An Android Dog's Tale

by D.L. Morrese

MO-126 is a dog, or a reasonable facsimile thereof. He is a construct and an employee of the Galactic Organic Development Corporation, which searches the galaxy for primitive sentient species to save from extinction and then creates colonies of them on Corporation agricultural planets where they can live happily and safely. The transplanted species survives, and its members produce some of the most expensive and sought-after food in the galaxy, which the Corporation profitably sells to developed worlds with this
Caringly grown, cultivated and harvested by simple sentient life forms.
No artificial ingredients, pesticides, herbicides, or mechanized equipment used in processing.
Guaranteed 100% organic.
Of course, keeping the primitives primitive enough to ensure the Corporation’s promise of natural purity can be a challenge, especially when they’re like those it found twenty thousand years ago huddling in caves and scraping a meager and precarious existence on a pale blue planet in the Milky Way’s Orion–Cygnus spiral arm. The humans keep trying to change things.


This is the 15,000-year episodic tale of one canine mobile observer android who must make choices about what he wants to accomplish in his artificial life. Does he accept the wisdom of his makers or does he dare to question?


D.L. Morrese’s lighthearted stories are unique—soft science fiction counter-fantasies, which poke good-natured fun at the serious tone and dependence on magic common to many epic fantasy adventure genre novels. With their charming and truly likeable characters, witty, intelligent humor, and prose style blending positive science fiction and epic fantasy elements, these books are a delight, perfect for both science fiction and fantasy readers yearning for something fresh and different.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy

286 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 15, 2013

About the author

D.L. Morrese was an uninspired student in high school, but went on to college because he figured a degree might help him get a job indoors with no heavy lifting. He rather enjoyed college and did fairly well, despite working full time as a short-order cook. He eventually earned degrees in philosophy and government and went on to grad school where he studied behavioral science. Then, somewhat to his surprise, he landed an office job (the kind with decent pay, health insurance, and even a pension). This wasn't his dream job, but he earned a few promotions, which allowed him to save enough money for a frugal early retirement and enough free time to pursue his current hobby as a science fiction writer. He now lives outside Orlando, Florida. You can find out more about him at his website: http://dlmorrese.wordpress.com/

Reviews

[Les]

From my point of view, this is really an examination of social anthropology and capitalism told through a science fiction story. Telling the story from the perspective of an sentient android dog is masterful, as it allows the reader a sense of objectivity. The story is very well told and never becomes pedantic. I really enjoyed every aspect of this book and will be adding his other work to my reading list.

[Joel Borden]

Wonderful sci fi tale told from the perspective of the android dog. More puns than you can shake a stick at, and plenty of insights and opinions from the author/narrator. Stuff like this,

"Humans don’t seem to be happy unless they have something to be dissatisfied with. They seem to like to complain, in any case."

To me, Science Fiction takes me from the known to the unknown, but probable future, and the world/universe created by DL Morrese does just that.

[Rabid Readers Reviews]

There is a special kind of intelligence inherent in “An Android Dog’s Tale." MO-126 is a thinking as well as observing android. He forms attachments. As he travels through the course of the story we see empathy toward the primitive beings he studies. He understands the failings of the people he observes and yet he takes risks anyway. As odd as it may be to say that a reader will bond with this android dog, there is an inevitable affection and wish to see more than comes about by the end of this remarkable story.

A reader of the description may find 15,000 years a lot of time to cover and naturally wonder if the story drags. It does not. Morrese very wisely breaks these stories up in short tales advancing in time. Each is an easy stopping and starting point for busy readers but will have those readers thinking about the story in their time away. Morrese’s keen observations through MO-126 will make the reader think about what is special and unique about us and our world and the responsibilities we have toward guarding that unique nature.

I won’t lie to you, reader, by the end of this book I was quite emotional. I have read a number of works by D.L. Morrese and “An Android Dog’s Tale” is the hands down favorite. If you are a fan of fantasy, intelligent stories and just hands down good writing, “An Android Dog’s Tale” is the novel for you.

[Thomas P. Harkenrider]

A very fine way to spend my down time

When I first started reading this story, I found it to be almost too slow a pace. I am glad kept on reading. MO126 shutdown was almost depressing. I hope he returns to the "living" very soon.

[Joseph Nigro]

A fun read. A different way to see ourselves. In the end, you can see how silly our belief really are.


A fun read but no good way to end it. We humans are a gullible breed. We do worship God's and demons.

[Susan Molloy]

This is a fun short story that I could not put down until I finished reading it.
💥 Recommended because the writing is laid back and straight forward, just right for a relaxing evening read.
🟣

[Vickie]

I wish I could give this book a higher star rating

[Hugo S]

Doggy tales

The rise of an offshoot of humans, relocated to a planet designed to keep them as primitives for as long as possible for profit by galactic corporation seemed like a great business opportunity but for the unfortunate humans involved was less than ideal. The novel does a good job describing how futile the efforts would be, to keep humans under control and undeveloped, through the eyes of an android dog. The dog, a machine basically, observes and reports when people deviated from the company's policy, along the way after thousands of years our unusual android develops an affinity for humans and their potential for greatness which somewhat hastens the end of the the company on such a planet. Not all androids in the project agree with each other as to how much creative freedom humans should be given but our android dog never wavers, I, myself, am not as optimistic about humans but the story is well written that I feel it deserves the five stars I have given it.

[Eunice]

Thoroughly enjoyable

Quite an epic tale spanning thousands of years. An interesting look at business on an intergalactic scale ensuring pure products to be obtained and sold to those who can’t produce it. Almost prophetic at how big business could become and the trials and expectations of it’s employees.

[JL Emerson]

Hard to Rate

I'm on the fence with this one. The storyline is intriguing. The story pace was ok, but a little slow. What bothered me was that the story was somewhat pointless, the ending (as such, it could probably be considered a cliffhanger) was anticlimactic & unsatisfying. This book could have been so much better.

[Chenoa]

the author isn’t nearly as clever as he thinks he is. i was going to suffer through the boredom of the second half (so. repetitive.) but i can’t with the pop culture references with one letter changed or words reversed (trek star? ugh). the idea was promising but bogged down by a lack of creativity.

[Rose]

Rose

Dogs can be your best friends even if you and they are mechanical. When D.L.Morrese tells this story of an android she gives the best perspective you will ever read. This is a heartwarming story from beginning to end.

[Kevin John Leake]

Heart warming Sci-Fi Novel

I thoroughly enjoyed reading about MO-126 life and adventures, the android dog was more human than machine.
The story was also uplifting in how he helped Kolby improve the human boy's life in providing that helpful stepping stone towards a better life.

[James Klauza]

Something really different for a change

If you like dogs, then you'll like this storyline. It kept my interest up through the entire book. Didn't know what was coming next. Good job!

[Kerry Kjargaard]

So glad I have thumbs

I loved the Android dog. He was man and dog and robot all rolled into one amazing package. This was an interesting look at the good, bad and the ugly of humanity.

[Linda Mundorff]

Imagine an intergalactic organic corporate developer seeding various primitive species and limiting their evolution. Why? And, who are the sentient androids tasked with monitoring these communities? A refreshing tale of alien intervention with a twist!

[DOUGLAS J BERRY]

An odd concept

The long lived robot observing a developing civilization has been done before. This one is well done and throws in a few twists along the way.

[Rebecca Gale]

Mo

It is a good read Had trouble putting it down. Would recommend it to any one who likes sci-fi and dogs

[Jen]

A really enjoyable and interesting book, will look into reading other books from the author

[John]

A bit depressing

[Rowan]

I've already read part of this series. In An Android Dog's Tale—a humorous science fiction novella, D.L. Morrese takes his reader to a planet that could have been Earth at one time. Through the eyes of the Android Dog MO-26, we observe the development of the species with all its joys and pitfalls. Morrese studied philosophy and that reflects in his work. MO-26's observations do not lead to face or in this case paw palms, but have a philosophical approach. I'm looking forward to more books in this series. This book is one of my three top picks for 2013. (50 Self-Published Books Worth Reading 2013/14 nominations of Indie Author Land).

[D.L. Morrese]

His job is to observe humans and make sure they aren’t doing anything that will upset either their simple lifestyles or the profitability of the Corporation. But MO-126 is not a robot. He is a Mobile Observer android, albeit one in the form of a dog of no remarkable pedigree or distinction. Still, he has free will. He can make choices. After millennia of observing humans, he questions whether the Corporation’s plans for them have priority over those they might choose for themselves. His decision will determine how well he does his job as well as the fate of humanity on this planet.

[Alexis A. Mills]

I really enjoyed this book

I received this as a kindle freebie, I tend to like these types of books and it looked promising. I was not disappointed, it is a lively and intriguing re ad, and I recommend it heartily.

[Awesome Indies Book Awards]

AIBA Book of the Week: 26 October, 2025: 104/41756

Awesome Indies Book Awards is pleased to include AN ANDROID DOG’S TALE by DAVID MORRESE in the library of Awesome Indies' Badge of Approval recipients.