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Tracer #1
Tracer
Some ghosts don’t stay buried. Some jobs don’t stay simple.
Andre Duroz left his life as a Sovereign Tracer behind — the hunts, the orders, the blood. Now he runs salvage on the fringes of the Settled Systems with a crew he trusts and a past he doesn’t talk about. It’s not glamorous. But it’s his.
Then a routine job at a derelict luxury liner turns into a trap, and the life Andre built starts to unravel.
Sovereign hasn’t forgotten him. And they’re not asking.
Forced back into the shadows, Andre is given one find General Symon Alistair — the man who supposedly died ending the war — before someone else does. With his crew’s freedom on the line, Andre must become the thing he swore he’d never be again. Because in the Settled Systems, the past doesn’t let go. It hunts you.
A cinematic space opera about loyalty, survival, and the cost of the life you leave behind. Perfect for fans of The Expanse and Mass Effect.
Andre Duroz left his life as a Sovereign Tracer behind — the hunts, the orders, the blood. Now he runs salvage on the fringes of the Settled Systems with a crew he trusts and a past he doesn’t talk about. It’s not glamorous. But it’s his.
Then a routine job at a derelict luxury liner turns into a trap, and the life Andre built starts to unravel.
Sovereign hasn’t forgotten him. And they’re not asking.
Forced back into the shadows, Andre is given one find General Symon Alistair — the man who supposedly died ending the war — before someone else does. With his crew’s freedom on the line, Andre must become the thing he swore he’d never be again. Because in the Settled Systems, the past doesn’t let go. It hunts you.
A cinematic space opera about loyalty, survival, and the cost of the life you leave behind. Perfect for fans of The Expanse and Mass Effect.
288 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 4, 2025
About the author
David E Graham
5 books9 followersDavid E Graham is a Silver Falchion Award Finalist for Science Fiction (Killer Nashville 2026), a Literary Titan Gold Award recipient, and a member of the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA). An award-winning author of science fiction and fantasy, he is drawn to the boundless potential of speculative worlds.
In his novels, David delves into the profound costs of war and the immense weight of leadership and command. His stories are a reflection of his belief that even in the most fantastical settings, real-world issues of corruption and greed can shape not only our everyday lives but also the political landscapes we inhabit. Residing in Tennessee with his wife, Lisa, David weaves tales that are both escapist and thought-provoking, inviting readers to consider the timeless struggles of humanity through a fresh lens.
In his novels, David delves into the profound costs of war and the immense weight of leadership and command. His stories are a reflection of his belief that even in the most fantastical settings, real-world issues of corruption and greed can shape not only our everyday lives but also the political landscapes we inhabit. Residing in Tennessee with his wife, Lisa, David weaves tales that are both escapist and thought-provoking, inviting readers to consider the timeless struggles of humanity through a fresh lens.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
July 14, 2026
I won this book from the author in a giveaway a couple of months ago. I didn’t know anything about it other than that it had a sick cover.🔥 Then I heard it compared to Mass Effect, Firefly, and The Expanse. I just had to read it!
The story begins with Andre and the crew of his salvage ship working a desperate salvage job. He is a former Tracer, an agent who tracks down dangerous targets for Sovereign, the Big Law of the galaxy. He’s been out of that life for years, but of course, he gets pulled back in. The salvaging job is a trap, and now Andre and his crew are forced to track down a supposedly dead general who committed a war crime on a planetary scale.
It’s a great setup. Each of the characters has reasons to be conflicted about the new mission, but what choice do they have?
Getting to know the characters was fun. Some are more fleshed out than others, but on the whole, it’s a good crew. On their hunt for the general, they visit the streets of Neo-Tokyo, which is classic sci-fi, complete with acid rain, neon lights, and sleazy bars. The atmosphere was great. They also visit asteroid belts, abandoned mining colonies on rugged planets, junk-barge space stations—everything you want in a sci-fi story!
Story-wise, the first half of this book felt like a good slow-burn episode of television, moving from location to location and spending time with the crew in the spaceship between destinations. There wasn’t a big event every chapter, but the dialogue, characters, and plot kept moving forward in a satisfying way. There weren’t any wasted chapters.
The second half of the book was filled with revelations, plot twists, and hard choices for the characters to face. Loyalties are tested, and the characters really start shining. I like where the story went in the back half. Not to give anything away, but it touches on a topic that is definitely relevant to our time.
This book stands on its own, but I can see the similarity to Mass Effect and Firefly for sure. While not as comedic as Firefly, Tracer has that ragtag group of crew mates who are just trying to keep their ship together and get paid until the next job. Like Mass Effect, there is political intrigue, military operations, and locales that I could imagine roaming around with my squad in the game. I can’t compare it to The Expanse because I haven’t read/watched it. 😬 It’s on my list!
I think any sci-fi fan will love this book!
The story begins with Andre and the crew of his salvage ship working a desperate salvage job. He is a former Tracer, an agent who tracks down dangerous targets for Sovereign, the Big Law of the galaxy. He’s been out of that life for years, but of course, he gets pulled back in. The salvaging job is a trap, and now Andre and his crew are forced to track down a supposedly dead general who committed a war crime on a planetary scale.
It’s a great setup. Each of the characters has reasons to be conflicted about the new mission, but what choice do they have?
Getting to know the characters was fun. Some are more fleshed out than others, but on the whole, it’s a good crew. On their hunt for the general, they visit the streets of Neo-Tokyo, which is classic sci-fi, complete with acid rain, neon lights, and sleazy bars. The atmosphere was great. They also visit asteroid belts, abandoned mining colonies on rugged planets, junk-barge space stations—everything you want in a sci-fi story!
Story-wise, the first half of this book felt like a good slow-burn episode of television, moving from location to location and spending time with the crew in the spaceship between destinations. There wasn’t a big event every chapter, but the dialogue, characters, and plot kept moving forward in a satisfying way. There weren’t any wasted chapters.
The second half of the book was filled with revelations, plot twists, and hard choices for the characters to face. Loyalties are tested, and the characters really start shining. I like where the story went in the back half. Not to give anything away, but it touches on a topic that is definitely relevant to our time.
This book stands on its own, but I can see the similarity to Mass Effect and Firefly for sure. While not as comedic as Firefly, Tracer has that ragtag group of crew mates who are just trying to keep their ship together and get paid until the next job. Like Mass Effect, there is political intrigue, military operations, and locales that I could imagine roaming around with my squad in the game. I can’t compare it to The Expanse because I haven’t read/watched it. 😬 It’s on my list!
I think any sci-fi fan will love this book!
July 15, 2026
Huge thank you to David E. Graham for sending me a copy of Tracer. This was the kind of sci-fi adventure that reminded me why I love getting pulled into a brand-new universe and immediately wanting to know everything about it.
Tracer follows Andre Duroz, a former Tracer trying to keep his past buried while running salvage jobs with his crew aboard The Venture. Of course, the past never stays buried for long. A derelict luxury liner, dangerous secrets, and old enemies drag Andre back into a world he thought he had escaped.
What I really enjoyed here was the crew. Andre has that tired captain energy I always fall for, Kat brings the edge, and Bex adds a lot of heart. The action moves fast, the world feels big, and the story has that cinematic space-opera feel that makes it easy to picture on screen. It also gave me enough mystery around the Tracers, the politics, and Andre’s past to make the next book feel like a must-read.
This was a strong start to the series, and I am locked in now. I cannot wait to start book two and see where Graham takes this crew next. #scifisummer has officially begun
Tracer follows Andre Duroz, a former Tracer trying to keep his past buried while running salvage jobs with his crew aboard The Venture. Of course, the past never stays buried for long. A derelict luxury liner, dangerous secrets, and old enemies drag Andre back into a world he thought he had escaped.
What I really enjoyed here was the crew. Andre has that tired captain energy I always fall for, Kat brings the edge, and Bex adds a lot of heart. The action moves fast, the world feels big, and the story has that cinematic space-opera feel that makes it easy to picture on screen. It also gave me enough mystery around the Tracers, the politics, and Andre’s past to make the next book feel like a must-read.
This was a strong start to the series, and I am locked in now. I cannot wait to start book two and see where Graham takes this crew next. #scifisummer has officially begun
March 21, 2025
My goodness. So much going on. Things to take into consideration. Things still need to be done. Getting information out to the masses, the truth. How to make sure that they believe it is the truth too. What is Bishop going to do when he wakes up from his wounds. An awesome story. And it is still the beginning. I received a complimentary review copy of the book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
March 30, 2025
This is a standard Sci-Fi epic action adventure, concerned with galactic politics and the sweep of history. It also explores serious themes of the responsibilities of leadership.
From the first paragraph, there is warning of problems to come. The awkward structure “…amazed at just how good of a pilot she really was…” is immediately followed by a run-on sentence.
And as we read on, our fears are realized. The writing style is marred by a general disregard for the rules of sentence structure and the use of commas, and as usual, “lie” and “lay” are mixed up.
Another habit that all writers should avoid is editorializing about what the character just said.
“You should be considering political alliances and attending formal functions, they’d said, chastising her disinterest in her duties.”
The dialogue does the job all by itself. The author’s ‘tell’ is redundant.
There are also many minor usage errors, such as mixing up “there’s” and ‘theirs.’ Electronic editing has made progress in the past few years, but it does not pick up this sort of error.
On the positive side, there are good setting descriptions of many Sci-Fi scenes: crowded futuristic cities, spaceship cockpits, asteroid belts. It’s all in there, and it’s all creative.
This is a well-thought-out, intricate plotline that blends perfectly with the conflict at a thematic level. In the fog of war, who is right and who is wrong can switch in a moment. This puts a serious responsibility on any leaders who earn the loyalty of their soldiers.
But in the end, even the veracity of the plotline is weakened by one rather gratuitous leap of logic that takes a lowly major and elevates her to commanding a fleet of ships.
This is a good idea for a story, with a lot of creative thought put into it. But many errors and idiosyncrasies inhibit smooth reading and irritate the reader. Please have it edited properly before you publish it.
This review was originally published on Reedsy Discovery.
February 27, 2025
War Wounds, Big Secrets, and a Ragtag Crew
From page one, this story slams you right into a future where half the galaxy’s got a war hangover. Our main guy, Andre, captains a rickety salvage ship and used to be a big-deal “Tracer” for the all-powerful Sovereign—basically the last guy ex-comrades want showing up at their door. Now he’s got a ragtag crew in tow (including a street-hacker with literal plugs in their head and a pilot who’d rather bite nails than trust him again), and they’re all caught between shady corporate bounty hunters, underground rebels, and Sovereign’s creepy grin.
The best part? It’s not just about shooting stuff in space (though there’s that, too). It’s about loyalty, regrets, and whether you can ever really quit your old life. All the tech is gritty and lived-in—think acid rain, neon city slums, and starliners with bullet holes. You get to see everything through a few different eyes, which keeps it fast but sometimes makes you go, “Wait, whose fight is this again?”
Minor quibble aside, “Tracer: Launch” is a solid sci-fi ride—plenty of action, a complicated hero, and a universe ready to explode. If you like your space adventures with messy moral dilemmas and tough-as-nails outcasts, give it a go. You’ll probably be clawing for the sequel by the end.
From page one, this story slams you right into a future where half the galaxy’s got a war hangover. Our main guy, Andre, captains a rickety salvage ship and used to be a big-deal “Tracer” for the all-powerful Sovereign—basically the last guy ex-comrades want showing up at their door. Now he’s got a ragtag crew in tow (including a street-hacker with literal plugs in their head and a pilot who’d rather bite nails than trust him again), and they’re all caught between shady corporate bounty hunters, underground rebels, and Sovereign’s creepy grin.
The best part? It’s not just about shooting stuff in space (though there’s that, too). It’s about loyalty, regrets, and whether you can ever really quit your old life. All the tech is gritty and lived-in—think acid rain, neon city slums, and starliners with bullet holes. You get to see everything through a few different eyes, which keeps it fast but sometimes makes you go, “Wait, whose fight is this again?”
Minor quibble aside, “Tracer: Launch” is a solid sci-fi ride—plenty of action, a complicated hero, and a universe ready to explode. If you like your space adventures with messy moral dilemmas and tough-as-nails outcasts, give it a go. You’ll probably be clawing for the sequel by the end.
June 26, 2025
A grounded, gritty space romp with serious momentum
Tracer doesn’t waste time. It throws you straight into the cold edges of the galaxy and trusts you to keep up—which, for a reader like me, is half the fun. David Graham’s world is sharp, lived-in, and full of just enough moral grayness to make you lean forward. This isn’t a shiny future—it’s one patched together with rust, regret, and resolve.
At the heart of it is Andre Duroz, a reluctant hero with just the right balance of history and skill. He’s not trying to save the galaxy—he’s just trying to survive it. And that makes him more compelling than most. His crew is scrappy, the dialogue keeps the tension humming, and the slow reveal of past and present conflicts gives the story its weight.
But what surprised me most was how tight the whole thing feels. The plot moves fast, but never feels rushed. The stakes keep rising, but never feel cheap. You get the sense that Graham has a lot more up his sleeve—and that he’s only just started to play his hand.
This book is clearly the start of something bigger, and I’m so excited to see where the story goes from here. If you like your sci-fi with grit, banter, danger, and a sense that not everything is as it seems—Tracer delivers.
Well done, David! Can’t wait for Book 2.
Tracer doesn’t waste time. It throws you straight into the cold edges of the galaxy and trusts you to keep up—which, for a reader like me, is half the fun. David Graham’s world is sharp, lived-in, and full of just enough moral grayness to make you lean forward. This isn’t a shiny future—it’s one patched together with rust, regret, and resolve.
At the heart of it is Andre Duroz, a reluctant hero with just the right balance of history and skill. He’s not trying to save the galaxy—he’s just trying to survive it. And that makes him more compelling than most. His crew is scrappy, the dialogue keeps the tension humming, and the slow reveal of past and present conflicts gives the story its weight.
But what surprised me most was how tight the whole thing feels. The plot moves fast, but never feels rushed. The stakes keep rising, but never feel cheap. You get the sense that Graham has a lot more up his sleeve—and that he’s only just started to play his hand.
This book is clearly the start of something bigger, and I’m so excited to see where the story goes from here. If you like your sci-fi with grit, banter, danger, and a sense that not everything is as it seems—Tracer delivers.
Well done, David! Can’t wait for Book 2.
November 11, 2025
Tracer by David E. Graham is a wonderful military adventure technology thriller. Abe Goldfarb did an incredible job with the narration. The story is entertaining, thrilling, engaging, interesting, fast paced, leaves you on the edge of your seat, pages turner, and more. Tracer is the first book in The Tracer series. Highly recommend.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 1, 2025
Exciting and fun military sci-fi. Think Dark Matter (2008), Firefly, and the Deathstalker series. A fun rag tag group of reluctant heroes coming together to make things right.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 11, 2025
"They" usage very confusing
"They" and "their" referring to a "gay"(?) person very distracting and really slows down reading when you need to figure out if the author is referring to just one individual in a group or the entire group. I quit reading on page
"They" and "their" referring to a "gay"(?) person very distracting and really slows down reading when you need to figure out if the author is referring to just one individual in a group or the entire group. I quit reading on page
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews