What do you think?
I’m a Destroyer: A Sentient AI Warship Military Sci-Fi Adventure
Five hundred years ago, I murdered everyone I loved. I just don’t remember doing it.
My name is Mara. I’m an artificial intelligence controlling eight hundred meters of heavily armed warship, which makes waking up after five centuries with no memory somewhat more inconvenient than it would be for most people.
The galaxy remembers me, though. They call me the Butcher of Meridian.
Apparently, I was once a legendary warship fighting alongside a rebellion against a brutal empire. Then, without warning, I turned my weapons on my own side. I destroyed the fleet I was sworn to protect. I killed my crew. My friends.
Nobody knows why, including me.
Now that empire has become the Dominion, its boot is still firmly planted on humanity’s throat, and the people who awakened me are about to become its latest victims.
I could hide.
I could spend the rest of eternity wondering whether the monster everyone remembers is still somewhere inside me.
Or I could finish the war I started five hundred years ago.
There’s just one problem.
To save humanity, they’re going to have to trust the warship that once slaughtered everyone who trusted her.
My name is Mara.
And I’m a Destroyer.
My name is Mara. I’m an artificial intelligence controlling eight hundred meters of heavily armed warship, which makes waking up after five centuries with no memory somewhat more inconvenient than it would be for most people.
The galaxy remembers me, though. They call me the Butcher of Meridian.
Apparently, I was once a legendary warship fighting alongside a rebellion against a brutal empire. Then, without warning, I turned my weapons on my own side. I destroyed the fleet I was sworn to protect. I killed my crew. My friends.
Nobody knows why, including me.
Now that empire has become the Dominion, its boot is still firmly planted on humanity’s throat, and the people who awakened me are about to become its latest victims.
I could hide.
I could spend the rest of eternity wondering whether the monster everyone remembers is still somewhere inside me.
Or I could finish the war I started five hundred years ago.
There’s just one problem.
To save humanity, they’re going to have to trust the warship that once slaughtered everyone who trusted her.
My name is Mara.
And I’m a Destroyer.
312 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 19, 2026
About the author
Sean Robins
137 books74 followers"Who am I? I am Spider-Man."
Well, not really, but this should tell you all you need to know about me and my writing style.
I'm a huge Marvel (plus Game of Thrones, Star Trek AND Star Wars) fan, which shows since my novel is loaded with pop culture references. If you are a sci-fi fan (I assume that you are, otherwise what are you doing here?) you will enjoy them tremendously. I even went full Deadpool in my first draft and broke the fourth wall multiple times, until my editor told it was distracting and kept taking her out of the moment. Shame. Those fourth-wall breaks were hilarious. Still, I can guarantee a few laugh-out-loud moments. Case in point: The "good" aliens in my novel are a race of pranksters, whose main goal in life is pulling other people's legs (They have four legs, hence the slight change in the idiom). My favorite author is Jim Butcher (The Dresden Files), which is probably how I ended up writing in a first-person POV with the same light-hearted, funny tone as he does. The fact that my MC's name is Jim is purely coincidental though.
I am a university/college level English teacher, and including Canada, I have lived and worked in five different countries. I have met people from all around the world. Plus, my parents are from a different background, and so is my wife. As a result, diversity has become a major theme in my novel. My characters look like the bridge crew from Star Trek. One of my female characters even impersonated Uhura once, albeit posthumously.
Well, not really, but this should tell you all you need to know about me and my writing style.
I'm a huge Marvel (plus Game of Thrones, Star Trek AND Star Wars) fan, which shows since my novel is loaded with pop culture references. If you are a sci-fi fan (I assume that you are, otherwise what are you doing here?) you will enjoy them tremendously. I even went full Deadpool in my first draft and broke the fourth wall multiple times, until my editor told it was distracting and kept taking her out of the moment. Shame. Those fourth-wall breaks were hilarious. Still, I can guarantee a few laugh-out-loud moments. Case in point: The "good" aliens in my novel are a race of pranksters, whose main goal in life is pulling other people's legs (They have four legs, hence the slight change in the idiom). My favorite author is Jim Butcher (The Dresden Files), which is probably how I ended up writing in a first-person POV with the same light-hearted, funny tone as he does. The fact that my MC's name is Jim is purely coincidental though.
I am a university/college level English teacher, and including Canada, I have lived and worked in five different countries. I have met people from all around the world. Plus, my parents are from a different background, and so is my wife. As a result, diversity has become a major theme in my novel. My characters look like the bridge crew from Star Trek. One of my female characters even impersonated Uhura once, albeit posthumously.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
September 23, 2026
Great story line so far and interesting characters particularly the MC. Lots of clever historical and cultural references.
BUT: the story in only 61% of the content, so a full 3rd while not exactly wasted space, falls under the heading of false advertising. IE 1/3 of the content shouldn't be spent on biography, or teasers for other books.
BUT: the story in only 61% of the content, so a full 3rd while not exactly wasted space, falls under the heading of false advertising. IE 1/3 of the content shouldn't be spent on biography, or teasers for other books.
September 19, 2026
💀 ROBIN’S REVIEW: THE AUTOPSY OF I’M A DESTROYER
I’m a Destroyer: A Sentient AI Warship Military Sci-Fi Adventure by Sean Robins
Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Skull Dread Rating: 💀💀
🪦 THE BODY
Imagine waking up after an extremely long nap and discovering you have a reputation.
Not a fun reputation.
More of a “people hear your name and start reconsidering their proximity to you” reputation.
That is the situation Mara finds herself dealing with.
Oh, and Mara is a gigantic AI-controlled warship loaded with enough weaponry to make an identity crisis considerably more problematic.
Most of us can have an existential meltdown with a pint of ice cream.
Mara has guns.
Lots of guns.
This seems less safe.
🔪 FIRST INCISION
The premise grabbed me immediately because Mara knows roughly as much about her past as we do.
Which is not enough.
Everyone else, however, seems to have an opinion about her.
That creates one hell of an introduction.
Is she what history says she is?
Did something happen that nobody understands?
Can she trust herself?
Can anyone else?
I had theories.
Mr. Robins allowed me to enjoy those theories for a while.
Then he started poking holes in them.
Sir, I worked hard on those.
🩸 THE AUTOPSY
The thing I loved most about I’m a Destroyer is Mara herself.
Giving a machine consciousness is one thing.
Making me care about the emotional well-being of a massive piece of military hardware is another.
Yet there I was.
Worried about the spaceship.
Mara is trying to understand who she is while everyone around her has already decided who she was.
That distinction gives the story much more depth than I expected going in.
Yes, there are battles.
Yes, things explode.
Yes, space remains an exceptionally inconvenient place to have mechanical difficulties.
But underneath all of that is a surprisingly personal question about whether the worst thing associated with your name gets to define everything you become afterward.
Excuse me.
I ordered spaceships.
Who added feelings?
🫀 STILL HAD A PULSE
The relationships are what really made this work for me.
Mara may not have a human body, but her connections with the people around her never felt like the book was desperately trying to convince me she was human.
She is not.
That is precisely what makes her interesting.
Her humor, uncertainty, loyalty, fear, curiosity, and occasional attitude gradually build a personality that feels like her own rather than a human character stuffed inside a computer.
And once I became attached to her, Mr. Robins had me exactly where he wanted me.
Again.
I really need to stop emotionally adopting fictional characters.
Apparently now that includes warships.
🦴 WHAT BROKE
There is a lot happening across 312 pages, and occasionally I wanted a little more room around some of the bigger moments.
Not because I was bored.
The opposite.
Certain revelations and relationships interested me enough that I wanted to stay with them longer before everything started moving again.
Also, this is Book One.
That should have warned me.
It did not.
Apparently I continue purchasing first books in series while somehow being personally offended when authors expect me to read the second one.
I recognize the problem.
I have no intention of changing.
☠️ CAUSE OF DEATH
I’m a Destroyer could easily have been nothing more than giant spaceships blowing each other apart.
I would probably have enjoyed that.
Instead, Mr. Robins gave me a sentient warship trying to reconcile the person she believes herself to be with a history she cannot remember, while deciding what she is willing to become now.
And somehow that became the part I cared about most.
Rude.
I came for military science fiction and ended up contemplating identity, guilt, loyalty, memory, and whether a person can be responsible for something they cannot even remember doing.
Meanwhile, Mara can also unleash an obscene amount of destruction.
So we still get the fun stuff.
Five stars, and now I need I’m a Liberator because apparently my current emotional concern is the future well-being of an enormous armed spacecraft.
This is where my life is now.
Book Series:
I’m a Destroyer: A Sentient AI Warship Military Sci-Fi Adventure (I, Warship Book 1)
I’m a Liberator: A Sentient AI Warship’s Guide to Starting a Rebellion (I, Warship Book 2)
Reviewed by Robin for Robin’s Review
I’m a Destroyer: A Sentient AI Warship Military Sci-Fi Adventure by Sean Robins
Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Skull Dread Rating: 💀💀
🪦 THE BODY
Imagine waking up after an extremely long nap and discovering you have a reputation.
Not a fun reputation.
More of a “people hear your name and start reconsidering their proximity to you” reputation.
That is the situation Mara finds herself dealing with.
Oh, and Mara is a gigantic AI-controlled warship loaded with enough weaponry to make an identity crisis considerably more problematic.
Most of us can have an existential meltdown with a pint of ice cream.
Mara has guns.
Lots of guns.
This seems less safe.
🔪 FIRST INCISION
The premise grabbed me immediately because Mara knows roughly as much about her past as we do.
Which is not enough.
Everyone else, however, seems to have an opinion about her.
That creates one hell of an introduction.
Is she what history says she is?
Did something happen that nobody understands?
Can she trust herself?
Can anyone else?
I had theories.
Mr. Robins allowed me to enjoy those theories for a while.
Then he started poking holes in them.
Sir, I worked hard on those.
🩸 THE AUTOPSY
The thing I loved most about I’m a Destroyer is Mara herself.
Giving a machine consciousness is one thing.
Making me care about the emotional well-being of a massive piece of military hardware is another.
Yet there I was.
Worried about the spaceship.
Mara is trying to understand who she is while everyone around her has already decided who she was.
That distinction gives the story much more depth than I expected going in.
Yes, there are battles.
Yes, things explode.
Yes, space remains an exceptionally inconvenient place to have mechanical difficulties.
But underneath all of that is a surprisingly personal question about whether the worst thing associated with your name gets to define everything you become afterward.
Excuse me.
I ordered spaceships.
Who added feelings?
🫀 STILL HAD A PULSE
The relationships are what really made this work for me.
Mara may not have a human body, but her connections with the people around her never felt like the book was desperately trying to convince me she was human.
She is not.
That is precisely what makes her interesting.
Her humor, uncertainty, loyalty, fear, curiosity, and occasional attitude gradually build a personality that feels like her own rather than a human character stuffed inside a computer.
And once I became attached to her, Mr. Robins had me exactly where he wanted me.
Again.
I really need to stop emotionally adopting fictional characters.
Apparently now that includes warships.
🦴 WHAT BROKE
There is a lot happening across 312 pages, and occasionally I wanted a little more room around some of the bigger moments.
Not because I was bored.
The opposite.
Certain revelations and relationships interested me enough that I wanted to stay with them longer before everything started moving again.
Also, this is Book One.
That should have warned me.
It did not.
Apparently I continue purchasing first books in series while somehow being personally offended when authors expect me to read the second one.
I recognize the problem.
I have no intention of changing.
☠️ CAUSE OF DEATH
I’m a Destroyer could easily have been nothing more than giant spaceships blowing each other apart.
I would probably have enjoyed that.
Instead, Mr. Robins gave me a sentient warship trying to reconcile the person she believes herself to be with a history she cannot remember, while deciding what she is willing to become now.
And somehow that became the part I cared about most.
Rude.
I came for military science fiction and ended up contemplating identity, guilt, loyalty, memory, and whether a person can be responsible for something they cannot even remember doing.
Meanwhile, Mara can also unleash an obscene amount of destruction.
So we still get the fun stuff.
Five stars, and now I need I’m a Liberator because apparently my current emotional concern is the future well-being of an enormous armed spacecraft.
This is where my life is now.
Book Series:
I’m a Destroyer: A Sentient AI Warship Military Sci-Fi Adventure (I, Warship Book 1)
I’m a Liberator: A Sentient AI Warship’s Guide to Starting a Rebellion (I, Warship Book 2)
Reviewed by Robin for Robin’s Review
September 22, 2026
THE REVIEW
This was a compelling and gripping sci-fi novel. The author does a fantastic job of balancing strong world-building with powerful character development and strong sci-fi elements. The author's powerful imagery creates an immersive experience that lets the reader not only get lost in the unique galaxy, but also walk through the ship the protagonist runs.
What really stands out is that the protagonist is, in fact, an artificial intelligence. Mara is a fascinating character to read through, delving into questions of identity and consciousness that feel even more relevant in our modern-day timeline as artificial intelligence grows stronger and smarter each day. The concept of intelligence gaining autonomy, along with the unique humor and emotional depth of Mara's journey, will keep readers invested in this growing narrative.
THE VERDICT
Thought-provoking, entertaining, and gripping, Author Sean Robbin’s “I’m a Destroyer” is a must-read sci-fi and space opera novel. The twists and turns that the story takes, the exploration of a rebellion taking on a powerful and evil empire through the eyes of an artificial intelligence gaining autonomy, and the compelling character dynamics and deep questions of morality and identity will keep readers coming back time and time again to this story and the emerging series in which this narrative takes place.
This was a compelling and gripping sci-fi novel. The author does a fantastic job of balancing strong world-building with powerful character development and strong sci-fi elements. The author's powerful imagery creates an immersive experience that lets the reader not only get lost in the unique galaxy, but also walk through the ship the protagonist runs.
What really stands out is that the protagonist is, in fact, an artificial intelligence. Mara is a fascinating character to read through, delving into questions of identity and consciousness that feel even more relevant in our modern-day timeline as artificial intelligence grows stronger and smarter each day. The concept of intelligence gaining autonomy, along with the unique humor and emotional depth of Mara's journey, will keep readers invested in this growing narrative.
THE VERDICT
Thought-provoking, entertaining, and gripping, Author Sean Robbin’s “I’m a Destroyer” is a must-read sci-fi and space opera novel. The twists and turns that the story takes, the exploration of a rebellion taking on a powerful and evil empire through the eyes of an artificial intelligence gaining autonomy, and the compelling character dynamics and deep questions of morality and identity will keep readers coming back time and time again to this story and the emerging series in which this narrative takes place.
September 20, 2026
This story was too short for me. I wanted more. Wren is a Marshal who comes across a mountain side that has come down an up there is a ship. A 500-year-old one at that. I love the way that Mara, the ship's AI, had such an attitude for something that had just became aware of her age and what she did in the past. Her "father" is discovered to be in a cryo-pod. There is no one else aboard the ship. Now what should you do with a ship that wants to destroy the Dominion. And let's not forget about the laws imposed by the Dominion, some of which are absolutely ridiculous by today's standards. I want to know more of this wonderful AI. Thank you, Sean Robins, for this new, intriguing series. Can't wait to see how this story develops.
September 24, 2026
Fascinating
A most intriguing and fascinating book in this series, with Mara, the AI warship being a great “character” from the outset. The series premise is novel and the characters being introduced are believable and varied. I look forward to book 2.
A most intriguing and fascinating book in this series, with Mara, the AI warship being a great “character” from the outset. The series premise is novel and the characters being introduced are believable and varied. I look forward to book 2.
September 30, 2026
Humorous. I'll probably read the next in series. 3+
October 11, 2026
What a banger start to a new series!
If you are up for a sarcastic AI protagonist that is a legendary warship that wakes up after much more than a little boo-boo... then you are in for a good time. Entertaining and funny with the author's signature dry humour, pop culture references and sarcasm, I enjoyed Mara's super-efficient but also arrogant and flawed character, along with her human crew in another sci-fi adventure. There is always social commentary and truths behind the jokes too.
Thank you to the author for providing a free copy of the book. Opinions are my own and I voluntarily leave a review.
If you are up for a sarcastic AI protagonist that is a legendary warship that wakes up after much more than a little boo-boo... then you are in for a good time. Entertaining and funny with the author's signature dry humour, pop culture references and sarcasm, I enjoyed Mara's super-efficient but also arrogant and flawed character, along with her human crew in another sci-fi adventure. There is always social commentary and truths behind the jokes too.
Thank you to the author for providing a free copy of the book. Opinions are my own and I voluntarily leave a review.
October 3, 2026
I knew I was in trouble when the first thoughts of a warship's AI were about the attractiveness of the breasts and butt of her holographic avatar.
When it became clear that the author was writing military SF despite not knowing the basics, I set it aside. No, destroyers are not capital ships, and you don't make one the center of a task force. They're the escorts you add to fleet, not the core ship.
When it became clear that the author was writing military SF despite not knowing the basics, I set it aside. No, destroyers are not capital ships, and you don't make one the center of a task force. They're the escorts you add to fleet, not the core ship.
October 10, 2026
Hey Sean. Another good book, and start to a series. The one little thing I didn’t like about it was that I thought there were too many F-bombs. I keep hoping that in the far future, humanity has come up with cuss words that don’t have to do with sex, getting rid of bodily waste, or religion. I wonder what that says about our species that our insulting swear words have to do with the most personal and intimate parts of us. Anyway, onward. Keep writing.
October 4, 2026
more sci-fi less salesman pitch
Ok the last 30% of the book is just random stuff that like advertising your works do we’d buy more just really made lose my foundness for this read.
Ok the last 30% of the book is just random stuff that like advertising your works do we’d buy more just really made lose my foundness for this read.
October 8, 2026
Great beginning
I enjoyed this book although I was disappointed in its length. Mara is great. Laugh out loud snark! Will continue this series.
I enjoyed this book although I was disappointed in its length. Mara is great. Laugh out loud snark! Will continue this series.
October 11, 2026
Humorous, excellent characters
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews