A Fire Within

Sekret Machines #2

by Tom DeLonge, A.J. Hartley

They have witnessed what is beyond the bounds of possibility. Lights sailing across Nevada's desert night sky in fluid and rapid motions that are impossible for even the most technologically advanced aircraft. They have encountered those responsible for the unexplained. Men in black suits, white lab coats, and military uniforms who do not want their secrets exposed.

Brought together by fate - or phenomena - heiress Jennifer Quinn, journalist Timika Mars, pilot Alan Young, and ex-Marine Barry Regis are bonded by the incidents they've witnessed, hunted by agents of a wealthy corporate cabal desperate for unimaginable power, and possessed of extraordinary abilities they do not understand, much less control.

Now, they're on a mission of their own. As Alan and Barry test the limits of their strange gifts inside the military complex known as Dreamland, Jennifer and Timika begin a quest to locate an ancient tablet that may hold the answers to humanity's greatest question.

Are we alone in the universe?

Based on the accounts of credible UAP observers drawn from expert sources within the scientific, military and intelligence communities, 'Sekret Machines: A Fire Within' is the second fiction book within a multimedia project that has become part of the most ambitious investigation of the phenomenon in history.

©2018 To the Stars, Inc. (P)Tantor

Genres: Fiction, Science Fiction, Aliens, Mystery, Conspiracy Theories, Paranormal, Science Fiction Fantasy

673 pages, Hardcover

First published September 18, 2018

About the author

Tom DeLonge is an award-winning producer, author, platinum recording artist, researcher and entrepreneur from San Diego, CA. Today Tom, with his company To The Stars, produces original content that aims to inspire a newfound appreciation of the profound, yet unresolved, mysteries involving science and the universe through entertainment directly informed by science. His first multi-media franchise Love, told the story of an isolated astronaut on the International Space Station and included a double album by his band Angels And Airwaves with the feature film premiering in 600 theatres across the United States. His next franchise Poet Anderson was inspired by a dream study conducted at Stanford University and spanned an award-winning short film, a chart-topping album, acclaimed comic book series, graphic novel and a YA science fiction novel co-written with NYTimes Bestselling author Suzanne Young. Most recently he is working on Sekret Machines which spans both sci-fi fiction and nonfiction thesis informed by unprecedented access at the highest level of the government and science to uncover information about the UFO phenomenon with renowned authors AJ Hartley and Peter Levenda. His Sekret Machines work has won him the 2017 UFO Researcher of the Year award.

For the full experience of Tom’s work, visit www.tothestars.media.

Reviews

[Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars for Sekret Machines: A Fire Within: Sekret Machines Series, Book 2 (audiobook) by Tom Delonge and A. J. Hartley read by Paul Costanzo.

This book moved the plot along but it didn’t feel like a ending for the series. I like the idea that Tom Delonge is trying to convey what has happened or what could happen with UFO’s through fiction. I just wish the story was a little tighter.

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Secret Machines: A Fire Within
By Tom DeLonge and A.J. Hartley
Wow, I love the first book, but this book took paranormal to a whole new level. More UAP, government threats, and interference. Secrets backgrounds of those handful of people that the book is following. Secrets the people didn't even know.
Quite a thriller. Really found this intriguing and entertaining!

[Tyler · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is really more like a 3.5 which is disappointing because the first book of the series was actually really good. So was the author's next book Cathedrals of Glass: A Planet of Blood and Ice. This book seemed lazy with many pages of plot that wasn't necessary, repeated words and half-baked dialog.

I admit there were many points in the story that the dialog was fantastic, the overall feeling I got from this is it was done in a rush.

As for the story, it was a large leap from the first book, nearly throwing you into concepts right away and expecting you to just go with it. Whereas the last book was more gradual and explained the concepts a little more.

Extremely interesting storyline, disappointing second installment. Hope the next books will be better.

[Chris Greensmith · Rating 3 out of 5]

"It just moved, drifting like some uncanny balloon in a fog that smeared the night sky with iridescence like some improbable deepsea fish or a cloud of light-emitting plankton."
Not as good as Book 1, Chasing Shadows, I enjoyed the mystery of the first book, it is supposed to be based on true events and the first book was a bit more 'beleivable' (not that I believe in it), but Book 2 seemed to up the paranormal. I hope there is a Book 3, but at the end of Book 1 said 'to be continued', but the ending of this said 'the end'......

[Chase Wagner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as good as book 1 but still a great one! Love the characters

[Shane Hawk · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very fun alien adventure with terrible writing and pointless plot points strewn about

[Ryan Gainey (ryan_Gainey StoryGraph) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thought-Provoking.

[Franklin · Rating 5 out of 5]

X-Files meets Indiana Jones meets Star Wars. The book is excellently written weaving the stories of the main characters together in a suspenseful supernatural tale.

[Dustin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pretty solid read. The story was well done, but left you wanting more and needing more answers than the first one left you off with, which is kind of annoying, and good because they’ll obviously make another one after this.

Throughout the story they give you more side stories and events with different people from around the world encountering UFOs and how they dealt with the experience which I liked a lot.

There’s a few plot points kind of left unexplained which I won’t get into because of spoilers. Maybe these points will be explained in the next book. Hopefully. I didn’t like how it ended for the most part. Towards the end it almost felt rushed. With each chapter being about a minute or two long, 2-3 pages at most. But that’s how the first book ended too but was good. I just wasn’t satisfied with the ending that much. Too much left unsaid, unexplained, and questioning wtf is going on in the big picture.

Overall it was a good book, I enjoyed reading it through and through. Tom and AJ did another great job in the series, but leave you wanting more. Hopefully they’ll deliver again with a 3rd book. I’m not done with these characters and I’m not ready to say goodbye to them.

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

5/10

3 stars, minus 1 star for being fiction

Many parts of this book we're exciting and fun to read, while many others seemed to have no place and were never resolved. There is a ton of fuff, which I didn't find that interesting.

The overall plot is fun, but as far as this being fiction based on true events... Sorry, I don't think you are going to win over any but the most extreme of conspiracy theorists.

This attempts to combine, among others, alien technology, government cover-ups, Nazis, metaphysics, Fae creatures, international corporations of evil, area 51, escaped Jews, the cold war and time travel. The result, while fun to read most of the time, is too ludicrous to be taken seriously in the least

[Cesar Alvarez · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first book was very well-done and I felt compelled to look past the entertainment aspect and consider the reality of the subject matter. This book, however, is filled with so much over-the-top sci fi that the entertainment aspect of it seems to clearly be the objective (and the story isn’t even that good or interesting). If the goal is to present these concepts through entertainment, it has already been done. There is nothing new or groundbreaking here.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sekret Machines is a multimedia project that explores the phenomenon of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) through fiction and nonfiction books, documentaries, music, and art. The project is led by Tom DeLonge, a musician, producer, researcher, and entrepreneur who has been fascinated by the mystery of UAP since his childhood. He is joined by AJ Hartley, a bestselling author and professor of Shakespeare and Renaissance literature who brings his expertise in storytelling and historical research to the project.

The second book in the fiction series, A Fire Within, continues the story of four characters who have been marked by encounters with UAP and granted extraordinary abilities that they do not understand or control. Jennifer Quinn, a wealthy heiress and philanthropist; Timika Mars, a journalist and activist; Alan Young, a pilot and former astronaut; and Barry Regis, an ex-Marine and security expert. They are hunted by a powerful cabal that wants to exploit their powers and secrets for their own agenda.

The book is divided into two parallel narratives: one follows Jennifer and Timika as they search for an ancient tablet that may hold the key to the origin and purpose of UAP; the other follows Alan and Barry as they test their abilities in a secret military facility known as Dreamland. Along the way, they encounter allies and enemies, revelations and dangers, and clues and mysteries that lead them deeper into the world of Sekret Machines.

The book is narrated by Paul Costanzo, who does a great job of bringing the characters and scenes to life with his voice. He captures the emotions, personalities, and accents of the diverse cast of characters, as well as the suspense, action, and humor of the story. He also pronounces the foreign words and names correctly, which adds to the authenticity of the book.

The book is a thrilling and engaging read that blends science fiction, mystery, adventure, and history. It is based on real accounts of UAP sightings and experiences from credible sources within the scientific, military, and intelligence communities. It also incorporates elements of ancient mythology, folklore, religion, and culture from various parts of the world. The book raises intriguing questions about the nature of UAP, their connection to humanity, and their impact on our history and future.

The book is well-written and well-researched, with a fast-paced plot that keeps the reader hooked. The characters are well-developed and relatable, with distinct voices and backgrounds. The dialogue is witty and realistic, with some humorous moments that lighten the mood. The descriptions are vivid and immersive, creating a sense of place and atmosphere. The book also includes some illustrations by Gus Mendonca that complement the story.

The book is not without its flaws, however. Some readers may find the book too long or too complex, with too many characters or too much information to keep track of. Some readers may also find the book too predictable or too clichéd, with some tropes or twists that are familiar or expected. Some readers may also find the book too biased or too speculative, with some claims or theories that are not supported by evidence or logic.

Overall, ”Sekret Machines Book 2: A Fire Within” is an enjoyable and informative book that offers a unique perspective on the phenomenon of UAP. It is a must-read for fans of Tom DeLonge's work or anyone interested in UAP. It is also a good introduction to the Sekret Machines project, which promises to reveal more secrets and surprises in future books and media.

[Matthew Abbott · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Fire Within is the 2nd Sekret Machines novel, blending the line between alien conspiracy theories and science fiction storytelling.

The second story continues pretty much exactly where the first one finishes, with the team of Timika (Debunktion website journalist) Jessica (wealthy English woman whose father's wealth was invested in the bad guys company), Barry and Alan (both ex Marines and now CIA operatives) having just signed non disclosure agreements after the weird events at the climax of the first book, and are now wondering what best to do with themselves now.

After a series of strange events, Alan and Barry both decide to return to Dreamland (Area 51) because... well, let's be honest, what else were they going to do?

Jessica absolves to disconnect all of her funds from the evil corporation, and discovers from Timika that a second mystical and ancient stone tablet may exist somewhere. She offers to fund Timika as she goes on an adventure to find the tablet, whilst Jessica returns home to try and shed some light on to the mystery of her father's involvement with the bad guys.

I absolutely could not stop reading this book, and was fervently page turning for all 671 of them. The story focuses less on the unusual alien inspired ships from the first novel, though they get a lot of story time, and focuses instead on the unusual and unique bond forming between our cast of familiar plus a few new extra characters. What happened to them in the first story? What gave them this unique insight into each others consciousnesses?

Strange abilities, locations, spacecraft and races, plus a plot involving a familiar enemy are all thrown into the plot, Chapters are arranged by the characters point of view, something I really like and makes the story so much easier to follow. Flashing back points in history (distinguished by a different font - it's the simple things...) to show this most definitely isn't the first time strange things have happened to humanity. Are they all related?

The stories converge in one epic conclusion... and then all of a sudden, it was over, in a little bit of an anti climax. I don't doubt that this leaves the door open for a further Sekret Machines novel, and I've got my fingers crossed that this comes sooner rather than later.

There's a fair bit of repetition, especially Alan who does a hell of a lot of speculating about his own situation, which sometimes feels like filler, but asides from this the stories converge in a satisfying way and I was eager to get to the end and find out what would happen, especially with new character, Archeologist Nicholas Tan.

Tom Delonge's imagination and AJ HArtley's writing really do work very well together, and I was happy with yet another excellent story from To The Stars media. You can feel the influences from the likes of Bladerunner, Contact and 2001: A Space Odyssey all poking their noses in, which is no bad thing - if you need influences for sci-fi, be influenced by the best, right? A fabulous and exciting story which I thoroughly recommend to all sci-fi fans.

[Clinton · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can't say I'm a fan of where they went with this story. First of all, it starts with the laziest way to go on a search for a new thing with Tamika finding a page from the journal from the last book with coordinates on it that point to Crete. Also
SPOILERS: I'm bored with how it became a simplistic story of good aliens vs bad aliens. Especially tropey hive mind aliens. If that's what the government fed Tom about what's going on, then, c'mon, the government is feeding him shit or they're morons cause dude, that's just too simple.
Also
it is a feat of writing that none of the characters, namely Alan, don't question where the technology he's flying comes from. He never thinks about it. I get that he's a goody two shoes soldier boy, but does he have any critical thinking skills? amazing.
It is still quite entertainingly written for what it is and the audiobook version is very nicely read in a gravely voice with good acting.

[Joel Choong · Rating 4 out of 5]

I guess I don’t really expect so much when it comes to a book with a punk rock star on the cover. Especially a sequel, like all great movies and music, the second one kinda goes meh.

But I really enjoyed Sekret Machines 2. It was really well balanced compared to the really heavy technology on the first book. All the characters were stable already because of the first book, and they were more emotional, if that’s the right word to use. Although, I really did not enjoy Jennifer’s character and character arc. It felt like a bad side plot that needed to be there for the final bits.

I would love a book 3, but honestly, it might be stretching it a bit. I love the side stories, and all that extra bits of conspiracy theory. Adds up lots of saucy information to do nothing and everything with :)

[Lauren Geldenhuys · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the first book, but was disappointed with this one.

Chasing Shadows had all the secret military conspiracy, Area 51 awesomeness that I want in a UFO series. A fiction that my imagination willed into plausibility.

However, A Fire Within brings in fairies, hive minds, evil doctors experimenting on kids, astral projection, etc, bombarding the reader with paranormal plot points which, along with some pointless and airy dialogue, makes for a tedious read.

Hopefully the next instalment goes back to the original formula...

[Trinity Lizalde · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and it was an easy read. I hate the cliche' that "sequels are not as good as the original", but I had to take a star away from this one. The story was set up to go in the right direction, but the route it took I did not care for. Simply put I would have cared for more aliens and less protaganists with "super powers" using tech that is nevery clearly explained how they got it in the first place. I do plan to read the third part when released, but my expectations will be curtailed.

[Mikey James · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was definitely a good sequel albeit slightly too long and drawn out in parts. The second half of the book is where it starts to read at a fast pace and was enjoyable but I couldn’t help think that this was heavily influenced by Dan Brown novels. With lots of different characters and storylines all interconnected. I’d recommended it for fans of Tom Delonge and what he’s trying to achieve, but people who aren’t into it, I could see why they may not be into this series.

[Reese Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a great continuation of the story as it left off in Book 1. Compared to book 1, there was a much heavier focus on the science-fiction aspect compared to the “i’m just saying this is fiction because i legally can’t say it’s real” aspect. The story shifted from UFO’s and government cover-up’s to telekinesis and psychic abilities, which I enjoyed more than I expected. I definitely recommend this book if you’ve read the first one!

[Larry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series even though this is just book two. Love the characters and the multiple story lines around the globe that keep the novel moving at a fast pace. Based on true UFO events that are explored in the companion non-fiction work of Gods Man and War. It's all just fascinating to me and I loved this book as much as the first.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This second book managed to keep the realistic suspense of the first novel, while including much more sci-fi elements; the balance between both was, I thought, perfect. I really enjoyed this book, and need the next book in the series now...although I’m not sure if they’re continuing? I hope they do, but in the meantime I plan on checking out their other books!

[Anthony O'Connor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Story

A captivating and entertaining tale though a bit too gushing and melodramatic at the end. UAPs sort of explained but with so many loose ends I assume there will be a book three?
The promised whiffs of history and myth did appear this time but only just. Overall I have to say that the very fascinating plot deserved a better book. Nice try, but?

[Jon Adler · Rating 4 out of 5]

seems long, but a quick read! really enjoyed this one, was nice to follow the characters & scenarios of the first book even farther.

would highly recommend to anyone looking for a fiction companion to the ongoing UAP disclosure stuff; if you can get your mind around the idea of what DeLonge’s trying to do, this is a great read.

[Craig Clattenburg · Rating 5 out of 5]

A

I enjoyed this book and its continued stories of these characters’ adventures. I have a feeling they are not finished yet. I went back and read the first book again since had been a while. It increased my enjoyment many times over.

[MrFuckTheSystem · Rating 5 out of 5]

I definitely loved the book and couldn’t put it down although the beginning was a bit slow for me. I still definitely recommend this book to anyone who has read the first and or is curious to some of the more curious things that go along with the UFO abduction/contact phenomena !

[Thaddius Novack · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED IT

Couldn't put the book down. Enjoyed the adventures, the mystery, suspense, and bonds between the characters. Knowing this could be somewhat based on reality makes it more interesting.

[Y.N. Bar-Lev · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read Vol 1 and 2. Really could not wait to pick up either again as I was reading them and had to put them down to do other tasks and attend to life. Excellent writing, great characters, and etc. This book stands very well as Science Fiction, or fictionalized fact if you are so inclined.

[Christopher Wiseman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoy these Sekret Machines novels.
It will be fascinating to see over the span of UAP disclosure, to see if the “non-fiction” components of these stories turn out to be true.

[Allan Wind · Rating 5 out of 5]

Makes you Wonder

How much might be coming from true and valid experiences? Certainly makes you wonder. It was a gripping if at times formulaic read. I’m curious to see what other works come out from Tom DeLonge’s efforts.

[Brian Barr · Rating 2 out of 5]

I actually really enjoyed the first book in this series but this one was painful to get through. It felt more like fantasy than sci-fi as the believability melted away. It felt much less inspired than the last one.