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About The Website
Explore the creativity of John Newton at "John Newton Books." This platform reflects his dedication to world building tales, offering lovers of sci-fi an opportunity to delve into incredible and exilerating literature.
The Portal wars series
Step through the gateway into a saga where reality bends, loyalty fractures, and existence itself teeters on the edge.
In Part I: Simulation, the boundaries between truth and illusion blur, pulling readers into a cerebral mystery that challenges perception itself.
In Part II: Kaelen’s Treachery, betrayal strikes at the heart of trust, igniting a battle of wills that transforms allies into enemies and tests the resilience of every bond.
In Part III: The Oblivion Core, the conflict escalates to cosmic proportions, where survival hinges not only on strength but on sacrifice, and the fate of worlds hangs in the balance.Together, these volumes weave a gripping journey of mind and heart — a trilogy that dares readers to question what is real, who can be trusted, and how far one will go to save everything from annihilation.
About the Author
Hi, I'm John Newton. I was born in 1952. Amateur folk singer and guitarist, I worked thirty something years in the printing industry, took a couple of years off, to go live on a narrowboat, ran out of money, then spent ten years working in social care. I retired in 2015. Ten years later, at the age of 72, I've decided that I want to be a Science fiction author.
Go figure.
Where authors and readers come together!
Go figure.
Where authors and readers come together!
The Books
Welcome to John Newton Books, the perfect spot for fans of John's captivating other-world creations.
What if the world you knew was only a simulation—an illusion crafted by an alien intelligence? The Portal Wars is a gripping science fiction series about survival, deception, and the fight against an enemy who doesn’t just conquer worlds—they rewrite them.
Brett Collins
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Couldn’t put it down, absolutely fascinating
Reviewed in the United States on October 3, 2025
This is one of the most intriguing sci-fi thrillers I’ve read in years. The pacing is tight, the tension never drops, and every chapter ends in a way that forces you to keep going. I loved George, his calm logic added so much. And the concept of the pocket universe? Brilliant. I laughed, I got goosebumps, and the ending left me staring at the wall.
What if the world you knew was only a simulation—an illusion crafted by an alien intelligence? The Portal Wars is a gripping science fiction series about survival, deception, and the fight against an enemy who doesn’t just conquer worlds—they rewrite them.
Brett Collins
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Couldn’t put it down, absolutely fascinating
Reviewed in the United States on October 3, 2025
This is one of the most intriguing sci-fi thrillers I’ve read in years. The pacing is tight, the tension never drops, and every chapter ends in a way that forces you to keep going. I loved George, his calm logic added so much. And the concept of the pocket universe? Brilliant. I laughed, I got goosebumps, and the ending left me staring at the wall.
Lydia Hart
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Gripping, eerie, and surprisingly emotional
Reviewed in the United States on October 12, 2025
I didn’t expect to get pulled in this fast, but the story had me from page one. The author does an incredible job blending suspense with real human emotion. Samantha is such a strong, grounded character, and her dynamic with Maz had me laughing one minute and holding my breath the next. The mystery of the grey figures and the mist was perfectly paced and genuinely creepy. I sat down “just to skim” and ended up reading half the book without moving. So worth it.
Sharon E. Miller
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Creepy and clever sci-fi, couldn’t stop reading
Reviewed in the United States on November 2, 2025
This book was such a ride. The atmosphere is unsettling in the best way. I loved the way the author slowly peeled back the layers of what happened to the town. Ryan’s chapters especially hit me, they felt so real and vulnerable. Some scenes were a bit intense for me, but it never lost my interest. If you like mystery, survival, and a touch of cosmic horror, this is definitely one to read.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Gripping, eerie, and surprisingly emotional
Reviewed in the United States on October 12, 2025
I didn’t expect to get pulled in this fast, but the story had me from page one. The author does an incredible job blending suspense with real human emotion. Samantha is such a strong, grounded character, and her dynamic with Maz had me laughing one minute and holding my breath the next. The mystery of the grey figures and the mist was perfectly paced and genuinely creepy. I sat down “just to skim” and ended up reading half the book without moving. So worth it.
Sharon E. Miller
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Creepy and clever sci-fi, couldn’t stop reading
Reviewed in the United States on November 2, 2025
This book was such a ride. The atmosphere is unsettling in the best way. I loved the way the author slowly peeled back the layers of what happened to the town. Ryan’s chapters especially hit me, they felt so real and vulnerable. Some scenes were a bit intense for me, but it never lost my interest. If you like mystery, survival, and a touch of cosmic horror, this is definitely one to read.
The Portal Wars
Book II
Kaelen's Treachery
Book II
Kaelen's Treachery
In Book Two, the battle escalates. Samantha finds herself on Jupiter Alpha One, the massive space station, where humanity has clung to survival, in orbit above a ravaged Earth. General Marcus Kaelen, the station’s commanding officer has treacherous plans, and Maz and George are still lost in the nightmare of the simulation. The fight is no longer about escape—it’s about rewriting the future before the Overlords erase it completely
The Portal Wars
Book III
The Oblivion Core
Book III
The Oblivion Core
In Book III, after Kaelen's escape to the planet and the arrival of the mothership, there are more questions than answers. Samantha, now Commander of the station , discovers what the Array really is, and why the Overlords have not destroyed Jupiter Alpha One.
The overlords are coming, and as the walls fall, and the enemy floods in, humanity faces its final hours. The choices made here, on one station, in one moment, will echo across every world and every dimension.
An explosive conclusion to the Portal Wars trilogy.
The overlords are coming, and as the walls fall, and the enemy floods in, humanity faces its final hours. The choices made here, on one station, in one moment, will echo across every world and every dimension.
An explosive conclusion to the Portal Wars trilogy.
More Reviews
The Portal Wars, Part I, Simulation
Daniel K. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Loved the slow burn tension; it felt real instead of forced.
Kyle Hudson ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Powerful and beautifully written.
Reviewed in the United States on November 3, 2025.
The emotion in this book is on another level. I wasn’t prepared for the compassion between characters who barely know each other but cling together anyway. Ryan is one of the most well-written, fragile, human characters I’ve read in a long time. The book is dark, yes, but incredibly meaningful.
Tracy R. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Couldn’t stop thinking about it afterward.
Some books you enjoy and forget. This one sits in your mind for days. The emotional depth, the fear, the trust between the characters, it all felt so real. I still can’t shake the final chapter.
Daniel K. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Loved the slow burn tension; it felt real instead of forced.
Kyle Hudson ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Powerful and beautifully written.
Reviewed in the United States on November 3, 2025.
The emotion in this book is on another level. I wasn’t prepared for the compassion between characters who barely know each other but cling together anyway. Ryan is one of the most well-written, fragile, human characters I’ve read in a long time. The book is dark, yes, but incredibly meaningful.
Tracy R. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Couldn’t stop thinking about it afterward.
Some books you enjoy and forget. This one sits in your mind for days. The emotional depth, the fear, the trust between the characters, it all felt so real. I still can’t shake the final chapter.