Horizon: Horizon Series, Book 1

I happened upon this book and I fell in love with the characters. I shed some tears, laughed and shouted - a book that truly makes you feel.Give this book a chance I am sure you'll be surprised.

This is a great story starting off with two main characters, Commander Derek Markham & Caeli Crys.This is an action filled sci-fi romance, well worth a read.From two different worlds this tells there story, more so for Caeli Crys story but I think Derek Markham story will be added more in the next books.Caeli Crys story has you hooked from the start and you want to find out what happens to her.The story does leave you with a cliff-hanger!!I will look forward to more of the series as more characters are added through the story, that I would like to know about. Also I want to know what happens to Caeli Crys planet.

This is one of those 'Fun to read', stories that gives everything you want, A beautiful woman with mind reading skills, somewhere on a planet with little to no population, somewhere you can get away from people and live off the land, then, we must have an alien presence, of the opposite sex (of course), who happens to be someone important on a spaceship with a mission and desperately wants you to join him in the stars. Sounds like a good nights dream. Haha I now think I'm sounding a little bit flippant and maybe I am a little, but.... I must admit that once I started reading it, i didn't stop until I finished the storyline and was left with want for more, It was a good story-line, very well written and not rough at all, The writer does allow the story to flow along at a pleasant pace, not rushing into anything, but not stumbling either. I actually did like it and wondered then and now, what will happen next. I would actually wait for it and read the next installment if or when it comes out (if there is to be a next).Review copy provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I noticed there was mixed views on this book on the Goodreads website and I have to admit I was a little sceptical when I read the synopsis however I really enjoyed this book. It is part of a bigger story however I think it gives just enough to satisfy.Commander Derek Markham was part of a task force out on a mission in space when someone shot his ship down. His crew were dead on site and he shouldn’t have survived. Caeli lives on the planet his ship has crashed on and she has special abilities which means she is able to heal Derek’s injuries. She herself has had a tragic upbringing, the question is can Derek return the favour and heal her own scares.I rate this book 4.5 stars out of 5. I would recommend this novel to readers who are looking for more than a romance novel.Kindle Price £3.32 which is a little pricey in my opinion

Horizon is Tabitha Lord’s debut novel, a self-published sci-fi adventure. While I don’t often pick up self-published novels, this one came as a recommendation from someone I trust, and seeing it up on Netgalley was the push I needed. While it’s taken me much longer than planned to get to Horizon – too many books, never enough time – I’m certainly glad that I did, and I found a story within that really catered to my literary tastes.Caeli Crys isn’t living—she’s surviving. On the run after the genocide of her empathic people, she witnesses a spaceship crash near her hidden camp. When she feels the injured pilot suffering from miles away, she can’t help but risk discovery to save his life.Commander Derek Markham awakens stranded on an uncharted planet. His co-pilot is dead, his ship is in ruins, and he’s only alive because a beautiful young woman is healing him with her mind.As Derek recovers, Caeli shares the horror of her past and her fear for the future. When Derek’s command ship, Horizon, sends rescue, Derek convinces Caeli to leave with him. But his world is as treacherous as hers—full of spies, interplanetary terrorist plots, and political intrigue. Soon the Horizon team is racing to defend an outlying planet from a deadly enemy, and Caeli’s unique skills may just give them the edge they need to save it.Horizon starts when Derek’s ship is attacked by an unknown foe, and after a brief fight in which he just survives he must make a crash-landing on the planet of Almagest. Caeli, a native on the planet, establishes a sudden and strong mental connection to Derek while his the ship plummets to the ground. With an empathic ability that can heal others with her mind she rushed to the site of the crash, finding Derek severely injured, and his co-pilot dead. She does what she can, taking him back to her camp to help him on his journey of recovery. Caeli is alone, living in the wilds following the murder of her empathic people, the Novali, at the hands of the warrior Amathi. As Derek recovers and learns more of Caeli’s past their relationship grows closer, and then help arrives to take him back to his ship, the Horizon. Bringing Caeli with him, Derek’s job takes him into a dangerous situation where the fate of a world is at stake, and Caeli may be one of the few that can help stop an invasion before it’s too late…With the first half of Horizon set on the planet of Almagest I was drawn in immediately. I like seeing an author build a setting and populate it, and Lord has done some interesting things here. While we don’t learn the full history of the planet, we do discover that it’s a place that was hidden from others long ago, and done so with the empathic and psychic abilities of the Novali, one if its peoples. The other side of the coin are the Amathi, a more traditional and warrior like society that, ultimately, fears the Novali for their abilities.With Caeli a native of Almagest it is through her eyes that we learn much of what has occurred, and done so through her interactions with Derek. As he recovers and questions the situation – Caeli living alone in the wilderness – she slowly opens up and relays her story through her empathic ability. We learn of the destruction of her people at the hands of the Amathi, and of her time living among them after being taken prisoner with the survivors of the Novali. It’s a really interesting set-up, but one that ultimately ends without a satisfactory conclusion, more like being left to be picked up at a later date.Following this, and as Derek returns to the Horizon bringing Caeli with him, we learn a little more about the wider galaxy. Perhaps, most importantly, is the threat to the Alliance by the Drokarans, a race that now put expansion first after a long time in isolation. With some planets already fallen to them, and the threat now very much a part of the Horizon’s mission, we follow Derek and his team, along with Caeli, as they attempt to stop the conquest of another world. During this we also follow Caeli as she adapts to life in an advanced culture, though one that she can still contribute to with her healing skills.I can say quite easily what I liked about Horizon: its character focused narrative. At times it reminded me of Eric Brown’s SF offerings, with the more technical aspects taking a back seat to the interactions of the characters. Caeli and Derek are well fleshed out, Caelie especially, and the situation that they find themselves in allows a deep relationship to form between them. While there are other characters as part of the story, and many playing a vital role, only one other brings a different dynamic to their relationship: Kat, a fellow officer aboard Horizon. Her suspicious nature helps to bridge the difference between the time on Almagest and that on Horizon, easing the transition and allowing the reader to learn more about the wider galaxy.However, all is not plain sailing, with a couple of aspects falling short when there is so much else to enjoy. While the Drokaran threat is clear, there is barely any expansion of this. Early on they’re referred to as a race, yet as they become a bigger part of the story it’s clear that they are human despite no description or details really given about them. It’s a little frustrating, and a touch confusing given it would take only a mention. Caeli’s ability is also woefully under-explored. While this is understandable when they are on Almagest, once they return to the Horizon and modern technology I expected to see more exploration into this, but it was sadly missing. And, finally, there is a real feeling that despite the high stakes, danger is not quite present, with much going very smoothly for our protagonists. It’s a shame, especially given such a strong beginning.All-in-all Horizon is a solid novel: it’s got a very interesting premise and characters that I genuinely cared about. While not perfect it certainly has potential for any future novels in this series, and given the ending I’d be highly disappointed not to see something else in this setting.