Phobic Dawn

by Katy Walters

It's 2065 and Ben Tobin Super Cop is an enigma, his true identity
known only to the few. He heads an investigation into the gruesome
deaths of young women left at the foot of monuments, their bodies
covered in snakes. Other young women are abducted chosen to become
sacred prostitutes to a prehistoric Goddess. The police suspect this
is the work of a sinister cult.

To his horror Ben develops a crippling phobia that threatens the
investigation, his job maybe his life. Desperate, he turns to a
psychologist Lucy Roberts. But can he trust her?

Working as an undercover agent for MI8, Ben is monitored by a secret
organization buried in the bowels of Whitehall. To his despair Lucy
rejects him as she discovers he is feeding her false information. Ben
is forced to reveal his secret – repulsed Lucy still rejects him. He
tells her his life is in danger if MI8 suspect he is imperfect
physically or mentally.

Feeling compassion Lucy relents only to be drawn into a love-hate
relationship. Together they race across the globe to save further
victims.

This is a novel of dark crimes in a future world where corrupt
politicians are held to ransom by business entrepreneurs. Only a few
years hence, medical advances combined with technology produce the
cyborg, the clone and the wet computer. As he fights for Lucy’s life
and love can Ben reconcile who and what he is?

Phobic Dawn is a Scifi Murder Mystery, perfect for Science Fiction
Crime fans.

Nook

First published February 4, 2011

About the author

I live with hubby on the South Coast of England. I often write in the beach hut gaining inspiration by walking along the beach with Lily my golden retriever.

I draw on my work and past studies for the books. They form the core of the novels. I am so glad I can now write full time.

I have a B.A. Hons in Psychology that included Artificial Intelligence, another B.A. Hons in Eng. Lit and Creative Writing. My M.A. was in Religion and Mysticism; I also have a Hon.Dr.Sc. concentrating on Pain control and Complementary Healing methods.
These subjects enrich the thrillers and paranormal novels that I am writing.

Reviews

[Nessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first I was wary about reading this book. The storyline was great, but I am not a huge sci-fi fan, so I almost didn’t pick it up. So glad that I did!

Ben is not your typical hero. Is he tortured? Sure. Does he have a deep, dark secret? Absolutely! Does he seek out a woman that needs to save him so that he can live and love like man needs? Naturally. What makes him different from any other hero you read about? HE ASKED FOR HELP!!! I loved this about Ben! He wasn’t sitting around moping about his phobias (well, ok…he was for a while, but that is understandable given his HUGE secret….yeah, I’m not going to tell you that part. You need to find that one out for yourself.) he took the initiative and the chance that he could get caught, and he sought help. You gotta give the man credit for that one. Most men would rather be shot than ask someone (let alone a woman) for help. I don’t understand why…I just think that men are men and, well, they have serious issues in the asking for help department.

Snakes. Yes, snakes. They play a big part in the story and I found this absolutely fascinating. There are bodies of young women being found all over the world. Oe thing these bodies have in common? Besides the way they were killed, they all were covered in snakes. Ick, Ick, Ick!! Oh, and what just happens to be Ben’s big phobia? That’s right – snakes! Hell of an investigation for this man to be on, isn’t it?

This all brings us to Lucy. American. Rebel. Beautiful. Dangerous. What a combo. Ben found Lucy when looking for psychologists to treat him, but he needed someone who wouldn’t repost him to M18…these people basically own him and would terminate him if there was the slightest problem with him. Fun guys to work for, huh? Lucy seems like the perfect woman to help Ben with his phobic needs. The problem? She doesn’t treat men. She doesn’t trust them and refuses Ben at first…and second. Eventually, Ben tells her the big, bad truth about his past and about why it is so important that she doesn’t report him…no matter how bad his situation might be. (Still not giving the jaw-dropping secret away. Hee hee) Lucy feels bad for him, drawn to him…and decides to treat him and help him in his investigation as well. Tortured hero in need of help + beautiful woman with a Black Belt in Aikido who distrusts men? This so equals a match made in heaven!

Enough about the characters though (even if I thought they were great. I love a good book with awesome characters). What did I think of the whole book? I loved it. There was action, there was crime, there was a love-hate relationship to die for. I loved the plot and the jaw-dropping secrets that come out (what good bok doesn’t have something that makes you go…”wow, never would have guessed that?”). Granted, this book might not be for everyone. There is a lot to it. Cyborgs, ritual killings, deep-rooted phobias. Not everyone will enjoy it. Although, I didn’t think I would like it as much as I did…my opinion…give it a chance even if it seems a bit out of your comfort zone. I didn’t regret it at all.

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stone Relics is––in Katy Walters’ words––a “high octane” sci-fi thriller. It features a cyborg hero, beautiful victims, murderous villains and engaging characters, some of whom are robots and others pets. Yet, I had to force myself past the opening chapters.

The problems are three-fold. First the book should have been better edited. There are too many typos and grammatical mistakes, it should have been shortened and the story development is choppy. Plus, Americans don’t use the word ‘whilst’ in everyday conversation!

The 2012 edition is not the book’s first release. It was originally published as Phobic Dawn in February 2011. Walters informs me that she terminated the contract with the original publisher and re-edited the book for this release.

I like Walters’ imagination and daring. The story concept is original, linking 2065 cloning with prehistoric mythology. Yet the characters are overly-romanticized for my tastes. Their emotions are always large and barely under control. The hero’s assistant Misty is probably the most engaging character in the book. The hero, however, is too large for the stage and his love interest––Dr. Roberts––too vacuous. The section telling of her unhappy past felt like something Walters threw in, like an extra tablespoon of sugar, for good measure.

I wished Walters had paid an editor to help her bring the book under control and shorten it by 40 or 50 pages. She appears to be dedicated to a writing career, but is selling herself short if she doesn’t recognize that having one’s work edited professionally is not optional.

[Mei · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good idea! I would have given it 5 stars but for a strange way it was written. I had the feeling something was missing there... There were things that were not explained very well. Maybe this is only the first book in a series and these things will be explained in the next book/s... I don't know... Also the dialogue seemed very formal sometimes and very loose the other, but it may be the way people talk in UK.
There was very little romance, even if the focal point was on emerging emotions.

[Karl Kronlage · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I like about this book is that I could feel for the characteres - even though it's sci-fi, the book felt real to me.

[Hywela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Police are faced with a spate of vicious murders and abductions. Young women are discovered with snakes draped over their bodies, a stone relic carved with a mysterious star system, left at their side. A cryptic message points to a sinister cult. To his horror, Ben experiences phobic attacks along with rage, human emotions alien to him. Desperate he turns to American psychologist, Dr Lucy Roberts, a psychologist/psycho neurologist and a rebel. Forced to reveal what and who he is, Ben has to trust she will not expose him. Lucy agrees to help only to be drawn into a relationship fraught with danger. Can she help Ben to experience love? Archaeologists advise the Stone Relics date back 2.5 million years, before the first Homo Erectus. Who carved the star system? How are these early Earth inhabitants linked to the cult?


MY REVIEW

As an avid Reader of novels such as Isaac Asimov's 'I Robot' (he also wrote the three 'laws of robotics' *) and Philip K. Dick's 'Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?' (Mentioned by Katy in the book and in her guest post, and which was filmed as'Blade Runner') it was innevitable that I would enjoy 'Stone Relics' and be drawn to the hero, Ben Tobin, who despite the revelation that he is a clone with a digitally enhanced brain is endearingly human. The heroine, Lucy Roberts, is feisty and very easy to like and relate to. The supporting characters are also very strong, with different characteristics and personalities.

The story is set in the not to distant future and moves at a fast pace, leading from one murder to another, keeping the reader on the edge of their seat all the way, while the romance between Lucy and Ben gradually warms from simmering to boiling point. Ben, who I found myself likeing more and more as the story progressed, has to deal not only with solving the horrific and gruesome ritual murders and his growing attraction to Lucy, but the fact that parts of his brain, which has a computer implant, are growing and causing him to have unwelcome fears, strange memories and problems controlling his anger. This is the reason why he turns to Lucy a psychologist, in the first place, and eventually draws her into the investigation. There are a lot of characters, including many of the victims, and we see the events through their eyes as well as the two main protagonists.

Katy Walters skillfully weaves together her considerable knowledge of Psychology and Police Procedures in this dramatic story which combines the elements of Science Fiction, Fantasy and the Occult with Crime Fiction, a dash of horror, and a sizzling love story. The Science Fiction elements are wholly convincing and had me completely absorbed.

I enjoyed reading this novel, even though it took me a little out of my own personal comfort zone. (I even forgave her for spelling the Welsh name 'Ianto' as Yanto, but probably no-one who wasn't Welsh would have picked up on that, since that's how it is pronounced!) It's not for the squeamish, as there are descriptions of mutilated bodies, a lot of poisonous snakes, ritual gang rape, and it is sprinkled with four letter words, but they are all necessary to the story and not there just for effect, and are never overdone. To balance the more 'adult' themes, and the horrific nature of the crimes, there are some beautifully descriptive and romantic passages, and a rather endearing dog (named after the author's own dog, I believe) and a cat with 'attitude'. The book reaches a thrilling climax, followed by a happy and satisfying conclusion. I can recommend this to anyone who enjoys the combination of a rattling good psychological thriller and Science Fiction novel, liberally sprinkled with Romance, and who is not too bothered by snakes.

[David King · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full review can be found on my blog : http://killie-booktalk.blogspot.com

I will start this review by letting you all know that I was given a copy of Phobic Dawn by the publisher as part of their e-reader test programme. Basically, I was to read over the novel and highlight any obvious formatting issues that had appeared when viewing it on my Kindle. For that reason my review of the book will not comment on the formatting or grammar etc. as I am going to assume that anything I and other testers highlight will be rectified prior to the official release of the book. I am just going to stick to the story and the manner in which it is told.

I suppose the simplest description of this novel is that it is a Sci-Fi Thriller. However, it is much more than this as it is very varied in its scope, with sci-fi elements, action, mystery, crime, romance and thrills aplenty.

I did note that the author is very descriptive in regards to her writing style and most things are detailed quite thoroughly throughout the novel. Personally I prefer novels written in a less descriptive manner than this but it wasn't something that affected my enjoyment of the story. Other than this, I did feel that she had created a novel full of interesting characters with various flaws and weaknesses. This was nice to see as it made the characters seem to be human and fallible which can sometimes be lacking in novels, especially Sci-Fi related ones.

One thing that did come across quite strongly was some of the author's psychology background as I felt there was quite a lot of psychological discussion throughout the novel. This is reasonable considering the overall plot of the story but I have to admit that as I am not that interested in psychology and such, therefore some if didn't really make much sense to me.

Overall, I did enjoy the thriller/crime aspect of the story and the various secrets that are revealed throughout kept me interested. I just didn't really find the psychological aspects of the storyline very interesting personally and this is a reasonable portion of the overall novel. In the end though, there was enough there to make me pick up the sequel that Katy Walters is planning on releasing in the future.

[Jaidis Shaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stone Relics is a spine-chilling horror/sci-fi/mystery written by Katy Walters. The reader will immediately be swept into a futuristic world where everything isn’t as it appears.

Ben is a chief at the police department but he isn’t like the rest. Half man and half cyborg, Ben is often referred to as ‘The Prototype’ due to the procedure he underwent to embed a computer in his brain. Just as everything in life evolves, he to is changing – parts of his brain re-growing. Ben is left feeling emotions like a human would and this is all new territory for him. He must learn his new emotions and how to control them when a phobia of snakes threatens his job.

A cult is causing panic as they are abducting women and using them as sacrifices to a prehistoric Goddess. The women who aren’t gruesomely mutilated and forced to endure the venom of vipers are treated as vessels for the Goddess which equals an equally gruesome fate. As Ben gets closer to finding the truth and putting a stop to the cult, he realizes that the case hits a little closer to home than expected.

Katy Walters blends mystery, horror, mythology and sci-fi elements into a thrilling tale that kept me reading while making me cringe at the same time. Cringing because of the way the women are treated and what they are forced to endure but yet I couldn’t stop reading because I wanted to see where the story was headed. Props to Katy Walters for creating a unique and interesting storyline. Definitely not a book I would suggest if you are against reading things such as rape or human experimentation but if you don’t mind those things, definitely worth the read.

[Mimi Barbour · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phobic Dawn, written by Katy Walters, kept me engrossed from beginning to end. With a huge amount of flair, the author evoked a futuristic world believable and persuasive. In fact, the drama and mystery had me hating to put the book down. With phrases such as "The office was a nightmare, littered papers and assorted rubbish seemed to eat the room, swallowing desks, chairs and corners whole." - I was soon drawn into the story and began to be invested in her characters. Ben Tobin, wasn't just a super-cop, but he was also a super hero and had me caring about what was going to happen to him.
Dr. Lucy Walters was also a wonderful heroine and seemed perfectly suited to the love interest with Ben and enhancing the various plots throughout the story
I must also comment on the huge imagination this author used in coming up with different scenarios for the future. Her research transported the reader to a different time and the medical knowledge and incredible imagination used to write the scenes impressed me tremendously.

[Prudence MacLeod · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review: Stone Relics

The latest book I have finished is Stone Relics by Katy Walters. This is another author’s first effort. I continue to be thrilled and amazed at the richness and scope of story conceived by new authors and Katy Walters is no exception. This is a rollicking good story that will hold your interest from beginning to end.
There are a few issues to be aware of; the main characters need a bit more development earlier on. Also, the author can get a bit bogged down in repetitive police procedures, obviously a subject she knows well. Please do not let this stop you from reading this book. It is a great story with plenty of twists and turns to the plot. It does hold up well, and I confess, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I look forward to further adventures of Ben and Lucy. Katy Walters is an author to keep an eye on; she is a spinner of fine tales. I’m giving this one four stars.

[Lorcan Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this genre of fiction. My all time favorite film was Blade Runner, this book has that kind of gritty feel to it. Modern, moody, and sexy. Backed up by a good down to earth feel based around detective work (hence similarity to Blade Runner). The author pulls no punches with the violence and complexities of a modern world. Strangely I prefer the character Lucy over Ben, probably because Ben in real life would be such a depressive character. But the two of them pull the book along at a great rate of knots. I havent in fact read the complete book but wanted to review as its such a class read. Will finish it soon though. In my reviews I like to be critical, this is hard with this book, well done to Katy. One thought though is there a hidden reason for the author to share the same name as one of the characters. Overall comment for this read, go Katy, go, well done whats next ????

[My Book Addiction and More MBA · Rating 4 out of 5]

STONE RELICS is a well written story of sordid murders perpetrated by unknown monsters. Ben, a flawed but redeemable hero, enlists Lucy’s help and she’s drawn in on several levels. Their relationship, both professional and personal, is layered with challenges. Lucy provides Ben tools he needs to cope with personal issues and to profile the perpetrators as the two struggle with their increasing attraction to each other. Walter’s characters are nicely fleshed out and the story not your typical fare. I found the book a compelling read.
Rating: 4.5
Reviewed By: Jeanne Stone-Hunter

[Chris Bullock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting, enthralling and unnerving. I was thoroughly engrossed as the mystery played out - the story line is excellent and the characters take you into their confidences throughout the novel. The intensity of the story even lets you gloss over the occasional missed word and strange change of font size in the middle, which should be eliminated by a good proof reader. It was more a murder-mystery than science fiction, which is not normally a genre that I would read, but I thoroughly enjoyed this and the style is excellent and readable. Well worth reading!

[Tejas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good plot, but finished like a typical Hollywood movie