Helix: Episode 1

Helix #1

by Nathan M. Farrugia

Olesya has always been different.


To most, she was an ordinary girl from post-Soviet Russia. But to the covert agency that recruited her she was something much more. The agency is a collector of genetic anomalies; forging gifted children into their most deadly black operatives.


Seven years later, Olesya leads a team of hunters on a dangerous assignment. Her targets are black elusive, genetically enhanced, and unstoppable. From the bio-clinics of Brazil to the icy borderlands of Kaliningrad, from the catacombs of Lithuania to the citadel of occupied Prague, Olesya is at the heart of a war against a powerful, malevolent organization that wants total control.


But as operatives and hunters start to vanish, Olesya discovers they aren’t the only players in this deadly game …


A cross between Dark Angel and Jason Bourne, Helix is an action-packed technothriller series for fans of Matthew Reilly and A.G. Riddle.

Genres: Science Fiction, Thriller, Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Fiction, Suspense

194 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2016

About the author

Nathan M. Farrugia is the USA Today bestselling author of the Helix and Fifth Column sci-fi thriller series.

Nathan is known for placing himself in dangerous situations, including climbing rooftops in Russia and being hunted by special forces trackers in the United States. He studies Systema, a little-known martial art and former secret of the Russian special forces.

Beyond his army training, Nathan has trained under USMC, SEAL team, Spetsnaz and Defence Intelligence instructors, and the wilderness and tracking skills of the Chiricahua Apache scouts and Australian Aboriginals.

Reviews

[✘✘ Sarah ✘✘ (former Nefarious Breeder of Murderous Crustaceans) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Warning: the gif is strong is this one. You're welcome.


This is me right now:



Consider your little barnacled selves warned and stuff.

So. The most acute decapods among you might have noticed I am not a huge fan of disgustingly immature young characters. Harry Potter doesn't count, obviously (even I am not that insanely iconoclastic), and neither do the Most Wondrous Ilona Andrews Younglings Bunch (MWIAYB™), because DUH and stuff. Anyway. My point is, there is a slight chance I might be a teensy little bit allergic to books featuring abhorrent moppets and vile teenagers. Hence my perfectly logical reaction when Nathan Farrugia offered to send me a copy of his book:



So here I was, in Glorious Chop Chop Chop Mode (GCCCM™). I started reading the book and put the murderous shrimps on Super Extra High Alert (SEHA™) as soon as I realized the MC was naught but an appallingly loathsome little kid. I can't remember how old she is at the beginning of the story, but I'm pretty sure she isn't even 10, which is dreadfully spine-chilling, if you ask me. Anyway, what initially saved the dear girl (Olesya is her name) is that she is Russian. And, as we all know, all Russians are devious, cunning, crooked, corrupt, vodka-drinking spies cum hackers cum backstabbers cum mobsters *waves at Evgeny*, which means they are slightly cool. Also, they sometimes act weirdly yet rhythmically in their backyards:



The Kremlin has denied to comment on this most outlandish occurrence. The Fluffy Siberian Bunnies (FSB™) are currently investigating the matter and will report back post haste.

But I ever so slightly digress. What I mean to say is, Olesya is Russian and Russians are wickedly magnificent just like the Seven. Magnificent, I mean. And no, I am not talking about the Magnificently crappy 2016 Seven. I am talking about the Magnificently Magnificent 1960 Seven. Because I'm ancient like that , ergo no immediate death via machete or deadly crustaceans to be expected. Yay and stuff. And I must admit I am quite happy to report I was right to give the dear girl the benefit of the shrimpy doubt *pats her little self on the exoskeleton* because once you start reading the story, you forget how distastefully young she and her colleagues are. Okay, so it helps that the narrative goes back and forth between youthfully youthful times, and today, when our cast is still repulsively juvenile but not unbearably so (late teens, early 20s maybe?). Which means I managed to survive through it all and stuff.



Gloria Gaynor is me told you I was ancient.

Another reason why I made it through this book deliciously unscathed is that the story is kinda sorta cool: we've got a whole bunch of kids *shudders* who are offered a scholarship to an elite school for gifted children recruited by a covert organization to be trained as spec ops soldiers for secret/undercover/black/clandestine/whatever mission impossible type stuff. "That's quite thrilling," I hear you say, but "why the bloody shrimp is this book shelved as sci-fi?" I hear you ask. Because the not-so repulsive younglings in residence all have super extra special DNAs, meaning they have super extra special abilities and stuff. Nothing outlandish à la Wolverine, mind you, but they can do some pretty awesome stuff. So. The Non Puke Inducing Kids (NPIK™) are trained in a secret facility. And then spoiler spoiler spoiler stuff happens. Major spoiler spoiler spoiler stuff. Which means I won't be telling you anything else about this most exciting tale.




Okay, so I'm not completely heartless just kidding so I will tell you this I realize now that I might or might not have mentioned part of what follows in a previous paragraph. You don't mind my rehashing, do you? Oh, good : the story alternates between the past, when the kids are being trained to be spec ops badasses, and the present, when our Juvenile Yet Kick Ass Spec Ops Bunch (JYKASOB™) is travelling the world doing spoiler spoiler spoiler stuff. Which seems to have confused the fish out of some people. This, however wasn't the case for me. Which leads me to the following conclusion: either some people are missing a few grey cells, or I am superiorly intelligent. QED and stuff.

Mmmmmm, it seems I am in an uncharacteristically benevolent mood today, because I am suddenly willing to tell you something else about this story: it is a bloody shrimping action-packed, highly entertaining, sometimes beautifully gritty thriller-type thingie with lots of yummy military stuff—Mr. F. obviously knows what the fish he is talking about—and unexpected developments galore. And you might say that I almost slightly enjoyed reading it. Maybe. You might also say that there is a slight chance this story might very well be FREE right now. Ergo, you might possibly want to go ahead and download it and stuff.

» And the moral of this Please Someone Call Dr. Prawn I Think I Have a Fever or Something It is the Only Plausible Explanation for my Unexpectedly Unforeseen Enjoyment of this Story Crappy Non Review (PSCDPITIHaFoRIstOPEtmUUEotSCNR™) is: not all younglings are abominably vile. Some of them even are quite likeable bearable and stuff.

ebook kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

· Book 2: Exile ★★★★
· Book 3: Interceptor ★★★★★
· Book 4: Anomaly ★★★★
· Book 5: Inversion ★★★★★
· Book 6: Exclave ★★★★



[Pre-review nonsense]

Not bad for a story about a bunch of revoltingly juvenile characters.



Shocking, I know. Poor Edgar here ↑↑ nearly had a heart attack when he realized my account hadn't been hacked and that it was really me rating this tale of youthful kickassness (yes, that is a thing) 4 bloody shrimping stars. Color him slightly stunned and somewhat dismayed and moderately flabbergasted and stuff.

» Full Sorry Mr. Farrugia I Sorta Liked Your Book So You Won't Be Putting a Hex on Me Just Yet But All Hope is not Lost for I Haven't Read the Rest of the Series Yet Crappy Non Review (FSMFISLYBSUWBPaHoMJYBAHinLfIHRtRotSYCNR™) to come.



[May 30, 2016]

➽ Because Nathan Farrugia is slightly insane and likes to live dangerously. I mean, why else would he offer a copy of his book for me to read and not review? To make things worse, he has the audacity to think his female MC, Olesya, is worthy of my kick-butt heroine shelf! Unbelievable. Either the guy is a bit on the batty side, or he has a death wish. In any case, this story sounds reasonably cool, and Nathan threatened to put a hex on me if I didn't like his book. Which is pretty awesome, if you ask me.

➽ Bring it on, Mr Farrugia, I am more than ready for you.



Yes I recently grew a very sexy mustache. Doesn't it look super hot on me?

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Helix: Episode 1 (Helix #1) by Nathan M. Farrugia

Synopsis /

Have you met Olesya?

She’s a spy hunter. In a high-tech world of programmed assassins, betrayal and far-reaching conspiracies, Olesya and her team are the last line of defense against a covert organization that will stop at nothing to control the world.

But a new, deadlier enemy is rising.

And they have Olesya in their crosshairs...

My Thoughts /

Helix by Nathan M. Farrugia is the first book in the Helix series, of which there are currently ten. Amazon Australia has marked the e-book as a “technothriller”. I am feeling my age now because I don’t even know what that is! A Google search revealed — It’s a literary genre that combines the best of what thrillers have to offer – deceit, secrets, intrigue – and best of what science fiction has to offer – a world without limits. More than traditional elements of science fiction, this genre does not always involve complex technological innovations, but rather offers up a futuristic perspective in one way or another. You get complex characters, a problem that needs solving, and a mix of brains and technology that bring about the solution. Oh, there is also always heart-pounding action at the centre of it all. Did you know some classics like Jurassic Park and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo count as techno-thrillers?

Hmmm. Well, I haven’t seen Jurassic Park, but I have enjoyed the movie and read the book The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, so how bad can this be?

St. Petersburg, Russia. A letter has arrived for fourteen year old, Olesya, it’s written in English but has a Russian translation. Her older brother, Zakhar reads the letter for her and offers congratulations to his younger sister. She’s one of the lucky ones. Olesya has been accepted by and offered a scholarship into a special school for ‘gifted’ children.

A school for ‘gifted children? Oh, au contraire mon ami — it turns out Olesya has been recruited by a covert organisation to be brainwashed, err I mean trained, as a spec ops soldier, to be used for secret, undercover, clandestine, black, shadowy [insert any other covert meaning words here] missions of choice. Whose choice(?) I hear you ruminate. Well, I haven’t quite worked that out yet….and yes, I did read the book; the whole book; the entire book.

To be brutally honest, here’s what I do know. Whilst the premise sounded good, the story and writing were disappointing. The book is written much like a movie, with each chapter seemingly representing a scene in a movie. We open in the present day; chapter 2 is ‘ten years ago’; and we toggle back and forth like this for a few chapters, until we get to ‘nine years ago’; then back to present; then ‘two years later’. It just confused this reader and made it unnecessarily difficult to follow.

Next, repetition. Is it repetition or just incomplete editing? Either way, it’s a no. Here’s an example. At the bottom of page 143 (location 1624-1625) — then [Val] took the Ejaculator and clipped it to her belt. Then again at the top of the next page, 144 (location 1637) — Val quickly took the Ejaculator before Ark could pinch it. She clipped it to her belt. Now, I will admit to greying hair; failing eyesight; and moving more slowly, BUT – there’s absolutely nothing wrong with my brain synapses, these are firing on full alert baby!! And this sort of stuff just annoys the bejesus out of me.

Okay, so the main character, Olesya, has been trained as a covert agent in a scholarship program known as Project Gate. Project Gate recruits its youths and trains them exclusively for black op covert missions. You also find out that the recruits were genetically enhanced with what you could call “super genes” such as those to create heat, cold, or to generate electricity through touch. During one of the crew’s final training missions, we learn that Project Gate is really a front for an ‘evil’ organization that has infiltrated many of the world’s governments and is referred to as the Fifth Column. Olesya becomes one of a select few given the task of trying to cut the head of the serpent and bring down the Fifth Column.

If all this isn’t enough to make you get our your 2B lead pencil and start making notes….. enter the Sixth Column; a splinter faction of the Fifth Column which is actively working against the Fifth Column by rescuing and reprogramming their operatives. It’s more confusing than a New York Times Cryptic Crossword. So I’ll let one of the operatives give you the job description:-

‘Yeah, what do you do? Turn up on their doorstep? “Hey, I was programmed by a secret multinational agency and when I graduated I was ordered to kill my own parents to pass my training. Oh, but then I was rescued and now I’ve declared war against this big agency. So anyway, we’re all terrorists on the run now, bye.”’

This series has quite a high GR rating and I have seen a clip where one video reviewer talks about how things seem to settle down and flow better in the second book. Right now, I’m on the fence about continuing, especially as I can’t source these from my local library so will have to purchase a copy.

I just don’t think I’m cut out to be a technothriller devotee. I’ll leave you with one last quote which may or may not help you make up your own mind about whether you will be a devoted Helix fan.

Val and Ark were competing over who got to choose the non-lethal weapons on the table. Typically, that was decided by a game of Rock Paper Scissors — or as they called it, Assassin, Drone, Suicide Bomber.

[Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars for Helix: Episode 1: A Technothriller (ebook) by Nathan M Farrugia.
This was really an action packed story. Lots of chase scenes and shootouts. The author must know a lot about firearms. He had a lot of interesting choices for the characters. They seemed very specific to the county that they were in. I really hope that this gets made into a audiobook.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5★s

At only eight years of age Russian born Olesya was accepted into the special school for gifted children – but she was shocked and upset that her big brother had missed out on a scholarship as well. She and Zakhar were best friends; she hated the thought of leaving him and their parents, but also knew she didn’t have a choice.

Six years later and Olesya had passed through her basic training in English Squad – she had just been transferred to Firebird Squad where they would be doing Combat Training. The squad leader Arkadiusz showed his displeasure at her inclusion – he was sure she would cause them to fail the mission. But Olesya had other ideas…

Years later and team leader, Olesya knew the meaning of danger; and she thrived in it – their assignment was filled with menace; the operatives the best of the best. It was kill or be killed in the war against a power that was aiming to control the world. And Olesya was equally compelled to be part of the team that came out on top. But when operatives began to disappear Olesya knew there was something much deeper going on…

Helix Episode 1 by Aussie author Nathan Farrugia is an extremely gritty and fast paced science fiction thriller which had me on the edge of my seat. Moving back and forward in time from Olesya’s young age to the current day, it’s nevertheless easy to follow. The ending was left open so I’m now gritting my teeth with having to wait for part 2! Though Helix Episode 1 is only novella size, the suspense and tension which blended with the science fiction aspect was great. Highly recommended.

With thanks to the author for this copy to read in exchange for my honest review.

[Barry Cunningham · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from the author in exchange for a frank and honest review, I am grateful, as otherwise I may not have selected it to read, the genre of gifted children/adults (eg X Men) is not really my normal reading fodder. However, having agreed to do this I am really surprised, it is a well written book, full of action and suspense, because of the genre it is a little predictable in places but this in no way detracts from the plot or the excitement and enjoyment I got from reading it. It was fairly obvious it is the start of a series, possibly a large one, and for the followers and fans of this genre I expect they are really happy that this series will get them hooked into Nathan's World. The main characters are beautifully created and depicted in a way that you want to care about what happens to them, the plot is full of surprises (no spoilers here!), I often found myself mentally congratulating the author for misdirecting and surprising me in ways I never expected, despite the aforementioned predictability in places. All in all a very good read by an obviously gifted author, well done Nathan Farrugia, I suspect you have a hit series here.

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

They may seem ordinary on the outside, but there are those who know better. Gifted children are recruited by a covert agency and like finely honed steel; they are forged into warriors of the black operative.

Olesya is one of those warriors and leads a team on the hunt for the genetically enhanced enemy, a vile group of massive proportions whose end game is total control. Are they the only players on the field or is something or someone else playing from within the shadows?

For those who followed the Fifth Column series, you will notice that author Nathan Farrigua’s Helix is an extension of this series with new characters, new genetic alterations while maintaining that same air of urgency and action.

Helix is the first in a new series that puts down a solid foundation for each ensuing novel to spring from. Meet the characters, discover the conflict and realize the enormity of the situation as once again, we see good standing against evil with the world as the prize. Mr. Farrigua’s attention to detail in both his world building and character development are, once again top notch as his stage is set for all-out war. If you enjoy the grit of battle, the friction between players, and taut and pressing tension, this looks to be another hit from an author who likes to dig deep into the trenches for his readers.

I received an ARC edition from the author in exchange for my honest review.

Series: Helix - Book 1
Kindle Edition, 142 pages
Expected publication: June 1st 2016 by Nathan M. Farrugia
Genre: Science Fiction
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

If I am brutally honest about this book, it is to say that whilst the writing and story is good, the tacking on of a genre is disappointing.

This is a spy, black operative book and does a good job of doing that. It is not a scifi book, or a high tech futuristic story. The whole book feels like ti was written as covert ops and the author shows his knowledge in this area with some very believable writing, but then it feels like a X-Men idea was written into the story to make it more popular with the readers of scifi or superpower fans etc.

The story starts with a bunch of kids at a special training ground. We are led to believe that each of them has some kind of superpower, but it is only discussed in passing, "oh yeah, I can make things explode, why are you here?". We do not see those powers in action, or developed or even discussed again. I know it is book 1 with plenty more to follow, but I wanted to see that side of the story developed, not just tacked on.
Our youths are being trained for black op covert missions and the story hops back and forth between training and today. Over all the pacing is really good, the characters are a little bland at the moment, but you can see that Farrugia is starting to develop a couple of them well.

Overall, as a thriller, Jason Bourne type book, it is great start to a long series. But I seriously think the author needs to decide what the series will be. If the superpower side of it is going to be a fundamental part of the story, it needs to be developed and explained in the next book. Right now it feels 'half pregnant' in what it is trying to be.

Farrugia has buckets of potential as an author and already I could see this as a tv series. Some of the action scenes are fast paced and you can really see how much personal experience makes those scenes so believable.

So I am currently on the fence, but will be reading book 2 to see where it goes.

[Belinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,75 stars. Fasten your seatbelt before you start to read this novel. The storyline is that special gifted children are taken by the fifth column to take over the world. They are bio changed and trained to be killing machines. In their last test three of them are "rescued" by the sixth column but soon they learn that allready it does not exist anymore. What are the plans and what is their future? The three are trained to be spy hunters. Oleysa is a character who stays human troughout training. That is why I like her character. Their is a two line telling in this book (the storyline of Oleysa and her team and Damien and his team) and also it is in different timetables. But because it is put above a chapter and where they are you can follow the story well.

Some lines out of the book - grownups ate pirzhki pies.... while children nibbled on sweet gingerbread.-
-the whistle sounded through the forest...-
-"Seeing ourselves as we really are that is humanity.-

[Jeanny · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 strong stars.
Cliffhanger ending.

I’d recommend this to readers who enjoy an action or mission centric book. The author does an excellent job describing fight scenes & armament. The world building & character development seems secondary & at times feels underdeveloped. The story telling unfolds Non-sequentially through a series of scenes that jumps through time. If I’m honest the lack of characterization, multiple POV(s) & timelines make the characters seem interchangeable. As a reader I need to become invested in the world or characters to continue a series. I suspect future books would continue to showcase the author’s mission & weapons knowledge resulting in a fast paced adventure ending in cliffhangers. I’ll pass.

[VanillaSky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Начала писать комментарий, но решила перенести сюда.

Начну с того, что мне понравилось в книге. Присутствие русских персонажей. Нормальных! То есть они не являются психами, злодеями или деревенщинами, которыми так любят изображать многие зарубежные, особенно американские, авторы россиян. Так же часть действия происходит в России; другая - в Южной Америке. И хочу заметить, что действия хватает: побеги, погони, перестрелки, засады, поездки на крыше автомобиля.. Скучать не придется. :)

А теперь к неприятному. У меня есть одно серьезное недовольство и два маленьких замечания. Замечание первое касается второй главы, точнее ее концовки. Часть беседы, касающаяся тайника для записки, должна быть опущена. Второе, весь этот проект, по идее, грандиозен, за ним должна быть длинная и насыщенная история, а он подан как школьный эксперимент. Впрочем, все еще впереди, я надеюсь.
Моя же главная проблема - герои. Я их не знаю, я их не чувствую. Они мне безразличны. Вплоть до того, что я испытывала досадукогда Вэл была похищена и все происходящее скомкалось, а потом с любопытством следила за болтаниями Олеси. Сомневаюсь, что автор рассчитывал на такой эмоциональный отклик.

Как итог: Было интересно. 3.5 звезды.

I received an ARC copy from the author. Many thanks.

[Nazrul Islam · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is a proverb "A reader job is to read 20 pages of a book and a writer job is to forced reader to finish the book." unfortunately i have to say this book failed it's purpose . I tried to love it but can't. There are a lot of action, action, action, nothing else . characterization build up is important for a book. But there is not characterization for the character of this book. it seems it happen here and there but no explanation. And books feature Olesya but i don't know nothing much. It need better explanation for every event. And one more important thing is every event needs to be organized. piece piece action scene can not be a book .
I hope writer will concern about it and best wishes for him

[Don Gerstein · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings after reading the first offering in this series. There are things that author Nathan Farrugia did well, and other things that did not quite fit.

Mr. Farrugia does have a talent for describing what I would call battle scenes. Whether it’s pistols, submachine guns, or hand-to-hand combat, the author drags the reader into the fight and doesn’t let up until the last punch is thrown. Based on these descriptions of intense action, it’s not hard to see why folks like this series.

However, a great story needs more than fantastic fight scenes (even if they do occupy major portions of the book). Characterizations are important, and apart from Olesya, most of the other people in the book are no more than a scant description. When an operative (Jay) is kidnapped, I understand the determination of his team members to rescue him, but as a reader, I know little about Jay and thus it is meaningless to me whether he lives or dies. On the other hand, I feel every bruise incurred by Olesya because the author has caused me to care about her. There is also banter between characters, especially in the beginning, but the one-liners thrown out by different people had a similar feel. Characterizations are blurred when traits are shared by many folks.

I was confused at times as to what type of book the author was attempting to write. As already mentioned, the covert operatives in battle after battle works due to the author’s ability to employ his background to create realistic scenes. The gene adaptation (for super powers) is almost an afterthought, brought in here and there when necessary for a scene but not given the time it deserves, especially considering the name of the novel. Perhaps this is because the book is short and everything I am looking for is in book 2. Most unsettling is what I consider the cardinal sin of the writing world today, and that is ending the book on a cliffhanger. Authors should allow their work to stand on its own, because if it is written well, customers will WANT to buy the next book and will even order it before it is released.

Recap: Many characters are flat or one-dimensional (though as I stated, this is a short book and that may be remedied in future books), and the superhero aspect needs more description if it is to be a major part of the storyline. The book is saved by the numerous pulse-pounding action scenes. The book ends with a cliffhanger ending. Three stars.

[Coco.V]

💝 FREE on Amazon today (11/22/2017)! 💝

[Collin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my second opportunity to read Mr. Farrugia's work. I enjoyed his debut novel and noted the expectation of seeing him improve and being the type of author you would see being referred to in comparisons for up-and-coming novelists. I don't feel like I was wrong on this.

The initial scene with Damien (without giving anything away) really hit a home run with me with regard to the perfectly characterized smart alec, cocky, hero type personality...then I lost that flavor with this character as the story unfolds. There is the beginning of some good female lead characters to see as this ongoing story unfolds in future novels. I just want to see them focused on more.

I can't quite put my finger on it, but the initial 1/4 - to 1/3 of the story felt "hurky-jerky" to coin a phrase. The transition among the timelines and backstories was not difficult to follow, but something about how those transpired early in the story seemed like it could have been done with a better flow (sorry I'm not able to pinpoint this more).

Once the storylines started to intersect, this is when I really enjoyed it and absolutely went bonkers at the end...

Solid 4 star on this outing.

[Ralph · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 out of 5 -- Promising author, non-stop action at expense of character development

Disclaimer: The author was kind to provide a free copy to read (without a request for a review) and I appreciated receiving it.

Primarily a YA action thriller with elements of science fiction, Helix gets off to a great start with witty dialogue and plenty of action. The action sequences are realistic and energetic, but the novel suffers by the lack of any significant character development. The reader doesn't have an opportunity to get to know any of the characters to any degree and thus doesn't have any motivation to get invested in them.

The story switches from present day to the past, from one geographical location to another, and features many characters aligned with various factions. If you read books a little at a time as time permits, this could be confusing. The genetically enabled superpower-like abilities of the characters wasn't a big draw for me, but the way the operatives were programmed was intriguing and plausible.

Helix is the first of a five part series that suddenly ends with a couple of cliffhangers and not much in the way of resolution. The author certainly can write good action sequences and with some focus on characterization and pacing, I will be looking forward to reading more from him.

[Elisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advanced copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, Nathan Farrugia!
This book is the most fun I've had since I watched the last Mission Impossible movie. Helix is a brand new series, so you don't need to have read any of Mr. Farrugia's other books, but if you have you will be rewarded. The plot requires a considerable suspension of disbelief, but the science makes sense, so you are never completely sure whether the technology actually exists. In any case, it doesn't matter, since Helix is so action-packed that it's hard to stop for even just a second (I read it in a few hours). As with the Fifth Column series, you can tell that the author has military training so that all the maneuvers are believable and, even if they may be outgunned and outnumbered, the characters always fight back intelligently. My only complaint is that this book is part of a series, so I will have to wait till the next installment to know what happens next.

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

Take a deep breath as this is an action pack story that moves at one hell of a pace. It is in the same world as Nathan's other books, there is no need to read them first but if you have and you enjoyed them then give this a go as Damien and Jay are in it. The whole concept has always reminded me of Ender's game, just not in space, and this episode continues to do that.

At first I thought the idea of having the story split into episodes would not work, I like to have the story in one go and work my way to the conclusion, I'm the same with TV I hate waiting each week for more episodes. Nathan does such a good job and crams so much into this episode that you'll be left needing a breather before the next episode is released.

Looking forward to episode 2.

[David Biondi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an email from Nathan asking me if I would like to read an advanced copy of his book and of course I jumped on the chance. I'm not critic by any stretch but I do love a good book.

Helix 1 is almost like a mini series on TV. This book is kinda like 24 on steroids. It was a very easy read and I really enjoyed it. You can really tell that Nathan did his research in making this book come to life. It's action packed and very Precise in the details. If you enjoy thriller shoot em up spy novels I really think you'll dig this book!

[SanaBanana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3.3 stars

I quite liked the idea for this book! It was based on a bunch of people who were chosen at a young age who displayed 'superpowers' or genetic differences and were couped up in a special forces type of facility and were taught to become cold blooded fighters. But when a group of them escaped and some taken, they only truly realised what their purpose was.

This book was like 96% action (the action scenes, however, were entertainingly written!) with little to no explanation of what was happening and why they were fighting. I don't know whether it was just me being confused with what was going on, I felt that it was all quite a mystery for me.

I suppose that because this was only the first episode, the story will gradually unravel into something bigger for me to truly grasp the objectives of the plot. After reading that massive cliffhanger at the end, there is much more to the story that what meets the eye in the first episode. I believe the first episode is just an introduction of some sorts.

All in all I quite enjoyed this one, and should an opportunity presents itself for me to be able to read the next episodes I most definitely shall!!

[L.G. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a quick read (less than 200 pages) and the first episode of several parts. The premise is that "super soldiers" are being trained from pre-teens to young adults to function as operatives for a certain international organization. Most of these children have an extraordinary ability such as exceptional vision or hearing. The children are "programmed" to perform missions. As the book continues, the operatives are given additional abilities (such as enhanced rapid healing).

Other organizations and governments become disillusioned with what is being done to and with these operatives. Tensions arise and the operatives are hunted.

[Erik Warming · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got this book for free

There are two stories in this book.

One about a young girl selected for a special school. Later is revealed it is a military school for gifted x-men style.

The other is about an operative in the middle of an extraction mission.

In the beginning, it was confusing and annoying to follow two stories that were not connected. But later I learned that the young girl and the operative were the same person.
These genetic x-men abilities feel underwhelming as they are not really expanded upon, but still, there is a world-spanning organization that has invested millions in developing these students.

The action and mission execution parts of the book is well written, but the rest feel undercooked. I reached the point where I put down the book and it is doubt full that I will pick it up again to finish it.

[Norman Hirschman · Rating 5 out of 5]

young people are awarded a scholarship but what did that mean. They are trained as assassins but have special powers. This group is known as the Fifth Column. However some escape with the help of another group and it becomes a war between the two groups. Olesya is one of these people and her battle has just begun. Well worth reading

[Dipankar Bhadra · Rating 2 out of 5]

গল্পের বদলে শুরু থেকে শেষ পর্যন্ত শুধু অ্যাকশন‌ই ছিল...

[Michael Rork · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book, I really did. Nathan sent me a free copy of Episode 1 because of my interest in another book similar to his. I never got around to reading it, but then it was only $0.99 on Amazon, so I snagged it and decided to finally read it (I bought it even though I'd been given a copy for free because I wanted to support the author).

I really liked the world building, and was interested in seeing how the story would evolve. The characters felt a little flat, but I assumed that would develop more as the story progressed. Unfortunately they didn't. I often kept trying to remember which character was which, since I felt they have so few distinguishing traits. This could have just been me, so I don't fault the author too much for this.

I also expected a story resolution of some sort by the end of the episode--something to get me excited to read the next chapter--but unfortunately I felt that it just ended, with no resolution of what I had just read, and no hook to grab me to keep going.

My other major issue was that the book seemed to be nothing but very detailed action scenes. I couldn't figure out exactly why, but the way they were written was so difficult for me to follow. It was descriptions of the way the characters did very specific things, I felt as if the author had a very clear image in his head of the scene, but missed key points to convey this image to the reader, and focused on the wrong things that did nothing to enhance the experience.

I understand this comes across as a harsh review, but I would like to speculate that maybe this book just isn't for me, that I am simply not the right type of reader for a book like this. If this is the case, then you may have a better reading experience than I did. Maybe you'll be able to distinguish between the characters and follow the actions scenes better than I did.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nasira and Damien, black operatives who's training started in early childhood, are tracking down Jay, a fellow operative who was kidnapped. Their rescue mission runs the gambit in Guatemala and time is running out. Even as they think they are narrowing the gap between them and Jay, another threat announces its presence. Turns out, they aren't the only group trying to get their hands on Jay. There is a third contender.

Just who are these operatives and where do they come from? Along the main story line we are also thrown back in time to experience how they were cultivated as children. They were hand picked from around the world when their DNA was found to have special outliers necessary for enhancement. Their parents gladly sent them into the hands of evil men under the pretense of an educational grant. They thought their children were attending an elite school in America but instead they were being molded into assassins by an organization called the Fifth Column. They have mapped the human genome and selected a special few to create super human soldiers. You are drawn along this journey by Olesya, who has just received her letter of admittance.

I had not read the previous books but this one is a great introduction to the current problem and it sheds some light on the operative's training as children. The training was reminiscent of Ender's Game, which I love. The present situation involves elite soldiers battling it out and definitely makes me think of the Bourne series. I am excited to read more and I can't wait to read the previous series.

[Kat (Katlovesbooks) Dietrich · Rating 3 out of 5]

Helix: Episode 1 by Nathan M. Farrugia is a "technothriller". This is one of 9 parts to the series.

Mr. Farrugia emailed me and offered this copy to me for free, for an honest review, as he felt it may be of interest. I thank him for considering me.

Honestly, this was not my cup of tea. First, I'm not into spy novels. Second, perhaps if it was a complete book, if it didn't end in a cliff-hanger which would mean you have to purchase the next in the "series", just to find some type of resolution. I always consider a "series" as a series of books, not a series of chapters. So that annoyed me. I also felt that a lot was left out of this "chapter", or rather not explained very well. Perhaps things become clearer in later episodes.

On the other hand, the plot was good. An 8-year old girl from Russia is given a "scholarship", but actually recruited by a covert agency, who is collecting a group with genetic anomalies. It follows her training, as well as that of some of her team members throughout the next 7 or 8 years of her life, where she is now leading a team and hunting other operatives. There are a few different groups, which all seem to be at opposing angles. It is very fast-paced, with lots of action.

As I was saying, not my cup of tea, but not a bad read.

[Olga · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book from Nathan Farrugia. I want to thank him for reaching out to me and offering me to read his new book.

This is a first part in a ten part series. It is full of action, shooting, running and all kinds of things, that make you turn the page to read what's next. I read it in a couple of hours, and it absolutely captured my attention.

After finishing it, though, I felt like it lacked some kind of background information. I couldn't feel the connection to any of the characters, couldn't sympathise with them. Brother-sister relationship between Olesya and Zakhar seemed too syrupy and not plausible. I would also like the story more if it showed more technical/scientific details. What exactly pseudogenes are, who discovered/invented them, how do they activate them, etc.

Keep in mind, that this is the first part of the series. There's a possibility the author would explore these themes more in the future episodes, so then my notes could be discarded.

Overall, Helix Episode 1 is an attention-grabbing read, it's short, it's full of action. I will be waiting for the next episodes!

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Before anything else you must be warned about the epic cliffhanger at the end of this (Farrugia you are mean!) so be prepared for that, I wasn't and was actually near a breakdown when I got to it (not prepared for it at all). This uses some of the same characters from Farrugia's Fifth column series and follows Olesya in her early years as she is accepted to school for the gifted, much to the surprise of her and her parents. The story then begins to jump around a little which can be a bit difficult to follow (or it could be because I read too fast to keep things straight in my head). There is also a fair bit of science behind the abilities of the Olesya and her friends and the events relating to these which isn't really explained (hoping that comes up later in the series), which my inner geek was dying to know about. An great start to the series but it so leaves you wanting more!

[Drache · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclosure: The author granted me an advanced copy of this book.

Overall, I rather enjoyed the premise: genetically superior children are taken in by a clandestine organization for sinister purposes, some of whom are later liberated to hopefully counter this shadowy group.

I found myself legitimately amused by the humorous dialogue, which often feels stilted at best in other books. The action sequences were satisfyingly realistic enough that as a person with MMA experience, I could contentedly suspend my disbelief. This, in and of itself, is a high mark in a world of improbable and purple fights.

Given that it was only 142 pages, I'd have preferred something substantially longer to digest, but I can't call that a real drawback--it just makes me quietly await the sequel.

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

*free copy received from author in exchange for an honest review*

I found Helix Episode 1 to be a great start to an serial story. The pace of the action was perfect. The author continued to develop characters introduced through his earlier books. The ending of the episode was exceptional. I found it to be the perfect cliff-hanger. The best part of the story was that what I thought was going on was proven wrong at the end. I look forward to reading more of this story when they are published.

I would recommend Helix Episode 1 to all fans of Farrugia, Matthew Reilly and fans of action adventure stories. They will surely not be disappointed.