Human

by Hayley Camille

How do you define humanity, when evolution gives you more than one choice?

Archaeologist Ivy Carter is no stranger to losing the people she loves. With the exception of Kyah, an ex- lab chimp at her university, Ivy holds everybody at arm’s length, even Orrin James, the brilliant young physicist falling for her.

But when Ivy is stolen 50,000 years back in time to save a dying species of human from extinction, she must battle her demons, inside and out, to prevent a war that could change the course of human evolution forever.

In a thrilling adventure that flips between modern world catastrophe and primitive survival, Ivy Carter holds the fate of humankind in her hands.

Watch the book trailer for HUMAN on Amazon's 'Hayley Camille' author page.

Genres: Time Travel, Science Fiction, Romance, Fiction

538 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 13, 2016

About the author

Hayley writes from the beautiful Sunshine Coast in Australia, usually with a cat perched on her keyboard. She has a background in archaeology and has published books in multiple genres before turning her hand at crime to win The Kindle Book Review Reader’s Choice Award and the Scarlet Stiletto's HQ Fiction 'Best Thriller' category.

The 'Lady Vigilante' Crime Series is a fast-paced, action-filled adventure that juxtaposes the quintessential 'Avon Lady' against the chauvinistic underbelly of 1940's New York. This series has been selected as a finalist in numerous international novel and screenplay awards, and a podcast of the series is currently in production.

When she's not writing or spending time with her husband and three children, Hayley enjoys running and collecting vintage teacups. Find her at HayleyCamille.com

Reviews

[joyce g · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received Human from Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review. It was an unexpected delight. Super Sci-Fi with great characters, it was really a fun read. Book 1 of the Chronicles of Ivy Carter, she is thrown into a time travel scenario and you are immersed in her new world, as those left behind try and find her.

[TheMadHatter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars (half way between "Liked It" and "Really Liked It")

This is a really hard book for me to review. I don't know the author personally, but I bought this book as she is a friend of a friend. So I am torn between wanting to give a five star review because that is what a good friend does AND being honest about what it is about this book that called to me and what it is I struggled with. What this means is this is going to be a VERY long review as I need to make sure I justify what I am saying. You have been warned.

This book has almost exclusively 5 star glowing reviews. The thing is, readers like myself are usually skeptical about books which have low number of reviews which are all 5 stars. So for my fellow skeptics out there, let me tell you why you should take a chance on this book, as Ms Camille is actually pretty special and filling a MUCH needed niche of female, Aussie sci-fi writers.

Okay....so what did I really like:

1) This is a very well researched book. You can tell that the author is highly educated and comes across as being intelligent without being pretentious (and that is a really hard mix for a science fiction writer to get right!). Even though I have never met her, I think she would be amazing to have a conversation with.

2) Ms Camille is really impressive at getting a large amount of information across and nearly always manages to weave it into the storyline without it seeming like a "wiki-info dump". Once or twice it went too far (i.e. getting down to how many people actually work at Parkes seemed a little over the top), but these incidence were rare and in 99% of the book it was INCREDIBLY impressive at weaving the science into the story. If you have the slightest interest in anthropology and history (stone age) this book is for you!

3) The book is very thought-provoking. The premise is that Ivy (an anthropologist) somehow manages to go back in time to a stone age time. The tribe she is adopted into (a close relation to homo sapiens) is extinct in modern times and so the questions are raised as to "if you changed the past, how would that impact on the future?" and "do you have a right to change the past?" and most important of all "what does it mean to be human?". I found the last question quite disturbing and I would have to put the book down often and read something light in between chapters as I found myself faced with questions I didn't want to think about (it is not a pleasant view of modern humans). Yet the book is so important as it makes us hold a mirror up to ourselves and be accountable for our actions in terms of species habitats, the environment and fighting against injustice.

4) When Ms Camille writes in her science voice, I found the writing to be strong and powerful and I really liked the style. She really is incredibly talented sci-fi writer.

What did I struggle with...

1) Even though the factual writing was really well done, occasionally the writing would switch into (unnecessary?) flowery prose that conflicted with the other writing which confused me as a reader. It just seemed out of place and didn't quite make sense and made me want to pick up a pen and cross out all the excess adjectives or similes in places that I thought hindered the story-telling. For example "sun's WATERY rays", "research students seem to orbit him like electrons", "journey along the EPIC Newell highway" "Her SYCOPHANTIC facade returned", "INFINITESIMAL moment". These examples are all in the first 20% of the book and after that, they disappear and the writing becomes REALLY STRONG. Maybe a case of the first handful of chapters being overworked or maybe this is just my personal preference and I am in the minority. I am not opposed to flowery prose, but I think the switching back and forth between "sciencey"(?) prose and flowery prose confused me.

I also struggled with the excessive flowery prose describing the early solar system formation in the opening chapter: "Its irregular body is a virgin to the devastation of the sun" and "Millions of years pass in obscurity, meaningless but for the slow decay the sun causes each passing". I think typical sci-fi readers may read the opening chapters and go "Heh?". I had to read this several times to try and understand each sentence. In the end I gave up and just jumped into the book. So, if you struggle with the opening pages DO NOT GIVE UP - KEEP GOING! It is definitely worth it as Ms Camille's science writing is actually pretty special.

Lastly. I did struggle with the relationship between Ivy and Orrin. It seemed to jump from "Hi. Nice to Meet you" to a level of connection that didn't quite gel with me. This gave me the icky stalker vibes with Orrin" and when he said "so like I said, this is still just a theory" he lost me. Do we need to go over what a theory is in science terms Orrin? :-). I also struggled with the Ivy being a bit of a cliche including the bonobo companion and the family is all dead and orphaned at a young age and childhood friend died cliche.

Did I like this book? Yes! I think Ms Camille has a really unique sci-fi voice and when she trusts in that and doesn't try to overwork it, it is really special. Even though I don't have a particular interest in anthropology, I am keen to read the second book to see where she takes the story.

If you like sci-fi, then this is one to check out - support a new aussie sci-fi writer! (Amazon Kindle? https://www.amazon.com.au/d/ebook/Hum...).

[José Anastasis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Sci-Fi Read!

I love stories & novels that are thought provoking! Author Hayley Camille captivates your attention from the beginning with well written characters that quickly bring you into their scientific world of careful thought, with scientists that care about the outcome of their research(will it benefit wo/mankind?) What are the consequences to what we are conducting experiments for? Ms. Camille invokes a reader’s great concern and care for her characters by having a wonderful knack for superb character description; sharing hidden thoughts; with exceptional character interaction, and realistic dialogue! “Human” is written so good that one of the main characters(on my own personal level) hits a little too close to home, causing some discomfort, but in a good way. Again, causing me to pause & think about life’s essential concerns. As a reader you might find yourself in the rich interactions between the main characters Ivy & Orrin as they journey between the chapters displaying such human factors to their psyche. A clever literary plot tool that Ms. Camille uses exposes our past to show modern wo/man’s flaws(in thinking themselves superior)! Making you question “progress;” Science for Science sake, which has brought about Killer bees, and some nut-job would try and bring back Dinosaurs like Jurassic Park. Even when you read enough to play the game: “I got this figured out,” Ms. Camille surprises you. Enticing you to read the next book in the series to see what goes on next...

[Rob Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

A roller-coaster ride through time with breathtaking action, gripping drama and challenging scenarios. Ivy is the reluctant heroine, who is tasked to save a race of extinct hominids and who brings to the fore the debate about what makes us human. This story is a must-read as you walk the blurry line that defines our humanity.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome! I couldn't put it down- this book was kind of like Tomb Raider meets Indiana Jones meets Back to the Future. Thoroughly recommend.

[James Crawford · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very unusual story. There is something going wrong with the electromagnetic field around the Earth and it somehow involves the Moon and a certain university. If things continue to get worse there's a good chance virtually all surface life on the Earth will die.

Ivy works at the university and one of the animals she works with is a bonobo. She has taught her to communicate via sign language and drawing on the ground. She has a certain stone and that, along with other things happening, ends up with her 50,000 years in the past among a group of hominids now referred to as hobbits. (They were a diminutive group of pre-humans.)

Liam also works at the university. He barely avoids being caught in what happens, realizes he's actually in love with Ivy and does everything he can to find out what happened, why it happened, and what can be done to bring her back.

A great part of the book, and the most interesting part, deals with how Ivy comes to terms with being with pre-humans that are smarter than given credit for. She also does things that traces of are found in the present time, convincing Liam that Ivy survived her trip.

The main problem for her and the group of hobbits is that there are Homo sapiens in the area and they are vicious and attack the hobbits various times.

This would normally be something that would pass into the past leaving some odd artifacts but something else has gone monumentally wrong. It is possible that Ivy has done something that has changed the entire history of the human race with hobbits still existing but generally used as lab subjects, terribly mistreated. There are groups that oppose this and demonstrate against those who are using the hobbits for their own 'scientific' purposes.

So now Liam (who risks being fired, by the way) has not only to figure out how to get Ivy back but has to figure out what was done that changed history (he is almost the only person to realize it has changed, by the way), undo that change and return the Earth to normal while, at the same time, figuring out a way to prevent the Earth's magnetic field from collapsing.

I like the social science aspects of the story and one of those who believes that because some beings were not Homo sapiens does not mean they were stupid brutes. There will be at least one other book in the series as the first one ends up with pretty much everything falling apart at the seams.

[Ben Langdon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is what happens when an author brings together real science and imagination. It's a time travel story that plays out in three places. The first is our own world, specifically Melbourne, where Ivy Carter is a university lecturer. The second place is on the island of Flores in the Indonesian archipelago, thousands and thousands of years ago around the time when an off-shoot of humanity existed alongside homo sapiens. They're affectionately known as 'hobbits' in the news stories that cover the area and discoveries. This is based on fact -- they did exist. Hayley Camille takes these stories (and has done a LOT of research into this obviously) and crafts a huge WHAT IF storyline. Ivy Carter travels back to this time and faces big questions about if she should interfere in history, and if so, to what extent. And that brings me to the third place in the story. The third place is an alternate present day, when the repercussions of Ivy's actions play out.

I really marvelled at the science in this story, and given that I don't have a science background that wasn't exactly difficult! Camille is able to sell the science in this really well. She introduces great little inventions, like a way to create electricity, which are probably obvious to people who know the scene, but to me they came across as amazing. It really hooked me into the story.

There's also a deeply human story here. And it's incredibly relevant to our world now. How do we treat people who are just a little different to ourselves? How does compassion cross the lines of human/hobbit and even human/bonobo.

Beautiful story, but there's clearly a second book coming - so be prepared for a moment of "WHAT?? That can't be happening!" at the end. I really look forward to reading the next chapter.

This review is based on a paperback book I purchased in Melbourne.

[Matt Bolton · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really enjoyable read. The author mixes science fiction, archaeology, genetics, ethics and romance in my most thought-provoking read in ages. Juxtaposing an ancient world with our modern one, through the eyes of an environmentalist and archaeologist in the lead character, challenges the reader to examine contemporary environmental and ethical practices. All of this is tied up in a book that's an entertaining read and hard to put down. It certainly left me wanting to know more about Ivy and what her future holds.

[Ang · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll be honest, I didn't think it would be that fantastic when I read the blurb. I mean sent back to prehistoric times? Sounds like a death wish, but Ivy's story was actually intriguing.

Pros:
Reading the story gave an insight into archaeology that a complete amateur was able to grasp. The social issues on animal testing was insightful and the 'what if' scenarios about the hobbits in modern day society was a good example that prompted the question : whether death 50 thousand years back would have been a more merciful fate. Ivy herself appeared naive in the beginning, weak simply because she believed she was. The character development as she begins to adapt was an enjoyable aspect.

Cons:
I was easily able to guess some of the plot twists and sometimes the reactions of the characters seemed a bit off. I also felt the book blurb didn't do it justice.

Camille (Author) is a great writer - her story is clear and structured nicely, the tension from the organisation of chapters was done well.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had mixed feelings about this story in the beginning. The story was interesting, but the non-linear structure annoyed me. It felt like the author had been told to start with action so put the 12th chapter first before introducing the characters and situation.
If it's the sort of thing that annoys you, I'd recommending reading chapters 2-12 before chapter 1 and then go back to chapter 13. If you're not into prologues, feel free to skip this one.
The only other thing that bothered me was when the story required some of the cast to go hunting a big animal to stock up for winter. There is no such season in the tropics.
Apart from those couple of things, I found the story interesting and well written. I'd read the sequel if it existed.
Recommended for readers with an interest in science, particularly archeology, and time-travel stories.

[Debbie Eyre · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a great read! It’s well written, intriguing and has you hooked from the get go as we see Ivy our female mc and Archaeologist thrown fifty thousand years into the past. In modern day, Orrin our male mc and astrophysicist is desperate to find out what has happened to Ivy as the world around him starts to unravel. It’s an incredible blend of sci-fi, fantasy and real science and imagination as we find ourselves sucked into this incredible world as our mc’s battle through trying to save humanity. The author has done a fantastic job of interweaving the past and the future and I cannot wait to read the next book!

[Bonnie Dale Keck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kindle Unlimited but must have gotten it through instafreebie or something. Used to her Avon Calling Series, and regardless of what some reviews said, the #1 should indicate first part, possible cliffhanger for this one. Liked it just didn't luv it type rating.

Human (The Chronicles of Ivy Carter Book 1)
Serialized from Avon Calling A woman's work is never done, A dream that I can call my own, Chocolate cake and sandwiches, Kitty's cat house, In for a dime in for a dollar, St. Augustine's Home for Unwanted Boys. of the parts out at this time. {WWII Film noir, avon, homemaker, assassin, let the good times roll....}

[Mstv · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting Sci-Fi story, involving some thought provoking premises on the treatment of what is a sentient being, what constitutes being 'human' and how should they be treated, along with time travel!
FUN!
The only fly in my ointment is that it's a series & while almost a standalone it really draws you on, but it's not available through the library, only Amazon, so you have to buy, but it may well be worth it if the following are the quality of the 1st book.

[Judith A Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unexpected journey

The past, the present, the future... all changed by science and technology. A young woman who challenges destiny of a race. A man gone mad who traveled back too and wants to go home and create a different future. Greed, anger, love and determination. An end to earth..? Read the beginnings you will want the rest to come quickly.

[T C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Won this book through First Reads giveaways. Now that I'm back to reading with more spare time, I'm slowly catching up on reviewing these and this book is next on my list. Eager to get to the last page :).

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow what a read. Ivy is an archeologist, but gets kidnapped to help many years in the past. This story has you gripped until you get to the end.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting premise on how a change in the past can completely and utterly change the future. I liked the book but...if you are looking for closure I would wait on reading until the next book comes out. I didn't realize this book was a series and only the first book has been realized. You don't expect it to end so abruptly and you will want more.

[Emmie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great premise. I saw the trailer for this book and I was instantly fascinated.

[KylieAtkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has a little bit of everything. Fantasy, sci-fi, romance, time travel, history, mystery, thriller. It's extremely well researched and Hayley certainly knows her stuff. Her knowledge of archaeology shines through as our heroine is thrust back 50, 000 years.

This is a big book (536 pages) and a lot to take in. It was definitely something I had to read in smaller amounts and absorb what I'd read. There is a lot to ponder, particularly in our role of running the planet and squashing anything in our way. It reminds me of the Butterfly Effect, for every little thing that changes, it sends ripples out and before you know it, someone major changes. (That's why little good things can be so impactful too.)

I would have liked Ivy and Orrin's budding romance to have been stronger before she left to fully appreciate their connection. I do love the sweet relationship between Ivy and her Bonobo, Kyrah, though. Seeing her flourish in the wild is delightful.

An interesting and thought provoking read that I'll follow up on in Book 2 - Instinct.

[Dana · Rating 2 out of 5]

I haven't decided if I liked this one or not. It was an interesting premise to show how one person going back in time could have such an impact on the future. I did not like how it ended - it stopped right at a crucial moment so you know there has to be a second book. Also there was so much profanity from a few of the characters that I had to skip over parts.

[Jasmine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Could not put this book down – strong characters, excitement and suspense!

For me, it raised some really thought-provoking questions about humanity – our strengths and weaknesses, the choices we make and their effect on other species.

SUPERBLY WRITTEN!

[Norm Chace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ivys Tribe

Well told story just purchased the rest of the book!
Waiting for download to finish the story to see how it does

[Zete · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it... I couldn't wait for the next book! I found it so unique!

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the science -fiction thriller “Human” archaeologist Ivy Carter and six -year-old Kyah a terrified bonoho are swept back 50,0000 years into the past to the Indonesian island of Flores where a species of hominid is on the “knife edge of extinction in this volatile land”. Struggling against her demons having lost her modern-day lifestyle and Orrin James the young physicist she loves, Ivy pits her intellect against the “Swift Death” that’s killing the tribe’s hunters, and the “karathah” a tall deadly people who want the hobbits’ land and cave for their own. What Ivy doesn’t know is that any record of her existence has vanished from the present except in the memory of Orrin and his assistant and that the world has changed, hovering on the brink of destruction.

Set at Melbourne University in the present where Ivy an archaeologist and lecturer investigating the prehistoric artifacts unearthed from an Indonesian cave, the location quickly changes to the past when she’s swept back in time to help a tribe of hobbits survive. The action never stops as she faces a Komodo dragon, a strange lethal sickness and is stalked by a researcher from the CSIRO who’s also pulled back in the time shift. Well-developed and highly descriptive this fascinating plot weaves together elements of anthropology, astronomy, psychology and sociology into an adventure you can’t put down until finished.

Well-written and highly descriptive Hayley Camille creates not only the deadly beauty of a prehistoric world where hobbits are dying, but a modern age where the magnetosphere protecting Earth has destabilised, a crisis that could ultimately mean the extinction of humanity. As science looks for answers aberrations ravage the political atmosphere, environment, and the people. In modern-day Melbourne where hobbits now exist they’re considered animals and pests and riots are getting larger over the loss of their habitat and their use in experimentation.

Skilfully the author weaves in a mystery as Orrin searches for clues to the time shift and a link between Ivy’s disappearance and the changes to his world. Intensity and suspense continually escalate as tension mounts with the hostility between the karathah and hobbits, and in the future with the altercation between Orrin and the Chancellor of the University. This is a compelling story that questions the definition of what constitutes a human, and encompasses underlying themes like prejudice and moral ethics.

The characters are complex, natural and unforgettable like Ivy Carter who struggles with the loss of loved ones. A loner who keeps people at arms length, she tends to be quirky, defensive, and distant. Orrin James the brilliant, popular, and confident physicist begins to breakdown her reserve before she disappears. As the story progresses he becomes depressed, fearing he’s losing his mind, that Ivy was a figment of his imagination while Ivy gains a family she’s determined to protect. Yet it’s the hobbits with their vulnerabilities, anger and naïve faith that earn a place in your heart as they struggle to survive.

I loved “Human” which climaxes in a surprising cliff-hanger that begs for a sequel. I can’t wait to see what Hayley Camille has in-store next for Ivy, Orrin, the hobbits and humanity.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have only read the first instalment of this but loved it. I'm a sucker for history and archeology and this had intrigue and romance thrown in as well. I will certainly be looking out for the rest of the books. I learnt a lot as Hayley obviously knows her subject but made it easy to understand.

[Tony Fecteau · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has so many things packed into it! science, action, time travel, romance.... It was difficult to put out down between reading sessions. Looking forward to book #2.