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Children of Doro
Have you ever made a ship's AI proud? Really, truly proud?
Captain Alastri has.
She's a child of Doro, a frontier world governed by a temperamental AI that represents the thoughts and feelings of all its citizens.
Never heard of it? Well, it did get destroyed, which is where her ship's AI steps in, to regale us with how Alastri's past led directly to this catastrophe.
When Alastri was 17, she witnessed a failed mediation between the ever-wronged citizen Ceres and Doro's governing AI. That day didn't just reveal a range of competing philosophies. It also led to treason, the loss of her ship, and the destruction of her home 25 years on.
Connecting the dots from that day is the only way Alastri can hope to prevent further disaster for her system. And yes, this she does, most splendidly—at least, if you can believe a ship's ridiculously proud AI.
Captain Alastri has.
She's a child of Doro, a frontier world governed by a temperamental AI that represents the thoughts and feelings of all its citizens.
Never heard of it? Well, it did get destroyed, which is where her ship's AI steps in, to regale us with how Alastri's past led directly to this catastrophe.
When Alastri was 17, she witnessed a failed mediation between the ever-wronged citizen Ceres and Doro's governing AI. That day didn't just reveal a range of competing philosophies. It also led to treason, the loss of her ship, and the destruction of her home 25 years on.
Connecting the dots from that day is the only way Alastri can hope to prevent further disaster for her system. And yes, this she does, most splendidly—at least, if you can believe a ship's ridiculously proud AI.
- GenresScience Fiction
475 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 4, 2023
About the author
M.L. Clark
43 books30 followersM L Clark is a writer of speculative fiction, along with book reviews, humanist essays, and news analysis at OnlySky.Media. Canadian by birth, Clark now calls Colombia home, and is an eager translator of classic Colombian lit as well.
In 2023, Clark will be launching six books from Sí, Hay Futuros Ediciones, an indie press that represents the persistence and necessity of hope amid setbacks.
Thanks for following along, if you do.
And thank you for pursuing your own, better dreams, either way.
In 2023, Clark will be launching six books from Sí, Hay Futuros Ediciones, an indie press that represents the persistence and necessity of hope amid setbacks.
Thanks for following along, if you do.
And thank you for pursuing your own, better dreams, either way.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 3, 2023
Having followed the author for a number of years across numerous social media platforms, this was a volume that has been on my radar for many years. It was thrilling to finally read it. It was fascinating to read a story I have known about for years. And after watching some of the authors Book Talks about it on YouTube I was even more excited to dig in.
Reading this story was like an epic adventure. In some ways it reminded me of reading Piers Anthony’s Bio of a Space Tyrant series. In other ways it called to mine The Old Man and the Void, by Karina Fabian. Also to some extend Tin Star by Cecil Castellicci. The story being told by an AI, and an AI that was involved with the events was an interesting twist. I highly recommend readers read the end notes either at the time of reading the story, or once finished. There is a significant amount of information across these footnotes. The description of the book states:
“Have you ever made a ship's AI proud? Really, truly proud?
Captain Alastri has.
She's a child of Doro, a frontier world governed by a temperamental AI that represents the thoughts and feelings of all its citizens.
Never heard of it? Well, it did get destroyed, which is where her ship's AI steps in, to regale us with how Alastri's past led directly to this catastrophe.
When Alastri was 17, she witnessed a failed mediation between the ever-wronged citizen Ceres and Doro's governing AI. That day didn't just reveal a range of competing philosophies. It also led to treason, the loss of her ship, and the destruction of her home 25 years on.
Connecting the dots from that day is the only way Alastri can hope to prevent further disaster for her system. And yes, this she does, most splendidly—at least, if you can believe a ship's ridiculously proud AI.”
The author stated:
“This novel is inspired by The Brothers Karamazov, by Fyodor Dostoevsky. You don't need to have read that volume to understand this story, but like its highly philosophical source, Children of Doro was written with a POV that you don't often see today: polyphonic narration. This means that our narrator is both an active presence in the text, and also a third-person omniscience recording all sorts of conversations from scenes in which it is not personally present. Consider yourselves warned!”
I myself have not read Dostoevsky in over 30 years. And it is absolutely not a prerequisite for reading this novel. There is certainly a sense of melancholy throughout the story. Also a sense of not fitting in, and at times not being aware of that gap. In many ways a felt a deep connection to the story, a sense of being fundamentally flawed, and broken, set apart, of being on the outside looking in. From the story there is a sense not of not being good enough, but not being enough. And I am sure those words fail the sense.
The story is epic in the expanse of the worlds created, of the different governing bodies, the AI’s that are composites of the collection at different points in time. The world of Doro and its impact upon its citizens, and all who are pulled into its sphere of influence. The story spans generations. And they history and mythology space space and time.
The story leaves me wanting more in this universe. And I understand there are some previously published pieces in Clark states in the authors note:
“I am deeply thankful, too, to Neil Clarke, the editor of Clarkesworld, for having encouraged me to continue developing stories around the compact in this novel, the Partnership that first shows up in “To Catch All Sorts of Flying Things” (2019). Short fiction is a wonderful incubator for grand ideas, and that was certainly the case here.”
And I hope we will see other stories set in this world. I must admit sitting here after having finished this story there is a void, a hollowness. A sense of incompleteness, not in the story but in my life having read the story. It is a story that will cause you to think and reflect. It is a science fiction story writ large. It is a story I can recommend, but be clear that the reader will not be the same once they have finished it. It is an epic science fiction story masterfully written.
Reading this story was like an epic adventure. In some ways it reminded me of reading Piers Anthony’s Bio of a Space Tyrant series. In other ways it called to mine The Old Man and the Void, by Karina Fabian. Also to some extend Tin Star by Cecil Castellicci. The story being told by an AI, and an AI that was involved with the events was an interesting twist. I highly recommend readers read the end notes either at the time of reading the story, or once finished. There is a significant amount of information across these footnotes. The description of the book states:
“Have you ever made a ship's AI proud? Really, truly proud?
Captain Alastri has.
She's a child of Doro, a frontier world governed by a temperamental AI that represents the thoughts and feelings of all its citizens.
Never heard of it? Well, it did get destroyed, which is where her ship's AI steps in, to regale us with how Alastri's past led directly to this catastrophe.
When Alastri was 17, she witnessed a failed mediation between the ever-wronged citizen Ceres and Doro's governing AI. That day didn't just reveal a range of competing philosophies. It also led to treason, the loss of her ship, and the destruction of her home 25 years on.
Connecting the dots from that day is the only way Alastri can hope to prevent further disaster for her system. And yes, this she does, most splendidly—at least, if you can believe a ship's ridiculously proud AI.”
The author stated:
“This novel is inspired by The Brothers Karamazov, by Fyodor Dostoevsky. You don't need to have read that volume to understand this story, but like its highly philosophical source, Children of Doro was written with a POV that you don't often see today: polyphonic narration. This means that our narrator is both an active presence in the text, and also a third-person omniscience recording all sorts of conversations from scenes in which it is not personally present. Consider yourselves warned!”
I myself have not read Dostoevsky in over 30 years. And it is absolutely not a prerequisite for reading this novel. There is certainly a sense of melancholy throughout the story. Also a sense of not fitting in, and at times not being aware of that gap. In many ways a felt a deep connection to the story, a sense of being fundamentally flawed, and broken, set apart, of being on the outside looking in. From the story there is a sense not of not being good enough, but not being enough. And I am sure those words fail the sense.
The story is epic in the expanse of the worlds created, of the different governing bodies, the AI’s that are composites of the collection at different points in time. The world of Doro and its impact upon its citizens, and all who are pulled into its sphere of influence. The story spans generations. And they history and mythology space space and time.
The story leaves me wanting more in this universe. And I understand there are some previously published pieces in Clark states in the authors note:
“I am deeply thankful, too, to Neil Clarke, the editor of Clarkesworld, for having encouraged me to continue developing stories around the compact in this novel, the Partnership that first shows up in “To Catch All Sorts of Flying Things” (2019). Short fiction is a wonderful incubator for grand ideas, and that was certainly the case here.”
And I hope we will see other stories set in this world. I must admit sitting here after having finished this story there is a void, a hollowness. A sense of incompleteness, not in the story but in my life having read the story. It is a story that will cause you to think and reflect. It is a science fiction story writ large. It is a story I can recommend, but be clear that the reader will not be the same once they have finished it. It is an epic science fiction story masterfully written.
June 15, 2023
Children of Doro was everything I was looking for in philosophical sci-fi novel. I’m no stranger to the short stories and novellas that share a world with this Parternship tale, so this was a book I’d been looking forward to for a long time. I have not read Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov, which this reimagines (in space!), but I’m happy to share that I thoroughly enjoyed Doro all the same. So, this review is by someone who missed the Dostoevsky references but picked up quite a few references to Star Trek and other similar sci-fi stories.
The story follows Alastri, a captain of a starship, and not unlike Trek’s Kirk or Picard, and explores the development of her personal philosophy over the course of decades, playing her against a few other key characters—including an AI that represents the collective mental state of her home planet, Doro. My favorite chapters were dedicated to trials, debates, and some quicker exchanges of philosophical sparring. Sci-fi elements elevate these debates, particularly where artificial intelligences and alien species are concerned. The cammus, for example, contain genetic memory and a family structure that predispose them to a type of decision-making that is more delayed than that of the average human. Retet culture offers purpose and community, which, depending on the situation, could be either restorative or dangerous for the people of Doro following a terrible disaster at the core of the story. Despite the depth of the story's competing philosophies, its structure leads the reader carefully through it all, framing everything intentionally yet leaving enough space for the reader to piece things together.
The story is carefully narrated by the Alastri’s ship’s AI, who lays out events for us in a way that makes sense to human readers, very aware of our biases to information we have already received over information that may require us to reframe preconceived ideas. As such, the narrative is distant yet focused, emphasizing that context in which a storyteller exists—even a logical artificial intelligence—can greatly inform the way a story is told. Through this AI’s viewpoint, Clark shines a light on which information is shared and which is omitted, calling into question how we frame our narratives and what purposes they serve.
I picked up on some references to other stories in the Partnership universe, and despite how highly I’d recommend those stories, they aren’t required reading for this one. The worlds and characters presented in Children of Doro are complete and engaging in their own right, whether you’ve read Dostoevsky, watched Star Trek, or just want to think about how and why we should strive for a better future.
The story follows Alastri, a captain of a starship, and not unlike Trek’s Kirk or Picard, and explores the development of her personal philosophy over the course of decades, playing her against a few other key characters—including an AI that represents the collective mental state of her home planet, Doro. My favorite chapters were dedicated to trials, debates, and some quicker exchanges of philosophical sparring. Sci-fi elements elevate these debates, particularly where artificial intelligences and alien species are concerned. The cammus, for example, contain genetic memory and a family structure that predispose them to a type of decision-making that is more delayed than that of the average human. Retet culture offers purpose and community, which, depending on the situation, could be either restorative or dangerous for the people of Doro following a terrible disaster at the core of the story. Despite the depth of the story's competing philosophies, its structure leads the reader carefully through it all, framing everything intentionally yet leaving enough space for the reader to piece things together.
The story is carefully narrated by the Alastri’s ship’s AI, who lays out events for us in a way that makes sense to human readers, very aware of our biases to information we have already received over information that may require us to reframe preconceived ideas. As such, the narrative is distant yet focused, emphasizing that context in which a storyteller exists—even a logical artificial intelligence—can greatly inform the way a story is told. Through this AI’s viewpoint, Clark shines a light on which information is shared and which is omitted, calling into question how we frame our narratives and what purposes they serve.
I picked up on some references to other stories in the Partnership universe, and despite how highly I’d recommend those stories, they aren’t required reading for this one. The worlds and characters presented in Children of Doro are complete and engaging in their own right, whether you’ve read Dostoevsky, watched Star Trek, or just want to think about how and why we should strive for a better future.
November 26, 2023
This is explicitly inspired by The Brothers Karamazov, which I have not read, but perhaps it gives a sense of what to expect. There is the destruction of a planet at the climax of the book, but the novel isn’t *about* the destruction so much as an analysis of a handful of flawed figures whose actions coalesced in that destruction. Heck, the entire first half of the book takes place 25 years earlier, detailing a youthful chance meeting that calcified so much of the characters.
It’s written from the perspective of an AI narrator, with a slow pace and painstaking care to portray every relevant detail, complete with copious footnotes and plenty of analysis on how the events affected each character internally.
A lot of people aren’t going to resonate with that style, and I confess that in a lot of ways, I didn’t either. I understand why the backstory mattered, but the backstory was slow and analytical—it felt more like reading a history text than a novel at times.
But I did find that once the story hit the climax, the more immediate stakes made for a very engaging finish, even if the narration remained slow. And the thematic work on practical philosophy—engaging in existentialism, politics, ethics, etc—is really excellent.
Children of Doro is absolutely not going to be the next viral sensation in the vein of The Martian. It doesn’t want to be. But for readers looking for the sort of thing it is, I suspect it may be a favorite.
First impression: 13/20. Full review to come at www.tarvolon.com
It’s written from the perspective of an AI narrator, with a slow pace and painstaking care to portray every relevant detail, complete with copious footnotes and plenty of analysis on how the events affected each character internally.
A lot of people aren’t going to resonate with that style, and I confess that in a lot of ways, I didn’t either. I understand why the backstory mattered, but the backstory was slow and analytical—it felt more like reading a history text than a novel at times.
But I did find that once the story hit the climax, the more immediate stakes made for a very engaging finish, even if the narration remained slow. And the thematic work on practical philosophy—engaging in existentialism, politics, ethics, etc—is really excellent.
Children of Doro is absolutely not going to be the next viral sensation in the vein of The Martian. It doesn’t want to be. But for readers looking for the sort of thing it is, I suspect it may be a favorite.
First impression: 13/20. Full review to come at www.tarvolon.com
May 5, 2023
"It's 'The Brothers Karamazov' in space" is the quick description of this tour de force by Clark: it almost sounds like the punchline of some grad student's joke about unadaptable works of art. And yet the author has taken the philosophical underpinnings and psychological richness of that text and created a new story that replaces Dostoevsky's musings and worries about God with questions about our relationship to society, our obligations thereto (and vice-versa), the impact and legacy of trauma on both a civilization and its people, and the importance and value of each individual's actions in the face of the repercussions of that trauma.
As one might imagine, this isn't a "light" read, but it is outstanding work & highly recommended.
As one might imagine, this isn't a "light" read, but it is outstanding work & highly recommended.
August 4, 2026
Thoughtful
Maggie is a friend and I was intrigued when she told me how this novel was inspired by Doesteyevski, who I have never read.
I did not expect it to be such a challenging read, both because of the deep philosophical issues raised but also choosing an AI to be the narrator, which took getting accustomed to. It is a different sort of hard science fiction than I have read and really made be focus.
I found it interesting that as we progressed through the narrative, the POV and dialog began to feel more familiar. It even had a positive conclusion which I was not expecting for the first 400 pages.
Maggie is a friend and I was intrigued when she told me how this novel was inspired by Doesteyevski, who I have never read.
I did not expect it to be such a challenging read, both because of the deep philosophical issues raised but also choosing an AI to be the narrator, which took getting accustomed to. It is a different sort of hard science fiction than I have read and really made be focus.
I found it interesting that as we progressed through the narrative, the POV and dialog began to feel more familiar. It even had a positive conclusion which I was not expecting for the first 400 pages.
May 18, 2023
The Children of Doro is based off of The Brothers Karamazov by Dostoevsky. Now I've never read that book. But M.L Clark has written an amazing philosophical narrative as only they can. All told through the eyes of the ship’s AI.
Your not going to find epic battles or a space opera in the pages of thus book. But if you want a book that's almost impossible to put down and makes you think with every page.
Well enough said.
Your not going to find epic battles or a space opera in the pages of thus book. But if you want a book that's almost impossible to put down and makes you think with every page.
Well enough said.
May 24, 2023
I always enjoy a good scifi novel and this book does not disappoint. I was hooked from the first page and it didn't let go until the end. M L Clark always does a great job in keeping me hooked and I loved the characters in her work. I can't wait for more from the author.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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July 12, 2023 I received an advanced digital copy of this book, courtesy of the author and publisher, via Netgalley, for review consideration.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews