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Dronefall #1
Dronefall
DON’T LOOK UP. THEY KNOW YOUR FACE.
Halcyon Slavic is a Christian and a drone-tracker, relying on her independence and society’s apathy to live life her own way. As long as she keeps her faith private, she’s free to believe what she wants. But her second life monitoring Budapest’s massive system of surveillance drones is a short fuse.
When a drone appears at her window one night, she knows the fuse is lit, and abandons mainstream society to fight back against the eyes in the sky. But her new life hits her with more than she bargained for. She finds herself hiding in a semi-secret community of Christians who simply want to live upright lives away from the world’s lies and suspicion. These saints of the slums want nothing to do with reckless anti-government fanatics who spend their nights sniping the city’s drones out of the sky. Halcyon hides a double-edged secret.
And her hunter has followed her. Can Halcyon manage balancing her new life in a strange community while keeping one eye on the sky? Or will she be caught unawares by this elusive and secret threat from the airspace over her only place of refuge?
Halcyon Slavic is a Christian and a drone-tracker, relying on her independence and society’s apathy to live life her own way. As long as she keeps her faith private, she’s free to believe what she wants. But her second life monitoring Budapest’s massive system of surveillance drones is a short fuse.
When a drone appears at her window one night, she knows the fuse is lit, and abandons mainstream society to fight back against the eyes in the sky. But her new life hits her with more than she bargained for. She finds herself hiding in a semi-secret community of Christians who simply want to live upright lives away from the world’s lies and suspicion. These saints of the slums want nothing to do with reckless anti-government fanatics who spend their nights sniping the city’s drones out of the sky. Halcyon hides a double-edged secret.
And her hunter has followed her. Can Halcyon manage balancing her new life in a strange community while keeping one eye on the sky? Or will she be caught unawares by this elusive and secret threat from the airspace over her only place of refuge?
318 pages, Paperback
Published May 31, 2025
2 people are currently reading
1508 people want to read
About the author
A.L. Buehrer
10 books65 followersSetting aside her childhood dream of becoming a fighter pilot in favor of an occupation where she was slightly less likely to die, A. L. Buehrer started writing fiction as a teenager. Since then, she has dedicated her life to creating compelling and unforgettable stories for Christian audiences.
She also runs a serial fiction blog called Unsweeteneddarjeeling.com where she shares a weird variety of short stories with anyone who wanders in out of the cold.
She also runs a serial fiction blog called Unsweeteneddarjeeling.com where she shares a weird variety of short stories with anyone who wanders in out of the cold.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
June 19, 2018
Whoa! This was amazing! I'm not sure if hard-to-put-down is the right descriptor; I felt like the story sucked me in and didn't want to put me down! :)
If you're the kind of person who likes concentrated backstory dumps and lots of explanation, you're not going to get that here. I'm pretty good at working with context and assimilating as I go along, so I didn't have much of a problem. There are still huge chunks of backstory missing--obviously on purpose--and I don't understand nearly everything about how exactly this new world works, but I never felt like the missing information was pulling me back from keeping up with the story. I actually felt quite a bit like the kid in the movies who's woken up by a masked figure in the middle of the night, told they have to go now, and immediately plunged into such a fast-moving adventure that there isn't even time for the questions on the tip of his tongue.
The writing style was fresh and original, and more times than not, an unusual word or phrasing choice made me pause in admiration instead of disagreement. I was fascinated by the European setting, too, although I'm not sure why it felt so unique; it's not like a dystopian future would be limited to America... The world of futuristic Budapest felt very down-to-earth and realistic from the buildings to the streets to the weather. Too much detail tends to get on my nerves if it distracts from the characters or the action, but the details in this book were so seamlessly woven that I not only tolerated but loved them! "Gritty" gives the wrong impression, but I definitely felt like these were real characters in a real world, not plastic figurines in a bubble. People got bumped and bruised, got turned around in the maze of alleys, got muddy and soaked while trying to hide in odd places. No perfect-hair-after-a-fight-scene here, I assure you! Speaking of which, this would make a great movie... Anyone know a producer? ;)
And lest I forget, the characters were fantastic! Even the minor or barely-mentioned players didn't feel one-dimensional, let alone the major characters. Fun personality quirks added some much-needed levity to the intense action. Halcyon's reticence around people felt entirely understandable and relatable, not over-the-top and annoying. Rev was such a great friend and absolutely hilarious! Shep was a perfect balance to all the randomness. And Zoltan was a total sweetheart; I so just want to hug him! Also, I usually try to guard my heart against characters I'm not sure I can trust, but I couldn't help it in this one. I fell so hard for so many people--including one I was not at all sure of and very scared to like as much as I did. Quite a diverse cast, too, with as many different countries represented as there are major characters.
Several (at least?) of the major characters are Christians, although in this society the church is pretty close to underground. The church doesn't approve of drone-sniping, which puts our heroes in a bit of a pickle. It's implied that they feel morally justified in breaking this particular law, which we're never given specific reasons for--although drones with their eyes on everyone are creepy enough that the sniping didn't bother me. I'm still not sure how I feel about the various pastors; we didn't see much of them, but there's a lot of complexity there. I will mention that there is a woman pastor in the mix, which I don't approve of doctrinally, but she's not a big part of the story, so it didn't bother me too much. One Christian character is also referred to as a "mystic," but that's a pretty broad term, and I didn't see anything that stepped over the line of what I consider safe.
Aside from the law-breaking issue, some vaguely creepy (and not yet fully explained) nefarious plots, and some intense action, there really aren't any content issues worth mentioning. There's some snarky back-and-forth banter which might come off as mean if it wasn't obviously built on a very solid and caring friendship. The habit of referring to Zoltan as "the Albino" felt a bit insensitive at first, but again, the dynamics of the group make it just an accepting kind of nickname (right up there with "the Aussie" or "the Londoner").
Highly recommended for fans of page-turning action, fun and lovable characters, and dystopian spy-type adventures. I'll be eagerly awaiting the next book in the series!
I received a free copy of this book from the author. A favorable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
If you're the kind of person who likes concentrated backstory dumps and lots of explanation, you're not going to get that here. I'm pretty good at working with context and assimilating as I go along, so I didn't have much of a problem. There are still huge chunks of backstory missing--obviously on purpose--and I don't understand nearly everything about how exactly this new world works, but I never felt like the missing information was pulling me back from keeping up with the story. I actually felt quite a bit like the kid in the movies who's woken up by a masked figure in the middle of the night, told they have to go now, and immediately plunged into such a fast-moving adventure that there isn't even time for the questions on the tip of his tongue.
The writing style was fresh and original, and more times than not, an unusual word or phrasing choice made me pause in admiration instead of disagreement. I was fascinated by the European setting, too, although I'm not sure why it felt so unique; it's not like a dystopian future would be limited to America... The world of futuristic Budapest felt very down-to-earth and realistic from the buildings to the streets to the weather. Too much detail tends to get on my nerves if it distracts from the characters or the action, but the details in this book were so seamlessly woven that I not only tolerated but loved them! "Gritty" gives the wrong impression, but I definitely felt like these were real characters in a real world, not plastic figurines in a bubble. People got bumped and bruised, got turned around in the maze of alleys, got muddy and soaked while trying to hide in odd places. No perfect-hair-after-a-fight-scene here, I assure you! Speaking of which, this would make a great movie... Anyone know a producer? ;)
And lest I forget, the characters were fantastic! Even the minor or barely-mentioned players didn't feel one-dimensional, let alone the major characters. Fun personality quirks added some much-needed levity to the intense action. Halcyon's reticence around people felt entirely understandable and relatable, not over-the-top and annoying. Rev was such a great friend and absolutely hilarious! Shep was a perfect balance to all the randomness. And Zoltan was a total sweetheart; I so just want to hug him! Also, I usually try to guard my heart against characters I'm not sure I can trust, but I couldn't help it in this one. I fell so hard for so many people--including one I was not at all sure of and very scared to like as much as I did. Quite a diverse cast, too, with as many different countries represented as there are major characters.
Several (at least?) of the major characters are Christians, although in this society the church is pretty close to underground. The church doesn't approve of drone-sniping, which puts our heroes in a bit of a pickle. It's implied that they feel morally justified in breaking this particular law, which we're never given specific reasons for--although drones with their eyes on everyone are creepy enough that the sniping didn't bother me. I'm still not sure how I feel about the various pastors; we didn't see much of them, but there's a lot of complexity there. I will mention that there is a woman pastor in the mix, which I don't approve of doctrinally, but she's not a big part of the story, so it didn't bother me too much. One Christian character is also referred to as a "mystic," but that's a pretty broad term, and I didn't see anything that stepped over the line of what I consider safe.
Aside from the law-breaking issue, some vaguely creepy (and not yet fully explained) nefarious plots, and some intense action, there really aren't any content issues worth mentioning. There's some snarky back-and-forth banter which might come off as mean if it wasn't obviously built on a very solid and caring friendship. The habit of referring to Zoltan as "the Albino" felt a bit insensitive at first, but again, the dynamics of the group make it just an accepting kind of nickname (right up there with "the Aussie" or "the Londoner").
Highly recommended for fans of page-turning action, fun and lovable characters, and dystopian spy-type adventures. I'll be eagerly awaiting the next book in the series!
I received a free copy of this book from the author. A favorable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
June 22, 2018
At about halfway point in this book I was at a 3.5 star rating. But now I can say a solid 4 stars.
WHAT I LIKED:
The rainy ghetto feel that Halcyon and her friends felt comfortable in. Oddly enough I actually enjoyed their nightly trips and all the rain and cracked sidewalks and abandoned buildings. It was so well done that I didn't really feel as it being a description, but more as just being there.
The plot was also pretty good. It was a bit of a drag at first, but it didn't take too long to pick up the pace.
Zoltan. I like this guy a lot. He's a bit annoying in regards to the fact that he was slightly a bum, always eating Rev's food and that one scene where he was acting like a cat... Otherwise, he was a very distinguished awesome character.
The characters in general! There were 5 or 6 of them and at first I was boggled at their odd names, but not even 1/4 through I concluded easily tell them apart and recognize who was who. And I DO appreciate the interesting names.
THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE SO MUCH:
There wasn't really any major stuff that I didn't like. It was just a bunch of little things here and there that added up to taking off one star.
First, I never actually connected with Halcyon. She's nice, a loner, which I sort of found appealing. She's a strong female character, I guess, without throwing punches at everything. I appreciated that she wasn't your cliche "I'm so insecure" girl, but she had her uncertainties. That was really refreshing. But I never actually connected wth her. I felt like we stumbled across her and just sort of clipped on to her to learn the story, but we don't really know anything about HER, which is why I'm excited to eventually read the sequel.
I didn't understand why some of the extra character were there, like Pastor March, who doesn't seem to have had a purpose, and other little things, like why did their neighbors move out?
I'm sure a lot of these things will clear up when I read the next book, so I'm excited to get it when it comes out!
Thank you to the author for a free review copy. I'm really happy with it and I'm really glad I got to read this little gem.
I love the dirt.
Now a little bonus... my brain took objects from everyday life that sort of impersonate each character, which is actually really fun. So I'm going to share it with you.
Halcyon: she's a link of chains. Some of them are shiny and new and others rusty and old. They're all linked together and make up the whole of who she is.
Zoltan: he's an albino peacock. It's not 100% crazy of an idea, but he's this mystery that's absolutely beautiful, and a little bit mischievous, but ultimately he's got a heart inside, just like everyone else. I love his heart.
Reveille: she's a charm bracelet, the centerpiece being a sharp ninja star, but beside those there is a rainbow, a drone, a butterfly, and an envelope.
Dorian: he is a piece of coal that fell of its car onto the railroad ties. He's gone through a lot and he's pretty much always struggling not to crumble. He's priceless but vulnerable and a little bit of a puzzle. I can't wait to learn more about him in the next book.
Shep: he's a stray Aussie dog. But he likes his life as a stray. He mostly keeps to himself and by the looks of him you can't tell he's got a mansion he calls home.
I hope you enjoyed my review. XD
Post note: this is a Sci-fi for Christians. The gospel is non-existent in this story, it's assumed that the reader already knows what it means to be Christian and all about that. Just a thought I'd add.
WHAT I LIKED:
The rainy ghetto feel that Halcyon and her friends felt comfortable in. Oddly enough I actually enjoyed their nightly trips and all the rain and cracked sidewalks and abandoned buildings. It was so well done that I didn't really feel as it being a description, but more as just being there.
The plot was also pretty good. It was a bit of a drag at first, but it didn't take too long to pick up the pace.
Zoltan. I like this guy a lot. He's a bit annoying in regards to the fact that he was slightly a bum, always eating Rev's food and that one scene where he was acting like a cat... Otherwise, he was a very distinguished awesome character.
The characters in general! There were 5 or 6 of them and at first I was boggled at their odd names, but not even 1/4 through I concluded easily tell them apart and recognize who was who. And I DO appreciate the interesting names.
THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE SO MUCH:
There wasn't really any major stuff that I didn't like. It was just a bunch of little things here and there that added up to taking off one star.
First, I never actually connected with Halcyon. She's nice, a loner, which I sort of found appealing. She's a strong female character, I guess, without throwing punches at everything. I appreciated that she wasn't your cliche "I'm so insecure" girl, but she had her uncertainties. That was really refreshing. But I never actually connected wth her. I felt like we stumbled across her and just sort of clipped on to her to learn the story, but we don't really know anything about HER, which is why I'm excited to eventually read the sequel.
I didn't understand why some of the extra character were there, like Pastor March, who doesn't seem to have had a purpose, and other little things, like why did their neighbors move out?
I'm sure a lot of these things will clear up when I read the next book, so I'm excited to get it when it comes out!
Thank you to the author for a free review copy. I'm really happy with it and I'm really glad I got to read this little gem.
I love the dirt.
Now a little bonus... my brain took objects from everyday life that sort of impersonate each character, which is actually really fun. So I'm going to share it with you.
Halcyon: she's a link of chains. Some of them are shiny and new and others rusty and old. They're all linked together and make up the whole of who she is.
Zoltan: he's an albino peacock. It's not 100% crazy of an idea, but he's this mystery that's absolutely beautiful, and a little bit mischievous, but ultimately he's got a heart inside, just like everyone else. I love his heart.
Reveille: she's a charm bracelet, the centerpiece being a sharp ninja star, but beside those there is a rainbow, a drone, a butterfly, and an envelope.
Dorian: he is a piece of coal that fell of its car onto the railroad ties. He's gone through a lot and he's pretty much always struggling not to crumble. He's priceless but vulnerable and a little bit of a puzzle. I can't wait to learn more about him in the next book.
Shep: he's a stray Aussie dog. But he likes his life as a stray. He mostly keeps to himself and by the looks of him you can't tell he's got a mansion he calls home.
I hope you enjoyed my review. XD
Post note: this is a Sci-fi for Christians. The gospel is non-existent in this story, it's assumed that the reader already knows what it means to be Christian and all about that. Just a thought I'd add.
May 4, 2019
The setting *heart eyes* 10/10 world building!
RTC
RTC
February 8, 2020
2.5 stars ~
Oh my word I'm so happy it's over.
This was soooooo boring. 😕😦 I wish I could have enjoyed it more, but it just wasn't there for me.
Because lack of time and motivation I'm just gonna do a pros/cons review ....
PROS ~
- The description.
- Zolt?
- The action that picked up pace near the end?
- I honestly didn't enjoy anything. Period.
CONS ~
- The setting was just .... bland?
- Details were put in awkward places.
- The genre was NOT my style at all ... and I wouldn't have picked this book up had I realized it was Dystopian/Science Fiction ... like my least favorite genres. :P
- The characters just weren't there. They had no personality whatsoever. They felt so one dimensional.
- The plot was soooooo boring. Gah. Literally nothing happened until the end. The MC ran away to see her best friend. Then a lot of joking/teasing cringy nonsense. Finally they started shooting drones. Then a lot more "pretend action" and mostly boring-ness. There were no character arcs or real suspense. Finally at the end stuff started happening, but I was still so bored out of my mind.
- The pacing was soooooo off.
- The writing style needed help. Sentence structure needed help. She just needed a really good editor...
- I connected to none of the characters and I felt nothing toward them.
- Honestly I just hate technology...which was all over in this book.
- I hated the fact that these characters were just "Christians" who went to church. Seriously??! No development? No talk of growing as a Christian?! No discussion of persecution or witnessing to non-believers? They just carried the name of Christ in proclamation only?! Ugh. They didn't act like believers with all the deception and sneaking behind other Christian's backs.
- Also.... whyyyyyyyyy???! Why was Zolt (the only interesting character) made to look like a fool so often?! 😣😡
CONTENT ~
- Sic Fic Violence.
- Other than that ... nothing triggering.
OVERALL ~
- I just .... was hoping for better from Buehrer. :P
- I'm also kinda annoyed that everyone else wasn't bothered by the choppy writing style? Was that only me who picked that up?!
**FTC DISCLOSURE** I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. I'm not affiliated with her in any way. This is my opinion so if it offended you please don't take it personally. My opinion is not meant to be offensive. ;)
Oh my word I'm so happy it's over.
This was soooooo boring. 😕😦 I wish I could have enjoyed it more, but it just wasn't there for me.
Because lack of time and motivation I'm just gonna do a pros/cons review ....
PROS ~
- The description.
- Zolt?
- The action that picked up pace near the end?
- I honestly didn't enjoy anything. Period.
CONS ~
- The setting was just .... bland?
- Details were put in awkward places.
- The genre was NOT my style at all ... and I wouldn't have picked this book up had I realized it was Dystopian/Science Fiction ... like my least favorite genres. :P
- The characters just weren't there. They had no personality whatsoever. They felt so one dimensional.
- The plot was soooooo boring. Gah. Literally nothing happened until the end. The MC ran away to see her best friend. Then a lot of joking/teasing cringy nonsense. Finally they started shooting drones. Then a lot more "pretend action" and mostly boring-ness. There were no character arcs or real suspense. Finally at the end stuff started happening, but I was still so bored out of my mind.
- The pacing was soooooo off.
- The writing style needed help. Sentence structure needed help. She just needed a really good editor...
- I connected to none of the characters and I felt nothing toward them.
- Honestly I just hate technology...which was all over in this book.
- I hated the fact that these characters were just "Christians" who went to church. Seriously??! No development? No talk of growing as a Christian?! No discussion of persecution or witnessing to non-believers? They just carried the name of Christ in proclamation only?! Ugh. They didn't act like believers with all the deception and sneaking behind other Christian's backs.
- Also.... whyyyyyyyyy???! Why was Zolt (the only interesting character) made to look like a fool so often?! 😣😡
CONTENT ~
- Sic Fic Violence.
- Other than that ... nothing triggering.
OVERALL ~
- I just .... was hoping for better from Buehrer. :P
- I'm also kinda annoyed that everyone else wasn't bothered by the choppy writing style? Was that only me who picked that up?!
**FTC DISCLOSURE** I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. I'm not affiliated with her in any way. This is my opinion so if it offended you please don't take it personally. My opinion is not meant to be offensive. ;)
June 22, 2019
This was gripping and fascinating!! It reminded me of Orwell's "1984" with a touch of Star Wars...two of my favorite things. The story was easy to follow and kept me turning pages. I loved the characters and their interactions. Buehrer's ability to make the characters, situations, and interactions relatable to the reader despite the obvious setting difference was impressive. Loved it!
June 16, 2019
This book was amazing! I would recommend it. Definitely to people who enjoy the dystopian genre.
November 15, 2025
I’ll admit this story surprised me due to all the ups and downs I ended up feeling towards it to ultimately end with a strong liking and curiosity to read what happens next.
The first chapter really drew me in but then the next few kinda wobbled back and forth between being interesting and almost boring (though I was going through a LOT of emotional ups and downs while reading this, so keep that in mind because I certainly am, lol), but it picked up once Halcyon joined the drone snipers and stopped moaning so much about not wanting to stay.
Halcyon I had trouble with connecting to and while I can’t say I’m completely on board with her by the end, I did end up liking her more as she reminds me a lot of the Marvel movies’ version of Black Widow, who I personally really love but did have trouble liking her upon first meeting her too. Out of all the characters I like Zolton the best and am looking forward to hanging out with them more in future books.
The most interesting aspect of this book, outside of the drones being the main antagonists rather then one set person, is how the Christians aren’t necessarily the good guys oppressed by the government, but are rather oppressed by the government if they can be used in a public manner and are otherwise left alone as long as they keep to themselves and therefore become “antagonists” in a way towards Halcyon and her friends when they actively shoot drones to ACTUALLY protect them from prying eyes. I found that a really fascinating take on the usual Christian dystopian genre and it made me dislike the pastors a little because they’re just complacent sitting ducks and refuse to see it; I anticipate further conflicts between them and the drone snipers in the future.
While a little bumpy in places this is a good start to an intriguing series I have no doubts I will be continuing! If you like Christian dystopian mixed with cyberpunk tech but with a twist, I’d highly recommend checking this gem out!
‼️Content‼️
Language: bloody
Violence: characters are stalked and chased by drones; characters shoot drones; a character gets tased; injuries (not detailed)
Other: a character has dreams/visions from God
****Note: I received a free copy of the book from the author/publisher. All thoughts and opinions are most assuredly my own and I wasn’t required to write a positive review. If I was I wouldn’t have read it. 😜****
The first chapter really drew me in but then the next few kinda wobbled back and forth between being interesting and almost boring (though I was going through a LOT of emotional ups and downs while reading this, so keep that in mind because I certainly am, lol), but it picked up once Halcyon joined the drone snipers and stopped moaning so much about not wanting to stay.
Halcyon I had trouble with connecting to and while I can’t say I’m completely on board with her by the end, I did end up liking her more as she reminds me a lot of the Marvel movies’ version of Black Widow, who I personally really love but did have trouble liking her upon first meeting her too. Out of all the characters I like Zolton the best and am looking forward to hanging out with them more in future books.
The most interesting aspect of this book, outside of the drones being the main antagonists rather then one set person, is how the Christians aren’t necessarily the good guys oppressed by the government, but are rather oppressed by the government if they can be used in a public manner and are otherwise left alone as long as they keep to themselves and therefore become “antagonists” in a way towards Halcyon and her friends when they actively shoot drones to ACTUALLY protect them from prying eyes. I found that a really fascinating take on the usual Christian dystopian genre and it made me dislike the pastors a little because they’re just complacent sitting ducks and refuse to see it; I anticipate further conflicts between them and the drone snipers in the future.
While a little bumpy in places this is a good start to an intriguing series I have no doubts I will be continuing! If you like Christian dystopian mixed with cyberpunk tech but with a twist, I’d highly recommend checking this gem out!
‼️Content‼️
Language: bloody
Violence: characters are stalked and chased by drones; characters shoot drones; a character gets tased; injuries (not detailed)
Other: a character has dreams/visions from God
****Note: I received a free copy of the book from the author/publisher. All thoughts and opinions are most assuredly my own and I wasn’t required to write a positive review. If I was I wouldn’t have read it. 😜****
February 2, 2020
I still haven’t recovered from that ending, but alas, it’s time for the review. ✨
I liked this book a lot. The worldbuilding was absolutely GORGEOUS, and I completely fell head over heels for Budapest. I really really like that the author set the story outside of the US, which is fairly uncommon for YA dystopia. It gave the story a fresh and impactful setting, and allowed the characters to travel headfirst into danger, drone-sniping, and sarcastic banter (all of which was very A+).
My biggest problem with this book was the grammatical side of the writing. I feel like this book had so much potential, but fell short for lack of a good editor. The sentence structure lacked variation, and there were a number of small typos scattered throughout. I was able to overlook these things, because I honestly adore this book, but it did bring my review down because it distracted me from the story itself.
NOW, onto the fun stuff!
••••••Characters••••••
Halcyon:
The loner who doesn’t really like humans. I thought Halcyon was a cool character. She was complex and messy and that’s really refreshing in YA stories.
Reveille:
The manic pixie child who just really wants to go on some epic adventures and eat Jello. CAN WE ALL JUST AGREE THAT REVEILLE IS BASICALLY THE COOLEST PERSON EVER??? I mean, she’s just absolutely adorable and I love her so much. *hugs the lil bean*
Zoltan:
The albino boy who loves too easily and tries to save everyone. Zoltan was my favorite character. 😍 He’s so protective of everyone and I relate to that element because I’m also very loyal and overprotective. Also, I 100% ship him with Halcyon and I WILL DIE ON THIS HILL.
Shep:
The Australian guy who’s basically the super chill mentor/tech support. I thought Shep was a cool dude. Also super underrated, thank you very much.
Dorian:
The mysterious dude who has a lot of secrets. I have mixed feelings about Dorian, but I’m SUPER fascinated by the guy.
••••••Plot••••••
The pacing was a little off, in my opinion. It dragged a bit until the last 100 pages or so. At that point, I couldn’t read fast enough because I was HOOKED, y’all. That climax is some intense stuff, which is the main reason why my review jumped up to 3.5 stars instead of 3 stars.
••••••Content Warnings••••••
Violence: A character is hit with a stun gun; there’s brief mentions of bruising around the abdomen area.
Language: None.
Sexual: A mural of a nude man and woman is mentioned (not detailed or graphic).
Substance Abuse: None.
Disturbing: Nothing graphic or explicit.
*I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.*
I liked this book a lot. The worldbuilding was absolutely GORGEOUS, and I completely fell head over heels for Budapest. I really really like that the author set the story outside of the US, which is fairly uncommon for YA dystopia. It gave the story a fresh and impactful setting, and allowed the characters to travel headfirst into danger, drone-sniping, and sarcastic banter (all of which was very A+).
My biggest problem with this book was the grammatical side of the writing. I feel like this book had so much potential, but fell short for lack of a good editor. The sentence structure lacked variation, and there were a number of small typos scattered throughout. I was able to overlook these things, because I honestly adore this book, but it did bring my review down because it distracted me from the story itself.
NOW, onto the fun stuff!
••••••Characters••••••
Halcyon:
The loner who doesn’t really like humans. I thought Halcyon was a cool character. She was complex and messy and that’s really refreshing in YA stories.
Reveille:
The manic pixie child who just really wants to go on some epic adventures and eat Jello. CAN WE ALL JUST AGREE THAT REVEILLE IS BASICALLY THE COOLEST PERSON EVER??? I mean, she’s just absolutely adorable and I love her so much. *hugs the lil bean*
Zoltan:
The albino boy who loves too easily and tries to save everyone. Zoltan was my favorite character. 😍 He’s so protective of everyone and I relate to that element because I’m also very loyal and overprotective. Also, I 100% ship him with Halcyon and I WILL DIE ON THIS HILL.
Shep:
The Australian guy who’s basically the super chill mentor/tech support. I thought Shep was a cool dude. Also super underrated, thank you very much.
Dorian:
The mysterious dude who has a lot of secrets. I have mixed feelings about Dorian, but I’m SUPER fascinated by the guy.
••••••Plot••••••
The pacing was a little off, in my opinion. It dragged a bit until the last 100 pages or so. At that point, I couldn’t read fast enough because I was HOOKED, y’all. That climax is some intense stuff, which is the main reason why my review jumped up to 3.5 stars instead of 3 stars.
••••••Content Warnings••••••
Violence: A character is hit with a stun gun; there’s brief mentions of bruising around the abdomen area.
Language: None.
Sexual: A mural of a nude man and woman is mentioned (not detailed or graphic).
Substance Abuse: None.
Disturbing: Nothing graphic or explicit.
*I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.*
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 26, 2018
Dronefall is a smart, cool, plausible future setting. The novel is marvelously written and extremely well edited. The characters in the story are interesting and well developed and the settings are well developed. There is good tension in the story. Buehrer has created an interesting cyberpunk world that will provide exciting sequels.
This book is presented as Christian. It is Christian in that it is a clean read and not what I would call edgy with any graphic violence. The protagonists are Christians and some of the scenes include church attendance.
Some will be pleased that Dronefall is not preachy. They prefer that their entertainment is not trying to sell a viewpoint. To those, or even non-Christians, I highly recommend this book. Other Christians want some level of explicit Christian viewpoint in the dialog to add more passion to the motives of the character’s struggle, and include the Gospel message to those readers who may not know.
This book is presented as Christian. It is Christian in that it is a clean read and not what I would call edgy with any graphic violence. The protagonists are Christians and some of the scenes include church attendance.
Some will be pleased that Dronefall is not preachy. They prefer that their entertainment is not trying to sell a viewpoint. To those, or even non-Christians, I highly recommend this book. Other Christians want some level of explicit Christian viewpoint in the dialog to add more passion to the motives of the character’s struggle, and include the Gospel message to those readers who may not know.
June 17, 2019
Wow, a very fascinating dystopian story! The setting was so cool and the characters were great. This book was very well done! I look forward to book #2.
June 30, 2018
Dronefall has a gritty, realistic, urban feel to it. Placed in Budapest in a not so distant future, the story follows Halcyon, the MC, and her fellow drone snipers as they wander the rain-drenched, poorly-lit, garbage-laden streets of the city, seeking their prey.
The world building is intense and pulls the reader in with finely drawn descriptions that engage the senses and make the futuristic city come alive. This is a well-written, engrossing novel. The characters are sketched with broad strokes, nicknames, and details that are filled in as the story progresses and yet, some mysteries remain. I really connected with Zoltan, the Albino, and would have enjoyed being in his head more. I found him interesting and more likable than Halcyon, but that’s just my opinion.
I personally would have appreciated more (even a bit) information (background) on the struggle. What is it about? How high are the stakes? Is it against one, oppressive world order? Political? Capitalistic? Are all drones truly evil? Are drone snipers serving a higher purpose? We are only given hints and bits. Not enough to satisfy me. Without purpose driving them, the drone snipers could be nothing more than adrenaline junkies engaged in a rainy night addiction, especially the night they enter the project grounds, a secured zone, without thought or hesitation. (Talk about an adrenaline rush!) Why did they do that? What did they really hope to gain when they didn’t even know what they were looking for? Without answers to some of my questions, I couldn’t understand the driving purpose behind this dangerous action.
There’s a larger story here that I assume will come in future books, but I could have been more deeply invested in this part of the story, as well as the characters, if I understood just a bit more of the larger picture. Even the church here seems almost superfluous to the story (not supportive of drone snipers, keeping a safe, low profile) but somehow important.
Having said that, however, the book was a blast to read, plunging me full-bore, all senses tuned, into an alternate reality that retains enough of our own reality to make it plausible. The dialogue is excellent, filled with teen/young adult smart and snarky verbal sparring. The book is well edited. There are a couple places where POV changes caught me up momentarily, but nothing that broke the flow for long.
If futuristic, urban, speculative fiction with interesting tech, weapons, and characters appeals to you, you will not regret reading Dronefall. Add it to your summer reading list. Ms. Buehrer is, indeed, a gifted writer and I’m curious to see where she takes this story next.
The world building is intense and pulls the reader in with finely drawn descriptions that engage the senses and make the futuristic city come alive. This is a well-written, engrossing novel. The characters are sketched with broad strokes, nicknames, and details that are filled in as the story progresses and yet, some mysteries remain. I really connected with Zoltan, the Albino, and would have enjoyed being in his head more. I found him interesting and more likable than Halcyon, but that’s just my opinion.
I personally would have appreciated more (even a bit) information (background) on the struggle. What is it about? How high are the stakes? Is it against one, oppressive world order? Political? Capitalistic? Are all drones truly evil? Are drone snipers serving a higher purpose? We are only given hints and bits. Not enough to satisfy me. Without purpose driving them, the drone snipers could be nothing more than adrenaline junkies engaged in a rainy night addiction, especially the night they enter the project grounds, a secured zone, without thought or hesitation. (Talk about an adrenaline rush!) Why did they do that? What did they really hope to gain when they didn’t even know what they were looking for? Without answers to some of my questions, I couldn’t understand the driving purpose behind this dangerous action.
There’s a larger story here that I assume will come in future books, but I could have been more deeply invested in this part of the story, as well as the characters, if I understood just a bit more of the larger picture. Even the church here seems almost superfluous to the story (not supportive of drone snipers, keeping a safe, low profile) but somehow important.
Having said that, however, the book was a blast to read, plunging me full-bore, all senses tuned, into an alternate reality that retains enough of our own reality to make it plausible. The dialogue is excellent, filled with teen/young adult smart and snarky verbal sparring. The book is well edited. There are a couple places where POV changes caught me up momentarily, but nothing that broke the flow for long.
If futuristic, urban, speculative fiction with interesting tech, weapons, and characters appeals to you, you will not regret reading Dronefall. Add it to your summer reading list. Ms. Buehrer is, indeed, a gifted writer and I’m curious to see where she takes this story next.
May 27, 2019
W o w, this book is amazing! Dronefall is action packed and will have you quickly turning the pages to see what happens next. The setting is so cool and one of my favorite things about the book. The author did an amazing job creating it! I also adored all the characters. There’s really nothing I’d change in this book! This author did a wonderful job creating an unique story that readers will fall in love with.
June 7, 2019
Wow, what an amazing dystopian book!! This author did a fantastic job with it. The world she created is amazing and you can’t help but love the characters placed in it. I read this every chance I got! I am looking forward to book #2.
May 30, 2018
lol nope.
June 7, 2019
Wonderful book for dystopian lovers!
June 7, 2019
A new favorite dystopian book for me! I’m looking forward to seeing where this series goes!
August 25, 2018
I must be honest: I didn't completely finish this book. Perhaps it was because I have been fighting the flu and have a stack of books that need to be reviewed first. Perhaps it is because the setting of Dronefall was confusing for me. Either way, I couldn't get through it completely, but I feel it is only right that I give it a fair review.
What I liked: The characters and plot.
Characters:
Halcyon is an interesting protagonist. Unlike other female narrators, she is not bold or sassy. She is shy, but acutely observant and intelligent. Her hesitations are understandable: she has never socialized with other human beings outside of the government controlled system. She has natural worries about what to say and how to act. She reminds me of a cat-approach softly and quietly and you can expect purring. The other supporting characters, such as her best friend, Reveille and the odd duck, Zoltan the Albino, were also unique. Both of them reminded me of real people and I thoroughly enjoyed the sarcastic joking that existed between them both. I liked how Reveille encouraged Halcyon to come out of her shell and how Zoltan had a kind of boldness that encouraged Halcyon by association. The other smattering of characters I sort of understood, but I was confused because certain background information was left out (see note below). Anyway, the main three characters were great.
Plot:
The idea of a society monitored by drones and controlled by numbers is too close to home to not be taken seriously. Christians are the outcasts of society, forced to hide in plain sight in order to escape imprisonment or death. Reveille, Halcyon, and Zoltan seek to intercept that control by shooting down drones and making it look like an accident. The whole idea of a spy like group of young teenagers causing trouble was fun and lovable to read. I liked how the book continued to add intrigue with the possibility of a double-cross and government agents discovering their plan. I liked how the drones seemed to be sent suspiciously close to where Halcyon escaped and where the others were hiding. The suspense and the basis of the plot were great, and I enjoyed reading that part of it.
What I didn't like: The setting.
Setting:
Science Fiction and Fantasy novels generally have a harder time because their settings are entirely made up or based on real cities. In the case of Dronefall, Buehrer used the city of Budapest as a backdrop for her imaginary, government controlled, society. Since I've never been to Budapest, I can't tell you if she did a great job depicting the city. What I can tell you is that I was confused by her science fiction world itself. I didn't understand how the government controlled the city, or the roles that drones really played in monitoring it. I didn't understand the nameless government agents and their secret talk of finding the place where the Christians were hiding. I didn't understand why the government agency cared so much about finding the Christians. I didn't get the fact they had plenty of food in the slums, or how the trains and other science fiction devices worked. Because of this confusion, I couldn't bring myself to finish the book, because I was so lost in the nameless government agents and their unknown drones and the un-described technology.
Conclusion:
If you like books with witty dialogue, and you've read enough science fiction to fill in the blanks of the setting of Dronefall, you will like this book. I hope one day that I will be able to wrap my mind around it enough to finish it, because I really liked Halcyon.
What I liked: The characters and plot.
Characters:
Halcyon is an interesting protagonist. Unlike other female narrators, she is not bold or sassy. She is shy, but acutely observant and intelligent. Her hesitations are understandable: she has never socialized with other human beings outside of the government controlled system. She has natural worries about what to say and how to act. She reminds me of a cat-approach softly and quietly and you can expect purring. The other supporting characters, such as her best friend, Reveille and the odd duck, Zoltan the Albino, were also unique. Both of them reminded me of real people and I thoroughly enjoyed the sarcastic joking that existed between them both. I liked how Reveille encouraged Halcyon to come out of her shell and how Zoltan had a kind of boldness that encouraged Halcyon by association. The other smattering of characters I sort of understood, but I was confused because certain background information was left out (see note below). Anyway, the main three characters were great.
Plot:
The idea of a society monitored by drones and controlled by numbers is too close to home to not be taken seriously. Christians are the outcasts of society, forced to hide in plain sight in order to escape imprisonment or death. Reveille, Halcyon, and Zoltan seek to intercept that control by shooting down drones and making it look like an accident. The whole idea of a spy like group of young teenagers causing trouble was fun and lovable to read. I liked how the book continued to add intrigue with the possibility of a double-cross and government agents discovering their plan. I liked how the drones seemed to be sent suspiciously close to where Halcyon escaped and where the others were hiding. The suspense and the basis of the plot were great, and I enjoyed reading that part of it.
What I didn't like: The setting.
Setting:
Science Fiction and Fantasy novels generally have a harder time because their settings are entirely made up or based on real cities. In the case of Dronefall, Buehrer used the city of Budapest as a backdrop for her imaginary, government controlled, society. Since I've never been to Budapest, I can't tell you if she did a great job depicting the city. What I can tell you is that I was confused by her science fiction world itself. I didn't understand how the government controlled the city, or the roles that drones really played in monitoring it. I didn't understand the nameless government agents and their secret talk of finding the place where the Christians were hiding. I didn't understand why the government agency cared so much about finding the Christians. I didn't get the fact they had plenty of food in the slums, or how the trains and other science fiction devices worked. Because of this confusion, I couldn't bring myself to finish the book, because I was so lost in the nameless government agents and their unknown drones and the un-described technology.
Conclusion:
If you like books with witty dialogue, and you've read enough science fiction to fill in the blanks of the setting of Dronefall, you will like this book. I hope one day that I will be able to wrap my mind around it enough to finish it, because I really liked Halcyon.
June 2, 2019
I wish I could give this book more stars. It has a really great plot line and idea. I like dystopian that actually seems possible because it then serves as a warning for people and this book has that quality. Drones are a constant presence in this futuristic world and our MC stumbles upon a small group of people who take out said drones. So the idea of the story was really cool.
Mainly, there are two things I felt could be better in this book. The first was the motivation. I never quite got why the drones were bad and scary. Why did Halcyon feel afraid? Because, theoretically, people would be used to invasion of privacy by this point. The persecution of Christians also lacked motivation for me? How and why were they persecuted? Why was Halcyon trained to view them the way she was? Was the persecution just that they had to live in this out-of-the-way place with little amenities or were they being imprisoned, tortured, and killed? I would have liked more motivation for the characters.
The other thing was the pacing. Until the last couple of chapters, the story moved very slow for me. It was just hard for me to get into. One part of that might be the Kindle formatting's fault because I kept getting confused as to who was speaking. Kindle formatting can be messed up sometimes.
I read this book because the author was looking for more reviews and I wish I could rate it higher. I will say this - being book one of a series, things are probably left intentionally vague and I'm guessing the story will start moving faster in subsequent books as the tensions and stakes rise. There is potential here.
Mainly, there are two things I felt could be better in this book. The first was the motivation. I never quite got why the drones were bad and scary. Why did Halcyon feel afraid? Because, theoretically, people would be used to invasion of privacy by this point. The persecution of Christians also lacked motivation for me? How and why were they persecuted? Why was Halcyon trained to view them the way she was? Was the persecution just that they had to live in this out-of-the-way place with little amenities or were they being imprisoned, tortured, and killed? I would have liked more motivation for the characters.
The other thing was the pacing. Until the last couple of chapters, the story moved very slow for me. It was just hard for me to get into. One part of that might be the Kindle formatting's fault because I kept getting confused as to who was speaking. Kindle formatting can be messed up sometimes.
I read this book because the author was looking for more reviews and I wish I could rate it higher. I will say this - being book one of a series, things are probably left intentionally vague and I'm guessing the story will start moving faster in subsequent books as the tensions and stakes rise. There is potential here.
February 25, 2025
Dronefall is an intriguing series starter. Its Christian take on a high-tech dystopian world stands out, and the characters are, at first glance, unique and well-crafted. But after finishing this novel, I felt that it didn’t quite live up to its potential. The characters seemed to lack depth, the story was more plot-driven than I was expecting, and certain plot holes involving the setting left me suspending disbelief. Despite the slight disappointment, however, I ended up enjoying the book because of the expertly described setting, and paradoxically, the characters, who were still fun to read about despite not really connecting with me. Though not perfect, Dronefall is a well-written novel that deserves to be read by anyone who is interested in Christian dystopian fiction.
I received a free copy of this book from the author and was not required to write a review.
I received a free copy of this book from the author and was not required to write a review.
October 15, 2020
review to come.
June 12, 2019
Wonderful fantasy read! Accept packed and will have you hooked from page 1.
November 18, 2024
Sadly, there aren't an abundance of Christian dystopian/cyberpunk novels. This was one of the first I ever encountered, and is still among the most vivid worlds I've read. Dronefall is the introduction to Budapest about 20-ish years in the future. The rain, fog, and dilapidated infrastructure in some districts contrast with surveillance drones and efficient high-speed mass transit. Future "'Pest" is very much a character in this story.
The characters are technically young adults, but this is not YA fiction--though it is totally clean. And while individual characters' spiritual journeys are part of the storyline as in much of Christian science fiction, the Dronefall series takes it a step further and explores the community of believers in this world. What does the church look like when authorities can (and do) watch Christians more closely than most any other groups? Are their feelings of imminent threats just paranoia or something more? And how should the Christians respond? What laws are they willing to break in the name of fighting back against persecution? These are the questions that Dronefall asks you to consider.
As one would expect with any series intro novel, there are more storylines introduced than resolved. But this initial episode does have closure--following an intense final act.
If the world of Dronefall sounds like something that will resonate with you, it's worth diving into book 1 to see whether the series will draw you in. The author has additional content on her website, unsweeteneddarjeeling.com, that can add to the experience. (Check the blog post titled, "A Travel Guide to the World of Dronefall" for a fun, more in-depth introduction to future-Budapest.)
The characters are technically young adults, but this is not YA fiction--though it is totally clean. And while individual characters' spiritual journeys are part of the storyline as in much of Christian science fiction, the Dronefall series takes it a step further and explores the community of believers in this world. What does the church look like when authorities can (and do) watch Christians more closely than most any other groups? Are their feelings of imminent threats just paranoia or something more? And how should the Christians respond? What laws are they willing to break in the name of fighting back against persecution? These are the questions that Dronefall asks you to consider.
As one would expect with any series intro novel, there are more storylines introduced than resolved. But this initial episode does have closure--following an intense final act.
If the world of Dronefall sounds like something that will resonate with you, it's worth diving into book 1 to see whether the series will draw you in. The author has additional content on her website, unsweeteneddarjeeling.com, that can add to the experience. (Check the blog post titled, "A Travel Guide to the World of Dronefall" for a fun, more in-depth introduction to future-Budapest.)
October 31, 2024
(Note: I read the updated edition.)
Strong points:
-Action scenes! It’s easy to get lost when people are running around and doing things, but I didn’t feel lost in the moments of action here. On the contrary, I could feel the excitement, tension, and momentum.
-Descriptions. Well-placed, vivid words put you right on location with all senses engaged.
-Plot. Strong premise, believable, with enough twists to keep you guessing.
Weak points:
-Dialogue. Characters seem unsure of themselves, use some odd expressions, don’t always have a consistent and unique voice, and sometimes I had to do a double take to figure out who was talking.
-Pacing. It took quite a while for the story to really get off the ground, and it felt like there was a lot of unnecessary stuff, particularly in the first half.
-Sloppiness. Typos and grammatical errors here and there, and some seeming plot/character dead ends (though perhaps some of the random inclusions will turn out to have a payoff in later books?).
Overall, though there are some significant improvements to be made, at no point did I feel like putting this book down and walking away. In fact, I would consider it a more solid work than some other widely popular dystopian series I might name. I’m looking forward to seeing how the rest of the series plays out!
Strong points:
-Action scenes! It’s easy to get lost when people are running around and doing things, but I didn’t feel lost in the moments of action here. On the contrary, I could feel the excitement, tension, and momentum.
-Descriptions. Well-placed, vivid words put you right on location with all senses engaged.
-Plot. Strong premise, believable, with enough twists to keep you guessing.
Weak points:
-Dialogue. Characters seem unsure of themselves, use some odd expressions, don’t always have a consistent and unique voice, and sometimes I had to do a double take to figure out who was talking.
-Pacing. It took quite a while for the story to really get off the ground, and it felt like there was a lot of unnecessary stuff, particularly in the first half.
-Sloppiness. Typos and grammatical errors here and there, and some seeming plot/character dead ends (though perhaps some of the random inclusions will turn out to have a payoff in later books?).
Overall, though there are some significant improvements to be made, at no point did I feel like putting this book down and walking away. In fact, I would consider it a more solid work than some other widely popular dystopian series I might name. I’m looking forward to seeing how the rest of the series plays out!
November 16, 2024
Fun story! I loved seeing the dystopian aspect of drones and a world controlled by surveillance and electronics. Halcyon was an interesting protagonist. The story did drag a little bit at times, but there was a good amount of mystery, even at the end.
The novel did include Christians who were in hiding from the police, a sort of underground church. There were some interesting discussions about persecution and faith. One character seemed to have prophetic dreams from God, he claimed.
I mainly had an issue with the pastors of the novel: there were three, one of them being a woman (which is unbiblical). In any case, what rubbed me the wrong way was how the pastors would preach and guide the church but one of them was a gossip, another one was very cynical, and another one was just MIA the majority of the time. The characters never went to the pastors for help, and the cynical one almost seemed to be somewhat of an antagonist. Of course, pastors aren't perfect, but there should be a balance and there wasn't really a good example for the characters. There almost seemed to be a division between the main characters and the church. It wasn't a main focus of the story at all, but it was present enough that I was hoping for some kind of resolution or change in perspective.
Overall, a fun story with an interesting look into a unique dystopian world!
The novel did include Christians who were in hiding from the police, a sort of underground church. There were some interesting discussions about persecution and faith. One character seemed to have prophetic dreams from God, he claimed.
I mainly had an issue with the pastors of the novel: there were three, one of them being a woman (which is unbiblical). In any case, what rubbed me the wrong way was how the pastors would preach and guide the church but one of them was a gossip, another one was very cynical, and another one was just MIA the majority of the time. The characters never went to the pastors for help, and the cynical one almost seemed to be somewhat of an antagonist. Of course, pastors aren't perfect, but there should be a balance and there wasn't really a good example for the characters. There almost seemed to be a division between the main characters and the church. It wasn't a main focus of the story at all, but it was present enough that I was hoping for some kind of resolution or change in perspective.
Overall, a fun story with an interesting look into a unique dystopian world!
January 18, 2022
Budapest reimagined!
Dronefall is a fantastic reimagining of Budapest. Set in a near-future techscape, Buehrer gives us quite a ride and leaves enough mystery for us to want more. Drones and snipers make an interesting combination. What is Global Mind up to? How do they relate to the Ambassadors? Will the protagonists learn the truth? Read on to find out!
Dronefall is a fantastic reimagining of Budapest. Set in a near-future techscape, Buehrer gives us quite a ride and leaves enough mystery for us to want more. Drones and snipers make an interesting combination. What is Global Mind up to? How do they relate to the Ambassadors? Will the protagonists learn the truth? Read on to find out!
June 6, 2025
It started a little slow, but it picked up pace quickly, and I will definitely be excited to see what happens to the characters throughout the series!
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