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The Aleph Null Chronicles #1
Black Numbers
In a land where true magic is based on the rare ability to use advanced mathematics to affect the physical world, those who can control such powers are part of a secret organization known as the Oblate. Over the millennia, they have directed the Korpor, a violent and sexual creature, to roam the land and search for the Aleph Null, the one prophesied to control the mysterious Black Numbers, a power beyond anything ever seen in the land.
Sid’s awakening sexuality and genius-level mastery of mathematics puts him on a collision course with the Korpor and the Oblate, and he soon finds himself on the run from powerful and mysterious forces intent on controlling him and his powers. His journey propels him to the center of an ancient struggle that he cannot understand and wants no part of.
But he is not alone, for the friendships that he forges along the way help him to navigate the dark and chaotic road he must travel.
Can Sid overcome the seductive darkness known as Black Numbers?
Sid’s awakening sexuality and genius-level mastery of mathematics puts him on a collision course with the Korpor and the Oblate, and he soon finds himself on the run from powerful and mysterious forces intent on controlling him and his powers. His journey propels him to the center of an ancient struggle that he cannot understand and wants no part of.
But he is not alone, for the friendships that he forges along the way help him to navigate the dark and chaotic road he must travel.
Can Sid overcome the seductive darkness known as Black Numbers?
334 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 7, 2011
About the author
Dean Frank Lappi
3 books50 followersDean Lappi is the author of The Aleph Null Chronicles dark fantasy series that blends sexuality, science, and horror into the traditional fantasy genre. He created a world populated with characters that live and breathe, love and hurt. They face trials anyone can understand but in a fantastical world of mathematics-based magic, monsters out of your worst nightmares, sword masters who aren’t human, giants, and a race of people that can affect time itself.
Enter the amazing world of The Aleph Null Chronicles.
Enter the amazing world of The Aleph Null Chronicles.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
Want to Read
June 9, 2018This is the author's preferred edition. The original, simply titled Black Numbers, was published in 2011. Two years later, Lappi had rewritten and expanded the premise of it, as evident by significant additional pages.
June 15, 2011
Black Numbers is different and profound. It made me pause in places and it made my skin crawl at certain moments. At times I thought, ‘how could the author write that’ and at other times I thought, ‘brilliant! Why didn’t I think of that?’.
It’s a story about a young man named Sidoro (Sid) who must journey to the Oblate. You the reader ride with Sid along the way. You feel what he feels. You share his compassion and his hatred for and of others. You also get to meet Crowdal – my personal favorite character in the book. And you become very intimate with a sly creature named the Korpor.
The magic is in the numbers. This is where this fantastical book differs from other books I’ve read in the fantasy genre. If you love math you will likely love this story, but even if you don’t like math the magic is spun so simply that you can still enjoy the story through the power of the Black Numbers. It’s a dark fantasy and is done well.
In my opinion, I would say this book is for adults. Sexual experiences, both good and bad, happen throughout.
I read the author’s bio and it says he has a degree in MFA and you can tell he does know what he is doing. I also saw that he is working on book two of this series and I for one will be in line to buy the next book.
It’s a story about a young man named Sidoro (Sid) who must journey to the Oblate. You the reader ride with Sid along the way. You feel what he feels. You share his compassion and his hatred for and of others. You also get to meet Crowdal – my personal favorite character in the book. And you become very intimate with a sly creature named the Korpor.
The magic is in the numbers. This is where this fantastical book differs from other books I’ve read in the fantasy genre. If you love math you will likely love this story, but even if you don’t like math the magic is spun so simply that you can still enjoy the story through the power of the Black Numbers. It’s a dark fantasy and is done well.
In my opinion, I would say this book is for adults. Sexual experiences, both good and bad, happen throughout.
I read the author’s bio and it says he has a degree in MFA and you can tell he does know what he is doing. I also saw that he is working on book two of this series and I for one will be in line to buy the next book.
March 5, 2012
As a professed geek I found the premise of Black Numbers rather intriguing. The idea of magic, math and sex being reliant upon each other is rather clever. The imaginary world Dean Lappi creates is as well described as his characters. It is very easy to climb into his world and imagine walking the road with his main character, Sid.
I will caution readers this may not be the book to read before going to bed. I made that mistake the first night. Lappi's monster, the Kopor, is one that gets under your skin. Maybe it is the anticipation of what the creature represents, but I found the Korpor to be one of the scariest characters I have come across in a while.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and am awaiting the sequel. I am giving it 4 stars because of keeping me awake that first night.
I will caution readers this may not be the book to read before going to bed. I made that mistake the first night. Lappi's monster, the Kopor, is one that gets under your skin. Maybe it is the anticipation of what the creature represents, but I found the Korpor to be one of the scariest characters I have come across in a while.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and am awaiting the sequel. I am giving it 4 stars because of keeping me awake that first night.
October 25, 2011
This was the most poorly written book I've read in a long time. While the initial concept could make a great story, I couldn't get past the passive sentences, repetitive sentence structure, bouncing points of view, and tell/tell redundencies (This is where the author tells you what the characters are feeling/thinking and then immediately has the character tell another character what they're feeling/thinking)
Definitely suggest you pass on this one.
Definitely suggest you pass on this one.
July 7, 2012
Quickly pulled me in and kept me engaged. Read it in one sitting. Looking forward to the next one.
September 30, 2012
This is an absolutely fantastic book! Wonderfully well written well thought out and a nonstop page turner. Highly recommended to anybody who loves fantasy fiction.
tbr-fiction-326-to-450
October 2, 2024The original cover was much more striking:
October 19, 2023
Dean Lappi’s novel is a dark path down an even darker plot. Sid is the prodigal wielder of numbers, and if he can be controlled, whoever holds his leash could rule the land. While Sid has the potential to be the most powerful person in the land, he’s young, untrained, and hunted.
Lappi creates an interesting, harsh world. He doesn’t pull any punches, which means this story is not for the faint at heart. (In fact, for full disclosure, this is an NC-rated book.) Yet there is friendship, laughs, a spark of what-might-become-romance-later-on, and a lot of desperate heroism. The book and its main character wrestle with destiny, both preordained and pursued. The magic system is different than normally seen in a fantasy novel, which is a pleasant surprise, and while many of the characters are ones you would find in this genre, Lappi breathes life into them with individual traits and a humor at times that offsets the darker aspects. It’s a great novel, one that kicks off a series. I highly recommend it for dark fantasy fans. Lappi definitely has your number.
Lappi creates an interesting, harsh world. He doesn’t pull any punches, which means this story is not for the faint at heart. (In fact, for full disclosure, this is an NC-rated book.) Yet there is friendship, laughs, a spark of what-might-become-romance-later-on, and a lot of desperate heroism. The book and its main character wrestle with destiny, both preordained and pursued. The magic system is different than normally seen in a fantasy novel, which is a pleasant surprise, and while many of the characters are ones you would find in this genre, Lappi breathes life into them with individual traits and a humor at times that offsets the darker aspects. It’s a great novel, one that kicks off a series. I highly recommend it for dark fantasy fans. Lappi definitely has your number.
February 2, 2016
One of my all-time favorite books by indie author Dean Frank Lappi, is his first one, a little thing called Black Numbers.
But first the blurb:
In a land where true magic is based on the rare ability to use advanced mathematics to affect the physical world, those who can control such powers are part of a secret organization known as the Oblate. Over the millennia, they have directed the Korpor, a violent and sexual creature, to roam the land and search for the Aleph Null, the one prophesied to control the mysterious Black Numbers, a power beyond anything ever seen in the land.
Sid’s awakening sexuality and genius-level mastery of mathematics puts him on a collision course with the Korpor and the Oblate, and he soon finds himself on the run from powerful and mysterious forces intent on controlling him and his powers. His journey propels him to the center of an ancient struggle that he cannot understand and wants no part of.
But he is not alone, for the friendships that he forges along the way help him to navigate the dark and chaotic road he must travel.
Can Sid overcome the seductive darkness known as Black Numbers?
MY REVIEW:
This book is in many ways a traditional fantasy, but Lappi crosses the line into horror without losing the qualities that I love in an epic fantasy. We have a true Good vs Evil plot, a completely believable system of magic, incredibly frightening creatures and a plot that would make Clive Barker proud.
In Black Numbers, Lappi has created a character-driven plot with all the elements of the Hero's Journey that true fantasy incorporates, along with the atmosphere of fear that great horror evokes.
Magic is expressed both sexually and through mathematics. The central protagonist, Sid (Sidoro) is a young boy growing up with a hard, uncaring father. Sid's father teaches him how to use mathematics, believing with all his heart that Sid is the Aleph Null - a prophesied wielder of the Black Numbers who will rule The Oblate. However, the dreadful creature called the Korpor must test him, and sexually awaken his numbers.
This is not a story for the weak of heart. Sid's violent and frightening encounters with the Korpor are the stuff of nightmares. Many people want to see Sid dead, because of what he is. Fortunately for Sid, he attracts friends who are willing to protect him, one of whom is Crowdal, a giant of a man who is a member of a race called the Trith.
Lappi has created a tale that makes you both afraid to turn the page, and terrified not to. You want to see what will happen to Sid and Crowdal, and at the end, you are left wanting to read more: Lappi set it up beautifully for the sequel, Blood Numbers. I loved this book!
But first the blurb:
In a land where true magic is based on the rare ability to use advanced mathematics to affect the physical world, those who can control such powers are part of a secret organization known as the Oblate. Over the millennia, they have directed the Korpor, a violent and sexual creature, to roam the land and search for the Aleph Null, the one prophesied to control the mysterious Black Numbers, a power beyond anything ever seen in the land.
Sid’s awakening sexuality and genius-level mastery of mathematics puts him on a collision course with the Korpor and the Oblate, and he soon finds himself on the run from powerful and mysterious forces intent on controlling him and his powers. His journey propels him to the center of an ancient struggle that he cannot understand and wants no part of.
But he is not alone, for the friendships that he forges along the way help him to navigate the dark and chaotic road he must travel.
Can Sid overcome the seductive darkness known as Black Numbers?
MY REVIEW:
This book is in many ways a traditional fantasy, but Lappi crosses the line into horror without losing the qualities that I love in an epic fantasy. We have a true Good vs Evil plot, a completely believable system of magic, incredibly frightening creatures and a plot that would make Clive Barker proud.
In Black Numbers, Lappi has created a character-driven plot with all the elements of the Hero's Journey that true fantasy incorporates, along with the atmosphere of fear that great horror evokes.
Magic is expressed both sexually and through mathematics. The central protagonist, Sid (Sidoro) is a young boy growing up with a hard, uncaring father. Sid's father teaches him how to use mathematics, believing with all his heart that Sid is the Aleph Null - a prophesied wielder of the Black Numbers who will rule The Oblate. However, the dreadful creature called the Korpor must test him, and sexually awaken his numbers.
This is not a story for the weak of heart. Sid's violent and frightening encounters with the Korpor are the stuff of nightmares. Many people want to see Sid dead, because of what he is. Fortunately for Sid, he attracts friends who are willing to protect him, one of whom is Crowdal, a giant of a man who is a member of a race called the Trith.
Lappi has created a tale that makes you both afraid to turn the page, and terrified not to. You want to see what will happen to Sid and Crowdal, and at the end, you are left wanting to read more: Lappi set it up beautifully for the sequel, Blood Numbers. I loved this book!
Did Not Finish
November 17, 2013I wanted to read this book because of one line in the blurb:
"true magic is based on the rare ability to use advanced mathematics to affect the physical world"
Now, I'm no maths nerd, but I would geek out at a book full of concise mathematical equations that actually made magic! Can you imagine? Gone would be the days where bored kids raise their hands in class and demand,
"Sir, why are we learning this? When will we ever need to use the Pythagorean theorem in real life?"
Why? Because if they did their teacher would simply shake his head, raise his arms, spell out a2 + b2 = c2 into the air and poof!
...a right triangle would appear or something?
Well some of 'em would be cool. You could do something with the theory of relativity...or that hilarious (and genuine) formula for the perfect cheese on toast!
My point being, it was such an amazing idea. I would (clearly) have no idea what to do with it, but I was so excited to read a story from someone who could.
Yeah. That day did not come.
The magic system in this book is not how I envisioned. It doesn't require you to solve mathematical equations to unlock magic, rather if you're smart enough you can use magic and have a whole bunch of pretty numbers and division symbols floating around another person's head to cause them pain. Eh?
Well maybe they are solving the equations in their head or something, but that's certainly not how it's described and not as awesome as I hoped it would be.
I did give it a go though. Not bad at all, but it quickly went down a narrative path that I just didn't have the time of day for to be honest. It became apparent that it was going to be an overly sexual book and I just couldn't be bothered with that at the time. I have to be in the right state of mind for books where sexuality is a main focus.
So I did not continue. I have, of course, no idea how sexual a novel Black Numbers turned out to be, or if the magic system turned out to be decent. But despite the very intriguing start, I still didn't find myself giving a shit.
Good news though! If anyone does fancy writing a novel where you have to solve complex maths problems in order to unlock a hierarchy of magic....you still can!
"true magic is based on the rare ability to use advanced mathematics to affect the physical world"
Now, I'm no maths nerd, but I would geek out at a book full of concise mathematical equations that actually made magic! Can you imagine? Gone would be the days where bored kids raise their hands in class and demand,
"Sir, why are we learning this? When will we ever need to use the Pythagorean theorem in real life?"
Why? Because if they did their teacher would simply shake his head, raise his arms, spell out a2 + b2 = c2 into the air and poof!
...a right triangle would appear or something?
Well some of 'em would be cool. You could do something with the theory of relativity...or that hilarious (and genuine) formula for the perfect cheese on toast!
My point being, it was such an amazing idea. I would (clearly) have no idea what to do with it, but I was so excited to read a story from someone who could.
Yeah. That day did not come.
The magic system in this book is not how I envisioned. It doesn't require you to solve mathematical equations to unlock magic, rather if you're smart enough you can use magic and have a whole bunch of pretty numbers and division symbols floating around another person's head to cause them pain. Eh?
Well maybe they are solving the equations in their head or something, but that's certainly not how it's described and not as awesome as I hoped it would be.
I did give it a go though. Not bad at all, but it quickly went down a narrative path that I just didn't have the time of day for to be honest. It became apparent that it was going to be an overly sexual book and I just couldn't be bothered with that at the time. I have to be in the right state of mind for books where sexuality is a main focus.
So I did not continue. I have, of course, no idea how sexual a novel Black Numbers turned out to be, or if the magic system turned out to be decent. But despite the very intriguing start, I still didn't find myself giving a shit.
Good news though! If anyone does fancy writing a novel where you have to solve complex maths problems in order to unlock a hierarchy of magic....you still can!
September 26, 2011
Black Numbers is a hybrid of classic fantasy with a twist of mathematics thrown in. The main character, Siddoro, is on a journey. On this journey he meets interesting friends and frightening creatures who propel him toward his destiny as the Aleph Null (kind of like the king of numbers). Sid learns that he can use the mathematical equations in his head to create magic but there are other people in his world who are anxious to steal his power and retain it for themselves.
This is Lappi's debut work and I found it to be a fun, fast-paced read. I'm eagerly anticipating the sequel to Black Numbers!
This is Lappi's debut work and I found it to be a fun, fast-paced read. I'm eagerly anticipating the sequel to Black Numbers!
August 22, 2011
Black Numbers is a horror story that is too graphic at some point. Definitely not for the weak of heart. Although the main character Sid is not an adult but events he goes through in this novel could be considered holding adult themes. At first, Dean's style of story telling makes me furrow a little but I soon fall in love with it. He tells the story from a character's point of view until he hits an intersection and then traces all the way back from another character's POW.
Looking forward to read Blood Numbers!
Looking forward to read Blood Numbers!
Read
August 15, 2023From the author:
Please do not read this early version of Black Numbers - the 2011 version. The cover has a grey face with a blue eye. It is an unedited version published by a publisher that is no longer in existence.
Please read the new version published in 2013. It has a cover with a black-robed figure on it. This version was rewritten completely and was fully edited.
Thank you.
Dean Lappi
Please do not read this early version of Black Numbers - the 2011 version. The cover has a grey face with a blue eye. It is an unedited version published by a publisher that is no longer in existence.
Please read the new version published in 2013. It has a cover with a black-robed figure on it. This version was rewritten completely and was fully edited.
Thank you.
Dean Lappi
June 2, 2011
Dean Lappi takes you on an exciting and magical adventure from the first page! Passion and love fill every chapter of this book. Definitely a must read for math lovers everywhere! Beware it is not for the weak of heart! Sit down, strap in and hold on! It's going to be a wild ride! I throughly enjoyed this literary work of art! I can wait for the next in the series, Blood Numbers!
November 8, 2011
Dean Lappi takes you on an exciting and magical adventure from the first page! Passion and love fill every chapter of this book. Definitely a must read for math lovers everywhere! Beware it is not for the weak of heart! Sit down, strap in and hold on! It's going to be a wild ride! I throughly enjoyed this literary work of art! I can wait for the next in the series, Blood Numbers!
March 22, 2021
This book was like finding a gem album before most everyone else. You’re in the know and don’t really want to blow it up, but that’s also not fair.
The characters and plot hit on truths about humanity that gripped me. One of those is that despite the shadow behaviors that humans can possess goodness can congeal and prevail.
Can’t wait to read the remaining books.
The characters and plot hit on truths about humanity that gripped me. One of those is that despite the shadow behaviors that humans can possess goodness can congeal and prevail.
Can’t wait to read the remaining books.
February 15, 2014
I think the author is on the way, needs more practice. Great idea, but I couldn't get past then two rape scenes, one of which involved bestiality and genital mutilation. The magic implementation needs to be fleshed out a bit more.
March 26, 2015
I feel this book is more suited for juvenile readers.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews