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Desolation: The Same River Twice
Not yet published
Expected 12 Jul 26Hetch is finally on her way to Landing Site One. Will Marcus beat her there?
All the best chaos starts with a plan. Hetch had a plan. Her in a little sailing catamaran, scavenging off the land, slipping past the dangers by being all small and quiet.
The huge boat now chugging up the river is the opposite of quiet, and all the dangers are still there. Dangers from without. Dangers from within.
The boat will crash into them all.
All the best chaos starts with a plan. Hetch had a plan. Her in a little sailing catamaran, scavenging off the land, slipping past the dangers by being all small and quiet.
The huge boat now chugging up the river is the opposite of quiet, and all the dangers are still there. Dangers from without. Dangers from within.
The boat will crash into them all.
Paperback
Expected publication July 12, 2026
About the author
D. Harrigon
9 books2 followersWorking mainly as an actor and director Dave Dawkins has also published half a dozen short stories over the years under the nom de plume D. Harrigon. He has lived in Australia, UK, China and America, travelling the world at every opportunity.
His acting work has engaged with everything from Shakespearean companies, through circus performers, to opera.
The pandemic sent him from London back to Australia, where he currently resides, walking the many trails of the Tasmanian wilderness in his spare time.
His acting work has engaged with everything from Shakespearean companies, through circus performers, to opera.
The pandemic sent him from London back to Australia, where he currently resides, walking the many trails of the Tasmanian wilderness in his spare time.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
D. Harrigon brings us back to the world of Desolation in this extraordinary third instalment of the series. Having already constructed a marvellous world and extensive cast of characters, Harrigon expands the adventure with new personalities, factions and locations. As ever, there is a sense of scale to the world-building that feels expansive without being overwhelming; Harrigon is a master of pacing when it comes to releasing information to the reader. This evokes a strong affinity for the world and its denizens, and its history only becomes more fascinating as perspectives are challenged and lies unveiled.
The characterisation remains a highlight, with most antagonists not being in any way evil, but rather misguided and having the wrong end of the stick when it comes to the world they live in. The true villain however remains thrillingly despicable as we learn more about just what a cowardly manipulator they are. On the other hand, we see fascinating moments of seemingly unflappable characters losing their composure, and stirring heroism as others step up in the face of a frighteningly changing world.
There's so much to discover in Desolation - from Steampunk-influenced technology to the bigger sci-fi picture, the strange beliefs and motivations of The Daughters, dangerous wildlife and a sense of culture and history that gives a brilliant sense of verisimillitude.
In true Harrigon style, the bombshell revelations hit towards the end of the novella, leading into the most dastardly cliffhanger of the series yet. The Desolation books invariably leave the reader hungry for more, and I eagerly await book four.
The characterisation remains a highlight, with most antagonists not being in any way evil, but rather misguided and having the wrong end of the stick when it comes to the world they live in. The true villain however remains thrillingly despicable as we learn more about just what a cowardly manipulator they are. On the other hand, we see fascinating moments of seemingly unflappable characters losing their composure, and stirring heroism as others step up in the face of a frighteningly changing world.
There's so much to discover in Desolation - from Steampunk-influenced technology to the bigger sci-fi picture, the strange beliefs and motivations of The Daughters, dangerous wildlife and a sense of culture and history that gives a brilliant sense of verisimillitude.
In true Harrigon style, the bombshell revelations hit towards the end of the novella, leading into the most dastardly cliffhanger of the series yet. The Desolation books invariably leave the reader hungry for more, and I eagerly await book four.
Review of advance copy received from Author
The author takes us on quite a ride for this third installment of the Desolation series. The thing I'm loving most about these books is the author doesn't endless drag us back to the same dynamics, book after book. With many authors I get the feeling I'm just reading the same book over and over, and hearing the same things again and again.
The first chapter is a little refresher of the people in play, after that we're on more brilliant and fascinating new characters and dynamics. We get some insight into the Daughters of the Iron Drum, a sort of bogey-man (bogey-woman?) gang from the first two books. Sure, we've seen glimpses of what these people might be like, but the whole dress-code-dependent ritualistic nature of what is definitely a cult now becomes apparent.
Hetch makes some questionable but highly relatable choices in the middle of the book, right after a some fun and games among the girls about how overwhelming those kind of impulses can get. Very, very clever writing indeed.
Then everything crashes beautifully for the end.
This series is greatly elevated by this addition, and the whole series itself is just great and something I wish I had more people to discuss it with. I've dragged a few of my ex-pat friends here into reading it, just so I can have someone to gush with about it. It's that kind of storytelling.
Fast-paced, exciting, amazingly good characters: the Desolation series keeps going from strength to strength.
The first chapter is a little refresher of the people in play, after that we're on more brilliant and fascinating new characters and dynamics. We get some insight into the Daughters of the Iron Drum, a sort of bogey-man (bogey-woman?) gang from the first two books. Sure, we've seen glimpses of what these people might be like, but the whole dress-code-dependent ritualistic nature of what is definitely a cult now becomes apparent.
Hetch makes some questionable but highly relatable choices in the middle of the book, right after a some fun and games among the girls about how overwhelming those kind of impulses can get. Very, very clever writing indeed.
Then everything crashes beautifully for the end.
This series is greatly elevated by this addition, and the whole series itself is just great and something I wish I had more people to discuss it with. I've dragged a few of my ex-pat friends here into reading it, just so I can have someone to gush with about it. It's that kind of storytelling.
Fast-paced, exciting, amazingly good characters: the Desolation series keeps going from strength to strength.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Desolation: The Same River Twice, by D. Harrigon, picks up soon after the events of Desolation: Keep Your Imaginary Friends Close. Bilbo the boat has set sail, taking Hetch, Veva, Pearson, Aqualina, Galetea and the Gems, plus a full crew of friends and strangers, towards the territory of the Daughters of the Iron Drum – and the elusive Landing Site One.
We get to meet a few more of the Daughters – and it turns out they’re far from sitting ducks. Nor are they the only problem our heroes face: not everyone on board is faithful to Hetch or Galetea’s cause, and when things come to a head, Hetch and co. must fight on two successive fronts.
Three books into D. Harrigon’s Desolation series, and the pace shows no signs of letting up, with new dangers, more high-stakes fights, and startling revelations at every turn.
In The Same River Twice, the author fills in outlines there was only space to sketch in the previous instalments. Now Bilbo the boat is heading fast in their direction, we can meet some Daughters of the Iron Drum on their home turf, and I really enjoyed learning about a curious alternative way of life on this godforsaken planet.
The Daughters are cultish to say the least, with their uniformly-dressed leaders referred to as “Mothers”, talk of portents, and frequent proclamations of ‘Praise Karen!’. What’s more, the members have been fed misinformation about the main colony, and not all of them are happy and unquestioning, adding another layer of intrigue and complexity.
Unlike their distant neighbours, the Daughters have developed aircraft – more dependent on weather conditions than the ones you get on Earth, but nonetheless airworthy in well-trained hands – and when reconnaissance pilot Savannah relays that there’s a big boat coming up the river, they’re quick to mobilise, and have the element of surprise on their side.
Meanwhile, aboard Bilbo, we’re reunited with assorted characters from the previous books, reminded of the secrets and tensions between them, and introduced to a few new girls, too (it takes a lot of people to keep this huge boat afloat!).
I will say, now we’re on volume three of five, we’re at a point where you’ll need to have read the previous instalments to understand a lot of what’s going on: there’s at least one development that would seem incredibly random if you’d gone in cold, and information comes out that is new to the characters concerned, but not to long-term readers.
One of these momentous revelations only comes to light as a result of a big mistake Hetch makes – a mistake that didn’t quite fit with my image of her as a character who’s laser-focussed on a single goal, though that may just be a “me” thing (96-99% of people really are that preoccupied/motivated by what?). And when she realises what she’s done, the measures she takes to make up for it are classic, endearing Hetch.
The Same River Twice adds new complexities to the Desolation series while maintaining the fast pace and heart-in-mouth moments of previous instalments.
We get to meet a few more of the Daughters – and it turns out they’re far from sitting ducks. Nor are they the only problem our heroes face: not everyone on board is faithful to Hetch or Galetea’s cause, and when things come to a head, Hetch and co. must fight on two successive fronts.
Three books into D. Harrigon’s Desolation series, and the pace shows no signs of letting up, with new dangers, more high-stakes fights, and startling revelations at every turn.
In The Same River Twice, the author fills in outlines there was only space to sketch in the previous instalments. Now Bilbo the boat is heading fast in their direction, we can meet some Daughters of the Iron Drum on their home turf, and I really enjoyed learning about a curious alternative way of life on this godforsaken planet.
The Daughters are cultish to say the least, with their uniformly-dressed leaders referred to as “Mothers”, talk of portents, and frequent proclamations of ‘Praise Karen!’. What’s more, the members have been fed misinformation about the main colony, and not all of them are happy and unquestioning, adding another layer of intrigue and complexity.
Unlike their distant neighbours, the Daughters have developed aircraft – more dependent on weather conditions than the ones you get on Earth, but nonetheless airworthy in well-trained hands – and when reconnaissance pilot Savannah relays that there’s a big boat coming up the river, they’re quick to mobilise, and have the element of surprise on their side.
Meanwhile, aboard Bilbo, we’re reunited with assorted characters from the previous books, reminded of the secrets and tensions between them, and introduced to a few new girls, too (it takes a lot of people to keep this huge boat afloat!).
I will say, now we’re on volume three of five, we’re at a point where you’ll need to have read the previous instalments to understand a lot of what’s going on: there’s at least one development that would seem incredibly random if you’d gone in cold, and information comes out that is new to the characters concerned, but not to long-term readers.
One of these momentous revelations only comes to light as a result of a big mistake Hetch makes – a mistake that didn’t quite fit with my image of her as a character who’s laser-focussed on a single goal, though that may just be a “me” thing (96-99% of people really are that preoccupied/motivated by what?). And when she realises what she’s done, the measures she takes to make up for it are classic, endearing Hetch.
The Same River Twice adds new complexities to the Desolation series while maintaining the fast pace and heart-in-mouth moments of previous instalments.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews