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Ell Donsaii #5
Comet!
"Comet!" is the fifth in a series of near future SciFi/Thrillers whose young heroine Ell Donsaii has a nerve mutation which has rendered her a genius and an athletic phenomenon. In “Comet!” she and her team begin exploring outer space using the wormholes she produced in "Rocket." Unfortunately Comet Hearth-Daster is on a trajectory to strike the Earth. Though it is smaller than the object that wiped out the dinosaurs, it still weighs 300 million metric tons and if it hits it will wipe out civilization and may render the human race extinct.
225 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 13, 2012
488 people are currently reading
81 people want to read
About the author
Laurence E. Dahners
62 books673 followersI was born on the island of Cyprus where my dad was employed as a mining engineer. We moved to the Philippines (more mining) when I was three and then to Arizona when I was 9. I went to med school at the University of Arizona and did a residency in Orthopaedics at the University of Kansas. I taught Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill until I retired in 2017.
I've always loved science fiction and it's been great fun getting to write some. I also like music and have a little home recording studio. You can read more, listen to some music and look at some of my art, at http://laury.dahners.com/ if you like.
If you want to contact me, or be put on my email list to be notified when new books come out, just email me at ldahners@gmail.com
Laury Dahners
I've always loved science fiction and it's been great fun getting to write some. I also like music and have a little home recording studio. You can read more, listen to some music and look at some of my art, at http://laury.dahners.com/ if you like.
If you want to contact me, or be put on my email list to be notified when new books come out, just email me at ldahners@gmail.com
Laury Dahners
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
February 16, 2016
Really this book would have been 3.5 to 4 stars but it gave me eye fatigue rolling my eyes as her beauty and desirability is mentioned over and over and freaking over! And it is in every book, it's like the author is touching himself or something.. Frankly if this is the way guys actually think I'm horrified. Enjoyed the book apart from that bullshite
March 2, 2018
2.3.2018 - 2,5*
Tato série má v tomto bodě dějového oblouku tři hlavní problémy:
1) Ell je tak šíleně Mary Sue a takřka všemocná, myšleno v intelektuálním slovasmyslu. Nebylo by to tak zlé, kdyby jí autor navíc vše nenaservíroval na stříbrném podnose.
2) Ell a její pohled na vztahy.
3) Psaní, především způsob, jakým autor vidí ženy a jak se snaží popsat jejich myšlení. Kolikrát jsem měla chuť knihu zavřít kvůli rozpakům nad jeho ne zrovna elegantními pokusy trochu "zženštit" své protagonistky. Plus, jestli nepřestane psát, jak je Ell pohledná a chytrá a atleticky zdatná a všechno, asi začnu křičet. Dahners dokázal to, čemu jsem se většinu svého života vcelku úspěšně vyhýbala - donutil mě reagovat jako bych byla závistivá, nepřejícná ženská. Nebo se tak polovinu času aspoň cítím. @.@ Obvykle bych byla všemi deseti pro super ženskou postavu zaměřenou na vědecké pole, ale autor to dokázal napsat způsobem, kterým mi to brnkal na poslední nerv.
Autor rozehrál fajn hru a líbí se mi, co se snaží udělat, ale damn, zpracování pokulhává. Taky, trochu to editorsky učesat a bylo by to mnohem lepší.
Proč to stále čtu - autor si roztomile hraje s vědou. Kombinuje možné s nemožným tak, že to stále dokáže prodat. A přichází s originálními nápady, které mě baví a pokaždé mě strašně rozveselí a zvednou mi náladu, jelikož jsou opravdu dobré a svým způsobem... barevné. Pro ty scény a detaily stále čtu dále.
Ve výsledku je to hodně slabé 3*.
Tato série má v tomto bodě dějového oblouku tři hlavní problémy:
1) Ell je tak šíleně Mary Sue a takřka všemocná, myšleno v intelektuálním slovasmyslu. Nebylo by to tak zlé, kdyby jí autor navíc vše nenaservíroval na stříbrném podnose.
2) Ell a její pohled na vztahy.
3) Psaní, především způsob, jakým autor vidí ženy a jak se snaží popsat jejich myšlení. Kolikrát jsem měla chuť knihu zavřít kvůli rozpakům nad jeho ne zrovna elegantními pokusy trochu "zženštit" své protagonistky. Plus, jestli nepřestane psát, jak je Ell pohledná a chytrá a atleticky zdatná a všechno, asi začnu křičet. Dahners dokázal to, čemu jsem se většinu svého života vcelku úspěšně vyhýbala - donutil mě reagovat jako bych byla závistivá, nepřejícná ženská. Nebo se tak polovinu času aspoň cítím. @.@ Obvykle bych byla všemi deseti pro super ženskou postavu zaměřenou na vědecké pole, ale autor to dokázal napsat způsobem, kterým mi to brnkal na poslední nerv.
Autor rozehrál fajn hru a líbí se mi, co se snaží udělat, ale damn, zpracování pokulhává. Taky, trochu to editorsky učesat a bylo by to mnohem lepší.
Proč to stále čtu - autor si roztomile hraje s vědou. Kombinuje možné s nemožným tak, že to stále dokáže prodat. A přichází s originálními nápady, které mě baví a pokaždé mě strašně rozveselí a zvednou mi náladu, jelikož jsou opravdu dobré a svým způsobem... barevné. Pro ty scény a detaily stále čtu dále.
Ve výsledku je to hodně slabé 3*.
February 22, 2024
Very good!
March 2, 2021
I haven’t come up with a better term so I will call these books “competency porn” (think Sherlock Holmes and James Bond). I LOVE competency porn so I blew through all the Ell Donsaii books in about two weeks. As a result I’m giving books 1-16 the same review. While these books largely hit my sweet spot, I recognized several imperfection but, before listing those, I want to first say I greatly enjoyed these books and so I encourage anyone who enjoys “competency porn” (I really hate that term) to give them a try.
The first problem is actually kind of a small, yet somewhat annoying: I had read the author’s Vaz series (alos recommended competency porn) immediately before this one. In fact the Ell Donsaii blurb did not make the book sound appealing to me and so I only gave them a try because I liked the Vaz series so much. Unfortunately this resulted in realizing the author re-used story lines. While this is disappointing it only slightly diminished my enjoyment and the Ell series, with its 16 books to Vaz’s 4, quickly moves beyond this issue.
The second problem is the author writes by recipe and that recipe is: Have multiple secondary story lines that remain unresolved at the end of the book to make the reader buy the next book. An example would be a main story line about terraforming Mars accompanied by a side story line about a vaccine. The Mars story will be resolved by the end of the book but the author will also have spent pages setting up a will he/won’t he for a character to secretly try the vaccine. While the author almost universally handles multiple story lines well, in the end I found this approach truly unfortunate as this author is good enough to keep readers coming back without this manipulation. In short, this author’s books would have been much better if treated as stand alones rather than installments.
Finally, from my point of view, the books are short. The three samples I took from the series were: 217, 210 and 210 pages. I view anything under 300 pages as short and prefer books 350 pages or longer. I must admit, however, that I got all of these books for $4 off Amazon so I don’t really feel shorted. Had I seen these books on a shelf in a book store I likely wouldn’t even have picked them up based on how thin they are.
Bottom line: While not perfect, these books are pretty easily worth the read for any lovers of competency porn.
The first problem is actually kind of a small, yet somewhat annoying: I had read the author’s Vaz series (alos recommended competency porn) immediately before this one. In fact the Ell Donsaii blurb did not make the book sound appealing to me and so I only gave them a try because I liked the Vaz series so much. Unfortunately this resulted in realizing the author re-used story lines. While this is disappointing it only slightly diminished my enjoyment and the Ell series, with its 16 books to Vaz’s 4, quickly moves beyond this issue.
The second problem is the author writes by recipe and that recipe is: Have multiple secondary story lines that remain unresolved at the end of the book to make the reader buy the next book. An example would be a main story line about terraforming Mars accompanied by a side story line about a vaccine. The Mars story will be resolved by the end of the book but the author will also have spent pages setting up a will he/won’t he for a character to secretly try the vaccine. While the author almost universally handles multiple story lines well, in the end I found this approach truly unfortunate as this author is good enough to keep readers coming back without this manipulation. In short, this author’s books would have been much better if treated as stand alones rather than installments.
Finally, from my point of view, the books are short. The three samples I took from the series were: 217, 210 and 210 pages. I view anything under 300 pages as short and prefer books 350 pages or longer. I must admit, however, that I got all of these books for $4 off Amazon so I don’t really feel shorted. Had I seen these books on a shelf in a book store I likely wouldn’t even have picked them up based on how thin they are.
Bottom line: While not perfect, these books are pretty easily worth the read for any lovers of competency porn.
Read
November 21, 2024Oh this one is better than the fourth. However, the calamity described in the book, is all made by Ell herself. If only she did not hit the comet to start with before it went to sun. If only she had put thrusters on it pushing it away from earth, she could have set them so that it would do that in spite of the rotational motion of the comet. Or maybe put on one of those magnets which they used to mine the asteroids on one of the rockets flying parallel to the comet, so that the iron in the comet would be attracted and hence the entire comet would have gone in some other direction. :D
I suppose such ways did not show up in Laurence E Dahners's research (if he indeed do it), other than watching the Michael Bay's idiotic idea. :D
Anyways, it's fun. And I liked it. Only grudge I have with it, is that they never took Ell to the Stockholm for the Nobel ceremony. I wonder why none of Dahner's other character ever won Nobel?
I suppose such ways did not show up in Laurence E Dahners's research (if he indeed do it), other than watching the Michael Bay's idiotic idea. :D
Anyways, it's fun. And I liked it. Only grudge I have with it, is that they never took Ell to the Stockholm for the Nobel ceremony. I wonder why none of Dahner's other character ever won Nobel?
October 18, 2025
Surprisingly bad.
The relationship stuff was really cringe.
Many storylines, and none of them good.
Lots of new companies and split attention.
The band performances with Ell dancing were boring, unnecessary, and Gordon is annoying.
Every guy just thinks how "hot" Ell is, and it is getting really hard to take. But even the other "disguised" Ell characters all get weird physical commenting from every single dude out there. EVERY SINGLE PERSON is remarking about her butt, or her legs, or how fat she is in their internal monologue. EVERY SINGLE TIME. Professors, students, ANYONE. It is so weird.
Why is Ell refusing to have a boyfriend? It makes no sense. She's a 19 year old virgin, and she doesn't want to have a boyfriend? HUH? She will only date someone if she "loves" them? HUH?
The author is trying so hard to keep this "love triangle" going, but at this point it is just stupid.
The relationship stuff was really cringe.
Many storylines, and none of them good.
Lots of new companies and split attention.
The band performances with Ell dancing were boring, unnecessary, and Gordon is annoying.
Every guy just thinks how "hot" Ell is, and it is getting really hard to take. But even the other "disguised" Ell characters all get weird physical commenting from every single dude out there. EVERY SINGLE PERSON is remarking about her butt, or her legs, or how fat she is in their internal monologue. EVERY SINGLE TIME. Professors, students, ANYONE. It is so weird.
Why is Ell refusing to have a boyfriend? It makes no sense. She's a 19 year old virgin, and she doesn't want to have a boyfriend? HUH? She will only date someone if she "loves" them? HUH?
The author is trying so hard to keep this "love triangle" going, but at this point it is just stupid.
February 8, 2018
Another good story
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, but I have to own up to one small nit. Relativity exists. A great deal was made of the velocity of 22kps. Actually, I'm not certain of the units, but that part is immaterial. There is no such thing as absolute velocity. Velocity must be relative to something. The plot played fast and loose with this point. OK, OK end of soapbox. All fiction involves some suspension of disbelief and my point is a minor one. And it shows how involved with the plot and the characters I've become. A fun read. I can hardly wait for the next one.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, but I have to own up to one small nit. Relativity exists. A great deal was made of the velocity of 22kps. Actually, I'm not certain of the units, but that part is immaterial. There is no such thing as absolute velocity. Velocity must be relative to something. The plot played fast and loose with this point. OK, OK end of soapbox. All fiction involves some suspension of disbelief and my point is a minor one. And it shows how involved with the plot and the characters I've become. A fun read. I can hardly wait for the next one.
July 5, 2021
Dahners, Laurence E. Comet! Ell Donsaii No. 5. Kindle, 2012.
In Comet! Ell uses the wormhole technology she developed in Rocket! to begin exploring the asteroid belt. When a large comet is detected on an Earthward trajectory, her company and the Nasa combine to deal with the threat. Nasa’s ideas involve nuclear weapons, but Ell and her team have more creative ideas. This novel breathes new life into a familiar plotline. 4 stars.
In Comet! Ell uses the wormhole technology she developed in Rocket! to begin exploring the asteroid belt. When a large comet is detected on an Earthward trajectory, her company and the Nasa combine to deal with the threat. Nasa’s ideas involve nuclear weapons, but Ell and her team have more creative ideas. This novel breathes new life into a familiar plotline. 4 stars.
August 25, 2025
Ell Donsaii series
I am really enjoying these books. It is not often that hard science fiction has science logical enough to make suspension of disbelief easy, but the quantum mechanics in these stories is plausible enough to make me believe that they are predictive. So far, I am having more trouble accepting the speculative biological aspects of the stories, but that IS what science fiction does!
I am really enjoying these books. It is not often that hard science fiction has science logical enough to make suspension of disbelief easy, but the quantum mechanics in these stories is plausible enough to make me believe that they are predictive. So far, I am having more trouble accepting the speculative biological aspects of the stories, but that IS what science fiction does!
June 23, 2017
Total Excitement!!!
Riveting new novel about Ell, the uber smart, uber beautiful and kick-@ss heroine. Yes, the hard science is a little harder than the first couple of her books, but sooo worth it. The story itself is well plotted and keeps you on the edge. Kudos Lawrence Dauners.
Riveting new novel about Ell, the uber smart, uber beautiful and kick-@ss heroine. Yes, the hard science is a little harder than the first couple of her books, but sooo worth it. The story itself is well plotted and keeps you on the edge. Kudos Lawrence Dauners.
January 18, 2021
Excellent!
It's just a story, but part of it really shows the difference between private business and the government. I speak for many who firmly believe that the best government is the least government, because at the heart of it, government is not efficient. At best, it is a broken firearm, it doesn't work and you can't fire it.
It's just a story, but part of it really shows the difference between private business and the government. I speak for many who firmly believe that the best government is the least government, because at the heart of it, government is not efficient. At best, it is a broken firearm, it doesn't work and you can't fire it.
January 27, 2024
The science is a 5, great 'what-if' questions posed by the author, backed up by good scientific details. Lots of fun. But...
A 2 for character development. Mr. D., you aren't a teenage girl, and the attempts to describe her love life and the associated teenage angst are lame, at best, and detract from the storyline. And, doesn't Ell have ANY flaws??...lol
A 2 for character development. Mr. D., you aren't a teenage girl, and the attempts to describe her love life and the associated teenage angst are lame, at best, and detract from the storyline. And, doesn't Ell have ANY flaws??...lol
March 26, 2024
Absolutely thrilling series!!!!!
Congratulations to Lawrence Dahners for this amazing series. It’s hard to find such an interesting and exciting author who not only writes intelligently but also provides top rated plots, characters and excitement in the stories. I’m really looking forward to the next book.
Congratulations to Lawrence Dahners for this amazing series. It’s hard to find such an interesting and exciting author who not only writes intelligently but also provides top rated plots, characters and excitement in the stories. I’m really looking forward to the next book.
April 11, 2020
Good story!!
Good science, good characters. Especially the government workers, who are only interested in their own rice bowl. Imagine how great our country could be if all the government employees actually worked for us?
Good science, good characters. Especially the government workers, who are only interested in their own rice bowl. Imagine how great our country could be if all the government employees actually worked for us?
August 2, 2020
Great series
This is my fourth reading of the series, and this is my favorite book. Mr. Daggers has made the science believable. I love the characters, even the bad guys are believable! Mr. Daggers is very talented with great powers of imagination !!!
This is my fourth reading of the series, and this is my favorite book. Mr. Daggers has made the science believable. I love the characters, even the bad guys are believable! Mr. Daggers is very talented with great powers of imagination !!!
December 18, 2020
Good fun again
Third reread and still enjoyable. The science is always fun and a nice exercise for the brain. The adventure itself is also amusing and entertaining. Off to read the next one
Third reread and still enjoyable. The science is always fun and a nice exercise for the brain. The adventure itself is also amusing and entertaining. Off to read the next one
December 20, 2020
Another fast read
This is the third great book series on super young women I have recently read. Lucky me to have found and read them.
Emily Kane and Amy Lynn are the other two. I would place them all way up high on any scale.
This is the third great book series on super young women I have recently read. Lucky me to have found and read them.
Emily Kane and Amy Lynn are the other two. I would place them all way up high on any scale.
January 22, 2018
This story made a big Impact!!
Series just keeps getting better and better. Elle is growing with every book, becoming a strong vibrant character. Awfully Good!!!
Series just keeps getting better and better. Elle is growing with every book, becoming a strong vibrant character. Awfully Good!!!
May 13, 2019
Book 5 - Yay!
Ditto the good reviews.
Amazon reviews = author perks.
No reviews = no perks.
Dahners deserves plentiful perks.
20 words.
Ditto the good reviews.
Amazon reviews = author perks.
No reviews = no perks.
Dahners deserves plentiful perks.
20 words.
April 6, 2020
Fun continuation, new horizons reached....Liked it and looking forward to more :)
April 28, 2020
Good read
If you like science fiction books with new technologies, you'll like this book. I can't wait to read the next book in this series.
If you like science fiction books with new technologies, you'll like this book. I can't wait to read the next book in this series.
June 25, 2020
Can't stop reading this
Warning: this book series is so addictive, you will loose a lot of sleep, you'll suddenly lost a lot of conscious time in your days!
Warning: this book series is so addictive, you will loose a lot of sleep, you'll suddenly lost a lot of conscious time in your days!
November 30, 2020
Great story
I have enjoyed this story of Eli Donsaii and newest adventure with her friends and how they save the world from a comet.
I have enjoyed this story of Eli Donsaii and newest adventure with her friends and how they save the world from a comet.
February 20, 2022
Incredible
Absolutely incredible addition to the series that keeps the tension throughout the book and keeps you in anticipation all the way to the end.
Absolutely incredible addition to the series that keeps the tension throughout the book and keeps you in anticipation all the way to the end.
June 12, 2024
Comet is going to hit ... Borrowed this edition on June 11, 2024. Kindle Unlimited Book. Read Kindle book using Alexa audio asset.
June 20, 2024
My least fav episode so far.
December 14, 2024
Comet (an Ell Donsaii story)
This is the 5th book in the series that I’m enjoying at the moment. I’m reading book 6 next. I recommend this series
This is the 5th book in the series that I’m enjoying at the moment. I’m reading book 6 next. I recommend this series
February 2, 2025
Ell is cool
I like Ell. She's personable, humble, shy, and a bit self-conscious. The science is fun. A bit reaching. I'm not cutting-edge, so what do I not know ?
I like Ell. She's personable, humble, shy, and a bit self-conscious. The science is fun. A bit reaching. I'm not cutting-edge, so what do I not know ?
June 21, 2025
How to crush a comet.
December 13, 2025
The best one I have read yet. Mary Sue trope taken to a extreme, that is still entertaining and readable. The author is obviously highly intelligent. The science and engineering fantasies are digestible, and surprisingly detailed. Easily worth the price of admission.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews