They are reborn. They remember everything they knew or experienced in previous lives. It's a type of time travel, but going forward so no knowledge the future is involved.
The plot focuses on Raiken and Vrag's seemingly endless battles over the centuries, beginning about 10,000 AD in Africa and continuing to modern day. Although author Carl Alves obviously did extensive historical research, the writing style could be greatly improved. He simply describes, rather than weaving a story in such a way that the reader feels he or she is experiencing the action along with the characters, as so many of our greatest writers do. In addition, it's the same story over and over--just different time periods and locations. One brother kills the other and the story begins again.
There is extensive violence with lurid descriptions of bloodshed, death and dying. I think the ideal audience for this book is teenage boys. They would enjoy the seemingly endless battle scenes, and they would learn a bit of history in the bargain.
I was very disappointed in the quality of the editing. The numerous typos, grammatical errors and editing mistakes have resulted in a two-star rating. I might consider a three-star rating if the errors were fixed.
April 30, 2015
A very interesting twist on some of the major world events. This could be a way to interest people young and old to the events that have shaped our world. The bright white pages and high gloss ink are pretty, but the combination of the two are very hard on the eyes when reading in the sun, or by electric lights. I received this book for free by entering a contest through Goodreads.
March 2, 2018
Two For Eternity - Written by Carl Alves
What would immortally be like? Would it be worth it?
From the beginning of human history, two immortal beings have battled against each other. Vrag has pulled the strings of malevolent leaders and has caused endless destruction and chaos. Raiken, his immortal counterpart, has opposed him at every turn.
What did I like? I love history and travel; this fantasy thriller takes us on a trip that would be the envy of anyone with those loves. But would it be worth it? Living and dying, never knowing where and when losing everyone that we love just to begin all over again. This book answers some of those questions.
What will you like? Historical, emotional, fantasy, thriller, murder, defenders of humanity and the ultimate destructor! Travel high speed through the past and enjoy it from your favorite chair. The battle for all humanity rests between these two men and will last for eternity.
What would immortally be like? Would it be worth it?
From the beginning of human history, two immortal beings have battled against each other. Vrag has pulled the strings of malevolent leaders and has caused endless destruction and chaos. Raiken, his immortal counterpart, has opposed him at every turn.
What did I like? I love history and travel; this fantasy thriller takes us on a trip that would be the envy of anyone with those loves. But would it be worth it? Living and dying, never knowing where and when losing everyone that we love just to begin all over again. This book answers some of those questions.
What will you like? Historical, emotional, fantasy, thriller, murder, defenders of humanity and the ultimate destructor! Travel high speed through the past and enjoy it from your favorite chair. The battle for all humanity rests between these two men and will last for eternity.
January 22, 2019
This reading was an illustration project in the works. Now I get to think about, synthesize, and come up with a rockin new cover for the author! Let the business begin!
December 13, 2016
Two for Eternity by Carl Alves
This book is about good and evil and the eternal struggle between them. Mr. Alves creates two characters: Raiken (good) and Vrag (evil); they are twins who are immortal.
The book opens in the present after an extraordinary occurrence and then goes into a flashback.
From 2624 BC in Carthage through 2625 BC Egypt (Central Africa), 1782 BC Babylon, 26-28 AD Judea, 984 AD Norway, 1095 AD Florence, 1492 AD Hispaniola, 1614AD Portugal, 1942 AD England we see the plight of these two immortals. Every time, Reiken tries to better humanity until Vrag shows up - with a "meteorological disturbance"entrance - and spoils what Reiken has accomplished. Each time Vrag tries to seduce Reiken to the dark side, each time Reiken survives the "temptation." Sometimes Vrag kills Raiken, the reverse othertimes.
In the present time, which is the bulk of the book, Raiken is Scott Mullen who has married his high school friend, Dalia. They are employed at Progressive Biosystems. which turns out to be ruled by Barry Huffman (Vrag). Raiken must save humanity from the perilous plans that Vrag has designed.
The book is narrated from the third person point of view. Unfortunately, it is always Raiken's. In a book about the struggle of good vs. evil, it's a very sad occurrence that we ONLY get one point of view. I would have loved to learn what Vrag's point of view is!
The book also has the shortcomings of not giving the reader a full experience. When I read a novel, I expect the author to "describe" the surroundings; the way people look, smell, taste. I would also like to know how the surroundings look. There was not much of this in the book which disappointed me.
Finally, the stories are too repetitious. Each section is an almost repetition of the last scene, with very few changes. I did not get the point of view of the book.
It's an easy fun read, but the author's full potential did not come through!
This book is about good and evil and the eternal struggle between them. Mr. Alves creates two characters: Raiken (good) and Vrag (evil); they are twins who are immortal.
The book opens in the present after an extraordinary occurrence and then goes into a flashback.
From 2624 BC in Carthage through 2625 BC Egypt (Central Africa), 1782 BC Babylon, 26-28 AD Judea, 984 AD Norway, 1095 AD Florence, 1492 AD Hispaniola, 1614AD Portugal, 1942 AD England we see the plight of these two immortals. Every time, Reiken tries to better humanity until Vrag shows up - with a "meteorological disturbance"entrance - and spoils what Reiken has accomplished. Each time Vrag tries to seduce Reiken to the dark side, each time Reiken survives the "temptation." Sometimes Vrag kills Raiken, the reverse othertimes.
In the present time, which is the bulk of the book, Raiken is Scott Mullen who has married his high school friend, Dalia. They are employed at Progressive Biosystems. which turns out to be ruled by Barry Huffman (Vrag). Raiken must save humanity from the perilous plans that Vrag has designed.
The book is narrated from the third person point of view. Unfortunately, it is always Raiken's. In a book about the struggle of good vs. evil, it's a very sad occurrence that we ONLY get one point of view. I would have loved to learn what Vrag's point of view is!
The book also has the shortcomings of not giving the reader a full experience. When I read a novel, I expect the author to "describe" the surroundings; the way people look, smell, taste. I would also like to know how the surroundings look. There was not much of this in the book which disappointed me.
Finally, the stories are too repetitious. Each section is an almost repetition of the last scene, with very few changes. I did not get the point of view of the book.
It's an easy fun read, but the author's full potential did not come through!
July 1, 2015
This review is originally posted on: http://wp.me/p5m5jd-f8
Disclaimer: I received this book from the author in exchange of my honest review.
When I received the email from the author to request for my book review, I immediately accepted because of the blurb. The plot is very interesting as it spans from ancient Egypt to modern world which I haven't read before. I haven't read anything in time travel so I guess it's a great opportunity for me to try it out.
The story talks about a pair of twin brothers - Raiken and Vrag whose origins are mysteries. At first, they are thought to be rivals but when the story unfolds, both of them are actually immortal enemies since thousands years ago.
I enjoyed reading the first few parts of the stories where I learnt that Raiken is a strong holder and believer of humanity whereas Vrag is the opposite. Raiken has to face Vrag on his brutal and cruel acts on every encounters at different eras. And this makes the hatred between them becomes more and more intense as time passes.
It's too bad that I started to feel bored after reading a few parts because of repetitive plot even though each of the parts are being told in different settings and different stories. It might be great for short stories but it might be a bit boring if written as a novel.
The book shows the great effort done by the author in doing research of the different eras of the world. Some of the important incidents happened in this world (including the crucifixion of Jesus) are being included as part of the settings and plots of the stories.
This book is recommended to readers who enjoy reading historical fiction.
Disclaimer: I received this book from the author in exchange of my honest review.
When I received the email from the author to request for my book review, I immediately accepted because of the blurb. The plot is very interesting as it spans from ancient Egypt to modern world which I haven't read before. I haven't read anything in time travel so I guess it's a great opportunity for me to try it out.
The story talks about a pair of twin brothers - Raiken and Vrag whose origins are mysteries. At first, they are thought to be rivals but when the story unfolds, both of them are actually immortal enemies since thousands years ago.
I enjoyed reading the first few parts of the stories where I learnt that Raiken is a strong holder and believer of humanity whereas Vrag is the opposite. Raiken has to face Vrag on his brutal and cruel acts on every encounters at different eras. And this makes the hatred between them becomes more and more intense as time passes.
It's too bad that I started to feel bored after reading a few parts because of repetitive plot even though each of the parts are being told in different settings and different stories. It might be great for short stories but it might be a bit boring if written as a novel.
The book shows the great effort done by the author in doing research of the different eras of the world. Some of the important incidents happened in this world (including the crucifixion of Jesus) are being included as part of the settings and plots of the stories.
This book is recommended to readers who enjoy reading historical fiction.
November 30, 2015
This was an interesting premise mixed in with historical fiction from different eras throughout time. Not syfy or time travel, more like flash backs told by the main character: the immortal Raiken. As Raiken fights with his matched evil twin Vrag, their moral compass becomes clearer with each progression through time.
There was a lot of repetitive superhuman fight scenes as each meeting progressively worsens their "rivalry" and conflicting desires to help humanity vs profit from it. Vrag's overwhelming narcissistic tendencies develop into an overwhelming God-complex that were a little eye-roll worthy compared to Raiken's goody-too-shoes intelligence and desires for bettering cultures. The last few incarnations the fight scenes between them were repetitive and I fully admit to scanning through them. But, if I was a young kid they'd probably be what kept me locked in.
It was a good read and I especially enjoyed the WWII reincarnation and then finally learning about how the reincarnation started in the last "body" Raiken wakes up in to develop the final character. I assume further books will explore their first incarnation as it seemed a giant plot hole that they met for the first time several lives into their existence. If they're "twins" and the only of their kind, it just kind of bothered me that their first "birth" on this earth was never even mentioned.
I was provided the book by the author himself to read and honestly review. Very interesting and enjoy your jaunt through history.
There was a lot of repetitive superhuman fight scenes as each meeting progressively worsens their "rivalry" and conflicting desires to help humanity vs profit from it. Vrag's overwhelming narcissistic tendencies develop into an overwhelming God-complex that were a little eye-roll worthy compared to Raiken's goody-too-shoes intelligence and desires for bettering cultures. The last few incarnations the fight scenes between them were repetitive and I fully admit to scanning through them. But, if I was a young kid they'd probably be what kept me locked in.
It was a good read and I especially enjoyed the WWII reincarnation and then finally learning about how the reincarnation started in the last "body" Raiken wakes up in to develop the final character. I assume further books will explore their first incarnation as it seemed a giant plot hole that they met for the first time several lives into their existence. If they're "twins" and the only of their kind, it just kind of bothered me that their first "birth" on this earth was never even mentioned.
I was provided the book by the author himself to read and honestly review. Very interesting and enjoy your jaunt through history.
July 13, 2012
Two For Eternity was by no means a light read. It is the ultimate battle between good and evil. Two immortal brothers, Raiken (who is good) and Vrag (who is very evil), battle each other from 2640 B.C. through modern day 1981. For any history buff you will be fascinated by this novel and the different time periods shown. It is the ultimate book in time travel, except, they don't travel to a new time until they die and are reborn into another body. There is a lot of action and many scenes of war. You will read about the Hispanolia 1492 A.D. and Norway 984 A.D. with the Vikings. Another favorite time period was when the two brothers were in England, 1942 during World Ward II.
Carl Alves's writing style keeps the story moving along. The chapters are broken up enough to give you time to digest what has just happened. This book is recommended for older teens and adults who like adventure, action and time travel.
Carl has offered a copy of Two for Eternity to one of my lucky readers at my blog. All that you need to do is: be a GFC follower of my blog and earn a free entry by liking my facebook page. This contest will be open for two weeks, until July 24th, 2012 (for USA readers only...sorry) when a winner will be chosen using the Rafflecoptor form on my blog.
http://whynotbecauseisaidso.blogspot....
Carl Alves's writing style keeps the story moving along. The chapters are broken up enough to give you time to digest what has just happened. This book is recommended for older teens and adults who like adventure, action and time travel.
Carl has offered a copy of Two for Eternity to one of my lucky readers at my blog. All that you need to do is: be a GFC follower of my blog and earn a free entry by liking my facebook page. This contest will be open for two weeks, until July 24th, 2012 (for USA readers only...sorry) when a winner will be chosen using the Rafflecoptor form on my blog.
http://whynotbecauseisaidso.blogspot....
August 30, 2012
I received this book as an Early Read through Library Thing to read and rate so here goes...
I loved the book! Couldn't put it down, started it yesterday morning and finished it this afternoon. A story of good and evil, light and dark, two brothers that cannot live apart but all hell brakes loose when they are together. You come to hate Vrag and his will to do pure evil, and you can relate to Raiken's goodness but at the same time his killer side as he tries to stop Vrag.
I loved the way the author tweaked with history to make it fit into the story, or better yet... the way he made the characters fit into history to come up with a plausible story of how things could have happened!
Good read... I will be on the lookout for more books by Carl Alves!
I loved the book! Couldn't put it down, started it yesterday morning and finished it this afternoon. A story of good and evil, light and dark, two brothers that cannot live apart but all hell brakes loose when they are together. You come to hate Vrag and his will to do pure evil, and you can relate to Raiken's goodness but at the same time his killer side as he tries to stop Vrag.
I loved the way the author tweaked with history to make it fit into the story, or better yet... the way he made the characters fit into history to come up with a plausible story of how things could have happened!
Good read... I will be on the lookout for more books by Carl Alves!
May 30, 2012
I would like to thank Carl Alves for this book, which I won through Goodreads First Reads giveaways.
Raiken and Vlag's eternal struggle is a new take on the good vs. evil factor of humanity. Are humans inherently good or inherently bad? I still don't know, but the depiction of the struggle was enjoyable to read about. The book also followed the pattern of "I don't know," because there was no significant conclusion to the struggle.
The writing style was easy to read with very few fragments, which I always detest. I thank Mr. Alves for that.
All in all, the book was a unique take on historical events and the eternal struggle of good vs. evil.
Raiken and Vlag's eternal struggle is a new take on the good vs. evil factor of humanity. Are humans inherently good or inherently bad? I still don't know, but the depiction of the struggle was enjoyable to read about. The book also followed the pattern of "I don't know," because there was no significant conclusion to the struggle.
The writing style was easy to read with very few fragments, which I always detest. I thank Mr. Alves for that.
All in all, the book was a unique take on historical events and the eternal struggle of good vs. evil.
September 5, 2012
Interesting book. Far from my "usual" genre of book, even though it involved historical events almost like an alternate history type of book, so definitely not what I was expecting. That being said, it was an interesting read. I didn't really like the jumping around in the time line at first, but it made sense. I do wish the author had explained *how* the 2 main characters came into being. The book gave some very intriguing aspects to some famous historical events. I'm still attempting to fully digest the plot of the book and where it might go from there because it sure left a lot of possibilities for the future.
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September 28, 2012 Two for eternity is a historical fantasy ( which I got free at Goodreads.com) . It also is a thriller which starts ou in ancient times and comes forward to modern times. It's two main charcater's, one likeable and one not, influence events through the times. It was hard to stop reading in the muddle of a chapter. I enjoyed the book very much.
November 17, 2012
I got this for free as part of a review group. I think I picked this up originally through LibraryThing.
I've tried to read this completely, picked it up and stopped several times. I just can't stand the writing style. The history seems well done, and I'm not sure if it's supposed to have this whole Cain and Abel throughout time feel to it deliberately or not.
I've tried to read this completely, picked it up and stopped several times. I just can't stand the writing style. The history seems well done, and I'm not sure if it's supposed to have this whole Cain and Abel throughout time feel to it deliberately or not.
October 8, 2012
Thoroughly enjoying fantasy adventure. I have a feeling this is not a stand alone piece, or it would feel incomplete otherwise. I look forward to the story continuing and learning more about how and why these immortals became what they are-- and can they ever die?
July 24, 2012
Read my review on my blog!
http://firesidemusings.blogspot.com/2...
http://firesidemusings.blogspot.com/2...
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews