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The Aliomenti Saga #1
A Question of Will
They murdered his wife and son. They burned down his house. They beat him within an inch of his life.
And then they realized they had the wrong man.
They should have killed him when they had the chance.
Will Stark is a thirty-five-year-old self-made billionaire. He's happily married and father to a young son he adores. He's well-loved in his community for his philanthropic efforts. He lives in a beautiful home inside a private, secure community designed to provide safety for his family from those who would do them harm.
His idyllic world is shattered when, despite his best efforts, men storm his community, murder his family in their home, and burn his house down. In his efforts to rush to the aid of those he loves, Will is seized, beaten, and nearly killed.
And as it's happening, the men who've attacked him realize they've mistaken him for someone else.
Will's rescue from certain death brings him into the midst of a battle between two factions of a secret society, one in which members learn the secrets of developing superhuman abilities. And it's a battle in which a man named Will Stark has been the focal point. Will seizes the opportunity to learn these secrets, and battle those who destroyed his family. His own rapid development, however, means he may become a target for attack of his own accord.
As he builds his new life, however, Will is faced with a critical decision. Will he use his new abilities to seek out vengeance? Or will he risk everything he has to save those he holds most dear?
And then they realized they had the wrong man.
They should have killed him when they had the chance.
Will Stark is a thirty-five-year-old self-made billionaire. He's happily married and father to a young son he adores. He's well-loved in his community for his philanthropic efforts. He lives in a beautiful home inside a private, secure community designed to provide safety for his family from those who would do them harm.
His idyllic world is shattered when, despite his best efforts, men storm his community, murder his family in their home, and burn his house down. In his efforts to rush to the aid of those he loves, Will is seized, beaten, and nearly killed.
And as it's happening, the men who've attacked him realize they've mistaken him for someone else.
Will's rescue from certain death brings him into the midst of a battle between two factions of a secret society, one in which members learn the secrets of developing superhuman abilities. And it's a battle in which a man named Will Stark has been the focal point. Will seizes the opportunity to learn these secrets, and battle those who destroyed his family. His own rapid development, however, means he may become a target for attack of his own accord.
As he builds his new life, however, Will is faced with a critical decision. Will he use his new abilities to seek out vengeance? Or will he risk everything he has to save those he holds most dear?
288 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 21, 2012
626 people are currently reading
2557 people want to read
About the author
Alex Albrinck
19 books179 followersI am a lifelong Ohio resident, where I live with my wife and three children. When I'm not trying to be in three places at once with my active youngsters, I'm following local professional and collegiate sports teams, or possibly unscrambling a Rubik's Cube. In lieu of sleep, I read and write fiction.
My debut novel, A QUESTION OF WILL, explores themes of technological advancement, human potential (good and bad), and the love bonding a family together. It reached the Amazon Top 100 in Science Fiction -> High Tech less than a week after publication. The sequels--PRESERVING HOPE, ASCENT OF THE ALIOMENTI, and BIRTH OF THE ALLIANCE--continue to follow Will's adventures, bringing to life the technological and Energy advances he's achieved in entirely new settings.
I am currently drafting the fifth of seven novels in the series.
My debut novel, A QUESTION OF WILL, explores themes of technological advancement, human potential (good and bad), and the love bonding a family together. It reached the Amazon Top 100 in Science Fiction -> High Tech less than a week after publication. The sequels--PRESERVING HOPE, ASCENT OF THE ALIOMENTI, and BIRTH OF THE ALLIANCE--continue to follow Will's adventures, bringing to life the technological and Energy advances he's achieved in entirely new settings.
I am currently drafting the fifth of seven novels in the series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 216 reviews
November 19, 2014
-Batiburrillo de muchas cosas con aspiraciones de thriller serio de Ciencia-Ficción.-
Género. Ciencia-Ficción.
Lo que nos cuenta. El multimillonario emprendedor Will Stark corre hacia su casa para tratar de evitar la muerte de su mujer y su hijo, para encontrar su hogar en llamas. Y es que minutos antes la férrea seguridad de alta tecnología del exclusivo condominio en el que viven los Stark ha sido rota por un grupo de personas que manifiestan unas habilidades sobrehumanas, con un implacable asesino a la cabeza que, según algún tipo de extrañas reglas, debe explicar a sus víctimas porqué hace lo que hace. Primer volumen de la saga The Aliomenti.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...
Género. Ciencia-Ficción.
Lo que nos cuenta. El multimillonario emprendedor Will Stark corre hacia su casa para tratar de evitar la muerte de su mujer y su hijo, para encontrar su hogar en llamas. Y es que minutos antes la férrea seguridad de alta tecnología del exclusivo condominio en el que viven los Stark ha sido rota por un grupo de personas que manifiestan unas habilidades sobrehumanas, con un implacable asesino a la cabeza que, según algún tipo de extrañas reglas, debe explicar a sus víctimas porqué hace lo que hace. Primer volumen de la saga The Aliomenti.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...
November 19, 2013
As one of the other reviewers said, the beginning of A Question of Will is a bit disjointed, and the whole book is sprinkled with little facts that are all tied together in the end. Despite the quirkiness of the initial chapters, I found this book one that I could not put down until I finished it! What's more, I was left so hungry for the next installment for this series that I had to go purchase it that same day. Give this book, and the author, a chance and you won't be disappointed at all.
December 6, 2013
My first book from Alex Albrinck. This was actually a free ebook I downloaded via Book Bubs, and it was definitely a great deal! Initially I wasn't sure about the writing style, but by about a quarter of the way through I was hooked. He does a good job switching between POV's and not confusing the reader too much. Granted, the writing could be a bit better, but overall I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I am certainly going to read the next book in the saga.
October 25, 2013
I downloaded the book for free through BookBub, but I couldn't get past the first page in my e-reader. The prose's meaning is less than clear, and the style is "fuzzy," for lack of a better way to put it.
Albrinck is still writing his "first million words [before discovering how to really write]," to quote Stephen King. He has plenty of potential, but his ideas are outstripping his execution right now.
Time to get cracking on the rest of those million words so Albrinck can finally get to the good stuff.
Oct. 24, 2013.
Albrinck is still writing his "first million words [before discovering how to really write]," to quote Stephen King. He has plenty of potential, but his ideas are outstripping his execution right now.
Time to get cracking on the rest of those million words so Albrinck can finally get to the good stuff.
Oct. 24, 2013.
Read
January 4, 2014Mind. Blown.
Repeatedly. This was fantastic. I avoided work all day until I finished it, grinning like a maniac the entire time. If you love fantasy, sci-fi, mystery, and suspense? This book is for you. And now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go start the next one.
Repeatedly. This was fantastic. I avoided work all day until I finished it, grinning like a maniac the entire time. If you love fantasy, sci-fi, mystery, and suspense? This book is for you. And now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go start the next one.
February 9, 2013
A meld of Sci-Fi meets dystopian world with secret Uebermensch societies.
It is fairly complex and strewn with small details that often don't become relevant till much later.
The main character is hunted and yet it remains unclear to a certain extent how innocent he really is. The book starts off with a race against time to save his wife and child. He is hunted by the Assassin and my favourite three musketeers, well known from the preque Hunting Will (The Aliomenti Saga - Prequel).
The whole money/inheritance sub-plot was far too distanced from the rest of the story and a lot of the details were superfluous. Saying that, it might become important in the next book, which might explain the abruptness and unexplained ending of that particular sideline.
I think the author needs to bring a little more emotional depth to the characters. At the moment they are quite cold and as a reader it is hard to relate to them on any level. The story went from strong to weak and then in the last quarter of the book the author kicked it up a notch or two and I can honestly say, without revealing any spoilers, that I didn't see that one coming.
I can see Albrinck becoming someone to watch out for when he has ironed out the wrinkles and finetuned his craft a little more. He has some interesting ideas on a sci-fi brain bashing timeloop understanding level.
It is fairly complex and strewn with small details that often don't become relevant till much later.
The main character is hunted and yet it remains unclear to a certain extent how innocent he really is. The book starts off with a race against time to save his wife and child. He is hunted by the Assassin and my favourite three musketeers, well known from the preque Hunting Will (The Aliomenti Saga - Prequel).
The whole money/inheritance sub-plot was far too distanced from the rest of the story and a lot of the details were superfluous. Saying that, it might become important in the next book, which might explain the abruptness and unexplained ending of that particular sideline.
I think the author needs to bring a little more emotional depth to the characters. At the moment they are quite cold and as a reader it is hard to relate to them on any level. The story went from strong to weak and then in the last quarter of the book the author kicked it up a notch or two and I can honestly say, without revealing any spoilers, that I didn't see that one coming.
I can see Albrinck becoming someone to watch out for when he has ironed out the wrinkles and finetuned his craft a little more. He has some interesting ideas on a sci-fi brain bashing timeloop understanding level.
December 9, 2013
Holy shit this book is pretty intense. I feel like I've been mind fucked after reading it. You know that Dr. Who episode where they go back in time to change an event they're already present at, but fail so they go back in time again to try to change it one last time? Well the book is like that. It's got so much time travel that the MC loops constantly through time affecting his own life, like in Harry Potter where Harry saves himself by going back in time. There's only one timeline so in effect Will experiences himself saving himself and then at a later date again has to save himself to make sure his original timeline stays true. Anyways the book was good but I don't feel like I can pick up the sequel yet until I have a few days to process the first book.
The biggest question I ask myself is: If you could go into the past to save your future, but end up losing the children and life you had since you changed the timeline, is it wrong? right? Are you actually murdering them? They'll never exist if you modify the timeline but then again it's not exactly like you're actually killing them... they were never born. Will can always marry the same wife and have children with her but they won't be the same; they'll be different/new.
I guess the safest thing to do is to not get married or have a wife if you plan on time traveling and changing the timeline.
The biggest question I ask myself is: If you could go into the past to save your future, but end up losing the children and life you had since you changed the timeline, is it wrong? right? Are you actually murdering them? They'll never exist if you modify the timeline but then again it's not exactly like you're actually killing them... they were never born. Will can always marry the same wife and have children with her but they won't be the same; they'll be different/new.
I guess the safest thing to do is to not get married or have a wife if you plan on time traveling and changing the timeline.
January 22, 2014
I found this book to be well written and, in parts, very moving. an enjoyable read tho wrapping my head around the consequences of time travel made my head hurt! I will definitely be buying the next in the series. a recommended read
December 10, 2013
I didn't see that ending coming.
Read
January 27, 2020Dropped. Couldn't get through it. May one day get back.
March 25, 2017
It's exciting, but the pay-offs are unsatisfying or just don't come at all far too often. It felt sort of hollow.
January 4, 2021
Notes:
DNF @ 12%
Narration is fine but the story is not written well and not fun to listen to. It's distracting. Next!
DNF @ 12%
Narration is fine but the story is not written well and not fun to listen to. It's distracting. Next!
October 26, 2015
The story in this book is a sort of thriller with heavy science fiction and fantasy elements. There is a nefarious organization of people with special powers, plus a rebel group that broke away from the others and works in the best interests of the plain old humans. A man and his family get unsuspectingly tangled up in all that business. A dash of time travel spices things up.
The author has some good ideas and a degree of talent with the written word (although he is rather fond of some cliche phrases), but has yet to learn how to string it all together into a cohesive novel in a way that works.
The book would tell the same piece of information over and over again as we read from different character points of view. I understand that one person is just learning of it, but since the reader already knows, you have to find a better way than just repeating the same things to us. And then again. And again. This was especially tiresome when the entire first scene was repeated from different perspectives at least 4 times. I struggled to keep reading at that point.
I developed no connection to any of the characters, and found some of the characterization laughable.
As I said, though, the author has some good ideas, he just needs some more experience on how to piece the story together in a more compelling way.
The author has some good ideas and a degree of talent with the written word (although he is rather fond of some cliche phrases), but has yet to learn how to string it all together into a cohesive novel in a way that works.
The book would tell the same piece of information over and over again as we read from different character points of view. I understand that one person is just learning of it, but since the reader already knows, you have to find a better way than just repeating the same things to us. And then again. And again. This was especially tiresome when the entire first scene was repeated from different perspectives at least 4 times. I struggled to keep reading at that point.
I developed no connection to any of the characters, and found some of the characterization laughable.
As I said, though, the author has some good ideas, he just needs some more experience on how to piece the story together in a more compelling way.
April 30, 2014
It bums me out that this appears to be the edited version. It could really use another run through or two to tighten things up. I almost quit after the first 2 chapters, but the Goodreads reviews convinced me to press on. I'm not sure if I'm glad. It's an interesting concept, but the storytelling is pretty clunky. Half the plot seems more like plotdump, and the "twists" revealed at the end are pretty obvious from the beginning. (It's not foreshadowing, it's just obvious what we're leading up to.)
The next 2 novels in the series are like $1, so maybe I'll follow this up and see where it goes. There's nothing mind blowing here, though.
The next 2 novels in the series are like $1, so maybe I'll follow this up and see where it goes. There's nothing mind blowing here, though.
December 23, 2013
What I don't like
I had a hard time getting into the story at first because you're reading about the same scene from at least 5 different point if views. At one point I just wanted the author to get on with it! Finally the story moves on but it still remains a tad confusing until the very end when it all ties together.
What I do like
It definitely keeps you on your toes with the mix of secret society, the evolution of mankind and the unknown: what happened to his family??
I would recommend this book to my friends with the foreknowledge that you have to get through the first chapter
I had a hard time getting into the story at first because you're reading about the same scene from at least 5 different point if views. At one point I just wanted the author to get on with it! Finally the story moves on but it still remains a tad confusing until the very end when it all ties together.
What I do like
It definitely keeps you on your toes with the mix of secret society, the evolution of mankind and the unknown: what happened to his family??
I would recommend this book to my friends with the foreknowledge that you have to get through the first chapter
October 5, 2016
Time travel books confused me, doesn't matter who writes it or what the story is about.
I like this story though, even though I had to read some parts twice. still confused as to how the main character forgot who he was and that he had Energy.
There were a couple of ' I didn't see that coming' moments however that had me shocked with my mouth hanging open.
Great story, can't wait to see how we got to the point if the first book.
I like this story though, even though I had to read some parts twice. still confused as to how the main character forgot who he was and that he had Energy.
There were a couple of ' I didn't see that coming' moments however that had me shocked with my mouth hanging open.
Great story, can't wait to see how we got to the point if the first book.
January 13, 2014
A different twist for sure
Although I had some difficulty with the time paradox, the story was well told and enjoyable. The use of nanotechnology wasn't a bit of a stretch (to much of a get out of jail card free card); many things could have been explained or accomplished without its overuse.
I look forward to.the next installments.
Although I had some difficulty with the time paradox, the story was well told and enjoyable. The use of nanotechnology wasn't a bit of a stretch (to much of a get out of jail card free card); many things could have been explained or accomplished without its overuse.
I look forward to.the next installments.
November 14, 2013
Drop everything you're doing and read this book! It's free on kindle but doesn't disappoint. I've just started the third book in the series and have not been disappointed. Thrilling, adventure scifi with amazing characters. I have told everyone I know about this series. Just read it!
December 19, 2015
Good story that really evolved throughout the book. The last few chapters covered a lot of ground and resolved a lot of questions.
Good enough to read to try the second book.
Update: I read the entire series and loved it. Highly recommended.
Good enough to read to try the second book.
Update: I read the entire series and loved it. Highly recommended.
April 20, 2017
The story started off really strong. I was hooked! Around 3/4 it got a little jumbled, but finished with an unexpected surprise, albeit an unsatisfying surprise. Nothing to write home about, but an entertaining/interesting book none the less. 3.75 stars; would recommend.
Read
December 24, 2013Great book, couldn't keep it down and had to finish it. Looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
March 22, 2021
I will admit I struggled with this book, at least a little. The story kicked off, and followed what I was thinking was a normal path for approximately the first half and then just wrenched the wheel and took a very sharp right turn that left my mental model on the floor, in pieces. I dutifully recreated it to match the new reality only to have it blithely knocked to the ground again when the climax rolled around. The climax, while late and small, was interesting, but left me with even more questions, which I hope will get resolved in the next book.
July 13, 2021
Was not a fan of this book. Time travel, causal loops, and strawman villains don't make for a compelling narrative hook to me but I at least finished the book.
March 18, 2017
Mind. Blown.
I seriously could not get over how many plot twists there were in this book. Just when I had adjusted to what I thought was reality, it turns out I didn't know what reality was at all. The first three books in this series are free on Kindle in a bundle. Thoroughly enjoyed Book #1 and can't wait to see what happens next.
I seriously could not get over how many plot twists there were in this book. Just when I had adjusted to what I thought was reality, it turns out I didn't know what reality was at all. The first three books in this series are free on Kindle in a bundle. Thoroughly enjoyed Book #1 and can't wait to see what happens next.
March 6, 2015
This book started off okay, but veered toward the verbose when every character spent pages and pages musing on what just happened, and the narrator kept providing immense amounts of reflection with no real revelations. Several chapters after an incident, we'd see another character waking up, reflecting on what happened chapters before, and then determining what had happened (which we'd already been told at least twice, at that point). It was too much.
The "technology" was half-assed. Nanos that can do anything we want them to do? OK, but how? You can't just dump that into a story and not have any explanation. That only works if you're talking about fantasy stuff like magic, not technology that's supposed to make the world advance.
Then, when the whole was introduced towards the end, I was completely done. I finished the book, but man was that convoluted, and not in a good way. I am not interested enough to pick up the next six (SIX!!!) books to find out where the hell the author was going with this story.
The "technology" was half-assed. Nanos that can do anything we want them to do? OK, but how? You can't just dump that into a story and not have any explanation. That only works if you're talking about fantasy stuff like magic, not technology that's supposed to make the world advance.
Then, when the whole was introduced towards the end, I was completely done. I finished the book, but man was that convoluted, and not in a good way. I am not interested enough to pick up the next six (SIX!!!) books to find out where the hell the author was going with this story.
July 3, 2018
An interesting concept.
Alex Albrinck quite clearly has a great imagination, and an epic scope of where he wants to take this series.
However, the book suffers from disturbingly poor prose, lore-holes abound, the god-awful narration, referring to one character by two names inside the same paragraph with little differentiation/explanation, the actual vocalisations of the characters is laughably poor.
I managed to finish the first book and to be fair, the concept of circular time travel as interesting enough to keep me reading.
The second book hit, and I gave up after the first third. If you're going to write in a historical time period, do your research. Albrinck has no concept of anything to do with Norman life in England, from the language to the customs. As an archaeologist, it makes me pretty annoyed.
Great concept, awful execution.
Alex Albrinck quite clearly has a great imagination, and an epic scope of where he wants to take this series.
However, the book suffers from disturbingly poor prose, lore-holes abound, the god-awful narration, referring to one character by two names inside the same paragraph with little differentiation/explanation, the actual vocalisations of the characters is laughably poor.
I managed to finish the first book and to be fair, the concept of circular time travel as interesting enough to keep me reading.
The second book hit, and I gave up after the first third. If you're going to write in a historical time period, do your research. Albrinck has no concept of anything to do with Norman life in England, from the language to the customs. As an archaeologist, it makes me pretty annoyed.
Great concept, awful execution.
May 8, 2017
Wow what a fast paced exciting book this is!! Love the fantastic time travelling which takes place in this series, the very futuristic nano technology and the way they are used by the alliance, even though at times the time travelling became rather confusing!! Will is an amazing character, the aliomenti are terribly ruthless and scary in their ambition for total power but the alliance trio who save will are great and surprising in their connections but no spoilers!! The surprises keep on taking place right through the book. Looking forward to reading the next book!! Well done Alex Albrinck.
December 8, 2018
Excellent!
An engrossing and unforgettable story! Remarkable in its complexity. Xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx
An engrossing and unforgettable story! Remarkable in its complexity. Xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx
September 24, 2017
First in a series of several - relatively straightforward slightly futurist thriller, post unspecified Catastrophe and Depression Will Stark is a canny businessman/entrepreneur whose ife is destrotyed when his fortress-like gated community is breached and his wife and child seemingly slaughtered. It works better on the page - and the sequels will probably sort out any lingering quibbles I might have.
November 5, 2013
It's ok. The retelling telling retelling telling got a bit old and cause me to skim most of the last half of the book. It's plot was good. The second book doesn't hold any interest for me. Idk. It's a good SCI fi but I think it could have been way better with some heavy editing and less retelling.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 216 reviews