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The Dawnfall Saga #1
Halcyon
Humanity was alone in the universe until we created the dinosaurs.
Centuries ago, humans engineered deinonychus dinosaurs and endowed them with intelligence. Ever since, the Human-Saurian Polity Alliance has spread into a galaxy seemingly empty of sapient life.
But on the distant world of Halcyon, that is all about to change.
Polity liaison Adara Lynx is used to remote postings. She built a career helping farflung colonies thrive. The mission to Halcyon seems routine until her boss reveals the truth: an alien artifact has made landfall on Halcyon and she’s being sent to make first contact.
One problem -- Halcyon has banned humans from entry except in special circumstances. To get in she’ll have to partner with Chirp, a brilliant, prickly saurian intelligence agent.
Chirp knows firsthand the risks of venturing into separatist territory. For years she’s tracked a violent terrorist group that may have claimed Halcyon as its base. Adara thinks she’s jumping at shadows—until a terrifying encounter confirms the worst: The terrorists have made Adara and Chirp their next targets.
Surrounded by uncertain allies, the two of them must learn to work together to elude the terrorist forces. And they’ll have to learn fast: a figure from Chirp’s past is stalking them, someone who will stop at nothing to make sure neither of them reaches the artifact alive…
Halcyon is a dinosaur science fiction adventure with themes of survival and alien contact perfect for fans of Jurassic Park and David Brin’s Uplift Series.
Embark on the adventure when you grab your copy today!
278 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 1, 2024
2 people are currently reading
17 people want to read
About the author
Caitlin Demaris McKenna
12 books69 followersCaitlin was born in Silver Spring, Maryland, but spent her formative years in Minnesota, where on cold, clear nights, she'd look up at the stars and wonder.
In the years since, she has visited three continents, and lived in Vancouver and New York. By day, she is a freelance editor at Scoria Press, LLC, and writes articles at the intersection of technology, media, and society for Yellow Bear Media. Absence of Blade is her first book.
In the years since, she has visited three continents, and lived in Vancouver and New York. By day, she is a freelance editor at Scoria Press, LLC, and writes articles at the intersection of technology, media, and society for Yellow Bear Media. Absence of Blade is her first book.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
September 17, 2024
Good first contact story! Good characters!
August 30, 2024
First contact between humans, two human-created species, and an unrelated species - 4.5 stars
The two main characters are female. Adara is a human who wants to help other species prosper. You know about humans and their propensity for war and domination. Chirp is an adult saurian with DNA from Dinosaurs and humans. Chip has scales, colorful feathers, three claws for each hand, and a tail. While saurians have feathers, they are not capable of flight. Sarians start life as hatchlings and have shorter lifetime than humans.
Sam Heltchek is a blend of human and feline -- another species created by humans using DNA techniques on beings that were not thought to be capable of thought. Sam is the person who is the boss of both Adara and Chirp but his role is only important at the beginning and end of the book. Sam is a "therianthorpe". Since every sentient individual is important, every human, therianthorpe and saurian is considered to be a "person" and is to be treated as an equal. The overarching organization that tries to keep peace is referred to as the polity.
The story starts with an unknown powered object entering the atmosphere of Halcyon detected by a network of spy satellites. The people on Halcyon are saurians who do not want any outsiders, especially human outsiders.
After this introduction, you will find that the story moves along quickly as the species hold back their feelings and thoughts. There is considerable ill will between the saurians and humans as many saurians have nearly religious feelings that their humans who created them did so as a way to get slave labor and disposable warriors.
With the complexity of the players, the actual first contact reveal comes at the very end of this book (Halcyon is the first of a series). We are treated to T-Rex pack animals. T-Rexs have an attitude. One native plant in Halcyon is similar to the Venus Fly Trap in that it attracts its food no matter the size and consume the victims. There is a great depiction of battle between plant and victim.
We get to see relationships develop and fail. The extraterrestrials are far more advanced than human and human-developed species. It is difficult to avoid being attracted to Adara and Chirp as they are thrown into a survival situation without having known each other previously. Survival techniques are shared and form the basis of a caring relationship. Halcyon gives us a lot to consider on many levels. Enjoy.
The two main characters are female. Adara is a human who wants to help other species prosper. You know about humans and their propensity for war and domination. Chirp is an adult saurian with DNA from Dinosaurs and humans. Chip has scales, colorful feathers, three claws for each hand, and a tail. While saurians have feathers, they are not capable of flight. Sarians start life as hatchlings and have shorter lifetime than humans.
Sam Heltchek is a blend of human and feline -- another species created by humans using DNA techniques on beings that were not thought to be capable of thought. Sam is the person who is the boss of both Adara and Chirp but his role is only important at the beginning and end of the book. Sam is a "therianthorpe". Since every sentient individual is important, every human, therianthorpe and saurian is considered to be a "person" and is to be treated as an equal. The overarching organization that tries to keep peace is referred to as the polity.
The story starts with an unknown powered object entering the atmosphere of Halcyon detected by a network of spy satellites. The people on Halcyon are saurians who do not want any outsiders, especially human outsiders.
After this introduction, you will find that the story moves along quickly as the species hold back their feelings and thoughts. There is considerable ill will between the saurians and humans as many saurians have nearly religious feelings that their humans who created them did so as a way to get slave labor and disposable warriors.
With the complexity of the players, the actual first contact reveal comes at the very end of this book (Halcyon is the first of a series). We are treated to T-Rex pack animals. T-Rexs have an attitude. One native plant in Halcyon is similar to the Venus Fly Trap in that it attracts its food no matter the size and consume the victims. There is a great depiction of battle between plant and victim.
We get to see relationships develop and fail. The extraterrestrials are far more advanced than human and human-developed species. It is difficult to avoid being attracted to Adara and Chirp as they are thrown into a survival situation without having known each other previously. Survival techniques are shared and form the basis of a caring relationship. Halcyon gives us a lot to consider on many levels. Enjoy.
August 25, 2024
Being a huge fan of McKenna’s ‘Expansion’ series I jumped at the chance to preview ‘Halcyon’ and was NOT disappointed!
The thought and planning that went into this new series universe is evident from the first chapter. The age old questions our civilizations keep throwing out there pertaining to morality. The husbanding and use of natural resources. What happens when we start meddling with genegineering and playing god. Are we all alone in this wide universe? All explored in this exciting new first book.
Very excited to find out more about the Polity, Human, Saurian and Therian. The separatist Children of Chicxulub and the new, unknown alien constructs their creators and their fates.
Lots and lots of question’s I’m eager to discover the answers to!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The thought and planning that went into this new series universe is evident from the first chapter. The age old questions our civilizations keep throwing out there pertaining to morality. The husbanding and use of natural resources. What happens when we start meddling with genegineering and playing god. Are we all alone in this wide universe? All explored in this exciting new first book.
Very excited to find out more about the Polity, Human, Saurian and Therian. The separatist Children of Chicxulub and the new, unknown alien constructs their creators and their fates.
Lots and lots of question’s I’m eager to discover the answers to!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 18, 2024
"Halcyon" is a captivating and swiftly moving adventure story. Caitlin Demaris McKenna has constructed a remarkable world set in the future. She fills this world with a compelling ensemble of characters and weaves an incredible narrative within and around them. This book provides a short escape into a mesmerizing world that lies beyond our own.
August 21, 2024
Halcyon, Book One of the Dawnfall Saga by Caitlin Demaris McKenna. I enjoyed this book showcasing McKenna’s world building and character interaction skills. Two sentient races from Earth! Brilliant. And something beyond alien for a big surprise. This will be a great SyFy series (maybe a movie?) I received an advance review copy for free and am leaving this honest review voluntarily.
August 25, 2024
Halcyon is a totally addictive story to read. I could not stop until I reached the end, and I need to read the next in this series. Excellent world-building, wonderfully well-drawn and -developed characters, a fascinating story full of innovative sci tech and great writing all enthralled and delighted me. Bravo!
August 25, 2024
Humans and intelligent dinosaurs living together on Earth leads to colonization across space. Who'da thunk it? Add in some alien tech, some subterfuge and spycraft in a far-off colony and you've got yourselves an entertaining scifi story. I look foreward to the next installment.
I'm a member of the ARC team and have left an honest review voluntarily.
I'm a member of the ARC team and have left an honest review voluntarily.
August 28, 2024
Like books with dinosaurs and hybrids, this is a good story about a couple of girls who are on a mission to make first contact with aliens. Though there are already more than humans in this world and dinosaurs. There is adventure and near-death experiences. The story was interesting, and I think that things will get even more interesting in the next book.
September 16, 2024
Interesting book using the idea that humans of the future used dinosaur DNA to create a sentient race. Many on both sides treasure their equal status while others, of course, attempt to start trouble and raise rebellions.
I reviewed a free Advance Reader Copy of this book with no strings attached.
I reviewed a free Advance Reader Copy of this book with no strings attached.
August 23, 2024
I enjoyed this book both because it kept me intrigued and because it brings up a whole new type of Si-Fi. Also, it is starting a new series which I have been waiting for!!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews