Alexander X

Battle for Forever #1

by Edward Savio

Alexander Grant is a little too good at a few too many things. Two dozen martial arts. Twice that many languages. Chess, the piano, sports, sleight of hand, school. It would take most people a lifetime to master everything he has. Actually...it's taken Alexander MUCH, much longer than that. For decades, he’s been forced to hide his talents and live in obscurity. It’s not that he wants to go unnoticed. It’s just safer for everyone that way. That is until a mysterious cabal attempts to kidnap him and kill his friends, Alexander must use all his skills and centuries of training to outrun and outwit the most dangerous man alive, the mastermind of a plot that will change the world forever. Clever, intriguing, skillfully woven with humor, ALEXANDER X launches us on an epic journey toward a future few of us will survive, rising from a past we never knew existed.

Genres: Fiction, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Audiobook, Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Thriller

344 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 28, 2019

Reviews

[Kacy❁ · Rating 2 out of 5]

This had great promise in the beginning...sadly I was disappointed with how the story progressed. I got bored very easily. How can a book be filled with action but not feel action packed?

Wil Wheaton was the only reason I actually finished the book....his narration as always is fabulous.

[Celeste · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had never heard of Alexander X or its author before picking this up. It’s not something that would have ever come across my radar. My decision to purchase it was twofold. First, it was an Audible Daily Deal. It’s hard to pass up a less than $4 audiobook, no matter what it is. Second, Alexander X is narrated by Wil Wheaton. In my opinion, narrator really matters when it comes to audiobooks. If you’re going to have someone talking in your ear for 6, 13, 27 hours, it needs to be a voice you like. No matter how wonderful the story, if I don’t jive with the narrator I’ll abandon an audiobook in a heartbeat, promising myself that I’ll try it again one day in a visual format. I have a list of narrators I love, and Wheaton is a name on that list. On the flip side of this, the best narrator in the world can’t save a lackluster story. Happily, Alexander X was a fun, addictive, and pretty darn original story that was paired with a wonderful narrator.

Alexander X may look fifteen, but multiplying that number by ten will get you much closer to his actual age. Alexander is an Immortal. No, he’s not a vampire or any other supernatural being whose unnatural life span comes with mutant healing powers or disturbing cravings. Alexander is your average kid; he just happens to age very, very slowly. There are handfuls of Immortals scattered throughout history and the present, and they have yet to understand what exactly causes them to age so slowly. Some have been around since before recorded history. What they know about themselves boils down to two things. The key to their immortality is some random genetic quirk that they haven’t been able to pinpoint. They also know that, should the world ever discover their existence, those in power would stop at nothing to discover this genetic secret, even if it meant hunting down every Immortal and ripping them apart in hopes of seeing how they work. Because of the danger of discovery, Immortals are always on the move, leaving before those around them begin noticing that they aren’t aging. For someone like Alexander, this is even more difficult. Adults can stay put for decades, but someone with the appearance of a teenager has to move around far more frequently.

Alexander is settled into a new life for the time being. He’s even made some friends, and is playing lacrosse despite the risk involved with being notices. But things start going horribly wrong for him the day of the school’s Homecoming games and dance. He finds himself pursued by someone determined to get to his father, and two of his friends are forced to go along for the ride in order to keep their families safe. Those hunting Alexander will not stop until they’ve captured him, and Alexander won’t stop until he knows why. The chase that ensues is a madcap adventure through both the events of current day and Alexander’s roles in historical events.

This was such a fun read. It was fast-paced and funny and did a great job of balancing action and exposition. It managed to be light and gripping in equal measures. I don’t know that it’s a story that will stick with me forever, but I immediately downloaded the second installment. I can’t wait to see what other adventures are in store for Alexander and the gang.

You can find this review and more at Novel Notions.

[Franklin Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well if you get to listen to the audiobook, Wil Wheaton's performance embodying the world weary soul of the ancient trapped in the clearasil dependent teenage body sets a perfectly dry tone for Savio's Alexander X. And I read there are Easter Eggs in the kindle, but I'm enjoying the book book with only the voices my mind conjures up for all the characters. Looking forward to more from this author and Book 2.

[Laura Floyd · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was SUCH a goofy ride. Definitely written for (and maybe by?) teenage boys, the plot takes us from the trials and traumas of high school through war and explosions and kidnappings and crushes and so many sports and finally a nice, flashy show-down with a bad guy. It's waaaay over the top, and every bit the kind of thing I needed to read after my last few grim installments. The description promises a "laugh out loud" read, and I sure enough did guffaw into my peas (I spent a lot of time gardening while listening to this) more than once.

My primary thought, early on, was that Savio was showing off his knowledge of history by allowing his 1500-year-old teenage protagonist to have been present for just about every major event in history (he worked for Shakespeare, Leonardo da Vinci, Paul Revere, ... I'm forgetting many). The guy has an uncanny ability to know where and when the most famous people will turn out. There's an attempted explanation for this in the story (he actively seeks out the "cauldrons of change"), but it's still a little much. Especially for a kid who is currently going through his umpteenth round of being a junior in high school in a podunk town. Why is someone seeking cauldrons of change hanging out in high school?

Deeper into the story, though, I was fully immersed in the world Savio has created, and came to appreciate a lot of the intricacies and rationalizations he provides. The notion of immortality as the result of a genetic defect is fricking brilliant, actually. To ponder upon the ways such people would choose to conduct their lives is also a fascinating thought experiment.

The plot itself was... well, it was Alexander reminiscing on all the famous situations he's been in, plus him and a few of his high school buddies running away from bad guys with completely unknown motives. We don't learn their motives until the very end of the book, which makes the inexplicable chase a bit annoying, but the revelation is another instance of goofy fun. On the other hand, I don't really understand how the bad guy expects to accomplish what he aims to accomplish, so it's also a little baffling.

Anyway. Fun romp into something totally silly and a little thought-provoking.

[Cassandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful take on a familiar premise. And one of the best books I’ve read in years! If I were a bit younger this would be my obsession. Instead my older self is simply enthralled. It has well rounded characters, entertaining phrasing, and exciting action scenes. I could easily see this being adapted into a series or movie in the next few years. The humor, historical tidbits, relatable characters and edge of your seat action is unmissable!
The audiobook is narrated by the great Wil Wheaton himself and as such is masterfully done. He’s one of my favorite audiobook narrators. His ability to create unique voices and enact various dialects is practically unmatched. I’m so happy Netgalley gave me the opportunity to review this.

[Sarah Booth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty good story, though I am not sure I want to keep reading the series. Wil Wheaton narrated the audiobook and did a fabulous job though.
There was a lot of action crammed into one day which seemed a bit unrealistic but the excitement factor was there.

[Kristy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audio version, read by Wil Wheaton, who is an excellent narrator.

So, a story about a 15-year-old who's really 1500 years old. Intriguing! While not actually immortal, Alexander is one of about a thousand people worldwide who call themselves Eternals--people who age very, very slowly. The retelling of certain episodes of his life in different eras is interesting--history from someone who "lived" it is always fun 🤓. However, trying to understand how someone with 1500 years of life experience still behaves a lot like a normal 15-year-old is difficult (yes, I know it's sci-if, but sometimes I just can't suspend disbelief that much).

The plot of this book, the first in a series ((trilogy?) involves Alexander and his non-Eternal friends being chased by a faction of Eternals, but I'm not clear as to why. Anyway, there's a lot of fighting & chasing & running--probably more drawn out than my demographic needs, but I'm sure teens will love it.

The book ends an a cliffhanger, so I'll have to get the next one when its out because, as I said, it's intriguing.

[Cookie M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of (almost) ancient immortals among us, as told by one of them, for all intents and purposes an athletic high school boy just trying to blend in. Read by Wil Wheaton.

[Glo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alexander X is a know-it-all teenage boy, as wise and expert in History as an ancient but in the body of an adolescent with the strength and abilities of a warrior. In fact, he is incredibly old even though his external appearance and endocrine system has not changed in centuries because of a genetic condition.

So we are in the realm of sci-fi, but at the same time his recall drives us through historical events. Additionally, I have found all the elements for a good adventure, persecutions, intrigues, fights and romance. I have felt its cinematic dynamic although there are moments when the story derails a bit, going out of the tangent with battles of the past, extended explanations about sports,… I guess is understandable when the main character is 1500 years old;)

It has been an entertaining exercise of empathy, watching the world through the eyes of a youngster in different periods of history.

The audiobook is perfectly narrated by Wil Wheaton. Each character has his precise tone and is clearly recognizable.

I would like to thank Edward Savio, Wil Wheaton, NetGalley and Babelfish Press for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Mike (the Paladin) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yeah, okay I go 3 stars here and the book is pretty good. Again maybe I'm just burned out after reading so many fantasies and YA fantasies.

What we get here is a young man who has been young a long, long time. See he ages about 1 day for every 100 days the rest of us age, People like him have been hiding among us for...well since forever apparently. The problem seems to be the now with the internet and any and all pictures, records etc out that to be found it's getting harder to hide in plain sight.

Also there seems to be 2 schools of thought among the "long lived". One group wants to make life better for all and stay undercover... The others (much like a chap named Tom Riddle) thinks that the powerful long-lived ought to take their proper place as rulers...

Anyway, not too bad but not one I'm dying to bet back to. Maybe in the future at some point if I get hard-up for something to read... Yeah, right.

[Eric · Rating 2 out of 5]

A little spoiler-y:
The premise of this book series is interesting and some of the backstory and answers to nagging questions are unique and relatively reasonable (how do they keep their identities secret? How do they avoid people noticing that they aren’t aging? Etc.). That said, and as others have pointed out, the author deviates into lengthy history-dump segments of the book that seem like a cross between Cliff’s Notes history lessons and lectures with a hint of arrogance to them. Also, does anyone else find it creepy (I have this same issue with Twilight) that a 1500-year-old man would have a romantic interest in a 15-16 year old girl? That seems really skeevy to me. Also, the other big issue I have with this book/series is that Alexander has known so many historical figures personally. Granted, the population of the world was smaller in the distant past, but some of the historical figures he has met wouldn’t become very famous until long after their exploits and it would have been impossible to have met/known so many of these notable figures. The author explains this away, saying that Alexander is drawn to the types of people who change history, but that doesn’t really make any sense at all or seem plausible. Also, Alexander mentions many times that our record of history isn’t correct but rarely uses this opportunity to tell us about the real story. I would have preferred it if he told us instead about the unsung/no-longer-remembered heroes of history. (He only does this in one brief part about Paul Revere’s colleagues.)

I’m torn — I am a “completionist” so I like to know how stories end, but I don’t want to slog through another book or two of this same sort of stuff. If anyone can give me a synopsis of book 2 (and book 3 when/if it is out, I’d be grateful.) All in all, interesting premise, some captivating action sequences and interesting characters (the ancient guy who helps them get new passports for example) and Wil Wheaton’s narration made this worth listening to the end. But overall, too many plot holes conveniently filled, too many flat characters, too many history/infodumps, and a villain that seems to be too much like every immortal villain in literature combined with most Bond villains, with similar motivations. And I’m still a little creeped out by the age differences of Phoebe and Alexander and their budding romance.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book. I really did. But so much of the book was lectures about history that it seriously interfered with the movement of the plot. For instance, at one point he's fighting a bad guy and making an escape through Boston, which should be exciting, but the story goes off on a tangent so the main character can tell us how much the buildings have changed since they were first built. Way to kill any excitement and momentum. I am not going on to read the second book.

[Chelsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun YA novel with an interesting concept of immortality. The action and plot are pretty standard for the genre so it was fairly predictable, but there was nothing particularly bad about it either. Wil Wheaton did a good job narrating.

[Jeff Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

entertaining read, good narration,standard story no real surprises but i enjoyed it and looking forward to the next book

[BridgetT · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wil Wheaton's narration is great!
The story? ...
For me? ...
Not so much 😕

[Ben Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun historical ride and amazing narration by Will Wheaton. Love the references to Anicent Rome politics. Beginning of a great series.

[Kit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looking forward to the next

[Jess Greenland · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story, from the very beginning I was drawn into the characters and hooked into the story.

[Saieh Zia · Rating 3 out of 5]

At times the auther delved into history too much, in my opinion, and diverged from the sci-fi otherwise good story.

[Nicolas Knight · Rating 1 out of 5]

And another one on the unpunished unstoppable bully pile.
Pass

[Christine · Rating 2 out of 5]

An interesting premise, but very badly developed. the writing was bad, too, and I did not enjoy the pontificating and preaching about the past

[The Chapter Conundrum (Stacey) · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 Stars

Alexander X is a young adult action adventure alternate history story that follows a 1500 year old guy, Alexander, who is an eternal (which means he ages about 1 day for every 100 that he's alive). Stuck with the body and mental capacity of a 15 year old, he is trying to keep his identity a secret and blend into normal teenage life until suddenly other eternals appear to have it out for him. What follows is an adventure full of dry humour, heart, and interesting historical factoids/speculations that I might recommend to fans of the Percy Jackson franchise who have slightly aged past that depending on their preferences for story structure.

Going into this story, I really didn't know anything about it other than that Wil Wheaton narrates it and I decided to give it a try based on that alone. While I really enjoyed Wheaton's narration (as always), I really struggled with the story structure and writing style of this book as it didn't suit my personal tastes at all. Essentially, this book throws you into action scenes where you don't have any understanding of character motivations or the larger context of why things are happening until the climax of the book so I found it really difficult to stay invested and feel tension with those elements missing until the end of the story. I also wasn't a fan of just how often the action scenes are interrupted by exposition throughout the entirety of the book as it really detracted from the momentum and the pacing for me.

I really felt as though the author was entirely focused on Alexander at the expense of other elements of the book and while he was interesting and multi dimensional, I found the side characters and villains to be quite lackluster and flat. I also felt that he was so centrally focused on in the narrative that some of the situations the author put him in (in the historical moments specifically) felt unrealistic and like he was unnecessarily injected into them. Everything seemed to be a little too easy or convenient for him and I wish that he had experienced more challenge and adversity throughout his adventures.

Finally, the use and exploration of Indigenous culture in this book just didn't sit right with me. I would be really curious to hear from an Indigenous reviewer on this book and will attempt to seek one out because there were things that felt inclusive and interesting at times (such as the invention and gameplay of lacrosse) but other things that felt insensitive or even offensive at other times (such as the suggestion that contrary to recorded history a tribe was hired to wipe out another tribe for European colonists).

As this doesn't play into my tastes, I won't be continuing on with the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Babelfish Press for providing me with a copy in exchange for my honest review.

[S.J. Higbee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This YA adventure thriller starts out tamely enough – our long-suffering protagonist is taking yet another History test. And given that he’s been going to school for a very, very long time, this is actually his three-thousandth test. Savio nicely captures the tone of a perpetual teen, without making him obnoxious which is quite an achievement. It doesn’t hurt that Wil Wheaton does an outstanding job as narrator, so that I even enjoyed the regular rants on how History is wrong. The only time I felt this monologue verged on being a bit self-indulgent and significantly interfered with the ongoing action was the piece about Paul Revere. I also appreciated the explanations on why and how Alexander is ageing so slowly, which made sense and gave a solid reason for the near-immortality of a very small sample of the population.

The story takes a bit of time to get going, which gave me a chance to fully bond with the main character. That’s important, because if I hadn’t cared about Alexander then most of the book wouldn’t have mattered. And once the action kicks off, it’s foot to the floor all the way. Alexander and his hapless companions find themselves facing a number of powerful and determined antagonists who apparently want to capture him to use against his father. Though they don’t seem to worry too much if he’s seriously hurt in the process. It certainly makes for a series of desperate chases in a variety of vividly described settings. Savio writes action well. There is plenty of tension, along with strong pacing so that he continues to up the stakes, other than the occasional monologue about the past – which I would expect from a near-immortal teenager.

The romantic thread is well handled, showing a more vulnerable side to Alexander without derailing the pace or taking over from the overall narrative. All in all, I enjoyed this YA science fantasy thriller and recommend it for fans of the genre, particularly this audiobook version. While I obtained an arc of Alexander X from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
8/10

[Cassandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful take on a familiar premise. And one of the best books I’ve read in years! If I were a bit younger this would be my obsession. Instead my older self is simply enthralled. It has well rounded characters, entertaining phrasing, and exciting action scenes. I could easily see this being adapted into a series or movie in the next few years. The humor, historical tidbits, relatable characters and edge of your seat action is unmissable!
The audiobook is narrated by the great Wil Wheaton himself and as such is masterfully done. He’s one of my favorite audiobook narrators. His ability to create unique voices and enact various dialects is practically unmatched. I’m so happy Netgalley gave me the opportunity to review this.

[Lu Mitchell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you so much to @netgalley and Edward Savio for an audio copy of Alexander X in exchange for an honest review!

I originally requested this book because I saw that Wil Wheaton was the one narrating the story. He did an amazing job narrating the Ready Player One series, and his rendition of this book was equally as wonderful. He really brought all of the characters to life and made it a very engaging book to listen to.

The story itself was enjoyable. The author created very dynamic characters who represented the "high school experience" well. I found some of the parts to be slow, and it seemed to take a long time to get to the action. But overall I think it was a good mix of sci-fi and realistic fiction that most YA readers would enjoy.

[Mikayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s times like these when I REALLY wish an “infinity stars” option existed... I haven’t gotten this hyped up consistently, throughout the entire novel, in a long long time... I’ll start rambunctious applause in a moment, let me just bask in the awe this gem has engendered within me for a little longer...

[The Schmeegle · Rating 5 out of 5]

OK Amazeballs. The title character is this 15 year old kid who's really 1500 years old but he's like trapped in the body of a 15 year old. In fact he's trapped in the mind of a 15 year old too. If you love history you'll appreciate the deep dives into historical moments cause although a bunch of those 1500 years were kinda boring, there seem to be endless moments where he was in the right place at the right time to witness history. And his memory of our history is often askew from how we were told things went down. A couple of times it made me Google some fact and it turns out Savio is right. Fascinating. The fact that Wil Wheaton narrates the audiobook is just extra and he does a great job.

There are no magic spells and no mystical super powers. Alexander has just had a lot of time to get good at doing a bunch of stuff. And there's more like him. It looks like finding the others is the Adventure?
Anyway enjoying the ride and the writing.

There's a book two. It's a series. And it feels like one leaving the reader on cliffhangers. Really hope he won't take too long for book three. RECOMMEND.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this from Audible’s Jan ‘22 $5 sale just because it was narrated by Wil Wheaton. Mostly teen boy fantasy plus some “in the good ol’ days” posturing.

Cliched doofus buddy, but the cliche girl next door can hold her own.

[Sonyayx · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first audiobook I listened to and finished. An exciting experience to listen to someone speaking for 9+ hours. However, I imagined a different storyline based on the prompt I had read at the beginning. The whole audiobook was filled with action but I was not that engaged. It is also written nicely and it's simple to understand, but I felt like the story was missing something deeper. Moreover, we did not learn anything that would resolve the conflicts discussed in the book, just barely, all of it might have been put into the second book. All in all, the concept excited me and the book made a nice company with calming storytelling, but it did not charm me in the end.

[Jenna (readinginjennaland) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not normally a sci-fi reader but I was intrigued by Will Wheaton being the narrator. It was an interesting story that kept me engaged but I wasn't invested in the story or characters. I had to force myself to finish the book. Not my cup of tea.