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The Heartbeat of a Million Dreams
You are the voice for those who have none.
You are the heartbeat of a million dreams.
Mars has a shadow, a mirror world torn from the chaos of an eons-old rivalry between gods and titans. An elite few protect this secret to preserve the peace. But when a girl comes along with the power to reunite Mars, worlds collide in cosmic war.
Slade Hawk is a monster. That’s what they tell her, at least. Hunted since birth, she’s lived her life in dumpsters, subways, and in-between places. She’s a ghost to most, a forgettable blur. Some call her a wolf, a leader of the pack, the bridge between worlds, but she can barely survive each day.
She is one of the evolved humans, a starchild who can shift between matter and energy at will—though her power stretches farther and reaches darker. Earth fears her people and exiles them to Mars. They want her dead, want Mars to burn, and fear can shape fate, can erase the brightest stars. Slade must overcome horrific odds to conquer Earth’s cruelty and free Mars from war.
Are you a moment?
Or are you infinity?
Will anyone remember your name?
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From Halo:
The Heartbeat of a Million Dreams is about a queer and neurodivergent superhero on a sci-fi and sapphic journey. This story is not nearly as dark as my other work—there is hope and maybe even a happy ending (don’t tell Kyder and Rune). If you see the world through a different lens, this one’s for you. It is my wish that you find yourself in something between these pages, for wherever you are on the human spectrum. Let’s escape to Mars.
164 pages, ebook
First published February 2, 2022
10 people are currently reading
125 people want to read
About the author
Halo Scot
14 books155 followersHalo Scot is a dark fiction author of book monsters, many of which bite. Reviews and press are available on HaloScot.com. Halo has been featured in Publishers Weekly and BookLife. Also, as a founding member of QueerIndie.com, Scot has appeared at Brooklyn Book Festival, TBRCon, and Pop Pride Week, an event hosted by ReedPop, BookCon, and New York Comic Con.
Halo pretends to be cool, dark, and mysterious, when in reality, Scot is a clumsy and awkward creature who eats shadows and harbors a severe distrust of ladybugs. Prone to chaos, this nightmare-dwelling beast aims to achieve galactic domination through a void-screaming expertise, dormant telekinesis, and aggressive cackling. To summon this obscure and skittish writer, one must align the following items in a circle as an offering: three shots of whiskey, two bowls of jelly beans, something shiny or lit on fire, and a printed photo of Nicolas Cage as a duck.
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WEBSITE: haloscot.com
SOCIAL: @halo_scot (Twitter + Instagram)
NEWSLETTER: haloscot.com/news
Subscribe to chaos, and receive a free copy of THE HEARTBEAT OF A MILLION DREAMS.
Halo pretends to be cool, dark, and mysterious, when in reality, Scot is a clumsy and awkward creature who eats shadows and harbors a severe distrust of ladybugs. Prone to chaos, this nightmare-dwelling beast aims to achieve galactic domination through a void-screaming expertise, dormant telekinesis, and aggressive cackling. To summon this obscure and skittish writer, one must align the following items in a circle as an offering: three shots of whiskey, two bowls of jelly beans, something shiny or lit on fire, and a printed photo of Nicolas Cage as a duck.
▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀
WEBSITE: haloscot.com
SOCIAL: @halo_scot (Twitter + Instagram)
NEWSLETTER: haloscot.com/news
Subscribe to chaos, and receive a free copy of THE HEARTBEAT OF A MILLION DREAMS.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
July 28, 2022
Scared of what they could do, Earth exiled starchildren to Mars. Among them is one the worlds fear above all. Slade Hawk. Simply saying her name will trigger alarms and create chaos. Bone Lords hunt her, the Order of the Roses watches over her. When things get out of hand, Koa Brye, a professor at UMars and the leader of the Roses, finally springs into action.
The Heartbeat of a Million Dreams is a sci-fi story about a unique being, a saviour, a superheroine, and also a story of being neurodivergent in a neurotypical world, of masking, trying to adapt, trying to fit in (the author’s daughter is on the autistic spectrum and this firsthand knowledge is reflected in the character). It’s told from both MCs’ POVs in alternate chapters. When we’re in Slade’s head, it feels busy. Too much of everything. Overwhelmingly wordy, the effect of which is an echo of what Slade feels in the world: “Too loud, too bright, too close, too much”. Slade expresses her feelings in images, her senses driving her emotions. When asked how she’s feeling, she answers “purple” and it makes complete sense.
Drop me in the middle of a crowd of strangers and my thoughts will sound a lot like Slade’s. Not the monster part, not the hunted part, not the powerful part. I am not close to Slade by any stretch of the imagination but there are parts I can relate to. The sensory overload, for one. The self-preservation strategies. For a very long time, I thought I didn’t care when people hurt. I tend to switch off when others are sad, when they suffer, when they’re in pain. I understood a few years ago that it’s not that I don’t care, it’s that I protect myself from caring. Because it hurts and I feel helpless and I don’t know how to react. This paragraph in one of Slade’s chapters resonates almost painfully: “Some think me cold, think me callous, think me numb, but it’s a reaction, not an action. Others overload me, overwhelm me with their energy, as Koa does now. Her emotions assault me – too many and too complex – so I distance myself to stay afloat. It does not mean I do not care. It does not mean I do not feel. It means I care and feel too much, too close.”
And so while the story I read was very much sci-fi, it was also very much real. Even though it’s only a novella, reading The Heartbeat of a Million Dreams took a lot of energy out of me. I can’t honestly say I enjoyed the experience all the time but it certainly was fascinating.
This review is focused on Slade but Koa, the other MC, is extraordinary too, in a very different way. Her arc speaks of trust and betrayal, of love and courage and sacrifice. I’ll stay away from the secondary characters, it would be too easy to spoil.
As for the worldbuilding, I loved it. Scot doesn’t need to overdo it to transport the reader to a world that mixes sci-fi and fantasy. The line between the two isn’t always obvious and in this book, it’s more than blurry, with stars and planets and gods and titans.
There’s music to Halo Scot’s writing. Poetry and rhythm. It should slow down the pace yet it doesn’t. It feeds the fury and the thrill. For a book in which the writing style is so prevalent, it would make a very exciting movie. Apparently, Scot’s other books are darker, probably too dark for me, but I’m definitely interested. 4.5⭐️
I received a copy from the author and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
Read all my reviews on my blog: Jude in the Stars
August 1, 2022
The imagery in this book is intense.
It's chaos and pain.
Death and hope. Hope. HOPE.
Koa and Slade are beautiful.
It's chaos and pain.
Death and hope. Hope. HOPE.
Koa and Slade are beautiful.
December 11, 2022
Wild ride of a book. Everyone on Mars is hell-bent on capturing Slade for better or worse. Earth’s minions, the Bone Lords, want to control and ultimately snuff out the wonder that Slade is, who is not just a starchild, but a breakout superstar in matter, energy, and the shadow world. Koa, the leader of the Order of the Roses, desperately wants to protect Slade for world saving reasons and a personal stake.
The chapters alternate between the Pov’s of the two main characters. When Slade tells her story, the words simulate a runaway train, thoughts and perceptions hit like rapid-fire lightening sparks. Slade feels the world on her skin so acutely that I had to break occasionally. At times, I did feel a bit lost and had to reread some passages because the telling seems like a coded language. But eventually I understood the gist if not the literality. I found it to be a gift of unconventionality. Be prepared for a different but very rewarding story.
Koa’s chapters are more straightforward and served to center the narrative and bring all the pieces together. There is a love story here as well which I enjoyed. Overall, I loved the book.
The chapters alternate between the Pov’s of the two main characters. When Slade tells her story, the words simulate a runaway train, thoughts and perceptions hit like rapid-fire lightening sparks. Slade feels the world on her skin so acutely that I had to break occasionally. At times, I did feel a bit lost and had to reread some passages because the telling seems like a coded language. But eventually I understood the gist if not the literality. I found it to be a gift of unconventionality. Be prepared for a different but very rewarding story.
Koa’s chapters are more straightforward and served to center the narrative and bring all the pieces together. There is a love story here as well which I enjoyed. Overall, I loved the book.
September 13, 2022
3.5 stars rounded up
The Heartbeat of a Million Dreams is an indie sci-fantasy novella that I would recommend for fans of This Is How You Lose the Time War. It is similarly poetic in style, with a heavy emphasis on intense emotion and vibes, plus a slow-burn sapphic love story. (Though to be clear, this is not a romance, it has a romantic sub-plot.) Stylistically, this is the sort of book that you will either find moving or overwrought depending on your preferences, but if you enjoyed the aforementioned book, then this may be quite your thing. I have to admit it's not my preferred approach to science-fiction, but I also found a lot to like here and I appreciate what the book is doing.
A segment of humanity has evolved the ability to change their bodies from matter to energy for short periods. Fearing them, the leaders of Earth have banished them to colonies on Mars, which is where our story is set. The novella follows two perspective characters.
Slade Hawk is a neurodivergent woman on the run from authorities, surviving on the streets. She's also a sort of "chosen one" character with unusual abilities. Her POV reads the most like poetry, often spending more time ruminating on the world, survival, or being overstimulated by noise and touch more than on moving the plot forward. That's not a bad thing, but it took me awhile to figure out and the right expectations could serve other readers.
Koa is a curvy professor and leader of the resistance. Trying to keep Slade safe from afar until she's ready to save the world. But she has a complicated relationship with the policing arm of Earth and faces betrayal from within her own organization.
What I love about this is the way it tackles neurodivergence and makes Slade a sort of superhero- not in spite of who she is but because of who she is. I would have liked a bit more from the romance- it comes together pretty quickly toward the end of the novella alongside many other plot threads. I liked it, I just wanted more of it.
I do think I might have done better with slightly different expectations going into this. Slade's POV especially reads like a novel in verse and because I wasn't expecting that, it took some time to adjust. Hopefully this review sets other readers up for success from the beginning! Thank you to the author for sending a copy for review, all opinions are my own.
The Heartbeat of a Million Dreams is an indie sci-fantasy novella that I would recommend for fans of This Is How You Lose the Time War. It is similarly poetic in style, with a heavy emphasis on intense emotion and vibes, plus a slow-burn sapphic love story. (Though to be clear, this is not a romance, it has a romantic sub-plot.) Stylistically, this is the sort of book that you will either find moving or overwrought depending on your preferences, but if you enjoyed the aforementioned book, then this may be quite your thing. I have to admit it's not my preferred approach to science-fiction, but I also found a lot to like here and I appreciate what the book is doing.
A segment of humanity has evolved the ability to change their bodies from matter to energy for short periods. Fearing them, the leaders of Earth have banished them to colonies on Mars, which is where our story is set. The novella follows two perspective characters.
Slade Hawk is a neurodivergent woman on the run from authorities, surviving on the streets. She's also a sort of "chosen one" character with unusual abilities. Her POV reads the most like poetry, often spending more time ruminating on the world, survival, or being overstimulated by noise and touch more than on moving the plot forward. That's not a bad thing, but it took me awhile to figure out and the right expectations could serve other readers.
Koa is a curvy professor and leader of the resistance. Trying to keep Slade safe from afar until she's ready to save the world. But she has a complicated relationship with the policing arm of Earth and faces betrayal from within her own organization.
What I love about this is the way it tackles neurodivergence and makes Slade a sort of superhero- not in spite of who she is but because of who she is. I would have liked a bit more from the romance- it comes together pretty quickly toward the end of the novella alongside many other plot threads. I liked it, I just wanted more of it.
I do think I might have done better with slightly different expectations going into this. Slade's POV especially reads like a novel in verse and because I wasn't expecting that, it took some time to adjust. Hopefully this review sets other readers up for success from the beginning! Thank you to the author for sending a copy for review, all opinions are my own.
February 27, 2022
The Dark Fantasy Sci-Fi genre has gained another stellar offering. While compact in comparison to the installments of the Rift Cycle, THOMD offers no less weight or achievement. The stakes are high and the plot erupts from the beginning. True to the genre and kicking in the door of the Space Opera niche, it packs plenty of conflict, action, and even romance that find balance over the bedrock of a gritty and provocative fantasy.
The Red Planet is fracturing and a reluctant hero is called the save the society that detests her. As always, Scot’s world-building is right on point and provides just enough license to let the reader’s mind wander. Blade Runner in a dust storm comes to mind.
Beneath the guilty pleasure of a well-written dark fantasy, at its core, self-discovery, acceptance, and devotion drive this story as hope, even in the darkest of places, is the flicker that can change everything. I highly recommend this book and can’t wait to see where Halo Scot takes us next.
The Red Planet is fracturing and a reluctant hero is called the save the society that detests her. As always, Scot’s world-building is right on point and provides just enough license to let the reader’s mind wander. Blade Runner in a dust storm comes to mind.
Beneath the guilty pleasure of a well-written dark fantasy, at its core, self-discovery, acceptance, and devotion drive this story as hope, even in the darkest of places, is the flicker that can change everything. I highly recommend this book and can’t wait to see where Halo Scot takes us next.
February 5, 2022
Halo Scot has a way with words. And THOMD is no exception. Similar in tone to the rift cycle series, with a little more hopeful ring. (But not too much). You’ll love Slade Hawk, neurodiverent, special, described as angular. She’s a character whose fate can land on either side of the coin. Saying too much more will give it away! Buckle up. It’s fast paced, high action, bloody fun, just as you’d expect from Halo! Five black hearts!
February 5, 2022
I loved Halo Scot’s Rift Cycle series, and The Heartbeat of a Million Dreams packs the same type of amazing punch in the package of a short novel. There are many fun characters in this book, but it primarily centers on Koa and Slade, two strong women with noble objectives and unique powers. Halo Scot’s skills as a writer are evident as she switches points of view. Each voice is distinct, and the transitions between speakers are smooth.
In terms of world building, The Heartbeat of a Million Dreams is set on Mars, where people have settled. Much like The Expanse universe, there is a rivalry between Earth and Mars in this book. That said, Halo Scot’s universe isn’t derivative of The Expanse in the slightest. I see future people forming tribal alliances based on planets instead of countries, etc.
For me, the most compelling element of this story is its characters. I loved Koa and Slade, and I rooted for them throughout the pages. What a ride of action and emotion. I was touched, so touched.
If you love scifi and fantasy, I highly recommend this book.
In terms of world building, The Heartbeat of a Million Dreams is set on Mars, where people have settled. Much like The Expanse universe, there is a rivalry between Earth and Mars in this book. That said, Halo Scot’s universe isn’t derivative of The Expanse in the slightest. I see future people forming tribal alliances based on planets instead of countries, etc.
For me, the most compelling element of this story is its characters. I loved Koa and Slade, and I rooted for them throughout the pages. What a ride of action and emotion. I was touched, so touched.
If you love scifi and fantasy, I highly recommend this book.
July 1, 2022
A genre-defying, brutal, scarily good time!
Like watching a solar eclipse through a diamond, Heartbeat is a fascinatingly dark sci-fi fairy tale that sparkles in spite of its gloom. Just as in earlier work, Scot’s signature style and lyrical prose are on full display. Brutal, dystopian, and truly frightening, the relentless intensity of this action-packed novella kept me on the edge of my seat.
With a hyper-articulated style, both visually and linguistically, Scot transforms a potentially troped-out sci-fi landscape into something totally new and refreshing. As if Bradbury wrote a cyberpunk D&D campaign, Heartbeat defies genre and places human suffering and defiance (perhaps Scot’s strongest suits) at the forefront of this wholly original story.
Like watching a solar eclipse through a diamond, Heartbeat is a fascinatingly dark sci-fi fairy tale that sparkles in spite of its gloom. Just as in earlier work, Scot’s signature style and lyrical prose are on full display. Brutal, dystopian, and truly frightening, the relentless intensity of this action-packed novella kept me on the edge of my seat.
With a hyper-articulated style, both visually and linguistically, Scot transforms a potentially troped-out sci-fi landscape into something totally new and refreshing. As if Bradbury wrote a cyberpunk D&D campaign, Heartbeat defies genre and places human suffering and defiance (perhaps Scot’s strongest suits) at the forefront of this wholly original story.
July 29, 2022
The Heartbeat of a Million Dreams is as powerful a story as its name suggests.
Scot writes with an evocative power that I have rarely found in any other authors. The book is too much, too close, and yet somehow perfect.
The rawness of the emotions and the gritty, get inside the characters head way that Scot paints the plot makes for a unique story telling journey that I didn’t want to put down.
This is a tale of humanity on Mars, a girl hunted for her power, of fear, of love, and most importantly, of hope. Scot has once again crafted a masterpiece of words that was as thought provoking as it was unique.
Scot was already one of my favorite authors but this new book once again showcases how talented they are and made me fall in love with their writing all over again.
Scot writes with an evocative power that I have rarely found in any other authors. The book is too much, too close, and yet somehow perfect.
The rawness of the emotions and the gritty, get inside the characters head way that Scot paints the plot makes for a unique story telling journey that I didn’t want to put down.
This is a tale of humanity on Mars, a girl hunted for her power, of fear, of love, and most importantly, of hope. Scot has once again crafted a masterpiece of words that was as thought provoking as it was unique.
Scot was already one of my favorite authors but this new book once again showcases how talented they are and made me fall in love with their writing all over again.
February 25, 2023
Slade was born a terror and narrowly survived a murder attempt as an infant. A kind doctor kept her alive at substantial personal risk to herself.
As an adult, Slade is damaged but powerful, fierce, but hypersensitive, alone, but known to all. She lives in the shadows and frequently is forced to fight for her life with those who hunt her. For she is a highly prized villain and prey. The very utterance of her name is sets off alarms and brings immediate scrutiny.
But Slade might have an ally, if she can bring herself to trust. This is a mesmerizing and entertaining tale of light and dark, evil and good, love and hate, told with finesse and flair by the talented Halo Scot! Don’t miss it!
As an adult, Slade is damaged but powerful, fierce, but hypersensitive, alone, but known to all. She lives in the shadows and frequently is forced to fight for her life with those who hunt her. For she is a highly prized villain and prey. The very utterance of her name is sets off alarms and brings immediate scrutiny.
But Slade might have an ally, if she can bring herself to trust. This is a mesmerizing and entertaining tale of light and dark, evil and good, love and hate, told with finesse and flair by the talented Halo Scot! Don’t miss it!
August 15, 2022
When I first started this book I was hooked. It starts strong and gripping and from there it doesn’t let up. The story is told in alternate first person points of view from our two protagonists, Slade and Koa. Their voices are so incredibly unique that I never for a moment had to flick back or check which point of view I was in at any given time. And when in each perspective I could feel and taste the pain and dust that surrounded them.
The beauty and poetry of Halo Scott’s words, most strongly through Slade’s POV, literally brought tears to my eyes and reminded me that I not only love stories, but I am in love with words. The descriptions of the world on Mars is tangible and real. I loved seeing the similarities and differences between the two different perspectives and how they saw the world they inhabited. One, the leader of the roses, lives in the soft whispering of the library, while the other the, hunted since birth, running, starving, surviving, sees the world differently with everything being too much as she ‘notice[s] everything with no filter, no reprieve.’
A sci-fi dystopian future of Earth versus Mars, of ‘normal’ versus fear of different. The dirty gritty feel of Mars as seen mostly through Slade’s eyes reminds me of Philip K Dick’s writing. If you haven’t read or don’t know of him you might have seen the iconic film Blade Runner which was based on his novel, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. This is definitely some of the gritty vibe I got from the Heartbeat if a million dreams and I am all here for it.
If you have guessed, I loved everything about reading The Heartbeat of a Million Dreams. Was it a quick fluffy read, oh gosh no. Was it intense and sometimes draining, oh yes. Was it worth it? Oh yes, a million dreams with.
It was fantastic. I recommend it for those who love the sci-fi dystopian genre. I also highly recommend it as an amazing insight into a neurodiverse world.
The beauty and poetry of Halo Scott’s words, most strongly through Slade’s POV, literally brought tears to my eyes and reminded me that I not only love stories, but I am in love with words. The descriptions of the world on Mars is tangible and real. I loved seeing the similarities and differences between the two different perspectives and how they saw the world they inhabited. One, the leader of the roses, lives in the soft whispering of the library, while the other the, hunted since birth, running, starving, surviving, sees the world differently with everything being too much as she ‘notice[s] everything with no filter, no reprieve.’
A sci-fi dystopian future of Earth versus Mars, of ‘normal’ versus fear of different. The dirty gritty feel of Mars as seen mostly through Slade’s eyes reminds me of Philip K Dick’s writing. If you haven’t read or don’t know of him you might have seen the iconic film Blade Runner which was based on his novel, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. This is definitely some of the gritty vibe I got from the Heartbeat if a million dreams and I am all here for it.
If you have guessed, I loved everything about reading The Heartbeat of a Million Dreams. Was it a quick fluffy read, oh gosh no. Was it intense and sometimes draining, oh yes. Was it worth it? Oh yes, a million dreams with.
It was fantastic. I recommend it for those who love the sci-fi dystopian genre. I also highly recommend it as an amazing insight into a neurodiverse world.
October 14, 2022
Thank you so much to the author for providing me with a copy of their book for an honest review!
Amazing LGBT+ rep as well as a neurodivergent MC!
This book... wow.
Firstly, I want to say that the worldbuilding here is immaculate. Our story takes place on Mars, in a future where chaos and war between god and titans reigns.
Our main character, Slade, is hunted and sought after because she is a monster, at least, that's what they tell her. But she's more than that. And she's the only one who can save everyone.
This book is a fast-paced and super quick read. Lovers of Sci-fi and romance will devour this book. It's gritty and violent, but also soft and gut-wrenching. A perfect mixture for a thrilling ride.
The only reason this book isn't 5 stars for me was that I thought the romance build-up was a little too quick for me (it's a short book, but I just needed a bit more time to buy into it, though others will probably think otherwise!). I also had a very hard time understanding the war between the gods and titans, though that could be because I don't read enough sci-fi! However, not understanding the war fully didn't stop me from enjoying this beautiful book.
Halo's prose is beautiful, the descriptions of the world really put me into the story, and I cared a lot about each character. Really, truly, beautifully done.
Amazing LGBT+ rep as well as a neurodivergent MC!
This book... wow.
Firstly, I want to say that the worldbuilding here is immaculate. Our story takes place on Mars, in a future where chaos and war between god and titans reigns.
Our main character, Slade, is hunted and sought after because she is a monster, at least, that's what they tell her. But she's more than that. And she's the only one who can save everyone.
This book is a fast-paced and super quick read. Lovers of Sci-fi and romance will devour this book. It's gritty and violent, but also soft and gut-wrenching. A perfect mixture for a thrilling ride.
The only reason this book isn't 5 stars for me was that I thought the romance build-up was a little too quick for me (it's a short book, but I just needed a bit more time to buy into it, though others will probably think otherwise!). I also had a very hard time understanding the war between the gods and titans, though that could be because I don't read enough sci-fi! However, not understanding the war fully didn't stop me from enjoying this beautiful book.
Halo's prose is beautiful, the descriptions of the world really put me into the story, and I cared a lot about each character. Really, truly, beautifully done.
March 12, 2022
An Enchantress of Prose
WOW! Author Halo Scot has done it again, creating a captivating novel rich in prose and astounding world-building, with profound empathy underpinning each point of view. Scot is an incredible magician, melting my heart with each written word, layer by layer, page after page.
The Heartbeat of a Million Dreams is an epic, mesmerizing, otherworldly exquisite story, with each chapter a brilliant masterstroke! As you star shift through the adventures of Slade and Koa, their stories will seize your soul, softening every emotion as you navigate their journey.
This page-turner transports the reader through the most compellingly written literature, providing astonishingly resilient arcs that will leave imprints on your heart space.
I'm a huge fan of Halo Scott's writing as her messages are powerful, resonant, inspiring, and will enthrall every delicious sensation. This dark science fiction fantasy, as well as the Rift Cycle Series, is highly recommended for everyone. You will not be the same after reading these magical books!!!
WOW! Author Halo Scot has done it again, creating a captivating novel rich in prose and astounding world-building, with profound empathy underpinning each point of view. Scot is an incredible magician, melting my heart with each written word, layer by layer, page after page.
The Heartbeat of a Million Dreams is an epic, mesmerizing, otherworldly exquisite story, with each chapter a brilliant masterstroke! As you star shift through the adventures of Slade and Koa, their stories will seize your soul, softening every emotion as you navigate their journey.
This page-turner transports the reader through the most compellingly written literature, providing astonishingly resilient arcs that will leave imprints on your heart space.
I'm a huge fan of Halo Scott's writing as her messages are powerful, resonant, inspiring, and will enthrall every delicious sensation. This dark science fiction fantasy, as well as the Rift Cycle Series, is highly recommended for everyone. You will not be the same after reading these magical books!!!
June 22, 2023
Are you a moment, or are you Infinity?
Take a shockingly poetic delve into a beautifully neuro divergent mind, showing the complexities that can make up communication, love, and life. A story that reads like spoken word, but resonates like the Tao Te Ching, I was impressed and engrossed the entire time.
Halo Scot- This one's for you and your amazingly powerful way with words 🥂
Take a shockingly poetic delve into a beautifully neuro divergent mind, showing the complexities that can make up communication, love, and life. A story that reads like spoken word, but resonates like the Tao Te Ching, I was impressed and engrossed the entire time.
Halo Scot- This one's for you and your amazingly powerful way with words 🥂
September 29, 2022
Okay, I don't usually leave reviews, but today I have to because I literally got up out of bed to write this because I finished it in the middle of the night and I have THOUGHTS.
Halo Scott's written a doozy here. Towards the end, I was trending toward a 4 star for reasons I'll explain below but it ends up closer to a 5 star.
I don't do recaps because I want readers to go in based on Scot's blurb.
WHAT DIDN'T WORK
The caveat readers have to go into this book with is the writing style is very unique. Presenting dual POVs, one of which is from a neurodivergent MC named Slade is a challenge, but Scot pulls it off easily. What's more challenging is the way Slade thinks. I suffer from chronic migraines which have pretty much ruined my life. I mention this because when Slade becomes overwhelmed the sensory overload she experiences is the literary version of a migraine. Not to say that it's bad, it's rendered very well, but Slade gets overwhelmed quite frequently and this may be a trigger for some.
Next, on the writing style -- Scot shows off immense and seemingly effortless talent for spinning dreamy metaphors. For me personally, the hit ratio was about 66%. I'm generally a more straightforward person, so every 3rd metaphor read a bit purple to me. However, the other 2/3 metaphors were impressive because of how well she pulled them off. YMMV-- this is what lost the star initially for me.
Finally the emotions. Given the nature of the characters, I found the book to be quite emotional, a bit much towards the end, but again I tend to short-circuit (much like Slade - ha!) around too much emotion. That being said, I did enjoy the relationship between Slade and Koa, it was built with care.
WHAT WORKED
Oh Sweet Monkey Jesus the writing style was beautiful. It takes major talent to do what Halo Scot has done here and she deserves kudos. Once you buy into the writing style -- it's like being invited for a swim in a warm pool -- the writing lingers with you and keeps bringing you back. You know how after you've left the water you can still feel it? That's what Halo Scot has done here. I can still see the dusty Martian landscape in my mind's eye with the fluttering white capes of the dust suits worn by the characters.
Scot manages world-building with skill and scale that rivals the greats and calls to mind "Princess of Mars" and "Dune". She crafted a library so gorgeous I want to spend time there, sipping tea and chatting with Miro (another of her loveable characters - did I mention that they were endearing?)
Finally, the plot and action. Now I'm an action guy -- if you do action well you score big points with me. Let's just say the finale of this book is stunning. It EARNS that 5th star. Got my heartbeat racing and just when I thought it was over, Scot pulls you back in for something even greater. I can't emphasize enough how hard it is to pull good action off so when I say Scot ROCKED it, you know it has to be something spectacular.
SHOULD YOU READ IT?
Depends. If dreamy, tangled prose isn't your jam, then this won't work for you. If you're a fan of the aforementioned books and would like to visit an intriguing Mars with likeable characters and a slam-bang plot, then yes, go get this NOW.
Halo Scott's written a doozy here. Towards the end, I was trending toward a 4 star for reasons I'll explain below but it ends up closer to a 5 star.
I don't do recaps because I want readers to go in based on Scot's blurb.
WHAT DIDN'T WORK
The caveat readers have to go into this book with is the writing style is very unique. Presenting dual POVs, one of which is from a neurodivergent MC named Slade is a challenge, but Scot pulls it off easily. What's more challenging is the way Slade thinks. I suffer from chronic migraines which have pretty much ruined my life. I mention this because when Slade becomes overwhelmed the sensory overload she experiences is the literary version of a migraine. Not to say that it's bad, it's rendered very well, but Slade gets overwhelmed quite frequently and this may be a trigger for some.
Next, on the writing style -- Scot shows off immense and seemingly effortless talent for spinning dreamy metaphors. For me personally, the hit ratio was about 66%. I'm generally a more straightforward person, so every 3rd metaphor read a bit purple to me. However, the other 2/3 metaphors were impressive because of how well she pulled them off. YMMV-- this is what lost the star initially for me.
Finally the emotions. Given the nature of the characters, I found the book to be quite emotional, a bit much towards the end, but again I tend to short-circuit (much like Slade - ha!) around too much emotion. That being said, I did enjoy the relationship between Slade and Koa, it was built with care.
WHAT WORKED
Oh Sweet Monkey Jesus the writing style was beautiful. It takes major talent to do what Halo Scot has done here and she deserves kudos. Once you buy into the writing style -- it's like being invited for a swim in a warm pool -- the writing lingers with you and keeps bringing you back. You know how after you've left the water you can still feel it? That's what Halo Scot has done here. I can still see the dusty Martian landscape in my mind's eye with the fluttering white capes of the dust suits worn by the characters.
Scot manages world-building with skill and scale that rivals the greats and calls to mind "Princess of Mars" and "Dune". She crafted a library so gorgeous I want to spend time there, sipping tea and chatting with Miro (another of her loveable characters - did I mention that they were endearing?)
Finally, the plot and action. Now I'm an action guy -- if you do action well you score big points with me. Let's just say the finale of this book is stunning. It EARNS that 5th star. Got my heartbeat racing and just when I thought it was over, Scot pulls you back in for something even greater. I can't emphasize enough how hard it is to pull good action off so when I say Scot ROCKED it, you know it has to be something spectacular.
SHOULD YOU READ IT?
Depends. If dreamy, tangled prose isn't your jam, then this won't work for you. If you're a fan of the aforementioned books and would like to visit an intriguing Mars with likeable characters and a slam-bang plot, then yes, go get this NOW.
May 9, 2022
Halo Scot has quickly become one of my favorite authors, known for deeply intense stories featuring co-protagonists who are as equal as they are opposites, and for all the fireworks and the bloodshed and the lust, these stories have a heart and an earnestness about them that shines through.
The Heartbeat of a Million Dreams is no different. Though not nearly as disturbing as Scot's Rift Cycle series can be at times (though this story is by no means short on the violence and the bloodshed), hallmarks of Scot's writing are evident. Fortunately, they are all the best parts.
Slade is, for lack of a better word, the Chosen One. The only one who can fix the dystopian madness, and Koa begins as the person responsible for making sure Slade realizes her destiny. It's much more complex than that, but that's the spoiler-free gist--and it's the backdrop for neurodivergent representation and LGBT representation and, most importantly, memorable, dynamic, and emotionally available characters.
More than anything, though, Heartbeat is the purest distillation of Scot's writing. It's urgent, intense. In your face. Scot has a lot of things to say, and they need to be said right fucking now, dammit and that urge, that necessity of message, is present in everything Scot writes.
That urgency, that intensity, is addictive, and it's why the pages so often fly by. The Heartbeat of a Million Dreams is Scot's best work, even if it's not quite the mind-fuck one might expect. This is a must-read, another classic from Scot's library, and anyone with even the faintest interest in spec fic or superheroes or Chosen Ones should not miss this classic.
The Heartbeat of a Million Dreams is no different. Though not nearly as disturbing as Scot's Rift Cycle series can be at times (though this story is by no means short on the violence and the bloodshed), hallmarks of Scot's writing are evident. Fortunately, they are all the best parts.
Slade is, for lack of a better word, the Chosen One. The only one who can fix the dystopian madness, and Koa begins as the person responsible for making sure Slade realizes her destiny. It's much more complex than that, but that's the spoiler-free gist--and it's the backdrop for neurodivergent representation and LGBT representation and, most importantly, memorable, dynamic, and emotionally available characters.
More than anything, though, Heartbeat is the purest distillation of Scot's writing. It's urgent, intense. In your face. Scot has a lot of things to say, and they need to be said right fucking now, dammit and that urge, that necessity of message, is present in everything Scot writes.
That urgency, that intensity, is addictive, and it's why the pages so often fly by. The Heartbeat of a Million Dreams is Scot's best work, even if it's not quite the mind-fuck one might expect. This is a must-read, another classic from Scot's library, and anyone with even the faintest interest in spec fic or superheroes or Chosen Ones should not miss this classic.
March 6, 2023
For such a short book, I feel like I experienced an epic reading this!
Set in the distant future, we are thrown into the middle of ongoing battle between human populations on Earth and Mars. Overly complex world-building is one of my least favourite things in a book, and this book had the perfect balance of creating an immersive and intriguing world without overwhelming the reader with information. Aside from one (self-aware) info-dump, the world is skilfully crafted.
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The real hero of this book is the relationship between the two main characters. It’s somehow unexpected and yet inevitable at the same time, and gave the story a very moving emotional arc. It was the kind where you can feel yourself being swept up into the emotion of the story, unable to tear yourself away from the book, and it really made this book for me.
The only downside for me is I felt that the emotional peak was reached a little too soon. I felt like the emotional side of the story was complete before the plot was, and so by the end I felt like I was done with the book even though there were still a chapter or so to go. But this is the only reason this book didn’t get 5 stars from me; it’s otherwise an excellent short novel.
Thank you for the author for providing me with a copy for review. All opinions are my own.
Set in the distant future, we are thrown into the middle of ongoing battle between human populations on Earth and Mars. Overly complex world-building is one of my least favourite things in a book, and this book had the perfect balance of creating an immersive and intriguing world without overwhelming the reader with information. Aside from one (self-aware) info-dump, the world is skilfully crafted.
📚Blog📖YouTube📖Instagram📚
The real hero of this book is the relationship between the two main characters. It’s somehow unexpected and yet inevitable at the same time, and gave the story a very moving emotional arc. It was the kind where you can feel yourself being swept up into the emotion of the story, unable to tear yourself away from the book, and it really made this book for me.
The only downside for me is I felt that the emotional peak was reached a little too soon. I felt like the emotional side of the story was complete before the plot was, and so by the end I felt like I was done with the book even though there were still a chapter or so to go. But this is the only reason this book didn’t get 5 stars from me; it’s otherwise an excellent short novel.
Thank you for the author for providing me with a copy for review. All opinions are my own.
June 4, 2023
I'm giving a 4, but only because a book has to be Dune/The Stand/Pride and Prejudice flawless for a 5. The book starts with the perspective of the MC, Slade, and it is a confusing one to follow at first (almost turned me off at first). But the character is an excellent portrayal of certain autistics, and once I understood this, it was a very enjoyable read. It was short for my tastes, and the villains were a bit two-dimensional. The descriptive and language were solid. Romantic elements not spicy, but well-developed - a love story, not a sex tape.
May 12, 2022
Slade Hawk, a super powered being, is being hunted on Mars. But she’s not without help. Koa is her unknown protector. Essentially, this is how the novel begins, and it’s a great start. I enjoyed the world building and the writing is excellent.
However, I didn’t feel an emotional connection with the characters and much of the story felt one note, even with an alternating perspective between Koa and Slade.
An entertaining read, over-all.
However, I didn’t feel an emotional connection with the characters and much of the story felt one note, even with an alternating perspective between Koa and Slade.
An entertaining read, over-all.
December 23, 2023
«[…] a kiss on a balcony, a laugh on a train. Love immortalize life and a transcendent metropolis of a trillion selfless vows, i don’t know. No one does. Despite fractured prisms of false promises and shredded hope. But what I do know after a lifetime hated, feared, revered, destroyed is that Love renders life bearable, worthwhile and it’s loss carves answers from pain. Because you will love, you will lose, you will live, you will die but you must endure mortality’s ultimatum. »
February 26, 2022
Whirlwind of emotions in fantastic proportion
The Heartbeat of A Million Dreams has introduced me to the wonderful writings of Halo Scot. I've not latched onto a book like this is quite some time. Highly recommend!
The Heartbeat of A Million Dreams has introduced me to the wonderful writings of Halo Scot. I've not latched onto a book like this is quite some time. Highly recommend!
May 1, 2023
this book was a thrill ride
It my be a little hard to get into it but once there you’ll have the ride of a lifetime. From galactic overlords to freedom fighters it was full of lessons on how to create a new life with love and understanding and not fear.
It my be a little hard to get into it but once there you’ll have the ride of a lifetime. From galactic overlords to freedom fighters it was full of lessons on how to create a new life with love and understanding and not fear.
February 7, 2022
Beautiful
Simply beautiful. I have no words, I just love it so much. I feel like I'm going to have to read it again and again just to fully grasp the stunning imagery.
Simply beautiful. I have no words, I just love it so much. I feel like I'm going to have to read it again and again just to fully grasp the stunning imagery.
March 8, 2023
don’t really know what was going on but this book was beautiful
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