Michael Albright’s Sci-Fi Thriller Series “It Begins” and “It Begins: Part II” to Be Featured at the Portland Book Festival 2026

Michael Albright’s science fiction thriller series, “It Begins” and “It Begins: Part II,” will be featured at the Portland Book Festival 2026, offering readers the chance to discover an expansive adventure where aviation, mystery, extraterrestrial encounters, and military suspense collide.

The “It Begins” saga launches from a powerful cosmic mystery: long before humanity could understand the universe, two massive celestial bodies collided in deep space, sending fragments across the cosmos and setting the stage for events that would one day reach Earth. From that stunning premise, Albright builds a fast-paced story that moves from the skies over Zambia to military command centers, observatories, secret operations, and encounters that challenge everything mankind believes it knows.

At the heart of the first book is Azizi, a gifted airline captain whose lifelong love of flight began as a child watching planes bring doctors, supplies, food, and hope to his village. His journey from inspired young dreamer to respected pilot gives the novel its emotional foundation. But when Azizi’s aircraft is swallowed by a blinding white light and disappears without a trace, the story shifts into a chilling mystery that no government, scientist, or military force can easily explain.

Alongside Azizi’s disappearance is the story of Captain Donald Richards, a South African Air Force pilot whose path from uncertainty to elite aviation service places him at the center of a dangerous and classified event. When his advanced surveillance aircraft encounters a powerful electromagnetic disturbance, Donald becomes one of the few people aware that something far larger than a routine aviation disaster may be unfolding.

In “It Begins: Part II,” the stakes rise even higher. The mystery expands into a direct confrontation with an alien threat, and readers are introduced to Space Command, a top-secret organization within the United States Navy created to defend humanity from forces beyond conventional understanding. Under the command of Rear Admiral Michael “Scotty” Scott, Space Command faces hidden enemies, compromised communications, and escalating encounters that suggest humanity is no longer simply observing the unknown—the unknown is now observing humanity.

Blending science fiction, aviation adventure, military thriller elements, and human drama, Michael Albright creates a series driven by both spectacle and heart. The books explore courage, loyalty, sacrifice, survival, and the instinct to run toward danger when others run away. With disappearing aircraft, UFO encounters, secret investigations, and an approaching sense of global consequence, the “It Begins” series is designed for readers who enjoy cinematic storytelling and high-stakes suspense.

The Portland Book Festival display gives readers, book lovers, librarians, reviewers, and science fiction fans an opportunity to discover both books in the series and begin a story that reaches across continents, into deep space, and into the uncertain future of humanity.

Purchase the Books
Readers are invited to purchase “It Begins” and “It Begins: Part II” through The Ewings Publishing bookstore and experience Michael Albright’s gripping science fiction universe from the beginning.

Purchase here: https://www.theewingspublishing.com/bookstore/

About the Author
Michael Albright is the author of the “It Begins” science fiction thriller series. His work blends aviation, military suspense, cosmic mystery, alien encounters, and character-driven storytelling into an imaginative adventure about humanity’s confrontation with the unknown.

Event Details
Portland Book Festival 2026 Portland, Oregon Saturday, November 7, 2026

Contact Information

April Andrews

FulFillment Officer

The Ewings Publishing

Contact via E-mail