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Her Dark Matter Necklace
When Alice Blair is accepted to the world-renowned St. Robert’s high school, she figures it must be a mistake since there’s nothing special about her. But on her fifteenth birthday, the headmaster gives her a necklace, and she begins to dream of weird worlds. Alice learns that as she sleeps, her consciousness actually explores the dark matter universe of Thronos, the universal spirit. As he reveals the science of dark matter, the human soul, and other mysteries, he gives her a monumental bring beauty to your world.During her visits, Alice meets Reina, an alien child from an underwater planet who has been given the same task. Together they learn that beauty can be many things, like a mother’s love for a child, compassion for others, art— almost anything that gives you that good feeling in your soul. While they struggle to accomplish Thronos’ difficult task, Alice’s mission and her life are thrown into jeopardy when her connection to the dark universe is discovered. But what she doesn’t know is that she is playing a key role in St. Robert’s prophecy. If she fails, humanity will perish in flames and ashes.The fast-paced contemporary story combines science speculation with a cosmic god, the purpose of life, human nature, consciousness, and friendships. Indeed, with one possible scientific discovery in dark matter, there would be proof of God and a divine purpose and design to our world.
- GenresFantasySupernatural
280 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Published March 31, 2021
15 people are currently reading
440 people want to read
About the author
Robert Albo
14 books8 followersI started writing speculative fiction in 2018 after working in the technology industry and management consulting for twenty years. My first 3-book series is a fantasy sci-fi coming-of-age story about a teenager and was completed in 2022.
My interest in writing sci-fi stemmed from my undergraduate years at UC Berkeley where I studied physics. I was amazed how all the universal constants worked out perfectly to support life. For example, if the force of gravity had been slightly stronger, the the universe would've collapsed on itself after Big Bang. If it had been slightly weaker, then nothing would've come together to form stars and planets. We're not talking about different life; there'd be no life. It made me believe in intelligent design of our universe by a universal being.
My series, Her Dark Matter Necklace, combined God with sci-fi in a coming-of-age story. My future novels will be targeted around either sci-fi or religion.
I live in Orinda, CA with my wife Sarah.
My interest in writing sci-fi stemmed from my undergraduate years at UC Berkeley where I studied physics. I was amazed how all the universal constants worked out perfectly to support life. For example, if the force of gravity had been slightly stronger, the the universe would've collapsed on itself after Big Bang. If it had been slightly weaker, then nothing would've come together to form stars and planets. We're not talking about different life; there'd be no life. It made me believe in intelligent design of our universe by a universal being.
My series, Her Dark Matter Necklace, combined God with sci-fi in a coming-of-age story. My future novels will be targeted around either sci-fi or religion.
I live in Orinda, CA with my wife Sarah.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 26, 2023
Her Dark Matter Necklace is a book in the sci-fi/fantasy genre by Robert Albo. This is the first installment in the dark matter necklace series. The protagonist was named Alice Blair. She was an orphan. And unknown to her but which she will later know, her destiny was to save the world by bringing beauty to it. Not successfully executing this task had dire consequences.
Alice was gifted a special necklace by the headmaster, Brother Sean, of her school, St. Roberts School. She found it hard to comprehend what he said about the necklace having powers. Wearing this necklace connected her to the dark matter universe. She started having dreams projected into her subconscious by the necklace. She met the higher power in the universe known as Thronos and a girl given the same responsibility as her, Reina. Alice and Reina were both saddled with the task of fostering beauty in their respective worlds. Reina didn't quite encounter any obstacles on her part in executing her task. But on Alice's part, she first has to eliminate her doubting mind.
Professor Wendell Knightsbridge's research into the existence of dark matter was fully funded by the US government and, behind the scenes, by the Russian government. Charles Crocker was also a silent investor in Wendell's research. Colonel Sanders was one of the investors in Wendell's research too. Each of these characters had ulterior motives in getting close to Alice, as they wanted something from her because of her special connection to the dark matter universe.
My attention was first caught by the book cover. I took satisfaction in the fact that it went hand-in-hand with the book title. It was fascinating to discover that whenever a character was brought to the limelight, the author didn't fail to provide their physical features and details about them. This depiction made readers relate to them on a deeper level. The storyline flowed effortlessly, and most of the characters contributed something substantial to the development of the book's central focus. I appreciated the author's mastery in depicting the scenarios. These left readers feeling like they were present at the events. I liked the level of technological advancement; it made the narrative more interesting.
The only aspect of the book that I found somewhat disconcerting was a discrepancy. A character named Betsey was female. However, on two occasions in the book, she was addressed with the pronoun "he." I didn't let this alter my overall enjoyment of the book. I noted no grammar or spelling errors, and this indicates the book was exceptionally proofread. With these in mind, I have no reason not to award it 5 out of 5 stars.
I recommend this book to lovers of sci-fi and fantasy narratives. There weren't any major profanities or sexual scenes present in this book, and as such, readers appalled by such scenes needn't worry.
Alice was gifted a special necklace by the headmaster, Brother Sean, of her school, St. Roberts School. She found it hard to comprehend what he said about the necklace having powers. Wearing this necklace connected her to the dark matter universe. She started having dreams projected into her subconscious by the necklace. She met the higher power in the universe known as Thronos and a girl given the same responsibility as her, Reina. Alice and Reina were both saddled with the task of fostering beauty in their respective worlds. Reina didn't quite encounter any obstacles on her part in executing her task. But on Alice's part, she first has to eliminate her doubting mind.
Professor Wendell Knightsbridge's research into the existence of dark matter was fully funded by the US government and, behind the scenes, by the Russian government. Charles Crocker was also a silent investor in Wendell's research. Colonel Sanders was one of the investors in Wendell's research too. Each of these characters had ulterior motives in getting close to Alice, as they wanted something from her because of her special connection to the dark matter universe.
My attention was first caught by the book cover. I took satisfaction in the fact that it went hand-in-hand with the book title. It was fascinating to discover that whenever a character was brought to the limelight, the author didn't fail to provide their physical features and details about them. This depiction made readers relate to them on a deeper level. The storyline flowed effortlessly, and most of the characters contributed something substantial to the development of the book's central focus. I appreciated the author's mastery in depicting the scenarios. These left readers feeling like they were present at the events. I liked the level of technological advancement; it made the narrative more interesting.
The only aspect of the book that I found somewhat disconcerting was a discrepancy. A character named Betsey was female. However, on two occasions in the book, she was addressed with the pronoun "he." I didn't let this alter my overall enjoyment of the book. I noted no grammar or spelling errors, and this indicates the book was exceptionally proofread. With these in mind, I have no reason not to award it 5 out of 5 stars.
I recommend this book to lovers of sci-fi and fantasy narratives. There weren't any major profanities or sexual scenes present in this book, and as such, readers appalled by such scenes needn't worry.
June 7, 2021
High Schooler Alice has been accepted to St. Robert High School. It's prestigious. All students who attend are gifted in some way. Alice never considered herself gifted, and she doesn't feel as if she fits in with the other students. She receives a strange necklace from the Headmaster and immediately begins to dream of other worlds, make friends from other worlds.
She also meets Thronos who seems to be God or at least a highly evolved spirit, He states that she is a teacher as are other chosen ones and that her duty is to discover and bring beauty to the world.
Scientists are watching here waking movements and believe the secret of the Dark Universe is in the Necklace. From this conflict the story unfolds. In a way, Alice's unspoiled innocence is what is called for in all of us. It might be something we elders have difficulty understanding - beauty and innocence. Thronos has warned her however that without a turning to beauty, humanity will be destroyed.
In Alice, I saw a lot of my own 15 year old self, learning about life and wishing to explain my feelings to hardened adults who had forgotten their own call to beauty.
It's a great book, particularly for young adults, that shows them just how important positive things, feelings and thoughts are!
June 16, 2020
Disclaimer: I received a copy from the author Robert Albo in exchange for an honest review.
“And if she fails the world will end in fire and ash”
Alice Blair is a very special girl. After the death of her parents and having been placed in the care of an aunt, she begins attending the prestigious St Robert's high school where only the very accelerated may attend. The teachers all have titles such as Brother Sean and Sister Susan, and yet the school is not religious in the traditional sense. In many ways St. Roberts is more universal in its teachings than anything else – but we'll get to that a little later.
On her fifteenth birthday Alice is summoned to the headmaster Brother Sean's office and is gifted a necklace of silver with red and brown stones. An odd gift for a mere student but soon Alice learns that she is not just one of the special students, but that in fact she scored so high on her entrance examination that the founder of the school's prophecy has been set in motion. What this prophecy is exactly remains a secret, but in the meantime Alice experiences very lucid dreams the first night she wears the necklace. In her dreams she is visited by a sort of ethereal being called Thronos – meaning 'throne' or 'seat of power' in ancient Greek. Thronos tells Alice that he/she has a task for her: To bring beauty to her world. This Thronos claims, is her destiny. In her dream she also meets a being known as Reina who is young like Alice and from a planet called Vepo. Reina has also been tasked with bringing beauty to her world, and together the two must grapple with their very differing ideas of beauty. Alice sees beauty in art and painting, whilst Reina finds music, something they do not have on Vepo as the most beautiful of all.
Meanwhile back on Earth and no longer in her subconscious, St Roberts has brought in a Professor Wendell Knightsbridge to teach the students about the very complicated theory of dark matter. During their sessions it soon becomes clear that not only is Knightsbridge a very sinister character, but that he has noticed Alice has a link to dark matter that may prove useful to his plans to possibly create a weapon. His experiments with Alice reveal her communication with Thronos and the beings on Vepo, and while Alice is earnestly trying to figure out the concept of 'beauty', Knightsbridge is secretly communicating with the United States Military as well as the Russian government. The peaceful teachings of Thronos are juxtaposed against the sinister actions of Wendell's greed and the ambition of Charles Crocker, an evil businessman whose son also attends St. Roberts, and who also has rather ominous interests in Knightsbridge's work.
“Perhaps the pendant acts as a portal between the wearer and dark universe”
With the prophecy hanging over her head, and the threat of Wendell Knightsbridge and what he represents getting dangerously closer to Alice, Her Dark Matter Necklace takes on an ominous tone towards the end. The lines between science and religion often blur, but in the most organic way, allowing the novel an all-encompassing stance on both. The soothing presence of Thronos' voice aides in keeping Alice on her mission, whilst her real life in the real world is in fact very overwhelming and traumatic. She is also just a teenager trying to make friends and figure out who she is, and Albo is very sensitive to that notion of vulnerability. Alice, it could be said, is symbolic of all the innocence and morality in the world that is being threatened by forces controlled by greed and other evils.
Not your typical Young Adult novel, Her Dark Matter Necklace is an extremely pleasant surprise as well as a refreshing take on a well-known and well-loved plot device. Alice's very sudden plunge into the spiritual realm and the added bonus of dark matter and its many implications within the scientific world blend quite nicely with her challenges as a fifteen year old girl whose entire world has been altered almost overnight. While Alice's struggles to make friends and ultimately to be accepted are Earthly struggles, it is her grapple with the unknown that is so riveting. I look forward to the continuation of Alice's story, and to re-entering this both strange and familiar world.
“And if she fails the world will end in fire and ash”
Alice Blair is a very special girl. After the death of her parents and having been placed in the care of an aunt, she begins attending the prestigious St Robert's high school where only the very accelerated may attend. The teachers all have titles such as Brother Sean and Sister Susan, and yet the school is not religious in the traditional sense. In many ways St. Roberts is more universal in its teachings than anything else – but we'll get to that a little later.
On her fifteenth birthday Alice is summoned to the headmaster Brother Sean's office and is gifted a necklace of silver with red and brown stones. An odd gift for a mere student but soon Alice learns that she is not just one of the special students, but that in fact she scored so high on her entrance examination that the founder of the school's prophecy has been set in motion. What this prophecy is exactly remains a secret, but in the meantime Alice experiences very lucid dreams the first night she wears the necklace. In her dreams she is visited by a sort of ethereal being called Thronos – meaning 'throne' or 'seat of power' in ancient Greek. Thronos tells Alice that he/she has a task for her: To bring beauty to her world. This Thronos claims, is her destiny. In her dream she also meets a being known as Reina who is young like Alice and from a planet called Vepo. Reina has also been tasked with bringing beauty to her world, and together the two must grapple with their very differing ideas of beauty. Alice sees beauty in art and painting, whilst Reina finds music, something they do not have on Vepo as the most beautiful of all.
Meanwhile back on Earth and no longer in her subconscious, St Roberts has brought in a Professor Wendell Knightsbridge to teach the students about the very complicated theory of dark matter. During their sessions it soon becomes clear that not only is Knightsbridge a very sinister character, but that he has noticed Alice has a link to dark matter that may prove useful to his plans to possibly create a weapon. His experiments with Alice reveal her communication with Thronos and the beings on Vepo, and while Alice is earnestly trying to figure out the concept of 'beauty', Knightsbridge is secretly communicating with the United States Military as well as the Russian government. The peaceful teachings of Thronos are juxtaposed against the sinister actions of Wendell's greed and the ambition of Charles Crocker, an evil businessman whose son also attends St. Roberts, and who also has rather ominous interests in Knightsbridge's work.
“Perhaps the pendant acts as a portal between the wearer and dark universe”
With the prophecy hanging over her head, and the threat of Wendell Knightsbridge and what he represents getting dangerously closer to Alice, Her Dark Matter Necklace takes on an ominous tone towards the end. The lines between science and religion often blur, but in the most organic way, allowing the novel an all-encompassing stance on both. The soothing presence of Thronos' voice aides in keeping Alice on her mission, whilst her real life in the real world is in fact very overwhelming and traumatic. She is also just a teenager trying to make friends and figure out who she is, and Albo is very sensitive to that notion of vulnerability. Alice, it could be said, is symbolic of all the innocence and morality in the world that is being threatened by forces controlled by greed and other evils.
Not your typical Young Adult novel, Her Dark Matter Necklace is an extremely pleasant surprise as well as a refreshing take on a well-known and well-loved plot device. Alice's very sudden plunge into the spiritual realm and the added bonus of dark matter and its many implications within the scientific world blend quite nicely with her challenges as a fifteen year old girl whose entire world has been altered almost overnight. While Alice's struggles to make friends and ultimately to be accepted are Earthly struggles, it is her grapple with the unknown that is so riveting. I look forward to the continuation of Alice's story, and to re-entering this both strange and familiar world.
July 21, 2023
Book Review 📚
Her Dark Matter Necklace by Robert Albo - 4.5/5 ⭐
What a perfect book for young adults. This is a story I will definitely recommend for GCSE level and A-Level. Genre is very fantasy/sci-fi which will definitely interest young adults.
The story about Alice is so touching. She didn't have the easiest of lives when she became an orphan but she powered through and it pays off for her in the end. It's the perfect story to help YAs comprehend the loss of a loved one and help them to deal with it. Albo blends sci-fi and religion together making it an easy read for a YA and not overwhelming with religion.
It includes dealing with loss, the purpose of life and friendships. It's a light hearted, fast paced book with the ability of making you believe it's all real life and not fiction at all. Albo has given some great character descriptions making it easy enough to imagine not only the characters but the setting around them as well as the smaller details that are a phenomenal touch.
There are some great details within in the plot which help bring the book to life whilst making it an easy read. It was refreshing and beautifully crafted. There isn't any reason to fault this book and should definitely be recommended. I am very excited that this won't be a stondalone but part of a series! Can't wait until the next one comes.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dialogue Books for allowing me to read this ARC - this is an HONEST review from my own personal opinion.
Her Dark Matter Necklace by Robert Albo - 4.5/5 ⭐
What a perfect book for young adults. This is a story I will definitely recommend for GCSE level and A-Level. Genre is very fantasy/sci-fi which will definitely interest young adults.
The story about Alice is so touching. She didn't have the easiest of lives when she became an orphan but she powered through and it pays off for her in the end. It's the perfect story to help YAs comprehend the loss of a loved one and help them to deal with it. Albo blends sci-fi and religion together making it an easy read for a YA and not overwhelming with religion.
It includes dealing with loss, the purpose of life and friendships. It's a light hearted, fast paced book with the ability of making you believe it's all real life and not fiction at all. Albo has given some great character descriptions making it easy enough to imagine not only the characters but the setting around them as well as the smaller details that are a phenomenal touch.
There are some great details within in the plot which help bring the book to life whilst making it an easy read. It was refreshing and beautifully crafted. There isn't any reason to fault this book and should definitely be recommended. I am very excited that this won't be a stondalone but part of a series! Can't wait until the next one comes.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dialogue Books for allowing me to read this ARC - this is an HONEST review from my own personal opinion.
May 22, 2021
This is one of the most unique books I've read all year! Albo gives his characters interesting and relevant challenges and explores them pretty thoroughly. My favorite part, however, was watching Alice navigate her life and her calling from God, or Thronos. She's a cute character and her sweet disposition is fun to read about. There's something on the edge of either CS Lewis or Phillip Pullman about both Alice's calling and her approach to it. I was intrigued the whole way through!! Definitely a page-turner. :)
August 5, 2023
This is a well written story, the educational details are fascinating. Also I love the fact that it tackles the subject of Christian beliefs vs. the theories of scientists. The debate between the student really grabbed my attention. As far are the main character; I found her quite bland as well as the other supporting characters. I do see that this book is apart of an ongoing series, which will leave room for character development. Which is awesome, however I have no interest in reading the series further.
March 11, 2020
This is a well written book. Of interest is how the author brings science and religion together in making the world a better place. The story is very well developed, very believable and leaves one with a good and positive feeling about the future of our planet.
I am looking forward with great anticipation to his next book!
I am looking forward with great anticipation to his next book!
July 26, 2023
My teen grandaughter read this during the first couple of days of the school holidays and immediately started telling her friends all about it, and anyone else who would listen. She thought that it was great read that addressed important matters and did not do it in a condescending manner (apparently some teen books do). She enjoyed the magical stortline.
April 14, 2021
I'm biased, but think the book is very good. It's a Book Of Bob's Big Ideas or Bobbi.
August 15, 2023
This fast-paced story combines modern life with science speculation, a cosmic god, purpose of life and everyday friendships. It’s for the curious reader who always asks why.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews