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Alpha #1
Alpha: Chaos Awakens
The Earth barely survived the Third World War.
It isn’t ready for the War of the Worlds.
A beam of pure Chaos has descended on the Earth connecting it to the Labyrinth Universe.
Monsters will spawn, heroes will level and nations will fall.
Chaos will Awaken!
From the mind of Aleron Kong, the Father of American LitRPG, comes his tenth book!
With over 1,000,000 books sold, a Wall Street Journal Best Seller and the series voted one of the Top 100 of ALL TIME by Audible, you can’t go wrong!
Experience a brand new magical system combining LitRPG leveling and Wuxia cultivation in a seamless world that always pushes the characters you love and hate to the edges of the universe and their sanity.
Not everyone will survive when Chaos Awakens!
It isn’t ready for the War of the Worlds.
A beam of pure Chaos has descended on the Earth connecting it to the Labyrinth Universe.
Monsters will spawn, heroes will level and nations will fall.
Chaos will Awaken!
From the mind of Aleron Kong, the Father of American LitRPG, comes his tenth book!
With over 1,000,000 books sold, a Wall Street Journal Best Seller and the series voted one of the Top 100 of ALL TIME by Audible, you can’t go wrong!
Experience a brand new magical system combining LitRPG leveling and Wuxia cultivation in a seamless world that always pushes the characters you love and hate to the edges of the universe and their sanity.
Not everyone will survive when Chaos Awakens!
619 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 25, 2024
About the author
Aleron Kong
11 books10.5k followersGoodreads HTML profile
Welcome to the Mist Village! I'm so glad you're here!
The Land Saga:
- Is a WSJ Best Seller
- Has sold over 1 MILLION copies
- Has more than 100,000 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ reviews
- Became Audibles Customer Favorite of the Year
- Reached the Top 5 on both Audible and Amazon out of the millions of books they sell
Find out why 🙂
You can start your adventure BELOW:
Please enjoy my book trailers:
And enjoy a FREE peak at my 1st Audiobook narrated by THE Nick Podehl! Just CLICK HERE
I love hearing from my fans so feel free to reach out!
If you've read or listened to any of my work, PLEASE leave a REVIEW and vote "Helpful" on the reviews you agree with 🙂
And I love making artwork for my wonderful fans. I hope you enjoy some! You can find more HERE
I am a Internal Medicine Physician turned WSJ Best Selling Author. My lifetime goal of leaving the world a better place than I found it. I'm also extremely proud of my fans who have helped me raise over $125,000 for various charities over the past 5 years!
Gnomes Rule!
Welcome to the Mist Village! I'm so glad you're here!
The Land Saga:
- Is a WSJ Best Seller
- Has sold over 1 MILLION copies
- Has more than 100,000 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ reviews
- Became Audibles Customer Favorite of the Year
- Reached the Top 5 on both Audible and Amazon out of the millions of books they sell
Find out why 🙂
You can start your adventure BELOW:
Please enjoy my book trailers:
And enjoy a FREE peak at my 1st Audiobook narrated by THE Nick Podehl! Just CLICK HERE
I love hearing from my fans so feel free to reach out!
If you've read or listened to any of my work, PLEASE leave a REVIEW and vote "Helpful" on the reviews you agree with 🙂
And I love making artwork for my wonderful fans. I hope you enjoy some! You can find more HERE
I am a Internal Medicine Physician turned WSJ Best Selling Author. My lifetime goal of leaving the world a better place than I found it. I'm also extremely proud of my fans who have helped me raise over $125,000 for various charities over the past 5 years!
Gnomes Rule!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
June 27, 2024
Book one
I'm probably going to get a lot of hate for this rating.
We have the equivalent of a black John Wick. Okay, cool not a problem. He is also a doctor. Also cool. No problem with what is basically a special forces vet also being a doctor.
My problem is with this just being one more rage and hate filled character. Seems to have become a common theme in litrpg. Introvert filled with rage and hate. Granted this MC doesn't seem to be an introvert.
We don't really know though because the majority of the six hundred plus pages are info dump.
Setting up the rules and explaining everything to us readers.
Another good chunk is wasted on crude humor. The book opens with the MC and his wife laughing about farts and the smell. Don't worry though, there are plenty of poop references, as well as taint and ball references that I seriously wonder if the author has a fetish for this stuff.
This isn't all though, the author doesn't keep track of his own worlds rules. Everything that is none living matter on the planet is devoid of energy. Yet the MC waste time later in the book trying to suck the mana from the hospital walls. Then we go back to the world being devoid again towards the end of the book.
So to summarize, felt more like an info dump then a story. Humor was crass for no reason and missed the mark. How many times can you reference genitalia and crapping on food? Neither brought anything to the story. Other bits of "humor" seemed to just not fit the situation, (it's about women right?) and felt forced.
If you are going around proclaiming to be the father of litrpg, (he isn't the father.) Not only is your ego super massive but I would expect to see perfectly edited books. If you're the self-proclaimed father of an entire genre of story telling have enough pride to go with that ego and find all those pesky mistakes. I'll even help and give you a list of the ones I found over on Goodreads.
Look folks the story isn't horrible. I did manage to read the entire thing. I just feel like this could have been so much better.
I know that the author was trying to show just how messed up the Lotus people are but the stereotype of white people in the South being inbred is as bad as the stereotype of black people being savages. Even though the author goes out of his way to hint the MC is exactly that. A savage that was tamed by love, but hey she's gone so let's go back to being a savage.
Remember folks that this is just my opinion. You have the right to have your own opinion. It's okay if it differs from mine.
4/10 I will read book two. I hope with the info dump being done(?) we will get more actual story.
I'm probably going to get a lot of hate for this rating.
We have the equivalent of a black John Wick. Okay, cool not a problem. He is also a doctor. Also cool. No problem with what is basically a special forces vet also being a doctor.
My problem is with this just being one more rage and hate filled character. Seems to have become a common theme in litrpg. Introvert filled with rage and hate. Granted this MC doesn't seem to be an introvert.
We don't really know though because the majority of the six hundred plus pages are info dump.
Setting up the rules and explaining everything to us readers.
Another good chunk is wasted on crude humor. The book opens with the MC and his wife laughing about farts and the smell. Don't worry though, there are plenty of poop references, as well as taint and ball references that I seriously wonder if the author has a fetish for this stuff.
This isn't all though, the author doesn't keep track of his own worlds rules. Everything that is none living matter on the planet is devoid of energy. Yet the MC waste time later in the book trying to suck the mana from the hospital walls. Then we go back to the world being devoid again towards the end of the book.
So to summarize, felt more like an info dump then a story. Humor was crass for no reason and missed the mark. How many times can you reference genitalia and crapping on food? Neither brought anything to the story. Other bits of "humor" seemed to just not fit the situation, (it's about women right?) and felt forced.
If you are going around proclaiming to be the father of litrpg, (he isn't the father.) Not only is your ego super massive but I would expect to see perfectly edited books. If you're the self-proclaimed father of an entire genre of story telling have enough pride to go with that ego and find all those pesky mistakes. I'll even help and give you a list of the ones I found over on Goodreads.
Look folks the story isn't horrible. I did manage to read the entire thing. I just feel like this could have been so much better.
I know that the author was trying to show just how messed up the Lotus people are but the stereotype of white people in the South being inbred is as bad as the stereotype of black people being savages. Even though the author goes out of his way to hint the MC is exactly that. A savage that was tamed by love, but hey she's gone so let's go back to being a savage.
Remember folks that this is just my opinion. You have the right to have your own opinion. It's okay if it differs from mine.
4/10 I will read book two. I hope with the info dump being done(?) we will get more actual story.
June 27, 2024
needs some editing
The beginning was unclear as to ‘when’ events were taking place, especially confusing because events happen on Earth.
There were some instances of extraneous information and medical jargon. Knowing exactly what the MC is injected with when he is wracked with pain and incoherent…not important to the plot.
Bad guys being extra bad is a little too trope-ish. It also isn’t truly supported in the text.
I read the whole thing. It’s not the worst LitRPG. But there is a lot of cringe.
I will probably get a sequel, because it *is* readable…to an extent. But I can’t really recommend it.
The beginning was unclear as to ‘when’ events were taking place, especially confusing because events happen on Earth.
There were some instances of extraneous information and medical jargon. Knowing exactly what the MC is injected with when he is wracked with pain and incoherent…not important to the plot.
Bad guys being extra bad is a little too trope-ish. It also isn’t truly supported in the text.
I read the whole thing. It’s not the worst LitRPG. But there is a lot of cringe.
I will probably get a sequel, because it *is* readable…to an extent. But I can’t really recommend it.
June 26, 2024
Definitely not my favorite but as many have said it gets better so I will be reading the second book as I believe Aleron could turn this into something great
June 26, 2024
Slow start but gets better and better
Very much enjoyed this book. Quite a bit of general exposition in the first few chapters but the book gets better and better as it progresses. Lots of excitement in the the later parts of the book. Author knows how to use tables which is better than other litRPG. The book does have some text in colour so I recommend a kindle fire for reading.
Very much enjoyed this book. Quite a bit of general exposition in the first few chapters but the book gets better and better as it progresses. Lots of excitement in the the later parts of the book. Author knows how to use tables which is better than other litRPG. The book does have some text in colour so I recommend a kindle fire for reading.
June 26, 2024
A. Kong is back, and he brought the darkness with him.
Take the most brutal chapters from his other books, distill them. Sprinkle in some wuxia, let it age in a nice oak cask, and you will the this introduction to Mr. Kongs new series.
I devoured it. There is something about his writinging that grabs my imagination. I only have one thing to say...
MOAR!
Take the most brutal chapters from his other books, distill them. Sprinkle in some wuxia, let it age in a nice oak cask, and you will the this introduction to Mr. Kongs new series.
I devoured it. There is something about his writinging that grabs my imagination. I only have one thing to say...
MOAR!
June 26, 2024
I’ve missed Aleron for so long. You can tell he’s getting back in his groove but it’s still so good I read it in under 24 hours. Some interesting side parts to say the least but I feel like the gruesome parts make it feel more real
June 26, 2024
Aleron still has his magic and a new book.
Aleron still has his magic and a new book. I am liking the start of a new series that complements the Land and Gods Eye.
Aleron still has his magic and a new book. I am liking the start of a new series that complements the Land and Gods Eye.
June 25, 2024
Great
I thoroughly enjoyed the start of a new journey with fascinating characters and great humor! Can't wait for the next installment!
I thoroughly enjoyed the start of a new journey with fascinating characters and great humor! Can't wait for the next installment!
June 28, 2024
Gnomus Imperare!
It’s been years since I cracked open an Aleron Kong book, and even longer since I truly enjoyed one. I’ll just say I’m glad the author has finally found inspiration again. If you’re a fan of LitRPG like me, then go read this book!
If you’re looking for a more critical review, here’s my two copper system coins…
Fair warning, Kong’s trademark cringey and crude humor is let off the leash early on. Not even the setup for a somber death march prologue can escape names like “Taintmaster” or a boob and boner joke. Dude just can’t help self-inserting into his characters, co-opting them for his deranged amusement… and now I’m thinking of the human centipede scene of Splinter from season 4 of The Boys. So, yeah, family friendly this is not.
The hospital training arc was tough to get through. It starts interesting enough. Unfortunately, there’s too much meandering and internal monologuing that drags the story pacing down. I get the intent is to tell us about the game mechanics and have a safe, familiar environment for Fin to explore his emotions and powers. I just think it could have been tightened up to better effect - it didn’t need to be 40% of the book.
I also expected there to be a lot more signs of societal collapse on display after such an unprecedented global event. Especially since Fin was in a hospital from basically the start, which would be overwhelmed by casualties in a mundane catastrophe. Instead, it’s more like Fin was insulated from any craziness going on. Missed opportunity in my opinion, but I’m sure we will see the chaos ramp up as the story continues.
I know this is part of the “AKU”, but it seems the author has changed up some of his underlying game mechanics along with adding in cultivation. I actually think it’s an improvement. That being said, there is still some silliness. An example is the huge investment of effort and resources to unlock a measly 0.1% stat increase. It’s symptomatic of how MMOs have brainwashed gamers into accepting constant but minuscule gains to keep us grinding. I hate seeing this logic bleed into LitRPG.
Speaking of the “AKU”, it’s been so long since I’ve read The Land series and God’s Eye there’s so much I’ve forgotten. I’m not excited about rereading them on top of digesting a new series. Instead of jumping back and forth between multiple series, I hope the author doubles down on this new one. I like Fin and want to follow his progress. He’s more interesting than the MC from God’s Eye and more realistic than the MC from The Land series. The world, despite being a version of Earth, also has unique aspects to explore with the introduction of Familias, high tech, AI, etc.
Finally, the writing does feel like a rough draft at times. It could have used a professional editing pass or two. That being said, it still ranks above most LitRPG. I miss the Mist Village, but this series has a lot of potential in terms of conception and mechanics. I’m invested and excited for more, but a bit worried about how long it will be for the next book.
It’s been years since I cracked open an Aleron Kong book, and even longer since I truly enjoyed one. I’ll just say I’m glad the author has finally found inspiration again. If you’re a fan of LitRPG like me, then go read this book!
If you’re looking for a more critical review, here’s my two copper system coins…
Fair warning, Kong’s trademark cringey and crude humor is let off the leash early on. Not even the setup for a somber death march prologue can escape names like “Taintmaster” or a boob and boner joke. Dude just can’t help self-inserting into his characters, co-opting them for his deranged amusement… and now I’m thinking of the human centipede scene of Splinter from season 4 of The Boys. So, yeah, family friendly this is not.
The hospital training arc was tough to get through. It starts interesting enough. Unfortunately, there’s too much meandering and internal monologuing that drags the story pacing down. I get the intent is to tell us about the game mechanics and have a safe, familiar environment for Fin to explore his emotions and powers. I just think it could have been tightened up to better effect - it didn’t need to be 40% of the book.
I also expected there to be a lot more signs of societal collapse on display after such an unprecedented global event. Especially since Fin was in a hospital from basically the start, which would be overwhelmed by casualties in a mundane catastrophe. Instead, it’s more like Fin was insulated from any craziness going on. Missed opportunity in my opinion, but I’m sure we will see the chaos ramp up as the story continues.
I know this is part of the “AKU”, but it seems the author has changed up some of his underlying game mechanics along with adding in cultivation. I actually think it’s an improvement. That being said, there is still some silliness. An example is the huge investment of effort and resources to unlock a measly 0.1% stat increase. It’s symptomatic of how MMOs have brainwashed gamers into accepting constant but minuscule gains to keep us grinding. I hate seeing this logic bleed into LitRPG.
Speaking of the “AKU”, it’s been so long since I’ve read The Land series and God’s Eye there’s so much I’ve forgotten. I’m not excited about rereading them on top of digesting a new series. Instead of jumping back and forth between multiple series, I hope the author doubles down on this new one. I like Fin and want to follow his progress. He’s more interesting than the MC from God’s Eye and more realistic than the MC from The Land series. The world, despite being a version of Earth, also has unique aspects to explore with the introduction of Familias, high tech, AI, etc.
Finally, the writing does feel like a rough draft at times. It could have used a professional editing pass or two. That being said, it still ranks above most LitRPG. I miss the Mist Village, but this series has a lot of potential in terms of conception and mechanics. I’m invested and excited for more, but a bit worried about how long it will be for the next book.
July 5, 2024
2.5 stars in the genre. It was ... ok I guess...?
I know that the author knows how to write. In my opinion he's written some of the best LitRPG ever published. However he seems off his game here.
The story is meandering, wordy, overly saccharine at times, and has some consistency fails. The system is poorly formulated and ripe for Deus Ex Machine which he exploits mercilessly, leaving the characters with almost no agency. They make nonsensical decisions and don't seem to have internal consistency. And the humor is sophomoric and NSFW for absolutely no reason.
All this being said, there are hints of an interesting story running throughout, and at times the writing captured my imagination in the ways he used to.
I think what this needs more than anything else is an editor. It feels a lot like parts of it are still in the rough draft phase where a bunch of words have come out and he's just moved on. Without really making an attempt to fit things together and provide a consistent narrative/style.
I will read the next one, but I'm not holding my breath for it.
I know that the author knows how to write. In my opinion he's written some of the best LitRPG ever published. However he seems off his game here.
The story is meandering, wordy, overly saccharine at times, and has some consistency fails. The system is poorly formulated and ripe for Deus Ex Machine which he exploits mercilessly, leaving the characters with almost no agency. They make nonsensical decisions and don't seem to have internal consistency. And the humor is sophomoric and NSFW for absolutely no reason.
All this being said, there are hints of an interesting story running throughout, and at times the writing captured my imagination in the ways he used to.
I think what this needs more than anything else is an editor. It feels a lot like parts of it are still in the rough draft phase where a bunch of words have come out and he's just moved on. Without really making an attempt to fit things together and provide a consistent narrative/style.
I will read the next one, but I'm not holding my breath for it.
July 5, 2024
Fun
Ok the apocalypse starts on future Earth. Fin the main character is a doctor and loses the love of his life in a car crash. Secret societies start gaining power and one decides to target Fin because the son of their leader died in the same crash. Meanwhile Fin is growing by leaps and bounds learning the new System. The people of Earth know something happened, but only the secret societies suspect what’s coming. The baddies come for Fin in the hospital and by luck he escapes while dealing massive damage to them. Unfortunately it leaves him a deadly trial in an alternate dimension as the book ends.
It is a fast read and has wuxia fantasy elements. It takes place after The Land but before Gods Eye. This is also a third magic system. There is some editing needed mostly because of missed edits leaving extra words. And one early continuity error, the Wave is said to have struck the Pacific and hit Atlanta from the West, but is later said to have hit the Atlantic. All in all it is a fun fast read that added to the universe.
Please enjoy.
Ok the apocalypse starts on future Earth. Fin the main character is a doctor and loses the love of his life in a car crash. Secret societies start gaining power and one decides to target Fin because the son of their leader died in the same crash. Meanwhile Fin is growing by leaps and bounds learning the new System. The people of Earth know something happened, but only the secret societies suspect what’s coming. The baddies come for Fin in the hospital and by luck he escapes while dealing massive damage to them. Unfortunately it leaves him a deadly trial in an alternate dimension as the book ends.
It is a fast read and has wuxia fantasy elements. It takes place after The Land but before Gods Eye. This is also a third magic system. There is some editing needed mostly because of missed edits leaving extra words. And one early continuity error, the Wave is said to have struck the Pacific and hit Atlanta from the West, but is later said to have hit the Atlantic. All in all it is a fun fast read that added to the universe.
Please enjoy.
July 3, 2024
Beautiful start
Happy for Aleron... Love his work and he came back with a bang.... Wish him nothing but success.. This is a great start to a series... Emotional layers... Complex world building and system... Highly recommend
JD Glasscock
Author of the Series Blood Brothers and Nocturne
Happy for Aleron... Love his work and he came back with a bang.... Wish him nothing but success.. This is a great start to a series... Emotional layers... Complex world building and system... Highly recommend
JD Glasscock
Author of the Series Blood Brothers and Nocturne
July 1, 2024
Aleron does it again!
Like a lot of fans of Mr. Kong, I found myself torn between loving this new series and wanting the next book and wishing for book 9 of the Land. If you loved any of his previous works you're definitely going to love this book too. The author is definitely a sadist who loves tormenting his followers lol, but on a serious note this one is definitely a must read.
Like a lot of fans of Mr. Kong, I found myself torn between loving this new series and wanting the next book and wishing for book 9 of the Land. If you loved any of his previous works you're definitely going to love this book too. The author is definitely a sadist who loves tormenting his followers lol, but on a serious note this one is definitely a must read.
July 1, 2024
He’s Back.
Like most folk, I’ve been looking forward to the next installment of the “The Land” for a little bit, so I was a bit surprised to see something brand spanking new! I won’t get into spoilers, but If you like the idea of litRPG coupled with the societal elements of John Wick, and add a few years to the ole time line so it’s the “not so distant” future…you’ll love this book.
Like most folk, I’ve been looking forward to the next installment of the “The Land” for a little bit, so I was a bit surprised to see something brand spanking new! I won’t get into spoilers, but If you like the idea of litRPG coupled with the societal elements of John Wick, and add a few years to the ole time line so it’s the “not so distant” future…you’ll love this book.
July 2, 2024
Great resurgence of a great author
While grim and dark, this novel signifies a true rebirth for Aleron Kong. It was riveting and detailed from start to finish. The authors experience with the medical profession is front and center. And it enhances the story as well as making it more believable. I highly recommend it and very much look forward to the next!
While grim and dark, this novel signifies a true rebirth for Aleron Kong. It was riveting and detailed from start to finish. The authors experience with the medical profession is front and center. And it enhances the story as well as making it more believable. I highly recommend it and very much look forward to the next!
June 29, 2024
Pretty good
It's a fairly standard LitRPG. The pacing is much better than God's Eye. The decision analysis is dialed down to reasonable level. The MC is strong and relatable, probably because he largely mirrors the author. I still wish that was book 9 in The Land, but it's really good to see the author is writing quality material again.
It's a fairly standard LitRPG. The pacing is much better than God's Eye. The decision analysis is dialed down to reasonable level. The MC is strong and relatable, probably because he largely mirrors the author. I still wish that was book 9 in The Land, but it's really good to see the author is writing quality material again.
June 28, 2024
Laughed so hard I might have peed a little
I forgot how much I love Aleron Kong’s humor. The one liners are epic and prolific. Literally had me spontaneously giggling over and over again.
Love the character progression and the unique magic system as well. Wish the story itself had progressed a little bit more though.
I forgot how much I love Aleron Kong’s humor. The one liners are epic and prolific. Literally had me spontaneously giggling over and over again.
Love the character progression and the unique magic system as well. Wish the story itself had progressed a little bit more though.
July 6, 2024
Interesting start to a new series. I really liked the MC. He is a really cool guy. I work in a hospital and I could tell Dr Kong has too. His description of the hospital resonated with my experiences. At times it felt like Die Hard in a hospital. My main problem was the pacing. The plot was glacially slow. Dr Kong tends to be over-analytical with his systems and this one is no different. The MC is constantly thinking about his abilities and how to grow. There are some cultivation elements which were approached in a novel way. The other bummer is that this did not feel like a complete book with very little resolution in the end. There was also the promise of a chapter or two in the next book to analyze the windows that the MC didn’t want to read at the end of this book.
July 27, 2024
While his readers, listeners, and fans await the next installment of his The Land series, Aleron Kong has released another tangentially related title, Alpha. This one takes us back in time to before the opening scenes of God’s Eye: Awakening, and sometime following the events that kicked off the adventure in The Land. With some manipulation from certain Lords of Chaos, the Earth is connected to The Labyrinth, and all hell breaks loose. The changes are immediate, but the extent to which these changes alter the planet (and the life living here) is relatively gradual. Of course, those of us who have made it through God’s Eye: Awakening are aware of how this turns out for Earth and the human species. It is interesting to see how it all starts off, though.
We’re introduced to Fin and Lauren, a couple deeply in love and tragically bearing witness to the force of chaos piercing the planet and opening the bridge to The Labyrinth. Fin served in the military during the Third World War and became an ER doctor in his civilian life afterward, setting him up to be a more capable protagonist than our previous main characters in Kong’s books. The tone of this book shifts accordingly, as Fin (our narrator) is a man inured to violence and capable of cruelty when properly motivated.
I personally found Fin to be a reasonably compelling, three-dimensional character. He’s frequently at odds with his personal history and the way it shaped him, as he struggles to be the man Lauren helped him see he could become. This internal conflict and the dichotomy of the soldier vs. the physician is ever-present throughout the narrative and adds a bit more depth to the whole.
The introduction to the interface system on Earth is interesting, though occasionally a bit on the tedious side…but this is an introductory story, so that’s to be expected. There are definite differences from what we’re acquainted with in The Land and God’s Eye, and the fact that the planet itself is incorporated into the system was a nice touch.
Unfortunately, there isn’t much meat to this story. It largely takes place in a hospital as Fin explores the new features that have changed the world. Though they are satisfying, there’s not much movement as far as the plot is concerned, as the focus remains almost exclusively on character development. The conflict, when it arrives is a pleasant change, but the cliffhanger ending is an issue I have with most of Kong’s work. His books aren’t self-encapsulated and that leaves them feeling incomplete and mildly frustrating as we wait for the next installment that will invariably suffer from the same characteristic abrupt conclusion.
My other issue is with unattributed pop culture references. Notably, a cribbed section from High Fidelity really struck me as off-putting. It’s fine to incorporate pop culture references in fiction. Farscape, a television series from 20 years ago, handled it phenomenally well. The protagonist acknowledged that he was referencing things other characters would not recognize, and it was done with a wink and a nod. In Alpha, that particular reference was treated as if it was some witty thought process of the character. That didn’t sit well with me. There’s also the reality that people now hardly recognize references to High Fidelity, and it seems highly unlikely that a soldier from a good distance into our future would have no reason to have read or seen it.
Pavi Proczko’s narration is excellent. All three of the narrators who signed on to work with Kong have brought his works to life in a way that I consider admirable. Narrating a LitRPG title can’t be the easiest thing. Proczko does a great job of conveying the emotional fluctuations Fin experiences as the story progresses, and that’s definitely something different narrators struggle with.
We’re introduced to Fin and Lauren, a couple deeply in love and tragically bearing witness to the force of chaos piercing the planet and opening the bridge to The Labyrinth. Fin served in the military during the Third World War and became an ER doctor in his civilian life afterward, setting him up to be a more capable protagonist than our previous main characters in Kong’s books. The tone of this book shifts accordingly, as Fin (our narrator) is a man inured to violence and capable of cruelty when properly motivated.
I personally found Fin to be a reasonably compelling, three-dimensional character. He’s frequently at odds with his personal history and the way it shaped him, as he struggles to be the man Lauren helped him see he could become. This internal conflict and the dichotomy of the soldier vs. the physician is ever-present throughout the narrative and adds a bit more depth to the whole.
The introduction to the interface system on Earth is interesting, though occasionally a bit on the tedious side…but this is an introductory story, so that’s to be expected. There are definite differences from what we’re acquainted with in The Land and God’s Eye, and the fact that the planet itself is incorporated into the system was a nice touch.
Unfortunately, there isn’t much meat to this story. It largely takes place in a hospital as Fin explores the new features that have changed the world. Though they are satisfying, there’s not much movement as far as the plot is concerned, as the focus remains almost exclusively on character development. The conflict, when it arrives is a pleasant change, but the cliffhanger ending is an issue I have with most of Kong’s work. His books aren’t self-encapsulated and that leaves them feeling incomplete and mildly frustrating as we wait for the next installment that will invariably suffer from the same characteristic abrupt conclusion.
My other issue is with unattributed pop culture references. Notably, a cribbed section from High Fidelity really struck me as off-putting. It’s fine to incorporate pop culture references in fiction. Farscape, a television series from 20 years ago, handled it phenomenally well. The protagonist acknowledged that he was referencing things other characters would not recognize, and it was done with a wink and a nod. In Alpha, that particular reference was treated as if it was some witty thought process of the character. That didn’t sit well with me. There’s also the reality that people now hardly recognize references to High Fidelity, and it seems highly unlikely that a soldier from a good distance into our future would have no reason to have read or seen it.
Pavi Proczko’s narration is excellent. All three of the narrators who signed on to work with Kong have brought his works to life in a way that I consider admirable. Narrating a LitRPG title can’t be the easiest thing. Proczko does a great job of conveying the emotional fluctuations Fin experiences as the story progresses, and that’s definitely something different narrators struggle with.
July 11, 2024
I had high hopes and expectations for "Alpha" by Aleron Kong, which makes my 4/5 rating disappointing. The main character (MC) in this book is strikingly similar to Zero Fell from "God's Eye." While I was pleasantly surprised by "God's Eye" despite its dull MC, the world-building was what made it enjoyable. In "God's Eye," the MC's interactions were limited, with the only notable connection being with the magical messenger at the beginning. However, the book didn’t rely heavily on relationships, which was fortunate given the MC's lack of interesting or positive relationships with his followers. Zero is basically Richter (the MC of The Land) without any personality or charisma.
In "Alpha," we encounter essentially the same MC, who struggles to relate to anyone throughout the book. The power progression, which initially captivated me in Kong's other works, fell flat this time. I can't pinpoint exactly why, but it failed to engage me like the other two worlds did.
The problem isn't just the MC's personality, which is a carbon copy of the one in "God's Eye." It's the character itself. Both protagonists are military veteran medical doctors with a world view akin to Jack Bauer but the charisma of a log. This lack of distinction between characters diminishes the overall experience and left me wanting more variety and depth.
In Alpha we learn more about what happened on Earth when it connects to the Labyrinth, which is cool, but it fails to connect directly with what happens in God’s Eye, which is kinda weird. There were probably some allusions that I missed, but I don’t think I’ll bother re-reading this one to discover the subtleties.
It’s still a 4 because it’s definitely above average for a litrpg in its writing quality and world-building. It’s fun that AK can write 3 series’ in the same universe but have them all be different game systems that are still cross-connected and somehow cross-compatible.
The narration was pretty good, but the “chime” sound was grating to my ears. It literally hurts.
I think part of the problem here is the same problem as in book 8 of The Land: AK just can’t write lone wolf stories. The magic of Richter isn’t just his wit - it’s the people his wit bounces off of in and around the Mist Village. In Book 8, all of that interaction is missing and so Richter is boring. In Alpha the MC Fin never forms any real relationships.
July 7, 2024
interesting Book
I love the worlds of the Labyrinth. I know crafting a world and successfully blending world mechanics into a story, especially a story that grabs and pulls you into the story is not easy. Otherwise, a lot more people will do it.
With that said, I love Aleron Kong and his writing. He is in my top 10 authors without a doubt, and some of his stuff is in my top 5. Alpha isn’t a Top 5 for me, but it’s a top 15…..and I’ve read a lot of books!! Not as many as Katt Williams, but enough to say anything in my top 15 is worth giving a read. It’s not high enough to put in front of a new Drizzt or Game of Thrones book, but definitely worth a read.
This series has potential. I’m definitely looking forward to the next book. I’m expecting a whole lot more story and little less world mechanics building. I want to see some character building and character power building and seeing that power put to some challenges and through its paces.
About the book, it was cool seeing what is happening to and on earth after The Land and Predator. Which is why I said this was a good Labyrinth Series book. It does fill in a lot of background on what was happening on earth. It’s cool seeing our newest Protagonist Fin. You can definitely tell he’s an Aleronist like character. It’s going to be interesting seeing how he develops and grows into a different character from all his other characters, with his style of writing and storytelling. Not a lot of story development in this book in my humble opinion, but enough to keep me glued to the book! So, no spoilers just read it for yourself and I’m looking forward to reading what other people think 🤔!
Cheers My Peeps
Peace ✌🏾 and Love 💕
Fun pursuits of that perfect margarita
….and finally
Gnomes Rule!!!
I love the worlds of the Labyrinth. I know crafting a world and successfully blending world mechanics into a story, especially a story that grabs and pulls you into the story is not easy. Otherwise, a lot more people will do it.
With that said, I love Aleron Kong and his writing. He is in my top 10 authors without a doubt, and some of his stuff is in my top 5. Alpha isn’t a Top 5 for me, but it’s a top 15…..and I’ve read a lot of books!! Not as many as Katt Williams, but enough to say anything in my top 15 is worth giving a read. It’s not high enough to put in front of a new Drizzt or Game of Thrones book, but definitely worth a read.
This series has potential. I’m definitely looking forward to the next book. I’m expecting a whole lot more story and little less world mechanics building. I want to see some character building and character power building and seeing that power put to some challenges and through its paces.
About the book, it was cool seeing what is happening to and on earth after The Land and Predator. Which is why I said this was a good Labyrinth Series book. It does fill in a lot of background on what was happening on earth. It’s cool seeing our newest Protagonist Fin. You can definitely tell he’s an Aleronist like character. It’s going to be interesting seeing how he develops and grows into a different character from all his other characters, with his style of writing and storytelling. Not a lot of story development in this book in my humble opinion, but enough to keep me glued to the book! So, no spoilers just read it for yourself and I’m looking forward to reading what other people think 🤔!
Cheers My Peeps
Peace ✌🏾 and Love 💕
Fun pursuits of that perfect margarita
….and finally
Gnomes Rule!!!
July 3, 2024
Good, dark, kind of childish...
I read the whole book. It dragged a little bit from the beginning/was just a lot of self-reflection, which I get, but it also just continuously got derailed with child-like humor. It wasn't really great humor. Definitely felt like you make the joke and then you stand there with your hand raised, waiting for someone to high-five you for how clever you are. I'm interested to see where the second book goes as there was a lot of development at the end.
The thing I disliked the most is that it kind of felt too edgy, or like it was forced edginess. But, there were some great ways of making everyone seem evil instead of just generic. All of the racist commentary was a little off-putting, but I also understand the reasoning for it. And I will give props that there was not a single time I recognized the same racial slur being used when referring to the different groups.
Biggest upset for me though, is that the system didn't feel quite the same as the other books, but I'll chalk that up to needing to create a whole new character.
I read the whole book. It dragged a little bit from the beginning/was just a lot of self-reflection, which I get, but it also just continuously got derailed with child-like humor. It wasn't really great humor. Definitely felt like you make the joke and then you stand there with your hand raised, waiting for someone to high-five you for how clever you are. I'm interested to see where the second book goes as there was a lot of development at the end.
The thing I disliked the most is that it kind of felt too edgy, or like it was forced edginess. But, there were some great ways of making everyone seem evil instead of just generic. All of the racist commentary was a little off-putting, but I also understand the reasoning for it. And I will give props that there was not a single time I recognized the same racial slur being used when referring to the different groups.
Biggest upset for me though, is that the system didn't feel quite the same as the other books, but I'll chalk that up to needing to create a whole new character.
June 28, 2024
A Solid LitRPG
I really really wanted to give this 5 stars. I love the system, the world, the magic. I really like the main character. This is engaging and I read it cover to cover in a little over a day. I want to make it clear, read this book it's good!
My one complaint: there are shifts in tone at random intervals that totally threw me out of my immersion. Very minor spoilers: The main character is a doctor and former soldier. By and large I would say the tone of his thoughts is doctor with some savagery attached. Then there are moments, maybe I'm not the audience but I feel like there are times where the discourse in his mind drops from doctor to 7th grader loudly blaring cuss words to get a reaction. Swearing in a novel can be a very natural part of a character, I have no objection to it. Maybe this is meant to lean into his soldier side, maybe there are cultural or other ties I am missing, but everytime this happened it totally threw me out of immersion.
I really really wanted to give this 5 stars. I love the system, the world, the magic. I really like the main character. This is engaging and I read it cover to cover in a little over a day. I want to make it clear, read this book it's good!
My one complaint: there are shifts in tone at random intervals that totally threw me out of my immersion. Very minor spoilers: The main character is a doctor and former soldier. By and large I would say the tone of his thoughts is doctor with some savagery attached. Then there are moments, maybe I'm not the audience but I feel like there are times where the discourse in his mind drops from doctor to 7th grader loudly blaring cuss words to get a reaction. Swearing in a novel can be a very natural part of a character, I have no objection to it. Maybe this is meant to lean into his soldier side, maybe there are cultural or other ties I am missing, but everytime this happened it totally threw me out of immersion.
July 14, 2024
Better if you haven’t read his other books
I wanted to like this book. I am a huge fan of The Land, so the discordant “magic” style of the book that, as far as I am aware, is set in the same universe as The Land and Eye is jarring. There is also a whole lot of John Wick High Table AI type stuff going on that I was trying to understand but it got so confusing that I just started skimming it.
All this could be just me. An outside person new to the idea of the “Labyrinth Universe” might not have issues with these things. What is not on me is the constant grammar errors. I’m not talking about commas not being used but whole words missing. It is incredibly jarring to be deep into an action sequence and read “he was man!” Or “he punched face!”. Please get an editor or at least someone to review everything. It is so annoying.
I look forward to what comes next.
I wanted to like this book. I am a huge fan of The Land, so the discordant “magic” style of the book that, as far as I am aware, is set in the same universe as The Land and Eye is jarring. There is also a whole lot of John Wick High Table AI type stuff going on that I was trying to understand but it got so confusing that I just started skimming it.
All this could be just me. An outside person new to the idea of the “Labyrinth Universe” might not have issues with these things. What is not on me is the constant grammar errors. I’m not talking about commas not being used but whole words missing. It is incredibly jarring to be deep into an action sequence and read “he was man!” Or “he punched face!”. Please get an editor or at least someone to review everything. It is so annoying.
I look forward to what comes next.
June 29, 2024
Lots of promps,which is very satisfying for me. Very interesting world building. Needs more editing.
I really like all of the books by Aleron Kong, and this one is very good as well. This one is pretty dark and has new aspects that aren't in either of the other series he has written.
My only complaint, and why I only gave one 4 stars, is that the editing of this book was not as thorough as his other books. There are inconsistencies between the end of some chapters and the start of the following chapters. There are a few math errors, i believe, and a lot of distracting phrasing errors or missing words. For some books I've read, I wouldn't let this affect my rating, but I expect more consistency based on previous books, so I took off a star.
I really like all of the books by Aleron Kong, and this one is very good as well. This one is pretty dark and has new aspects that aren't in either of the other series he has written.
My only complaint, and why I only gave one 4 stars, is that the editing of this book was not as thorough as his other books. There are inconsistencies between the end of some chapters and the start of the following chapters. There are a few math errors, i believe, and a lot of distracting phrasing errors or missing words. For some books I've read, I wouldn't let this affect my rating, but I expect more consistency based on previous books, so I took off a star.
June 30, 2024
It took to 1/3 of the way through the book to clear the notifications from the initial catalyzing event of the book. I enjoy litrpg but this balance felt out of wack to me. Almost nothing happened in the non-UI interaction part of the book: catalyzing event, guy wakes up in hospital, has a fight, and escapes. I did enjoy further world building of the labyrinth worlds over all. It’s clear the author really likes building out this world too. The villains were very one dimensional. The dialogue was often cringy. The jokes were occasionally funny and there was personality suffused throughout. What I’d really like is for the Land series to get a conclusion though. I binged those books but feel like I’ve been left dangling while this new series kicks off.
June 30, 2024
aleron is losing his touch
First off I’ve been following the author since he only had two books out in the chaos seed series and have been a fan of his work. Storytelling used to flow all the way up to book 7 smoothly and made you engrossed in the story, yes there was rambling and some contemplation but not so much to detract from the overall story and plot. This book and book 8 of monsters are filled with inane filler of why the characters feels the way he feels rather than letting the reader experience it instead. It feels like his goal was good and he had a good concept he just didn’t know how to get there. Would not recommend maybe book 2 will be better.
First off I’ve been following the author since he only had two books out in the chaos seed series and have been a fan of his work. Storytelling used to flow all the way up to book 7 smoothly and made you engrossed in the story, yes there was rambling and some contemplation but not so much to detract from the overall story and plot. This book and book 8 of monsters are filled with inane filler of why the characters feels the way he feels rather than letting the reader experience it instead. It feels like his goal was good and he had a good concept he just didn’t know how to get there. Would not recommend maybe book 2 will be better.
July 11, 2024
Interesting spin
***SPOILERS AHEAD***
I really liked the trials Fin went through for Lauren against other people, definitely my high point of the book. Not a big fan of the ending with the energy stuff and the pulling of mana etc, just not my cup of tea and hard for me to get into it. It will definitely be interesting to see how this ties into the labyrinth, I think it was weird to use Earth but it's been a while since I read the original series so I am not entirely clear how Richter entered but I thought it was through a video game type deal so will be interesting to reread the land now and see. As always peace love and the perfect margarita
***SPOILERS AHEAD***
I really liked the trials Fin went through for Lauren against other people, definitely my high point of the book. Not a big fan of the ending with the energy stuff and the pulling of mana etc, just not my cup of tea and hard for me to get into it. It will definitely be interesting to see how this ties into the labyrinth, I think it was weird to use Earth but it's been a while since I read the original series so I am not entirely clear how Richter entered but I thought it was through a video game type deal so will be interesting to reread the land now and see. As always peace love and the perfect margarita
June 27, 2024
Amazing! But...
This book, is not surprisingly, is great.
However. There are a LOT of grammar/typos errors throughout.
The main character Fin is unlike the mains in his other 2 series. More gritty, meaner, and yet still quite funny at times.
The plot isn't really fleshed out yet, as it's the 1st in a series. Knowing the Lands stories though, closes a lot of those holes and gaps.
All in all? It was a darkly fun book.
It just wasn't the book (9!!!!) I was hoping for lol
This book, is not surprisingly, is great.
However. There are a LOT of grammar/typos errors throughout.
The main character Fin is unlike the mains in his other 2 series. More gritty, meaner, and yet still quite funny at times.
The plot isn't really fleshed out yet, as it's the 1st in a series. Knowing the Lands stories though, closes a lot of those holes and gaps.
All in all? It was a darkly fun book.
It just wasn't the book (9!!!!) I was hoping for lol
June 29, 2024
A little slow but couldn't put it down!
Definitely a great read! Welcome back Phrat 🤙🏾.
I understand this book is a set up for what's to come. So, I really appreciated the world building. Especially understanding Fin's character and motivations. The early section going through the gauntlet was great. Plus, I have found a new love for urban LitRPGs! I am really looking forward to the next one! Thank you again.
Definitely a great read! Welcome back Phrat 🤙🏾.
I understand this book is a set up for what's to come. So, I really appreciated the world building. Especially understanding Fin's character and motivations. The early section going through the gauntlet was great. Plus, I have found a new love for urban LitRPGs! I am really looking forward to the next one! Thank you again.
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