Naming Onyx Complex
Last weekend, I had a blast at the Printers Row Lit Fest. Meeting other authors and chatting face to face with book lovers about Onyx Complex was quite a surreal experience. It occurred to me, as I spouted out my thirty second synopsis of what took six years to write, that Onyx Complex is barely recognizable from where it began.
Why does this matter? One question I got was, “How did you come up with the name, Onyx Complex?” The question took me back. It was a great question, and I should have expected it. I imagine it is the type of question most normal authors enjoy answering. I, however, stood there like a deer in headlights. Where did ‘Onyx Complex’ come from?
Before Onyx Complex had a title, I simply referred to it as my “sci-fi novel.” As I think back, the title was inspired by three things: the ’90s hip hop group Onyx, the mineral onyx and Oedipus Complex.
Let’s start with the ’90s hip hop group, Onyx.
When you read Onyx Complex for the first time, you will come across a species called XoClonian Dominant Hybrids. These winged or gilled beings are an indirect result of an environmental crisis that sweeps the galaxy. The wild and frenetic underlying baseline of the Onyx’s “Slam” mimics a heart beat that parallels the XoClonian Dominant Hybrids unbridled passion. A passion that is encaged by the invisible bars of oppression.
Onyx the mineral
Next, let’s look at onyx the mineral. While onyx comes in many colors, the first onyx I ever saw was black. There are a number of superstitions surrounding black onyx. And as far as market value, it varies. When dealing with synthetic onyx, the price is significantly cheaper, while pure natural onyx is more expensive. No surprise there. However, in the case of Onyx Complex, onyx is the name of a planet that brought the Korifian people face to face with extinction. Planet Onyx houses an invasive plant called grumion. Grumion, believed to be a cure-all plant, was mass produced and sent out to all the advanced societies throughout the galaxy. But, all you need to know is it made the Korifians, the most advanced species in the galaxy, unable to breed with their own kind.
Oedipus Complex.
Last: The Oedipus Complex. Now, drop the ‘Oedipus’ and keep the ‘Complex’ because that is the only part of that story that is relatable to mine.
COMPLEX: /ˌkämˈpleks,kəmˈpleks,ˈkämˌpleks/ 1.consisting of many different and connected parts.
Google Dictionary
I remember when my father told me the story of Oedipus Complex, and as intriguing as that story was, nothing intrigued me more than how the word “complex” was used in the title. In Onyx Complex, we quickly learn what should be a simple search and rescue operation can unravel the most powerful species in the galaxy.