Alliance: Androne, Book 2

Androne #2

by Dwain Worrell

It’s a fight for the future as the past aims to destroy the present in the mind-blowing sequel to Androne by screenwriter Dwain Worrell.

As an orphaned girl, Harmony survived a strange war waged by an enemy called the Quondam. They crushed every technological advancement in the world, eviscerated the landscape, and killed millions. It can still be stopped. As prophesied, Harmony has a destiny to fulfill.

Thirty years later, she is in a tenuous alliance with a cult of zealots who worship time itself. A master code breaker, she’s enlisted to obliterate the power of the Quondam and prevent a war that has already ended. The mission is a success. And with it, Harmony’s new moniker of Peacemaker is enshrined. But as Harmony is There’s something else out there.

She’s finding out what it is—alongside a close-knit group of allies and one fearless sergeant who rescued her so many years ago. The war with the past may be over, but as the Church of Time reveals its biggest mystery, the war with the future has just begun.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Dystopia, Audiobook

Audible Audio

First published April 30, 2024

About the author

Dwain Worrell is a filmmaker, Chinese interpreter, and novelist.

The Barbadian native now works as a film and television writer and producer in Los Angeles. His writing credits include Marvel’s Iron Fist, CBS’s Fire Country, and the Disney+ series National Treasure, among others.

For more information please visit www.dwainworrell.com

Reviews

[Amanda Allee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you, Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review! I will admit I had a harder time getting into this book and I think that was because I had gotten so invested in Paxton’s life that now moving to Harmony was difficult. However, I quite enjoyed it! I was happy to follow on Harmony’s journey and how the actions of the past coincide with her future. As always (in my opinion) any plot that includes time twits can be difficult to follow but the author did a wonderful job in both books keeping the info clear. This was an excellent duology.

[Gene Steinbacher · Rating 2 out of 5]

The best way I can describe this book is poetic ramblings. If this book didn't ramble it would be about 50 pages total. It has a sort of rhythm to it that is intriguing but this writing style is not for me. If you like poetry you may like this book. The ending is pretty good but it is a chore getting to the end.

[Owen · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a successor to Androne—a book I consider arguably my favorite of all time—Alliance had enormous shoes to fill. While not a bad book in isolation, branding itself as an Androne sequel is what held it back for me.
Alliance had little to do with its predecessor, instead telling its own story. I saw in an interview that the author himself stated that Androne isn't recommended reading for Alliance, which felt like a kick in the teeth for readers like myself who invested huge stocks in the first book.
Unsurprisingly, the best parts of Alliance were the sections focusing on my goat Paxton Ares. Only 3 out of 32 chapters were told from his perspective, but these were undoubtedly the strongest. While his arc didn't end the way I wanted, it was incredibly satisfying to read him again and I had a big smile on my face throughout.
I also enjoyed the future setting's satirical references to modern-day industries. Seeing cults go to war repping the McDonald's logo, and Lil Jon being regarded as a poet, provided some much-needed moments of cleverly crafted humour.
The rest of the story was largely forgettable. I was expecting was a gripping military sci-fi mystery, similar to Androne. What I got was essentially a futuristic political debate, which didn't resonate with me at all. I did start to invest towards the ending, untill the ending made absolutely no sense to me, leaving me with more questions than answers. Even Google doesn’t help me as the book simply isn’t popular enough to provide an explanation so I’m left in the dark like Harry under the stairs.
Ultimately, Alliance struggles to stand on its own when weighed against the legacy of its predecessor. Despite some clever world-building touches and the brief, shining moments with Paxton Ares, it ultimately delivered a narrative far removed from what I loved about Androne, leaving me largely disengaged.

[Cape Rust · Rating 4 out of 5]

Collapsing into themselves…. Again…

Sorrel has provided us another simile and metaphor filled installment of this fascinating series. Harmony the Peacemaker is all grown up and is living and avoiding the prophecies surrounding her. Normally I have a problem with an author dropping too many F-bombs in a story. Harmony drops many… It fits her character and attitude and somehow she manages to wear them like a name tag. This is a complex story that must be followed closely and listened to or read carefully. I appreciated both male a female narrators. There was a little inconsistency in one of the characters voices towards the end of the book but that is minor. The author once again over used the imagery of people “collapsing” into them selves during stressful conversations. It paints the picture but it was over used in the first book and in this installment. Don’t let these minor critiques keep you from reading a created and well crafted story that is both comfortable and unique. Write hard Mr. Worrell!

[Jared · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice part two.

I don’t usually do this but I liked book one of this pair so that I immediately bought book two. It didn’t disappoint. We continue the story of a soldier in the future who fight in a mech suit. Except this book had the young girl he was allied with in the first book and we see things from her point of view. Most of the book is about her but we’re waiting for the inevitable team up.
I don’t want to give too much away but this book also involves concepts of time that were in the first book. Not time travel but some interesting manipulation of time concepts.
Overall this book was a good successor to the first one and continued the story well.

[Savannah Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t normally love books from male authors but the descriptive writing in this duology is genuinely beautiful. the story, the growth, the whole thing is stunning.

[Bob at 1800AskBob . Com · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story and the characters. The two storylines and time jumping took time to understand, but it made you grip the story better.

Battles are difficult to describe on paper as compared to video. I the the total story would do great as a 2 hour, 3 episode mini series.

Bravo to the author, well done.

[C CHRISTOFOROU · Rating 5 out of 5]

Weird but compelling

Time after time, or going around in circles. If you believe we can go to the future to fix it from the past, then read on. Can the future be altered? There is much to ponder in this book.

[P Bagel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book. In my opinion it took a while to get going but I think it was worth it in the end. I do wish we had more of Arés though, but who knows maybe book 3? Anyway, this book is unique even from its predecessor which I think gives it a must read vibe.

[Paul Baker]

2025-01-28

Review 2025.01.006

Reviewers Note: It is the beginning of 2025 and one of the skills I desire to grow in is that of writing book reviews (having never done this before). I am doing this so I can better hone my writing (and reading) skills as I seek to think more critically about the books I am reading. I am sharing on Goodreads for my own personal development. I know this will be something I am always growing in so if you actually read these, please be patient with me as I develop this skill. I will also receive constructive criticism if you desire to help me become a better writer (and reader). I plan to use this disclaimer for the entire 2025 year.

Spoilers - Nothing Major

Alliance by Dwain Worrell
329 Pages

This is book two in the Androne series by Dwain Worrell. I probably enjoyed this book more than the first. I was already familiar with the world so it took no time to jump right into the story. Where the first book introduced you to Harmony as a child, this book catches up to her as an adult. We get hints of the things she has gone through over the years to help us form who she has become. As I watched Harmony struggle with who she was and her relationship with others, I was able to relate. Her struggle is one we all face. Mr. Worrell did a good job in both books of helping me connect to both main characters.

I can’t say this is a time travel book but the use of the quantum realm to engage in different times was very entertaining. In the first book Paxton meets Harmony as a young girl. Between the two books, Paxton advances 7 or 8 years while Harmony advances around 20 years. This wasn’t the only example of engaging different points in the timeline. Harmony talks to her mother at the same point in time from the mother’s perspective but weeks or months apart from Harmony’s. Definitely one of my favorite features of this book and series.

I’m not sure if the language was more pronounced than the first book but it felt that way to me. I mentioned in my review of Androne that I do not prefer language but it did fit with Paxton’s character. And while it could fit with Harmony’s character, I would have preferred less of it. It didn’t feel like it added anything to who she was. Just my personal opinion, of course. It did not prevent me from finishing and enjoying the book.

I do not always read the epilogues of books and almost skipped reading this one but I’m glad I did not. It gave me a much better sense of completion and made me smile. I was not expecting what happened at all. A good surprise.

If you read and enjoyed Androne, then you will enjoy reading this book too. I recommend it with the same caveats as Androne.

[Jane Eyre · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read

Well written and fast-paced, so why only three stars? Perhaps it's a foible of mine but battling in centuries not your own without thought to consequences sticks in my craw. I had to suspend my disbelief and put logic and quantum physics in a well-locked safe. If you can read it as a simple adventure, then it's a great read

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found Alliance to be stronger than Androne. With Androne I struggled to understand the author's voice. Which is very much inside his character's heads vs. more traditional authors.

This book helped me understand his huge vision. Echoes of Dune, Brunner, anchored in the need of humans for love.

I'm really glad I read these books. Very much recommended.

[Troy Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Book

This was a great book. Lots of action, great story, and well developed characters. Again, the concept for this second book was unique. There have been many time travel stories, but this was different. The people didn't actually time travel, but communicated across time using a concept that was totally new. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I highly recommend it. I am looking forward to seeing more from this highly talented author.

[Loren · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great continuation. Really mind bending time-twisting plotting that pays off nicely by the end.

Satisfying!

[Elaine Goodner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cried

This has been a journey that I enjoyed but that ending tore me up. It was so good I cried!

[William S. · Rating 3 out of 5]

You have to finish Androne first.

This book could probably be read as a stand alone, but much would not be understandable without first reading Androne. Many criticized Androne without having finished the book, they were losers. Alliance isn't as well written, and continues to have the same problems as Androne, that being that the author is long winded and makes his point obtusely, and mysteriously. We have episodes that seem intertwined with magic as various religions arise and compete with each other over doctrine derived from the scientific developments of the past which caused an apocryphal destruction of the future which responds by trying to destroy the past. If you understand the previous sentence then you may understand this book for it's equally as twisted in telling its story.

[Carl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part 2 of the Androne saga introduced some interesting ideas and was fairly effective of splicing the various time and narrator shifts, however some of the story development was a bit laboured and lumpy.

and as per Part 1, I was not totally convinced by the authors world building which was a bit inconsistent - almost as if the author had a long list of stuff he wanted to get in, even if it didn’t quite fit.

[Sharon Laurie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was really looking forward to this follow-up book as the first volume was v.good.

Sadly, this volume was really poor. Slow, stodgy and, I'm afraid, downright boring. I really struggled to get through the book but made it to the end - which was also very confusing.

A sad waste of an obvious talent as well as a waste of my reading time.

[Patrice F · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to love this

Where is the plot? Such a stark contrast from the first book. I loved Harmony and Arés in the first book. Such a missed opportunity to further explore/develop that relationship. The new characters fell flat for me - I got the sense this was rushed.

[Arleen D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Verbose, almost too much

This book is told from different characters' viewpoints, and the switching got confusing at times. The writing is florid, with too many adjectives and adverbs that get in the way of fluid storytelling.

[John Cottingham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alliance

It all comes together in this sequel to Androne. Good job of plotting and keeping me wanting to find out what happens next.

[David · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very very disappointing. How can the first book be so good and compelling, making you want to read the next, and then that next book be so utterly long-winded, confusing, and downright boring?

[Fontaine Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr. Worrell, my favorite Quondam era storyteller, has truly knocked it out of the park with this one.
After reading Androne, I was hooked. I was worried initially that the sequel would not measure up to the mystery and suspense of what came before it. I've never been more happy to be wrong. Very, very wrong.

This book expanded the world of Androne and brought it to new heights. Adding the perspective of Harmony was the perfect way to propel the narrative. I loved experiencing the other side of time through her eyes and how it directly mingled with Paxton's struggle. The questions asked in Androne were asked again, and the answer was different yet all answers remained true. I can't get into too much without spoiling things, and that is the joy that Dwain brings with his books. I urge my friends and family to pick this up, because they need to experience the magic and emotional rollercoaster on their own.

We have some improvements from the last book as well. It might just be me, but I felt the explanation of temporal necromancy and how it all works was much clearer. Also, the action scenes were more straightforward and easier to follow - I found that Androne lost me a bit during those parts. Everything in Alliance was bigger, better, and more exciting, without losing the mysterious and suspenseful essence of the first installation.

I received this ARC two days ago and struggled to put it down from the moment it touched my fingers. It's a winner in all ways, and I encourage anyone who loves fiction to take it for a spin. Dwain Worrell is on track to become one of the best fiction writers of our time, and this duology is a testament to how great science fiction can be.

[Gary · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was painful to give this book only two stars. It's not a terrible book, but it broke a cardinal rule in Sci-fi and fantasy. You can create any rules system you want, but once you create that system you need to abide by your own set of rules.

The Andrones have a quantum photon link, and then their actions are recorded, stored, and played in the future as the future catches up to the recording. Travel is forward. But in this book, we have agents traveling backward in time. That is a no-no according to the rules set up in book one. You can't impact the past. Forget the time paradox. It's just plain against the rules for this story.

Plot Spoiler:
There is no plot. The characters run around in a daze not knowing what is going on? For a little while? That would be OK. But for the entire book (minus the last 3 pages)? Not acceptable. There is plenty of plot potential in this story that we don't need to shroud the entire plot action in fog. (And loose the reader's interest in the process.)

[Barbara Marello · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is very well written, however I found that I got confused at times. It follows after Androne . I may have to read both of them again as I found some of the time-hopping, fighting wars in the future, etc. hard to follow. I do think that this may be partly because I read in bed before I turn out the light, and these are not the books to read when you keep falling asleep. You have to pay attention. It is good science fiction and good writing though, and I do recommend the book.

[Peter Barnsley · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting, it's both good and not so..

I really struggled with this book. The language is unnecessary, and if anything detracts from the world that the author is trying to build. The concept for the story is excellent, and it brings to conclusion this two part story really well.

I found the book very difficult to get into, the first few chapters nearly out me off entirely, but after getting past that I found myself enjoying it very much.

[Rubi · Rating 2 out of 5]

This took a turn i didn't expect. The timelines got all twisted with dead parents, then live ones at a different time, and back and forth. Then they brought up prophecies and went deeper in their bizarre world of religiously worshiping AI/technology. It just got strange and confusing and honestly....didn't even like the characters all that much.
The world had interested me in book one so was disappointed where this went and sad to say it just wasn't for me.

[Jenny · Rating 1 out of 5]

I enjoyed the first book enough to buy the second. This book feels like walking through treacle and I just couldn't get into it at all. I found it boring. Sorry Mr Worrell but you can't please all of the people!!!!!

[William E. Ferreira · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just mindless violence

Read book 1 and thought maybe book2 would have more substance. The series targets juveniles who are into first person shooter games.

[John P · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hard to read

Just did not pop like the first book, seems a little disjointed to me so I'll pass on this one.