Origins: Centurion's Rise Paperback – Box set, November 1, 2012

I enjoyed the first book, although it had some major flaws. These flaws became even more pronounced in the second book, to the extent that I couldn't finish the book. The flaws fall into two categories: 1) events, actions, etc. that are unbelievable, even for a science fiction book, and 2) events, actions that are counter to known history.UnbelievableIn the first book, the good aliens (the Novi) crash land on an island in the Mediterranean and build a boat out of the wreckage of their space ship to get to where the bad aliens (the Alpha) have crash landed. It turns out to be ancient Egypt and the Novi (they now inhabiting human bodies) find that the Alpha are directing the natives in the building of a pyramid. The natives are described as primitive and tribal, not yet a nation. Yet in the time it took for the Novi to build their boat and get to the Nile (weeks, maybe a couple of months), the Alpha have chosen one tribe and tribal leader and got them to organize the construction of the pyramid, enslave nearby tribes, and start building the pyramid. The pyramid itself is built in a phenomenally short period of time, considering that the Alpha don't supply modern construction equipment. Also, the biblical plagues are introduced as natural phenomena that the Novi can predict almost to the minute.The second book takes place during and after Julius Caesar's last days. The Novi have a machine (the Nexus) that captures the essence (spirit, soul?) of a Novi when he dies and generates a new body for it to inhabit. (That doesn't bother me - this is science fiction). That is how the Novi crew of the crashed space ship have survived the intervening 2500 years; their body would age and die and they would emerge from the Nexus with a new adult body. In this book the Novi are historical Roman figures - Brutus, Mark Antony, Octavian and Agrippa. However, these figures were born into well known Roman families. How did that work? When a young man appeared in Rome and said he was Marcus Junius Brutus, wouldn't members of the Brutus family, their friends and acquaintances expose him as a fraud? Also, a Novi appearing as Octavian shows up at Julius Caesar's camp as a teenager. How did that happen? The Nexus generates an adult body. It could be reset to generate a teenage body but that would require the Novi to emerge from the Nexus as an adult, reset it to produce a teenage body and commit suicide, so that he would re-emerge as a teenager. However, one of the threads in the books is how repugnant suicide is to the Novi. Finally, we find out that the Alpha have also survived, as they have a way to incorporate their essence onto an inanimate object that can talk.Counter-historicalI enjoy alternate history novels in which one or more events and/or people are changed and the story follows what then happens. These books, however, are not alternate history; rather they are providing an alternate explanation (i.e., influence by aliens) to explain known history. As such, historical events in the books should be consistent with known history. There are a number of instances where this is not the case.The first book retells the old testament story of the Hebrews' slavery in Egypt, the Exodus, and their arrival in the promised land. As this story was written down centuries after whatever events may have been the basis for it, I have no problem with differences from the bible's version, even having Moses as a woman. However, the historical and archaeological evidence shows that the Hebrews arrived in what is now Israel and Palestine over 1000 years after the building of the pyramids.The second book has many more inconsistencies with known history. There are several items described in the book that weren't invented or introduced until centuries later. For example: characters are playing chess, which was invented in India 500 years later, stirrups on horses, which were not introduced into Europe until after the fall of Rome, are mentioned, and a character uses a small telescope, which would not be invented for another 1600 years. There are also some discrepancies with known events; one example is that the book has two Roman consuls, Hirtius and Pansa, killed in the battle of Phillipi in Greece (where Brutus died and which occurred in 42 BC). Actually, those consuls are historical figures who were killed the year before in northern Italy. The major inaccuracy has to do with Jesus. The story switches between events in Rome around and after Caesar's assassination and Jesus' last days. Those were not concurrent events. We later learn that one of the Novi, who died in Rome after Caesars' assassination was regenerated and spent 30 years searching until he found Jesus shortly before the crucifixion. But even 30 years is not enough; it was more like 75 years. (I couldn't finish the book, so maybe this discrepancy is resolved later in the book).In sum, while I enjoyed the books early, the more I read, the more troublesome the flaws became, until I couldn't enjoy the story any more.

I’m really enjoying this series - I'm currently on book three but thought I better write a review of books one and two while I was at a computer...For those who read the ‘low star reviews’ that complain the book has too many 21st century ‘slang words’ or ‘idiotism’s’ for an alien race to have - or that they were being used in the time frame of ancient Egypt – well those people didn’t read far enough in because they seem to have missed a few things...The story itself has two time lines – current day and ancient times. It is based on aliens landing in ancient Egypt and staying until modern day, all the while influencing culture as well as being involved in almost every major event in human history… It stands to reason earth culture would get more from them then the other way around… The way it reads does not take away from the book at all… In fact had the story been told using ancient dialect, it probably would have driven me nuts every time it went back to the current day story line…That being said – read the book – it’s entertaining and not too expensive which is what most people look for in a good read right…? So don’t listen to the book snobs – yes there are a few spelling errors but this is Mark Henrikson’s first book and its good – look at like he will only get better as long as he gets judged on the material and not his spell check abilities…

This is the second story in a series. A group of five aliens that crashed in ancient Egypt and use their superior technology to continually reincarnate themselves in human form are now guiding events in the Roman Empire, Alexandria, and of course Jesus Christ. The enemy aliens that they thought they had destroyed in the first book are back as bodyless entities that appear as flames to the likes of Julius Caesar and Cleopatra. The backstory is narrated by Hastelloy, the leader of the aliens who is telling his tale to a psychiatrist in a mental institution, who we find out is the brother of an NSA agent working against them. Meanwhile, in the present day an NSA agent and a group of Navy Seals face off against the aliens, in a secret room under the Sphinx.This is a good, entertaining story about "what really happened" through the eyes of alien visitors who lived and helped to shape our culture. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical science fiction.

While the first book in this series concentrates on Ancient Egypt, this book moves the story to the rise of the Roman Empire. The cast remains the same. The Novi and the Alpha are locked in mortal combat. The Novi seeking to limit their interference with the normal development of technology and society on Earth. The few remains Alpha intent on interfering however they need to in order to finally destroy their enemy.Like the first book, the author jumps back and forth in time. The stories intertwine with multiple story lines in the Roman Empire and the Roman controlled remains of Ancient Egyptian civilization.I find it remarkable how the author mixes historical facts and events into his story. Even with the wild ideas of a science fiction writer, grounding the story in historical events makes it seem credible.I am eager to move onto the third book in the series to learn what happens next!

I'm an inpatient reader - if I don't like the first few chapters of a book, I tend to give up there and then.On this book, I gave up on the first page. It was Dick and Jane writing. Presumably it gets better (I can't imagine all the other reviewers who gave it good reviews were wrong), but one of the basic rules of writing is you spend a lot of time crafting the opening because that's your only opportunity to "hook" the reader. If an author doesn't get that right, I have little faith that they'll get the rest of it right.Sorry.

Enjoyed the first book, a great tale on history with a SF twist and looked forward to this book. It was good, but spoiled by the characters names. Two characters had very similar names, which confused me. It was easy enough in the first book, whilst they used their own names, but totally annoying when each became another character from history as well.For all that it was an interesting read, would like to read next book in series, but might wait until its had other reviews before buying.

A fantasy novel that rewrites history in an engaging way. Well written and engrossing. Plausibly fashioned story which tends to telescope events, making for a fast paced narrative that carries the reader along even when one is thinking 'but what about,the omission of.....' Unsatisfactory in that it left me wondering what would happen next when the book ended, but then that's probably what Henriksen intended. On we go to the next in the series. Total tosh of course but very entertaining.

I was as captivated by this story as I was with the first book. What a great feat to invent such an interesting alternative beginning to the history of our planet. It would certainly explain those sudden jumps in engineering expertise that we can't explain. This story could be of great interest to the conspiracy theorists who believe much of our true history is hidden from us. I can't wait to read the next instalment.

I really enjoyed this book; continued the story from Book 1 really nicely. Character development progressed effectively with us getting to know our main 'heroes' much better. There is also a degree of anticipation building as their identities are on the verge of being uncovered in the 'modern day' via Hastelloy's psychiatrist and his NSA agent brother. I also liked the jump from Ancient Egypt to Rome and the advent of Christianity. Wonder what eras are going to be covered in the next few instalments...?Am very much looking forward to Book 3 and beyond...P.S. These books remind me of the Area 51 series by Bob Mayer... also a good series to tear your way through... :-)