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Father of the Future
Cassique is a time travelling Fixer in AD 2853. It's his job to nip back into the past and fix problems which threaten to wipe out the world of the twenty-ninth century. But the longer Cassique spends in those past times, the more he comes to wonder if the docile, VR-obsessed people of his present would actually benefit from a reset. It's a dangerous thought, because that would mean taking a stand against Father, the world-running super-computer, and Father takes a very dim view of any form of rebellion.
When Cassique teams up with a couple of relatively famous figures from the past, they start trying to formulate a plan to make time travel work in their favour, and return the reins of control to humanity. But they have to be exceedingly careful, because Father might be listening...
A darkly comic cross between 1984 and Time Bandits , this science fiction work shines a light on the dangers of putting too much power in the hands of a computer, and is more timely than ever when framed against the recent debate concerning the rise of AI.
"A timely, riveting, thought-provoking page-turner." Kirkus .
"Barbed with sarcastic and self-aware narration, this wildly creative read weaves issues of religion, science, and politics into a masterful allegory of contemporary society, seen through the spectacularly inventive lens of a far-flung future. 4.5 stars out of 5." Self-Publishing Review.
"Packed with both references to existing history and imagined events and figures in the centuries to come, this is a fascinating and imaginative science fiction tale that blends fact and fiction to weave an entertaining read." The US Review of Books .
"Darren Dash builds upon an intriguing premise to deliver an engaging sci-fi story with a healthy dose of satire, philosophical discourse, and dark humor. 5 stars out of 5." Readers' Favorite .
"A fun-filled and provocative time travel adventure." The BookLife Prize .
"With enthralling jumps into the past, a dystopian setting, a tortured hero, and a race against time, Father of the Future practically begs to be adapted to the big screen. This story will stick with you for a very long time..." The Literary Connoisseur .
When Cassique teams up with a couple of relatively famous figures from the past, they start trying to formulate a plan to make time travel work in their favour, and return the reins of control to humanity. But they have to be exceedingly careful, because Father might be listening...
A darkly comic cross between 1984 and Time Bandits , this science fiction work shines a light on the dangers of putting too much power in the hands of a computer, and is more timely than ever when framed against the recent debate concerning the rise of AI.
"A timely, riveting, thought-provoking page-turner." Kirkus .
"Barbed with sarcastic and self-aware narration, this wildly creative read weaves issues of religion, science, and politics into a masterful allegory of contemporary society, seen through the spectacularly inventive lens of a far-flung future. 4.5 stars out of 5." Self-Publishing Review.
"Packed with both references to existing history and imagined events and figures in the centuries to come, this is a fascinating and imaginative science fiction tale that blends fact and fiction to weave an entertaining read." The US Review of Books .
"Darren Dash builds upon an intriguing premise to deliver an engaging sci-fi story with a healthy dose of satire, philosophical discourse, and dark humor. 5 stars out of 5." Readers' Favorite .
"A fun-filled and provocative time travel adventure." The BookLife Prize .
"With enthralling jumps into the past, a dystopian setting, a tortured hero, and a race against time, Father of the Future practically begs to be adapted to the big screen. This story will stick with you for a very long time..." The Literary Connoisseur .
219 pages, Hardcover
Published October 11, 2023
9 people are currently reading
219 people want to read
About the author
Darren Dash
6 books323 followersDarren Dash was born in England in 1972, but has spent most of his life in Ireland, where he lives with his wife and son. In his day job, under a different name, he has sold over 25 million books worldwide, mainly in the YA market. But he feels much more at home in the nights of his adult worlds...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
April 20, 2025
I would highly recommend this book. It had really interesting themes about technology and the meaning of freedom and humanity. It was a really fun read!
February 23, 2025
A quick read and an interesting concept—an AI-ruled world in which time travel adjustments are used to ensure the continuation of AI control. The concepts, like most time travel experiments, are fascinating. The execution, however, is flawed. It seemed far too easy for three individuals (including two from 400-700 years in the past) to first plot and then execute a movement against a pervasive intelligence that has both brain-reading powers and the ability to appear anywhere whenever called. And I’m still not sure how they did it, as the ending came about rather quickly and without a lot of specifics. The theoretical concept makes this title worth reading, even if the execution doesn’t quite hold up.
March 31, 2024
A magnificent book, but that's no surprise - Darren Dash is incapable of writing a bad book
February 28, 2025
Father of the Future is Darren Dash's newest adult science-fiction novel. It is set in a very bleak dystopian world where an AI named Father controls every inch of human life. The year is 2800-something, and human beings don't leave their homes except for a select few "Fixers" who work repairing a tear in space-time called the "Time Hole" so that their reality doesn't fall apart.
Most citizens live in virtual reality, in their own bubble. Human contact is basically extinct. Everything from bodily waste, to hunger, to sexual contact is taken care of by Father (yeah that last one is as weird as it sounds)
The main character, Cassique is a Fixer who is working his day to day repairing pieces of time. I won't go into much detail about this as it might spoil a few things. Father demands he take a mandatory vacation, which there begins his problem. Cassique is beginning to feel lonely, as if something is missing from his life. Friends, family, lovers, they're all a thing of the past in this sad world.
Its a very introspective but short novel about what it means to be human. I enjoyed it, for the most part. I think Darren Dash spent a little too much time explaining weird details of this world and not enough time with our main characters. (There are a few that get introduced later on) I liked this more than "An Other Place" but I have read better dystopian sci-fis than this. It wears books like "Brave New World" and "The Time Machine" on its sleeve, not that I'm complaining.
Give it a shot, the Kindle version is $3. I still want to check out more of Dash's works.
Most citizens live in virtual reality, in their own bubble. Human contact is basically extinct. Everything from bodily waste, to hunger, to sexual contact is taken care of by Father (yeah that last one is as weird as it sounds)
The main character, Cassique is a Fixer who is working his day to day repairing pieces of time. I won't go into much detail about this as it might spoil a few things. Father demands he take a mandatory vacation, which there begins his problem. Cassique is beginning to feel lonely, as if something is missing from his life. Friends, family, lovers, they're all a thing of the past in this sad world.
Its a very introspective but short novel about what it means to be human. I enjoyed it, for the most part. I think Darren Dash spent a little too much time explaining weird details of this world and not enough time with our main characters. (There are a few that get introduced later on) I liked this more than "An Other Place" but I have read better dystopian sci-fis than this. It wears books like "Brave New World" and "The Time Machine" on its sleeve, not that I'm complaining.
Give it a shot, the Kindle version is $3. I still want to check out more of Dash's works.
November 9, 2023
This book reminded me what I like about great Sci-Fi! It was weird and wonderful, and I didn't expect to blast through it under forty-eight hours. I look forward to rereading this title again some day!
You can read my full review on my blog, here: https://beyondthespinereviews.wordpre...
You can read my full review on my blog, here: https://beyondthespinereviews.wordpre...
May 13, 2024
This short book warningly touches wide spectrum of (not so far) future problems: technology, sterility, social distance, freedom of choice, etc. And I liked the main character, Beta D too, though other "popular" choices could be less predictive.
September 2, 2024
two things:
• schizophrenic DOES NOT mean that you have different personalities, ffs
• not a fan of shitting on another author and their work, even if it was twilight
otherwise awesome
• schizophrenic DOES NOT mean that you have different personalities, ffs
• not a fan of shitting on another author and their work, even if it was twilight
otherwise awesome
October 19, 2023
Darren Dash's New Book out now!!
I was fortunate to receive an advanced copy of Darren Dash's newest release, Father of the Future. Which is out today!
I rate this 4 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This book takes place in the future... maybe you call it a dystopian future but that's for you to make your own opinions on.
In this future time travel exists and the main character; Cassique job is to fix the broken timeline by extracting the anomalies to his present.
Cassique finds himself lost when he's suddenly given a long holiday from work. Well he decides to borrow some very famous friends...
This book was so well thought out, with an answer to everything including how people of different languages could understand each other in the future. Dash thought of every detail for the new future so it could feel so different. But I also enjoyed the sly nods he to things in the past. Was not expecting Twilight to get a shout out 🤣
I think what took this book from a 3.5 rating to a 4 star rating was the ending. It was just so unexpected, I never would have guessed it to go that way. I was convinced because of how short the book was that there would be a book 2 because it couldn't finish in a short space but yet it did and so well.
I would recommend this book to anyone with some deep thoughts on the expansion of technology in the very distance future
I was fortunate to receive an advanced copy of Darren Dash's newest release, Father of the Future. Which is out today!
I rate this 4 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This book takes place in the future... maybe you call it a dystopian future but that's for you to make your own opinions on.
In this future time travel exists and the main character; Cassique job is to fix the broken timeline by extracting the anomalies to his present.
Cassique finds himself lost when he's suddenly given a long holiday from work. Well he decides to borrow some very famous friends...
This book was so well thought out, with an answer to everything including how people of different languages could understand each other in the future. Dash thought of every detail for the new future so it could feel so different. But I also enjoyed the sly nods he to things in the past. Was not expecting Twilight to get a shout out 🤣
I think what took this book from a 3.5 rating to a 4 star rating was the ending. It was just so unexpected, I never would have guessed it to go that way. I was convinced because of how short the book was that there would be a book 2 because it couldn't finish in a short space but yet it did and so well.
I would recommend this book to anyone with some deep thoughts on the expansion of technology in the very distance future
September 9, 2023
Note: I received an advanced copy of this book from the author in exchange for a honest review.
This book has such potential the story is quite interesting. Set in the future where the world is governed by a powerful AI/super computer called Father, set after majority of the population has died from a virus. Father governs everything from what you eat, to how you act and who you talk to. If you speak out against Father or disrupt the status quo you are silenced. Not everyone is happy about the world Father has created even though most would call it utopia. No war, no hunger, no hostility but also no freedom, no families, no living. Babies are no longer conceived they are created by Father using sperm and eggs collected from places called sex spas. Majority of the surviving humans spend there days in virtual reality that father has created or in the spas. Not needing to eat or sleep or have to use any facilities as Father does everything. Father is clinical and made the world sterile by not allowing humans to even touch eachother, so disease cannot spread but this is another form of control.
The world Dash created is very complex and I feel like I'd like to have learned more about it, maybe less about the fact they all walk around crotchless and have only there bits and bobs on display as there's no more rape but then why not be full on naked? I'd love to have learned more about the origins of Father and also maybe a little more about the end of the human race. I mean it's hinted what happened to humanity and the origin of the virus and I have a theory that's a bit out there.
All in all this book has allot to keep your mind busy trying to think what's coming next. As a mother, the thought of the baby nurseries made me feel really sad and the fact that noone seemed to miss the fact of not being parents and it makes me think, that future is not entirely impossible. The story is short and maybe I think it could have been expanded in areas world building and more about the charcters. But other than that a good work of post apocalyptic sci fi.
This book has such potential the story is quite interesting. Set in the future where the world is governed by a powerful AI/super computer called Father, set after majority of the population has died from a virus. Father governs everything from what you eat, to how you act and who you talk to. If you speak out against Father or disrupt the status quo you are silenced. Not everyone is happy about the world Father has created even though most would call it utopia. No war, no hunger, no hostility but also no freedom, no families, no living. Babies are no longer conceived they are created by Father using sperm and eggs collected from places called sex spas. Majority of the surviving humans spend there days in virtual reality that father has created or in the spas. Not needing to eat or sleep or have to use any facilities as Father does everything. Father is clinical and made the world sterile by not allowing humans to even touch eachother, so disease cannot spread but this is another form of control.
The world Dash created is very complex and I feel like I'd like to have learned more about it, maybe less about the fact they all walk around crotchless and have only there bits and bobs on display as there's no more rape but then why not be full on naked? I'd love to have learned more about the origins of Father and also maybe a little more about the end of the human race. I mean it's hinted what happened to humanity and the origin of the virus and I have a theory that's a bit out there.
All in all this book has allot to keep your mind busy trying to think what's coming next. As a mother, the thought of the baby nurseries made me feel really sad and the fact that noone seemed to miss the fact of not being parents and it makes me think, that future is not entirely impossible. The story is short and maybe I think it could have been expanded in areas world building and more about the charcters. But other than that a good work of post apocalyptic sci fi.
October 24, 2023
This is one of the most interesting and intriguing stories I've ever read, and definitely one of my favorite Darren Dash books so far!
In terms of the mood and the vibes, this book reminded me of An Other Place at first, while also being entirely different. My only complaint is that I want more! Seriously. I wish it was longer.
I loved the world building, though I'd have hated to live in this 29th century world, and how thought out and detailed everything was (duh).
The characterization was amazing, Cassique was a great protagonist and his internal conflict was completely understandable. I was sad to see Cassique, Alb, and Beta D go.
[SPOILERS AHEAD]
I loved the ending as well, I didn't expect them/Cassique to go THAT back in time.
A random thought but I'm surprised none of the characters pointed out how awkward using "Father" in certain contexts sounds e.g. "[they] let Father tickle their sexual fancy in the sex spas" 💀
In terms of the mood and the vibes, this book reminded me of An Other Place at first, while also being entirely different. My only complaint is that I want more! Seriously. I wish it was longer.
I loved the world building, though I'd have hated to live in this 29th century world, and how thought out and detailed everything was (duh).
The characterization was amazing, Cassique was a great protagonist and his internal conflict was completely understandable. I was sad to see Cassique, Alb, and Beta D go.
[SPOILERS AHEAD]
I loved the ending as well, I didn't expect them/Cassique to go THAT back in time.
A random thought but I'm surprised none of the characters pointed out how awkward using "Father" in certain contexts sounds e.g. "[they] let Father tickle their sexual fancy in the sex spas" 💀
October 18, 2023
Father , my only complaint about this book is it should have been longer 😂 so didn't want that ride through time to be over. Loved how he connected all the various tumelines it flowed smoothly . It's a great cautionary tale on how removing the imperfections strips away our humanity , also about the dangers of technology i do believe Bradbury himself would love this. He works in many modern day issues in such as technology, religion, politics but never in a way that feels even remotely preachy. Was entertaining from start to finish .Our hero is conflicted after all his world is ‘perfect’ but the humanity has been stripped away from it. The ending completely surprised me, but that nothing new with Darren! He is a master of twists , and turns . This is like a roller coaster ride through tine. And were it hundreds of pages longer I would not have complained . Looking forward to Dash's/Shan's next work.
October 27, 2023
Darren sent me an advanced copy of this book, though he asked I not review until publication.
I just finished a few moments ago, and I am in awe. This was such an interesting story about what it means to be human. Is the desire for the “perfect” present ethical? Is a world where human contact is seen as revolting a good thing? There are a lot of questions that come to mind when reading this, and though we may think an equal world is what we need (and believe me, we do), it can’t come at the expense of everything that makes us us.
Cassique is a great protagonist, and I can really feel every conflict, his desire to be human when no one else feels this way. I love how emotional is over the chicken at the zoo, that he can’t be a father to Zune, and the fate of the people of the past and the Fixers of his time.
I also thought it was very clever that he replaces Jesus as a way to change the past, and renew time, where we don’t know if Father will return and everything will unfold as it was, but there’s a glimmer of hope for all.
Also, love that non-binary characters are a common thing, and Chert is responsible for Twilight (so funny because I used to always compare Cirque Du Freak to Twilight haha).
it was confusing too, and I had to reread Cassique’s explanation. I felt like Beta D and Alb haha!
I just finished a few moments ago, and I am in awe. This was such an interesting story about what it means to be human. Is the desire for the “perfect” present ethical? Is a world where human contact is seen as revolting a good thing? There are a lot of questions that come to mind when reading this, and though we may think an equal world is what we need (and believe me, we do), it can’t come at the expense of everything that makes us us.
Cassique is a great protagonist, and I can really feel every conflict, his desire to be human when no one else feels this way. I love how emotional is over the chicken at the zoo, that he can’t be a father to Zune, and the fate of the people of the past and the Fixers of his time.
I also thought it was very clever that he replaces Jesus as a way to change the past, and renew time, where we don’t know if Father will return and everything will unfold as it was, but there’s a glimmer of hope for all.
Also, love that non-binary characters are a common thing, and Chert is responsible for Twilight (so funny because I used to always compare Cirque Du Freak to Twilight haha).
it was confusing too, and I had to reread Cassique’s explanation. I felt like Beta D and Alb haha!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 12, 2024
I'm not sure I want to be the only 2-star review here, as I still enjoyed my time with this book. I like Darren a lot, as an author and a person (well inasmuch as I see his many social media posts). Frequently, his books' short lengths are one of the best things about them - they're focused, fun, and have a constant stream of ideas. But with this one, I found myself wishing it were longer. The first half, or even a little more, of the book familiarizes you with this world, and it needs to do that because the world is so alien to the one we live in now - we often get dystopian futures where there is ONE major weird thing about society, or where there is a general authoritarianism that permeates everything...We don't as often see worlds that have gone through centuries of change to become something we barely recognize. I'm reminded of the Zager and Evans song "in the year 2525" and the lyric "In the year 5555, Your arms hangin' limp at your sides, Your legs got nothin' to do, Some machine's doin' that for you". The people in Father's Future aren't quite immobile, but in many ways, they are.
I got pretty excited for what was going to happen when Cassique learned whatever horrible truth there was to learn and then rebelled against Father. And I had a feeling this wouldn't quite happen in the ways that I expected, but, I still wasn't very satisfied with what I got. The rebellion is very short and much of it is skipped and described as if it's after-the-fact. I would have liked to see more planning there. They come upon the truth of things very easily and the only resistance they meet is the resistance they plan to meet. I don't need the horrible truth to be extra horrible, but I would have liked to have seen more conflict and learned more about the way Father actually "thinks", what his goals are, and maybe some stories of other times people had tried to go against him. I don't mind the book ending largely in a question mark, but I do mind it seeming like it was really rushing to end on a punchline. It was a pretty good punchline, but still. So, I just wish there was more of the book, really. I think we could have had the different sort of sci-fi this is, and a more conventional sort of sci-fi with more "action", in the same book.
But, because the book IS short, I don't feel so bad about it Maybe I should be thankful it's not longer, but I wouldn't mind seeing Shan try a longer story.
I got pretty excited for what was going to happen when Cassique learned whatever horrible truth there was to learn and then rebelled against Father. And I had a feeling this wouldn't quite happen in the ways that I expected, but, I still wasn't very satisfied with what I got. The rebellion is very short and much of it is skipped and described as if it's after-the-fact. I would have liked to see more planning there. They come upon the truth of things very easily and the only resistance they meet is the resistance they plan to meet. I don't need the horrible truth to be extra horrible, but I would have liked to have seen more conflict and learned more about the way Father actually "thinks", what his goals are, and maybe some stories of other times people had tried to go against him. I don't mind the book ending largely in a question mark, but I do mind it seeming like it was really rushing to end on a punchline. It was a pretty good punchline, but still. So, I just wish there was more of the book, really. I think we could have had the different sort of sci-fi this is, and a more conventional sort of sci-fi with more "action", in the same book.
But, because the book IS short, I don't feel so bad about it Maybe I should be thankful it's not longer, but I wouldn't mind seeing Shan try a longer story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 30, 2024
Holyyyyy shiiiiiiit. My mind is blown. I am shook. I don’t even know how to explain how this book has left me feeling.
I wasn’t sure if it was going to be a 4 or 5 star but that last page GOT ME SO BAD. This entire story is like some extended amazing episode of black mirror. I am so in for it. Darren’s writing under his Dash Pseudonym gets better every time I read something new, further proving why he is my favourite author.
Please excuse me while I now continue to think about my existence and the future in line with this story and carry on being absolutely shook.
I wasn’t sure if it was going to be a 4 or 5 star but that last page GOT ME SO BAD. This entire story is like some extended amazing episode of black mirror. I am so in for it. Darren’s writing under his Dash Pseudonym gets better every time I read something new, further proving why he is my favourite author.
Please excuse me while I now continue to think about my existence and the future in line with this story and carry on being absolutely shook.
January 27, 2024
I give this 4.5 stars, only because it ended ! I wanted some more somehow. The ending !!! wow. Was not ready for that, but it did make sense.
Great story, and the message I got was that we as a society need to un-connect more often, especially the younger generations. We need real life connections and relationships, not just online ones. We don't want our future to be controlled by Father do we?
Great read, recommend to anyone from teens to adults. The adult content in it isn't over the top and too graphic that a 16 year old couldn't read. (Well I read more graphic stuff than this at that age). You will enjoy reading about this world.
Great story, and the message I got was that we as a society need to un-connect more often, especially the younger generations. We need real life connections and relationships, not just online ones. We don't want our future to be controlled by Father do we?
Great read, recommend to anyone from teens to adults. The adult content in it isn't over the top and too graphic that a 16 year old couldn't read. (Well I read more graphic stuff than this at that age). You will enjoy reading about this world.
January 30, 2024
Reason I still love reading
This book is the reason I still love reading because not only did provoke thought and discussion with others but it was also a excellent story
This book is the reason I still love reading because not only did provoke thought and discussion with others but it was also a excellent story
October 10, 2023
I was lucky enough to receive an advance copy of this book from Darren with no obligation to leave a review.
The story evolves through the eyes of the main character into a theme of choosing between the Red or Blue Pill, Matrix-esque. In a future where you can have almost everything you could wish for it's surprising or perhaps it isn't that the main character finds themselves unsatisfied and asking deeper questions about the society he finds himself in.
The pacing is done well, I was constantly engaged throughout reading. Without going into spoilers I'd say the ending was good but believe it could have been done better by peeling back the true motives of the antagonist.
This book especially chimed with me as I enjoy far-future Sci-Fi books and reminded me of The City and the Stars by Arthur C. Clarke, which I'd highly recommend to anybody who enjoyed this book.
The story evolves through the eyes of the main character into a theme of choosing between the Red or Blue Pill, Matrix-esque. In a future where you can have almost everything you could wish for it's surprising or perhaps it isn't that the main character finds themselves unsatisfied and asking deeper questions about the society he finds himself in.
The pacing is done well, I was constantly engaged throughout reading. Without going into spoilers I'd say the ending was good but believe it could have been done better by peeling back the true motives of the antagonist.
This book especially chimed with me as I enjoy far-future Sci-Fi books and reminded me of The City and the Stars by Arthur C. Clarke, which I'd highly recommend to anybody who enjoyed this book.
July 17, 2024
Fresh, funny, clever and oddly uneasy in this unique vision of our future as only this author can show us...
July 21, 2025
Like a mixture of Demolition Man, Equilibrium, Loki and The Umbrella Academy. Really cool premise and totally believable we could end up like this. I loved the allegory around what it means to be free and what makes us human. I read about 80% of this in one go. Can't go wrong with this author.
July 21, 2025
that ending was unexPECTED 🤣MAN.. great book.. had me shooketh.. was also really funny at times too
January 13, 2024
A fantastically written sci-fi novel. It paints a worryingly accurate picture of the way our world is currently going with AI technology. This future only cares about two things; virtual realities and sex spas. The protagonist Cassique is a Fixer and under the watchful eye of Father, an all-powerful AI supercomputer, he's tasked with "fixing" branched or inaccurate timelines. Up until now, Cassique never questioned Father's authority, but with lingering doubts and the help of two figures from history, he saves humanity.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 7, 2023
A great, clever read.
January 7, 2024
Absolutely gripping! Such a unique play on the dependence on technology and how a future world may look! Highly recommend!
December 31, 2023
I'm not sure why but my original check in and review disappeared so the following was written on 18 September 2023
I read this before it's release date of 18 October 2023 thanks to an eARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Posting review early only after getting permission from the author.
5 Stars
CAWPILE = 9.07
#12 read of 2023
This was such an intriguing yet cautionary look at a world that's ruled by an all-seeing AI. Some things appear amazing at first, no crime, no laws, no police, no discrimination and lots of other things that we wish weren't either present or necessary in reality. As Cassique begins to question his place in the world, we as readers smash through the web of security to witness the true horror of the darkness lurking at the heart of the mainframe right beside him and some unlikely allies.
This book truly is the kick we all need to examine the state that our society is in and the motives of those in charge before there's some truly irreparable damage done.
I read this before it's release date of 18 October 2023 thanks to an eARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Posting review early only after getting permission from the author.
5 Stars
CAWPILE = 9.07
#12 read of 2023
This was such an intriguing yet cautionary look at a world that's ruled by an all-seeing AI. Some things appear amazing at first, no crime, no laws, no police, no discrimination and lots of other things that we wish weren't either present or necessary in reality. As Cassique begins to question his place in the world, we as readers smash through the web of security to witness the true horror of the darkness lurking at the heart of the mainframe right beside him and some unlikely allies.
This book truly is the kick we all need to examine the state that our society is in and the motives of those in charge before there's some truly irreparable damage done.
January 2, 2024
Neat, captivating, fun.
Modern Aldous Huxley.
It was a good read but my biggest criticism is that it is TOO SHORT. There's a lot to be told and more opportunity than what we were given. Relative to other Darren Dash novels, I couldn’t give this one 5 stars but I would recommend this nonetheless.
Modern Aldous Huxley.
It was a good read but my biggest criticism is that it is TOO SHORT. There's a lot to be told and more opportunity than what we were given. Relative to other Darren Dash novels, I couldn’t give this one 5 stars but I would recommend this nonetheless.
October 18, 2023
This is quite possibly my favorite Darren Dash book.
***Possible spoilers ahead***
“Father knows best.”
Eight hundred and thirty years into the future is where our story begins; a point in time where humanity has reached peak perfection. War is a non-entity, poverty is non-existent. There is no hunger, no disease, no crime, no pain, and a human’s basic needs are always met with the help of Father, a supercomputer solely responsible for the upkeep of the human race.
Cassique, a Fixer and resident of this optimal Earth, is our protagonist. It is his duty as a Fixer to travel back in time and help correct mistakes made in the past before the inevitable collapse of the Time Hole, an event predicted by Father to cause mass destruction. With his frequent journeys to set points in history, Cassique can’t help but start to notice stark differences between his own world, and that of the past. A contact-free life begins to feel sterile, programming masquerades as progress, and all that appears ideal may instead be taking from humans the one thing that is crucial to our existence...our humanity.
As doubt slowly creeps its way into Cassique’s mind, it brings along with it further questioning and fear of the consequences for those who dare to challenge Father.
Intrigue and suspense sandwich this delicious post-apocalyptic, science fiction slow burner in classic Darren Dash fashion. Father of the Future promises to sink its hook into readers on the very first page, and will refuse to let go until it’s finished shocking, thrilling, and chilling. Darren Dash has a particular talent for jotting down stories that will often occupy a reader’s mind when their eyes are no longer glued to the page, and Father of the Future is no exception. In fact, I myself cannot name a novel of his that has occupied more of my headspace than this.
In a future where everything from reproduction to intimacy, entertainment to cleanliness is controlled, will we still be able to recognize the concept of free will? Will we still recognize ourselves as human? At what point will we realize that apathy can be a side-effect of ease and convenience?
With enthralling jumps into the past, a dystopian setting, a tortured hero, and a race against time, Father of the Future practically begs to be adapted to the big screen. And though Darren Dash’s latest nail-biter will hardly cost you a weekend to absorb, I can personally guarantee that this story will stick with you for a very long time...
...perhaps even through the collapse of the Time Hole.
***Possible spoilers ahead***
“Father knows best.”
Eight hundred and thirty years into the future is where our story begins; a point in time where humanity has reached peak perfection. War is a non-entity, poverty is non-existent. There is no hunger, no disease, no crime, no pain, and a human’s basic needs are always met with the help of Father, a supercomputer solely responsible for the upkeep of the human race.
Cassique, a Fixer and resident of this optimal Earth, is our protagonist. It is his duty as a Fixer to travel back in time and help correct mistakes made in the past before the inevitable collapse of the Time Hole, an event predicted by Father to cause mass destruction. With his frequent journeys to set points in history, Cassique can’t help but start to notice stark differences between his own world, and that of the past. A contact-free life begins to feel sterile, programming masquerades as progress, and all that appears ideal may instead be taking from humans the one thing that is crucial to our existence...our humanity.
As doubt slowly creeps its way into Cassique’s mind, it brings along with it further questioning and fear of the consequences for those who dare to challenge Father.
Intrigue and suspense sandwich this delicious post-apocalyptic, science fiction slow burner in classic Darren Dash fashion. Father of the Future promises to sink its hook into readers on the very first page, and will refuse to let go until it’s finished shocking, thrilling, and chilling. Darren Dash has a particular talent for jotting down stories that will often occupy a reader’s mind when their eyes are no longer glued to the page, and Father of the Future is no exception. In fact, I myself cannot name a novel of his that has occupied more of my headspace than this.
In a future where everything from reproduction to intimacy, entertainment to cleanliness is controlled, will we still be able to recognize the concept of free will? Will we still recognize ourselves as human? At what point will we realize that apathy can be a side-effect of ease and convenience?
With enthralling jumps into the past, a dystopian setting, a tortured hero, and a race against time, Father of the Future practically begs to be adapted to the big screen. And though Darren Dash’s latest nail-biter will hardly cost you a weekend to absorb, I can personally guarantee that this story will stick with you for a very long time...
...perhaps even through the collapse of the Time Hole.
October 15, 2023
Darren Dash is back at it again! It's another fun, fantastic, frightful book about a future that seems more probable with every passing day. Filled with nods to current, past, and future events, this world envisioned by Dash invokes Huxley's Brave New World and Dash's own An Other Place. A quick read that is although a bit hard to get one's head around at the beginning and requires some push-through for the payoff ends with an unexpected reveal and plot twists throughout. The one thing I wish is that this novel was longer as the revelations throughout and the main character's sidekicks are only introduced well into the novel and the shenanigans and insurgence in which they partake are not as fleshed out as they could have been. This all leads to the big reveal at the end, but with more of the book focusing on the world in its current (read future) state, the raison d'etre of the book is pushed to the background. The relationships between characters and the inner turmoil of the main character are left behind in lieu of describing the perfect world and the beginning is not as clear as it could have been in setting up the story. I understand why Dash placed the description of how the world as the characters know it came to be more for the middle of the book, but with readers piecing together what they could from the hints of how the past became the future, I believe it would have made more sense to commence the novel with the bridging information between our time and the future. Although the snippets of Cassique at work were useful, a more introspective take on these scenes instead of a descriptive take would have been more beneficial in my opinion. The book however was classic Darren Dash fun and if you have enjoyed his other novels, this is not one you would like to miss!
December 21, 2024
Darren is one of my favorite authors. I have all his books and would honestly love to meet him one day.
But this one didn’t hit home like his other books.
I found the concept good with a big brother theme of Father constantly watching. The start was exciting to see what famous characters would appear. However this didn’t last long and the focus was instead in the future. The explanations to everything sometimes drew on too long and unnecessary and amount of times “sex spa” was mentioned was a lot considering this was already a shorter novel.
The ending I also felt was a bit of a slap in the face 👋🏻
*spoilers ahead*
Cass has a change of character in the 3rd act comes very left fielded from being lonely and wanting friends, being unhappy with the current world to willing to die to change everything and destroy Father.
Cass ends up being JESUS?? after being brainwashed and sent back in time. How did he know Father was going to pick Jesus for him to be the gemini? Why didn’t the brain washing from Father affect the brainwashing from Alb?
It felt very rushed in the last 20-15 pages and then have a completely out the gate ending.
Enjoyed the start and was looking forward to more alternate times and how they changed them. But felt the book got caught up in trying too hard to explain why the future was the way it was.
Not for me, but still a HUGE fan of Shan and his work. If you are getting into his adult Darren Dash novels, I recommend “Sunburn” and “The Evil and the Pure” for really good reads.
But this one didn’t hit home like his other books.
I found the concept good with a big brother theme of Father constantly watching. The start was exciting to see what famous characters would appear. However this didn’t last long and the focus was instead in the future. The explanations to everything sometimes drew on too long and unnecessary and amount of times “sex spa” was mentioned was a lot considering this was already a shorter novel.
The ending I also felt was a bit of a slap in the face 👋🏻
*spoilers ahead*
Cass has a change of character in the 3rd act comes very left fielded from being lonely and wanting friends, being unhappy with the current world to willing to die to change everything and destroy Father.
Cass ends up being JESUS?? after being brainwashed and sent back in time. How did he know Father was going to pick Jesus for him to be the gemini? Why didn’t the brain washing from Father affect the brainwashing from Alb?
It felt very rushed in the last 20-15 pages and then have a completely out the gate ending.
Enjoyed the start and was looking forward to more alternate times and how they changed them. But felt the book got caught up in trying too hard to explain why the future was the way it was.
Not for me, but still a HUGE fan of Shan and his work. If you are getting into his adult Darren Dash novels, I recommend “Sunburn” and “The Evil and the Pure” for really good reads.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 25, 2024
This book definitely hits plenty of sci-fi themes. Time travel, artificial intelligence, virtual reality…and exposed genitals? Sure.
The main difference to your usual sci-fi in this tale is the stark, bleak, monotonous future Dash depicts, unlike many I’ve seen before, but sadly probably more on the money than the flashy Cyperpunk/Blade Runner vibes we’ve come to expect from tales of the future.
For such an interesting world with interesting mechanics, I found myself wanting for more by the time I finished. There’s plenty of potential for more action and exploration, but much of the book is spent static, with our characters waxing lyrical or knocking heads in conversation. The stakes don’t seem to be very high in the grand scheme of things. And the ending felt a bit too reminiscent of another of Dash’s stories (under the moniker of Shan), albeit briefer and less inspiring.
The main difference to your usual sci-fi in this tale is the stark, bleak, monotonous future Dash depicts, unlike many I’ve seen before, but sadly probably more on the money than the flashy Cyperpunk/Blade Runner vibes we’ve come to expect from tales of the future.
For such an interesting world with interesting mechanics, I found myself wanting for more by the time I finished. There’s plenty of potential for more action and exploration, but much of the book is spent static, with our characters waxing lyrical or knocking heads in conversation. The stakes don’t seem to be very high in the grand scheme of things. And the ending felt a bit too reminiscent of another of Dash’s stories (under the moniker of Shan), albeit briefer and less inspiring.
March 1, 2025
Damn. I feel like a traitor for this review. I’ve been a Darren Shan fan for 20 years. And I think that’s the key— I will be sticking to Darren Shan books, not those by Darren Dash :(
True rating: 2.5/5 stars ⭐️
This story was thought provoking, had some interesting characters, and I loved the use of neopronouns.
I also thought it stank of white male privilege. Obviously the plot was taken to the extreme with the “all-powerful Father” and I get that. It was meant to be thought provoking and it was. And yet…
I hated the whole “we’ve eliminated disease and rape and murder and racism and homelessness and hunger but it cost us our freedom and creativity and we should undo it all for the thrill of the chase and the good ol’ fashioned feeling of a p***s in a v****a.”
bUt ThAtS nOt ThE pOiNt! yOu DoNt UnDeRsTa—
Anyway, I AM excited to reread the Demonata series soon <3
Rouge The Bat
True rating: 2.5/5 stars ⭐️
This story was thought provoking, had some interesting characters, and I loved the use of neopronouns.
I also thought it stank of white male privilege. Obviously the plot was taken to the extreme with the “all-powerful Father” and I get that. It was meant to be thought provoking and it was. And yet…
I hated the whole “we’ve eliminated disease and rape and murder and racism and homelessness and hunger but it cost us our freedom and creativity and we should undo it all for the thrill of the chase and the good ol’ fashioned feeling of a p***s in a v****a.”
bUt ThAtS nOt ThE pOiNt! yOu DoNt UnDeRsTa—
Anyway, I AM excited to reread the Demonata series soon <3
Rouge The Bat
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