Alienation by Jon S. Lewis
Sixteen-year-old Colt McAlister is joining the CHAOS Military Academy, following in his grandfather’s footsteps and already making a name for himself as a hero for Earth. Colt and his friends Oz and Danielle will be trained to better fight off the looming invasion of the Thule, shapeshifting aliens that are seemingly unstoppable. Unsure who to trust, Colt learns about a secret in his past and a Thule assassin that seems to want Colt dead.
Following the events in Invasion, Colt has learned about a dark conspiracy. He’s also dealing with infatuation for a girl, while dealing with the CHAOS Academy and attacks on his life. But thankfully, the teenage angst takes a backseat to the action and adventure. Lewis’ futuristic world has many fun gadgets, advanced technology, and incredible aliens. Even though the story follows Colt almost exclusively, I would love to see future installments delve more into the Thule and their background and motivations. Right now, they’re still too much of a mystery and just The Big, Evil Aliens.
With plenty of danger, intrigue, and suspense – young science fiction fans should enjoy this fast-paced adventure. Though, reading the first novel, Invasion, is a must to get background on Colt and the Thule. I think I enjoyed Alienation as much as the first, if not more. Non-stop, action-packed thrills and excitement made it impossible to put down. And while there’s a satisfying ending, there is a mild cliffhanger that left me wanting more.