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Xenolith #1
Xenolith
Lassoed, knocked down, face planted in the dirt -- best thing to happen to Frank Bowen in years. When wife Liz went missing in the wilds of Belize, the constables of San Ignacio could find no trace. Years later, on a pilgrimage to her remote 'grave,' Frank is abducted and whisked away to a place he can't identify, by people whose motives and origins baffle him. Could this be what happened to Liz?
212 pages, Nook
First published January 1, 2009
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May 17, 2019
Xenolith (The Convergence) by A. Sparrow
I loved this book. Of course one thing to love is that it's free. It really would be worth paying for.
(Has some issues but I wouldn't downgrade my stars for those. It has a lot going for it.)
This book reminded me -at the beginning- of Atlantida by Pierre Benoit and because of that it also parallels She By Henry Rider Haggard. These are two old classics that are written in the old high tradition of narrative. You don't see books like that that much today. There is an attention to detail of the worlds that the characters travel through in this book. Along with many instances of there being a desperate desolation in the interaction of character to environment.
The story starts with Frank being bound and gagged and blindfolded by mysterious band of people in Belize; where he's visiting the site of ancient ruins where his wife and a friend and their guide disappeared twenty years ago. This digresses into a flashback of the trip out and that back-flashes into the time of the actual events twenty years ago. Frank is a Doctor who seems to be some kind of mission Doctor who flits across the world in some of the most dangerous and impoverished zones around. His wife Liz is an absolute saint just for putting up with it all. Liz loves archeology. When the local pastor offers to take them out to see some ruins that have interesting aspects and have never been worked by other archeologist; she jumps at the chance. Unfortunately Frank has medical emergencies that day and can't go along. So, the boat man, the guide, the pastor and the wife head out. The boatman is the only who will return.
There's a second story being told parallel to this story about a group of somewhat primitive yet well organized individuals fighting a war that seems to be extending across what might be parallel universes. At the beginning it looks as though the group we follow might be the only ones who use the special stones that open the convergences. Part of what this narrative is taking place at this time that the enemy may be acquiring the ability to breach into the different worlds.
One of the many worlds is Ur or Earth, Franks home. And Frank might have been abducted by one of the first group, who are trying to guard their secret. Tezhay, the man who has taken Frank to a different world may be one known as a Traveler. Previously a special group known as the Philosophers had held the stones and kept the xenoliths secret. When war struck -in order to survive men like the Travelers were allowed to learn to go through the convergences into other worlds to escape elude and sometimes ambush the enemy. But, the enemy is still winning. Their world is dangerous, especially for someone like Frank who has a bad heart after all these years.
Frank at first doesn't believe that he's in a different world. Not until he experiences it first hand. After which, he starts to believe that his Liz might be alive and possibly somewhere on this world. This part is executed excellently as Frank vacillates from wanting to stay to wanting to escape back to Earth. It hardly looks like he will survive long if he stays.
Conversely the warriors from the war zone are trapped on Earth when the stone they need to use to leave is broken. Furthermore events evolve that present the possibility of the horror that someone has betrayed them and the enemy now has at least one of the stones to the convergence they are at.
This story has some awesomely good world building and is well paced while full of conflict and action. There's a lot of political intrigue and betrayal going on. And there's the lover's quest story that seems all to real and sometimes hopeless. I can't give A. Sparrow enough praise for this book.
That much said I do have some issues with the need for editing. This goes well beyond grammar and spelling. Those can easily be overlooked. There are some consistency issues of which I'll point out two. They create enough confusion to be frustrating.
[quote]
"Flower mean they sell drink," said Tezhay. "You thirsty?"
"Sure," said Tezhay). "As long as it's clean and doesn't have any dead toads in it."
"No worry," said Tezhay. "Is just beer, from honey."
A. Sparrow. Xenolith (Kindle Locations 6442-6445). A. Sparrow.[/quote]
"Sure," said Tezhay (should be frank talking) . "As long as it's clean and doesn't have any dead toads in it."
I say this because Tezhay does not use contractions nor speak this clearly and it only makes sense if Frank said this.
[quote] Canu stepped over Vul as he squirmed among the tarps. "I'm going out to relieve Pari," said Canu. "Tell Aret I say hello.""
"Canu?" Vul bellowed, as if calling across a vast cavern. "What are you doing here?"
"Don't shout. You'll wake Vul. He's trying to sleep."
"But, " Vul popped up, eyes flashing open. "Where , where did she go?" He looked confused, and frantic.
A. Sparrow. Xenolith (Kindle Locations 6718-6722). A. Sparrow.[/quote]
This did not make sense Canu would not be telling Vul to be quiet so as not to wake himself. At least in this context I couldn't even make it into a sly jest.
I also have a minor quibble about the usage of some words.
It's not that I haven't seen these words used before-They in fact are perhaps poetic words and in that they would be delightful inclusions if the entire text had many more such gems. The fact that they show up once or twice -stranded alone- makes little sense.
That's not the issue though
One word in question is at end of chapter 53 susurrus (this is the correct spelling) the spelling is wrong in the text.
I have no idea if in some circles this word is used every day. I only know that it would be the one explanation as to why someone would use this word and not bother to check up on the spelling. This is the third novel I've read this year using this same word and the second novel to misspell it. The third book used a variation and actually spelled it correctly.
If I use a word like this- whether as a poetic note or perhaps a word that says something that I could only otherwise say in five words or more - I would still take the time to look it up. Especially if I had even the smallest suspicion I could be spelling it incorrectly. Even so usually another set of eyes will pick it up quickly.
I would also check the meaning and try to decide if I want my less learned readers to learn this word with the meaning I'm trying to convey. Often I even check to be sure I'm not using it as a colloquialism. Either way; while I'm there I make sure I get the spelling correct.
I do not have a fear of new words but its nice if the definition in the kindle would be at least helpful. And it would be much better if the word could be found by the kindle dictionary- which won't happen if it's misspelled. Causing the reader to try to guess the spelling of a word they are now forced to look up in the dictionary.
Anyone that like the classics and who like Fantasy and Science Fiction and adventure with lots of archery and sword battles will love this story. For some it may take a few pages to get into the story. The time it takes to build an idea of the conditions in Belize and the character's feelings about it all at the time consumes a large volume of the beginning.
I enjoyed it all- it's well worth the read even having to get around a few rough spots.
J.L. Dobias
I loved this book. Of course one thing to love is that it's free. It really would be worth paying for.
(Has some issues but I wouldn't downgrade my stars for those. It has a lot going for it.)
This book reminded me -at the beginning- of Atlantida by Pierre Benoit and because of that it also parallels She By Henry Rider Haggard. These are two old classics that are written in the old high tradition of narrative. You don't see books like that that much today. There is an attention to detail of the worlds that the characters travel through in this book. Along with many instances of there being a desperate desolation in the interaction of character to environment.
The story starts with Frank being bound and gagged and blindfolded by mysterious band of people in Belize; where he's visiting the site of ancient ruins where his wife and a friend and their guide disappeared twenty years ago. This digresses into a flashback of the trip out and that back-flashes into the time of the actual events twenty years ago. Frank is a Doctor who seems to be some kind of mission Doctor who flits across the world in some of the most dangerous and impoverished zones around. His wife Liz is an absolute saint just for putting up with it all. Liz loves archeology. When the local pastor offers to take them out to see some ruins that have interesting aspects and have never been worked by other archeologist; she jumps at the chance. Unfortunately Frank has medical emergencies that day and can't go along. So, the boat man, the guide, the pastor and the wife head out. The boatman is the only who will return.
There's a second story being told parallel to this story about a group of somewhat primitive yet well organized individuals fighting a war that seems to be extending across what might be parallel universes. At the beginning it looks as though the group we follow might be the only ones who use the special stones that open the convergences. Part of what this narrative is taking place at this time that the enemy may be acquiring the ability to breach into the different worlds.
One of the many worlds is Ur or Earth, Franks home. And Frank might have been abducted by one of the first group, who are trying to guard their secret. Tezhay, the man who has taken Frank to a different world may be one known as a Traveler. Previously a special group known as the Philosophers had held the stones and kept the xenoliths secret. When war struck -in order to survive men like the Travelers were allowed to learn to go through the convergences into other worlds to escape elude and sometimes ambush the enemy. But, the enemy is still winning. Their world is dangerous, especially for someone like Frank who has a bad heart after all these years.
Frank at first doesn't believe that he's in a different world. Not until he experiences it first hand. After which, he starts to believe that his Liz might be alive and possibly somewhere on this world. This part is executed excellently as Frank vacillates from wanting to stay to wanting to escape back to Earth. It hardly looks like he will survive long if he stays.
Conversely the warriors from the war zone are trapped on Earth when the stone they need to use to leave is broken. Furthermore events evolve that present the possibility of the horror that someone has betrayed them and the enemy now has at least one of the stones to the convergence they are at.
This story has some awesomely good world building and is well paced while full of conflict and action. There's a lot of political intrigue and betrayal going on. And there's the lover's quest story that seems all to real and sometimes hopeless. I can't give A. Sparrow enough praise for this book.
That much said I do have some issues with the need for editing. This goes well beyond grammar and spelling. Those can easily be overlooked. There are some consistency issues of which I'll point out two. They create enough confusion to be frustrating.
[quote]
"Flower mean they sell drink," said Tezhay. "You thirsty?"
"Sure," said Tezhay). "As long as it's clean and doesn't have any dead toads in it."
"No worry," said Tezhay. "Is just beer, from honey."
A. Sparrow. Xenolith (Kindle Locations 6442-6445). A. Sparrow.[/quote]
"Sure," said Tezhay (should be frank talking) . "As long as it's clean and doesn't have any dead toads in it."
I say this because Tezhay does not use contractions nor speak this clearly and it only makes sense if Frank said this.
[quote] Canu stepped over Vul as he squirmed among the tarps. "I'm going out to relieve Pari," said Canu. "Tell Aret I say hello.""
"Canu?" Vul bellowed, as if calling across a vast cavern. "What are you doing here?"
"Don't shout. You'll wake Vul. He's trying to sleep."
"But, " Vul popped up, eyes flashing open. "Where , where did she go?" He looked confused, and frantic.
A. Sparrow. Xenolith (Kindle Locations 6718-6722). A. Sparrow.[/quote]
This did not make sense Canu would not be telling Vul to be quiet so as not to wake himself. At least in this context I couldn't even make it into a sly jest.
I also have a minor quibble about the usage of some words.
It's not that I haven't seen these words used before-They in fact are perhaps poetic words and in that they would be delightful inclusions if the entire text had many more such gems. The fact that they show up once or twice -stranded alone- makes little sense.
That's not the issue though
One word in question is at end of chapter 53 susurrus (this is the correct spelling) the spelling is wrong in the text.
I have no idea if in some circles this word is used every day. I only know that it would be the one explanation as to why someone would use this word and not bother to check up on the spelling. This is the third novel I've read this year using this same word and the second novel to misspell it. The third book used a variation and actually spelled it correctly.
If I use a word like this- whether as a poetic note or perhaps a word that says something that I could only otherwise say in five words or more - I would still take the time to look it up. Especially if I had even the smallest suspicion I could be spelling it incorrectly. Even so usually another set of eyes will pick it up quickly.
I would also check the meaning and try to decide if I want my less learned readers to learn this word with the meaning I'm trying to convey. Often I even check to be sure I'm not using it as a colloquialism. Either way; while I'm there I make sure I get the spelling correct.
I do not have a fear of new words but its nice if the definition in the kindle would be at least helpful. And it would be much better if the word could be found by the kindle dictionary- which won't happen if it's misspelled. Causing the reader to try to guess the spelling of a word they are now forced to look up in the dictionary.
Anyone that like the classics and who like Fantasy and Science Fiction and adventure with lots of archery and sword battles will love this story. For some it may take a few pages to get into the story. The time it takes to build an idea of the conditions in Belize and the character's feelings about it all at the time consumes a large volume of the beginning.
I enjoyed it all- it's well worth the read even having to get around a few rough spots.
J.L. Dobias
did-not-finish
June 11, 2013I got to 32% and just couldn't read it anymore. I had nothing invested in the story. There were quite a few typos and grammatical/editing errors. They took away from the story. The transitions between time/place were very rough to me. It always took me a couple of pages to figure out where we were again.
April 3, 2011
This was an interesting book. There's a number of time-line and plot threads that take a bit of dedication to keep up with (i.e. better to read in bigger blocks and not a few pages at a time).
Again, I thought it a good book, with an interesting plot.
Again, I thought it a good book, with an interesting plot.
August 23, 2024
This is an enjoyable sci fi/fantasy book. It involves a mode of travel that reminds me of the transporters in the Star Trek tv series, In this book, very special stones called xenoliths can be found in some various locations of the different worlds that people are transported from and to. When the xenolith activates, a special aura surrounds the immediate vicinity and a brief convergence happens in which people, and things, can be transported. If someone gets stuck when partway through at the end of the convergence, it can badly injure, or even kill them.
Frank is the protagonist. He is a doctor who has recently married Liz. They travel to Belize where Frank is going to do a stint as doctor for a local, poor community in dire need of a medical provider. While there, Liz disappears while touring the area with the head of the mission. Frank is absolutely devastated, as you can imagine. Searches turn up no clues, and eventually Frank returns to the U.S., a shattered man with a heart condition. Every so often he revisits the town and the area where he and Liz spent their last days together in Belize. On his latest such trip, while visiting the remote spot where Liz was last known to be, he stumbles into a convergence at a xenolith and finds himself in a different world. This is, of course, incomprehensible to him.
The chapters then fluctuate from Frank's situation as a captive in the strange world in which he has arrived to Tezhay, a traveler from this other world whose job it is to try to teach Frank the language and inform him of the chaos and battles going on in this land, that make it very dangerous. Frank's disbelief make this a thankless task. The action also jumps to some of the participants of the battles going on in these worlds, and we are introduced to them as well, along with their various units and factions. The action gets pretty intense as we are whisked from one world and its inhabitants to the next.
Eventually the reality sinks in for Frank that he is indeed in an entirely different world with a different type of inhabitants that than the one he has left, and the only one he had believed to exist. He runs away from his captors and Tezhay in the hope that perhaps he can find Liz in this world, that maybe she was transported here as well. He ends up stumbling into enemy territory where Tezhay finds him just as they both become captives. Tezhay discovers they have a xenolith and he and Frank manage to make their escape through a convergence.
They end up going through many lands and much hardship as they make their way to a place Tezhay knows their are exiles who might be able to help Frank find Liz.
There is quite a bit of pretty graphic violence and death. The ending is pretty open ended and while it does come with a little resolution, there is much left untold. I imagine that is because this book is part of a series and that is done to get you to read the next book in the series.
Frank is the protagonist. He is a doctor who has recently married Liz. They travel to Belize where Frank is going to do a stint as doctor for a local, poor community in dire need of a medical provider. While there, Liz disappears while touring the area with the head of the mission. Frank is absolutely devastated, as you can imagine. Searches turn up no clues, and eventually Frank returns to the U.S., a shattered man with a heart condition. Every so often he revisits the town and the area where he and Liz spent their last days together in Belize. On his latest such trip, while visiting the remote spot where Liz was last known to be, he stumbles into a convergence at a xenolith and finds himself in a different world. This is, of course, incomprehensible to him.
The chapters then fluctuate from Frank's situation as a captive in the strange world in which he has arrived to Tezhay, a traveler from this other world whose job it is to try to teach Frank the language and inform him of the chaos and battles going on in this land, that make it very dangerous. Frank's disbelief make this a thankless task. The action also jumps to some of the participants of the battles going on in these worlds, and we are introduced to them as well, along with their various units and factions. The action gets pretty intense as we are whisked from one world and its inhabitants to the next.
Eventually the reality sinks in for Frank that he is indeed in an entirely different world with a different type of inhabitants that than the one he has left, and the only one he had believed to exist. He runs away from his captors and Tezhay in the hope that perhaps he can find Liz in this world, that maybe she was transported here as well. He ends up stumbling into enemy territory where Tezhay finds him just as they both become captives. Tezhay discovers they have a xenolith and he and Frank manage to make their escape through a convergence.
They end up going through many lands and much hardship as they make their way to a place Tezhay knows their are exiles who might be able to help Frank find Liz.
There is quite a bit of pretty graphic violence and death. The ending is pretty open ended and while it does come with a little resolution, there is much left untold. I imagine that is because this book is part of a series and that is done to get you to read the next book in the series.
March 3, 2012
Xenolith is a great sci-fi/action ebook. While it takes a while to get the ball rolling, once the ball has left the top of the hill it is an unstoppable force which forces the reader to come back for more.
Plot:
Frank's wife disappeared 20 years ago during a mission trip to Belize. No trace of her was ever found. Since then Frank has made the trip to where she had gone missing, or at least, his best guess. However, this time when he comes across a stranger and passes out due to a heart condition, he wakes up in a completely different world. Although he doesn't believe it, Frank is a long way off from Belize and is now trapped in a world where two countries are locked in an epic war. Could it be possible that his wife somehow got here too, and is it possible she is still alive?
A small group of elite soldiers is sent on a mission to try and find a lost military expedition, while avoiding another set of troops. These soldiers become trapped in Ur, a strange place filled with mechanized monstrosities and strange people. Unfortunately for them, they run straight into the group of troops they should be avoiding, and those troops bring along some uninvited guests.
Review:
As I said at the beginning, Xenolith takes a few chapters to really get going. It starts with the journey of Frank and jumps between the story of his past and the story of the soldiers and their missions, as well as their pasts. It is a LOT of back story but is necessary in order to fully understand the characters' plights.
All of the main characters are well developed. You get the kind of background you need to really know the characters and why they make the choices they do. You really become attached to them after you take the time to learn about them. This makes for a very character driven read which only draws you in further as the book progresses.
Sparrow uses the kind of descriptive imagery that really will immerse a reader into the worlds of the book. Every rock, tree, path, piece of clothing, description of body and demeanor, paints a tapestry for the reader's imagination to see. A person should have no difficulty picturing themselves along side the characters, which again, makes for a great read.
The book itself is much longer than I had anticipated. Usually free ebooks tend to be short, only taking a few days to read. However, Xenolith is not one of those books. It has a ton of action, suspense and material to keep even the most rabid reader at bay for a good period of time.
My rating for the book is a 4 out of 5, only because it takes a while to really get into the story. Once a reader gets past that, it becomes an enticing and excellent read. The book also ends with a great cliff hanger to prepare the reader for Peregrin, the sequel, which is also free.
I would recommend this book to a high school audience or above. There are some violent scenes, which don't go to the point of being gory. However, I think a younger age will lack the ability to keep track of the characters and worlds in the story effectively. I also don't think they will be able to get past the back story, which a more seasoned reader will appreciate.
Xenolith and its sequel Peregrin, which I am currently reading, can both be found on Amazon in the Kindle store for free.
Plot:
Frank's wife disappeared 20 years ago during a mission trip to Belize. No trace of her was ever found. Since then Frank has made the trip to where she had gone missing, or at least, his best guess. However, this time when he comes across a stranger and passes out due to a heart condition, he wakes up in a completely different world. Although he doesn't believe it, Frank is a long way off from Belize and is now trapped in a world where two countries are locked in an epic war. Could it be possible that his wife somehow got here too, and is it possible she is still alive?
A small group of elite soldiers is sent on a mission to try and find a lost military expedition, while avoiding another set of troops. These soldiers become trapped in Ur, a strange place filled with mechanized monstrosities and strange people. Unfortunately for them, they run straight into the group of troops they should be avoiding, and those troops bring along some uninvited guests.
Review:
As I said at the beginning, Xenolith takes a few chapters to really get going. It starts with the journey of Frank and jumps between the story of his past and the story of the soldiers and their missions, as well as their pasts. It is a LOT of back story but is necessary in order to fully understand the characters' plights.
All of the main characters are well developed. You get the kind of background you need to really know the characters and why they make the choices they do. You really become attached to them after you take the time to learn about them. This makes for a very character driven read which only draws you in further as the book progresses.
Sparrow uses the kind of descriptive imagery that really will immerse a reader into the worlds of the book. Every rock, tree, path, piece of clothing, description of body and demeanor, paints a tapestry for the reader's imagination to see. A person should have no difficulty picturing themselves along side the characters, which again, makes for a great read.
The book itself is much longer than I had anticipated. Usually free ebooks tend to be short, only taking a few days to read. However, Xenolith is not one of those books. It has a ton of action, suspense and material to keep even the most rabid reader at bay for a good period of time.
My rating for the book is a 4 out of 5, only because it takes a while to really get into the story. Once a reader gets past that, it becomes an enticing and excellent read. The book also ends with a great cliff hanger to prepare the reader for Peregrin, the sequel, which is also free.
I would recommend this book to a high school audience or above. There are some violent scenes, which don't go to the point of being gory. However, I think a younger age will lack the ability to keep track of the characters and worlds in the story effectively. I also don't think they will be able to get past the back story, which a more seasoned reader will appreciate.
Xenolith and its sequel Peregrin, which I am currently reading, can both be found on Amazon in the Kindle store for free.
August 31, 2013
Complex and intriguing...
Xenolith starts with the definition of the stone of the same name: "a stone foreign to the matrix that embeds it." This story has many elements that refer themselves to this definition.
First, the story is told in a non-linear fashion. Something will happen, sparking a memory, and then we travel back with that person and experience it with them, before coming back to the present, or sometimes almost back to the present. I've read books using this format before, sometimes with confusing results, but in this book, there are enough clues, prompts, and guides built in to keep everything straight. Each change of time and perspective is purposeful and meaningful, and I love the complexity it yields and how it relates to the title of the book.
Second, it isn't obvious from the description, though it's hinted, but the story isn't limited to earth. Like the timeline, the locations seem layered, with Earth (referred to as Ur in the book) the xenolith between three other disparate lands, Gi, Venen and Sesei. Earth is the path between the others, a closely guarded secret held by those from Sesei. Only a select few know they exist, and of those, even fewer know how to predict the convergences that briefly connect the two worlds. But invasion forces Sesei to use their knowledge in defense, and the secret is revealed.
The xenolith stones provide the third, most obvious, link back to the title. Beautiful, resembling fool's gold, these stones exist in two worlds. At predictable intervals, they draw the two locations into one, a convergence. Anyone or anything caught in the convergence on one end is shifted to the other end, though the process is sometimes dangerous, even deadly. As such, the stones are kept in out of the way places, where incidental discovery is unlikely.
The people are the fourth link to the title. Doctor Frank, finds himself in a strange land, which he believes at first to be Guatemala, but eventually concedes is not. Seor and her scouting team from Sesei are on a mission that makes their own comrades their enemies and that lands them in Ur, a world they know little about. Seor as leader of her team feels uncomfortable in her position of leadership, as though she doesn't truly deserve it. Ara, a member of the elite cadre, finds herself questioning longstanding loyalties and her role in the war, and as such no longer quite fits in with her countrymen. It's a theme that repeats itself in subtle and not so subtle ways throughout the book, and I enjoyed looking for the connections.
Overall, I greatly enjoyed Xenolith for it's complexity, it's unique story line, and most of all for the rich cast of characters. People who like contemporary fantasy or sci-fi books, especially those that make you think, will most likely enjoy this book. Those who are easily confused or frustrated, especially when a story isn't told in order, may want to steer clear, or at least recognize that this one doesn't conform to a normal storytelling format if they do decide to read it.
I came across this book for free on Amazon, which is, I think, its normal state.
Xenolith starts with the definition of the stone of the same name: "a stone foreign to the matrix that embeds it." This story has many elements that refer themselves to this definition.
First, the story is told in a non-linear fashion. Something will happen, sparking a memory, and then we travel back with that person and experience it with them, before coming back to the present, or sometimes almost back to the present. I've read books using this format before, sometimes with confusing results, but in this book, there are enough clues, prompts, and guides built in to keep everything straight. Each change of time and perspective is purposeful and meaningful, and I love the complexity it yields and how it relates to the title of the book.
Second, it isn't obvious from the description, though it's hinted, but the story isn't limited to earth. Like the timeline, the locations seem layered, with Earth (referred to as Ur in the book) the xenolith between three other disparate lands, Gi, Venen and Sesei. Earth is the path between the others, a closely guarded secret held by those from Sesei. Only a select few know they exist, and of those, even fewer know how to predict the convergences that briefly connect the two worlds. But invasion forces Sesei to use their knowledge in defense, and the secret is revealed.
The xenolith stones provide the third, most obvious, link back to the title. Beautiful, resembling fool's gold, these stones exist in two worlds. At predictable intervals, they draw the two locations into one, a convergence. Anyone or anything caught in the convergence on one end is shifted to the other end, though the process is sometimes dangerous, even deadly. As such, the stones are kept in out of the way places, where incidental discovery is unlikely.
The people are the fourth link to the title. Doctor Frank, finds himself in a strange land, which he believes at first to be Guatemala, but eventually concedes is not. Seor and her scouting team from Sesei are on a mission that makes their own comrades their enemies and that lands them in Ur, a world they know little about. Seor as leader of her team feels uncomfortable in her position of leadership, as though she doesn't truly deserve it. Ara, a member of the elite cadre, finds herself questioning longstanding loyalties and her role in the war, and as such no longer quite fits in with her countrymen. It's a theme that repeats itself in subtle and not so subtle ways throughout the book, and I enjoyed looking for the connections.
Overall, I greatly enjoyed Xenolith for it's complexity, it's unique story line, and most of all for the rich cast of characters. People who like contemporary fantasy or sci-fi books, especially those that make you think, will most likely enjoy this book. Those who are easily confused or frustrated, especially when a story isn't told in order, may want to steer clear, or at least recognize that this one doesn't conform to a normal storytelling format if they do decide to read it.
I came across this book for free on Amazon, which is, I think, its normal state.
April 29, 2013
I liked this one about as much as I liked Peregrin and pretty much for the same reasons.
I liked the characters. This time around I got to know Tezhay and Frank better and I have to admit out of the two books Tezhay has been my favorite character. He's a good person and funny as well. Seeing what led the characters to do what they did in the next book did help me to understand some of them better, and why they made the choices that they did in the second book. However there was very little background on Liz. I had been hoping that in this novel, the first one in the series, that it would maybe tell a little more of what happened to her. How she got abducted, how she got her injury, what actually happened to Father Leo, all things that I would really like to know.
I enjoyed the world that the author created. Having read the first book finally it did clear up some questions that I had about it from the second one. Overall I think that the author did an amazing job with the world they created.
Again, as with Peregrin, my biggest issue with the book was the writing style. It only happens in the beginning of the novel, but the author does a lot of skipping back and forth from the past to the present. I liked that the author gave background on the characters, but the way it was done became frustrating. First you would go back into one characters history then come forward in another characters, then go back in another's. It annoyed me in Peregrin and it annoyed me in this one as well. At least in the second book the all the stories eventually met up and then the timeline stabilized from there. In this one I assume that the present timeline for one group of characters is the same as the time for the second, but I'm not sure. It just left the book feeling like it was jumping all over the place.
Also, as with the second book, there were some minor editing issues. I didn't bring them up with Peregrin because while I noticed them they really didn't interfere with my enjoyment of the book. However seeing that there were similar issues in the first book that basically carried over in the second and they were never corrected does kinda irritate me. It's something that an editor or a beta reader should have picked up on and then been corrected before it went to be released.
Overall I enjoyed Xenolith as much as I enjoyed Peregrin. The main issue I had with Peregrin, the jumping back and forth between past and present, was the same that I had with Xenolith. I would be interested in reading a third book in the series if there was one, especially if it meant finding out more about some of my favorite characters from the first two novels. The series is interesting and I would definitely recommend it, with the exception that it be read in order. (Which I unfortunately didn't do! Bad me!) In fact the first book is currently free for Kindle so why not pick it up.
I liked the characters. This time around I got to know Tezhay and Frank better and I have to admit out of the two books Tezhay has been my favorite character. He's a good person and funny as well. Seeing what led the characters to do what they did in the next book did help me to understand some of them better, and why they made the choices that they did in the second book. However there was very little background on Liz. I had been hoping that in this novel, the first one in the series, that it would maybe tell a little more of what happened to her. How she got abducted, how she got her injury, what actually happened to Father Leo, all things that I would really like to know.
I enjoyed the world that the author created. Having read the first book finally it did clear up some questions that I had about it from the second one. Overall I think that the author did an amazing job with the world they created.
Again, as with Peregrin, my biggest issue with the book was the writing style. It only happens in the beginning of the novel, but the author does a lot of skipping back and forth from the past to the present. I liked that the author gave background on the characters, but the way it was done became frustrating. First you would go back into one characters history then come forward in another characters, then go back in another's. It annoyed me in Peregrin and it annoyed me in this one as well. At least in the second book the all the stories eventually met up and then the timeline stabilized from there. In this one I assume that the present timeline for one group of characters is the same as the time for the second, but I'm not sure. It just left the book feeling like it was jumping all over the place.
Also, as with the second book, there were some minor editing issues. I didn't bring them up with Peregrin because while I noticed them they really didn't interfere with my enjoyment of the book. However seeing that there were similar issues in the first book that basically carried over in the second and they were never corrected does kinda irritate me. It's something that an editor or a beta reader should have picked up on and then been corrected before it went to be released.
Overall I enjoyed Xenolith as much as I enjoyed Peregrin. The main issue I had with Peregrin, the jumping back and forth between past and present, was the same that I had with Xenolith. I would be interested in reading a third book in the series if there was one, especially if it meant finding out more about some of my favorite characters from the first two novels. The series is interesting and I would definitely recommend it, with the exception that it be read in order. (Which I unfortunately didn't do! Bad me!) In fact the first book is currently free for Kindle so why not pick it up.
January 23, 2010
A middle aged man revisits the place where he thinks his wife disappeared decades before only to be kidnapped by people who travel from world to world through teleportation stones called xenoliths. He ends up a prisoner in this strange land until he escapes and starts an adventure through unknown territory in the middle of a violent, bloody war. In the middle of his terrifying romp through this torn land, he begins to think that maybe his missing wife had been brought here many years before and might still be alive.
At the same time, a group of military scouts are trying to get home after finishing an assignment, but get stuck on "Ur" (aka Earth) due to faulty xenoliths. They encounter a group of the enemy as well as a violent cadre from their own side who claim that they are working for a peace treaty. Violence, blood, anger, people in mismatched clothing.
It took awhile for the book to get to the crazy "people from another place" bit. It almost started sounding like a sad book about a man who had lost his wife and suffered survivors guilt from it, so that by the time the place-jumping aliens (?) showed up, it was really jarring. Both story lines remained exciting and carried along quickly, though at times, one story would take precedent over the other and by the time you made it back to to second story line, it was hard to remember where they had left off.
The two story lines never really merge together. You don't get any of the characters in one story crossing into the other or vice versa, but it's obvious they are occurring at the same time. With this being the first of a trilogy, it appears that the stories might cross sometime later on.
My biggest problem with this book was the same problem I tend to have with most e-books and books published by independent publishers - typos, misspellings, and a general lack of editing. It's hard to get into a book when there's so many typographical and grammatical errors to distract from the general story. It left me feeling as though the book was published a little too soon and should have gone through another heavy editing process.
At the same time, a group of military scouts are trying to get home after finishing an assignment, but get stuck on "Ur" (aka Earth) due to faulty xenoliths. They encounter a group of the enemy as well as a violent cadre from their own side who claim that they are working for a peace treaty. Violence, blood, anger, people in mismatched clothing.
It took awhile for the book to get to the crazy "people from another place" bit. It almost started sounding like a sad book about a man who had lost his wife and suffered survivors guilt from it, so that by the time the place-jumping aliens (?) showed up, it was really jarring. Both story lines remained exciting and carried along quickly, though at times, one story would take precedent over the other and by the time you made it back to to second story line, it was hard to remember where they had left off.
The two story lines never really merge together. You don't get any of the characters in one story crossing into the other or vice versa, but it's obvious they are occurring at the same time. With this being the first of a trilogy, it appears that the stories might cross sometime later on.
My biggest problem with this book was the same problem I tend to have with most e-books and books published by independent publishers - typos, misspellings, and a general lack of editing. It's hard to get into a book when there's so many typographical and grammatical errors to distract from the general story. It left me feeling as though the book was published a little too soon and should have gone through another heavy editing process.
July 26, 2011
This was my first venture into the word of e-books and obtained a free copy of Xenolith from the iPad store, intrigued by the geological title and looking for something in a sci-fi genre.
The story began well and I was intrigued by the initial 'mystery' the main character, Frank, was trying to sort out. The complexity of the story increased as the second storyline developed (these will presumably connect with eachother in the second book). I should not be too critical perhaps, considering the price I paid for it, but I didn't find the book had too much more to offer. There were a few glistening metaphors and occasional geological references that piqued my interest, but overall the plot was relatively predictable, the main character a bit pathetic and the sci-fi component minimal. The perspective seemed to change from one character to another at times, which I found distracting, whilst the attempt to make the familiar seem strange confused me rather than giving new insight.
As for the e-reading experience, the iPad was ok. It is a bit heavier than what is comfortable to read from (like a thickish hardback without the bulkiness), however, apart from the pool, I was able to take it wherever I sought to read (bathroom, bedroom and out and about). Occasionally, the screen flicked to landscape setting so I will hopefully find a way to 'lock' the screen in the future.
The story began well and I was intrigued by the initial 'mystery' the main character, Frank, was trying to sort out. The complexity of the story increased as the second storyline developed (these will presumably connect with eachother in the second book). I should not be too critical perhaps, considering the price I paid for it, but I didn't find the book had too much more to offer. There were a few glistening metaphors and occasional geological references that piqued my interest, but overall the plot was relatively predictable, the main character a bit pathetic and the sci-fi component minimal. The perspective seemed to change from one character to another at times, which I found distracting, whilst the attempt to make the familiar seem strange confused me rather than giving new insight.
As for the e-reading experience, the iPad was ok. It is a bit heavier than what is comfortable to read from (like a thickish hardback without the bulkiness), however, apart from the pool, I was able to take it wherever I sought to read (bathroom, bedroom and out and about). Occasionally, the screen flicked to landscape setting so I will hopefully find a way to 'lock' the screen in the future.
August 8, 2011
It took me a while to get to a "just want to keep reading and find out what happens" point, but I did and that alone made it a fun read. I like sci-fi, I like time travel, and as it turns out, universe-travel is pretty cool, too. I cared about the characters enough to be sad when some of them get killed, and enjoyed the story enough that I will definitely go back and look for more A. Sparrow books.
One minor criticism is that the first character introduced is Frank, and while I didn't think Frank was exactly heroic, I liked him pretty well. Later, he turns out to be relatively pathetic and not too smart. (Is that a spoiler? I'm not sure!) Maybe the characterization of Frank was a bit uneven? I'm not sure.
If you like sci-fi, time travel, the idea of alternate realities, you'll probably like this book. As other reviewers have pointed out, it has the eternal typo problem that so many freebies have. For my part, I don't mind (it's FREE, ya'll, mistakes are permitted!) but if that kind of thing really gets under your skin, you should probably go ahead and spend a few bucks and get a book that has likely been through a tighter editing process.
One minor criticism is that the first character introduced is Frank, and while I didn't think Frank was exactly heroic, I liked him pretty well. Later, he turns out to be relatively pathetic and not too smart. (Is that a spoiler? I'm not sure!) Maybe the characterization of Frank was a bit uneven? I'm not sure.
If you like sci-fi, time travel, the idea of alternate realities, you'll probably like this book. As other reviewers have pointed out, it has the eternal typo problem that so many freebies have. For my part, I don't mind (it's FREE, ya'll, mistakes are permitted!) but if that kind of thing really gets under your skin, you should probably go ahead and spend a few bucks and get a book that has likely been through a tighter editing process.
July 1, 2012
A copy of this e-book was received from Member Giveaways Program of LibraryThing.
The story is one I have never run across before…it combines a man, Dr. Frank Bowen returning to Belize and searching for his wife, Liz who disappeared from there twenty years ago and then Frank falls into a new parallel world and encounters different warring factions from this new realm.
A huge distraction for me as the reviewer was all the typos and grammatical errors throughout the narrative. Adding to that was the switching from one group of soldiers to another and then back to Frank making the story hard to follow. The romantic aspect of finding his missing wife in this new parallel world was appealing but I felt that the ending of this scenario could have been fleshed out more.
Interesting read but still too confusing for me.
This book might be of interest to readers who are sci-fi/fantasy enthusiasts who are prepared for a complex story that explores travel between two worlds using xenoliths or stones.
The story is one I have never run across before…it combines a man, Dr. Frank Bowen returning to Belize and searching for his wife, Liz who disappeared from there twenty years ago and then Frank falls into a new parallel world and encounters different warring factions from this new realm.
A huge distraction for me as the reviewer was all the typos and grammatical errors throughout the narrative. Adding to that was the switching from one group of soldiers to another and then back to Frank making the story hard to follow. The romantic aspect of finding his missing wife in this new parallel world was appealing but I felt that the ending of this scenario could have been fleshed out more.
Interesting read but still too confusing for me.
This book might be of interest to readers who are sci-fi/fantasy enthusiasts who are prepared for a complex story that explores travel between two worlds using xenoliths or stones.
August 3, 2010
Xenolith is a sci-fi/fantasy/love story that crosses life, death, space, and reality. We follow Dr. Frank Bowen as he stumbles through a parallel dimension where his wife Liz, who disappeared 20 years earlier, may or may not be. This new world is dealing with civil war and regime change. The only way to save the old ways is to protect the xenoliths, or portals, between the two worlds and keep them from falling into the hands of the new leaders who wish to bring corrupting weapons from Earth to their world.
This story is engaging. The author has masterfully woven two worlds together, connected through the xenoliths. There are many characters to keep straight and many plot twists, both of which I feel added complexity and nuance to the tale. This offering opens many opportunities for sequels and I look forward to following the story as far as the author takes us.
This story is engaging. The author has masterfully woven two worlds together, connected through the xenoliths. There are many characters to keep straight and many plot twists, both of which I feel added complexity and nuance to the tale. This offering opens many opportunities for sequels and I look forward to following the story as far as the author takes us.
April 6, 2010
Tight writing (especially at the start) and a particularly strong sense of place drew me into this story. Frank’s strength of character, despite his heart problems, carried me through to the end. (4.5/5)
Multiple plotlines and points of view keep the interest high, moving the story forward at all times. (4.5/5)
I only have one quibble and it’s minor. Because I was most vested in Frank’s storyline and finding out what happened to his wife, the ending was left a bit too much up in the air for me. I wanted to know more! With a sequel in the wings, I realise this was probably intentional. :)
Overall, a thoroughly enjoyable read.
Multiple plotlines and points of view keep the interest high, moving the story forward at all times. (4.5/5)
I only have one quibble and it’s minor. Because I was most vested in Frank’s storyline and finding out what happened to his wife, the ending was left a bit too much up in the air for me. I wanted to know more! With a sequel in the wings, I realise this was probably intentional. :)
Overall, a thoroughly enjoyable read.
June 30, 2012
With the exception of an assortment of typos or minor errors throughout the book, Xenolith is a fantastic read, with a complex and well-described setting and diverse characters. I found the ending to be very abrupt and incomplete, with no intersection of the two parallel plot lines and no included indication of any sequel, and almost dropped it down to two stars because of that. A quick search for A. Sparrow reveals that the story continues in Peregrin, turning the ending from a painful halt into a highly effective cliffhanger. Altogether, if you like crossbow skirmishes and alternative worlds hidden a stone's warp from our own, Xenolith is a good choice.
April 8, 2013
To be honest, I only decided to read this book because I'm doing the A-Z Book Challenge and this was free. It took a while for me to get into the story, and I barely made it through the first 15 percent (on my Kindle). I'm glad I did though because the story picked up, and I started to really like it. I enjoyed the character development and the different story lines. By the time this novel was over, I couldn't wait to start the sequel. There were definitely some editing mistakes, but I think this a self-published book. I would definitely recommend this for fans of science fiction!
February 11, 2012
Very entertaining. I am excited and I have already downloaded the sequel and all of his other e-books (currently FREE at Amazon).
I have to say some of the book gets a little confusing, constantly switching POV between three (I think its three) groups. The depictions of war, with death a constant (a lot of people die in this book) is great. I also love the behind-the-scenes manipulations of the politicians (rat-bastards all, no matter what world you come from).
I have to say some of the book gets a little confusing, constantly switching POV between three (I think its three) groups. The depictions of war, with death a constant (a lot of people die in this book) is great. I also love the behind-the-scenes manipulations of the politicians (rat-bastards all, no matter what world you come from).
June 22, 2013
This was a very interesting sci-fi book. The book is about a parallel world (and earth). The travelers use Xenolith stones that have convergences to travel between their world and earth. The book has several storylines going at the same time. This makes it a little confusing, but not to the point that the reader can't figure them out. My only complaint is that the author could have used a good editor.
November 4, 2010
This was an eBook that is my first experience with A. Sparrow. I'm just now returning to sci-fi after many years away so the theme may be common to regulars -- a traveler to an alternate location via the xenoliths. Good story.
June 28, 2011
Some editing is needed to clean up some of the sentence structure and missing and or wrong words. However; I found that all in all it is a very good story. I am looking forward to reading Peregrin, the next book in this series.
August 12, 2011
It was pretty slow paced, but the ideas and world created are pretty good and new.
There is a few things that are not entirely logical, but they are forgivable.
All in all not the greatest book, but ok to read.
There is a few things that are not entirely logical, but they are forgivable.
All in all not the greatest book, but ok to read.
December 26, 2009
early reviewer,free,Sci-Fi,Adventure
May 19, 2011
Very imaginative with good characterization and a well developed plot. I enjoyed the book tremendously and I am now looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy.
June 29, 2013
A fantasy novel - not the sort of thing I would usually read but I was impressed with the quality of the writing and the characters.
Want to read
June 21, 2011Free on Amazon and Nook
October 26, 2013
Not bad, but there are two story lines which don't interact. This was an interesting concept that could have been executed better.
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