Dag

by Nicolas Wilson

The seeds of conspiracy...Dagney Morgan, a sarcastic Department of Agriculture employee with an affinity for paperwork, has a chance run-in with a farmer covered in toxic chemicals, and walks away with a genetically modified baby. Now, those who engineered the child want her back. Dagney and her makeshift family must scramble to stay ahead of artificial soldiers and megalomaniacal businessmen long enough to reap the truths behind an international web of corruption and intrigue. They also stop for pie, at one point.

307 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 18, 2013

About the author

Nicolas Wilson is a published journalist, graphic novelist, and novelist. He lives in the rainy wastes of Portland, Oregon with his wife, four cats and a dog.

Nic has written several short story collections and novels.Nic's work spans a variety of genres, from political thriller to science fiction and urban fantasy.

For information on Nic's books, and behind-the-scenes looks at his writing, visit nicolaswilson.com.
You can also subscribe to his mailing list, for information on new releases, as they become available. Mailing list subscribers also receive a copy of Dogs of War, an unpublished novella.

Reviews

[Lisa Reads & Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting how topics can be approached in a multitude of manners by talented authors. I recently finished The Windup Girl, which, like Dag, draws upon serious subjects such as GMOs, mega-corporations, military domination, etc. The Windup Girl maintained gravitas which gave its characters depth and the overall experience an art house film ambiance, much like Bladerunner.

Dag takes a more absurd, surreal approach which provides light, imaginative entertainment, like Buffy, The Vampire Slayer or one of those B films that are hysterical at midnight.

Midway through, I pondered an interesting uncertainty as to the motivations of the author. I wondered whether the author was trying to point out the absurdity to people who fear such things as GMOs, unfettered corporate power, etc (i.e. me). By caricaturizing the devil, a person can poke fun at the people who quake in fear of the whole Satan construct. So, satire, or political/social activism? In the end, the reader chooses. While I enjoy balancing multiple points of view, my chips would be that Dag was not written as a satire. (Sorry for the side track.)

Now, I'm more a Bladerunner fan than a fan of Buffy, The Vampire Slayer, so I won't rate Dag using the same ruler as I did The Windup Girl.

In Dag, I enjoyed flights of imagination, witty dialogue, and a plot with twists and turns. On the other hand, I missed sparkling prose and found extraneous wording, which engaged my skimming reflex. Those are nits, more about the art of writing than storytelling, so take them for what they're worth. Notably, some of the sex and brutality was too harsh for the schoolyard humor of the novel, yet too schoolyard for harsh reality--making those scenes a bit uneven in this work. I would have preferred adherence to humor such as that of Men in Black. (Okay, I'm getting annoyed that so many of my comparisons are with movies instead of novels. A quick analysis tells me that I saw this novel in my mind's eye instead of savoring the words in my....mind's ear ???)

That's it. I'll rate, overall, a 3.5/5.0 as a fun excursion in the nutty sci/fi genre.

-- Note: I was given a copy of this book in exchange for a non-reciprocal review.

[Michael Gallagher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember snickering when my father said Elvis was dangerous. Reading Nicolas Wilson’s ‘Dag’ risked highlighting typical generational differences between us. When I opened the book up, I told myself to take off my stubborn anti comic-book culture cap and I am glad I did. Dag is a great, gritty (couldn’t resist the alliteration...ha! ha!)read full of snappy dialogue, well-researched, futuristic scientific suggestions and carefully constructed personalities.
The story starts with an absurd scene involving a sex doll made of vegetables, a sex-crazed, intoxicated farmer and a motley crew of investigative people representing various government agencies. Present at this event is the protagonist, Dagney. She is a no-holds-barred rep’ for Agricultural Inspection. The plot follows her through a series of escapades and includes her mating with a soft-spoken Monsanto Man - hybrid DNA creature cum broken terminator test tube baby. At this point of the review, spoilers keep me from elaborating on the inventive, hilarious twists and turns of Wilson’s plot.
On the slightly negative side, Dagney’s getting together with a biotech cross between corn and human DNA was rushed and not believable. Despite tender gestures, the idea that a woman intelligent enough to run serious investigations would, at the drop of a hat, have sex with a kind of android was a bit too farfetched. But hey, the whole book was uproariously mind-boggling, so my petty reactions do not take away from the success of the novel.
Furthermore, there is a streak of implicit trust in big government over big business that shrieks aloud against the author’s usual irreverence. Again, I realize I am splitting hairs and have to seriously take off my cap (you remember the stubborn anti comic-book-movie cap) to Nicolas Wilson. In closing, I would like to reiterate a comment I made about another of Wilson’s books. This book aches for visuals and would make a very successful screenplay or TV series. Any day soon, Mister Wilson is going to break into the movie business.

[Paul Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nicolas Wilson's "Dag" makes for a good, refreshing reading experience in more ways than one. It's clever and brimming with wit, having just enough humor and funny characters to keep the reader interested, as the plot becomes more and more insane. An Agriculture agent gets caught up in a web of intrigue involving genetic experiments with vegetables and soon finds herself with two half-plant babies, an ex-drunk sleeping on her couch, an eccentric old scientist and a boyfriend who is cloned from corn. It is very well written and develops the way a good story should. I understand this is Wilson's first novel. I'm sure it won't be his last. This one's worth a look.

[Jason Reeser · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dag is a science fiction/thriller that is loaded with fun, action, mystery, and bizarre vegetable matter. Its quick, sharp, comedic dialog reminded me of A. Lee Martinez, while its science-gone-wrong story line put me in mind of Dean Koontz's Frankenstein. The writing is perfect for this mash-up genre, with quick, vibrant scenes and interesting characters. Wilson does a great job of splashing colors across this canvas, which fits in with his vegetable theme. (I'd explain what vegetable theme means but that would…uh, spoil the story.) Wilson's background is in graphic novels and this comes through with expected and satisfying results. The imagery is clear, with some big frame shots, smaller detail frames, and a huge helping of strange and wild scenes, always urged on with a comic-book need to turn the page for the next vivid flash of action.

As I've said in reviews before, this sort of comic-book roller-coaster doesn’t need depth. The characters are fleshed out enough to make the plot work. But we don't get much deeper than the first layer of skin, whether it be the skin of a human or a vegetable. With Wilson's unique plot, there's no need to go deeper. The story is the star. And it deserves the limelight. There are a number of creative ideas here that are a solid basis for a spicy and memorable recipe. And like any good chef, I dare not reveal what's in it without the dish losing its flavor. Just know that the plot is fresh, crisp, and not your usual meat and potatoes dish.

Having said all of that, I will have to add a warning. While Wilson has all of the ingredients needed for a satisfying dish, he overdoes it on the spices. Like Stephen Kind, the crude language is dumped in with a ladle, and the sexual references, which include great helpings of adolescent humor—seemingly on every page—left the impression that Wilson is not familiar with the concepts of discretion and restraint. (Of course, neither is Stephen King.) I have a friend who is like this when it comes to cooking. He dumps the cayenne pepper into everything, and no matter what he creates in the kitchen, it all comes out tasting like a spoonful of cayenne pepper and leaves me with heartburn the rest of the week. The same thing happens here, which is too bad, because Dag has a creative flavor that has great potential to satiate the appetite of a wide audience hungry for something new. Instead, Dag will likely only appeal to a smaller crowd who enjoys dining on the kind of spicy food that leaves your taste-buds scorched.

(I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for a non-reciprocal review.)

[L.K. Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the things that indie novels have over the traditionally published, complete and utter originality. And this novel had it in spades. It has a level of surreal action and humour that is quirky and compelling and is so bizarre in places that is unique.

Dagney is a investigator for the department of agriculture, but don't let that think that her job is any less interesting than working for the secret service. She visits farms to check on production but at one, she gets a lot more than she bargained for. There is some nefarious activities going on with the vegetables, with very funny consequences. Thus follows a faced paced adventure that involves vegetable corruption of the highest order.

This novel is funny with lots of twists and turns. The main character of Dagney is endearing but my favourite character is definitely Weir. I shan't say too much about him as to give spoilers but his grasp on the modern world is very funny and quite the edible hero. The only thing I'd say is that their coming together didn't have enough build up, but the consequences were surreal. Worth downloading for a fun read with a surreal twist.

[Glenn Bridges · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dag by Nicolas Wilson is the story of Dagney Morgan, an employee of the Department of Agriculture, and her motley crew of allies as they investigate and ultimately solve a vegetable/military/big business conspiracy. Oh yea . . . along the way Dagney manages to adopt one plant-child and soon after births her own. Interesting? Unique? I'd say so.
I enjoyed reading Dag. In fact, there was a grin on my face most of the time I was turning its pages. The snappy dialogue is what did it for me. Every character is uniquely clever and somewhat of a smart-ass, and this makes for catchy give-and-take.
Like the dialogue, the entire book is fast paced and transitions well. It contains elements of mystery, crime, action, SF, sex, and humor all adequately blended to create something original. Furthermore, the book is well edited and easy to read.
This book is a true free spirit and worth a look. I liken it to tasting a new food for the first time - a little unsure at first but soon pleasantly surprised.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book and another success from a talented author. Wilson writes with an effortless style blending together humour, crime, mystery and action. An original read, which is refreshing in this day and age, and ultimately a very rewarding and well-written read for your money. The characters and their dialogue were the strong point for me, coupled with the novel's fast-pace it's the perfect read for escaping.

[shannon Stubbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not bad

I read many short stories by this author. They were pretty good. I read the first chapter in a collection of short stories a while back. After reading that chapter I wanted to read more. The story is really good you just have to ignore all the immature jokes. Maybe its just that Dag and Weir are a little immature and made for each other? There were a lot of jokes.

Don't expect a romance story. Its more of a find the bad guys and save the day kind of story. I liked it.

[Cate's Book Nut Hut · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this Indie science fiction/thriller you will find fun, action, mystery, and bizarre vegetable matter, and no more will be written about the vegetables as it would have to include too many spoilers.

The novel follows a science gone awry story line, which is carried along with an intensively funny and sharp dialogue, very much like ‘Men Who Stare at Goats’ by Jon Ronson. However, there are some more sensitive and serious interludes in the novel, and the Author writes these with just as much care as the scenes that had me chuckling down each page.

The main lead character is female, and wow what a character she is too, down to earth, ballsy, and not afraid to say what’s exactly on her mind. She also has a tender side (but don’t tell her I said so), and this is handled with great care as if the Author doesn't want his lead to find out he knows her inner secrets. The other characters in the novel are also very well written, more like the folks you would come across on a day to day basis, if you moved in the circles in the novel. The characters are fleshed out enough to make us either love them or hate, and make the weirdly wonderful plot work and, even though there doesn’t seem to be too much depth to them, it doesn't matter.

Nicolas Wilson’s background is in graphic novels (Barren Mind and Survival), and this comes through with expected and satisfying results. It enables him to make the imagery sharp and clear, whether we are reading about wild and sweeping landscapes or smaller, more intimate places. I also feel that his background helped immensely when writing about the more bizarre as he was able to translate this into the purely written genre very well.

A Word to those who are easily offended; crude language abounds in this novel, but for me that wasn't an issue and neither were the sexual references, which include great helpings of innuendo, what fun. Some may feel that the Author may have overdone this aspect, and was not on hand shaking terms with restraint and discretion; but that’s what’s different about this book. It’s not intended to be restrained and not intended to be discreet.

My secret guilty pleasure is the graphic novel, and I was delighted to find all the aspects I love from them, bar the artwork, in a ‘regular’ book. This book moves, flows, entertains and by no means sticks to the rules that our far too politically world seems to be imposing on us now. If you want something totally different to keep you entertained, while at the same time making you think about things, this is the one for you. If you've never read a graphic novel, do it; if the graphic novel is not for you, read this instead.

There is so much more I want to write about this novel, but to do so would be to release some of it humour and plot into this blog, and it is worth so much more than the few lines I can give it without spoilers.

Originally reviewed on: http://catesbooknuthut.wordpress.com/...



This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

[Nicole Overmoyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the strangest books I've ever read.

That's really the gist of it all.

Sometimes a book is just strange enough to make you put it aside and wish you'd never started it. DAG is not that book. It's very hard, maybe impossible, to put this book down. Even when you can't believe what you're reading.

DAG is the story of Dagney, a Department of Agriculture worker, who ends up in places you'd never think you'd find someone like her. She's named after Dagney Lind but, given the extended riff on ATLAS SHRUGGED at the end of the book, I can see Dagney Taggart too. Not that Wilson's Dagney is anything like Ayn Rand's Dagney. Very different.

For example, Dagney the federal worker does more than investigate improper storage of fertilizers on corn farms. She investigates corn farms, coal mining companies, vineyards, and many more expected things. What you'll never expect are mustard gas grapes, plant-human hybrids, week long pregnancies, and babies with clover for hair.

And even saying all that? It's not spoiling anything... mostly because I couldn't explain it if I tried. Which isn't to say this book is not worth reading. It is.

Underlying it all is the distinct impression that Wilson is making a social commentary with this novel. All the strange things that happen are tied to the Cox brothers who are attempting to control every part of American life; from farms to fuel to Cox News. Some of the social commentary gets a little wordy and skim-worthy but that's probably to be expected.

The characters and their banter, much of which involves porn references in the strangest, least sexual way you can imagine, make it worthwhile.

This probably doesn't sound like a glowing review suggesting you read this book but... it's neither the best book I've read nor the worst. I'm glad I read it and, if it sounds like your thing, why not try it.

It's available for purchase now.

(I received a copy of DAG through NetGalley in exchange for an honest & original review. This review will be cross-posted at my blog, NetGalley, and on Goodreads.)

[Philip Maxwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

In my opinion this book was entertaining, well-written and with good dialogue. The totally implausible start and enduring storyline was (somehow) believable and I think that was due to the the interesting tongue in cheek approach allied with credible background knowledge. I found the concept enjoyable and entertaining.

The dialogue was witty and I initially enjoyed that but as the novel progressed I began to feel it was misplaced. Moreover, I think too many of the characters tapped the same well of sarcastic witticism or whatever you'd care to call it. So on the one hand I admire the dialogue and banter but on the other I felt as though I was listening in on a room of wisecracking off-stage deadpan comedians.

I disliked too, the demise of the police officer relatively early on in the novel. A nice off-on relationship had been carefully crafted and his death seemed a waste... a waste in terms of the investment in the author's time (and reader's). If he had to die (and I accept character should), I think it might have been made more of an event. A conflict between him and the eventual object of Dag's affections and then maybe a sacrificial end might have been an option?

Although the book is light-hearted, it does attempt to draw on serious political/philosophical currents and weave these in to the background narrative. Thus there are references to Ayn Rand's tome 'Atlas Shrugged' in the context of explaining the motivations of the (corporate/capitalist ) prime movers of the conspiracy. I appreciated the attempt to give intellectual ballast but I suspect it wasn't given sufficient prominence to appear on the radar of many readers.

There's come interesting concepts in Dag and Nicolas Wilson is a talented writer who is clearly both intelligent and creative and on the basis of Dag I'd certainly consider some other of his novels.

[Mommasaysread · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dag is a great read!! I very much enjoyed the Nicholas’ writing style. The dialogue was very witty as was the story as a whole. I liked the characters I really did, but if you are one of those people who watch tv shows or read books and say “that would never happen that way” then you won’t enjoy this book. When I’m reading I always suspend my disbelief because I’m trying to be taken away into a world that is different from the one I live in! If you can suspend disbelief then this is a fantastic read!

Because we review all types of fiction and I try to read and review in the order I get them I NEVER read the synopsis or really even know the genre if it isn’t apparent from the title or the cover. This one absolutely snuck up on though and I will say I had a read a few sentences more than once until I finally realized that I was reading a book that was “different” and I loved it!!

Dagney – Dag was absolutely loveable and flawed. I enjoyed her humor and ability to sort of roll with everything and make the best out of every situation – even if that involved getting intimate with a genetically modified man-plant. She was a girl after my own heart!
The dynamics of the relationships are so interesting and yes they are even partly real! There are some long narrative info dumps, but they are necessary to the story. Dag has many twists and turns and is extremely enjoyable.

This book is not for the slow of whit, this is a smart-person’s book! I recommend it if you are looking for a funny sci-fi mystery-type book to read!

What does Momma Think?
Momma Gives Dag by Nicolas Wilson 4 cookies and a glass of milk.

We received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Renee Deschamps · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was given the chance to read "Dag" by Nicolas Wilson, in exchange for an honest review through Read It & Reap on Goodreads.

When I read the synopsis of the story, I was intrigued by the idea of Dagney becoming pregnant when she accidentally came into contact with strange and toxic chemicals. Brilliant idea!

By the time I reached page 50, I was surprised by the pace of the events. There was so much action, situations and information that I was overwhelmed thinking that there a little novella already within the first 1/4. The beginning being as good, and as funny, as it was, surely the remaining 3/4 would be as jam packed with weirder people.

However, getting to middle and tail end, I found myself having to backtrack for certain information, and reread chapters as I ended up confused. The second half of the book was as exciting and as full of action as expected, but I was exhausted trying to keep up. There was a lot of medical/informational jargon, as well as agricultural and cloning techniques added in. Which, in relation to the main story, was good to know how everything was done, Mr. Wilson did fulfill on that aspect.

I would've liked to have more of the "Sprouts" stories, and maybe a little less of the clichéd statements made, but overall Mr. Wilson did deliver a well written story, and his talent will continue to develop.

P.S. I have read Nicolas Wilson's other work, and his name will be one to watch as it rises in success...

[Sharon Stevenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in return for my honest review. 'Dag' is the story of Dagney Morgan, an infertile woman working for the department of agriculture. Some rather strange and hilarious happenings result in Dagney's motherhood dreams being realised while she investigates toxic chemicals.

This book is massively entertaining from start to finish. The witty banter and amusingly bizarre situations, together with a fast paced story and some interesting and likeable characters, make this book a fantastically compelling page-turner.

This story is truly unique and wildly funny. I will warn that there is quite a lot of swearing, but this didn't bother me and I thought it added to the humour. An open mind is definitely required so that you can enjoy the story without thinking too much about how realistic it is. It is pretty zany throughout so if you like unique reads and love to laugh you should really enjoy it, but if the most important thing to you is a realistic storyline it may not be your thing.

All in all this is a fantastically entertaining sci-fi read. If you're looking for something smart, funny, and different I would highly recommend it.

[R J Royer · Rating 4 out of 5]

First let me say that I really enjoyed this book. It was a fast and fun read for me. I really enjoyed the way that it mentioned today's world and pop culture as well as the premise. I have not read anything exactly like it before and even when the author gets a tad, not much mind you, over descriptive in some situations I found it easy to follow. Our hero is fun to follow on her journey even though I have never met anyone that would speak as she does but I have never met anyone in that situation. The only issue I have is that the book is not something I would suggest for younger readers. Anyone below the age of fourteen would find the book daunting and hard to follow which is a very good thing. I also find that our hero seems to fall in love faster than she would being as strong as she is. I know many strong women and they take months, if not years, to trust as easily as she does. I also found some of the secondary characters light and in need of more fleshing out somehow. Overall a very good book.

[Julian Lisette · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intriguing interesting witty romp of a read.

This story is highly original. Witty, well written dialogue keeps you turning the pages only to find more humor and surreal action. It's an inventive mix of sci-fi, mystery, and the absurd.

This story is quite funny with a myriad of twists and turns. Quirky characters abound and you find yourself chuckling as their interaction provides moments of hilarity as well as intrigue and mystery.

Worth downloading for an amusing read with a bounty of clever plot twists.

[Christi Barnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed most of the dialogue and the play between the characters. I was able to really sit back and enjoy this read! It's funny, crazy and intriguing. I will be reading other work from this author.