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The Complex
Halcyon
A Lone Planet. One Complex.
Unlimited Chaos.
Catch a siren. Stop the storm. Whatever the cost.
Allie, sick of war and grief, signed up as a lowly maintenance worker for the Complex in the hope of securing a lasting peace between the Metas and Humans. However, the girl has her own secrets, not least of which is her assignment from the Lorn government to monitor the Complex for signs of a suspected saboteur.
Galen, the only survivor of the Poseidon shipwreck, didn't join the Complex for peace. He wants vengeance on the siren Halcyon, the mysterious Mer whose terrorist tactics single-handedly killed more humans than any other Meta. His sources say that Halcyon is on Lorn, and he'll happily kill every Mer in the Complex until his parents' murderer is dead.
Can they catch the terrorist before the Complex is destroyed?
The Complex Book Series:
A Lone Planet. One Complex.
Unlimited Chaos.
After a brutal war between Humans and Metas an uneasy truce is declared in the Seldova solar system. At the conclusion of the treaty signing, the Complex is created on the lone planet, Lorn. The Complex is a blended community of Humans and Metas, all sent to test the waters of a more peaceful existence between the two races. Living under a domed community can only mean one thing for the Humans and Metas. Chaos.
Unlimited Chaos.
Catch a siren. Stop the storm. Whatever the cost.
Allie, sick of war and grief, signed up as a lowly maintenance worker for the Complex in the hope of securing a lasting peace between the Metas and Humans. However, the girl has her own secrets, not least of which is her assignment from the Lorn government to monitor the Complex for signs of a suspected saboteur.
Galen, the only survivor of the Poseidon shipwreck, didn't join the Complex for peace. He wants vengeance on the siren Halcyon, the mysterious Mer whose terrorist tactics single-handedly killed more humans than any other Meta. His sources say that Halcyon is on Lorn, and he'll happily kill every Mer in the Complex until his parents' murderer is dead.
Can they catch the terrorist before the Complex is destroyed?
The Complex Book Series:
A Lone Planet. One Complex.
Unlimited Chaos.
After a brutal war between Humans and Metas an uneasy truce is declared in the Seldova solar system. At the conclusion of the treaty signing, the Complex is created on the lone planet, Lorn. The Complex is a blended community of Humans and Metas, all sent to test the waters of a more peaceful existence between the two races. Living under a domed community can only mean one thing for the Humans and Metas. Chaos.
168 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 6, 2016
212 people are currently reading
467 people want to read
About the author
Demelza Carlton
935 books3,879 followersUSA Today Bestselling Author Demelza Carlton has always loved the ocean, but on her first snorkelling trip she found she was afraid of fish.
She has since swum with sea lions, sharks and sea cucumbers and stood on spray-drenched cliffs over a seething sea as a seven-metre cyclonic swell surged in, shattering a shipwreck below.
Sensationalist spin? No - Demelza tends to take a camera with her so she can capture and share the moment later; shipwrecks, sharks and all.
Demelza now lives in Perth, Western Australia, the shark attack capital of the world.
The Ocean's Gift series was her first foray into fiction, followed by the Nightmares trilogy. She swears the Mel Goes to Hell series ambushed her on a crowded train and wouldn't leave her alone.
She has since swum with sea lions, sharks and sea cucumbers and stood on spray-drenched cliffs over a seething sea as a seven-metre cyclonic swell surged in, shattering a shipwreck below.
Sensationalist spin? No - Demelza tends to take a camera with her so she can capture and share the moment later; shipwrecks, sharks and all.
Demelza now lives in Perth, Western Australia, the shark attack capital of the world.
The Ocean's Gift series was her first foray into fiction, followed by the Nightmares trilogy. She swears the Mel Goes to Hell series ambushed her on a crowded train and wouldn't leave her alone.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews
November 10, 2017
Hi! There are 14 more days to go before Christmas. Are you excited? Have you decided what books you want to receive? I would like to get a copy of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Hope my best friends would read this post and send me the book. *Praying and crossing fingers*
I almost forgot that this book is releasing today. Good thing, my calendar alert reminded me. I hastily read this book. Best thing is, this was not too lengthy and I was able to finish it in about three hours. Phew!
Halcyon is a science-fiction novel. I am also not a fan of sci-fi though there were some books of the same genre that I had enjoyed. This genre is not really my everyday read. But I like to be flexible and mix things once in a while. Especially, when the story line is really interesting. For Halcyon, I did not read the blurb. Again, my excitement in seeing the magic word ARC got the better of me and I just signed up. As I often say, this is one of those books that chose me. Cliche, I know. But I found this story very intriguing. I don't think I have read about Mer-people so this was new for me. I guess my instinct was right again. Yeah!
Halcyon is a siren who destroyed and killed a ship full of humans. The only survivor was a kid -Galen. Galen promised to avenge his parents' death. Ten years later, when he learned that Halcyon was in Lorn, he decided to find her and extract revenge.
As I have said, I did not expect to enjoy this book but I am happy to say that I did. I was very curious as to the characters and what type of creatures are they. The story line is very straight forward and after the first two or three chapters, I have discovered who Halcyon is. Unfortunately for Galen, he was non-the-wiser. This was like watching a movie wherein you already know what is going to happen and instead of being bored or losing interest, I was riveted because I wanted to find out how Galen would finally come face to face with the one person he hates most. It may appear anti-climatic since the suspense of Halcyon's true identity was already known to me but it was still amusing to find the reaction and realization of Galen when it hit him. According to him, he was so stupid, which in a way I agree but I forgave him since if I were in his place I would definitely feel the same. In Galen's perspective, it was never apparent that Halcyon was just within his reach.
What I really like in this story is that there weren't a lot of highly technical or very scientific terms or phrases, being this is a sci-fi book. Unlike other books which tend to feel like a theoretical lecture, this one, thankfully, did away with going into detail with all those dizzying scientific concepts and ideas. This book will surely appeal to everyone, even if you are not into sci-fi like me. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
I give the book 4/5 bars of chocolate. This was done smoothly. And like a bar of chocolate, it was good and so easy to swallow. In a way, it was amusing to know that I was privy to the secret and the main character was so oblivious. It gave me an advantage over him and I was just waiting to find his reaction. It was a laugh for me knowing Galen was in a quagmire when he was confronted with it. It was like hahaha. Gotcha!
Here is a good pick up line boys...Hit it!
Girl: I'm just...rusty, is all.
Boy: Now , that's where you got lucky. Working in Maintenance, I know just how to get rid of all the rust, and rub you up until you feel all shiny and new.
- Demelza Carlton, Halcyon -
Thank you again, Demelza Carlton, for the ARC.
I almost forgot that this book is releasing today. Good thing, my calendar alert reminded me. I hastily read this book. Best thing is, this was not too lengthy and I was able to finish it in about three hours. Phew!
Halcyon is a science-fiction novel. I am also not a fan of sci-fi though there were some books of the same genre that I had enjoyed. This genre is not really my everyday read. But I like to be flexible and mix things once in a while. Especially, when the story line is really interesting. For Halcyon, I did not read the blurb. Again, my excitement in seeing the magic word ARC got the better of me and I just signed up. As I often say, this is one of those books that chose me. Cliche, I know. But I found this story very intriguing. I don't think I have read about Mer-people so this was new for me. I guess my instinct was right again. Yeah!
Halcyon is a siren who destroyed and killed a ship full of humans. The only survivor was a kid -Galen. Galen promised to avenge his parents' death. Ten years later, when he learned that Halcyon was in Lorn, he decided to find her and extract revenge.
As I have said, I did not expect to enjoy this book but I am happy to say that I did. I was very curious as to the characters and what type of creatures are they. The story line is very straight forward and after the first two or three chapters, I have discovered who Halcyon is. Unfortunately for Galen, he was non-the-wiser. This was like watching a movie wherein you already know what is going to happen and instead of being bored or losing interest, I was riveted because I wanted to find out how Galen would finally come face to face with the one person he hates most. It may appear anti-climatic since the suspense of Halcyon's true identity was already known to me but it was still amusing to find the reaction and realization of Galen when it hit him. According to him, he was so stupid, which in a way I agree but I forgave him since if I were in his place I would definitely feel the same. In Galen's perspective, it was never apparent that Halcyon was just within his reach.
What I really like in this story is that there weren't a lot of highly technical or very scientific terms or phrases, being this is a sci-fi book. Unlike other books which tend to feel like a theoretical lecture, this one, thankfully, did away with going into detail with all those dizzying scientific concepts and ideas. This book will surely appeal to everyone, even if you are not into sci-fi like me. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
I give the book 4/5 bars of chocolate. This was done smoothly. And like a bar of chocolate, it was good and so easy to swallow. In a way, it was amusing to know that I was privy to the secret and the main character was so oblivious. It gave me an advantage over him and I was just waiting to find his reaction. It was a laugh for me knowing Galen was in a quagmire when he was confronted with it. It was like hahaha. Gotcha!
Here is a good pick up line boys...Hit it!
Girl: I'm just...rusty, is all.
Boy: Now , that's where you got lucky. Working in Maintenance, I know just how to get rid of all the rust, and rub you up until you feel all shiny and new.
- Demelza Carlton, Halcyon -
Thank you again, Demelza Carlton, for the ARC.
December 8, 2016
A lone planet filled with chaos – I’m in. Add in the mermaid aspect and you know I’ll eat that book up.
I was excited about this one from the get go. It called out to me, the siren song luring me in. Despite my excitement, I experienced so many mixed emotions towards this book. I was worried it wouldn’t give me what I wanted. It felt like one of those science fiction and fantasy hybrids that are too good to be true. It belonged to a part of a much larger collection, and I feared I wouldn’t be able to understand this story without reading the others. These feelings, however, were unfounded. It was a great mix of science fiction and fantasy, and this book works perfectly as a standalone. In fact, all it ensured was that I want to read the other books that belong to The Complex series. It seems like such a fun world, and I’d love to see what is offered by the other authors.
With this book, we have a typical ‘enemies to lovers’ romance buried under all the drama. From the very start, even though you’re not given all of the details, you know such is what you’re in for. When given a human with such a strong hatred for mermaids, when given a human set out for revenge, in such stories you know how it’s going to end. Such a thing, however, does not prevent you from enjoying the story. Watching as the world slowly comes to life, watching as the characters interact and develop, is so much fun. Honestly, I was pulled into the story and refused put it down.
Admittedly, at first, I wasn’t completely pulled into the story. There were a handful of awkward sentences that distracted me at first, but once the characters started to come to life before me I was really pulled in. Told from two perspectives, we get to see so much of the world, watching as our characters deal with the chaos of the two different species coming together in an enclosed space.
Honestly, it’s such a simple story but it’s so well done. It’s addictive on so many levels, and I certainly recommend you give it a read. It’s a super quick read, something you can complete in no time at all, and it will certainly leave you wanting to read more of this world.
I really could say a lot, but I’m going to stop before I give any spoilers. Just know it’s a lot of fun, and certainly worth the read.
As a final note, I’d like to thank the author for allowing me to advance read this great story.
I was excited about this one from the get go. It called out to me, the siren song luring me in. Despite my excitement, I experienced so many mixed emotions towards this book. I was worried it wouldn’t give me what I wanted. It felt like one of those science fiction and fantasy hybrids that are too good to be true. It belonged to a part of a much larger collection, and I feared I wouldn’t be able to understand this story without reading the others. These feelings, however, were unfounded. It was a great mix of science fiction and fantasy, and this book works perfectly as a standalone. In fact, all it ensured was that I want to read the other books that belong to The Complex series. It seems like such a fun world, and I’d love to see what is offered by the other authors.
With this book, we have a typical ‘enemies to lovers’ romance buried under all the drama. From the very start, even though you’re not given all of the details, you know such is what you’re in for. When given a human with such a strong hatred for mermaids, when given a human set out for revenge, in such stories you know how it’s going to end. Such a thing, however, does not prevent you from enjoying the story. Watching as the world slowly comes to life, watching as the characters interact and develop, is so much fun. Honestly, I was pulled into the story and refused put it down.
Admittedly, at first, I wasn’t completely pulled into the story. There were a handful of awkward sentences that distracted me at first, but once the characters started to come to life before me I was really pulled in. Told from two perspectives, we get to see so much of the world, watching as our characters deal with the chaos of the two different species coming together in an enclosed space.
Honestly, it’s such a simple story but it’s so well done. It’s addictive on so many levels, and I certainly recommend you give it a read. It’s a super quick read, something you can complete in no time at all, and it will certainly leave you wanting to read more of this world.
I really could say a lot, but I’m going to stop before I give any spoilers. Just know it’s a lot of fun, and certainly worth the read.
As a final note, I’d like to thank the author for allowing me to advance read this great story.
Currently reading
July 20, 2017Lizard: 4⋆.
Wombat: Pending⋆.
Overall: Pending⋆.
Wombat: Pending⋆.
Overall: Pending⋆.
December 31, 2016
A Complex of blended races -- a chance for peace or revenge? My rating 4.5.
Allie has chosen to become a maintenance worker in the Complex for personal reasons as well as political ones. She is tired of the war and the loses. The community project at the Complex is designed to put humans and Meta (other beings) living together so they can find a way to peace.
Galen was only a teen when he became the sole survivor of an attack by the Mer siren, Halcyon. That devastating attack started the Meta war. Now he is the chief engineer for the Complex. Although the Complex has been developed to promote peace, Galen isn’t done with the war yet. He has heard that Halcyon is at the Complex and he intends to revenge the death of his parents, as he has planned for years.
Galen is immediately drawn to Allie, even as he tries to keep his focus on his primary goal. Meanwhile, Allie is secretly hunting for the terrorist threat without realizing where that search will end.
The story was engaging, with a bit of a twist. I enjoyed the intelligent characters, particularly Allie. I enjoyed following her quirks. This is a novella but it is a full story with an engaging plot. There was suspense and budding romance. The dialogue was natural, the writing flowed well and the story read quickly with good pacing. I would be willing to read more by Ms. Carlton.
I was given a free copy of this title from the author with no obligation to review.
Allie has chosen to become a maintenance worker in the Complex for personal reasons as well as political ones. She is tired of the war and the loses. The community project at the Complex is designed to put humans and Meta (other beings) living together so they can find a way to peace.
Galen was only a teen when he became the sole survivor of an attack by the Mer siren, Halcyon. That devastating attack started the Meta war. Now he is the chief engineer for the Complex. Although the Complex has been developed to promote peace, Galen isn’t done with the war yet. He has heard that Halcyon is at the Complex and he intends to revenge the death of his parents, as he has planned for years.
Galen is immediately drawn to Allie, even as he tries to keep his focus on his primary goal. Meanwhile, Allie is secretly hunting for the terrorist threat without realizing where that search will end.
The story was engaging, with a bit of a twist. I enjoyed the intelligent characters, particularly Allie. I enjoyed following her quirks. This is a novella but it is a full story with an engaging plot. There was suspense and budding romance. The dialogue was natural, the writing flowed well and the story read quickly with good pacing. I would be willing to read more by Ms. Carlton.
I was given a free copy of this title from the author with no obligation to review.
June 17, 2017
I have mixed feelings about this book. The setting is fascinating- I especially loved the slow reveal of one character's "secret" identity- and the writing drew me into the story, but the romance plot felt very rushed to me.
Also, I got distracted trying to understand the plot points about radiation. I'm still not sure if there are scientific inaccuracies or if I just misunderstood what the characters were saying.
Also, I got distracted trying to understand the plot points about radiation. I'm still not sure if there are scientific inaccuracies or if I just misunderstood what the characters were saying.
April 6, 2022
This book is recommended for readers 18+ due to adult content.
Halcyon is a good entry into this universe. It has a lot of potential that it doesn't quite rise to. I feel like the ending is a bit rushed and too clean. Still entertaining, though.
Halcyon is a good entry into this universe. It has a lot of potential that it doesn't quite rise to. I feel like the ending is a bit rushed and too clean. Still entertaining, though.
June 12, 2017
This would have been a four star rating, but the book was very short. Still, very enjoyable, leaves you wanting more. I understand this is part of a series written by different authors, so I may have to check out the rest of them.
Want to read
December 13, 2019🎁 Colony: Aqua series (2 book series) is FREE on Amazon today (12/13/2019)! 🎁
December 18, 2016
Awesome!!
I am really enjoying the multi author series The Complex. Sometimes these endeavors produce disjointed results. But the genius of the complex flows from the first 2 writers & I eagerly move to the next.
I am really enjoying the multi author series The Complex. Sometimes these endeavors produce disjointed results. But the genius of the complex flows from the first 2 writers & I eagerly move to the next.
September 7, 2017
Although I wasn't blown away by this story, I enjoyed it very much. But it seemed like it just skimmed the surface when it came to siren (or mer) powers. I wanted to know more about them and their culture.
January 20, 2024
Given to the creativity provided in the prequel just before this book I knew that I wanted to at least read this book just to see whether there would be a peace treaty between the two parties and what the colony was meant to look like besides the advertisement video that was included in the tale. And I must say that I wasn't disappointed.
Even for a short story Halcyon is a basically a retelling of the same Ancient Grecian tale of the Halcyon & Ceyx characters although replacing Ceyx but keeping the same conclusions as the original. There are also some other aspects of famous tales to help build up the original but they are joined together quite nicely to provide a rather nice story although a bit unfeasible that everyone could handle plutonium without protection gear. And furthermore instead of dealing with gods and ancient cultures, Demelza Carlton chose to make the background a sci-fi background of a planetary system restart after a bloody conflict.
Out of all the characters I must say that Galen's character is probably the weakest link although he is also the drive to the story. At times he seems like he has finally gotten his head on straight as well as mending his ways but then just a few hours later he seems to have forgotten everything while staying hellbent on the path of destruction that he is on.
I did enjoy the end results of the book although it was a bit guessable how it was going to end to the observant reader. The series does continue with at least another book in the series but I don't believe it is a sequel per se but just another book with the same background and characters from the same location thus with similar history to these first ones. As a result if I have an opportunity to come across the second book I may read it but I am not sure I want to actively hunt it down if it won't add to what I already have read.
Even for a short story Halcyon is a basically a retelling of the same Ancient Grecian tale of the Halcyon & Ceyx characters although replacing Ceyx but keeping the same conclusions as the original. There are also some other aspects of famous tales to help build up the original but they are joined together quite nicely to provide a rather nice story although a bit unfeasible that everyone could handle plutonium without protection gear. And furthermore instead of dealing with gods and ancient cultures, Demelza Carlton chose to make the background a sci-fi background of a planetary system restart after a bloody conflict.
Out of all the characters I must say that Galen's character is probably the weakest link although he is also the drive to the story. At times he seems like he has finally gotten his head on straight as well as mending his ways but then just a few hours later he seems to have forgotten everything while staying hellbent on the path of destruction that he is on.
I did enjoy the end results of the book although it was a bit guessable how it was going to end to the observant reader. The series does continue with at least another book in the series but I don't believe it is a sequel per se but just another book with the same background and characters from the same location thus with similar history to these first ones. As a result if I have an opportunity to come across the second book I may read it but I am not sure I want to actively hunt it down if it won't add to what I already have read.
February 12, 2022
Characters' motivations and long held beliefs change at the drop of a hat, with no reflection or sign of any kind of internal struggle. For instance: one character finds out his parents were involved in something heinous and there is literally nothing about how he now has to reconcile that knowledge with his love for his parents. Or then he's hated one species most of his life and blames one member of that species for his parents' deaths, to the point of joining a terrorist group and plants a bomb to frame that person, in the middle of a community of civilians in a space station trying to get different species to live together in peace (and this guy that is willing to blow up people and scuttle a peace treaty is our male main character). But after learning the woman he is dating is actually the person that he hates the most, there's basically an oh ok, but I love her, so that's totally fine and I'm not a terrorist anymore and within about less than a month of knowing her, I'll move into a community of that species that I had always hated.
Then a few glaring errors--like a character tells someone how he was orphaned as a young teenager, the very next chapter, the person he told is asking him about what his parents do and she is stunned and saddened to find out they are dead. Add in insta-love with a lot of telling us about it rather than showing and the couple has zero chemistry (after maybe 2 or 3 conversations over a few days, the couple is already thinking about how much they love the other person and wants to spend their life with them); along with one of my least favorite tropes ever, of a woman throwing a competition so she can protect her love interest's fragile male ego, because heaven forbid a woman ever be better than a guy at something.
Then a few glaring errors--like a character tells someone how he was orphaned as a young teenager, the very next chapter, the person he told is asking him about what his parents do and she is stunned and saddened to find out they are dead. Add in insta-love with a lot of telling us about it rather than showing and the couple has zero chemistry (after maybe 2 or 3 conversations over a few days, the couple is already thinking about how much they love the other person and wants to spend their life with them); along with one of my least favorite tropes ever, of a woman throwing a competition so she can protect her love interest's fragile male ego, because heaven forbid a woman ever be better than a guy at something.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 2, 2022
A quick novella that I apparently didn’t write a quick review for as I thought I did (oh, turns out I only wrote it in my book review notebook, not online – that explains it!). I was looking for a quick read that I wasn’t likely to care too much about to knock out reading days for the Kindle reading challenge, and bonus its chapters were super short – rarely more than 8-10 pages each, if that.
I haven’t read any of her Colony books before this, so the prologue showing what Halcyon did was helpful. However, then it jumps right to after the war while everyone is now trying to get along in the experimental Colony. Or at least most people are – Galen appears to be all about working on making the tech run smoothly, but he’s really hiding an affiliation with Humans First and plotting to get revenge on Halcyon, the siren who killed his parents before/during the war. Allie is a really good plumber, and before long their paths cross. They have more in common than they realize at first, and it will either destroy them or bring them closer than ever.
There was a lot of potential to lean into the friction of a post-war world where suddenly Humans and Titans have to get along, and this novella could have been much stronger with more focus on these elements. And in general more world building to understand Titans, and the Colony, the technology – really everything. Instead, the post-war colony was more of a vehicle in which Allie and Galen could get together, in a fast and active romance. Very little time is wasted before getting Allie and Galen in bed - the very valid issues they have with what each of them has done are cursorily addressed before being swept into water into the pipes so they can stay together.
I haven’t read any of her Colony books before this, so the prologue showing what Halcyon did was helpful. However, then it jumps right to after the war while everyone is now trying to get along in the experimental Colony. Or at least most people are – Galen appears to be all about working on making the tech run smoothly, but he’s really hiding an affiliation with Humans First and plotting to get revenge on Halcyon, the siren who killed his parents before/during the war. Allie is a really good plumber, and before long their paths cross. They have more in common than they realize at first, and it will either destroy them or bring them closer than ever.
There was a lot of potential to lean into the friction of a post-war world where suddenly Humans and Titans have to get along, and this novella could have been much stronger with more focus on these elements. And in general more world building to understand Titans, and the Colony, the technology – really everything. Instead, the post-war colony was more of a vehicle in which Allie and Galen could get together, in a fast and active romance. Very little time is wasted before getting Allie and Galen in bed - the very valid issues they have with what each of them has done are cursorily addressed before being swept into water into the pipes so they can stay together.
February 8, 2024
I loved it! The war is over but still there are some want to keep it going. One wants revenge for his parents who were killed when he was a teen. What he doesn't know is that the woman he wants to protect & is in love with is the one he wants to get rid of. His parents has captured & tortured Allie's husband during the war. She is a siren and can sing a sailor to death. When she found her husband & he died in front of her she sang her fury to put everyone asleep. She then scuttled the ship. Galen wearing headphones didn't hear her & was the only survivor. He had been trying to get justice for his family ever since. He is with a group that wants to destroy all Titans. He has been given the tools he needs to make a bomb to put in the pump to make a little bit of a show ( or so he is led to believe) to lure her out to investigate who is framing her. What he doesn't know is that, what the group sent him is powerful enough kill thousands of people, not just knock out a pump like he thinks. Allie finally figures out it was Galen that set the bomb & tells him who is. Galen learns about what his parents had done & what was just rumors about Allie. He tells the Security leader everything. He is given a choice A year of house arrest, able to work & see Allie or charged & deported off-planet. He decides to stay. While he is around Allie he finds out she is pregnant with his child. She just doesn't think she will carry the child full term. She never had with her husband. They end up with a daughter. It is a great story!
July 23, 2020
Halcyon is a siren, one of the Mer. She is seeking vengeance for the death of her husband, Ceyx, tortured to death by the crew of the Poseidon. Now ten years later, Galen, the sole survivor of the Poseidon, is out to get revenge on Halcyon for killing his parents when she sank the Poseidon. He blames her for multiple nuclear explosions that killed many people. He is an environmental engineer in the colony with no love for the Titans, searching for Halcyon to terminate her along with all the Mers. We meet Allie from Maintenance, a cheerful young lady who is hoping for peace between the Titans and Humans after losing her husband to the war. Unknown to Galen, she was Halcyon before her rejection of war and violence. The two opposites are on a collision course. Passion sparks between them, neither knowing enough about the other to realize they are enemies. The plot thickens as Galen tries to find and destroy Halcyon before she can harm Allie. The relationship between Allie and Galen advances to enthusiastic sex as they enjoy each other. But misunderstandings come between them, at least for a while. Then a surprising twist brings them back together again for good.
December 7, 2016
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
Allie is sick of war and grief so has signed on as a maintenance worker for the Complex hoping for a lasting peace between the Metas and Humans. However she is also on an assignment from the Lorn government to monitor the Complex for a suspected saboteur.
Galen is the only survivor of the historic Poseidon shipwreck. He only has thoughts of vengeance on the siren Halcyon who is the Meta (in fact a Mer) who in his mind, killed more humans than any other Meta during the war (including his parents). He has been reliably informed that Halcyon is on Lorn so he is determined to kill as many Mer in the Complex as necessary until his parents' murderer is dead.
I loved this story. It was well written and had enough plot twists to keep you on your toes as you read it. I can also relate to the Meta's love of chocolate.
Allie is sick of war and grief so has signed on as a maintenance worker for the Complex hoping for a lasting peace between the Metas and Humans. However she is also on an assignment from the Lorn government to monitor the Complex for a suspected saboteur.
Galen is the only survivor of the historic Poseidon shipwreck. He only has thoughts of vengeance on the siren Halcyon who is the Meta (in fact a Mer) who in his mind, killed more humans than any other Meta during the war (including his parents). He has been reliably informed that Halcyon is on Lorn so he is determined to kill as many Mer in the Complex as necessary until his parents' murderer is dead.
I loved this story. It was well written and had enough plot twists to keep you on your toes as you read it. I can also relate to the Meta's love of chocolate.
September 5, 2023
I enjoyed this romance between opposites, not so much a Romeo and Juliet as the cessation of a war between folks who should have got along all that time. I'd have liked more description of the Colony and its domes. But the great part is that we follow plumbers and pipe engineers, just the sort of folks you'd need in newly constructed habitats.
I'm deducting a star because people are shown handling and sitting near fissile materials, which might be in a lead lined box when lying around but not while being handled (and they are hot to touch). Nobody gets tested for radiation poisoning and asked how long they think they will live. Maybe cancers are treatable? All that seems to concern anyone is the danger of explosion.
I'm all for reading another instalment, with invention, romance, intrigue and danger.
This is an unbiased review.
I'm deducting a star because people are shown handling and sitting near fissile materials, which might be in a lead lined box when lying around but not while being handled (and they are hot to touch). Nobody gets tested for radiation poisoning and asked how long they think they will live. Maybe cancers are treatable? All that seems to concern anyone is the danger of explosion.
I'm all for reading another instalment, with invention, romance, intrigue and danger.
This is an unbiased review.
July 11, 2020
I don't like reading books with sex scenes, and most of this very short book was exactly that. I read this book because I inadvertently found myself signed up for the author's newsletter (probably from some promotion), and she offered a free download of the book - and it had a mermaid! - so that we could review it. Well, I read it, and I didn't like it because of all the sexual content. Call me biased because of my morals, if you wish.
The relationship between the two characters was somewhat developed, and there was a definite backstory to them and to the technologically advanced colony they were living in. That stuff was a little interesting, at least. The mermaid/mer wasn't as interesting as I had anticipated, though.
The relationship between the two characters was somewhat developed, and there was a definite backstory to them and to the technologically advanced colony they were living in. That stuff was a little interesting, at least. The mermaid/mer wasn't as interesting as I had anticipated, though.
December 7, 2016
A fast paced roller coaster of a read! A page burner from beginning to the end!
I don't ordinarily read this Genre but decided it was time to give it a try. I was offered an ARC to this book and want to give this voluntary review. I just couldn't put the book down! From the first page you are grabbed and drawn into the story. The twists and turns and surprise ending was well written and the flow was easy to follow. I never expected that ending! No spoilers here!!! I am now a new convert to this Genre and will definitely read more books from this series. Loved the characters of Allie and Galen and their conflicted personalities, their secrets and what they had to deal with. A must read!
I don't ordinarily read this Genre but decided it was time to give it a try. I was offered an ARC to this book and want to give this voluntary review. I just couldn't put the book down! From the first page you are grabbed and drawn into the story. The twists and turns and surprise ending was well written and the flow was easy to follow. I never expected that ending! No spoilers here!!! I am now a new convert to this Genre and will definitely read more books from this series. Loved the characters of Allie and Galen and their conflicted personalities, their secrets and what they had to deal with. A must read!
December 7, 2016
Halcyon is a lovely relaxing read, complete escapism at its best. Just like being on a cruise, you know exactly where it's going but you don't know what you will experience on the journey. I like the idea of the complex, a huge place made up of different zones and filled with a variety of beings, it reminded me of the Sector General novels by James White. I certainly hope that the series will continue and the author will write more about some of the other characters featured in this book. I would class this as a sci-fi book with some characters that seem to be more drawn from fantasy or myth, it's an interesting combination, and I think it works very well.
January 9, 2017
An enthralling read!
The first chapter crushed me! So sad. All I will say is: a grieving woman - well, siren - is dangerous - vengeance has no bounds.
A young man seeking revenge...falls in love unexpectedly with a woman who is not all who she seems but all of which makes an intriguing novel!
Secrets and lies unravelling...second chances...peace or revenge?...a perfect love story.
I heart this book so much!
Favourite quote: "For sometimes the universe needed a halcyon, a siren who could both call and calm the storm."
Full of secrets, lies, revenge, Metas and romance.
Perfect for readers of Sci-Fi and fantasy romance.
The first chapter crushed me! So sad. All I will say is: a grieving woman - well, siren - is dangerous - vengeance has no bounds.
A young man seeking revenge...falls in love unexpectedly with a woman who is not all who she seems but all of which makes an intriguing novel!
Secrets and lies unravelling...second chances...peace or revenge?...a perfect love story.
I heart this book so much!
Favourite quote: "For sometimes the universe needed a halcyon, a siren who could both call and calm the storm."
Full of secrets, lies, revenge, Metas and romance.
Perfect for readers of Sci-Fi and fantasy romance.
July 8, 2023
Halcyon by Demelza Carlton is a futuristic romantic fantasy that will keep you mesmerized. Galen, a human male, is on a mission to avenge his parents death by a Siren, an alien or now called Titan. Allie, a female Titan, is on the Colony as his subordinate. There are a lot of twists and turns and things that can go wrong. This is also a love story between a human and a titan. What else could go wrong!
This is a different type of story that I usually read. It held my interest even though some parts were predictable. I receive a copy of this book from the author and I always review every book that I read. I recommend this if you are a fan of science fiction and romance. Enjoy.
This is a different type of story that I usually read. It held my interest even though some parts were predictable. I receive a copy of this book from the author and I always review every book that I read. I recommend this if you are a fan of science fiction and romance. Enjoy.
December 7, 2016
Part of the Complex series of Metas and Humans and it was a very good book. Allie wants peace she is sick of war and grief, she has signed up as maintenance worker for the Complex but she is also working for the Lorn government monitoring the Complex for signs of a suspected saboteur.Galen is the only survivor of the Poseidon shipwreck and he wants revenge on the siren Halcyon. What happen s when these two meet? Who is the terrorist? I received a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.
July 5, 2017
I am loving this series of The Complex! Halcyon was such a wonderful character and I just loved her. From the very start until the end she was a joy to read about. Well developed characters, yes even secondary characters were well done and the descriptions of the places in this Complex were fantastic. Galen also was a great character and the relationship between the two was fun to watch from beginning until the end. If the other authors write their books as well as this than the whole series will be a welcome addition to my library.
April 29, 2020
Halcyon. What to say? I gave it 5 stars because I started and didn't want to stop reading it. I usually give stories of alien love stories a wide birth, as I prefer the more space opera/ epic writing. But in the lockdown, the old TBR list comes into play, and Demelza's book hit the top. So here I am reading about humans, and mers and metas, and loving it. This is not a sword and sorcery with a dashing hero and a suit of armour. Just a man looking for revenge on an alien, and an alien looking to help right what was wrong. And of course they meet. Now read the story, and enjoy it like it did.
January 10, 2017
I liked this book very much. The love story was fresh and touching, none of the dreaded misunderstandings. The problems that the central characters had were quickly resolved. I was in a bit of a reader's slump and the book took me out of it. The only beef I had with it was that the world building was a bit sketchy but now I realize that this is a part of series, maybe it was a bit unfair of me. I will definitely be looking up the other books in the series
October 15, 2017
It is hard for me to describe the joy I felt while reading this story without giving any spoilers. But, I'll try. Arial, the mermaid who wanted to walk on land: Halcyon, the mermaid who does. That seems to be about where the similarities end. Like in the TV series Columbo, Demelza doesn't hide the nature of the guilty. To me, the story is about the relationship of two people who are hurting: who find each other. Oops, I almost slipped.
March 23, 2020
Enemies to lovers is such an insipid description. Galen is a man so intent on finding the woman who killed his parents and making that woman pay to the point of being willfully blind to the less-pure intentions of purported allies. Then finding that his new love is the woman he has been looking for .... What an one-two punch to the mental gut. This is a weirdly reversed retelling of the Little Mermaid and makes the reader's mind reel.
June 24, 2022
For 10yrs Galen has been searching for Halcyon, the Mer that killed his parents so he can get revenge.
He meets Allie who he falls for and wants to protect with everything he has. Will he get his revenge and keep Allie safe? Or will everything change when he finds out Allie's secret?
Enjoyable story which I recommend reading. I received a complimentary copy of the book and I'm leaving a voluntary and honest review.
He meets Allie who he falls for and wants to protect with everything he has. Will he get his revenge and keep Allie safe? Or will everything change when he finds out Allie's secret?
Enjoyable story which I recommend reading. I received a complimentary copy of the book and I'm leaving a voluntary and honest review.
November 20, 2023
This was my first ever Demelza Carlton book, even though they've been suggested on my shelves for quite a while. And now I've put even more of these books on my shelves... because Halcyon was an absolutely amazing story! One that I seriously enjoyed because it was an intriguing journey. A good couple. And fantastic world building. It’s been a while since I've read a sci-fi romance, and man did I enjoy this!
Allie is such a sweet and chilled lead character. Or at least, she seems to be until her backstory is revealed. I definitely guessed at what it was a little while before the first overt hint was actually revealed. I love that she chooses a calm, peaceful life when there are obviously a whole heap of other options available. And that she is so calmly in control of herself.
Galen on the other hand was a little too instalove for me. I mean, he decides on Allie pretty much immediately, knowing absolutely nothing about her. Then, when he actually discovers that she's the one he's been hunting... he just gives up on his revenge? Something that has driven him his whole life? Without much of a fight? I think this needed a whole lot more angst and difficulty to overcome that little problem in their relationship...
All in all, although I thought Galen needed a little more development throughout this, I did thoroughly enjoy the story. It was a great SciFi romance and one that I would like to read again in the future. I can't wait to see what else Carlton writes now that I've stocked up on some of her books...
Allie is such a sweet and chilled lead character. Or at least, she seems to be until her backstory is revealed. I definitely guessed at what it was a little while before the first overt hint was actually revealed. I love that she chooses a calm, peaceful life when there are obviously a whole heap of other options available. And that she is so calmly in control of herself.
Galen on the other hand was a little too instalove for me. I mean, he decides on Allie pretty much immediately, knowing absolutely nothing about her. Then, when he actually discovers that she's the one he's been hunting... he just gives up on his revenge? Something that has driven him his whole life? Without much of a fight? I think this needed a whole lot more angst and difficulty to overcome that little problem in their relationship...
All in all, although I thought Galen needed a little more development throughout this, I did thoroughly enjoy the story. It was a great SciFi romance and one that I would like to read again in the future. I can't wait to see what else Carlton writes now that I've stocked up on some of her books...
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