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PSIONIC Pentalogy #2
The Tower
After a very shaky beginning as a wild-born telekinetic, Adrian is elated to discover that his new home is at the center of the world's largest psionic city. It should have been a dream come true, but something here is just not right. It's not just that his sister is still missing, or that he is being forced into a rigorous combat training program that is slowly turning him into a killer. Something rotten is hiding... inside him. Adrian must discover the truth behind his recurring, shadowy nightmares, and face the possibility that the greatest evil threatening everything he holds dear might, in fact, be himself.
(The Tower is the second book of Adrian Howell's PSIONIC Pentalogy)
(The Tower is the second book of Adrian Howell's PSIONIC Pentalogy)
298 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 20, 2012
44 people are currently reading
164 people want to read
About the author
Adrian Howell
6 books43 followersAdrian Howell (pen name) is the author of the Psionic Pentalogy: five novels that follow the life of a telekinetic teenager through a dark world of warring paranormal factions, deadly religious cults and secret government organizations.
Born of a Japanese mother and American father, Adrian was raised for a time in California and currently lives a quiet life in Japan where he teaches English to small groups of children and adults. Aside from reading and writing fiction, his hobbies include recumbent cycling, skiing, medium-distance trekking, sketching and oversleeping.
Born of a Japanese mother and American father, Adrian was raised for a time in California and currently lives a quiet life in Japan where he teaches English to small groups of children and adults. Aside from reading and writing fiction, his hobbies include recumbent cycling, skiing, medium-distance trekking, sketching and oversleeping.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
October 5, 2017
Another great installment. Our hero is turning 13, but has to struggle with very adult decisions - would you be willing to kill someone? He's idealistic at the beginning of the story and we all love him for it. But as reality takes hold, both reader and character find our ideals challenged and discover that life isn't as black and white as we'd like it to be.
April 16, 2013
Taken from my Amazon.com review.
Full disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The opinions below are entirely my own.
"The Tower" picks up where "Wild-born" left off, meaning that those reading through the series in succession will be relieved by the lack of rehashing, but those trying to jump into the middle will feel quite left out. Effort is made to catch them up, but the finer points and subtleties are lost without reading the first book. Therefore, I highly recommend that you read that one first - doubly because from this point on, spoilers for the first book may appear. There will be very vague plot references to the second, but nothing that will be very "spoiler-y". If you'd rather skip it (or my ridiculously long reviewing style!) head on down to the last full paragraph, my "bottom line".
After being rescued from the Psionic Research Center in "Wild-born", protagonist Adrian Howell and his adoptive family seek new shelter. They find themselves a safe haven, certainly, but with the exception of a few rough encounters, this new home is almost too safe for my tastes, in the sense that much of the story feels like a training montage - the plot does not really pick up until the climax of the book, creating a sudden and jarring shift from comparative peace and almost slow-motion pace to the snappy, engrossing, page-turning style of the first book.
That is not to say that the first three quarters are not worth reading - the author is able to put the urban fantasy's style of world-building to work, clearly constructing an environment populated with interesting and diverse characters, including a few additions to the main cast in whom I am genuinely interested. Even the side characters have their charms.
Additionally, the author's writing style remains solid - he is able to operate through the eyes of a newly-minted teenager, in a way that is at once convincing and yet effectively descriptive. Adrian will need to go through a lot of growth and self-reflection, and it is handled well.
The downfall of "The Tower" is that it suffers from a bit too much introspection and not enough plot movement. I don't just refer to "action" in a traditional sense, but rather advancement. Watching Adrian train wore thin well before the training actually got anywhere, for example.
As to the editing and layout of the book, I received a .pdf for review, so I can't speak to layout of the Kindle Edition in practice, but it certainly looked good in theory. I noted no significant errors missed by editing, so I applaud the editor(s) mechanically - again, I just wish they'd made more cuts.
The bottom line is that "The Tower" is a fair continuation of the series, but its lagging plot keep it from the high quality of "Wild-born". The author's writing style remains solid, however, and the strong cast and interesting setting give me high hopes for the next book. I absolutely recommend reading book one first.
If anything needs clarifying, please feel free to contact me at SeanOnAmazon@gmail.com
Full disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The opinions below are entirely my own.
"The Tower" picks up where "Wild-born" left off, meaning that those reading through the series in succession will be relieved by the lack of rehashing, but those trying to jump into the middle will feel quite left out. Effort is made to catch them up, but the finer points and subtleties are lost without reading the first book. Therefore, I highly recommend that you read that one first - doubly because from this point on, spoilers for the first book may appear. There will be very vague plot references to the second, but nothing that will be very "spoiler-y". If you'd rather skip it (or my ridiculously long reviewing style!) head on down to the last full paragraph, my "bottom line".
After being rescued from the Psionic Research Center in "Wild-born", protagonist Adrian Howell and his adoptive family seek new shelter. They find themselves a safe haven, certainly, but with the exception of a few rough encounters, this new home is almost too safe for my tastes, in the sense that much of the story feels like a training montage - the plot does not really pick up until the climax of the book, creating a sudden and jarring shift from comparative peace and almost slow-motion pace to the snappy, engrossing, page-turning style of the first book.
That is not to say that the first three quarters are not worth reading - the author is able to put the urban fantasy's style of world-building to work, clearly constructing an environment populated with interesting and diverse characters, including a few additions to the main cast in whom I am genuinely interested. Even the side characters have their charms.
Additionally, the author's writing style remains solid - he is able to operate through the eyes of a newly-minted teenager, in a way that is at once convincing and yet effectively descriptive. Adrian will need to go through a lot of growth and self-reflection, and it is handled well.
The downfall of "The Tower" is that it suffers from a bit too much introspection and not enough plot movement. I don't just refer to "action" in a traditional sense, but rather advancement. Watching Adrian train wore thin well before the training actually got anywhere, for example.
As to the editing and layout of the book, I received a .pdf for review, so I can't speak to layout of the Kindle Edition in practice, but it certainly looked good in theory. I noted no significant errors missed by editing, so I applaud the editor(s) mechanically - again, I just wish they'd made more cuts.
The bottom line is that "The Tower" is a fair continuation of the series, but its lagging plot keep it from the high quality of "Wild-born". The author's writing style remains solid, however, and the strong cast and interesting setting give me high hopes for the next book. I absolutely recommend reading book one first.
If anything needs clarifying, please feel free to contact me at SeanOnAmazon@gmail.com
January 15, 2016
Review originally posted on Rach Lawrence Books.
*I was provided a copy of The Tower by the author in exchange for an honest review. I am not compensated for my honest opinion.*
At thirteen, Adrian Howell has already lived a full life as a wild-born telekinetic. He’s happy to be settling down in the heart of the new psionic city of New Haven. He freely joins the Guardians, hoping they’ll be able to help him rescue his sister from the Angels. But life as a Guardian means intense combat training of more than his telekinetic powers.
Terry is Adrian’s combat trainer, and she also becomes a friend—something Adrian doesn’t have many of. But the rigorous training makes Adrian uncomfortable. He has no interest in shooting a gun or being able to kill someone with his hands. Even more uncomfortable are his recurring nightmares, indicating something hiding inside his mind. Adrian will have to unlock his own secrets before someone he cares about gets hurt.
The Tower is book two in the Psionic Pentalogy series, and it starts right where book one left off. It’s a thrilling addition to the series, continuing on Adrian’s journey into the world of psionics as he learns how to use his powers and fights for what he believes in. While the main characters are young, the book deals with some death and killing, as Adrian lives in a world where he doesn’t get to be a regular kid.
Once again, I enjoyed watching Adrian’s struggle to make grown-up decisions when he was still just a kid. The author did a wonderful job of presenting Adrian’s attempt to be a normal thirteen-year-old and handle mature situations at the same time. He had to work through feelings for Terry in a normal young teen way while he was also struggling with his own identity. Adrian didn’t know who he really was, what he was capable of, or what normal was for him. He discovered all of this throughout the story. The addition of dealing with his feelings for Alia, his pseudo-sister, made for a wonderful emotional journey.
The plot was well thought-out, leaving little kernels throughout in a way that really made the reader think about the details. Although I knew who the betrayer was and why they betrayed the Guardians before it was revealed, the author did a good job keeping the suspense going. The story still came to a gripping climax, and it even had more issues to resolve and character growth beyond that.
This book is part of a series and best enjoyed when read in order, but enough background information was provided to be read as a standalone. The story had a satisfying conclusion while still leaving doors open for the next book in the series. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
*I was provided a copy of The Tower by the author in exchange for an honest review. I am not compensated for my honest opinion.*
At thirteen, Adrian Howell has already lived a full life as a wild-born telekinetic. He’s happy to be settling down in the heart of the new psionic city of New Haven. He freely joins the Guardians, hoping they’ll be able to help him rescue his sister from the Angels. But life as a Guardian means intense combat training of more than his telekinetic powers.
Terry is Adrian’s combat trainer, and she also becomes a friend—something Adrian doesn’t have many of. But the rigorous training makes Adrian uncomfortable. He has no interest in shooting a gun or being able to kill someone with his hands. Even more uncomfortable are his recurring nightmares, indicating something hiding inside his mind. Adrian will have to unlock his own secrets before someone he cares about gets hurt.
The Tower is book two in the Psionic Pentalogy series, and it starts right where book one left off. It’s a thrilling addition to the series, continuing on Adrian’s journey into the world of psionics as he learns how to use his powers and fights for what he believes in. While the main characters are young, the book deals with some death and killing, as Adrian lives in a world where he doesn’t get to be a regular kid.
Once again, I enjoyed watching Adrian’s struggle to make grown-up decisions when he was still just a kid. The author did a wonderful job of presenting Adrian’s attempt to be a normal thirteen-year-old and handle mature situations at the same time. He had to work through feelings for Terry in a normal young teen way while he was also struggling with his own identity. Adrian didn’t know who he really was, what he was capable of, or what normal was for him. He discovered all of this throughout the story. The addition of dealing with his feelings for Alia, his pseudo-sister, made for a wonderful emotional journey.
The plot was well thought-out, leaving little kernels throughout in a way that really made the reader think about the details. Although I knew who the betrayer was and why they betrayed the Guardians before it was revealed, the author did a good job keeping the suspense going. The story still came to a gripping climax, and it even had more issues to resolve and character growth beyond that.
This book is part of a series and best enjoyed when read in order, but enough background information was provided to be read as a standalone. The story had a satisfying conclusion while still leaving doors open for the next book in the series. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
February 12, 2017
Reader thoughts: I wouldn't describe this book as fast. There's not as much action as in the first one, and most of the danger is distant and abstract.
Adrian does a lot of training and schooling for nearly a year with a few brushes with the outside world and armed angels. Most of his real problems seem to be all character, which, in itself, is rather neat. For an action story (with super powers) to put so much effort into developing the characters and their personalities and motivations . . . I'm impressed. Adrian debates the morals of killing, even in self-defense, and he wrestles with figuring out who is his family and not.
So, the training. I liked it because it's training (and learning! and growing magic powers!), which I love. But I disliked it because 1, Adrian was far too capable. He's like, "I can barely run a mile. I'm so out of shape." This is day one of training, and his trainer makes him run 5 miles. Er, what? I know people who can barely run 10 yards. This is a stupid trainer. Or she was just trying to kill him off early.
Oh, and I disliked it because Adrian got so much better at the metal balance control thing. I kind of liked that he had such a strong weakness (no, that is not an oxymoron; it makes sense, though I could say "strong limitation").
My least favorite quote:
"The most important part of true faith isn’t about reading the Bible or attending church, or even about believing in God, for that matter. It’s about finding what is morally right, and making it a part of who you are."
What priest would say that? Faith is ALL about believing in God. If this is a Christian priest (and he sounds very Catholic, what with the confessional), wouldn't he know that Christianity is about a relationship with God, not about a religion of morals and rights and wrongs?
So, yes, that annoyed me greatly. There were a few other quotes I highlighted that I disliked.
One, they kept using "over" on the radio. Why? Walkie-talkies these days have automatic click sounds when someone releases the talk button. Saying "over" is completely redundant. Unless they have old-fashioned radios.
I didn't much care for the end. It didn't quite all fit. Part of that is Adrian's telekinesis (he doesn't use it as often as he could), part of it is Terry's motives, and part of it is how easy it was.
I was impressed with how much Adrian matured over the year and how he interacted with Alia and with other people. He could have done more, but he didn't really see many other people. I hope he gets out in public more in the next books.
Writer thoughts: Despite my grumblings about how much more danger and action there could have been, this book still had plenty of tension. Just enough to keep my attention and make me want the next one.
1, there was character tension between Adrian and Cindy and Alia and Terry. From training methods to mouth talking to "She's not my sister!" to tattoos, there was usually something they had to work through.
2, The Guardian-vs-Angels conflict kept building, and we feel it every time the Guardians put new security measures in place. We feel it in the failed campout and the failed stakeout.
For some reason, the Angels and Guardians have both decided Cindy is the most important psionic in the world. I'm not entirely convinced on that. Still, it does mean we can expect anything at any time. Even from an innocuous nightmare.
Adrian does a lot of training and schooling for nearly a year with a few brushes with the outside world and armed angels. Most of his real problems seem to be all character, which, in itself, is rather neat. For an action story (with super powers) to put so much effort into developing the characters and their personalities and motivations . . . I'm impressed. Adrian debates the morals of killing, even in self-defense, and he wrestles with figuring out who is his family and not.
So, the training. I liked it because it's training (and learning! and growing magic powers!), which I love. But I disliked it because 1, Adrian was far too capable. He's like, "I can barely run a mile. I'm so out of shape." This is day one of training, and his trainer makes him run 5 miles. Er, what? I know people who can barely run 10 yards. This is a stupid trainer. Or she was just trying to kill him off early.
Oh, and I disliked it because Adrian got so much better at the metal balance control thing. I kind of liked that he had such a strong weakness (no, that is not an oxymoron; it makes sense, though I could say "strong limitation").
My least favorite quote:
"The most important part of true faith isn’t about reading the Bible or attending church, or even about believing in God, for that matter. It’s about finding what is morally right, and making it a part of who you are."
What priest would say that? Faith is ALL about believing in God. If this is a Christian priest (and he sounds very Catholic, what with the confessional), wouldn't he know that Christianity is about a relationship with God, not about a religion of morals and rights and wrongs?
So, yes, that annoyed me greatly. There were a few other quotes I highlighted that I disliked.
One, they kept using "over" on the radio. Why? Walkie-talkies these days have automatic click sounds when someone releases the talk button. Saying "over" is completely redundant. Unless they have old-fashioned radios.
I didn't much care for the end. It didn't quite all fit. Part of that is Adrian's telekinesis (he doesn't use it as often as he could), part of it is Terry's motives, and part of it is how easy it was.
I was impressed with how much Adrian matured over the year and how he interacted with Alia and with other people. He could have done more, but he didn't really see many other people. I hope he gets out in public more in the next books.
Writer thoughts: Despite my grumblings about how much more danger and action there could have been, this book still had plenty of tension. Just enough to keep my attention and make me want the next one.
1, there was character tension between Adrian and Cindy and Alia and Terry. From training methods to mouth talking to "She's not my sister!" to tattoos, there was usually something they had to work through.
2, The Guardian-vs-Angels conflict kept building, and we feel it every time the Guardians put new security measures in place. We feel it in the failed campout and the failed stakeout.
For some reason, the Angels and Guardians have both decided Cindy is the most important psionic in the world. I'm not entirely convinced on that. Still, it does mean we can expect anything at any time. Even from an innocuous nightmare.
October 2, 2021
Rounded up from 3.5. A quick and decent read, though not as engaging as the first book. Although I never had to force myself to pick it up, I also didn’t have the urge to read. The main problem was the pacing. Nothing whatsoever happened until more than half-way through the book and then everything happened way too fast. The resolution was way too abrupt and could have used more drama. Felt a bit lazy to me. Also, I am becoming more and more annoyed with Cindy. I am sure she is meant to come across as caring and sweet, but she is essentially emotionally manipulating and coercing Adrian to be Alia’s brother and caregiver regardless of his own wants and feelings.
July 29, 2017
Book takes you farther into the story and continues his growth and learning. I rounds out the characters he met in the first book. He developed a close relationship with the woman (Cindy) who accepted responsibility for his care. Cindy also had another charge under her care, Alia who she rescued from those who had submitted her to abuse due to her powers. In the first book we were informed as to how these powers were viewed by the military and religious groups.
February 28, 2017
A story that continues to hold you in its grip!
Second book down and heading into the third. Great development of characters and storylines. So glad I ran into this series :)
Second book down and heading into the third. Great development of characters and storylines. So glad I ran into this series :)
November 2, 2013
I had previously read book one, so I knew what to expect. Despite having read the first book (I read a few books between the first and second) my memory was foggy of the first one. After reading the first few pages, Adrian explains that he won’t recap. But he does recap just enough for you to remember where you left off. This amazing book is rated as FIVE stars and it earned every one of them.
It starts off with the narrator, which this being a first person is none other than Adrian Howell. They have escaped the research center and are headed to their new home… With the Guardians! Yes, that is right, Adrian’s new family chose a psionic faction to side with and things are going to change for Adrian. They arrive quickly at NH-1, or New Haven One, their new home. And while there are quite a bit of luxury here, there is also a lot of work to be done...For Adrian.
Adrian Howell is a destroyer, his psionics make him the perfect soldier. But Adrian doesn’t want that, he wants to live in peace. Nevertheless, he is trained by Terry who “was raised by wolves”. He is also taxed with homeschooling, and teaching Alia (his younger ‘sister’) to mouth speak. I was slightly saddened at the burdens placed on Adrian. He seems to be, at 13 years of age, more a father to Alia than a brother. Teaching her to swim, ride a bike, talk, and basically tied to her side 99% of the time. It is the only downside, or problem, that I had with this novel.
“Then perhaps it would surprise you to know that we got an anonymous call that gave us not only your exact location, but also informed us that a team of Seraphim were hunting ou, and would probably have arrived before sunrise.”
As alsways, there was enough conflict and excitement to keep the pages turning. I, for one, read the book within a week. Picking it up every chance I could find to read and devouring it quickly. I found that the ending tied in to the book so well with all of the smaller details within the novel and it left me wondering what book three will have in store for me.
“Luck will only get you so far before it gets you killed.”
Adrian is one lucky boy, barely getting out of book two alive, leaping for book three we shall see what is in store for us but I bet that it will be another amazing story with awesome conflicts and page turning excitement.
It starts off with the narrator, which this being a first person is none other than Adrian Howell. They have escaped the research center and are headed to their new home… With the Guardians! Yes, that is right, Adrian’s new family chose a psionic faction to side with and things are going to change for Adrian. They arrive quickly at NH-1, or New Haven One, their new home. And while there are quite a bit of luxury here, there is also a lot of work to be done...For Adrian.
Adrian Howell is a destroyer, his psionics make him the perfect soldier. But Adrian doesn’t want that, he wants to live in peace. Nevertheless, he is trained by Terry who “was raised by wolves”. He is also taxed with homeschooling, and teaching Alia (his younger ‘sister’) to mouth speak. I was slightly saddened at the burdens placed on Adrian. He seems to be, at 13 years of age, more a father to Alia than a brother. Teaching her to swim, ride a bike, talk, and basically tied to her side 99% of the time. It is the only downside, or problem, that I had with this novel.
“Then perhaps it would surprise you to know that we got an anonymous call that gave us not only your exact location, but also informed us that a team of Seraphim were hunting ou, and would probably have arrived before sunrise.”
As alsways, there was enough conflict and excitement to keep the pages turning. I, for one, read the book within a week. Picking it up every chance I could find to read and devouring it quickly. I found that the ending tied in to the book so well with all of the smaller details within the novel and it left me wondering what book three will have in store for me.
“Luck will only get you so far before it gets you killed.”
Adrian is one lucky boy, barely getting out of book two alive, leaping for book three we shall see what is in store for us but I bet that it will be another amazing story with awesome conflicts and page turning excitement.
February 9, 2017
excellent book! This book was exciting and well written, as I could not wait to get to the next chapter. The characters were very personable and I especially enjoyed reading about how the relationship of Aliah and "Addy" had grown.
Cant wait to read book three.
Cant wait to read book three.
February 7, 2016
I usually don't read much paranormal fiction, but The Tower: PSIONIC Book Two (Psionic Pentalogy 2) by Adrian Howell is definitely worth the time to read and got me hooked. I enjoyed every page of this book. Adrian Howell, the main character, is a totally believable character who finds he has powerful telekinetic abilities. Being a teenager, he does things a teenager would do, but after a tragedy he is forced to go on the run and grow up fast. He goes to live in a community of people with psionic abilities. I was as reluctant to put this book down as I was with the first volume. Once I finished it, I forced myself to wait a few days, then bought the third one and had to force myself to not start until later when it wasn't taking away from other things I needed to do. I can't wait to finish the series, A very well told story clearly taking up where the first book left off. A well written book, I highly recommend to everyone. Great book, Adrian Howell!
July 31, 2016
Though it doesn't happen too much, I find myself preferring the first book then the 2nd.
There were parts of book 2 that were fun to read and hard to put down, but a large amount of it was dreams and struggling through figuring out what they mean, as well as very slow progress in balancing his powers and getting trained in hand to hand combat, and a bit of moral compass pointing.
It was hard to trudge through those more dull and slow parts of this book. Despite the slow pace and little plot movements, I saw where the climax was coming long before it hit, suspecting the truth and guessing what might happen.
There were parts of book 2 that were fun to read and hard to put down, but a large amount of it was dreams and struggling through figuring out what they mean, as well as very slow progress in balancing his powers and getting trained in hand to hand combat, and a bit of moral compass pointing.
It was hard to trudge through those more dull and slow parts of this book. Despite the slow pace and little plot movements, I saw where the climax was coming long before it hit, suspecting the truth and guessing what might happen.
April 9, 2016
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
I wish I could rate it ten stars. I really enjoyed watching Adrian try to separate his psionic powers from his physical powers. The story had a good amount of action mixed with all of his other problems he had to deal with at the time. I also enjoyed seeing Adrian trying to be a regular kid, but realizing that fitting in can’t happen when you’re different.
I wish I could rate it ten stars. I really enjoyed watching Adrian try to separate his psionic powers from his physical powers. The story had a good amount of action mixed with all of his other problems he had to deal with at the time. I also enjoyed seeing Adrian trying to be a regular kid, but realizing that fitting in can’t happen when you’re different.
January 26, 2017
Excellent read
What a fun series so far! I really enjoy the main character and his pseudo sister, and enjoy the adventures they go on. I like the style of writing (except all the laughing instead of said, details), and how well it draws you into the story and keeps you there. Definitely recommended for people who enjoy fantasy books!
What a fun series so far! I really enjoy the main character and his pseudo sister, and enjoy the adventures they go on. I like the style of writing (except all the laughing instead of said, details), and how well it draws you into the story and keeps you there. Definitely recommended for people who enjoy fantasy books!
May 17, 2014
Amazing book thanks Adrian 10/10 the first two books I finished in a day.
November 24, 2014
A good book!
don't let the name scare you, this book is about kids and adults with powers, and it has a great storyline. I'm buying the third book now!!!
don't let the name scare you, this book is about kids and adults with powers, and it has a great storyline. I'm buying the third book now!!!
April 22, 2015
Good continuation of series. Ending chase chapter quick and intense. Cindy collects more family members. The reason for Adrian girl clothes us revealed.
August 19, 2015
Good book, good series (so far)
Had trouble putting this one down, spent more time reading then I should have. Very good story!
Hope the remaining books are as good.
Had trouble putting this one down, spent more time reading then I should have. Very good story!
Hope the remaining books are as good.
August 9, 2016
I intend to read the whole series
I am really enjoying this series. It's well written and thought out. The story takes you on a trip from friends, betrayal and , back to friends.
I am really enjoying this series. It's well written and thought out. The story takes you on a trip from friends, betrayal and , back to friends.
May 14, 2015
Love this freaking series..
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January 20, 2018good book
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