Official Review: Genex of Halcyon by Joshua Stelling
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Official Review: Genex of Halcyon by Joshua Stelling
Genex of Halcyon, by Joshua Stelling, is a futuristic sci-fi novel. Set in the not-too-distant future, the world is a completely different place. Halcyon is a free city where a great renaissance is occuring. In Halcyon, money does not exist, some humans have wings, robots are almost all knowing, and the must-watch sport involves lasers. However, some aspects of life have not changed at all. Harmony is deeply in love with her boyfriend, Orion, but she is still haunted by a past love. As Harmony’s story unfolds over the course of three days at the end of the year 2051, a love triangle could change the futures of many.
Setting the scene is Stelling’s forte: the novel begins as if the reader is familiar with the futuristic world inhabited by the characters, and small details about the ins and outs of the world are provided organically within the narrative. The author never veers toward long descriptions or information-packed paragraphs about the nuances of the world. Instead, Halcyon is brought to life through lyrical prose and brief details. The author’s approach to worldbuilding created an immersive and life-like universe for readers to relish, leaving one aching to read more about the tragically beautiful city at the forefront of this novel.
Similarly, Stelling's writing is bursting with literary devices that will leave one pondering the novel after reading its final pages. The use of metaphors and themes, though up for interpretation, were beautifully executed. For example, a constant motif of rain adds layers of texture to the moody narrative, while also posing questions about the state of the Earth in the future. Moreover, the novel does not shy away from difficult themes that hold strong relevance to today’s society. Despite being set in the future, Genex of Halcyon poses questions about drug use, mental illness, belonging, and societal structures.
As much as there is to love about this novel, there is still room for improvement. Although the ethereal prose amps up the melancholy tone of the narrative and adds a brooding sense of urgency, the writing failed to inject enough depth into the overall story. There are many wonderful characters in this book, but the fleeting prose failed to create fully developed personas. Similarly, once the poetry and worldbuilding are stripped away, the plot is flimsy and questionable. This novel is a very pretty collection of strong threads that, unfortunately, do not ever come together to create a fully formed idea. Additional attention to plotting and character development would have brought this novel into a league of its own.
Sci-fi is a genre I have long shied away from due to a general lack of originality in the novels I've seen advertised. Genex of Halcyon is a far cry from the genre’s standard. The delicate writing, inventive worldbuilding, and tender moodiness had me so excited to dive into Stelling’s world. Regrettably, the novel did not live up to its vast potential, and I was left feeling underwhelmed at the end. However, there is so much quality and potential in this work that I had to rate the novel 3 out of 4 stars. Moreover, the novel is perfectly edited. I would venture into the world of Halcyon again, but I’d hope for a deeper plot and fuller characters. Readers who enjoy inventive science fiction and are interested in a book with literary characteristics are sure to enjoy this novel. Readers should be aware the novel contains adult content and drug use.
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Genex of Halcyon
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This is a great and rare achievement for a sci-fi writer to weave futuristic details into his story accurately and softly.
Also, the plot seems very unusual for sci-fi. As I got it, this book isn't about the invasion of aliens or zombies, or something like that. It’s kind of like psychological prose in futuristic setting. It is very unusual and interesting.
Thanks for the great review!
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