Being of the Field

Triad of Being #1

by Traci Harding

The power to control the driving force of the universe has finally come to light.

At the university on Maladaan, Taren has studied everything from genetics and cell communication to Quantum Physics, Astrophysics and ESP. She believes there is an ocean of microscopic vibrations connecting everything in the universe to every other universe - an inter-dimensional field theory.

Unbeknownst to Taren, her research and hidden psychic talents are the reason she is called on by the prestigious AMIE space project to investigate an ocean planet and its strange light phenomena.

However, there are conflicting agendas within the organisation and she is the only one who begins to suspect that foul play might be afoot ...

Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Fiction, Time Travel, Audiobook, Science Fiction Fantasy, Adult

576 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Traci Harding, is an Australian science-fantasy author who currently has twelve books in publication, on the Voyager label of HaperCollins Publishers Australia.

Her work blends fantasy, fact, esoteric belief, time travel and quantum physics, into adventurous romps through history, ulternative dimensions, universes and states of consciousness.


The Ancient Future Trilogy
Book 1 -The Ancient Future 1996
Book 2 -An Echo in Time 1997
Book 3 - Masters of Reality 1998

Stand Alone Novels
The Alchemists Key 1998
Book of Dreams 2002
Ghostwriting 2003

The Celestial Triad
Book 1 – Chronicle of Ages 1999
Book 2 – Tablet of Destinies 2000
Book 3 – The Cosmic Logos 2001

The Mystique Trilogy
Book 1 – Gene of Isis 2005
Book 2 – The Dragon Queens 2007
Book 3 – The Black Madonna 2008


Triad of Being
Book 1 - Being of the Field 2009
Book 2 - The Universe Parallel 2010
Book 3 - The Light Field 2012

The Time Keepers
Book 1 - Dreaming of Zhou Gong 2013
Book 2 - Forthcoming
Book 3 - Forthcoming

The Ancient Future is currently listed on both the Dymock’s Top 101 Books. Along with The Alchemist's Key, The Ancient Future has been published in Complex Chinese for worldwide release.

The first book of the Mystique Trilogy -Gene of Isis is now to be published in Russian, Czech, Slavic, Greek and Romanian, as is book two The Dragon Queens.

Reviews

[Mikaela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it! The beginning is a bit hard to get into, but after you get to know the characters, the plot just sucks you in. I couldn't put it down!

[Jalice · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think Traci Harding is vastly under-rated. This book is a thrilling sci-fi adventure layered with spirituality. I love that the world she creates has me reevaluating my own perspective on reality (and the power of manifesting).

If I were to offer a criticism, it would be that her characters are a little too perfect. But like Jean M. Auel's super-Ayla (who essentially invents everything), you can't help but fall in love with the characters anyway. And it does seem a bit like more of a chick-book, in that all the characters end up nicely pairing off with the perfect love interest. Still, to be honest, such "issues" with her writing don't deter from the remarkable and unique story-telling. So sit back and enjoy this one. (And stop being so snobby!)

[Jeannie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book. I thought the characters were fairly good, the plot kept me thinking and there were some things I really didn't expect and I like the writing, well mostly some of the scientific talk just went right over my head but other than that I really like it. I like how everyone has Powers and the world in which this series is based in. I honestly did not see some of the deaths and they shocked me a little. I thought this book was a fine example of why I like Traci Harding as an author she continues to provide great books for her readers.

[Jen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Trash. So, think psychic powers linked to sex in a fantasy theme and you've got it. Crappy story, poorly developed characters, and clunky dialogue. Taren gets her dream job in space with the crew of a scientific research ship captained by her hero, who she has secretly worshipped (read lusted after) for years. Before the end of the story, she has discovered her long lost parents, who just happen to be the leader of the known universe and the Queen of a planet of females who hate men, paired up with said hero, who's wife has been conveniently bumped off, has mind blowing sex with the hero, managed to inadvertently disappear her home planet into a black hole, helped several normal crew discover their hidden psychic powers ..... nuff said. Don't think I'll bother with the sequel.

[Gabriella timelordsandwizards · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just..nope. I did not enjoy this at all. The writing felt very low standard? I don't know the right word, but it felt like C grade I guess. The plot had so much potential, but it just developed poorly, and everything felt unrealistic. The relationships between the characters felt forced at times, extremely unbelievable at times, and just bleh. The only thing I liked about this book was the potential sex scene, that still didn't end up occurring. Not even kidding.

[Velhala · Rating 1 out of 5]

It was an interesting book, I liked the mix of sci-fi, quantum physics, mysticism, and mystery… that is until a bit after half way through an LGBT character was introduced and what came next was pretty much verbatim the plot of one of those old anti-LGBT propaganda movies where everything seemed to be going well… until, plot twist, the LGBT character is crazy and wow that straight character can do no wrong… (sigh) Seriously authors, if you don’t like LGBT characters, just don’t put them in your books. I didn’t even know there would be one going into this. But there was, and this happened, and now I gotta leave a 1 star review and tell anyone who reads this review: don’t read this book, okay? It’ll seem fine and good to start, but it turns toxic later.

[Leonie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know why I enjoyed this book so much - although there were some good twists, other parts felt predictable, there were some cliches and the characters seemed rather flat. Perhaps I was just in need of an easy sci-fi read that involved psychics and a bit of romance... Yet I went to the library the day after I finished it to get the other two books in the series. I doubt I'll bother reading them again, so might as well finish them now and put them aside.

[Sara Annan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and traci's writing. It wasn't the best sci fi book I've ever read, but it was compelling and I couldn't put it down. While I agree with previous comments relating to little character growth, however I did not feel that hindered the book. It's story really developed well over time and a few nice live stories in there as well. I felt like it did fall apart close to the end.. The beginning of the book was much stronger.

[Jemma Coffey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing! Loved the story, the new characters, and the sci-fi themes of this one! I love Traci Harding, and I love this series, starting with The Ancient Future.
I do think that if you read this book without reading the other books first, the characters might not feel completely evolved.
But if you know Tory, then you know Taren, and it makes so much more sense reading these books with that point of view. I knew from the second Zeven entered the story that it was Brockwell/Brian and I'm so obsessed with that! I love that the original 12 characters Traci created in the dragons circle are able to come to us in different forms, but they are still so recognisable. It's so cozy, it feels like home!

[Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love this book so much, the mix of science connected with spirituality is amazing. I’m not a big reader at all, I usually struggle to stay interested. I probably read one book a year or less, but this book had me hooked. I would give it 5 stars but my only issue with it is similar to the other comment, regarding the LGBT+ characters. I feel they are made to look crazy or mentally unstable, whereas most other people on the ship are neurotypical and don’t cause so many problems. It would’ve been nice to have an lgbt character that had a personality alike the others onboard. Unfortunately it’s so common for authors and producers to put a bad stigma against them.

[Jo-Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the premise. The evolving layers of the story are great. I felt the writing tone was a little young. More YA than adult. I felt the characters for their ages 50 plus were naive. Even if you live 100s of years, I don't think you'd be acting / thinking like a teenager at 50. I had hoped misogyny would be a thing of the past, but apparently not.

[Rachel · Rating 1 out of 5]

Didnt finish. I was very hopeful for this book but the writing is inconsistent and confusing. It feels like a draft and I don't like the writing style.

[Pwilliamson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the concepts and the writing; scenes and overall plot were fantastic. Lots of personal storyline fluff, though, which is why I only gave it four stars.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re-read January 2021. Even though it's been a while since the last time I read this book, it felt a lot like revisiting old friends. Anticipating an extension to the current lock-down due to corona/covid, I really needed something to make me smile... Thank you Traci Harding, for writing a book that makes me feel better every time I start reading!

Re-read March/April 2019.

Re-read: May 2016. Because I enjoyed these books so much last year and have been looking forward to re-reading them for some time!

First time I read these books: May 2015
There are some authors whose next book you simply must read no matter what, because you enjoy their work and the way their minds work. Traci Harding is one of those authors. I've been a fan of her writing and her thinking for over a decade now (fourteen-ish years? Seriously? Wow!) and while sometimes a character makes me wonder if maybe they're not too perfect (and good at almost everything to boot!), it is the story that keeps me coming back for more with every book. Traci Harding takes her readers on an amazing adventure that I hope will continue through many more books, stories, characters, countries, worlds and universes.

I enjoyed getting to know Taren, Lucian, Zeven and the rest of the crew of AMIE. They were new characters yet felt like old friends - books two and three explained why that was, exactly. I actually squealed and couldn't stop smiling upon realising where these books were taking me. The ideas the author puts forth in her books really resonate with me and I do believe this trilogy will turn into go-to books for when I need a reminder about how magnificent our universe is and how amazing it is to be alive. Five out of five stars for all three of the books! I just wanted to keep on reading and reading and reading, hoping the adventure would never end.

Once I'm done re-reading the trilogy - later this year - I hope to add reviews for the individual books as reading them the first time 'round I simply *had to* keep reading to find out what would happen next - actually sitting down to think about what I wanted to write, well, even that would have taken too long . Reading this trilogy was an amazing adventure and I very much look forward to re-visiting Taren's world and learning more about the amazing life she and her companions lead.

[Rebecca Kent · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars - I gave this book it's rating post-reading it as a stand alone rating, but now I am writing my review after finishing the whole "trilogy".
I found this first book to be a little hard to get into at first, but as the book progressed I thought it showed enough promise to continue with the whole trilogy. I'm sorry that I did. The second book picked up some pace and was the best of the three - however the "final" book saw the story line just completely lose it's shit and become a jumbled mess. AND THEN to top it all off, after persevering through it all, simply to have the satisfaction of seeing how it all ends - IT DOESN'T!

This "trilogy" is not actually a trilogy - it continues on into ANOTHER trilogy. Now, many fantasy / sci fi writers do this, they have follow up trilogies featuring all your favourite characters etc etc. the difference between those writers and this one, is that they FINISH THE ORIGINAL STORYLINE, and the next trilogy generally kicks off a new adventure. This trilogy literally just stops half way through - it is the biggest, lamest, cliff hanger attempt in the history of the universe AND the universe parallel.

The fact that the author is not aware of the difference between a trilogy and a series, should also give you a clue as to how well written these books are. The characters are thin, with only one or two of them being at all mildly engaging, the dialogue is clunky and as mentioned previously the storyline just falls apart and becomes ridiculous.

By all means read the first book in the SERIES and if you love it, continue on - but if you are wavering, trust me, just cut your losses and don't bother with the rest of the books. I certainly won't be seeking out the next instalment.

[Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved how this started, I liked the elements of consciousness and spirituality benign involved with science... but then it went really weird. By the time we were astral traveling I withdrew my previous recommendation to my brother to read it. A little toooo much woo woo for me.

I love the concept of souls connected over realities and throughout the layers of the multiverse, however I was very disappointed that there was only one non-straight relationship, it was a rather ‘safe’ lesbian relationship on an insultingly surface level and the path it took was eye-rollingly unnatural, uncomfortable and a flyboy’s dream. Lastly, an irksome overuse of the word “lover” - cringe!!!

By the end of the book I’m not really sure what the main themes were... family? Love? Soulmates? Science is always exploring the unknown and discovering how all precious discoveries are now wrong? Crushing the patriarchy? Crushing the matriarchy?? That a when the genders are divided here can be no peace? That floating clouds of light reflecting gas should never be crossed?

The personal sacrifices are empty, the horniness - yes, the horniness was cold and distant, I wasn’t once turned on with these characters and so wasn’t sure as to the point of these clinical, bland descriptions. I didn’t feel any of the chemistry that I was “being told” existed between the characters.

The more I go on the more I realise how little I cared for any of the characters or their goals. It was all such a mess. I’m going to read the second one in the hopes that things become clear and more meaningful... but my hopes aren’t high.

[Carol · Rating 2 out of 5]

Space, physic abilities, and a scientific vessel sounded like the perfect ingredients for a great story. Although I thought the idea was original and had so much potential, it stopped there. Unfortunately the clunky writing style and terrible characterisation (not only was the zero character development, but the characters were wooden and one-dimensional) did little to help progress the story. There were many interesting plot lines, and I think the unique story and good pacing was what kept me reading. However, it was a shame I felt nothing for the characters, and didn't really care when one or two (or more) of them died. If a bit more time had been put into them, this story could have gone places.

[Narelle Works · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Traci Harding's writing and imagination. I was plunged into a new world that I found so easy to relax in. I felt empathy with characters I didn't expect to even like. I am a fan since The Ancient Future Trilogy so I had some idea of what to expect. I've started on the second book and I'm once again hooked. The basic thing I enjoy so much with the trilogies is Traci's ability to explore, untangle, yet weave, new age, ancient, beliefs, teachings, sciences, and intentions into an interesting and exciting story that I walk away from thinking about for years to come. Why not a 5 star? I'm not new to the concepts anymore.

[Jade17 · Rating 1 out of 5]

08.01.10 - I'm reading this now but it's very hard for me to take it seriously. Taren is probably one of the most obnoxiously described character I've ever encountered. She's "never wrong", she has the "greatest authority in...", she has eight degrees, she's never failed, she's just pure awesome and frankly, she's getting boring & so is the story. I'll see if I can continue this. I do like some of the characters like Lucien, Zeven and AMIE itself, I just have to get past the gloriousness that is Taren.

[Alicia Huxtable · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel as though my head may just explode......but in a good way. The ride that Traci Harding sends you on with the crew of A.M.I.E is one hell of a ride! It seems to move quite quickly at the beginning.....within hours of joining the crew on A.M.I.E Taren is extracting a sample of what they believe to be a gas cloud of some sort......only to find out it is alive and NOT happy! This sets into motion a series of events that really you need to read instead of have me tell you about in a review. Just like Traci Harding's other books, this one leaves you wanting more......lucky it's a series

[Jody · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book starts well with a new concept The first two thirds is engaging and enthralling.
The last third ties this book into the previous series and it is here that it starts to lose it's way.

I will continue to read her books but hope that she lets the old characters rest and gives the new ones space to grow and evolve.

[Penny · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a HUGE fan of Traci Harding. This book would get five stars if I hadn't had to fight my way through what really is a bad editing job. This edition of the book had way more than its fair share of copy-editing typos. At one stage even the character Taren was spelt 'Toren'!!!!
Loved the tie-in connection to Tory by the way Traci, simply genius! Well researched fiction as per usual :)

[Adrian Merrall · Rating 1 out of 5]

Probably the first and last Traci Harding I will read if they are all like this. A mish mash of Sci Fi and new-age spiritualism with a three-some thrown in. It might appeal to teenage boys I suppose.

[Madison Whitmond · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a long term fan of Traci's books I as usual enjoyed her writing but throughly enjoyed references to previous work of hers

[Alayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this one first and because I enjoyed it so much, I ended up reading the whole series

[James Robinson · Rating 1 out of 5]

I only made it twelve pages in. Talk about badly written.

[Trena · Rating 1 out of 5]

Awful

[Maya Morikawa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Forget it.

Struggled to finish this as it became more ridiculous by the minute.Getting powers, losing them, more love stories,flitting here and there,no thanks.

[Melissa]

Could not get past the first couple of chapters.