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PSIONIC Pentalogy #1
Wild-born
An alternative cover edition for this ASIN can be found here and here.
When young Adrian Howell discovers he possesses powerful telekinetic abilities, he is plunged into a sinister world of warring paranormal factions and terrifying government organizations. Adrian must discover what really happened to his missing sister. But to do this, he will first have to find his place among fugitives like himself, and protect the life of a deeply scarred child who can speak only through her mind... a child who will change Adrian's life forever.
When young Adrian Howell discovers he possesses powerful telekinetic abilities, he is plunged into a sinister world of warring paranormal factions and terrifying government organizations. Adrian must discover what really happened to his missing sister. But to do this, he will first have to find his place among fugitives like himself, and protect the life of a deeply scarred child who can speak only through her mind... a child who will change Adrian's life forever.
283 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 12, 2013
631 people are currently reading
2565 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 - 30 of 152 reviews
July 22, 2014
Wild Born is the 1st of a five book series and is free in ebook form so give It read, I wasn't sure what to expect but that's always good when you stumble in clueless and find yourself drawn in. It soon became obvious I would be reading the 2nd book "TheTower" and from there.. Well I just finished the fifth and final book "Guardian Angel" yesterday. Throughout there was only one time I felt let down when I thought the writer Adrian Howell (same name as the books main caricature) not sure what. The authors real name is? Any ways in book two or three it seemed he had "tipped his hat" as to what was to come. But thankfully he quickly steered the story away from such an obvious conclusion. I don't want to go into any details other than that. This is a well written series and actually leaves the door open for more witch would be great. So grab the freebie 1st book and enjoy the ride.
February 3, 2013
The Psionic series is a pentalogy revolving around a highly detailed world of humans and Psionics. Psionics refer to people who have acquired extra mental capacities such as telekinesis, mind control and a whole range of completely original abilities too.
The Pentalogy follows the story of Adrian Howell who coincidentally shares the name of the author. (Henceforth if I refer to Howell I mean the author and Adrian, the character.) Adrian is just about thirteen years old in Book One: Wild-Born although because of his size most people think he is a lot younger. Throughout his younger years things just happened around him. Things fell off walls and shelves. Because it had always happened he thought it was normal. Until he went camping and people started to call him weird.
Imbued with curiosity and the imagination of a young child he starts to experiment. Nothing really comes of it until he has an accident. Lying in hospital recuperating his returns, out of boredom, to his experiments. For reasons he can’t explain he simply can make things happen. Weakly at first he manipulates his environment. Then, out of hospital, his experiments become more ambitious to the delight of his younger sister, Cat.
Adrian has absolutely no idea the consequences of this sudden power, but he is about to find out. He is tortured by headaches more painful than he has ever known. Then one night, a storm blows in and upsets the entirety of his life as he has known it.
Howell’s YA Urban Fantasy has enough gore, conspiracy and heart to appeal to the maturer reader also. It is set within our world but there is a secret undercurrent of warring factions and Psionics in hiding from various threats. Between the spaces of reality a whole world exists where anything is possible. A man with nightmares so powerful it shakes the very ground and warps anything near him; a entire underground operation that captures and tortures psionics to death or insanity, and an unlikely family that find and save each other.
There are many characters that populate just the first book, but each is rendered in such detail and with such empathy that regardless if they are a main character or a side character holding the door open for them on their way out, they feel as real and as tangible as anybody else.
The real action starts when the source of Adrian’s headaches is explained. His whole world is turned upside down and a touching journey begins to bring his sister back to him. Howell maintains the pace without tiring the reader. Each setting is created with the same level of literary skill as the characters making for an entirely vivid read without getting too bogged down in the details.
The Psionic series is entirely self-published by Howell and to date it is the best produced e-book I have seen. Not even a typo has managed to escape the author’s notice. It really is a pleasure to read a book that has had so much care taken over it.
The Pentalogy follows the story of Adrian Howell who coincidentally shares the name of the author. (Henceforth if I refer to Howell I mean the author and Adrian, the character.) Adrian is just about thirteen years old in Book One: Wild-Born although because of his size most people think he is a lot younger. Throughout his younger years things just happened around him. Things fell off walls and shelves. Because it had always happened he thought it was normal. Until he went camping and people started to call him weird.
Imbued with curiosity and the imagination of a young child he starts to experiment. Nothing really comes of it until he has an accident. Lying in hospital recuperating his returns, out of boredom, to his experiments. For reasons he can’t explain he simply can make things happen. Weakly at first he manipulates his environment. Then, out of hospital, his experiments become more ambitious to the delight of his younger sister, Cat.
Adrian has absolutely no idea the consequences of this sudden power, but he is about to find out. He is tortured by headaches more painful than he has ever known. Then one night, a storm blows in and upsets the entirety of his life as he has known it.
Howell’s YA Urban Fantasy has enough gore, conspiracy and heart to appeal to the maturer reader also. It is set within our world but there is a secret undercurrent of warring factions and Psionics in hiding from various threats. Between the spaces of reality a whole world exists where anything is possible. A man with nightmares so powerful it shakes the very ground and warps anything near him; a entire underground operation that captures and tortures psionics to death or insanity, and an unlikely family that find and save each other.
There are many characters that populate just the first book, but each is rendered in such detail and with such empathy that regardless if they are a main character or a side character holding the door open for them on their way out, they feel as real and as tangible as anybody else.
The real action starts when the source of Adrian’s headaches is explained. His whole world is turned upside down and a touching journey begins to bring his sister back to him. Howell maintains the pace without tiring the reader. Each setting is created with the same level of literary skill as the characters making for an entirely vivid read without getting too bogged down in the details.
The Psionic series is entirely self-published by Howell and to date it is the best produced e-book I have seen. Not even a typo has managed to escape the author’s notice. It really is a pleasure to read a book that has had so much care taken over it.
April 10, 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.
At first glance, "Wild-born" does not appear to be unique in its genre. Orphaned boy with magic powers? Check. Scary organizations trying to kill/capture/use said boy? Check. Mysterious old man, kindly mother figure? Check and check! So what exactly sets Wild-born, and the PSIONIC Pentalogy apart?
For starters, you've got a fairly uncommon first-person perspective. You don't see a whole lot of that, mainly because grown adults trying to write for children is hard enough, but trying to write through the eyes of a child is even harder. The main character is 12 years old, and for the most part, is fairly believable as one, as his courage and drive are hampered by occasional bouts of petulance and ignorance that come naturally in the pre-teen years. He occasionally comes off a little too strong for a 12 year-old, but only after enough development to make the suspension of disbelief acceptable. In fact, all of the characters are quite believable, including the mostly ordinary people trapped in the machinations of something bigger.
The plot generally moved at a good, quick pace, though it did suffer the occasional hiccup - there emerged of displacement, settling, conflict, and displacement again, but the settling and build-up to conflict occasionally moved sluggishly. However, it is not by any means dense or tedious reading, as I was able to finish it in a night (and I'm fast, but certainly no speedreader!) Incidentally, it is not particularly lengthy, but is meaty enough for its $2.99 to be a fair price.
On to a portion of the review I only use on the first part of a series - exposition! Commonly, the first part can be bogged down with set-up, as the author must subtly (or not-so-subtly) explain to the main character, and by extension the reader, the world and the rules of this particular universe. Often, this creates a very slow start or an overall hampered plot. I am pleased to say, however, that Mr. Howell does not seem to fall into this trap, as exposition seems to be delivered only when necessary, and rarely does it interrupt the plot.
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 (there were a few things I'd have rephrased, but I'm no author!) and so I must conclude that Wild-born was carefully examined and edited before release.
The bottom line is that Wild-born is a worthy read for fans of the genre, though those who are tired of common fantasy tropes may not be very much interested. The writing style is solid and the story is interesting, and I look forward to the next book in the series.
Full disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The opinions below are entirely my own.
At first glance, "Wild-born" does not appear to be unique in its genre. Orphaned boy with magic powers? Check. Scary organizations trying to kill/capture/use said boy? Check. Mysterious old man, kindly mother figure? Check and check! So what exactly sets Wild-born, and the PSIONIC Pentalogy apart?
For starters, you've got a fairly uncommon first-person perspective. You don't see a whole lot of that, mainly because grown adults trying to write for children is hard enough, but trying to write through the eyes of a child is even harder. The main character is 12 years old, and for the most part, is fairly believable as one, as his courage and drive are hampered by occasional bouts of petulance and ignorance that come naturally in the pre-teen years. He occasionally comes off a little too strong for a 12 year-old, but only after enough development to make the suspension of disbelief acceptable. In fact, all of the characters are quite believable, including the mostly ordinary people trapped in the machinations of something bigger.
The plot generally moved at a good, quick pace, though it did suffer the occasional hiccup - there emerged of displacement, settling, conflict, and displacement again, but the settling and build-up to conflict occasionally moved sluggishly. However, it is not by any means dense or tedious reading, as I was able to finish it in a night (and I'm fast, but certainly no speedreader!) Incidentally, it is not particularly lengthy, but is meaty enough for its $2.99 to be a fair price.
On to a portion of the review I only use on the first part of a series - exposition! Commonly, the first part can be bogged down with set-up, as the author must subtly (or not-so-subtly) explain to the main character, and by extension the reader, the world and the rules of this particular universe. Often, this creates a very slow start or an overall hampered plot. I am pleased to say, however, that Mr. Howell does not seem to fall into this trap, as exposition seems to be delivered only when necessary, and rarely does it interrupt the plot.
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 (there were a few things I'd have rephrased, but I'm no author!) and so I must conclude that Wild-born was carefully examined and edited before release.
The bottom line is that Wild-born is a worthy read for fans of the genre, though those who are tired of common fantasy tropes may not be very much interested. The writing style is solid and the story is interesting, and I look forward to the next book in the series.
April 1, 2014
Most self-publishing authors, especially in their first works, play things safe by clinging to more or less cliched subjects and characters. They start out with a little backstory on the hero, and then comes a shocking revelation of some kind followed by the introduction of the antagonist(s). After this, the hero suffers some form of defeat before slowly crawling back up and emerging victorious in the end. It’s an easy model to follow and has proven successful so often new authors seem to feel comfortable sticking to it at first.
This series is completely different.
First of all, the ‘hero’ is no hero at all; he does not aspire to do great things, he does not see himself as some sort of vanquisher of evil. Nor is he the almost as overused reluctant hero, he is simply a boy trying to survive in a world which he does not understand. None of this in any way detracts from the fact that Adrian is one of the best-developed characters I have ever had the pleasure of reading about. Every one of this series’ quite many characters has their own personality, their own motivations and their own back story; all of them are believable characters who the reader can really get to know. But Adrian really trumps them all. Since the books are all written in an autobiographical style (which works really well in my opinion) Adrian is on every single page of the series. This gives the author plenty of occasions to truly develop his character and he has capitalised on that greatly; over the course of the several years that the series spans we witness Adrian maturing in a way I have not seen in any other book. By the end of the series the reader knows Adrian as well as he does himself and I found myself truly captivated by his story.
As the preface will tell you, there is no ‘good vs. evil’ story in this world. Both sides so plenty of evil, and perhaps some good on the side. In the author’s words, “Good is whichever side you think you are on, and evil is whichever side you are fighting, or running from”. Again, there are no heroes, nor any true villains. Sure there are some people who want to do things some would consider evil, but they all have good intentions even if their methods may be flawed. This setting creates a moral stalemate through which Adrian and those close to him (and consequently, the readers themselves) seek to weave their way through. Especially in the later books, Adrian is faced with dilemmas of a sort most ‘adult’ novels would not dare touch upon.
Because of this, as well as the great depth of the story, cast and setting, readers who have outgrown the Young Adult audience should not shy away from this series, nor should any parent haphazardly gift it to their children. Even though the protagonist is a teenager the themes and the way they are developed and displayed are darker than one might at first expect. It is as mature a series as I have ever read and it has my strongest recommendation to anyone, provided they can stomach some physical and emotional abuse. This series is not for the fainthearted, but everyone else will surely come to love it.
Wild born is now free, and it would be an absolute travesty not to give it a chance; Adrian Howell is as skilled an author as I have ever seen and well-deserving of every single star I have given him above as well as every penny he earns from his works.
This series is completely different.
First of all, the ‘hero’ is no hero at all; he does not aspire to do great things, he does not see himself as some sort of vanquisher of evil. Nor is he the almost as overused reluctant hero, he is simply a boy trying to survive in a world which he does not understand. None of this in any way detracts from the fact that Adrian is one of the best-developed characters I have ever had the pleasure of reading about. Every one of this series’ quite many characters has their own personality, their own motivations and their own back story; all of them are believable characters who the reader can really get to know. But Adrian really trumps them all. Since the books are all written in an autobiographical style (which works really well in my opinion) Adrian is on every single page of the series. This gives the author plenty of occasions to truly develop his character and he has capitalised on that greatly; over the course of the several years that the series spans we witness Adrian maturing in a way I have not seen in any other book. By the end of the series the reader knows Adrian as well as he does himself and I found myself truly captivated by his story.
As the preface will tell you, there is no ‘good vs. evil’ story in this world. Both sides so plenty of evil, and perhaps some good on the side. In the author’s words, “Good is whichever side you think you are on, and evil is whichever side you are fighting, or running from”. Again, there are no heroes, nor any true villains. Sure there are some people who want to do things some would consider evil, but they all have good intentions even if their methods may be flawed. This setting creates a moral stalemate through which Adrian and those close to him (and consequently, the readers themselves) seek to weave their way through. Especially in the later books, Adrian is faced with dilemmas of a sort most ‘adult’ novels would not dare touch upon.
Because of this, as well as the great depth of the story, cast and setting, readers who have outgrown the Young Adult audience should not shy away from this series, nor should any parent haphazardly gift it to their children. Even though the protagonist is a teenager the themes and the way they are developed and displayed are darker than one might at first expect. It is as mature a series as I have ever read and it has my strongest recommendation to anyone, provided they can stomach some physical and emotional abuse. This series is not for the fainthearted, but everyone else will surely come to love it.
Wild born is now free, and it would be an absolute travesty not to give it a chance; Adrian Howell is as skilled an author as I have ever seen and well-deserving of every single star I have given him above as well as every penny he earns from his works.
May 20, 2016
Free @ Amazon as I write this review.
Along with Maude and The Martian, the best of indie books I've read. Maybe a 4.5 star young adult book. The male protagonist, 13, comes into his psi powers, and soon factions in the psionic wars and the government are after him. The first book has him running for his life, and it's an exciting read.
None of that is new, obviously, but it is done exceedingly well. There is plenty for the adult reader, too. Go read the opening chapter and see if you aren't intrigued by the philosophical reflections there. The prose is good, a cut above most indie writing.
And for now, it's free. Go download it!
Along with Maude and The Martian, the best of indie books I've read. Maybe a 4.5 star young adult book. The male protagonist, 13, comes into his psi powers, and soon factions in the psionic wars and the government are after him. The first book has him running for his life, and it's an exciting read.
None of that is new, obviously, but it is done exceedingly well. There is plenty for the adult reader, too. Go read the opening chapter and see if you aren't intrigued by the philosophical reflections there. The prose is good, a cut above most indie writing.
And for now, it's free. Go download it!
August 31, 2016
I like this book A LOT. This first book of the series is free, and the rest are inexpensive. Each new twist is better throughout the book.
The notes at the end say it is the first of a pentology.
Unlike the prior 9 book series I read (Courtlight Series https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... ) this book was error free.
Not sure if I will read the rest as I have a lot of books Q'd up
The notes at the end say it is the first of a pentology.
Unlike the prior 9 book series I read (Courtlight Series https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... ) this book was error free.
Not sure if I will read the rest as I have a lot of books Q'd up
October 5, 2017
I believe I downloaded this book for free some time ago and just finally decided to give it a try. I was pleasantly surprised to discover an interesting premise, a nice-paced story and down-to-earth, well-developed characters. I care enough about the characters to actually pay for the next book in the series! The author was polite enough to wrap the story up, so that you could walk away after this first installment; no cliff hanger. But why would you want to?
November 26, 2015
Review originally posted on Rach Lawrence Books.
At twelve years old, Adrian Howell discovers he has telekinetic powers. He can move things with his mind and blast holes in stuff. But what starts as a fun way to entertain himself and his younger sister turns into a curse when his family is attacked and warring psionic factions want Adrian and his powers for their own.
Not knowing who to trust, Adrian spends time on his own before being found by another wild-born psionic and taken into her family. There he meets Alia, a wild-born healer who can speak directly into people’s minds and who becomes like a little sister to him. Adrian doesn’t give up on finding his real sister though, and he and Alia wind up in a lot more trouble than they bargained for. He’ll need to keep his promise to protect Alia while also finding a way to save them both.
Wild-born is a thrilling young adult paranormal fantasy that had me glued to my seat. Although it is book one in a series, it is a complete story on its own that will compel you to read the next book. I quickly became attached to the main characters and look forward to reading more about their lives.
The story is definitely geared toward the young teen audience, but that doesn’t mean adults won’t appreciate it also. The main character is only twelve at the start of the book, and I enjoyed watching him feel his way through situations he had no experience with. Several times he got himself into trouble by just being the kid that he was, but he realized his mistakes and was able to learn from them like any kid should. The problem was that Adrian’s world was more life-threatening than most kids’, resulting in more dangerous situations.
The various powers exhibited by the characters were interesting, and I loved learning about the psionic world along with Adrian. Watching him piece together the way each power could be used in the situation he was stuck in was fascinating.
The dialogue felt a bit stiff sometimes with repetition of the name of the character being spoken to, but overall this was a minor issue in an otherwise great story.
I read this book along with my middle school-aged child, and we both truly enjoyed it and are looking forward to reading more of the series.
At twelve years old, Adrian Howell discovers he has telekinetic powers. He can move things with his mind and blast holes in stuff. But what starts as a fun way to entertain himself and his younger sister turns into a curse when his family is attacked and warring psionic factions want Adrian and his powers for their own.
Not knowing who to trust, Adrian spends time on his own before being found by another wild-born psionic and taken into her family. There he meets Alia, a wild-born healer who can speak directly into people’s minds and who becomes like a little sister to him. Adrian doesn’t give up on finding his real sister though, and he and Alia wind up in a lot more trouble than they bargained for. He’ll need to keep his promise to protect Alia while also finding a way to save them both.
Wild-born is a thrilling young adult paranormal fantasy that had me glued to my seat. Although it is book one in a series, it is a complete story on its own that will compel you to read the next book. I quickly became attached to the main characters and look forward to reading more about their lives.
The story is definitely geared toward the young teen audience, but that doesn’t mean adults won’t appreciate it also. The main character is only twelve at the start of the book, and I enjoyed watching him feel his way through situations he had no experience with. Several times he got himself into trouble by just being the kid that he was, but he realized his mistakes and was able to learn from them like any kid should. The problem was that Adrian’s world was more life-threatening than most kids’, resulting in more dangerous situations.
The various powers exhibited by the characters were interesting, and I loved learning about the psionic world along with Adrian. Watching him piece together the way each power could be used in the situation he was stuck in was fascinating.
The dialogue felt a bit stiff sometimes with repetition of the name of the character being spoken to, but overall this was a minor issue in an otherwise great story.
I read this book along with my middle school-aged child, and we both truly enjoyed it and are looking forward to reading more of the series.
January 28, 2015
Adrian Howell always thought that it was normal for things to fall off shelves and walls, after all it had been happening around him his entire life. It had gotten to the point when he could pinpoint the moment that it was going to happen. It wasn’t until he was in a terrible accident that he discovered the real truth and that is that he was making it happen. He thought that discovery that he had telekinetic powers was really going to make school more interesting when it started back up, oh the things that he could do… Unfortunately, there are others out there that are looking for people with powers like his and they will do anything to make sure that he belongs to them.
Now Adrian finds himself running from someone that wants to either harm him or hold him captive for other reasons. If this isn’t enough when he finds himself captured it’s up to him to protect a small girl that doesn’t talk out loud but can talk speak to you through your mind.
This book was written entirely as it were coming from the mind of young boy which I found really annoying at first but quickly became so interested in the story that it didn’t. Adrian was fighter and never gave up even when things were at their worst and my heart truly broke for Alia, the small 7 year old girl that he became sole protector of when they were captured. The things that she had been through were so horrific that it was a wonder that she was able to function at all.
This was a great young adult read that I look forward to sharing with my daughter this summer when she doesn’t have to read only books that she gets AR credit for. Note that there are more books in the series and while this book does have a complete ending but also leaves an opening for the others.
Now Adrian finds himself running from someone that wants to either harm him or hold him captive for other reasons. If this isn’t enough when he finds himself captured it’s up to him to protect a small girl that doesn’t talk out loud but can talk speak to you through your mind.
This book was written entirely as it were coming from the mind of young boy which I found really annoying at first but quickly became so interested in the story that it didn’t. Adrian was fighter and never gave up even when things were at their worst and my heart truly broke for Alia, the small 7 year old girl that he became sole protector of when they were captured. The things that she had been through were so horrific that it was a wonder that she was able to function at all.
This was a great young adult read that I look forward to sharing with my daughter this summer when she doesn’t have to read only books that she gets AR credit for. Note that there are more books in the series and while this book does have a complete ending but also leaves an opening for the others.
March 22, 2015
First of all, I could have done without the introduction. I get that starting the story with the main character retelling it after having lived through it gives the story a sense of urgency, but I really don’t think it needed it. Also, the writing of the introduction was pretty bad and I almost gave up on the book before it even truly started.
That said, once Adrian’s powers began to manifest and the mythology began to unfold, I was hooked. The world Howell describes is vast, and gives you the sense that there is so much more going on than seems to at first. The war between the Angels and the Guardians is just a fraction of it, and when the Wolves – government people, powerless themselves but very interested in finding out more about psionics – capture Adrian and Alia, I couldn’t put the book down anymore. The friendship between those two gives emotional resonance to the story, while the pieces of mythology that are uncovered make the plot interesting as well.
Adrian is the main character. He’s only twelve years old, though he read quite a bit older to me. He’s brave, that’s for sure, and doesn’t get attached easily – but when he does, he loves deeply and truly, and will not give up on you.
Cindy is the first person he comes across who actually cares about him, and she is all kinds of awesome. She only arrives when the book is already at a quarter, and before her part in the story it’s been all darkness. Cindy is a breath of fresh air. She’s nice, and compassionate, and she actually shares her knowledge instead of keeping it close to her chest.
But even though I loved Cindy, my favourite character has to be Alia. Alia is only seven years old and severely traumatized, but she’s absolutely adorable.
That said, once Adrian’s powers began to manifest and the mythology began to unfold, I was hooked. The world Howell describes is vast, and gives you the sense that there is so much more going on than seems to at first. The war between the Angels and the Guardians is just a fraction of it, and when the Wolves – government people, powerless themselves but very interested in finding out more about psionics – capture Adrian and Alia, I couldn’t put the book down anymore. The friendship between those two gives emotional resonance to the story, while the pieces of mythology that are uncovered make the plot interesting as well.
Adrian is the main character. He’s only twelve years old, though he read quite a bit older to me. He’s brave, that’s for sure, and doesn’t get attached easily – but when he does, he loves deeply and truly, and will not give up on you.
Cindy is the first person he comes across who actually cares about him, and she is all kinds of awesome. She only arrives when the book is already at a quarter, and before her part in the story it’s been all darkness. Cindy is a breath of fresh air. She’s nice, and compassionate, and she actually shares her knowledge instead of keeping it close to her chest.
But even though I loved Cindy, my favourite character has to be Alia. Alia is only seven years old and severely traumatized, but she’s absolutely adorable.
January 25, 2015
This book is the first in a five book series and if the remaining four are anything like it, then Mr Howell has an amazing series of books to his name.
I found the main character, 13 year old Adrian, to be a well written individual and the author has managed to achieve joining the anxieties that go with any adolescent boy coupled with the weird, growing powers that he possesses.
The book is split into three plots, all of which work well. The first part goes into his growing up and how he comes to recognize his powers, the second part of flight and escape after the "baddies" come to get him and the third part which I won't go into for fear of spoilers, but suffice to say, it certainly gives more insight into the world that the author has created.
I found all of the supporting characters to be believable personalities, even with their psionic powers, and I look forward to reading book two.
I found the main character, 13 year old Adrian, to be a well written individual and the author has managed to achieve joining the anxieties that go with any adolescent boy coupled with the weird, growing powers that he possesses.
The book is split into three plots, all of which work well. The first part goes into his growing up and how he comes to recognize his powers, the second part of flight and escape after the "baddies" come to get him and the third part which I won't go into for fear of spoilers, but suffice to say, it certainly gives more insight into the world that the author has created.
I found all of the supporting characters to be believable personalities, even with their psionic powers, and I look forward to reading book two.
March 18, 2015
This is one of the best young adult books I've read in a while. From the start there is action that demands attention as we follow the story of Adrian and the disaster his life seems to become. We follow him through some very tough growing up and some very tough decisions until he finally realises that not all is as it seems nor does it have to be a difficult road to travel. There is enough angst and attitude to keep any reader spellbound throughout the book - indeed I found it very hard to put down once I got the book underway.
The characters are excellent in the depth that they have all been interwoven in the story and the plot line is superb at keeping the reader guessing right to the very end. There is that inevitable sting in the tale too that ensures the next volume will be on the must read list!
The characters are excellent in the depth that they have all been interwoven in the story and the plot line is superb at keeping the reader guessing right to the very end. There is that inevitable sting in the tale too that ensures the next volume will be on the must read list!
August 27, 2015
I didn't think I'd like this book from the description on Amazon...hate seeing the word 'war' in descriptions...but it was free, so I thought I'd try it. It was amazingly great! It wasn't really about war. It was about 2 kids trying to survive with the help of some adult friends. Of course, the situations were pretty fantastic (as in fantasy) but very entertaining. Its age rating is 13-3013 which I think is pretty fair. I'm closer to the 3013 than the 13...but it didn't have any problem holding my interest. Unusual...the author's pen name and the main character of the book are the same. I would love to read the rest of the series, but I'm am afraid that this series is a little more costly than I am willing to spend on e-books.
December 15, 2014
Really bad changes don't happen very often, but if they do, then big problems can occur. "Wild Born" is a fiction book by Adrian Howell, which has the elements of adventure, thriller, and mystery. A boy with a strange power, not knowing how to control them, not knowing what's happening to him, or what he should do when he's being chased. His parents get killed, and his sister goes missing the same night. The book has a lot of twists and turns that makes the reader just want to read more and to find out what happens next. This book is recommended for the ones who like adventure, thriller, and mystery.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 30, 2017
After reading the disappointing The Elderine Stone: Dreams to Destiny by Alan Lawson, I was overjoyed to read this original, interesting, and engrossing novel.
The characters are well developed, and their choices and dialogue ring true.
The settings are varied and well described.
So far, no stupid plot holes or eyeroll-inducing dialogue or characters.
I just bought the other 4 books in the series; I think it will be worth it!
The characters are well developed, and their choices and dialogue ring true.
The settings are varied and well described.
So far, no stupid plot holes or eyeroll-inducing dialogue or characters.
I just bought the other 4 books in the series; I think it will be worth it!
March 25, 2015
No fairy tale
A young boy trying to learn about his telekinesis, only to be thrust into the fight for his life. Confused and uncertain about who is right bad who
A young boy trying to learn about his telekinesis, only to be thrust into a fight for life. Confused and uncertain about who is right and who is wrong, he struggles to find his way. A good book that not only moves along quickly, but is hard book to put down. It deserves the awards it has gotten.
A young boy trying to learn about his telekinesis, only to be thrust into the fight for his life. Confused and uncertain about who is right bad who
A young boy trying to learn about his telekinesis, only to be thrust into a fight for life. Confused and uncertain about who is right and who is wrong, he struggles to find his way. A good book that not only moves along quickly, but is hard book to put down. It deserves the awards it has gotten.
January 18, 2015
It is a book about kindness. Main hero teen Adrian Howell is kind and smart person and also very brave. People hate anybody with such abilities and try to use them, but I am sure he will not allow it and everything will end successfully. It will be hard for teen, but he is not ordinary teen with his soul abilities too.
February 3, 2015
Young adult talent
Twelve year old Adrian's world turns upside down when he learns how to overcome gravity. Well-written with well developed characterization. Guardians, Angels, and government scientists together make a very spellbinding novel and not one to miss. Ages twelve to adult.
Twelve year old Adrian's world turns upside down when he learns how to overcome gravity. Well-written with well developed characterization. Guardians, Angels, and government scientists together make a very spellbinding novel and not one to miss. Ages twelve to adult.
October 5, 2018
First time reader of this author and now i am hooked. This was such a great, easy and creative series. i was hooked after the first page.
The characters were easy to fall in love with and follow, along with the story. the author made the mental visions so easy and vivid of the surroundings and the characters actions felt so real.
i would highly recommend this author and this series.
The characters were easy to fall in love with and follow, along with the story. the author made the mental visions so easy and vivid of the surroundings and the characters actions felt so real.
i would highly recommend this author and this series.
August 6, 2017
An excellent series of books that capture the imagination. A roller coaster of a ride that leaves you desperate for more.
May 9, 2025
I read this book because I am surveying fiction that features characters with mental/psychic/psionic abilities. The plot was fairly predictable but the world-building seems a bit above average. For me, the author successfully established a sense of 'much more than we know is going on.' I would have chosen 3 stars (which is a good rating from me, I shun the rating inflation that is so common on so many sites), but the narration POV felt awkward.
Adrian Howell seemed to be trying to establish an autobiographical POV, but the writing often left me feeling that the POV was first-person narrator. For me, this yielded frequent disruptions of immersion as I tried to process a prepubescent point of view rendered in language often more appropriate for an adult. I think I would have enjoyed the book more if the author had established 'separate' characters for the autobiographer and the boy he had been, a voice from the reflective present in addition to first-person narration from the past. Or maybe just the present-time autobiographer in first person and talking more about how he thought and felt as he was recalling and recording the radical changes he experienced as he was revealed to third parties as psionic.
I might read the next book in the set if I see a copy in my local public library or if it is on Kindle Unlimited the next time I subscribe to it. People especially interested in stories featuring paranormal mental abilities and murky conflict between covert organizations could enjoy this book, but if you are put off by thin supporting characters and limited main character development you might want to skip this one.
Adrian Howell seemed to be trying to establish an autobiographical POV, but the writing often left me feeling that the POV was first-person narrator. For me, this yielded frequent disruptions of immersion as I tried to process a prepubescent point of view rendered in language often more appropriate for an adult. I think I would have enjoyed the book more if the author had established 'separate' characters for the autobiographer and the boy he had been, a voice from the reflective present in addition to first-person narration from the past. Or maybe just the present-time autobiographer in first person and talking more about how he thought and felt as he was recalling and recording the radical changes he experienced as he was revealed to third parties as psionic.
I might read the next book in the set if I see a copy in my local public library or if it is on Kindle Unlimited the next time I subscribe to it. People especially interested in stories featuring paranormal mental abilities and murky conflict between covert organizations could enjoy this book, but if you are put off by thin supporting characters and limited main character development you might want to skip this one.
March 15, 2022
which slaver gang do you want to join?
I know this book is primarily written for children, as is the series, the under 18 crowd… And without too many spoilers, essentially there are two gangs that enslave people against their will, and fight for dominance,… After almost getting captured by ones slaver gang, he eventually decides to join the other slaver gang to help him find his sister… No qualms about joining people who enslave others, or the fact that he’s unwilling to kill slavers or anything of that nature, or that his actions cause an escaped slave to essentially have to rejoin a slaver gang a game… Some pretty big disconnects that make the character unlikeable and relatable… You can forgive some of the obvious mistakes the main character makes because he’s 13, but there are some real disconnects in the lack of any mental discussion around the merits of joining someone who once tried to enslave you so you can n help them enslave other….
I know this book is primarily written for children, as is the series, the under 18 crowd… And without too many spoilers, essentially there are two gangs that enslave people against their will, and fight for dominance,… After almost getting captured by ones slaver gang, he eventually decides to join the other slaver gang to help him find his sister… No qualms about joining people who enslave others, or the fact that he’s unwilling to kill slavers or anything of that nature, or that his actions cause an escaped slave to essentially have to rejoin a slaver gang a game… Some pretty big disconnects that make the character unlikeable and relatable… You can forgive some of the obvious mistakes the main character makes because he’s 13, but there are some real disconnects in the lack of any mental discussion around the merits of joining someone who once tried to enslave you so you can n help them enslave other….
July 29, 2017
it hooked me by chapter and then I had to check friends to see if the had read it and the other 4 books in the series. This is a book with the subject matter which I usually don't read but as I got deeper into the story I found it was not ghost, vampire, shape shifting, or that kind of story. The main character came into his powers with no one to guide him in what he should expect. Due to the violence he and his sister experienced when he understood what his power and that others wanted capture him he separated from his sister to protect her from capture. But a stranger saved his life and took him to a woman who could help him adjust to his powers. She also introduced him to others who also had various powers and were closer to his age an be in a place he gould grow up without exposing what he was. Book 1 sets up the basis of the entire series.
November 4, 2017
“In real life, you start off as nobody and usually you end that way too.”
― Adrian Howell, Wild-born
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
This was great. Back when I was a kid I read a book called "The Girl with the Silver Eyes." and that started my obsession with telekinesis. I would sit and stare at things trying to make them move. Sadly, I do not have that gift, haha.
This book was full of action, mystery, and excitement. Every chapter ended making me want to immediately read the next. I will definitely read more in this series. :)
― Adrian Howell, Wild-born
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
This was great. Back when I was a kid I read a book called "The Girl with the Silver Eyes." and that started my obsession with telekinesis. I would sit and stare at things trying to make them move. Sadly, I do not have that gift, haha.
This book was full of action, mystery, and excitement. Every chapter ended making me want to immediately read the next. I will definitely read more in this series. :)
November 25, 2018
Worth reading book 2
I couldn't give it.5 stars. The story is not bad in any way. The psionics are given an interesting weakness that prevents them from being all-powerful gods. The book had one plot thread hanging, but that's to be expected in a five book series. It did wrap up the main storyline and had a twist near the end that I didn't see coming. The bad? The frequency of beginning sentence with "And" and "If". I'm not the grammar police by any stretch but that sort of thing pulls be out of the story, but not so much that out makes me unwilling to read the next book.
I couldn't give it.5 stars. The story is not bad in any way. The psionics are given an interesting weakness that prevents them from being all-powerful gods. The book had one plot thread hanging, but that's to be expected in a five book series. It did wrap up the main storyline and had a twist near the end that I didn't see coming. The bad? The frequency of beginning sentence with "And" and "If". I'm not the grammar police by any stretch but that sort of thing pulls be out of the story, but not so much that out makes me unwilling to read the next book.
October 4, 2018
Excellent start to a new series.I was expecting this book to be good but it more than met my expectations.Two special kids trying to come to terms with their unusual gifts are suddenly taken prisoner by our government because of them.Forced to give up their rights as human beings and become lab rats for the betterment of science.This book was very well done not to long not to short just right.Definitely looking forward to the next installment.
September 30, 2019
This is the first book in the Psionic Pentalogy
This was a good start to a new supernatural /paranormal series the main character was likable and interesting the world building was decent . This story was very intense especially when they military tortured both of the children but the weird part about this book was the drawing yeah not a fan . But yeah not a bad start at all I will follow this series too it's conclusion .
This was a good start to a new supernatural /paranormal series the main character was likable and interesting the world building was decent . This story was very intense especially when they military tortured both of the children but the weird part about this book was the drawing yeah not a fan . But yeah not a bad start at all I will follow this series too it's conclusion .
March 22, 2021
Wild-born
Thoroughly enjoyed this book! It’s not often you come across a book so well written with the main character being a young kid. I admired that the MC showed his age with moments of recklessness and immaturity while also following along his journey of discovering more about psionics, his power, and adapting to the new world he’s thrust into. I can’t wait to pickup where the book left off and see how Adrian’s life changes being part of a new group!
Thoroughly enjoyed this book! It’s not often you come across a book so well written with the main character being a young kid. I admired that the MC showed his age with moments of recklessness and immaturity while also following along his journey of discovering more about psionics, his power, and adapting to the new world he’s thrust into. I can’t wait to pickup where the book left off and see how Adrian’s life changes being part of a new group!
December 12, 2017
I held off on reading this as it was a free book and at the time I read a few that weren't that great. I'm so glad I was wrong about this. I really enjoyed it. I think it could be considered a young adult book but I found it enjoyable being an adult in my 30s (could argue I'm still young ;D ). Definitely one I'd read more of and recommend.
March 18, 2018
GREAT READ
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters came alive and poped right off the page. Took me a while to read it. I just couldn't put the book down. It was so entertaining. I highly recommend this book to everyone. Thank you for writing this book and sharing it with us! We loved it.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters came alive and poped right off the page. Took me a while to read it. I just couldn't put the book down. It was so entertaining. I highly recommend this book to everyone. Thank you for writing this book and sharing it with us! We loved it.
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