Alienation (C.H.A.O.S., #2)

Sep 10, 2012 Rachel's Book Reviews rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi, reviewed

http://www.rachelsbookreviews.com/sci...

Perfection in a book if I ever saw it.

This is sequel to 'Invasion.' When I saw Alienation on Netgalley, I almost died of happiness.

You know, I review more fantasy than any other catagory, but Sci-fi has always been my favorite. A lot of people wonder why, or worse, wonder what's the difference between the two. While this isn't the perfect example, the reason I love sci-fi so much is becuase it's POSSIBLE.

Fantasy is fantasy. I highly doubt any one will ev...more

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Jan 06, 2012 Krystal rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc

Colt, the main character, is being hunted-literally. The book starts and ends with action, the reader can look forward to a fast-paced book that will leave him/her at the edge of his/her seat. It helps to have read the first in the series to fully understand the plot and current events, though the author does fill in the reader to a point.

Colt, Danielle, and Oz have a closer knit friendship and the reader will enjoy watching that friendship continue to grow and develop, their characters changed...more

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May 12, 2013 Mary Grace rated it 4 of 5 stars

Originally posted at The Solitary Bookworm

Alienation is book two in the CHAOS trilogy by Jon S. Lewis and it was as good as Invasion.

Funny thing, I’ve read Alienation before I read Invasion thinking it was book one. Lo and behold, I was wrong all along. Good thing though, Alienation can be read stand alone.

Picks up right after Invasion and continues the story as Sam, Oz and
Danielle enters as CHAOS agents. Invasion already gives us an idea that these three would be part of the prestigious agency...more Originally posted at The Solitary Bookworm

Alienation is book two in the CHAOS trilogy by Jon S. Lewis and it was as good as Invasion.

Funny thing, I’ve read Alienation before I read Invasion thinking it was book one. Lo and behold, I was wrong all along. Good thing though, Alienation can be read stand alone.

Picks up right after Invasion and continues the story as Sam, Oz and
Danielle enters as CHAOS agents. Invasion already gives us an idea that these three would be part of the prestigious agency but Alienation solidifies it. After the fall of Trident, our heroines are now faced with the duty to save Earth.

Character wise, I love the development of our heroines. From Invasion to Alienation I felt like they grew up though not much of a difference would be noticed. They just seemed a little wiser, stronger and braver than the teenagers they were in book 1.

Secondary characters were as amazing too. I wasn’t expecting too much from these characters since they are characters who come and go though serves a great purpose to the plot and character development. Some you may love and some you may hate to the core but as I said, just as amazing as our heroines. Watch our for Pierce though, I know he’ll make you irate and cringe but a very effective character altogether.

Plot was very engaging especially since there is the potential and eminent danger from Lobo who we know is Oz’s dad. I didn’t know how Lewis would write the story but I am happy with how Lewis wrote it. The plot thickens and I am seeing a clearer picture of what and where Lewis wants his trilogy to go. The plot and twists was as heart racing as it was in the prior book.

One thing I wasn’t too keen off was the bombarding off technical terminologies that made my brain fart. I get that this is a book that includes gun power and explosion but the technical deets was overflowing bordering to driving me insane. It also resulted to slightly driving the focus out of the story which I somewhat dreaded. I get that Lewis needed to prove that he knows what he’s writing about but it needed a little toning down for my taste.

The ending was phenomenal and now I am gripping my Nook with too much excitement and anticipation on reading the last book, Domination (which I already reviewed for the tour). I’d say that a lot has indeed happened from the first book to this and I couldn’t asked for a better sequel myself.

Overall, Alienation is a great pick for those science fiction quick fix. Very imaginative and descriptive story to indulge readers, young and old, truly any sci-fi buff’s delight. Alienation is a powerhouse sci-fi pick if you want all the action and suspense your heart desires complete with dangerous lifeforms that will make your toes curl. Written by the talented Jon S. Lewis, you’ll definitely love reading it from page one until the last.(less)

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Aug 28, 2012 Lucinda rated it 5 of 5 stars

Book two in the C.H.A.O.S trilogy (Alienation) exceeds all expectations, with its intense plot full of twists and turns and much suspense that leaves you breathless. Cyber attacks, alien invasions and flying spaceships this science-fiction extravaganza will delight fans both young and old who enjoy this genre, and are looking to read something original and new. Each chapter ends on a dramatic cliffhanger that makes you want to read on hence this book is so engrossing from beginning to end, maint...more Book two in the C.H.A.O.S trilogy (Alienation) exceeds all expectations, with its intense plot full of twists and turns and much suspense that leaves you breathless. Cyber attacks, alien invasions and flying spaceships this science-fiction extravaganza will delight fans both young and old who enjoy this genre, and are looking to read something original and new. Each chapter ends on a dramatic cliffhanger that makes you want to read on hence this book is so engrossing from beginning to end, maintaining the thrilling momentum throughout. Mixing high school, space aliens and conspiracy theories Jon S Lewis’ first novel in the C.H.A.O.S series (I am number four) 2010, was targeted towards the younger reader hence with the coming of book two older young adults and mature readers will appreciate the step up in age and style of writing. Jon S Lewis is a master of comic books where he adorns the first few pages of this wonderful book with illustrations that will enchant many young readers, as it helps to bring the story to life. Alongside the mechanical spiders, jet packs and Nazi alien alliances runs an undercurrent of teen romance that makes this story more realistic and captivating to read, as one is moved and touched by the distinctive characters.

Earth has only one last defense against the coming mighty alien invasion, in the form of a school boy and sixteen year old surfer Colt McAlister. Regardless of an entire race pinning their hopes on this one individual all Colt dreams of is returning to a normal existence without Aliens or anything unexpected and where mankind is not prey to destruction. With the death of his parents his determination to rid the planet of these vengeful creatures is never stronger, as the United States government put their trust behind Colt hence relying and depending on him to succeed. Best friends Oz and Danielle accompany Colt to the C.H.A.O.S military academy where they are ultimately trained to defend planet Earth against a swarm of alien shapeshifters called the Thule. Until Colt can defeat these mysterious and deadly creatures he has to look back into his past to be able to see clearly all that surrounds him, as there is something more than initially meets the eye; as all is not quite right. It is time for Colt to fulfill his destiny in a world of shape-shifting aliens, high-tech gear and gadgets, stimulated reality and hoverboards before all is lost.
This beautiful book caught my eye instantly with its striking and imaginative red cover that is quite glorious, and also contains other extras such as; an introduction to the story, a C.H.A.O.S sketchpad, how to make a comic, a comic book script and a reading group guide. Reading this book is like opening a chocolate box of delights with a face full of as much glee as a child who has just walked into a sweet shop that is more exciting with the turning of each new page. I cannot wait to read Invasion which is a continuation of the C.H.A.O.S trilogy in a luminous emerald cover, that I am sure is just as fantastic as Alienation. Jon S Lewis has created a novel that is original and creatively imaginative, new and unique which not only amazed me but also left me sitting on the edge of my seat with chills down my spine after realizing that I had just read something quite extraordinary. This intense and exciting story is one that I shall remember for a long time as being something most engaging, being something that you will never forget. I had goosbumps and chills running down my spine as I sat tense on the edge of my seat in suspence throughout, reading quicker whilst loosing myself within the pages feeling a part of Colt’s story as I wanted to know the outcome of this saga. I cannot commend Jon S Lewis enough as he really has put himself, his passion and skill, blood sweat and tears into these pages that are a delight to read. Etched within my memory now forever I shall not hesitate in placing this volume at the very top of the bookshelf, alongside other books that have deservedly received great critical acclaim. If you are a fan of the science-fiction or fantasy genres or you love Young Adult novels, then I would highly recommend that you look out for this outstanding trilogy.

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Jun 28, 2012 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars

Alienation (C.H.A.O.S. Series #2)

by. Jon S. Lewis

4 Star Rating

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781595547545
Publisher: Nelson, Thomas, Inc.
Publication date: 1/3/2012
Pages: 288
Sales rank: 86,672
Age range: 11 – 15 Years
Series: C.H.A.O.S. Series , #2
Product dimensions: 5.50 (w) x 8.50 (h) x 1.00 (d)

Summary: We catch up with Colt, Danielle, and Oz as they are getting ready to go to the CHAOS military academy. The boys are practicing obstacle courses with their jet packs when an alien wasp comes out o...more Alienation (C.H.A.O.S. Series #2)

by. Jon S. Lewis

4 Star Rating

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781595547545
Publisher: Nelson, Thomas, Inc.
Publication date: 1/3/2012
Pages: 288
Sales rank: 86,672
Age range: 11 – 15 Years
Series: C.H.A.O.S. Series , #2
Product dimensions: 5.50 (w) x 8.50 (h) x 1.00 (d)

Summary: We catch up with Colt, Danielle, and Oz as they are getting ready to go to the CHAOS military academy. The boys are practicing obstacle courses with their jet packs when an alien wasp comes out of nowhere to attack them. Colt and Oz do some quick thinking to defend themselves, but this is the first of many odd occurrences that seem to be focused purely on Colt. Colt gets some information that leads him to believe that the director of CHAOS has hired an assassin to kill him. This is why he keeps being attacked by aliens, robots, and the like. Who can he trust? Oz is the director’s son, is he in on it? Should Colt head to the CHAOS academy or will he let this keep him away from his seeming destiny? Also, Colt finds out a surprising secret that his family has kept from him. Knowing this changes everything that Colt has ever known about himself. For such a small book, there really is a ton of things that happen.

My thoughts: I’ve enjoyed these books and look forward to the next installment. They are extremely quick reads. Part of this is that the chapters of very short, but part of it is that the action never ceases. From beginning to end, there is heart pumping, barely escapable situations that you can’t help but root Colt through. Danielle is also a lovely character. She reminds me of Velma from Scooby Doo. She knows too much for her own good, shares her wisdom, but also is a loyal, caring friend that dishes out the best advice. There is distance between Colt and Oz throughout this novel because of the plot to kill Colt, which was distracting to me. I think it was the only downside of the novel. I like Colt and Oz’s friendship. I could logically see what the author was trying to do and the tension he was trying to build, but I just didn’t feel it. It fell flat. I couldn’t tell enough of a change in their friendship to feel anything other than an uninterested, busy teenage life. All in all, this is perfect for a quick adventure and highly recommend for our reluctant teen boy readers.
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May 20, 2012 Jo (Mixed Book Bag) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, science-fiction

I received a free copy of Alienation (The title was what caught my attention) from Amazon Vine. This is book two in the trilogy. I have not read book one but I did not have any trouble keeping up. There was a lot of back-story dropped in small snippets throughout the book and it was enough to keep me from feeling lost. In addition, issue 12 of The Phantom Flyer, The Menace of the Thule comic book is at the beginning of the book. That let me know who was who before I ever started to read the book...more

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May 09, 2012 Sara Thompson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley

To start with, I got this as an e-ARC so I wasn’t able to tell whether this was the first book of the series. Part way through the book, I looked it up to find it was the second book. There were some things that felt awkward reading this out of order but for the most part I was able to connect to the characters and follow the plot of the book. This wasn’t a favorite of mine but that’s not the books fault. I’m not real big on military action sort of stories. This is a book about aliens but it’s m...more To start with, I got this as an e-ARC so I wasn’t able to tell whether this was the first book of the series. Part way through the book, I looked it up to find it was the second book. There were some things that felt awkward reading this out of order but for the most part I was able to connect to the characters and follow the plot of the book. This wasn’t a favorite of mine but that’s not the books fault. I’m not real big on military action sort of stories. This is a book about aliens but it’s more about the young men who have been enlisted into a special military organization to combat the aliens. For those who likes those sorts of stories, this one is for you. There was too much detail in the weaponry for my taste. I don’t care how many different types of assault rifles and the numbers that are associated with them. For me, the book had too much of that. It pulled me out of the story. And there was a lot of it. There’s amazing technology in this book for those who like it. There’s realistic holographs for training (and if you get hurt in the holograph room, you really get hurt), robots for training and as servants, and hoverboards. It’s a thrilling young adult novel perfect for those who love military and espionage. In this story, Colt is heading off to CHAOS training. (I can’t remember what the acronym stands for but it’s something like covert – alien - something.) While trying to get there he discovers someone is trying to kill him. The head of CHAOS has ordered the murder of several government officials and it appears that he wants to get rid of Colt too. Colt is the grandson of the great CHAOS legend Phantom Rider. He’s left not sure of who to trust especially since his best friend is the son of the CHAOS leader. It did keep me guessing and I have to say I didn’t see the twist that came. I enjoyed the action and all the alien descriptions. This was similar in tone to comic books in the 40’s and 50’s – Captain America and the like. I think it makes for a great read for young men who love all that sort of stuff.
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Apr 17, 2012 Karen Yingling rated it 3 of 5 stars

Colt is back with his friends Oz and Danielle. They are concerned because the government is warning people away from a nuclear reactor meltdown, but the real problem is an alien virus from which no one recuperates. There are too many things going on to worry about that for too long. Oz's father, Lobo, has hired Krone, a Thule shape-shifting assasin, to kill senator Bishop, who is a friend of Colt's grandfather, The Phantom Flyer. Once Bishop is dead, Krone comes after Colt, although Colt doesn't...more

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Mar 06, 2012 Seth Skogerboe rated it 5 of 5 stars

After Invasion, I thought that Mr. Lewis might have trouble carrying on such a great story.
I now know that I thought wrong.

***

Colt McAlister is…
a stereotypical “California dude.”
a decent surfer.
a guitar player.
living with his grandfather in Arizona.
The list goes on. And on the list, scribbled in pen right under “teenage hero,” is the word, “alien.”

Not one hundred percent, but there is alien blood in his body, blood which he previously knew nothing of. When he was very young, his parents allowed...more

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Feb 13, 2012 Kaylea rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: see-blog-for-more-info

For Colt McAlister, life changed dramatically when his parents were killed in a car accident - which wasn't quite the accident people initially thought.

Through a series of events, Colt learns of a world that he never imagined - filled with jet packs, flying motorcycles and a grandfather who was the "Flying Phantom" during World War II.

Colt wants to be normal, but normal is no longer an option.

Instead he finds himself in the midst of a epic battle to save his life - and attend school at a top sec...more

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Feb 08, 2012 Tahlia Newland rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, urban-fantasy

This is the second in a series and I didn’t read the first one, however the story included enough reference to the first book that I got the necessary background.

The story.
The story is that of a sixteen year old boy and his two friends one a boy and the other a girl computer whiz. It’s set in our world after WW3. Alien races have been discovered, and the Thule, six armed shape shifters, have used up all the resources on their home planet and have targeted earth as their next home. They’re prepa...more This is the second in a series and I didn’t read the first one, however the story included enough reference to the first book that I got the necessary background.

The story.
The story is that of a sixteen year old boy and his two friends one a boy and the other a girl computer whiz. It’s set in our world after WW3. Alien races have been discovered, and the Thule, six armed shape shifters, have used up all the resources on their home planet and have targeted earth as their next home. They’re preparing to take over earth and kill all the humans. While they prepare for their invasion, Cole and his friends go into the CHAOS academy to become the front line in the defence of the earth. (16 year olds!)

Cole discovers that he has been injected with Thule DNA as an infant and is likely the betrayer of the Thule that will save the earth according to a prophecy. He has also been touted as a likely replacement for the present head of CHAOS, (a 16 year old!) The present head sets a Thule assassin after him and the rest of the story is about Cole trying not to get killed. The story ends with the inevitable battle between him and the assassin.

My thoughts
You may have already realised the Harry Potterish theme and the parallels do take away the originality of the story. My main impression of this book are:
• It is very much a boys’ book with lots of guns.
• Although there is lots of fighting, not much happens overall. The plot is very simple and fairly predictable.
• The book is a little shallow.
• Some of it is unbelievable. Apart from the things I questioned above, the students seemed to know how to mount a mission in the training simulation without being actually taught anything. Perhaps the previous book may have provided a believable context for this however.
• Although the main characters where reasonably well fleshed out, Pierre, one of the boys at the academy was very two dimensional and his actions seemed to have little reason behind them apart from playing the ‘Draco Malfoy’ role.

At the end of the book was an essay about comic book writing and when I read that, it explained a lot. I realised that Alienation is very much comic book stuff. I give it 3 stars and figure that boys who like comic books will probably enjoy this book.

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Jan 27, 2012 Stephanie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, arc, fantasy, graphic-novel, kindle, sci-fi

high school & up
C.H.A.O.S #2

Colt, Oz and Danielle are all about to begin their studies at the C.H.A.O.S academy. Just before they leave Colt and Danielle discover evidence that indicates the director of C.H.A.O.S is trying to have Colt killed. This leaves Colt unable to trust Oz since the director is also Oz's father. It also leaves him continually looking for an assassin. Krone, one of the Thule is said to have accepted the contract. As a race, the Thule are coming closer to being able to i...more

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Jan 26, 2012 Victor Gentile rated it 5 of 5 stars

Jon S. Lewis in his new book “Alienation” Book Two in the C. H.A. O. S. series published by Thomas Nelson returns us to the future world preparing against an alien invasion.

From The Back Cover: Earth’s last line of defense against the coming alien invasion is 16-year-old surfer Colt McAlister.

But before he can save the world, he has to survive the day.

All Colt wants to do is return to his old life . . . where aliens don’t exist . . . where mankind hasn’t been targeted for destruction . . . and w...more

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Jan 25, 2012 Wendy Hines rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have to admit I was a little confused in the beginning of Alienation. I did not read the first book in the series, Invasion, but Lewis did a good job of catching the reader up in the first few chapters. Colt and his best friends Danielle and Oz are working hard, waiting until they enter the C.H.A.O.S Academy - a military academy where they will be trained to defend Earth against alien shape shifters.

There's a deadly virus that has erupted, killing anyone in its path within 48 hours. A biologi...more

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Dec 29, 2011 E.A. West rated it 5 of 5 stars

Sixteen-year-old Colt McAlister is back for another exciting adventure full of aliens and intrigue. This time, however, someone is determined to kill him. Thanks to the government’s belief that Colt is the one who will save the world from an invasion of six-armed, shapeshifting aliens, he must survive multiple attempts on his life. His friends Danielle and Oz are determined to help him in any way they can, but can he truly trust them? Can he trust anyone?

The second book in the C.H.A.O.S. Trilogy...more Sixteen-year-old Colt McAlister is back for another exciting adventure full of aliens and intrigue. This time, however, someone is determined to kill him. Thanks to the government’s belief that Colt is the one who will save the world from an invasion of six-armed, shapeshifting aliens, he must survive multiple attempts on his life. His friends Danielle and Oz are determined to help him in any way they can, but can he truly trust them? Can he trust anyone?

The second book in the C.H.A.O.S. Trilogy, Alienation is an action-packed thrill ride full of conspiracies, danger, and of course, aliens. From hoverboards and nanotechnology to robots and jet packs, this book embodies any geek’s dream world. Although fictional, the technology is described in such a way that it is fully believable and undeniably awesome. Colt, Danielle, and Oz continue to develop their close friendship as their characters grow in strength and depth. When the three friends arrive at the CHAOS Military Academy, they work together and separately to stop the plot to eliminate Colt. Through the wild, life-threatening events, Colt learns who he can trust and what friendship really means.

Yet again, Jon Lewis has done a wonderful job of writing a book that will hold the interest of both teens and adults until the very last page. Alienation shows the importance of thinking for yourself, as well as knowing when to rely on others. Teens are sure to love the adrenaline-laced adventures Colt and his friends experience, and parents will appreciate the thread of faith skillfully woven into the tale. With all of the questionable role models out there, Colt McAlister and his friends provide a welcome change with their determination to help others and do the right thing, no matter the personal cost.

I highly recommend Alienation, and the rest of the C.H.A.O.S. Trilogy, to anyone who loves science fiction, adventure, and high-tech toys. These books will not disappoint.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. This review and the opinions expressed in it are my own and based solely on the contents of the book and my experience reading it.(less)

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Feb 22, 2012 Marthita rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: amazing-freaking-cover, arc, kick-ass-heroines, male-protagonist, netgalley, sci-fi, sexy-beast-of-a-boy

I think I'm still in shock, but I don't know if it is because the incredible book I'd just read or because there's only one more book to go and this series is over... Jon S. Lewis is a freaking genius! He knows exactly how to have your whole atention with only five pages of his book and make you wanna know what's going to happen to Colt and company.

I was right to think that this story had a lot more layers than the ones expose in book one and God knows that I almost went blind for reading more t...more

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Dec 29, 2011 Alexis Neal rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: freeviewed, sci-fi-fantasy, young-adult, 100-books

The adventures of orphaned surfer teen Colt McAlister continue as he and his two best friends--hacker prodigy Danielle and uber-buff warrior-to-be Oz--prepare for their training at the super secret C.H.A.O.S. academy. Which would be more than enough to keep these teenagers busy without the near-fatal 'accidents' that seem to dog Colt's steps everywhere he goes. Is someone out to kill him? Who? And why? Can Colt solve the mystery before it's too late?

In this sequel, Lewis wisely returns to the mo...more The adventures of orphaned surfer teen Colt McAlister continue as he and his two best friends--hacker prodigy Danielle and uber-buff warrior-to-be Oz--prepare for their training at the super secret C.H.A.O.S. academy. Which would be more than enough to keep these teenagers busy without the near-fatal 'accidents' that seem to dog Colt's steps everywhere he goes. Is someone out to kill him? Who? And why? Can Colt solve the mystery before it's too late?

In this sequel, Lewis wisely returns to the most interesting plot thread in Invasion--the super secret training school. Sadly, most of the book is focused on simply preparing to go there. The characters don't actually arrive at the academy until Chapter 28 (more than 130 pages into this 250 page book), and the climax occurs mere days after their arrival, so we still don't really know what super secret spy school is really like.

Not that it takes 130 pages for the action to start--during that time, Colt endures giant viper wasps, rogue combat robots, jellyfish monsters, a shape-shifting alien assassin, high speed car chases, and more in his never-ending quest to simply survive. Then, too, he discovers some rather unwelcome and surprising information about his own past.

This new information helps explain why Colt is expected to be such a prodigy (and his rather unlikely survival in the face of danger). And since Oz's father runs C.H.A.O.S. and has been training his son since birth, it's hardly surprising that Oz is such a capable fighter. Danielle remains a mystery, though--her computer skills are impossibly convenient. Somehow, this high-schooler is able to hack the most sophisticated defense systems in the country . . . and just happens to be friends with a pseudo messiah and one of the toughest fighters around. Fortunately, there are a few things Danielle can't do, hacker-wise, but she's still enough of a genius to be unsettling. Perhaps the next volume will explain away the coincidence of their friendship (as well as finally showing us what it's really like at super secret spy and alien school).

The characters continue to be rather two-dimensional (possibly a result of the author's background in comic book writing), but the plot holds up better, even if the villain's motivation is a bit underwhelming. Having established that a super-competent alien assassin is after Colt (with specific instructions to make the death look accidental), Lewis is free to come up with a variety of creative life-threatening sequences for Colt and his friends. The end result is a much more cohesive product than the previous volume, though there is still plenty of room for improvement.

Bottom Line: Better than the first book, but still mostly just something fun and clean for kids.

[Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”](less)

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May 04, 2012 Steven R. McEvoy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-best-of, read-2012

I finished this book with mixed emotions. My first thought was WOW! My second was, if there is going to be a third book it will be more than a year out. As much as I loved book one, Invasion, in this series book two was even better. In many ways it was like reading an updated version of a classic science fiction story. It was like reading Heinlien, Herbert, and Bester but with today's look forward into even newer technology. Lewis does an amazing job of telling a story that draws from a number o...more

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Feb 04, 2012 Nancy rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is book 2 in the series and very easy to jump into without a lot of work. Colt, the protagonist, is ready to enter the C.H.A.O.S. training with his best friends. The problem is that Colt doesn't know who he can trust. It becomes clear, early on, that someone wants Colt dead and he is being followed. An alien who can shape shift is provided as a hired assassin which gives the thriller more interest. Also, Colt unknowingly (although he discovers) carries a secret within him that could be very...more

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Jan 20, 2012 Dana rated it 5 of 5 stars

I totally enjoyed this second book in the C.H.A.O.S. series as much as I enjoyed the first book - Invasion. In this second book, Colt learns that he has been targeted - to be killed! Together with his friends Oz and Danielle, he heads to the C.H.A.O.S. academy to be trained to fight the aliens - namely the Thule, who are trying to take over the planet earth and get rid of it's current inhabitants. Colt lives in the shadow of his legendary grandfather who was immortalized in comic books as the Ph...more

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Feb 22, 2012 Melissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Allow me to begin by pointing out that I have yet to read Invasion, the first book in the CHAOS series. I’m going to assume that, once I read that, this book will make more sense. That said, I love the fact that the book doesn’t begin with a chapter or two of backstory. There’s action and character development before Lewis gives even a full paragraph to the events of the previous book. Memories come up naturally in the main character’s train of thought and observations, not in an awkward info-du...more Allow me to begin by pointing out that I have yet to read Invasion, the first book in the CHAOS series. I’m going to assume that, once I read that, this book will make more sense. That said, I love the fact that the book doesn’t begin with a chapter or two of backstory. There’s action and character development before Lewis gives even a full paragraph to the events of the previous book. Memories come up naturally in the main character’s train of thought and observations, not in an awkward info-dump that would bore people familiar with the first book. I appreciate that Lewis realizes that some readers may be diving into the middle of the story and takes the time to help us get acquainted with his character and unique world without alienating his loyal readers. (I’m very sorry about that horrible pun there. Sometimes I just can’t help myself.)
Speaking of Lewis’ unique world – this part confused me. Unless I’m missing something (which I probably am, since I won’t have a chance to get the first book until Friday), jet packs are a thing in this book’s universe. They’ve been a thing since World War II. When I first started reading and realized that it wasn’t supposed to take place in some future world, I did a bit of a double take. Once I got over my initial surprise, accepting the jet packs, hoverboards, and robots was easy. It fascinated me. Sci-fi tech just lights something in my mind. If hoverboards are, indeed, a possibility, what else could people create? Could that lead to landspeeders like the ones in Star Wars? As long as Gungans never make an entrance, that would be awesome! But I digress. The advanced technology also explained how anyone in this ‘verse would think that Earth could stand a chance against technologically advanced super-monster aliens.
That’s right – aliens. Of course there are aliens; it’s right there in the title. The title has two purposes, the second of which I’ll get to in a moment. The first, most obvious reason is the aliens. Apparently, in the first book, aliens invaded. The Earth suddenly met some of the other inhabitants of the galaxy. Some are friendly; some are evil. The evil ones, the Thule, are shape-shifters bent on destroying humanity to make Earth their new home world. Several other kinds of alien life forms are visiting Earth, as well, but most of the others are actually helping humans. The science of whether or not aliens would survive on Earth is barely mentioned. Aliens simply exist in this universe. Thankfully, Lewis avoids the pitfall that has ruined many good books – too much information.
Here’s what I loved about this book: No info-dumps. There were no major ones for backstory and none for boring data. I wouldn’t be surprised if Lewis had everything figured out about the boring bits. Maybe he even has it written down somewhere in a manuscript. Or maybe he saw a future of aliens trying to exterminate us and he’s trying to warn us without sounding like a crazy person. (Oddly enough, I tend to assume that about pretty much every well-written sci-fi/fantasy book I read. What if…?)
Okay, for the second reason for the title. Lewis’ main character, Colt McAlister, loses most of the people he loves in the first book (it’s not a spoiler if it’s on the back cover blurb). By the time Alienation really gets going, he’s built himself a small network of friends and family. Within a few days, he discovers reasons to distrust most of them and gets in situations that push the rest of them away from him. He truly is alienated. He needs to learn who he can trust. If he chooses the wrong person, he dies.
The stakes are high and the action is fast-paced. One of the supporting characters is a “real-life” comic book hero. The world is infused with aliens and futuristic technology. This is the perfect story for teenagers, especially boys. I give it 3.5 stars. I have a feeling that, once I read Invasion, that rating will change to 4.5 stars. Enjoy.
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Feb 06, 2012 Vanya D. YA Story Teller Reviews rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012, paranormal-urban-fantasy

"Alienation" was an amazing journey comprising many blood-curdling adventures. It was full with striking creativity, high-tech gadgets and of course - more aliens. The characters we met in "Invasion" have grown from the careless teenagers, into responsible young adults. They're now able to put themselves, and their own needs in second place, leaving #1 position for the protection of our world against the alien invasion of the Thule lizardmen.

Friendships were broken and rebuilt in this installmen...more

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Dec 08, 2011 Janina rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-for-review-blog-tour, netgalley, aliens

This is the second installment of the C.H.A.O.S series called Alienation by Jon S. Lewis. After everything with the invasion, Colt and his two best friends, are about to begin training at the Chaos Academy, The Central Headquarters Against the Occult and Supernatural academy. But as things soon get underway, Colt finds out that someone wants him dead, but who would want to kill him and who could get past safety and security of the within the Academy's wall.

I really enjoy the characters in this s...more

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Jan 24, 2012 Charity rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012

Imagine living in a world where the threat of an alien race invasion is very real. Now imagine that you are a teenage boy who has already lost both parents, has a super-famous grandfather, and that you are being targeted for assassination.

Now that you have imagined all of that, I think you might want to take a look at Jon S Lewis's newest novel, Alienation. This fast-paced science-fiction novel is enough to keep any reader on the edge of their seat - whether you are a young adult, whom the nove...more

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Sep 26, 2012 Sandy Liu rated it 4 of 5 stars

Colt is back with his friends Oz and Danielle. They are concerned because the government is warning people away from a nuclear reactor, but the real problem is an alien virus. There are too many things going on to worry about that for too long. Oz's father has hired Krone. Krone is a Thule shape-shifting assassin. He hired Krone to kill senator Bishop, who is a friend of Colt's grandfather, The Phantom Flyer. Once Bishop is dead, Krone comes after Colt, although Colt doesn't really know why. It'...more

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Feb 12, 2012 Julie Witt rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, sci-fi, ya

I received an ecopy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book is the second installment in the C.H.A.O.S. series by Jon S. Lewis. C.H.A.O.S. stands for Central Headquarters Against the Occult and Supernatural.

From Goodreads: "After his parents were killed in a car accident, Colt McAllister was drawn into a world he thought only existed in comic books-one where mind control, jet packs, and flying motorcycles don't even scratch the surface."

Colt, Danielle and Oz are...more

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Apr 20, 2013 Kristin (Blood,Sweat and Books) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Review:

Alienation is the 2nd book in the C.H.A.O.S. trilogy and picks up shortly after Invasion left off. I'm just going to say it, I love this series!! It really just keeps getting better and better! I was so concerned Alienation would suffer middle book syndrome. So I was definitely pleasantly surprised that this was not the case.

One of my favorite things about Alienation was its perfect pacing. My focus remain glued to the page, my mind never having a chance to wander. I read Alienation in on...more Review:

Alienation is the 2nd book in the C.H.A.O.S. trilogy and picks up shortly after Invasion left off. I'm just going to say it, I love this series!! It really just keeps getting better and better! I was so concerned Alienation would suffer middle book syndrome. So I was definitely pleasantly surprised that this was not the case.

One of my favorite things about Alienation was its perfect pacing. My focus remain glued to the page, my mind never having a chance to wander. I read Alienation in one sitting, laundry and pangs of hunger ignored just so I could keep reading. I was actually surprised when it ended as I wasn't quite ready for it to be over. Yes, it was that darn good!

Secondly, I love these characters. One of my only problems with the first book was the characters felt younger than intended. Thankfully, this wasn't the case in Alienation. Oz, Danielle and of course Colt definitely matured. Of course I still love Colt's Grandfather he is just adorable. If he was ever cast in real life I could picture Clint Eastwood in the role. The part is perfect suited for him. I was also happy to see Lohr back as well as Ms. Skoglund. Out of the new characters introduced I can't wait to see more of Giru Ba!

While Alienation had some terrific fight scenes, I still think one of my favorite aspects of this book and the series in general is the absolute kick-butt weaponry and futuristic technology. The nanotech fabric, ugh Where can I get some?? Seriously it is cool! I also like the Hoverboards. Yeah they felt very Back To The Future but they also made perfect sense since Colt is a surfer.

Overall, I really have no complaints with Alienation. Action, Adventure, Espionage and of course Aliens combine together to create a thrilling ride that frankly I don't want to get off of! In fact, I started book 3 Domination immediately after Alienation. I have no doubt it will be just as, if not even more incredible than the first two. In the end I highly recommend picking this one up and of course book 1 Invasion if you haven't already. Doesn't matter if you're young or old this book has something for everyone. That being said, I will be rating Alienation by Jon S. Lewis ★★★★★. (less)

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Jan 23, 2012 Cristy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: aliens, christian-writers, sci-fi, paranormal-supernatural, series, thriller-suspense-mystery, young-teen-fiction, shapeshifters

I have to say I was impressed with J.S. Lewis’s second installment in the The C.H.A.O.S. Trilogy. In my opinion ALIENATION is a pretty strong read, continuing the story of Colt McAlister with his pals Oz and Danielle as they start their training as cadets at the CHAOS Academy. Although Colt is still a reluctant participant; after all that’s happened, he doesn’t feel at this point that really has much choice in the matter.

In ALIENATION we really get a better look into the characters themselves....more

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Jan 22, 2012 Cassie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi, magic-and-other-beings

Alienation is the second action packed book in the C.H.A.O.S series by Jon Lewis. I was first introduced to this book when I signed up for the book tour through Litfuse but after reading about it, I knew it was going to be a fun read. I was a little hesitant when I received the book because I had not yet read the first book in the series but it turns out I had no reason to worry. The author did a wonderful job of filling the reader in, and although I hope you read the series from the beginning,...more Alienation is the second action packed book in the C.H.A.O.S series by Jon Lewis. I was first introduced to this book when I signed up for the book tour through Litfuse but after reading about it, I knew it was going to be a fun read. I was a little hesitant when I received the book because I had not yet read the first book in the series but it turns out I had no reason to worry. The author did a wonderful job of filling the reader in, and although I hope you read the series from the beginning, I never felt like I didn’t know what was going on.
Alienation brought a fun, dangerous, and creative sci-fi world to life right before my eyes. In the first book in the series, Colt’s parents died and he was introduced to a world of spies, jet-packs, aliens, and all kinds of murderous creatures that he thought only existed in comic books. Colt was left to live with his grandfather who happens to be a legend at C.H.A.O.S, the Central Headquarters Against the Occult and Supernatural, where Colt and his friends are being sent to train.
Colt really pulled on my heart strings. He has already been through so much and now he has to leave his grandfather and love interest to go try to save the world. That’s a lot to put on the shoulders of a teenager. When Colt finds out he is being targeted by a hit man (or hit alien), he doesn’t know who he can trust. When they finally arrive at the C.H.A.O.S training center, after many close attempts on Colt’s life, they are introduced to inventions they never knew existed.
Learning about the C.H.A.O.S training center was my favorite part of the book! It took me back to the first time I read Harry Potter and was amazed by how magical Hogwarts was. The center was full of hover boards, awesome temperature changing and form fitting uniforms, identifying goggles, and communicating wristwatches! With the help of some old friends, new teachers, and his grandfather Colt works to catch who
has been targeting him. Please join in the Alienation fun and put this series on your to-read list!

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Feb 24, 2012 AbbyJoy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

Here I am again jumping the middle of a series :P. Will I ever learn? Anyway, I didn't have a hard time following along with what was going on. Now, I'm not well read in science fiction, so I can't say that this book sets the example for all the other books in this genre, but I thought the surrounding details of the plot were a bit...complicated. Maybe it had something to do with my jumping into the middle of it, but I that was it, because I understood everything completely. To the contrary, I t...more

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Alienation (C.H.A.O.S. #2)

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