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H.A.L.F. #1
H.A.L.F.: The Deep Beneath
H.A.L.F. 9 has taken his first breath of desert air and his first steps in the human world. Created to be a weapon, he proved too powerful for his makers and has lived a sedated life hidden from humans. But H.A.L.F. 9 has escaped the underground lab he called home, and the sedation has worn off. He has never been more alive. More powerful. Or more deadly.
Erika Holt longs to ride her motorcycle east until pavement meets shore. She bides her time until graduation when she’ll say adios to the trailer she shares with her alcoholic mother and memories of her dead father. But a typical night in the desert with friends thrusts Erika into a situation more dangerous than she ever imagined.
Circumstances push the two together, and each must make a fateful choice. Will Erika help H.A.L.F. 9 despite her “don’t get involved” rule? And will H.A.L.F. 9 let Erika live even though he was trained to kill?
The two may need to forget their rules and training and if either is to survive the dangers of the deep beneath them.
Erika Holt longs to ride her motorcycle east until pavement meets shore. She bides her time until graduation when she’ll say adios to the trailer she shares with her alcoholic mother and memories of her dead father. But a typical night in the desert with friends thrusts Erika into a situation more dangerous than she ever imagined.
Circumstances push the two together, and each must make a fateful choice. Will Erika help H.A.L.F. 9 despite her “don’t get involved” rule? And will H.A.L.F. 9 let Erika live even though he was trained to kill?
The two may need to forget their rules and training and if either is to survive the dangers of the deep beneath them.
Paperback
First published January 7, 2015
106 people are currently reading
1240 people want to read
About the author
Natalie Wright
12 books414 followersNatalie’s stories transport readers to realms of magic, myth, lovable misfits—and dragons! She is the author of Season of the Dragon (2023), named a Top 10 Indie Epic Fantasy by Ingram; a BookLife Editor’s Pick; and winner of the silver medal in the 2023 Readers’ Favorite Awards (Epic Fantasy).
The first in a planned 5-book series (Dragos Primeri), book 2—The Spring Dragon— is set to release in early Spring 2025.
Natalie also co-hosts the Tipsy Nerds Book Club podcast: The best of Sci-Fi & Fantasy—with a twist! You can download the popular SFF podcast free wherever you get your podcasts. Read the book, grab a cocktail, and join the conversation: http://tipsynerdsbookclub.com.
Natalie is a judge in the international NYC Midnight writing challenges and a full member of SFWA. She frequently appears on panels at book festivals, SFF cons, and other book events throughout the western US. If you'd like to meet Natalie in person, check her website for book tours/signings/event schedule.
Natalie lives in the desert southwest of America with her husband and two cat overlords, and visits her college-age son frequently in NYC.
For current news about new releases, cover reveals, invitations to ARC teams, etc., become a subscriber and/or follow Natalie on her socials:
Website: www.NatalieWrightAuthor.com
Threads: @NatalieWrightAuthor
Facebook: @NatalieWright.Author
Instagram: @NatalieWrightAuthor
TikTok: @NatalieWrightAuthor
The first in a planned 5-book series (Dragos Primeri), book 2—The Spring Dragon— is set to release in early Spring 2025.
Natalie also co-hosts the Tipsy Nerds Book Club podcast: The best of Sci-Fi & Fantasy—with a twist! You can download the popular SFF podcast free wherever you get your podcasts. Read the book, grab a cocktail, and join the conversation: http://tipsynerdsbookclub.com.
Natalie is a judge in the international NYC Midnight writing challenges and a full member of SFWA. She frequently appears on panels at book festivals, SFF cons, and other book events throughout the western US. If you'd like to meet Natalie in person, check her website for book tours/signings/event schedule.
Natalie lives in the desert southwest of America with her husband and two cat overlords, and visits her college-age son frequently in NYC.
For current news about new releases, cover reveals, invitations to ARC teams, etc., become a subscriber and/or follow Natalie on her socials:
Website: www.NatalieWrightAuthor.com
Threads: @NatalieWrightAuthor
Facebook: @NatalieWright.Author
Instagram: @NatalieWrightAuthor
TikTok: @NatalieWrightAuthor
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
March 2, 2015
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to RMS and author Natalie Wright.)
“I was designed to be a weapon, Erika Holt. I was not trained to feel regret for killing.”
This was an interesting YA sci-fi story, and I liked the action.
Erica was a good character, and I liked how she was willing to sacrifice herself to save her boyfriend and her best friend. Offering yourself up to be raped in order to stop your boyfriend and best friend from being killed is certainly heroic.
“Look, it’s dark out. They haven’t seen your faces. You’ve got me. I’ll go with you. I’ll do whatever you want. Just… just don’t kill them.”
HALF 9 was a more difficult character to understand, and I did find his chapters a little awkward at points, but I think that was the author’s way of showing that he was different, and thought differently to normal people though, so in that respect she did a good job.
“I am the weapon,” H.A.L.F. 9 said.
The storyline in this was pretty good, and I liked the sci-fi angle. There was lots of action, lots of bad guys, and lots of sticky situations!
“Temporal translocation,” Sturgis said. Her voice was a whisper. “I’d never considered this as a potential ability. It’s inconceivable. It’s… can you do it?”
There was a tiny bit of romance, but not a lot, although I do wonder if we have a little bit of a love triangle possibly developing here.
“Remember me?” he asked softly. “I’m trying to forget you Jack Wilson.”
The ending to this was good, but certainly left us with plenty of questions still to be answered, and these kids possibly being in even bugger trouble! It will be interesting to see what happens in the next book!
7 out of 10
“I was designed to be a weapon, Erika Holt. I was not trained to feel regret for killing.”
This was an interesting YA sci-fi story, and I liked the action.
Erica was a good character, and I liked how she was willing to sacrifice herself to save her boyfriend and her best friend. Offering yourself up to be raped in order to stop your boyfriend and best friend from being killed is certainly heroic.
“Look, it’s dark out. They haven’t seen your faces. You’ve got me. I’ll go with you. I’ll do whatever you want. Just… just don’t kill them.”
HALF 9 was a more difficult character to understand, and I did find his chapters a little awkward at points, but I think that was the author’s way of showing that he was different, and thought differently to normal people though, so in that respect she did a good job.
“I am the weapon,” H.A.L.F. 9 said.
The storyline in this was pretty good, and I liked the sci-fi angle. There was lots of action, lots of bad guys, and lots of sticky situations!
“Temporal translocation,” Sturgis said. Her voice was a whisper. “I’d never considered this as a potential ability. It’s inconceivable. It’s… can you do it?”
There was a tiny bit of romance, but not a lot, although I do wonder if we have a little bit of a love triangle possibly developing here.
“Remember me?” he asked softly. “I’m trying to forget you Jack Wilson.”
The ending to this was good, but certainly left us with plenty of questions still to be answered, and these kids possibly being in even bugger trouble! It will be interesting to see what happens in the next book!
7 out of 10
December 2, 2017
H.A.L.F.: The Deep Beneath
By: Natalie Wright
Narrated by: Andrew Tell
I have had this book for a long time and I am so mad at myself for waiting to read it! It is so amazing!
It is about a human/alien hybrid breeding program by the government, and one of their specimens, HALF 9, escapes. 9 meets teens and trouble, they each help each other. The story gets crazier and very suspense filled as they try to get 9 to his 'cousins' that are trying to pick him up. 9 finds out he has a 'sister', HALF 10, along the way too but her personality is nothing as kind as his.
The narrator is just wonderful! He does the gruff voices and the squeaky alien voices perfectly! (Every voice in between too!) Perfect narrator for this book!
By: Natalie Wright
Narrated by: Andrew Tell
I have had this book for a long time and I am so mad at myself for waiting to read it! It is so amazing!
It is about a human/alien hybrid breeding program by the government, and one of their specimens, HALF 9, escapes. 9 meets teens and trouble, they each help each other. The story gets crazier and very suspense filled as they try to get 9 to his 'cousins' that are trying to pick him up. 9 finds out he has a 'sister', HALF 10, along the way too but her personality is nothing as kind as his.
The narrator is just wonderful! He does the gruff voices and the squeaky alien voices perfectly! (Every voice in between too!) Perfect narrator for this book!
February 20, 2015
This is the first installment of Natalie's three part series and is a fast paced story that although it's marketed for a Young Adult audience, I believe anyone would enjoy, I'm in my mid 40's and I loved it.
The story has many twists and turns ensuring that you won't put the book down. There's always something to discover or the answer to a question on the next page. There is so much tension and intrique in the book that you feel the characters fear when they are in danger, and the sudden relief when they feel safe again. You'll be on that roller-coaster throughout. The plot itself is plausible, I mean many believe the aliens landed in Roswell, so why wouldn't the government have alien DNA and a secret facility somewhere?
The characters where very well developed and believable, you could really understand Jack's feelings toward Erika, and conversely H.A.L.F 9's feelings toward Jack. Commander Sturgis is portrayed as a nasty, evil person but there are subtle references to a much softer personality hidden in the depths of her character.
The book ends on a massive cliffhanger; What happens to the kids are they safe? And what about Sturgis and her facility? I guess we'll have to wait for book 2 to find out.
Overall a great book at any age
The story has many twists and turns ensuring that you won't put the book down. There's always something to discover or the answer to a question on the next page. There is so much tension and intrique in the book that you feel the characters fear when they are in danger, and the sudden relief when they feel safe again. You'll be on that roller-coaster throughout. The plot itself is plausible, I mean many believe the aliens landed in Roswell, so why wouldn't the government have alien DNA and a secret facility somewhere?
The characters where very well developed and believable, you could really understand Jack's feelings toward Erika, and conversely H.A.L.F 9's feelings toward Jack. Commander Sturgis is portrayed as a nasty, evil person but there are subtle references to a much softer personality hidden in the depths of her character.
The book ends on a massive cliffhanger; What happens to the kids are they safe? And what about Sturgis and her facility? I guess we'll have to wait for book 2 to find out.
Overall a great book at any age
December 17, 2019
" I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.”
The Deep Beneath is the first instalment in Natalie Wright’s young adult science fiction series entitled H.A.L.F., which was inspired by the Roswell UFO Incident, but the author took it to a whole new level.
In short, three teenagers (Erika, Ian and Jack) who were living a dull life in border town Ajo (Arizona), encounter an outlandish being named H.A.L.F. 9, who saves them after they are attacked by two armed strangers. 9 is a human-alien hybrid who escaped from A.H.D.N.A., an underground lab owned by the military and kept top secret by the US Government. Due to the gratitude the teens feel for the hybrid, they decide to return the favour and help him run even farther away from the people who created him and wanted to use him as a weapon in the upcoming alien war that will strike Earth. From this moment on, a suspenseful action-packed supernatural journey unfolds in front of their eyes and the teens’ lives will never be the same again.
“I am H.A.L.F. 9, property of the United States government and a lethal weapon.” (Page 68)
Because this is the first book of the series, it’s clear that there are still unrevealed facets of the characters or undiscovered fragments from their past, but they were pretty well-built. There’s Erika, who wants to move out from her hometown in order to live a more exciting life, but she rejects Jack’s love because this might be an obstacle in her way to freedom. Ian is her best friend, the one who cares for her in a non-romantic way, and Jack is her love interest and the one who’s by her side, who protects her when she’s hurt. H.A.L.F. 9 is the human-alien hybrid who tries to adapt and to understand the human world and he somehow develops feelings for Erika. Commander Lilly Sturgis is the geneticist who is in charge of the secret governmental program and she is the one who created the hybrids, along with Dr. Randall.
There are multiple perspectives in this book (Lucia, Erika, H.AL.F. 9, Commander Sturgis and H.A.L.F. 10), from which we can understand the characters’ view of the world around them and the way they see other characters. The main themes are power, (lack of) humanity, freedom, friendship, poverty, love and hope.
To wrap it up, I enjoyed reading this novel more than I expected, because the descriptions and the technological terms weren’t overwhelming to me, while the plot twists were worth discovering. Personally, I sat on pins and needles until the last page was turned.
http://elitere.ro/h-a-l-f-1/
The Deep Beneath is the first instalment in Natalie Wright’s young adult science fiction series entitled H.A.L.F., which was inspired by the Roswell UFO Incident, but the author took it to a whole new level.
In short, three teenagers (Erika, Ian and Jack) who were living a dull life in border town Ajo (Arizona), encounter an outlandish being named H.A.L.F. 9, who saves them after they are attacked by two armed strangers. 9 is a human-alien hybrid who escaped from A.H.D.N.A., an underground lab owned by the military and kept top secret by the US Government. Due to the gratitude the teens feel for the hybrid, they decide to return the favour and help him run even farther away from the people who created him and wanted to use him as a weapon in the upcoming alien war that will strike Earth. From this moment on, a suspenseful action-packed supernatural journey unfolds in front of their eyes and the teens’ lives will never be the same again.
“I am H.A.L.F. 9, property of the United States government and a lethal weapon.” (Page 68)
Because this is the first book of the series, it’s clear that there are still unrevealed facets of the characters or undiscovered fragments from their past, but they were pretty well-built. There’s Erika, who wants to move out from her hometown in order to live a more exciting life, but she rejects Jack’s love because this might be an obstacle in her way to freedom. Ian is her best friend, the one who cares for her in a non-romantic way, and Jack is her love interest and the one who’s by her side, who protects her when she’s hurt. H.A.L.F. 9 is the human-alien hybrid who tries to adapt and to understand the human world and he somehow develops feelings for Erika. Commander Lilly Sturgis is the geneticist who is in charge of the secret governmental program and she is the one who created the hybrids, along with Dr. Randall.
There are multiple perspectives in this book (Lucia, Erika, H.AL.F. 9, Commander Sturgis and H.A.L.F. 10), from which we can understand the characters’ view of the world around them and the way they see other characters. The main themes are power, (lack of) humanity, freedom, friendship, poverty, love and hope.
To wrap it up, I enjoyed reading this novel more than I expected, because the descriptions and the technological terms weren’t overwhelming to me, while the plot twists were worth discovering. Personally, I sat on pins and needles until the last page was turned.
http://elitere.ro/h-a-l-f-1/
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 26, 2015
Verdict:A typical alien experiment sci-fi novel.
Enjoyment: 4 I enjoyed reading it.
Writing Style: 4 Only a few minor tweaks.
Plot: 4 Action packed. No twists or spins though.
World & Concepts: 4 Solid but nothing overly original.
Characters: 4 Villain needs fleshing out. The rest are likable and individual.
Finish: 5 Didn’t even know it was self-published!
Strengths: Action sequences are good and plenty.
Weakness: Just doesn’t have that original or gripping spark.
This is the perfect example of a self-published book because I genuinely had no idea - not even an inkling - that it wasn't traditionally published. Great cover, no obvious typos, and there were very few cases of awkward/confusing writing. What a cracking example!
I always love it when a character is different or acts unexpectedly, and Tex the half alien was definitely unusual. He used language differently, and tried to understand his actions in a logical way even when he acted irrationally. I find it interesting, and never felt it hindered the prose. If anything, it's what drew me in whenever he led the third person narration.
The humans were equally good to follow, with Erika taking on the third person narration the second most. Ian’s good humour, mixed with a dash of self-preservation, possibly made him my favourite character. I didn’t feel too connected to Jack, but I enjoyed the light snippets of romance that helped me understand Erika further. I liked how Erika was strong but had issues to overcome.
Now for the villain. Commander Sturgis felt like a typical evil scientist to me, and a little too trigger happy on the ‘kill them’ command when a simple non-disclosure would suffice. The author tried to develop her a little further by adding in snippets about her father, but it didn’t help me understand her actions.
In places the prose felt bogged down with a lot of detail over the characters' thought processes. Several times I realised three of four paragraphs could be deleted in favour of a simple line. The exposition in-between the action basically got in the way. Luckily this is definitely an action packed novel.
Maybe most of the concepts have already been done a lot in sci-fi books, but it's still a read I'd recommend. I'm hoping the sequel will take the trilogy to an unexpected place – I’ll definitely keeping reading to find out.
Source: NetGalley.com
Blog:ScookieReviews
Enjoyment: 4 I enjoyed reading it.
Writing Style: 4 Only a few minor tweaks.
Plot: 4 Action packed. No twists or spins though.
World & Concepts: 4 Solid but nothing overly original.
Characters: 4 Villain needs fleshing out. The rest are likable and individual.
Finish: 5 Didn’t even know it was self-published!
Strengths: Action sequences are good and plenty.
Weakness: Just doesn’t have that original or gripping spark.
This is the perfect example of a self-published book because I genuinely had no idea - not even an inkling - that it wasn't traditionally published. Great cover, no obvious typos, and there were very few cases of awkward/confusing writing. What a cracking example!
I always love it when a character is different or acts unexpectedly, and Tex the half alien was definitely unusual. He used language differently, and tried to understand his actions in a logical way even when he acted irrationally. I find it interesting, and never felt it hindered the prose. If anything, it's what drew me in whenever he led the third person narration.
The humans were equally good to follow, with Erika taking on the third person narration the second most. Ian’s good humour, mixed with a dash of self-preservation, possibly made him my favourite character. I didn’t feel too connected to Jack, but I enjoyed the light snippets of romance that helped me understand Erika further. I liked how Erika was strong but had issues to overcome.
Now for the villain. Commander Sturgis felt like a typical evil scientist to me, and a little too trigger happy on the ‘kill them’ command when a simple non-disclosure would suffice. The author tried to develop her a little further by adding in snippets about her father, but it didn’t help me understand her actions.
In places the prose felt bogged down with a lot of detail over the characters' thought processes. Several times I realised three of four paragraphs could be deleted in favour of a simple line. The exposition in-between the action basically got in the way. Luckily this is definitely an action packed novel.
Maybe most of the concepts have already been done a lot in sci-fi books, but it's still a read I'd recommend. I'm hoping the sequel will take the trilogy to an unexpected place – I’ll definitely keeping reading to find out.
Source: NetGalley.com
Blog:ScookieReviews
January 22, 2015
When three teens go hang out in the desert, stargazing and just hanging out , they don't expect trouble, but it finds them. Two Bandits come with evil intent , one of the teens is shot. When suddenly they are rescued by a stranger, who is more strange then they ever expected. He obviously isn't quite Human, when he dispatches the bad guy that shot one of the teens and then heals the bullet wound.
HALF 9 is a alien/human hybrid and the secret Government Lab he's spent his 17 yrs sedated and kept weak, they want him back. The teenagers are expendable to the Commander running the Lab, until the Hybrid refuses to allow them to be killed, and won't return to the Lab he proves he's willing to fight to stay out of his prison and with the teens. His powers that he is just learning are growing into a what could be good or bad. This book is fast paced and suitable for older Tweens and Teens. The plot twists and turns are amazing in how they flow back and forth from safe to danger. Will the Teens the Commander has ordered killed make it out? will the Scientist who has been a Father figure to the Hybrid survive? Don't look for a ending just from this book because it's a first and questions abound waiting for the sequel.. Will the teens be safe and allowed to be free? Will they travel thru space? Is the Hybrid falling for the female teen?
I read this in an evening, due to it's fast pace plot twists and turns. Left with a cliff hanger I will be looking forward to the sequel soon. That is the only reason I gave it 4 stars out of 5, is because the story is to be continued. I can't wait to see what is in store for the Hybrids, Aliens, Teens, and the Scientist that brought this to the point. The final battle of this book leaves you gasping at the way it turns out and wanting more right NOW !
HALF 9 is a alien/human hybrid and the secret Government Lab he's spent his 17 yrs sedated and kept weak, they want him back. The teenagers are expendable to the Commander running the Lab, until the Hybrid refuses to allow them to be killed, and won't return to the Lab he proves he's willing to fight to stay out of his prison and with the teens. His powers that he is just learning are growing into a what could be good or bad. This book is fast paced and suitable for older Tweens and Teens. The plot twists and turns are amazing in how they flow back and forth from safe to danger. Will the Teens the Commander has ordered killed make it out? will the Scientist who has been a Father figure to the Hybrid survive? Don't look for a ending just from this book because it's a first and questions abound waiting for the sequel.. Will the teens be safe and allowed to be free? Will they travel thru space? Is the Hybrid falling for the female teen?
I read this in an evening, due to it's fast pace plot twists and turns. Left with a cliff hanger I will be looking forward to the sequel soon. That is the only reason I gave it 4 stars out of 5, is because the story is to be continued. I can't wait to see what is in store for the Hybrids, Aliens, Teens, and the Scientist that brought this to the point. The final battle of this book leaves you gasping at the way it turns out and wanting more right NOW !
April 4, 2022
I really hope this gets adapted
I hope this is adapted for TV or movies. That would be awesome. Such a good and entertaining story. All three books were lovely.
I hope this is adapted for TV or movies. That would be awesome. Such a good and entertaining story. All three books were lovely.
May 11, 2015
(I got a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.)
I can't say I liked this novel. Although the premise grabbed my attention, the story turned out to be too overdone to my liking. It partly had to do with the source of H.A.L.F. 9's non-human side. It reminded me of what I'd call "Cold War era stories": books, movies, comics tackling matters that were relevant a few decades ago (the way the Cold War provided an excellent building-ground for tense stories), but aren't so much anymore. As a result, making them interesting rather than "it's just another version of..." has become more difficult. Unfortunately, in my opinion, The Deep Beneath didn't manage to get off the ground, whether in theme or in execution.
The characters remained too flat for me to warm up to them. I expected Erika to be more of a free mind—a proud, independant young woman riding her motorcycle through the desert—and not so obsessed with her love interest that she didn't want to love because it would impede her freedom, but wait, she still keeps daydreaming about him and sniffing his scent. What could have been a good subplot, filled with questions about whether loving someone will set you back or allow you to soar, whether it will only shackle a person or not, got lost in the flow of teenage hormones. And when she opened her mouth, when she stood her ground, it was too often at the wrong moment, using the wrong words (at the 70% mark, I filed her as Too Stupid To Live).
Both Ian and Jack seemed to exist as background elements only, and never developed into actual characters with actual personalities. Sturgis had too much of a gloating villain edge, both cruel at times yet inexplicably powerless at others (in the way of the Villain Decay trope). Alecto's budding thoughts and dilemma regarding H.A.L.F. 9'got lost somewhere along the road, when it could've been such an interesting thread to develop. As for H9, I guess he was alright, in the way he discovered the outside world and grew to care for the humans he had met, but here comes the third breaking part for me: the writing.
The writing was of the "tell, not show" varity, which quickly made the story feel as dry as the desert it was set in. I can definitely say that had H9's growth been tackled in a different way, instead of that somewhat clinically detached tone, I would've appreciated it much more. Being detached made sense when it came to his stilted dialogue, since he had never been given the chance to communicate much with human beings; however, it wasn't palatable when all his thoughts and actions were described that way.
Conclusion: a story that had potential to provide food for thought, yet didn't in the end. 1.5 stars.
I can't say I liked this novel. Although the premise grabbed my attention, the story turned out to be too overdone to my liking. It partly had to do with the source of H.A.L.F. 9's non-human side. It reminded me of what I'd call "Cold War era stories": books, movies, comics tackling matters that were relevant a few decades ago (the way the Cold War provided an excellent building-ground for tense stories), but aren't so much anymore. As a result, making them interesting rather than "it's just another version of..." has become more difficult. Unfortunately, in my opinion, The Deep Beneath didn't manage to get off the ground, whether in theme or in execution.
The characters remained too flat for me to warm up to them. I expected Erika to be more of a free mind—a proud, independant young woman riding her motorcycle through the desert—and not so obsessed with her love interest that she didn't want to love because it would impede her freedom, but wait, she still keeps daydreaming about him and sniffing his scent. What could have been a good subplot, filled with questions about whether loving someone will set you back or allow you to soar, whether it will only shackle a person or not, got lost in the flow of teenage hormones. And when she opened her mouth, when she stood her ground, it was too often at the wrong moment, using the wrong words (at the 70% mark, I filed her as Too Stupid To Live).
Both Ian and Jack seemed to exist as background elements only, and never developed into actual characters with actual personalities. Sturgis had too much of a gloating villain edge, both cruel at times yet inexplicably powerless at others (in the way of the Villain Decay trope). Alecto's budding thoughts and dilemma regarding H.A.L.F. 9'got lost somewhere along the road, when it could've been such an interesting thread to develop. As for H9, I guess he was alright, in the way he discovered the outside world and grew to care for the humans he had met, but here comes the third breaking part for me: the writing.
The writing was of the "tell, not show" varity, which quickly made the story feel as dry as the desert it was set in. I can definitely say that had H9's growth been tackled in a different way, instead of that somewhat clinically detached tone, I would've appreciated it much more. Being detached made sense when it came to his stilted dialogue, since he had never been given the chance to communicate much with human beings; however, it wasn't palatable when all his thoughts and actions were described that way.
Conclusion: a story that had potential to provide food for thought, yet didn't in the end. 1.5 stars.
March 3, 2015
I received a copy of H.A.L.F The Deep Beneath in exchange for an honest review.
I'm a fan of accessible Sci-Fi and H.A.L.F is certainly that. Told by multiple points of view, we get a new and fresh look into the story Natalie Wright has created, but also some more knowledgeable views that allow the reader to grasp aspects the characters themselves have not yet come to understand.
I read this book mostly on my commute to and from work and I liked getting it in small bites. The characters were easily likeable, especially Jack with his perhaps-not-so-paranoid conspiracy theories. I enjoyed the character of Tex/H.A.L.F 9, but his preoccupation with Erika did start to grate on me a little. I really liked the deadpan, very correct way of talking and I thought it brought a nice contrast to the clipped and natural language of the teenagers.
This was an easy, enjoyable, fast, interesting read, but I have to admit that it didn't have me clawing at the pages. The pace is a steady increase and because there is never a break, the actual action-filled scenes don't feel as heart-racing as they should. (Which, coincidentally, is why I don't like the movie version of the Hobbit. All the extra action, with no breathers actually leaves you feeling a bit drained and dilutes the effectiveness of what should be incredibly exciting scenes.)
All in all, I enjoyed reading this and will be looking forward to the next book.
This review was written whilst wearing a tinfoil hat to ensure no outside (or up there) influence.
I'm a fan of accessible Sci-Fi and H.A.L.F is certainly that. Told by multiple points of view, we get a new and fresh look into the story Natalie Wright has created, but also some more knowledgeable views that allow the reader to grasp aspects the characters themselves have not yet come to understand.
I read this book mostly on my commute to and from work and I liked getting it in small bites. The characters were easily likeable, especially Jack with his perhaps-not-so-paranoid conspiracy theories. I enjoyed the character of Tex/H.A.L.F 9, but his preoccupation with Erika did start to grate on me a little. I really liked the deadpan, very correct way of talking and I thought it brought a nice contrast to the clipped and natural language of the teenagers.
This was an easy, enjoyable, fast, interesting read, but I have to admit that it didn't have me clawing at the pages. The pace is a steady increase and because there is never a break, the actual action-filled scenes don't feel as heart-racing as they should. (Which, coincidentally, is why I don't like the movie version of the Hobbit. All the extra action, with no breathers actually leaves you feeling a bit drained and dilutes the effectiveness of what should be incredibly exciting scenes.)
All in all, I enjoyed reading this and will be looking forward to the next book.
This review was written whilst wearing a tinfoil hat to ensure no outside (or up there) influence.
March 16, 2015
This was a very fast paced read for me. I finished it surprisingly quick. Natalie Wright will have you flipping the pages quicker than any other book. All the characters have deep back stories, and depth making them come to life. I could easily imagine them based off of their past, present, and the descriptive words Ms. Wright used. There's just enough description to give you an image, without being too wordy and over explaining things to where the book becomes unenjoyable.
I believe this book's targeted audience would be for young teenagers, but I enjoyed it compared to other books of that age group. It wasn't overly simple making it boring, but just enough for any reader to comprehend and enjoy. The emotions between Jack and Erika were expressed with great perspective. I'm sure any reader can relate to them in some way.
The author left me with many questions, which I believe were intentionally put there for the readers, making them look forward to the sequel. I know I'm looking forward to book two! Overall I'd rate this book a 5/5 and I'm adding book two, to my list of books to look forward to.
I believe this book's targeted audience would be for young teenagers, but I enjoyed it compared to other books of that age group. It wasn't overly simple making it boring, but just enough for any reader to comprehend and enjoy. The emotions between Jack and Erika were expressed with great perspective. I'm sure any reader can relate to them in some way.
The author left me with many questions, which I believe were intentionally put there for the readers, making them look forward to the sequel. I know I'm looking forward to book two! Overall I'd rate this book a 5/5 and I'm adding book two, to my list of books to look forward to.
August 5, 2017
I was blessed with a free copy of this book, and have chosen of my own volition to share my review with you!
Be prepared to not put this book down, and to be compelled to purchase the next book in this series. This tale is woven in such a manner that the reader is sucked in, loosing complete track of time in the real world. The characters are complexly developed. The plot is full of twists and turns. The author truly has a gift!
What if you heard that an alien attack was eminent? What would you do? This tale envelops the choices one woman makes after hearing from an alien that war is coming. She creates a human-alien hybrid (actually ten of them), and it escapes the lab it was created in. What lengths will she go to get him back? What powers does he possess? Read this book to find out!
Be prepared to not put this book down, and to be compelled to purchase the next book in this series. This tale is woven in such a manner that the reader is sucked in, loosing complete track of time in the real world. The characters are complexly developed. The plot is full of twists and turns. The author truly has a gift!
What if you heard that an alien attack was eminent? What would you do? This tale envelops the choices one woman makes after hearing from an alien that war is coming. She creates a human-alien hybrid (actually ten of them), and it escapes the lab it was created in. What lengths will she go to get him back? What powers does he possess? Read this book to find out!
March 18, 2017
Picked this up at Bubonicon last year. Indie writers are always such a crap shoot; I've read some real dreck in my effort to support them. But Natalie Wright is worth the time & money. Her characters feel realistic, the action flows well, & tho' there's romance, it doesn't intrude in unrealistic ways. I like this well enough to order the second in the series.
August 9, 2017
Solid alien scifi
Well written young adult SciFi. You'll like the protagonist and hate the antagonist. The characters could use more depth, but this is book 1, so maybe they're fleshed out a bit more in books 2-3.
Well written young adult SciFi. You'll like the protagonist and hate the antagonist. The characters could use more depth, but this is book 1, so maybe they're fleshed out a bit more in books 2-3.
July 18, 2015
* I received a free copy of this audiobook from AudioBookBlast in exchange for an honest review.
H.A.L.F. 9 has finally escaped his lifelong cell and has breathed in the desert air for the first time. He was created as a weapon, but he exceeded his creator's wildest imaginings of his power and has spent his entire 17 years of life sedated and hidden away from humans.
But now that H.A.L.F. 9 has escaped the underground lab and the sedation has worn off, he realizes just what he has been missing and just how powerful he really is.
Erika Holt can't wait to graduate high school and get the heck out of her small hometown. Ever since her beloved father died when Erika was only twelve years old, it had been up to Erika to take care of her alcoholic mother. She is sick of it and upon graduation she plans to hop on her motorcycle and drive as far East as it is possible to go.
Erika does not drink alcohol. She knows that most of the high school seniors do, but living with an alcoholic has put her off alcohol for good. She was supposed to attend a party with her best friends: Ian and Jack, but Erika convinces them to head out into the desert instead.
Erika had no idea that deciding to head into the desert on that particular night would end up changing her life forever.
Erika and H.A.L.F. 9 have a fateful run-in in the desert and somehow their fates and their very lives end up inextricably linked together.
This audiobook is a terrific Young Adult tale. It is the first book in a series.
H.A.L.F. 9 is a terrific character. The author could have taken him in any direction she wanted. She writes his confusion with what the real world is really like brilliantly. He may be super-smart from a purely intellectual point of view, but learning from books and only approved websites has left him severely socially handicapped.
The narration of this audiobook was EXCELLENT. It was clear right from the beginning that this narrator is a professional. I'm not sure what else to say about it because, quite frankly, it could not have been any better. The narrator was able to draw me into the story right away and allowed me to follow along without ever having to wonder if I had missed anything.
My favorite character in this book has to Dr. Randall. Despite the fact that he is the co-founder of the HALF program, he is a good man with a good heart who wants to do the right thing.
Dr. Lily Sturgess is the perfect villain. She is condescending to her subordinates. She is devious. She believes that her intellect is superior to everyone else. Basically, she is a bully who has power and that power is more important to her than anything else.
Dr. Dolan is the grandfatherly figure that listeners cannot help but be drawn to.
I rate this young adult audiobook as 5 out of 5 stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
To read more reviews visit http://amiesbookreviews.wordpress.com
H.A.L.F. 9 has finally escaped his lifelong cell and has breathed in the desert air for the first time. He was created as a weapon, but he exceeded his creator's wildest imaginings of his power and has spent his entire 17 years of life sedated and hidden away from humans.
But now that H.A.L.F. 9 has escaped the underground lab and the sedation has worn off, he realizes just what he has been missing and just how powerful he really is.
Erika Holt can't wait to graduate high school and get the heck out of her small hometown. Ever since her beloved father died when Erika was only twelve years old, it had been up to Erika to take care of her alcoholic mother. She is sick of it and upon graduation she plans to hop on her motorcycle and drive as far East as it is possible to go.
Erika does not drink alcohol. She knows that most of the high school seniors do, but living with an alcoholic has put her off alcohol for good. She was supposed to attend a party with her best friends: Ian and Jack, but Erika convinces them to head out into the desert instead.
Erika had no idea that deciding to head into the desert on that particular night would end up changing her life forever.
Erika and H.A.L.F. 9 have a fateful run-in in the desert and somehow their fates and their very lives end up inextricably linked together.
This audiobook is a terrific Young Adult tale. It is the first book in a series.
H.A.L.F. 9 is a terrific character. The author could have taken him in any direction she wanted. She writes his confusion with what the real world is really like brilliantly. He may be super-smart from a purely intellectual point of view, but learning from books and only approved websites has left him severely socially handicapped.
The narration of this audiobook was EXCELLENT. It was clear right from the beginning that this narrator is a professional. I'm not sure what else to say about it because, quite frankly, it could not have been any better. The narrator was able to draw me into the story right away and allowed me to follow along without ever having to wonder if I had missed anything.
My favorite character in this book has to Dr. Randall. Despite the fact that he is the co-founder of the HALF program, he is a good man with a good heart who wants to do the right thing.
Dr. Lily Sturgess is the perfect villain. She is condescending to her subordinates. She is devious. She believes that her intellect is superior to everyone else. Basically, she is a bully who has power and that power is more important to her than anything else.
Dr. Dolan is the grandfatherly figure that listeners cannot help but be drawn to.
I rate this young adult audiobook as 5 out of 5 stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
To read more reviews visit http://amiesbookreviews.wordpress.com
March 4, 2017
Honestly I think this book has the potential to become a...
full review here: https://melancholy-codex.tumblr.com/p...
full review here: https://melancholy-codex.tumblr.com/p...
September 2, 2015
So we have some young adults, an underground secret facility, super humans with numbers instead of names, what is going on?
Before I get started this book gave me a whole Area 51 vibe, I think it was the whole secret government base thing going on!
Anyway long story short Erica, her two best friends (both male and one a very good friend!) decide to let their hair down and head out to the desert. Whilst there they encounter some nasty types who are out to get whatever they want and unfortunately Erica is on their list.
Thankfully before anything bad can go down their knight in shining armour appears. H.A.L.F 9.
He has taken his first steps out of his underground home or should I say prison. He has been created as a weapon, he has lived his short life in a sedated bubble and now he has escaped and he is free.
Erica and her friends have to make a decision, will the help H.A.L.F. 9? He is a killing machine and potentially he could kill them but he also saved them when they needed it the most, will they be his saviours? The people who created him want him back at any cost!
This was a fun read and very atmospheric too, maybe it was the desert surroundings, they always fascinate me, anyway I did like the characters especially our mysterious number 9.
There is a touch of romance too, possibly a love triangle but I'll let you read about that - are we having too many love triangles? I ask because teenage girls really need to settle for one guy!!
The way the book ended on a little bit of a "what, you can't leave it like that" sort of way also means we may hear more from these guys!
A good addition to your YA/Sci Fi shelf!
Thank you to Xpresso Book Tours for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review
Before I get started this book gave me a whole Area 51 vibe, I think it was the whole secret government base thing going on!
Anyway long story short Erica, her two best friends (both male and one a very good friend!) decide to let their hair down and head out to the desert. Whilst there they encounter some nasty types who are out to get whatever they want and unfortunately Erica is on their list.
Thankfully before anything bad can go down their knight in shining armour appears. H.A.L.F 9.
He has taken his first steps out of his underground home or should I say prison. He has been created as a weapon, he has lived his short life in a sedated bubble and now he has escaped and he is free.
Erica and her friends have to make a decision, will the help H.A.L.F. 9? He is a killing machine and potentially he could kill them but he also saved them when they needed it the most, will they be his saviours? The people who created him want him back at any cost!
This was a fun read and very atmospheric too, maybe it was the desert surroundings, they always fascinate me, anyway I did like the characters especially our mysterious number 9.
There is a touch of romance too, possibly a love triangle but I'll let you read about that - are we having too many love triangles? I ask because teenage girls really need to settle for one guy!!
The way the book ended on a little bit of a "what, you can't leave it like that" sort of way also means we may hear more from these guys!
A good addition to your YA/Sci Fi shelf!
Thank you to Xpresso Book Tours for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review
January 18, 2015
I very much enjoyed this fast.paced book that centers around H.A.L.F. 9, who is a half human, half-alien teenager, created by the US military to be used as a weapon in an alien invasion. The other main character is Erika, a very human teenager who becomes involved with H.A.L.F. 9 (whom Erika later re-names Tex) when he escapes from the underground facility where he has been kept all of his life, into the desert and saves Erika and her two friends from two bandits. The four of them form an unlikely alliance against Tex's driven creator, Commander Sturgess, who wants him back at all costs.
I found the plot intriguing - who hasn't wondered what the government did with the UFO that crashed in Roswell - and Ms. Wright does a good job coming up with a plausible explanation. I also found the characters to be well-developed - no one is totally good or evil, not even Commander Sturgess.
As this is the first part of a trilogy, I have several questions that I hope will be answered in later parts:
1. Why did Sturgess create H.A.L.F. 10 on her own just a year after H.A.L.F. 9's birth? This was long before the "incident" with 9, so that can't be the reason.
2. Why did they stop after 9 (10)?
3. Since the H.A.L.F.s are sedated by humidity, wouldn't this make them easy to take out? (after all, alien forces would just need to dump water on them to render them useless)
I'm looking forward to H.A.L.F 2 coming out.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I found the plot intriguing - who hasn't wondered what the government did with the UFO that crashed in Roswell - and Ms. Wright does a good job coming up with a plausible explanation. I also found the characters to be well-developed - no one is totally good or evil, not even Commander Sturgess.
As this is the first part of a trilogy, I have several questions that I hope will be answered in later parts:
1. Why did Sturgess create H.A.L.F. 10 on her own just a year after H.A.L.F. 9's birth? This was long before the "incident" with 9, so that can't be the reason.
2. Why did they stop after 9 (10)?
3. Since the H.A.L.F.s are sedated by humidity, wouldn't this make them easy to take out? (after all, alien forces would just need to dump water on them to render them useless)
I'm looking forward to H.A.L.F 2 coming out.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 19, 2015
Book Review originally published here: http://www.iheartreading.net/book-tou...
This was an interesting read. H.A.L.F: The Deep Beneath is the first book in a trilogy, and it sets the mood nicely. We’re introduced to H.A.LF. 9, who was created to be a weapon yet ended up being too powerful and impredictable. His makers kept him sedated, but now the sedation has worn off, and he’s more alive and deadly than ever before. As a hybrid, only half-human, H.A.L.F 9 makes an interesting character. The author does a great job portraying him, his choices, and why he chooses to be anything but what he was meant to be – a killer.
Erika Holt and her friends run into H.A.L.F 9 by accident during a night out in the desert. When things go dire, H.A.L.F 9 — Tex — shows up to save Erika and her friends. Erika feels a strange connection toward the hybrid, who struggles to escape from the Commander, who wants him back, no matter what it takes. Tex and Erika had an interesting bond, and I can’t wait to see how it develops in the second book.
The characters are strong, in particular Erika. She didn’t have a great childhood, what with an alcoholic mom, but she has a lot of strength. Tex is intriguing too, because you never quite know how he’ll react.
The book starts out with a bang, and it keeps on going right until the end, fast-paced all the way through. If you like scifi, give this book a shot. I for one, am curious about the sequel.
This was an interesting read. H.A.L.F: The Deep Beneath is the first book in a trilogy, and it sets the mood nicely. We’re introduced to H.A.LF. 9, who was created to be a weapon yet ended up being too powerful and impredictable. His makers kept him sedated, but now the sedation has worn off, and he’s more alive and deadly than ever before. As a hybrid, only half-human, H.A.L.F 9 makes an interesting character. The author does a great job portraying him, his choices, and why he chooses to be anything but what he was meant to be – a killer.
Erika Holt and her friends run into H.A.L.F 9 by accident during a night out in the desert. When things go dire, H.A.L.F 9 — Tex — shows up to save Erika and her friends. Erika feels a strange connection toward the hybrid, who struggles to escape from the Commander, who wants him back, no matter what it takes. Tex and Erika had an interesting bond, and I can’t wait to see how it develops in the second book.
The characters are strong, in particular Erika. She didn’t have a great childhood, what with an alcoholic mom, but she has a lot of strength. Tex is intriguing too, because you never quite know how he’ll react.
The book starts out with a bang, and it keeps on going right until the end, fast-paced all the way through. If you like scifi, give this book a shot. I for one, am curious about the sequel.
May 4, 2015
I was given a copy of this book in return for an unbiased review.
H.A.L.F:The Deep Beneath is a young adult novel that grabs your attention on page one, and never lets it go. The human-alien life form that was created to battle in the great alien war took on many human characteristics that were not intended. When introduced to a group of human teenagers he was intrigued and challenged. Romantic notions are obviously not only a human emotion.
The characters were presented believable and likeable ways. You found yourself cheering for, or against, then with great emotion. While I was concerned about Half 9, I was also intrigued and concerned.
As a fan of X-files I found myself picturing basement offices and secret investigations. I pictured elaborate buildings and teams of people working on secret missions. The author truly brought this story to life for me. I cannot wait to read the next instalment. What is going to happen? Where are they going? Who is in our side?
One is drawn into the secret world that has created alien forms. I was spellbound by the writing and the suspense. It is not often that I cannot wait for the next instalment, but I am personally on pins and needles!
The author has left me wanting more and more. What a great book - I HAVE to read the next instalment. And I HAVE to know what is happening with Jack!
H.A.L.F:The Deep Beneath is a young adult novel that grabs your attention on page one, and never lets it go. The human-alien life form that was created to battle in the great alien war took on many human characteristics that were not intended. When introduced to a group of human teenagers he was intrigued and challenged. Romantic notions are obviously not only a human emotion.
The characters were presented believable and likeable ways. You found yourself cheering for, or against, then with great emotion. While I was concerned about Half 9, I was also intrigued and concerned.
As a fan of X-files I found myself picturing basement offices and secret investigations. I pictured elaborate buildings and teams of people working on secret missions. The author truly brought this story to life for me. I cannot wait to read the next instalment. What is going to happen? Where are they going? Who is in our side?
One is drawn into the secret world that has created alien forms. I was spellbound by the writing and the suspense. It is not often that I cannot wait for the next instalment, but I am personally on pins and needles!
The author has left me wanting more and more. What a great book - I HAVE to read the next instalment. And I HAVE to know what is happening with Jack!
July 10, 2015
We all want to know what happened at Roswell and Natalie Wright gives us her fantastical spin on what may have very well happened and what we have done since then. In her story we encounter a human-alien hybrid who just wants to be free but that freedom comes at a cost. Making new friends, meeting family he didn't know existed, and meeting his alien "cousins" leads to an epic, bloody battle of wills and perseverance.
It was quite enjoyable and easy to follow along. I only question what Wright's intention were on the scale of believability-- Teens fighting highly trained soldiers, and following around aliens is just a bit hard for me to grasp as being plausible; but it is a science-fiction novel, so maybe that won't bother anyone who reads this genre.
Andrew Tell's narration is pretty good. I enjoyed his pacing, and overall timing. I thought his read was a little lack-luster in the sense that it was monotone at times and it was hard for me to distinguish a few characters from one another. His voices for the H.A.L.F's were perfect and overall he does a fine job bringing this story to life.
I would recommend this book to all.
This audiobook was given to me in exchange for an honest review.
It was quite enjoyable and easy to follow along. I only question what Wright's intention were on the scale of believability-- Teens fighting highly trained soldiers, and following around aliens is just a bit hard for me to grasp as being plausible; but it is a science-fiction novel, so maybe that won't bother anyone who reads this genre.
Andrew Tell's narration is pretty good. I enjoyed his pacing, and overall timing. I thought his read was a little lack-luster in the sense that it was monotone at times and it was hard for me to distinguish a few characters from one another. His voices for the H.A.L.F's were perfect and overall he does a fine job bringing this story to life.
I would recommend this book to all.
This audiobook was given to me in exchange for an honest review.
May 19, 2016
Disclaimer: I was gifted this book from Natalie Wright for an honest review.
I was initially drawn to the debut novel H.A.L.F. because the brief description lured me in with the promise of an exciting adventure starring a human whose DNA has been spliced with alien DNA. As a sci-fi lover, I had to give it a try.
The story opens with your typical angsty teenagers (Erika, Ian and Jack) trying to find a quiet place in the Arizona desert to hangout and peer at the stars. Due to being in the wrong place and wrong time, the teenagers find themselves in the middle of a deadly situation. They end up being rescued by a H.A.L.F 9, who is a government trained weapon that can kill just by thinking it.
There is plenty of action and adventure in the story as 9 and the teenagers try to find a way to reunite him with his makers (the greys).
This book is well written. However, I think that being from the southwest makes this book a little too cliché for me. I had a hard to connecting with any character in particular, including 9.
I was initially drawn to the debut novel H.A.L.F. because the brief description lured me in with the promise of an exciting adventure starring a human whose DNA has been spliced with alien DNA. As a sci-fi lover, I had to give it a try.
The story opens with your typical angsty teenagers (Erika, Ian and Jack) trying to find a quiet place in the Arizona desert to hangout and peer at the stars. Due to being in the wrong place and wrong time, the teenagers find themselves in the middle of a deadly situation. They end up being rescued by a H.A.L.F 9, who is a government trained weapon that can kill just by thinking it.
There is plenty of action and adventure in the story as 9 and the teenagers try to find a way to reunite him with his makers (the greys).
This book is well written. However, I think that being from the southwest makes this book a little too cliché for me. I had a hard to connecting with any character in particular, including 9.
July 29, 2015
Audiobook
Narration - Andrew Tell - Really Good
I honestly can't say much about his narration. He was such a good story teller, that I didn't notice his narration. Great voice, good pace, no annoying character voices, it all was just a smoothly told story. Very nice!
The book was really interesting. I don't read/listen to much Psy-Fi, but I really enjoyed this book.
HALF.9 is a hybrid human/alien who escapes from the underground environment where he's been kept for the past 17 years. He runs into three teenagers out in the desert and rescues them from some pretty bad guys then rescues them again from one of his creators and their adventure begins.
The book has POV chapters all told in third person AND it ends on a cliffy!
I was given this audiobook free of charge from audiobookblast in exchange for an unbiased review
Narration - Andrew Tell - Really Good
I honestly can't say much about his narration. He was such a good story teller, that I didn't notice his narration. Great voice, good pace, no annoying character voices, it all was just a smoothly told story. Very nice!
The book was really interesting. I don't read/listen to much Psy-Fi, but I really enjoyed this book.
HALF.9 is a hybrid human/alien who escapes from the underground environment where he's been kept for the past 17 years. He runs into three teenagers out in the desert and rescues them from some pretty bad guys then rescues them again from one of his creators and their adventure begins.
The book has POV chapters all told in third person AND it ends on a cliffy!
I was given this audiobook free of charge from audiobookblast in exchange for an unbiased review
April 13, 2015
ARC from Netgalley for an honest review
I liked this book a lot - but what an ending, eh? When is the sequel coming out: I MUST know what happens next! And I have to say, I am not at all happy with what I am speculating is the reason for leaving certain someone behind: I hope I am wrong...
I loved Tex portrayal in the Deep Beneath: he really came alive for me, and I will definitely want to read more about him.
The teens have nice dynamic too, with a lovely range of characters between them, while the background of secret government project sets the scene nicely.
Lots of action, hint of romance, very human not-entirely-human, great book!
I liked this book a lot - but what an ending, eh? When is the sequel coming out: I MUST know what happens next! And I have to say, I am not at all happy with what I am speculating is the reason for leaving certain someone behind: I hope I am wrong...
I loved Tex portrayal in the Deep Beneath: he really came alive for me, and I will definitely want to read more about him.
The teens have nice dynamic too, with a lovely range of characters between them, while the background of secret government project sets the scene nicely.
Lots of action, hint of romance, very human not-entirely-human, great book!
March 23, 2015
This is a great book that I read so quick that when it was over I was shocked I had read it so fast. The story line is so fast paced and the characters have so much depth to them that I felt like I knew them and that their story line was being played out right in front of me. Oh and Natalie has left me with so many questions that I really need book two now to know what is going to happen. I am definitely going to be buying it release day. 5/5 Bloody Fangs
October 28, 2016
Easy 5 Stars. Great read and highly recommended. I was lucky enough to discover the author at Salt Lake Comic Con, and am glad I decided to pick up her book. The plot is face-paced, well thought out, and unique. I wanted to keep reading at the end of each chapter. I loved Tex (I don't want to give too much away) - and the characters were well developed. Full of adventure, mystery, and thrills! The ending was awesome and now I'm going to be picking up a copy of book two.
February 4, 2015
Kept me wanting more throughout the whole book. Definitely a fun read and can't wait for book 2!
January 17, 2017
Good read ,.
story moved along nicely and kept your interest. Enough action and intrigue and I look forward to reading book 2.
story moved along nicely and kept your interest. Enough action and intrigue and I look forward to reading book 2.
December 21, 2017
I’ve run into Natalie at writing conventions, book festivals, and comic cons. Since we’re both Arizona authors, we often get invited to the same events. She’s always fun to sit next to on a sci-fi panel. Obviously, I’ve known about her alien/human hybrid story for a while (The Deep Beneath came out almost three years ago), but it wasn’t until a recent subscription to Kindle Unlimited that I finally got around to reading her work. (Sorry, Nat!)
From my interactions with Natalie over the years, I had high expectations for The Deep Beneath. I’m pleased to say that I was not disappointed. As with many stories revolving around secret government off-book projects, the administrators of said project were a bit clichéd. It’s an easy trope, and authors (including myself) often fall back on the megalomaniacal villain who has to save the world by destroying innocents. After all, the good of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one.
Those that have read my reviews the last few years know that I grok sci-fi. It’s just my bag. The Deep Beneath is an easy sci-fi adventure. The premise is often repeated: An alien or alien hybrid escapes the machinations of a government facility, meets a young girl or boy who is at a potential crossroads in his or her life, and the two of them fall in love, but their love is not meant to be because the alien has to return to save the one they love. There is often an impossible pursuit where the powerful alien and crafty, but underestimated human outsmart the government thugs that brainlessly pursue the young couple because of duty or orders.
That pretty much describes all of alien YA sci-fi. It’s not a criticism of Ms. Wright’s work, or even the genre, but an acknowledgement that the trope exists. When an author tackles a common trope like this, it’s the quality of the writing, and unique insights by the author that make a story rise above the rest. Natalie uses her life in Arizona to bring realistic environmental descriptions to her writing. As someone who has been to most of the locations described in The Deep Beneath, and who is a military veteran, I found all the settings believable. The actions of the government thugs, however, were a little hard to swallow.
Military personnel are so often portrayed as mindless robots, serving their generals and commanders. These generals and commanders are often portrayed as iron-fisted oligarchs with absolute impunity and able to administer extreme non-judicial punishments. Punishments so severe that everyone is afraid of their commander. If this were the case, why would we even have a volunteer military? If I were so mistreated by a commanding officer, I’d bail, and never look back. But, this trope is so common, that I too, end up writing it. Which is a disappointment, because these wonderful men and women in the armed forces deserve to be accurately portrayed.
I did find the formatting of the dialog confusing in which people referred to the alien as “H.A.L.F. 9.” I couldn’t tell if characters were calling him “half-nine,” or “H-A-L-F-Nine.” I’m also not a fan of small numbers not being spelled out, but it’s a stylistic choice. Overall, I enjoyed the read. I’m a sucker for sci-fi. Although The Deep Beneath didn’t bring anything new to the table, reading a familiar trope in a familiar environment (a location that is often overlooked) was so easy, and fun. I plan to read the other two H.A.L.F. books next year, and look forward to interacting with Natalie Wright at future events. I’m going to call it 3.5 stars, and bump that to four since Amazon and Goodreads don’t allow fractional star ratings.
From my interactions with Natalie over the years, I had high expectations for The Deep Beneath. I’m pleased to say that I was not disappointed. As with many stories revolving around secret government off-book projects, the administrators of said project were a bit clichéd. It’s an easy trope, and authors (including myself) often fall back on the megalomaniacal villain who has to save the world by destroying innocents. After all, the good of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one.
Those that have read my reviews the last few years know that I grok sci-fi. It’s just my bag. The Deep Beneath is an easy sci-fi adventure. The premise is often repeated: An alien or alien hybrid escapes the machinations of a government facility, meets a young girl or boy who is at a potential crossroads in his or her life, and the two of them fall in love, but their love is not meant to be because the alien has to return to save the one they love. There is often an impossible pursuit where the powerful alien and crafty, but underestimated human outsmart the government thugs that brainlessly pursue the young couple because of duty or orders.
That pretty much describes all of alien YA sci-fi. It’s not a criticism of Ms. Wright’s work, or even the genre, but an acknowledgement that the trope exists. When an author tackles a common trope like this, it’s the quality of the writing, and unique insights by the author that make a story rise above the rest. Natalie uses her life in Arizona to bring realistic environmental descriptions to her writing. As someone who has been to most of the locations described in The Deep Beneath, and who is a military veteran, I found all the settings believable. The actions of the government thugs, however, were a little hard to swallow.
Military personnel are so often portrayed as mindless robots, serving their generals and commanders. These generals and commanders are often portrayed as iron-fisted oligarchs with absolute impunity and able to administer extreme non-judicial punishments. Punishments so severe that everyone is afraid of their commander. If this were the case, why would we even have a volunteer military? If I were so mistreated by a commanding officer, I’d bail, and never look back. But, this trope is so common, that I too, end up writing it. Which is a disappointment, because these wonderful men and women in the armed forces deserve to be accurately portrayed.
I did find the formatting of the dialog confusing in which people referred to the alien as “H.A.L.F. 9.” I couldn’t tell if characters were calling him “half-nine,” or “H-A-L-F-Nine.” I’m also not a fan of small numbers not being spelled out, but it’s a stylistic choice. Overall, I enjoyed the read. I’m a sucker for sci-fi. Although The Deep Beneath didn’t bring anything new to the table, reading a familiar trope in a familiar environment (a location that is often overlooked) was so easy, and fun. I plan to read the other two H.A.L.F. books next year, and look forward to interacting with Natalie Wright at future events. I’m going to call it 3.5 stars, and bump that to four since Amazon and Goodreads don’t allow fractional star ratings.
December 29, 2017
I received this book, because I asked for it, in exchange for giving my honest opinion about this story.
This story is not like any others that I have read. This book is about young adults however as someone who is 29 I will have to admit that I really enjoyed this story. This story starts off very mundane nothing bad is happening nothing major is occurring but yet a plot twist occurs. I have to say that the beginning of the story set of pace for the rest of the book.
Commander Sturgis is who I would love to call a narcissist. She does not understand how any of the things she has done thus far is bad. Take for instance half of 9 AKA Tex, she really feels as though that is for child however that is not her kid. I do not care what she did in order to have half nine around but she is not that boy's mama. I can actually go on and on about her however there are array of different characters that I would like to touch upon. Just keep in mind that Commander Sturgis is a lot more crazy then I'm letting on.
Now let's get to my favorite character out of this entire story, Tex. He is completely beautifully written that all I want to do is hold him and tell him that "I don't care what I have to do you will survive." Yes he is a deadly character however he has been caged for 17 years and I just want to hold him. The fact that he is a hybrid being means nothing to me. I loved his sincerity and I loved the fact that he was just so grateful of having true friends and they cared fo him. The fact that there are a lot of characters and other books that don't recognize the fact that there is an array of different characters that care and support them and they are not genuinely grateful for it. However Tex recognizes certain individuals in his life and he embraces the fact that they are there for him.
Eika is someone who I don't know if I like it or not. There are Parts within the story where I 100% and rooting for her and I feel like she's such an amazing character and then she does something where all I want to yell at her "I just want you to realize that you are not the center of the universe!" Then she does something heroic and amazing and I just want to give her a high-five and tell her that she is such a badass. But then she goes to being selfish again and then I'm just confused.
Jack and and Ian or interesting characters. Jack has this major thing for Erika and she just refuses to entertain him until the very end. And on the other hand is a bit self-absorbed and and at times looks out for number one. I do not know how I am going to feel about Jack and Ian and upcoming books however I am looking forward to how they end up developing.
Generation was simply amazing and I have to admit that this book was so much better than I thought it would be. The synopsis had me a bit on the iffy side however as soon as Chapter 2 came about I was all-in. Onward and upward to The Makers.
This story is not like any others that I have read. This book is about young adults however as someone who is 29 I will have to admit that I really enjoyed this story. This story starts off very mundane nothing bad is happening nothing major is occurring but yet a plot twist occurs. I have to say that the beginning of the story set of pace for the rest of the book.
Commander Sturgis is who I would love to call a narcissist. She does not understand how any of the things she has done thus far is bad. Take for instance half of 9 AKA Tex, she really feels as though that is for child however that is not her kid. I do not care what she did in order to have half nine around but she is not that boy's mama. I can actually go on and on about her however there are array of different characters that I would like to touch upon. Just keep in mind that Commander Sturgis is a lot more crazy then I'm letting on.
Now let's get to my favorite character out of this entire story, Tex. He is completely beautifully written that all I want to do is hold him and tell him that "I don't care what I have to do you will survive." Yes he is a deadly character however he has been caged for 17 years and I just want to hold him. The fact that he is a hybrid being means nothing to me. I loved his sincerity and I loved the fact that he was just so grateful of having true friends and they cared fo him. The fact that there are a lot of characters and other books that don't recognize the fact that there is an array of different characters that care and support them and they are not genuinely grateful for it. However Tex recognizes certain individuals in his life and he embraces the fact that they are there for him.
Eika is someone who I don't know if I like it or not. There are Parts within the story where I 100% and rooting for her and I feel like she's such an amazing character and then she does something where all I want to yell at her "I just want you to realize that you are not the center of the universe!" Then she does something heroic and amazing and I just want to give her a high-five and tell her that she is such a badass. But then she goes to being selfish again and then I'm just confused.
Jack and and Ian or interesting characters. Jack has this major thing for Erika and she just refuses to entertain him until the very end. And on the other hand is a bit self-absorbed and and at times looks out for number one. I do not know how I am going to feel about Jack and Ian and upcoming books however I am looking forward to how they end up developing.
Generation was simply amazing and I have to admit that this book was so much better than I thought it would be. The synopsis had me a bit on the iffy side however as soon as Chapter 2 came about I was all-in. Onward and upward to The Makers.
December 31, 2017
Jack, Erika, and Ian have been good friends since childhood and headed out to the desert outside of their small Arizona town to blow off some steam. They got far more than they bargained for! Before long, they are swept up in an alien-human hybrid science experiment that has some very determined people wanting to keep it quiet.
The action is well paced with a little comedy and some important conversations between characters. Erika was my favorite character; she has drive, is very easy to relate to, and gets stuff done that is plot-relevant. She’s also still a believable teen and makes realistic mistakes.
Tex, also known as H.A.L.F. 9, is also fun. He’s doing his best to figure out his world, abilities, and who are his allies versus enemies. Since he’s a living experiment brought up in a super secret desert facility, his limited experience makes him a little naive (understandably). I also like he has one big weakness – H2O. Yep, even the smallest amount of moisture can limit his abilities.
Jack and Ian provide some comedic relief here and there. Now I do have one quibble with this story and it involves these two guys. One of them is Erika’s boyfriend and the other has been Friend-Zoned and definitely wants to be something more. So we have this potential love triangle in the making and I’m not big on love triangles where there’s competition for one person’s affection. Then there’s Tex who has some feelings stirring for Erika and he’s not sure what they are nor what to do with them. So it could end up being a love quadrangle…. and that’s just silly. If Erika was the only female character in the story, then this would be a huge turn off for me. Luckily, we have some other ladies.
Commander Sturgis is a villain I love to hate. She’s driven, intelligent, condescending, ruthless, and a little petty. This H.A.L.F. project is her baby and her backers are eager to see what kind of living weapon she has wrought with this alien DNA. There’s also Electo, another alien DNA experiment. She has that potential to be a villain that later redeems herself. A very interesting character!
The plot ramps up and up to the point where Erika and her friends may well lose their lives. Things do indeed look grim for them but they keep their wits and pull together. I was definitely on the edge of my seat for the last two hours of the story. The end does leave us on a cliffhanger but Book 2 and Book 3 are already out so I can continue the story right away. 4/5 stars.
I received a free copy of this book.
The Narration: Andrew Tell did a really good job with this book. His voice for Erika was believably feminine and his voices for Jack and Ian sounded like teen boys. He also had a distinct voice for Tex with proper, careful grammar and all. I loved his angry Sturgis and his creepy Electo. 5/5 stars.
The action is well paced with a little comedy and some important conversations between characters. Erika was my favorite character; she has drive, is very easy to relate to, and gets stuff done that is plot-relevant. She’s also still a believable teen and makes realistic mistakes.
Tex, also known as H.A.L.F. 9, is also fun. He’s doing his best to figure out his world, abilities, and who are his allies versus enemies. Since he’s a living experiment brought up in a super secret desert facility, his limited experience makes him a little naive (understandably). I also like he has one big weakness – H2O. Yep, even the smallest amount of moisture can limit his abilities.
Jack and Ian provide some comedic relief here and there. Now I do have one quibble with this story and it involves these two guys. One of them is Erika’s boyfriend and the other has been Friend-Zoned and definitely wants to be something more. So we have this potential love triangle in the making and I’m not big on love triangles where there’s competition for one person’s affection. Then there’s Tex who has some feelings stirring for Erika and he’s not sure what they are nor what to do with them. So it could end up being a love quadrangle…. and that’s just silly. If Erika was the only female character in the story, then this would be a huge turn off for me. Luckily, we have some other ladies.
Commander Sturgis is a villain I love to hate. She’s driven, intelligent, condescending, ruthless, and a little petty. This H.A.L.F. project is her baby and her backers are eager to see what kind of living weapon she has wrought with this alien DNA. There’s also Electo, another alien DNA experiment. She has that potential to be a villain that later redeems herself. A very interesting character!
The plot ramps up and up to the point where Erika and her friends may well lose their lives. Things do indeed look grim for them but they keep their wits and pull together. I was definitely on the edge of my seat for the last two hours of the story. The end does leave us on a cliffhanger but Book 2 and Book 3 are already out so I can continue the story right away. 4/5 stars.
I received a free copy of this book.
The Narration: Andrew Tell did a really good job with this book. His voice for Erika was believably feminine and his voices for Jack and Ian sounded like teen boys. He also had a distinct voice for Tex with proper, careful grammar and all. I loved his angry Sturgis and his creepy Electo. 5/5 stars.
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