Rating: /10

Synopsis

How many lives will be lost for the sake of a non-existent war?

How many people will be sacrificed in the name of genetic enhancement?

When the lights go out at his father’s investor soiree, Caleb finds himself thrown into a new world of horrific truths. Together with his old friend, Argo, he begins to uncover the sinister underpinnings of Dr. John Murilo’s work.

Caught up in his father’s sick experiment, Caleb will have to learn to cooperate with unlikely allies if he has any chance of surviving.

Quick Review

Alpha is a fantastic debut from K.D. Marchesi. It is a story of change, found family, and brutal action that simply wouldn’t let go.

Full Review

An impressive debut from K.D. Marchesi, Alpha is a story about changes. It is a story of genetic experiments, often unwilling test subjects whose bodies take on traits and features of the animals they were spliced with. Our main character Caleb becomes something akin to a werewolf in the process, and due to the methods of his transformation there’s something unique about his ability to shift forms. Alpha is also a story of psychological change, as Caleb comes to grips with his new lot in life, and his place among the other survivors of similar experiments. The story is rooted in the author’s struggles with gender dysphoria, feeling trapped in a body that wasn’t theirs (something Marchesi discusses at the end of the book).

I have not felt this sort of gender dysphoria, but feeling out of place and having changes thrust upon you are somewhat universal experiences. Framing the changes Caleb goes through this way, and blending it with some not unfamiliar werewolf tropes, went a long way in making this story extremely easy to read. The book is also constantly throwing something new at you, be it a new setting, characters, or a threat just around the corner. Just about every time I had to put Alpha down, I was wanting to read more.

That said, while I did enjoy the story, I struggled a bit with Caleb as a character. You’re not meant to fall in love with him, he’s clearly flawed and although he will sometimes acknowledge that he doesn’t do much about it. There is clear growth in this novel for him, but it seems to happen almost by accident, as a result of the found family dynamics going on here.

There were also a few awkward moments in the writing. Some characters were introduced very suddenly, as if we were supposed to have known them the whole time. After one dies in a brutal fight, Caleb mourns them for about five minutes, then moves on. The plot felt occasionally rushed sometimes, and a few extra pages would have helped these tertiary characters feel more impactful. The main villain is another character I’d like to see more from, because at the moment they seem to have cartoonishly evil motives, and personally that’s just not super compelling to me.

My critiques are minor, however, and overall I really enjoyed the book. Also, since this is only the first in a planned series, there is plenty of room to expand upon some of these details. Marchesi impressed me with their pacing, with Caleb’s voice, and writing such an easily enjoyable story about something that was so personal to them. 

I recommend Alpha. Despite some rough edges, Alpha is an incredibly enjoyable story of change and found family. It balances tender moments, where Caleb is vulnerable with his closest friends, with brutal action that doesn’t hold back.

Thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.