Elite Dangerous: Reclamation

Elite Dangerous

by Drew Wagar

Written by Drew Wagar under official license from the creators of, and based in the vast universe of, the seminal space trading computer game Dangerous.

Lady Kahina Loren, born into the Prism system’s powerful ruling family, is desperate to throw off the shackles of her privileged lifestyle and discover herself, but ambition crumbles when she faces death at the hands of the one person she thought she could trust.
With the advanced technology of the 3rd millennium, death is not always as final as it seems, but when that technology malfunctions, is death the better option…

10% of the proceeds of this book will be donated to the Ashford Dyslexia Centre, a charity who do wonderful work with sufferers of dyslexia including one to one tuition, workshops and presentations providing tools to maximise potential.

Genres: Science Fiction, Audiobook

220 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 7, 2014

About the author

Drew Wagar is a science fiction and fantasy author, living in the UK. He is the author of the Hegira Series, the Shadeward Saga, The Midnight Chronicles, the Elect Saga and the official Elite Dangerous novelisations.

You can join a mailing list and discover more about Drew's books at his website.

www.drewwagar.com

Reviews

[Alvaro Espírito Santo · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading several Elite Dangerous novels, i was about to give up on the Elite universe, put my cherished ZXSpectrum Elite memories back in my childhood wonder. The written universe was pale and shabby. Then i started reading Reclamation... the feeling of wonder was back. This is what Elite was about, my dreamed universe while i played and discussed with friends at school, vying for the best hauls and upgrades.
All by itself this is very good Scifi novel, but because its in the Elite background, its amazing. The author captured the essence of a universe we liked and developed in our minds and games.
So without further ado, go read it, recapture a piece of your childhood. I recommend it.
If your new to Elite, well this is an excellent place to start, welcome :-)

[Penny Grubb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not since Emily Bronte has anyone got away with this trick!

This is the second of the Elite books that I’ve read. Very different from Elite: Mostly Harmless but also an excellent read. A beautifully crafted story with real characters. I couldn’t help but get drawn into their world. I saw the beauty of the Prism system and cried ‘foul’ over the political shenanigans that threatened it. And what an amazing and original heroine. Not since Wuthering Heights has anyone got away with killing their main protagonist so early in the book. The threads of the story tangled and untangled until the unexpected but ultimately satisfying conclusion. Highly recommended.

[Brian McRae · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this book. It is a very well written space opera based on one of my current favourite video game universes. The story had lots of action with a fairly gripping plot. The writer also did a wonderful job of fleshing out the characters in such a way that you even cared about the antagonists. I was very torn regarding who I wanted to come out on top throughout. I highly recommend this book to sci-fi enthusiasts.

[Jonathan Day · Rating 3 out of 5]

Competent, maybe Dangerous, but definitely not Elite

I, too, remember the original, along with the Master 128 version and the sequels. Not just the official ones, but FFE3D and Oolite as well. Good games all. I was certified Elite by Acorn, in the early days. Play E:D and Horizons now.

So, how does this book stack up?

The first thing to bear in mind is that I'm a harsh reviewer when it comes to existing universes. A lot of the difficult work has been done, after all. I've reviewed a lot of fan fiction over the years, written some as well. I have intense difficulty in writing up to my expectations, which is where expectations aught to be. There's no higher rating than the best, for the obvious reason that it's the best, so there should be very little worthier of praise than that which merits the best. That is why other ranks exist, not to condemn but to show limits.

This book has limits. It's impossible to empathize with the characters. They're all unlikable, self-centred morons with zero compassion for anyone or anything else. If that was just the bad guys, it would be bad enough, truly evil people are very rare and very self-destructive. They're not effective villains. But when it's the good guys as well - then it's insane.

A farm boy gets in over his head and rescues a Senator, and in the big battle gets saved by a pilot who had left and returns - think that one got used in 1978.

Lots of minisodes here, welded together, rather than one cohesive story. I see the author's description bears striking resemblance to that of Anne McCaffery's, whose first Dragonrider novel was exactly that - independent short stories rewritten as a novel. It featured a heiress whose family was slain reclaiming her title then handing it off to a minder. There are some differences here, but they're mild.

So it's derivative. That's where it loses the second star.

So why rate it Competent-to-Dangerous? Because, once you subtract the derivative plot elements and obvious Plot Device This Way signs, the basic narrative hangs together well, the universe feels basically as it should, all the elements are right, the key ingredients are there. I do not regret buying the book, the author did a perfectly respectable job. It functions. If it were a trading vessel in this universe, it would probably be an upgraded Krait or Sidewinder. Something that'll carry a story but only to safe spaces.

[Nik Clement · Rating 5 out of 5]

An epic tale, set amongst the backdrop of the Elite universe.

With more twists and turns than a dog fight in space, the answer to who reclaims what is in there somewhere.

I'm looking forward to another installment of this adventure.

[Sonic Alpha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't enjoyed a book this much in quite some time.

This audiobook was such a pleasant surprise, and is less like a typical audiobook, and more like an old school one man radio drama. It's filled with sound effects and music, which both help to enhance the listening experience.

Toby Longworth does an excellent job as narrator, providing the various characters' vocal tones and accents in such a convincing manner that you can't help but become immersed in "Reclamation's" universe.

"Elite Dangerous - Reclamation" has many twists and turns that will keep you coming back for more, if you're a fan of sci-fi adventures, it's something I'd definitely recommend.

[Colin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Totally enjoyed this, I play the game and it totally helped the imagery in my mind, however you don't have to to play the game to appreciate the fantastic storyline written by a talented author...

[Dave Hooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll admit to being a big fan of the Elite Universe for the last 30 years but I'm also a great science-fiction fan so I know what a good book feels like. I'll say right now that this really is a properly good science fiction book whether you're an Elite fan or not (why not!?)

Drew has struck that perfect balance between characters and plot which is key to a great novel. The cast is very varied with heroes and villains aplenty but you spend most of the novel willing all of them to succeed as you feel you really know them all. You know the why of what they are trying to do because you understand them, you feel for their every failure and enjoy their every success.

This cast is then involved in a complicated and yet beautifully choreographed dance through the stars. It takes us through the full range of action, suspense, politics, humour, a bit of gore, surprise, double crosses (or are they?), epic space battles, sword fights, remorse and retribution. In short it has everything you could wish for in a space opera.

So please buy this book and then go and buy the game so that you can make your own adventure in the Elite universe!

[Astroretro · Rating 5 out of 5]

A surprisingly well contrived and well written story set in the universe of the video game Elite:Dangerous.

Whilst the book is aimed at fans of the game, it is so well written that it should also appeal to sci-fi fans more broadly. The book does not require knowledge of the game but certainly adds colour and intrigue to the game if you are a player. It sheds a lot of light on the cold-war politics between the game's superpowers, how these influence factional rivalries within one stellar system, and the deeply personal consequences it has for an unlikely heir and those whom she comes in contact with along her journeys.

This book established several major characters and mysteries of the game universe which remain to this day. Famously, there was an in-game sequel to this story that played out with thousands of players contributing to determine the outcome of the story. But perhaps that is not the last we will hear of it. Many elements of this story have now been inextricably woven into the game universe and players can now choose to evolve the story through emergent gameplay in the great big sandbox that is the Milky Way in Elite: Dangerous.

The Formidine Rift Awaits...

[Dale Kamp · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this in 2017 to immerse myself in the Elite Dangerous videogame universe for a planned web-series which never materialized (except for a prequel, four-minute short called Frame Shift: Zero, still viewable on YouTube to my embarrassment). I was hungry for any world-building, and little details I could add into my script.

I recall Elite Dangerous: Reclamation being decent; more than good enough for what I needed it for. Would I recommend it to a general sci-fi fan? Not really.

Some suspension of disbelief was required for some parts of the story, even within the logic of the universe.

That said, one thing reading this story really enhanced for me was an in-game event later that year which would decide the fate of the main character of the story -- an event I actually took place in... in-game, that would determine the ending of the follow-up novel. That was unforgettable.

-CMDR Demilikos

[Brandon Dysart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fantastic if you love the world of Elite. A gripping story, somewhat spoon-fed at times, but wonderfully done. It left me wanting more, hoping the story continued where it left off, to explore more of the characters, see more, hear more, experience more. Would highly recommend to any Elite fan, whether from the 80s, or the newest CMDR. Space Opera fan? Then you'll enjoy it as well, without any prior world experience!

In attempts to keep this spoiler free, I will not give specifics. There are things towards the end of the book that felt far too short for the build up, but no real complaints beyond. Learning of locations that you can visit in the game, more information about factions and feeling a sense of acceptance at why one faction does things one way, and the other, their way. It really makes you understand the forms of government present in the game, (and in my case, despise one more than I already did!)

All in all, I highly recommend it, as I've said multiple times.

[Jonathan Reveles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Sci-fi book. Started it in April, but wasn't really able to really focus on it to due to personal reasons. Picked it back up and started over a month and a half later. I couldn't put it down. I greatly enjoyed it. It got me to pick up the Video Game that the world is based on, and explore where the events in the book were taking place. I instantly bought the second book in the series afterwards. Fun setting with great character build up. Action scenes are enjoyable, and the dogfighting is riveting. I loved the attention to details when it came to the ships, space stations, star systems.

Conclusion: If you are looking for a random sci-fi book that focuses on the setting and story I recommend. If you are already a fan of the Elite world I highly recommend this just due to the love that was put into it.

[Jared · Rating 3 out of 5]

For a book written based upon a video game universe, the story was pretty good if somewhat cliche'. That said, I'm undecided as to whether or not I'll continue onto the next book so take from that what you will.

One point in particular needs to be made and that is that the formatting of the book itself was a mess. I don't know if I was just unlucky and got a weird copy or perhaps it was intended but conversations were difficult to track as paragraph breaks seemed very random. Punctuation seemed off in some sections. It was all really kind of unexplainable. Made for a tough time reading.

[Dustin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought it was a great book. I got into it from having started playing Elite: Dangerous on Xbox One. I kept being told to check out Reclamation, it's a good book! It's very much true. If you're in any way a fan of the game Elite, or even just a sci fi, space adventure fan - read this book. It's got politics, action, adventure, space! It's just good.

I'm excited to see what comes next. Especially with the recent Salome event that just happened. Will we find more clues as to the Formidine Rift?? I hope!

[Roxane Lapa · Rating 5 out of 5]

GENRE
SciFi

BASIC SYNOPSIS
A small moon with a valuable mineral becomes the target for a lot plotting by the two main political powers, the original inhabitants and crime factions.

MY THOUGHTS
I picked up this book because my husband is an Elite Dangerous partner, and streams this game 4 days a week, so I wanted to understand the lore better. I found the book very well written. There were points in the book where things could have taken the obvious route but didn't, and most of the characters were neither perfect, nor complete villains. Lots of action too.

[Glenn Frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent adventure. The story is connected to and in the universe of the "Elite Dangerous" MMO computer game, but I believe it stands on its own enough to be enjoyed even if you are not familiar with the game. It tells the story of the daughter of a planetary governor forced into a maze of intrigue, power struggles and murder over the star system her Father administrated. Great characters, great story.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's so much fun to read a book set in the universe where I spend my time playing Elite! They're flying ships I fly, going places I could go, and every detail right down to the disdain between the Federation and Empire just feels like it fits. It is a wonderfully written book with great characters, great action scenes, good storytelling pace, and some fantastic plot twists. I really enjoyed it. Think I'll need to fly my Cobra MkIII through Prism sometime...

[Kent Eriksson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listened to the phenomenal audiobook that use the sound effects from the game and the great narrator Toby Longworth. Loved it as it stands great on its own but adds major value to the atmosphere of the game.

Listened to the majority of the book while sitting in my ship in Virtual Reality. 10/10 will do it again!

[Sagiv Hadaya · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you played Elite Dangerous or even if you havent, this book as a good Sci-Fi. set in the elite universe, which is the milkey way, which is our universe anyways, tells the story surrounding the planets and some of the powers.
the characters are ok but not too deep, and the story is exciting including a chase and mystery.

[Palmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to the audio version of this book and was thoroughly entertained. The material is something I was familiar with going in having played the game, Elite Dangerous, a space simulator. The characters were well written and fleshed out. I also liked that the characters were not two dimensional... you never really know who's going to turn on who. Nice one.

[Cragol · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute joy! Great story, worthy of a movie. Blends nicely with the game canon, if there is one. Official sound effects from game were a pleasing addition. Toby Longworth's performance was interstellar! So many voices, I was comfortably convinced I was listening to a cast of performers. Definitely worth a re-listen, to get some of the finer details and politics dialed in but, won't be a chore. The characters and relationships were so tangible. Loved it! As a HGV driver, this munched up the parsecs - see what I did there!?

[Matthew · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a great adventure with a fair amount of twist and intrigue. There is nothing too profound or deep in the story, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. If the genre fits your style then you ought to read it.

[Logan Horsford · Rating 1 out of 5]

Shitty, repetitive sound effects made the audio book not worth listening to.

While there are some who crave such things, I'm personally of the opinion that if the author's words cannot paint the scene within your mind either the author is bad at his job or you lack imagination.

[Matthew Bond · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the overall story is good and enjoyable, by the end it had become very predictable and certain events that occurred felt like they shouldn't have happened (I was rolling my eyes an awful lot).
The majority of the characters were highly unlikeable and I found the main character utterly horrible. Luckily this didn't detract from the story as I'm guessing it was intentional.

[Tommy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of those Elite Dangerous novels I've read, this one is by far the one I liked most.
One of the reasons is that this book didn't need to emphasize so much being in a game-world or universe, it rather breathed authenticity most naturally, whereas in other novels of the series the respective author struggled to convey the feeling of realness, and thus sometimes felt a bit clumsy. But maybe that's a biased view and it's the plotting and politicking that I liked so much?
Again in comparison with other Elite Dangerous novels the story here is painted on a larger canvas, rendering it almost space opera, or at least space operatic.
From time to time I felt I could still smell/taste the fan-fic. This is not negative per se, but one must never forget that this book was written by a fan, for fans. And he did a really good job at it.

In my opinion it's really a fun read, and the plot had enough twists and turns to keep me reading and wanting to know how things would turn out.

So, if you want something like a space-politics-action-thriller with an Elite touch, then this is one for you. Surely, fans will have more fun with it, but even if you don't know the game (the old ones or the latest incarnation) I think it can still be an enjoyable read.

[Henry Wetherman · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a fantasy reader to date, this was my first dip into that unknown space that is Sci-Fi, especially one centering around the upcoming, long awaited game, Elite: Dangerous.

I found the writing to be fluid and addictive. While I did need to use my kindle dictionary a few times to remind me the definition of quite a few words (the author is definitely a fan of trying to utilize the full English language, not that I'm complaining of the chance to better my own vocabulary), on the whole it was a very easy read. I'm struggle to avoid using this metaphorical cliché, however, I found the story to be a full roller coaster of a ride. The action rarely lulled and it has really wet my appetite to dive further into this fictional universe with other authors.

I do hope, though, that this isn't the last we've heard of Kahina...

[Al · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having been a fan of Elite since I played it on the ZX Spectrum over 30 years ago, this book had a lot of work to do to impress me. In the words of a famous smuggler from a different galaxy “I have been from one side of the galaxy to the other” and I have visited many planets and systems.

This book by Drew Wagar started off with a bang and it didn’t let up. The characters are believable, and the locations are described well. At one point someone is referring to things as they used to be, and it was a definite throwback to the original game. The intrigue and twists are very well done and you find yourself holding your breath at points.

It is a fast paced book that hits the ground running. You don’t need to know the game to read the book, it does well as a standalone.

If you like science fiction, this is a definite addition to your library.

[Phoenix_dfire · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent Space Opera novel.Giving an Insight into Imperial Culture in Elite Dangerous, The story involved politics, subterfuge, betrayal and Dogfights which have been missing as long as the space sim genre has been missing from the gaming scene.

With excellently crafted characters and a plot that twists and turns as much as an evading Cobra MK III, I thoroughly recommend this one.

Merged review:

An excellent Space Opera novel.Giving an Insight into Imperial Culture in Elite Dangerous, The story involved politics, subterfuge, betrayal and Dogfights which have been missing as long as the space sim genre has been missing from the gaming scene.

With excellently crafted characters and a plot that twists and turns as much as an evading Cobra MK III, I thoroughly recommend this one.

[Dan-erik Lindberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you put this book next to the literary works of the greatest authors in science fiction, it is blatantly obvious that it doesn't belong in that crowd. So if you are reading reviews to get book recommendations, you should know that anyone giving 5 stars to this book is probably one of his kickstarter fans.

That said, it is an entertaining book, and a decent time waster. But I would only recommend this book if you've already gone through the great authors so those aren't options to choose from. Or if you are about to play the computer game Elite: Dangerous, and you are desperately looking for a way to immerse yourself in that fictional universe.

[Lagamemnon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good only if you’re a major Elite: Dangerous fan

Quite a few misspellings and incorrect word usages. I’m one of “those” who expect immaculate prose from a published author and these things which should be caught by a good editor or grammar checker totally rip me out of the story. Fun to note the locations for future exploration “in game.” Plot is OK and modestly twisty, but there are spots where I had to back up and reread to make sure I knew who was acting/speaking.

Two words for the author. Eschew obfuscation.

Sometimes the big/unusual words don’t help and when you use them wrong, it’s worse then being repetitious.