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Pulse
Death is Esa’s constant companion, always with her, waiting to strike. In the aftermath of the war, the world is unrecognisable and has become a simple fight to find food and shelter, to stay alive.
Yet there is a glimmer of hope shinning from a new realm which emerged from the raging war. It is a world of wonder and magic, but it also holds darkness. The shadows are closing in, eclipsing the light and once it finds her, no one will be safe.
Yet there is a glimmer of hope shinning from a new realm which emerged from the raging war. It is a world of wonder and magic, but it also holds darkness. The shadows are closing in, eclipsing the light and once it finds her, no one will be safe.
310 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2013
2 people are currently reading
129 people want to read
About the author
H.J. Daly
3 books40 followersHJ has always loved stories, and writing became a natural progression to reading. Reading with her own children and then at schools in a hope of capturing the hearts and minds of the young. It wasn’t always about writing though, during her late teens, HJ stepped up her Latin American dancing and travelled Europe.
If you want to read more about HJ, or see sneak peaks of books to come, along with other interesting post go to http://redribbonwrites.blogspot.co.uk/
If you want to read more about HJ, or see sneak peaks of books to come, along with other interesting post go to http://redribbonwrites.blogspot.co.uk/
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
March 22, 2013
I love this kind of book, the world is knocked on it's butt by something and then seeing how people react to it. How they overcome and go on. This book is a little different. A Pulse from a weapon brings down a barrier, that had until now, separated our realm from a magical realm. Now everything is mixed up and all are mistrustful of the others. Esa is a girl who is used to being on her own and taking care of herself. She has no knowledge of her history, parents, or even her birthday. She just knows that she has had a terrible past, involving pain and betrayals, and can trust only herself. Then she runs into Rootu, a spinner, and for some reason, he grows on her and she becomes attached to him, he feels like home. He takes her to his realm, where it seems so peaceful. But there is a sorcerer on the loose and he's tearing everything apart, in both realms looking for someone. Esa soon realizes that as much as she would like to stay out of the trouble, it's not going to happen. Along the way she meets Thomas, who she begins to have feelings for, and he has them for her as well. Too bad everything is so complicated. Esa meets a host of other humans and creatures, not sure who to trust, she trusts no one. She discovers that she herself may not be what she thought, for she has powers that were, up until now, unknown to her, and they are getting stronger and stronger. Esa may not even be human. In the end, there is going to be death, betrayal, surprises, an epic battle, and major twists that you will not want to miss. This book is great, you have a great female lead character that is completely self sufficient for the most part, but has such a caring streak that sneaks in when she isn't paying attention. She comes across as uncaring, but feels so guilty if anyone is hurt trying to protect her or because of her, that she will literally sacrifice her own well being to avoid that. In the end, some will be lost, some will be gained and a surprise will rock all of their worlds. I loved this story because it is exciting and fresh and totally full of wonderful paranormal creatures, like elves, mages, sorcerers, spinners, trolls, etc. It is such a breath of fresh air and although there is a lot of violence and several descriptions of her past that are mature situations, I would still recommend this book for 15 and up, including adults. Loved, loved, loved it.
January 9, 2013
Fantasy fiction has always been a favourite of mine. I love to be taken to an unfamiliar world and this book did just that.
We meet Esa, a young girl trying to survive alone in a seemingly post-apocalyptic world. A Pulse weapon used during a war has brought on the emergence of another realm previously hidden to all humankind.
Both worlds are now interlinked with many new races being introduced only previously heard of in fairy tales.
Esa, while looking for a place to rest one night meets Rootu a member of the Spinner Race originating from the second Realm. We follow their friendship as it unfolds, leading Esa into a battle for her own survival.
This story brings magic, fantasy, evil creatures and a battle that will leave you wanting more. The pace is written in a way that left me hooked. I just couldn’t put it down. Why is Esa so special? What do the races in the other realm know of her family? A family she knows nothing about.
Every character is given their own distinct introduction to the story giving the reader a chance to get to know them.
The attention to detail encouraged me to imagine how the characters and creatures in the story would look in my own mind rather than a carbon copy of the author’s imagination.
Trying to picture this new second realm against the post-apocalyptic world of the first really made it easy for me to challenge my imagination.
The fight scenes read like I’m really there, you can picture every movement from the detailed descriptions. Always an added bonus to get the heart racing…..
I thoroughly enjoyed this, and although leaving me with a few unanswered questions I would easily recommend this book to anyone with a passion for fantasy fiction. Every page leads you in with never a dull moment. Plenty of room to carry on this adventure……..Hopefully!
We meet Esa, a young girl trying to survive alone in a seemingly post-apocalyptic world. A Pulse weapon used during a war has brought on the emergence of another realm previously hidden to all humankind.
Both worlds are now interlinked with many new races being introduced only previously heard of in fairy tales.
Esa, while looking for a place to rest one night meets Rootu a member of the Spinner Race originating from the second Realm. We follow their friendship as it unfolds, leading Esa into a battle for her own survival.
This story brings magic, fantasy, evil creatures and a battle that will leave you wanting more. The pace is written in a way that left me hooked. I just couldn’t put it down. Why is Esa so special? What do the races in the other realm know of her family? A family she knows nothing about.
Every character is given their own distinct introduction to the story giving the reader a chance to get to know them.
The attention to detail encouraged me to imagine how the characters and creatures in the story would look in my own mind rather than a carbon copy of the author’s imagination.
Trying to picture this new second realm against the post-apocalyptic world of the first really made it easy for me to challenge my imagination.
The fight scenes read like I’m really there, you can picture every movement from the detailed descriptions. Always an added bonus to get the heart racing…..
I thoroughly enjoyed this, and although leaving me with a few unanswered questions I would easily recommend this book to anyone with a passion for fantasy fiction. Every page leads you in with never a dull moment. Plenty of room to carry on this adventure……..Hopefully!
April 2, 2013
In a post apocalyptic world Esa is basically a nomad with no home of her own she does what she needs to survive.. Never wanting to cause problems but will to defend herself should she need to.. She lost her parents to the war and ever since then shes kept to herself.. Esa only cares about No.1, this really kinda bugs me at first.. But I get it the kid is damaged shes has to keep people away in order to survive.. As the book progressed so did Esa..
Let me back track to the war a pulse weapon was used that riped the boundaries between our realm and the other.. the other realm is filled with Spinners.. Goblins ( YEARS ago I got my nerd girl on playing World of Warcraft LOVED IT. Dont judge me that shit is fun.. I sucked but it was fun.. anyways there were goblins in the game and poof now thats who I picture when I picture the Pulse goblins.. dont care what they are supposed to look like I have a very stubborn imagination..) Elves (yep thats a W.o.W thing for me too) sorcerers and other various creatures.. These creatures roam in and out of realms freely.. And one night Esa comes across a Spinner Rootu.. Something about Rootu annoys Esa but at the same time she finds him comforting.. The next night she saves his life and as a result an EVIL Sorcerer is out to get them both.. Rootu takes Esa to the other realm where she gets over her dislike for the other realm and slowly changes.. She is like the freaking grinch! Haha.. how I entertain myself..
So for reasons I cant explain Pulse reminds me a bit of Incarceron.. So had you enjoyed Incarceron you should really enjoy Pulse! Kudos to Daly for her Imagination!! I had fun In her world even if I borrowed from W.o.W..
Let me back track to the war a pulse weapon was used that riped the boundaries between our realm and the other.. the other realm is filled with Spinners.. Goblins ( YEARS ago I got my nerd girl on playing World of Warcraft LOVED IT. Dont judge me that shit is fun.. I sucked but it was fun.. anyways there were goblins in the game and poof now thats who I picture when I picture the Pulse goblins.. dont care what they are supposed to look like I have a very stubborn imagination..) Elves (yep thats a W.o.W thing for me too) sorcerers and other various creatures.. These creatures roam in and out of realms freely.. And one night Esa comes across a Spinner Rootu.. Something about Rootu annoys Esa but at the same time she finds him comforting.. The next night she saves his life and as a result an EVIL Sorcerer is out to get them both.. Rootu takes Esa to the other realm where she gets over her dislike for the other realm and slowly changes.. She is like the freaking grinch! Haha.. how I entertain myself..
So for reasons I cant explain Pulse reminds me a bit of Incarceron.. So had you enjoyed Incarceron you should really enjoy Pulse! Kudos to Daly for her Imagination!! I had fun In her world even if I borrowed from W.o.W..
March 19, 2013
HJ Daly
Pulse
I loved this story from the start. Well written and incredibly descriptive, this debut novel shows the talent the author has at storytelling and setting the scene. The storyline gradually unfolded as it went on, with the pieces slowly falling into place leaving no gaps, though learning a little more about the Pulse itself could have added an extra depth. The characters were great, and although it was hard to keep track of who was who to begin with, it became easier as each had their own important part to play. I loved the way the relationships developed between Esa and the other characters, she didn’t just accept what was happening but questioned it, making it more believable. If you love fantasy fiction then you’ll thoroughly enjoy this book.
I received an e-copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Pulse
I loved this story from the start. Well written and incredibly descriptive, this debut novel shows the talent the author has at storytelling and setting the scene. The storyline gradually unfolded as it went on, with the pieces slowly falling into place leaving no gaps, though learning a little more about the Pulse itself could have added an extra depth. The characters were great, and although it was hard to keep track of who was who to begin with, it became easier as each had their own important part to play. I loved the way the relationships developed between Esa and the other characters, she didn’t just accept what was happening but questioned it, making it more believable. If you love fantasy fiction then you’ll thoroughly enjoy this book.
I received an e-copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.
March 15, 2013
Review coming week of 24-30 of March on blog. Will update then.
September 23, 2013
I'm really conflicted by this book. I actually nearly gave up on it at about a third of the way through, but I persevered and got all the way through. It is getting some really high praise and in some ways I can see why. My feelings about it aren't quite as favorable, however.
I loved the premise of the story. There are parallel worlds and a giant Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) has shattered the walls between the worlds - you can now travel through Marks (gateways) into the Second Realm - a magical parallel world next to ours.
But the EMP also caused an apocalypse, and our world is no longer the world it used to be. Governments have fallen, poverty is rampant, and there is no law. It's every man for himself - a prepper's dream.
Esa's parents disappeared in the aftermath of the Pulse when she was just a small child and she's been on her own ever since. Now here's where I begin to have problems - we have no idea how old Esa is in this book - she could be anywhere between 12 and 30.
She's been through hell and back trying to survive on her own and doesn't trust anyone. Normally, I would feel a lot of empathy for a character like that, yet somehow I never really feel like we get to know Esa - I don't feel like I ever get into her head. Maybe if the author had spent a little more time on her backstory that might have changed my feelings - I'm not certain. All I know is that I never connected with Esa.
This book has all the elements that a great fantasy novel needs - it has a war, danger, power struggles, friendships, and magic - but somehow for me it fell short. It was both really well written, and at the same time oddly written. Some of the phrasing is really beautiful. Some of the descriptions are really well done, and yet some of the descriptions are really lacking.
There was a section where Esa had gotten her butt kicked and was quite injured - she is prone to fainting when in physical distress - and the author said she "collapsed" next to Rootu, yet in this case she didn't mean she "collapsed" as in she physically lost control of her body. She meant that she plopped to the ground next to Rootu. I found it confusing. There were some fighting scenes where Thomas (a friend of Esa) was said to be on the floor, yet then he was kicked and fell to the floor. I again found it confusing.
Some scenes end abruptly leaving you wondering what happened. It felt a bit disjointed because of that. The story's setting is England, and yet for over half the book we have no clue that this is the case except for the abundant use of the word "jumper". In fact, we don't figure that out until Esa finds herself in France.
There is a lot of dialogue in the book, yet it doesn't feel natural to me (and that isn't because it is written for a British audience, because I read a lot of British fiction) and the characters never actually communicate. I suspect the lack of communication is designed to be enigmatic and build mystery, but it just doesn't work for me.
The story is good, although it ended abruptly as well - I'm guessing that means there is a sequel coming. There is a lot to love about this book - but I just didn't. I think Pulse could be really great, but it needs a bit more work.
I loved the premise of the story. There are parallel worlds and a giant Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) has shattered the walls between the worlds - you can now travel through Marks (gateways) into the Second Realm - a magical parallel world next to ours.
But the EMP also caused an apocalypse, and our world is no longer the world it used to be. Governments have fallen, poverty is rampant, and there is no law. It's every man for himself - a prepper's dream.
Esa's parents disappeared in the aftermath of the Pulse when she was just a small child and she's been on her own ever since. Now here's where I begin to have problems - we have no idea how old Esa is in this book - she could be anywhere between 12 and 30.
She's been through hell and back trying to survive on her own and doesn't trust anyone. Normally, I would feel a lot of empathy for a character like that, yet somehow I never really feel like we get to know Esa - I don't feel like I ever get into her head. Maybe if the author had spent a little more time on her backstory that might have changed my feelings - I'm not certain. All I know is that I never connected with Esa.
This book has all the elements that a great fantasy novel needs - it has a war, danger, power struggles, friendships, and magic - but somehow for me it fell short. It was both really well written, and at the same time oddly written. Some of the phrasing is really beautiful. Some of the descriptions are really well done, and yet some of the descriptions are really lacking.
There was a section where Esa had gotten her butt kicked and was quite injured - she is prone to fainting when in physical distress - and the author said she "collapsed" next to Rootu, yet in this case she didn't mean she "collapsed" as in she physically lost control of her body. She meant that she plopped to the ground next to Rootu. I found it confusing. There were some fighting scenes where Thomas (a friend of Esa) was said to be on the floor, yet then he was kicked and fell to the floor. I again found it confusing.
Some scenes end abruptly leaving you wondering what happened. It felt a bit disjointed because of that. The story's setting is England, and yet for over half the book we have no clue that this is the case except for the abundant use of the word "jumper". In fact, we don't figure that out until Esa finds herself in France.
There is a lot of dialogue in the book, yet it doesn't feel natural to me (and that isn't because it is written for a British audience, because I read a lot of British fiction) and the characters never actually communicate. I suspect the lack of communication is designed to be enigmatic and build mystery, but it just doesn't work for me.
The story is good, although it ended abruptly as well - I'm guessing that means there is a sequel coming. There is a lot to love about this book - but I just didn't. I think Pulse could be really great, but it needs a bit more work.
October 22, 2013
This story is set in a post-apocalyptic world sometime after a pulse has taken down the barrier between the "first world" (ours) and the "second world." Although the residents of the second world have always been able to see our world through the barrier, humans have never even been aware of another world existing alongside theirs.
The protagonist in this story is a young orphan girl named Esa. Living on the streets and fending for herself, Esa doesn't trust anyone. A hard life of living on the streets and doing what ever it takes to survive has taught her nothing is free, and trusting someone else can be fatal. Night is coming and Esa needs to find someplace to spend it. Having found shelter from the night and pouring rain, Esa finds she is sharing her shelter with Rootu, a spinner from second world. He rapidly becomes one if the few people she learns to trust.
A war is brewing in second world and beginning to spill over into ours. Elves, humans, mages, goblins, and a host of fantastical creatures will be taking sides fighting an evil that wants ultimate power over both worlds. Someone is looking for Esa and she needs to stay alive long enough to find out why. Along the way she meets people willing to befriend and protect her. A life alone hasn't prepared her for the role she must play in the upcoming war. Visions sometimes let her know how a friend is doing and other time offer dire warnings she has to solve.
I had a bit of a time getting into this book. It wasn't until around chapter 3 I realized I really liked this book. The characters are well developed Their personalities came through very clearly. I loved Rootu and his pets, the way he'd scamper off when he saw something interesting. He's probably my favorite support character. Just when I thought I knew what was going to happen, the characters did or said something else.
Although this story wrapped up well, there were comment made by characters that lead me to think the author had left herself open for at least one sequel. I haven't looked yet to see if there is a sequel, but I certainly hope so. I would love to visit this worldscape and these characters again. I was gifted this book in exchange for an honest review. I've only given it three stars because it took a little perseverance for me initially to get into the story. Once there, I was hooked.
The protagonist in this story is a young orphan girl named Esa. Living on the streets and fending for herself, Esa doesn't trust anyone. A hard life of living on the streets and doing what ever it takes to survive has taught her nothing is free, and trusting someone else can be fatal. Night is coming and Esa needs to find someplace to spend it. Having found shelter from the night and pouring rain, Esa finds she is sharing her shelter with Rootu, a spinner from second world. He rapidly becomes one if the few people she learns to trust.
A war is brewing in second world and beginning to spill over into ours. Elves, humans, mages, goblins, and a host of fantastical creatures will be taking sides fighting an evil that wants ultimate power over both worlds. Someone is looking for Esa and she needs to stay alive long enough to find out why. Along the way she meets people willing to befriend and protect her. A life alone hasn't prepared her for the role she must play in the upcoming war. Visions sometimes let her know how a friend is doing and other time offer dire warnings she has to solve.
I had a bit of a time getting into this book. It wasn't until around chapter 3 I realized I really liked this book. The characters are well developed Their personalities came through very clearly. I loved Rootu and his pets, the way he'd scamper off when he saw something interesting. He's probably my favorite support character. Just when I thought I knew what was going to happen, the characters did or said something else.
Although this story wrapped up well, there were comment made by characters that lead me to think the author had left herself open for at least one sequel. I haven't looked yet to see if there is a sequel, but I certainly hope so. I would love to visit this worldscape and these characters again. I was gifted this book in exchange for an honest review. I've only given it three stars because it took a little perseverance for me initially to get into the story. Once there, I was hooked.
January 9, 2013
I think this is the hardest review I have ever written. Nine times out of ten I haven’t even spoken to, let alone met the author of a book I am reviewing, so it is easy to be objective and write my review based on what I have felt just from reading the words on the page. This time is very different. H J Daly is a personal friend, and Pulse is a story I have read MANY times, through various stages of writing, from the first, very rough draft, to the finished product. So I have to admit, I have such a connection to the characters that my views are not based solely on the words on the page, but also on the things I have learned on the very long journey I have taken with them.
The story follows Esa a young girl struggling to survive on the streets of a post apocalyptic England. With the discovery of a ‘magical’ realm made visible by the ‘pulse’, an electrical surge that destroyed all technology, Esa has to be cunning in order to survive. One night while seeking a safe place to sleep, Esa meets a young ‘spinner’, the two become friends, and for the first time in her life she realises how valuable companionship can be in these dangerous times.
Helen does a great job at drawing you in, creating a world easily visualised with her expressive writing. This fast moving story is filled with action, moving swiftly from one event to the next building up to a dramatic conclusion. The characters are well-rounded and individual with strong characteristics, especially Esa our MC. Her years on the street have hardened her, and her inability to trust makes it virtually impossible for her to form relationships. The scenes of her interactions with others are dynamic and sometimes very touching.
Overall I find Pulse to be a great debut novel. Helens story telling ability is plain to see and I find her writing to be exciting with a good flow and varied vocabulary. I would recommend this book to all YA and adult fantasy lovers.
ARC supplied for review
March 10, 2013
"Pulse" by H.J. Daly was given to me by the author for an honest review and I must thank her for the great entertainment this book has provided.This is a great fantasy story and an enjoyable and easy read.
Set in England after a big war that leaves the country vulnerable to crime and chaos our heroine Esa is left to fight for her own. During a big war some weapon has affected the boundaries between realms. It is a world of goblins, sorcerers and elfs. Sorcerer Alphamor is chasing Esa's friend Rootu and she helps him to cross the Mark /a boundary to return to his realm. There other characters joining them in the battle against the sorceer and the goblins, the classical fight between good and evil forces.
The first thing I noticed was how beautiful the language is, very appropriately used for a fantasy novel, and the dialogues are very well written.
The characters are well chosen and all have some substance to them, making their relationships with each other and the reasons behind their actions credible. Esa in particular as the tough loner is very convincing as the hardened up heroine that is willing to help but worries that her trust may be broken. The suspense is nicely built up and the plot keeps moving along, never allowing for a dull moment. I personally would have liked a few things exlained in more detail, such as the war, Esa's family background and the pulse from the title that had such an impact but apart from such minor issues Daly shows great talent and this is a book that fantasy lovers should find easy to enjoy.
Set in England after a big war that leaves the country vulnerable to crime and chaos our heroine Esa is left to fight for her own. During a big war some weapon has affected the boundaries between realms. It is a world of goblins, sorcerers and elfs. Sorcerer Alphamor is chasing Esa's friend Rootu and she helps him to cross the Mark /a boundary to return to his realm. There other characters joining them in the battle against the sorceer and the goblins, the classical fight between good and evil forces.
The first thing I noticed was how beautiful the language is, very appropriately used for a fantasy novel, and the dialogues are very well written.
The characters are well chosen and all have some substance to them, making their relationships with each other and the reasons behind their actions credible. Esa in particular as the tough loner is very convincing as the hardened up heroine that is willing to help but worries that her trust may be broken. The suspense is nicely built up and the plot keeps moving along, never allowing for a dull moment. I personally would have liked a few things exlained in more detail, such as the war, Esa's family background and the pulse from the title that had such an impact but apart from such minor issues Daly shows great talent and this is a book that fantasy lovers should find easy to enjoy.
June 30, 2013
I was given this as an ebook by the author for an honest review.
The story takes place after a tragic even has drastically changed the face of the planet, and we learn that there are other realms around us that we never knew existed.
This story really has everything that you could want in a book. You've got unrequited love, action, magic, fantasy, drama, temptation and redemption. I soooo wanted to give it a higher rating because I absolutely LOVE the story that Daly weaves, but I just couldn't bring myself to raise it.
The character development was very extensive, and I found myself just absorbed into the lives of these characters!
The book was a bit of a longer read at 34 chapters, but even that didn't push me away.
The down side; as I was reading I was constantly having to stop and backtrack due to the fact that at times there was no clear indication of who was talking, or why it had switched.
Another let down for me, is that I felt there were several locations in the book where I was slightly confused as to what was going on and then the situation was never explained.
I still loved the book and would continue to read the series to see what happens to Esa and her misfit friends!
The story takes place after a tragic even has drastically changed the face of the planet, and we learn that there are other realms around us that we never knew existed.
This story really has everything that you could want in a book. You've got unrequited love, action, magic, fantasy, drama, temptation and redemption. I soooo wanted to give it a higher rating because I absolutely LOVE the story that Daly weaves, but I just couldn't bring myself to raise it.
The character development was very extensive, and I found myself just absorbed into the lives of these characters!
The book was a bit of a longer read at 34 chapters, but even that didn't push me away.
The down side; as I was reading I was constantly having to stop and backtrack due to the fact that at times there was no clear indication of who was talking, or why it had switched.
Another let down for me, is that I felt there were several locations in the book where I was slightly confused as to what was going on and then the situation was never explained.
I still loved the book and would continue to read the series to see what happens to Esa and her misfit friends!
March 7, 2013
I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This is the debut novel bu HJ Daley, and I can't lie, I had a really hard time with it. Also I'm finding it hard to write this review. I found this book okay. When I was finished I wasn't moved by the book, I actually felt relieved that I had finished it at all. I found the book to be jumpy, which made it confusing for me. I would be reading and all of a sudden I thought I had missed pages but I hadn't. I also wanted to learn more about the Pulse but that information never came.
I found that there were way to many characters to keep track of. I couldn't relate to any of the characters, and I felt like I was missing out on their stories. I want to know more about them and how they came to be where they are now.
I probably won't be continuing with this series but maybe if the author writes a different one, I will give it a go. But I would still recommend this series to fantasy lovers.
I found that there were way to many characters to keep track of. I couldn't relate to any of the characters, and I felt like I was missing out on their stories. I want to know more about them and how they came to be where they are now.
I probably won't be continuing with this series but maybe if the author writes a different one, I will give it a go. But I would still recommend this series to fantasy lovers.
October 21, 2013
Pulse by HJ Daly is a YA post-apocalyptic story with an interesting fantasy element as well. The story takes place after the pulse which removed the barrier between other realms and allowed humans to interact with magical creatures. The main character is Esa, a girl who has learned to survive on her own and doesn't trust others. Esa has had a hard life and she has a lot of walls put up. But throughout the book, Esa learns to trust other sand to make friends.
I have to admit that I had a hard time getting into this book at first. But about half way through I really became immersed in the characters and the world that HJ Daly created. I liked how fantasy elements were blended so easily with the post-apocalyptic world.
Rootu was my favorite character. He was such a fun character and he played a key role in helping Esa to let people in and care about others. And I loved his pets.
I have to admit that I had a hard time getting into this book at first. But about half way through I really became immersed in the characters and the world that HJ Daly created. I liked how fantasy elements were blended so easily with the post-apocalyptic world.
Rootu was my favorite character. He was such a fun character and he played a key role in helping Esa to let people in and care about others. And I loved his pets.
October 23, 2013
First off. This cover gets a 5* from me.
Since I am really, really shallow and never read blurbs I must admit that
I would pick up this book in a bookstore with not a single doubt.
Now. We have Esa. A strong female character. And I mean strong. Not forever fainting, instead this is a survivor.
World building. Very well done.
Writing very well done.
As for a unique read, the combination between post apocalyptic, sci fi and paranormal is expertly done.
All in all a fun read with twists that will keep you turning pages if a truly unique read is yours for the having.
WaAr
Since I am really, really shallow and never read blurbs I must admit that
I would pick up this book in a bookstore with not a single doubt.
Now. We have Esa. A strong female character. And I mean strong. Not forever fainting, instead this is a survivor.
World building. Very well done.
Writing very well done.
As for a unique read, the combination between post apocalyptic, sci fi and paranormal is expertly done.
All in all a fun read with twists that will keep you turning pages if a truly unique read is yours for the having.
WaAr
October 12, 2013
I'm going to give this author some credit. They mixed some elements that don't normally go together and turned them into a reasonable story. That being said, they didn't work for me. I can't envision goblins, wind turbines and a few other things, together as they are in this story. The story is very well written and I really felt the characters. I even like the Dystopian environment that it's mostly set it. It is quite the accomplishment in a story. I'm thinking that someone into Steampunk would probably go for this story.
July 21, 2015
First off. This cover gets a 5* from me. Since I am really, really shallow and never read blurbs I must admit that I would pick up this book in a bookstore with not a single doubt.
Now. We have Esa. A strong female character. And I mean strong. Not forever fainting, instead this is a survivor.
World building. Very well done.
Writing very well done.
As for a unique read, the combination between post apocalyptic, sci fi and paranormal is expertly done.
All in all a fun read with twists that will keep you turning pages if a truly unique read is yours for the having.
WaAr
Now. We have Esa. A strong female character. And I mean strong. Not forever fainting, instead this is a survivor.
World building. Very well done.
Writing very well done.
As for a unique read, the combination between post apocalyptic, sci fi and paranormal is expertly done.
All in all a fun read with twists that will keep you turning pages if a truly unique read is yours for the having.
WaAr
May 16, 2013
This is a great sci-fi, futuristic read. Esa stumbles upon Rootu and decides to help him get back home. We follow them through this story. I wish there were a few more details, but overall this was a great read. WaAR
June 2, 2014
See this review and more like it at Ramblings on Readings
Title: Pulse
Author: HJ Daly
My Rating: 2.5 Stars
Good Reads Rating: 4.03 Stars
Content Rating: 16+ (some disturbing images, violence)
Series: Sword of Idis #1
Genre: YA Fantasy/Post-Apocalyptic
Pages: 310
Publisher: Anchor Group Publishing
Check it Out: Good Reads | Barnes and Noble | Amazon
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Good Reads Synopsis:
She looked into their non-existent faces and felt them smile in anticipation.
The light is fading fast and Esa must find shelter before the deviants come crawling out of the woodwork. From the moment she steps into the darkened room her life takes a terrifying turn and she is pulled away from her post apocalyptic world.
With a horde of goblins close on her heels, she enters a magical realm in search of answers. Why can she sense magic and why is a powerful sorcerer determined to end her life?
I really wanted to like this book more. Every time I picked it up, I was determined to like it more than I had the previous time I’d read. I’d seen some really favorable reviews on it, so I thought that maybe I just wasn’t getting something. Maybe I just needed to keep reading.
I would be dishonest if I said there wasn’t anything I liked about this book. The central story itself is quite good. There were moments that I enjoyed. The execution was what bothered me.
There was a lot of weird grammar stuff going on. I’m all about stylistic writing for whatever your book needs…like, some of the stuff I write in 1st person is stream of consciousness so certain fragments and things like that for stylistic purposes work great. In Pulse there were lots of odd run-on sentences…as if someone had just forgotten to add a period or a semi-colon. This made it very hard to read. I don’t think run-ons are ever ok…maybe you disagree, but they got really annoying.
Grammar issues aside, I felt very disconnected from the characters. I don’t even know how to describe why, but I felt that I didn’t really know them at all. They all felt really shallow to me, as if they were 2D cardboard cut outs of people…
The romance was weird. At first, I was expecting Esa and Rootu, this magic ‘spinner’ (still not sure exactly what a spinner is…did I just miss it when he was first introduced?) to get together, which totally would have been weird, because he was so childlike (and then you find out he was like, 40-something???). But her relationship with Thomas was kind of weird as well because he just popped in out of nowhere and then there was all this forced tension between them that got EXHAUSTING. It was like, I TRUST NO ONE, but I kind of like him, BUT I TRUST NO ONE, but maybe Thomas is ok BUT I TRUST NO ONE. It just was too much of the same tension over and over again. They had their moments, but they were few and far between.
There was a lot of superfluous stuff going on throughout the whole book. There were literally entire chapters where nothing happened to move the plot along. Cut it, I say. It cluttered what was actually a rather nice plot, you just had to dig for it. Also, raise the stakes. Some of the explanations for things were very weak. There was also a lot of telling, rather than showing in this book. As in, the narrator would say something like ‘she asked him questions about magic and he explained as much as he could to her’ and that was ALL we got. We didn’t hear any of the explanations that he gave her.
I feel bad that this is so negative. But there were a lot of issues with the writing that kept me from enjoying the story. I think I had really high expectations because I was like OOH Fantasy and Post-Apocalyptic, this has got to be good!
Title: Pulse
Author: HJ Daly
My Rating: 2.5 Stars
Good Reads Rating: 4.03 Stars
Content Rating: 16+ (some disturbing images, violence)
Series: Sword of Idis #1
Genre: YA Fantasy/Post-Apocalyptic
Pages: 310
Publisher: Anchor Group Publishing
Check it Out: Good Reads | Barnes and Noble | Amazon
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Good Reads Synopsis:
She looked into their non-existent faces and felt them smile in anticipation.
The light is fading fast and Esa must find shelter before the deviants come crawling out of the woodwork. From the moment she steps into the darkened room her life takes a terrifying turn and she is pulled away from her post apocalyptic world.
With a horde of goblins close on her heels, she enters a magical realm in search of answers. Why can she sense magic and why is a powerful sorcerer determined to end her life?
I really wanted to like this book more. Every time I picked it up, I was determined to like it more than I had the previous time I’d read. I’d seen some really favorable reviews on it, so I thought that maybe I just wasn’t getting something. Maybe I just needed to keep reading.
I would be dishonest if I said there wasn’t anything I liked about this book. The central story itself is quite good. There were moments that I enjoyed. The execution was what bothered me.
There was a lot of weird grammar stuff going on. I’m all about stylistic writing for whatever your book needs…like, some of the stuff I write in 1st person is stream of consciousness so certain fragments and things like that for stylistic purposes work great. In Pulse there were lots of odd run-on sentences…as if someone had just forgotten to add a period or a semi-colon. This made it very hard to read. I don’t think run-ons are ever ok…maybe you disagree, but they got really annoying.
Grammar issues aside, I felt very disconnected from the characters. I don’t even know how to describe why, but I felt that I didn’t really know them at all. They all felt really shallow to me, as if they were 2D cardboard cut outs of people…
The romance was weird. At first, I was expecting Esa and Rootu, this magic ‘spinner’ (still not sure exactly what a spinner is…did I just miss it when he was first introduced?) to get together, which totally would have been weird, because he was so childlike (and then you find out he was like, 40-something???). But her relationship with Thomas was kind of weird as well because he just popped in out of nowhere and then there was all this forced tension between them that got EXHAUSTING. It was like, I TRUST NO ONE, but I kind of like him, BUT I TRUST NO ONE, but maybe Thomas is ok BUT I TRUST NO ONE. It just was too much of the same tension over and over again. They had their moments, but they were few and far between.
There was a lot of superfluous stuff going on throughout the whole book. There were literally entire chapters where nothing happened to move the plot along. Cut it, I say. It cluttered what was actually a rather nice plot, you just had to dig for it. Also, raise the stakes. Some of the explanations for things were very weak. There was also a lot of telling, rather than showing in this book. As in, the narrator would say something like ‘she asked him questions about magic and he explained as much as he could to her’ and that was ALL we got. We didn’t hear any of the explanations that he gave her.
I feel bad that this is so negative. But there were a lot of issues with the writing that kept me from enjoying the story. I think I had really high expectations because I was like OOH Fantasy and Post-Apocalyptic, this has got to be good!
November 3, 2013
I received this book to give an honest review. This is a 4 1/2 stars!
As I was reading some of the reviews, and a few made a mention of a post-apocalyptic or a dystopian world. I didn't get that feel with this book. It was just more of a fantasy maybe more back in the day type of book where you have elfs, and goblins, mages, swords.
The writing of the story was really good. The characters were done great.
Now Esa who is the main character, well she is a survivor of sorts. She always gets herself out of trouble. But I found at times her temper towards people was a bit uncalled for. I understand that she has went through a lot but still no need to be so mean towards a lot of people. And I do wonder what her age is exactly. I mean is she a teenager or an adult? It was never clear.
Thomas, well he is a character you know has a bit of a mystery to him and the mystery is never really told.
Rootu he is a spinner (though I am not sure exactly what that is) and he has his own magic and he is very outgoing! Very energetic even in the worse of times.
The author seemed to leave a bit of the ending open to maybe there could be another book? Not sure if she would do it, but I would like to know what happens to Thomas. Does Esa and Thomas see each other again? Do Esa work on her magic? There is so much more that could be told, that I can only hope.
Not only that does Esa ever find out about Flo?
I would have liked to learn what exactly is Pulse? There didn't seem to be much talk about it within the book.
If you enjoy books with magic, butt kicking, fantasy then this a book you would want to read.
As I was reading some of the reviews, and a few made a mention of a post-apocalyptic or a dystopian world. I didn't get that feel with this book. It was just more of a fantasy maybe more back in the day type of book where you have elfs, and goblins, mages, swords.
The writing of the story was really good. The characters were done great.
Now Esa who is the main character, well she is a survivor of sorts. She always gets herself out of trouble. But I found at times her temper towards people was a bit uncalled for. I understand that she has went through a lot but still no need to be so mean towards a lot of people. And I do wonder what her age is exactly. I mean is she a teenager or an adult? It was never clear.
Thomas, well he is a character you know has a bit of a mystery to him and the mystery is never really told.
Rootu he is a spinner (though I am not sure exactly what that is) and he has his own magic and he is very outgoing! Very energetic even in the worse of times.
The author seemed to leave a bit of the ending open to maybe there could be another book? Not sure if she would do it, but I would like to know what happens to Thomas. Does Esa and Thomas see each other again? Do Esa work on her magic? There is so much more that could be told, that I can only hope.
Not only that does Esa ever find out about Flo?
I would have liked to learn what exactly is Pulse? There didn't seem to be much talk about it within the book.
If you enjoy books with magic, butt kicking, fantasy then this a book you would want to read.
December 2, 2013
I read Pulse by HJ Daly. I recommend this book. This author creates a new world on Earth with two realms after something called a Pulse devastates everything. The main character is Esa. She's lived by herself since the Pulse before she can remember. She has only the clothes on her back, a dagger and a pack. Her scars tell of her hard journey in life fighting to live. She meets a Spinner named Rootu. She's not sure of him at first but grows to care for him as she saves his life. She meets an Elf named Flo, Rootu's friend, but stays wary of Elves as most are not trustworthy. She learns of a war that is in the near future. She also finds that she has magic bit does not know how special she is. She encounters Thomas, human. He is a fighter and let's just say he grows to care for her and her him. This story is very creative. I had to stop it for a while because life happens and had trouble sticking with it toward the middle. It has a lot of action and twists I didn't see coming.
October 25, 2013
Fantastic story about a human girl, Esa. Living a life no girl should have to live. I felt so bad for Esa. How can one body take so much pain? She was living a lie and didn't even know it. Just her and her instincts. She lived minute to minute. Until one stranger changes her life forever. Creatures of Goblins and elves everywhere. Panicking Esa just wanted to run. Her instincts was shouting at her...DANGER!! Now read and find out what horrible mess she gets herself into..
I loved how the author created all her characters. I so loved Rootu, am elf, at the beginning but then Thomas took hold. The story was very unique. The books title lived up to it's name. My Pulse was quickening so eager to find out how the book ends. After I read the last page. I just sat there thing about the last paragraph. Wanting to scream...."What happens now!" So reading BOOK 3 is next on my list!
*copy of this book was given to me by the author for an honest review*
I loved how the author created all her characters. I so loved Rootu, am elf, at the beginning but then Thomas took hold. The story was very unique. The books title lived up to it's name. My Pulse was quickening so eager to find out how the book ends. After I read the last page. I just sat there thing about the last paragraph. Wanting to scream...."What happens now!" So reading BOOK 3 is next on my list!
*copy of this book was given to me by the author for an honest review*
November 1, 2013
First of all, let me state that I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
This book confused me at first, but once I got into it, and figured out the characters, it drew me into its world.
Set in a post-apocalyptic world, Pulse merges the mythical world with the real world, combining the two in such a way that it makes you believe that it can truly occur in our world. The characters are lively, and their stories intertwine together to blend in a way that keeps you turning pages. This book is well worth the read.
This book confused me at first, but once I got into it, and figured out the characters, it drew me into its world.
Set in a post-apocalyptic world, Pulse merges the mythical world with the real world, combining the two in such a way that it makes you believe that it can truly occur in our world. The characters are lively, and their stories intertwine together to blend in a way that keeps you turning pages. This book is well worth the read.
February 20, 2013
I received this book prior to publication .
I have to state that this book is a far cry from my usual chosen genre!
I enjoyed the book ..but honestly don't feel that I can comment either way .. this is Helen's first release ,this is book one ..
Go ahead and try it ..its available via Amazon
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pulse-H-J-Dal...
I have to state that this book is a far cry from my usual chosen genre!
I enjoyed the book ..but honestly don't feel that I can comment either way .. this is Helen's first release ,this is book one ..
Go ahead and try it ..its available via Amazon
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pulse-H-J-Dal...
December 6, 2013
I gave this book a five star rating on the fact that I was hooked all the way through. straight into action. love the different fae elements elfs goblins and gorrels. the storyline, poor esa been on her own for a while never attaches herself to anyone until she meets rootu love how he has the funny element to the story and his pets, you have to love them. turmoil between esa and thomas her protector or is he???not gonna spoil it. so looking forward to the continuation.
waar
waar
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