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Naïda
The glowing structure at the bottom of a lonely northern lake is not of this Earth. But Michael Hart can’t stay away. His encounter will leave him utterly changed, with astonishing new abilities and a destiny he could never have imagined.
From then on, the choices he makes will affect the very future of humanity, and Michael will either become a hero, or the greatest traitor the world has ever known.
Because he is no longer alone, not even in his own body.
There is another.
Naïda.
From then on, the choices he makes will affect the very future of humanity, and Michael will either become a hero, or the greatest traitor the world has ever known.
Because he is no longer alone, not even in his own body.
There is another.
Naïda.
- GenresScience Fiction
434 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2021
About the author
Scott Overton
30 books26 followersWith a long career as a radio morning show host, Scott’s always had a way with words. But his lifelong devotion to science fiction was destined to lead to a second career as a writer. Although his first novel, the mystery/thriller Dead Air was set in the radio world (and shortlisted for a Northern Lit Award in Ontario, Canada) all of his writing since has taken the reader to even stranger places, including the human bloodstream in his SF novel debut The Primus Labyrinth, a science fiction thriller that readers compare to Michael Crichton and Dan Brown. His most recent novel Naïda chronicles a reluctant hero with an alien being living inside him. Scott strongly believes that science fiction should involve compelling themes and important issues, along with memorable characters.
His short fiction has been published in magazines such as On Spec, AEscifi, Neo-opsis, Penumbra and anthologies including Future Visions 3, Casserole Diplomacy: The On Spec 25th Anniversary Anthology, Canadian Tales of the Fantastic, In Poe’s Shadow, and Tesseracts Sixteen: Parnassus Unbound. Fifteen of his SF/fantasy short stories have been gathered in the collection BEYOND: Stories Beyond Time, Technology, and the Stars. Many more SF novels are on the way. Scott’s distractions from writing include scuba diving, music, and collector cars. He lives with his wife on a private island in Northern Ontario.
His short fiction has been published in magazines such as On Spec, AEscifi, Neo-opsis, Penumbra and anthologies including Future Visions 3, Casserole Diplomacy: The On Spec 25th Anniversary Anthology, Canadian Tales of the Fantastic, In Poe’s Shadow, and Tesseracts Sixteen: Parnassus Unbound. Fifteen of his SF/fantasy short stories have been gathered in the collection BEYOND: Stories Beyond Time, Technology, and the Stars. Many more SF novels are on the way. Scott’s distractions from writing include scuba diving, music, and collector cars. He lives with his wife on a private island in Northern Ontario.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 30, 2022
It was a well amde sci Fi story but at the moment I don't have much to say about it more
July 5, 2021
Imagine if you not only saw an extraterrestrial being, but it became part of you. In Naida, the author poses that question in a realistic and thought-provoking manner. Discovered in a remote lake, Michael is both fascinated and terrified of what is now part of him. The two individuals must learn the ways of each other to survive and the fate of the human race hangs in the balance.
The story creates an intriguing suggestion that we might not be all that different to other species that might exist elsewhere in the universe. Friend or foe, destructor, or savior. Can humanity keep an open mind or will our own base character of violence and that of the imagination of Hollywood influence it?
This story was a fantastic page turner as we did deep into these complicated, yet normal feelings when we ask ourselves, “What is really out there?”
The story creates an intriguing suggestion that we might not be all that different to other species that might exist elsewhere in the universe. Friend or foe, destructor, or savior. Can humanity keep an open mind or will our own base character of violence and that of the imagination of Hollywood influence it?
This story was a fantastic page turner as we did deep into these complicated, yet normal feelings when we ask ourselves, “What is really out there?”
May 28, 2021
The glowing structure at the bottom of a lonely northern lake is not of this Earth. But Michael Hart can’t stay away. His choice will bring him astonishing abilities and a destiny he could never have imagined.
A hero. Or the greatest traitor the world has ever known.
Because he is no longer alone, not even in his own body. There is another.
Naïda.
A deep dive into the best parts of science fiction—thrilling and thought-provoking! Naïda is Overton’s best book yet. I buy him on sight and never regret the choice.
Murky waters are the least of Michael Hart’s problems. The amateur scuba diver finds himself out of his depths when unwittingly ‘joined’ to an alien symbiote. He knows curiosity killed the cat but worries it might do worse to him. Could his sense of wonder really lead to the end of the world? There’s reason to believe he might just find out.
Earth’s fate rests on his ability to communicate with his body’s unwelcome guest. Unsure who to trust, Michael finds himself doubting his own choices and suspecting the alien’s ‘real’ motivation. Worse, his friends and family are turning on him in his time of need. If he ever hopes to reconcile with the symbiote he’ll have convince ocean researcher Sakiko Matthews that he’s not insane and join in her fight to cure the acidification of the seas.
The limits of human potential are front and centre as one man’s comfortably boring life changes…and not by choice. Only Michael Hart knows the truth but will anyone listen? Time is running out and so is the alien symbiote’s patience.
Scott Overton writes with confidence. A natural wordsmith, his most recent novel has the quiet competence of a seasoned author mixed with the pure joy of a lifelong fan of the genre. In Naïda he proves himself equally adept at taking the reader from the everyday life of an unhappy university professor and carrying us into the mind of an orphaned alien waiting millennia to complete its destiny.
Overton’s created a fun, yet thoughtful, sci-fi novel that merges the best aspects of first contact, coming-of-age, and superhero fiction into a tightly-plotted ecological-adventure novel. Full of believable characters, seamless dialogue, and, above all, heart, Naïda is a thrill ride from start to finish.
A former radio ‘personality’, Scott has outdone himself with each successive release. From his much-acclaimed debut novel Dead Air, to his two short story collections Beyond and Disastrous!, not to mention his first novel-length foray into science fiction, The Primus Labyrinth, he has proven himself a talent of note. His near-future visions are not to be missed.
A hero. Or the greatest traitor the world has ever known.
Because he is no longer alone, not even in his own body. There is another.
Naïda.
A deep dive into the best parts of science fiction—thrilling and thought-provoking! Naïda is Overton’s best book yet. I buy him on sight and never regret the choice.
Murky waters are the least of Michael Hart’s problems. The amateur scuba diver finds himself out of his depths when unwittingly ‘joined’ to an alien symbiote. He knows curiosity killed the cat but worries it might do worse to him. Could his sense of wonder really lead to the end of the world? There’s reason to believe he might just find out.
Earth’s fate rests on his ability to communicate with his body’s unwelcome guest. Unsure who to trust, Michael finds himself doubting his own choices and suspecting the alien’s ‘real’ motivation. Worse, his friends and family are turning on him in his time of need. If he ever hopes to reconcile with the symbiote he’ll have convince ocean researcher Sakiko Matthews that he’s not insane and join in her fight to cure the acidification of the seas.
The limits of human potential are front and centre as one man’s comfortably boring life changes…and not by choice. Only Michael Hart knows the truth but will anyone listen? Time is running out and so is the alien symbiote’s patience.
Scott Overton writes with confidence. A natural wordsmith, his most recent novel has the quiet competence of a seasoned author mixed with the pure joy of a lifelong fan of the genre. In Naïda he proves himself equally adept at taking the reader from the everyday life of an unhappy university professor and carrying us into the mind of an orphaned alien waiting millennia to complete its destiny.
Overton’s created a fun, yet thoughtful, sci-fi novel that merges the best aspects of first contact, coming-of-age, and superhero fiction into a tightly-plotted ecological-adventure novel. Full of believable characters, seamless dialogue, and, above all, heart, Naïda is a thrill ride from start to finish.
A former radio ‘personality’, Scott has outdone himself with each successive release. From his much-acclaimed debut novel Dead Air, to his two short story collections Beyond and Disastrous!, not to mention his first novel-length foray into science fiction, The Primus Labyrinth, he has proven himself a talent of note. His near-future visions are not to be missed.
January 26, 2022
This book was a great fit for me. A good portion of it is set in Sudbury (where I grew up) and it's a compelling science fiction novel that explores what an encounter with alien intelligence could actually look like. Most of the story takes place in the area of town where I grew up so it was really fun to see all the references to places I knew and to the rugged terrain I know and love. And of course to think that an alien might be living in one of the 300 lakes within the city.
The story centres around Michael Hart, a university professor, whose life hasn't really amounted to much until he has an encounter with an alien installation while scuba diving in a local lake. (Loved this idea!) I really enjoyed the development of the relationship between Michael and the alien which goes from fear to curiousity and ultimately to a mutual understanding by the end of the book. Parts of the book are from the perspective of the alien intelligence which given how completely different its existence is from humans was fascinating and incredibly well done.
There are many other players along the way as Michael tries to figure out both what the alien is and what it is the aliens actually want. I liked that he didn't go down the usual alien invasion path, and managed to create a story that was well thought out, realistic and had me thinking about it for days afterwards. I won't give away the ending but it was far from what I was expecting, which was a good thing.
This was a great read, and with such a fantastic premise, I am going to seek out Overton's other books.
The story centres around Michael Hart, a university professor, whose life hasn't really amounted to much until he has an encounter with an alien installation while scuba diving in a local lake. (Loved this idea!) I really enjoyed the development of the relationship between Michael and the alien which goes from fear to curiousity and ultimately to a mutual understanding by the end of the book. Parts of the book are from the perspective of the alien intelligence which given how completely different its existence is from humans was fascinating and incredibly well done.
There are many other players along the way as Michael tries to figure out both what the alien is and what it is the aliens actually want. I liked that he didn't go down the usual alien invasion path, and managed to create a story that was well thought out, realistic and had me thinking about it for days afterwards. I won't give away the ending but it was far from what I was expecting, which was a good thing.
This was a great read, and with such a fantastic premise, I am going to seek out Overton's other books.
July 24, 2021
This was a solid sci-fi thriller that explores one man's reaction to something truly extraordinary happening. I love the questions this novel raises, and the diversity of reaction the different characters have to what happens to Michael.
Naida herself is an intriguing character, and her development as she learns more about humanity is as intriguing as the growth of Michael
If you enjoy Crichton-style thrillers you'll love Scott Overton and will really enjoy Naida. I have quite enjoyed every single one of Scott's novels and am already looking forward to the next one.
Naida herself is an intriguing character, and her development as she learns more about humanity is as intriguing as the growth of Michael
If you enjoy Crichton-style thrillers you'll love Scott Overton and will really enjoy Naida. I have quite enjoyed every single one of Scott's novels and am already looking forward to the next one.
June 10, 2021
Naïda by Scot Overton - Review by D. Carnes
As Covid-19 has tempted humans to act in unison I was curious if Scott was thinking along the same lines after reading the liner notes.
Having read Scott’s previous “Dead Air” and enjoyed it I was proved correct that Naïda would keep me entertained. Unfortunately, only for one day, I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN. The story moves quickly without extraneous fluff. Editing left no errors or confusion to interfere with keeping your mind in the moment. References to technology brief and accurate enough to not interfere with the storey but make it all believable. A little sex, government mistrust, geographical diversity and only a few main characters that you quickly relate to. The rap up? Extraordinary. Enjoy.
As Covid-19 has tempted humans to act in unison I was curious if Scott was thinking along the same lines after reading the liner notes.
Having read Scott’s previous “Dead Air” and enjoyed it I was proved correct that Naïda would keep me entertained. Unfortunately, only for one day, I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN. The story moves quickly without extraneous fluff. Editing left no errors or confusion to interfere with keeping your mind in the moment. References to technology brief and accurate enough to not interfere with the storey but make it all believable. A little sex, government mistrust, geographical diversity and only a few main characters that you quickly relate to. The rap up? Extraordinary. Enjoy.
June 13, 2021
Many novels start out with two main characters and two separate plotlines and run them parallel to each other until they merge to create a more complex whole. “Naida” is one of the more extreme examples of this technique, and it doesn’t quite work.
The main story is about Michael, an ordinary guy who finds an extraterrestrial artifact while scuba diving in an Ontario lake. Against his better judgement he becomes involved in it, and soon finds himself asked to make a decision that could affect the future of all of mankind. This conflict is nicely handled. The steps by which he becomes involved, and the quandary in which he finds himself, all blend together in a realistic and gripping story.
The second half of the tale is less successful. It involves Sakiko, an oceanographer concerned with the salinization of the world’s oceans and the destruction of their coral reefs. She soon holds to the theory that this process is not proceeding at a natural pace, and her suspicions soon lead us to connect the two tales together.
The problem is with the author’s intent. All good authors have a theme they wish their readers to investigate, and use the superficial conflict and suspense of the story to draw their readers in so their ideals can be affected. In this novel, the author is far too involved in ecological issues, and Sakiko’s part is not half as interesting as Michael’s. Her conflict is mostly about raising funds for her research, and some shady practices she is required to use in order to achieve her goals. The rest of her story is full of technical jargon and rather preachy ecological information.
The result of this is that the story rushes happily through Michael’s sections, then slows to a tepid pace whenever Sakiko appears.
Once the two characters get together, the tale improves immensely and the action picks up, with their ship boarded at sea by authorities of a foreign country and a resourceful and powerful villain with realistic motivation. From there it builds to a real action-adventure ending.
The Sci-Fi part of the story, from the point of view of the alien entity, is fascinating and well thought out. It adds credibility and emotional connection to Michael’s quandary.
The final wrap-up is a bit overconcerned with totipotent DNA cells, but by that time we’re willing to forgive.
A good read for all Sci-Fi fans, especially those who appreciate a modern-day realistic theme and scientific verification of fictional ideas.
This review was originally published on Reedsy Discovery.
The main story is about Michael, an ordinary guy who finds an extraterrestrial artifact while scuba diving in an Ontario lake. Against his better judgement he becomes involved in it, and soon finds himself asked to make a decision that could affect the future of all of mankind. This conflict is nicely handled. The steps by which he becomes involved, and the quandary in which he finds himself, all blend together in a realistic and gripping story.
The second half of the tale is less successful. It involves Sakiko, an oceanographer concerned with the salinization of the world’s oceans and the destruction of their coral reefs. She soon holds to the theory that this process is not proceeding at a natural pace, and her suspicions soon lead us to connect the two tales together.
The problem is with the author’s intent. All good authors have a theme they wish their readers to investigate, and use the superficial conflict and suspense of the story to draw their readers in so their ideals can be affected. In this novel, the author is far too involved in ecological issues, and Sakiko’s part is not half as interesting as Michael’s. Her conflict is mostly about raising funds for her research, and some shady practices she is required to use in order to achieve her goals. The rest of her story is full of technical jargon and rather preachy ecological information.
The result of this is that the story rushes happily through Michael’s sections, then slows to a tepid pace whenever Sakiko appears.
Once the two characters get together, the tale improves immensely and the action picks up, with their ship boarded at sea by authorities of a foreign country and a resourceful and powerful villain with realistic motivation. From there it builds to a real action-adventure ending.
The Sci-Fi part of the story, from the point of view of the alien entity, is fascinating and well thought out. It adds credibility and emotional connection to Michael’s quandary.
The final wrap-up is a bit overconcerned with totipotent DNA cells, but by that time we’re willing to forgive.
A good read for all Sci-Fi fans, especially those who appreciate a modern-day realistic theme and scientific verification of fictional ideas.
This review was originally published on Reedsy Discovery.
August 21, 2025
this book is now among my favorites, along with the author. It was my first by him, and I am so glad I chose it. I plan to read his others.
Naïda has many twists and turns, surprises, and everything else I cannot think of. It catches the reader by their emotions, and brings in conflict and questions, all coming together in the end. i could not recommend this book more
Naïda has many twists and turns, surprises, and everything else I cannot think of. It catches the reader by their emotions, and brings in conflict and questions, all coming together in the end. i could not recommend this book more
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews