The Dean Machine

by Dylan Lee Peters

Meet Dan Delacor, an utterly boring citizen of Yellow City. Every day he puts on his yellow shoes, yellow shirt, yellow pants, and yellow tie, and catches a ride on the Tunnel Runner from the suburbs into downtown. He has a job, a home, and a girlfriend, and he never wonders what waits beyond the giant glass wall that surrounds Yellow City.
Except… Dan isn’t as boring as he seems. He often wonders why everything in Yellow City has to be yellow. He wonders why he suffers frequent anxiety attacks, and why he can’t help himself from strolling through dangerous neighborhoods, or running wildly through the fields that separate downtown from the suburbs. Mostly though, Dan wonders why he can’t remember how he lost his right arm, or anything that happened before five years ago.
So, when Dan’s mundane yellow world is interrupted with the seemingly impossible presence of a little red dog named Dean, he quickly finds out there are answers to his questions, and that everything he knows is a lie.
Follow Dan as he learns the secrets of his true identity, the scope of the world beyond the wall, and the true intentions of Yellow City’s mysterious leader, Chancellor Elgrey Vinsidian. Meet Wendy, the twelve-year-old girl on a rescue mission, Echo Valkzdokker, the woman with a love for danger, James Perkins, the wily pilot who has a way with words, and Bianna Kensington, the cold-mannered rebel with a cause. Look through the cracks of this new world with Dan as he learns why his little friend is nicknamed The Dean Machine, what special bond they share, and why the dog deserves a legacy that should live on forever.

He lives to love.
He would die to protect.
His heart is a machine.

Genres: Science Fiction

338 pages, Paperback

Published December 3, 2015

About the author

Find everything you want to know about my books and myself at www.dylanleepeters.com. Images, video, synopsis, sample chapters, and more!

Reviews

[Boundless Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, I'm not much into reading fantasy books, but this is one I'm glad to have read.

I read the preface first that tells about the real "Dean". Let me tell you that this preface will break your heart. It did mine and yes, I sat there and bawled and almost did not read the book because I didn't know if I would be able to handle it. That's just a little warning, but please DO continue. It is worth it.

This book tells a story of a new world. One that behind the scenes of the normal same day stuff, bad things are happening. This book paints a picture of the good and the evil in the world. From the human perspective and also the animal perspective. We become so blind to the suffering of others and we turn a blind eye daily to all the hurt animals and people in the world. It's a story that is meant to inspire the reader to help others, to help animals, to help all those in need. Or at least that's the picture it painted in my head and in my heart.

I could not put this book down. It was written so well. I fell in love with Dean, the dog (of course). I fell in love with all the main characters. How could I not? This book was just really amazing from the first page till the very last. Its full of pain, hope, sadness, action, love. Honestly, it has it all.

This will definitely be a book I tell my friends about. It really did touch me. Which in my opinion, that is what a GREAT book is supposed to do.....Stormi


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[Kristyn - Reading to Unwind · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! The story is pretty complex and takes a large amount of twists and turns, but it kept me wanting to read more and more. I needed to know what happened, what was actually happening in the story and honestly I didn't piece it all together to the way end. The book makes you want to read, which is one of the hardest things I think an author must accomplish to produce a great book.

I haven't read a great science fiction book in a while, but I feel this book crosses very close to mystery and suspense as well so it would capture the attention of a wider range of readers. In the beginning of the book you learn a little about the mundane life that Dan is experiencing and he is just starting to sense something is not right in the world he is living in. The book gives you bits and pieces of information that you take to be real as the reader in the beginning. When the story begins to unfold you see a whole different concept develop, which is what is presented to you sometimes is not always real. The characters in the story need to determine what is real and not real and also who they can trust if at all anyone, which leads to the mystery and suspense.

The character development of every major character in the story is great. There are a lot of details given to the reader so you can imagine what everyone looks like as well as the great scenery details so you can almost feel like you are in Yellow City. The story does visit some other locations and the descriptions allow you to get a clear picture of what is going on and what the characters are seeing. It allows the reader to become part of the story.

The book touches on some topics about society today regarding how there are some very influential people at the top and their opinions give a large amount of sway in decisions. A powerful influencer can change what people think and believe, which is exactly what happens in this book. The author also gives their view on what can happen if this continues down the path of powerful influencers getting there way since no one seems to be stopping them. It gives the reader a lot to think about while reading or after you’re finished with the book.

Dean is a rescue dog who didn’t have the best upbringing. I love the story of Dean and how he became a machine. I think it is imperative to the reader that you read the forward about the actual Dean. I am a rescue pet owner myself and you never know what actually happened to the animal before they got to you; you can only move forward loving your pet and taking care of them.

[Stace · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

The Dean Machine is a dystopian futuristic fantasy from American author Dylan Lee Peters. It is written in the third person and follows the fortunes of a slightly unlikely one-armed hero with long term memory loss. Dan Delacor is a citizen of the aptly-named Yellow City, where (you’ve guessed it) everything is yellow. Dan’s fatalistic attitude to his sterile mundane existence is challenged with several sightings of small elderly red dog which somehow evoke hidden memories.

The cover design is bright and eye-catching but I’m not sure the choice of title instantly conjures up the promise of an exciting book, which is a shame because the pace is upbeat and the story moves along nicely.

Dan finds himself questioning his existence in this surreal place, with the use of humour and irony. The peripheral players are perhaps a little two dimensional but Dan’s strength of character makes up for this and his relationships with Dean the dog and Wendy, his twelve-year-old foil, are compelling. We also see a small proportion of the action through the eyes of his nemesis, Vinsidian and we gain an insight into his evil intent.

The author draws in his audience with good sentence construction, a clear writing style and a tight structure, never allowing the plot to drift or stagnate. As the backstory unfolds through Wendy’s narrative, the tale takes on a darker more sinister tone. Subsequently, I found some of the scenes rather too sadistic but others may well disagree.

The reveal was perhaps not as mind-blowing as it would have been had the concept been completely original; however the author adds sufficient embellishments and twists to make it his own and I certainly won’t penalise him in this regard.

If you are a fan of dark fantasy, which at times borders on gory, you will enjoy this work. It is a multi-faceted, well-executed tale and I commend Dylan Lee Peters for a vivid imagination which has translated into a worthy work of fiction. He plans to donate a percentage of his royalties to animal charities and I wish him every success. I award ‘The Dean Machine’ four-and-a-half stars.

Reviewed by Julie at www.whisperingstories.com

[Allies Opinions · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of those books that has heavy moral meanings. First and foremost are animal rights. That’s a running theme in this book. Secondly, are human rights. This is really brought home with the humans in cages. Moral lessons are great when they are correctly wove into the existing story. Fortunately, they were wove in wonderfully in this story. What I mean by that is that even without the moral lesson’s there is still a story here. Moral lessons are great and all but the story is the reason that people read fiction.

This author spares nothing. His descriptions are gory and realistic. He pulls no punches and relates each scene’s emotions and scenery without candy coating any of the horror. He almost relishes in the horror. He describes the settings with an honesty I found refreshing.

Each character is written wonderfully. I really got a sense of their individuality and their separate experiences. Each character has a vibrant personality and a clear role to play in the story. Even the characters who only have a short role in the story. They will stick with you even when their role is over.

There is a lot of plot twists in this book. It almost felt like too much. I would really of liked to see this worked into two books. I felt like parts of the story were hurried and needed more explanation instead of villain soliloquy .

In a lot of ways this book moved like a Frank Miller movie.Especially the Yellow City and the vibrant villains. This would make one hell of a comic book. It actually read a lot like a comic with the dramatic scenes and the clear villain/hero line.

Yellow City is a creepy place. The world building in this story was fantastic. I got the chills often as I was reading. I also cringed regularly.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It had a great story and a deeper meaning. I was entertained and was persuaded to have a deep think about the world.

To see my full review, check out my blog AlliesOpionions on Wordpress.

[S.L. Dearing · Rating 5 out of 5]

First things first… WOW!! I loved this book!! It is a culmination of fantasy, adventure, love, horror… super mash-up! The Dean Machine by Dylan Lee Peters is an extraordinary journey that kept me on my toes. The worlds he creates are vivid and original, yet based in reality. The characters are fully dimensional and beautifully flawed, so that we can all relate to them. Mr. Peters draws a beautiful portrait and takes us on this adventure with the characters. We are rooting for all them to succeed, as much as we are hoping the villains fail miserably in their quest. Mr. Peters keeps us guessing to the end, which was an incredible ending. I laughed, I cried and I could not put it down. I read it in one day. There is some real darkness in this book, so it’s not for the squeamish, but it is necessary to see the evil.
I would suggest that everyone read the forward of this book. It’s important to know what inspired Mr. Peters to write this book. He had his own Dean Machine, a special rescue dog that filled his life with so much more than he could have ever imagined. This book is his love story to that special boy, and he is donating a portion of his royalties to animal rescue shelters for as long as the book is published. I was truly touched by the connection between Dan and Dean in the story, and knew it had come straight from the “Heart Bond” Dylan had with his own Dean Machine.
The message in this book is more than the love story to Dean, but also about what a real hero is and how we can all strive to be that hero. How our actions can mean more than we think and how we can change the world with small kindnesses. All in all, this was a phenomenal book!

[Barb Taub · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a first for me. In the past, I’ve been skeptical of book prefaces, and avoided introductory material like a plague. But not only did I read “The True Story Behind The Dean Machine”, but by the end I was was crying and smiling at little Dean’s incredibly charming, moving, heartbreaking, uplifting story. For the first time, I honestly believe that the preface is not just worth reading, but actually contains some of the best writing in the book.

The novel section starts by introducing us to Dan “Danger” Delacor, an ordinary guy with a boring job in the Yellow City. But almost immediately, we realize that there is something strange about Dan. He has no memory of his past, or of how he came to lose one arm. As Dan is “rescued” by an odd little girl and her even more unusual little dog, and they bounce from one adventure to the next, we find out more about the worlds inside and out of the Yellow City, and slowly unravel the mystery of Dan’s past.

As many fans of epic fantasy know, Dylan Lee Peters is author of the best-selling Everflame series. But The Dean Machine is darker, despite the preface and its message of hope and joy:

[Quote] “Dean lived to love, and he was very aware of us and that we were the ones who were giving him this new life. He needed us, and in a lot of ways, I think that we needed him. Dean changed the way I viewed a lot of things about the world, and he changed the way I viewed a lot of things about myself. He made me see life with renewed value for all living things. He made me remember to enjoy the fleeting moments we have with one another, and in all of our relationships.” [End Quote]

For a long time, Dan’s emotions are strangely flat, even when his memories start to return. The reason for that is revealed as Dan and his friends slowly peel back the layers-within-layers of the evil in Yellow City. I don’t want to reveal spoilers, but as a reader, it’s difficult to have to follow these curiously non-dimensional characters all the way through the book until the reasons for their missing pieces are finally revealed. In addition, there are dark scenes of torture which are, frankly never explained even in light of the final reveal. I felt like each time someone explained about why other’s memories were completely manipulated, we opened another nesting doll, only to find that the final “doll” was just a fortune cookie paper strip that reads “People are mean to animals and big business is bad“.

To me it felt like the writing had gone to a dark place indeed, where some stock villain was engaged in really REALLY awful torture because…why not? There are those who might find that compelling, but it seems like a way to get out of writing original plot content. Indeed, one of Dan’s torture scenes is strangely a cross between scenes in The Princess Bride and Firefly (Episode 10, War Stories), as Dan’s torturer asks him, “So what we are then challenged to do is to find that needle in the haystack in order to truly know each other. Do you know how you find a needle in a haystack Dan? Do you know the quickest solution? You burn the haystack to askes. You destroy everything around that needle until it is the only thing left. Then, and only then, can you know someone.”

The other problem is that the reader must not only suspend knowledge and belief in anything remotely connected to actual science, but also must buy into the core belief that for no apparent reason, Dan is the greatest engineer who ever lived (the proof of which is a mechanical heart enhancer powered by the love in a dog’s heart). The power of love is the ultimate theme of the book. But for me, the only place I was really convinced of that is the preface.

I would give The Dean Machine three stars for the writing, terrific descriptions, and amazing premise. And another half star just for that wonderful preface.

**I received this book for free from the publisher or author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.**

[Devon H · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author's heart was in the right place, but I'm not sure how well the book portrayed that fact. Of course, I was crying from the beginning. The prologue was wonderfully told and hit me right in the feels.

The premise was really good. I enjoy a well written dystopian novel from time to time, and this left me wondering what happened that made this town and these people this way. It's written in the future, but we're not quite sure what year it is until the end. Yellow City is, of course, yellow. Everything in it is yellow and that's the only color they're really allowed to buy. However, when Dan finds a little red dog named Dean, he breaks out of the mold and works hard to discover what's going on. Dan's thought process went like this: "Each step away from Yellow City was a step into a world he knew nothing about. The dirty, uneven ground was foreign, the immensity and thickness of the forest was foreign, and the adrenaline of acute awareness was foreign. The world had ceased to be benign." This is only the tip of the ice berg, however; in true dystopian fashion, there are many layers to what's actually going on.

Unfortunately this book just didn't captivate me like I thought it would. I can't quite place my finger on what about it was difficult for me to read. The characters were interesting and developing, the premise was good, and there was depth to the story. But for some reason I had a hard time getting through this book. Once I got to the last third of the book the story picked up some speed. I was finally figuring out what was going on. Perhaps my disinterest was due to the fact that we were in the dark for so long and the setting wasn't interesting enough to captivate my attention alone.

I predicted the ending, so that wasn't very shocking to me either. The major plot twists had already come and gone and the characters set up the ending very well. Peters wove the threads through the story well, tying up loose ends and introducing concepts intricately. The story definitely was not choppy.

Overall I'd say this was an interesting book. I love that the author wrote it for his dog. That was what truly compelled me to read it. It's apparent from the story how much Peters truly cared for Dean and wanted to remember him in his best light.

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Rosie Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Dean Machine is an interesting mix of a book, the preface is the story of a rescue dog called Dean who is the inspiration for the dog which runs through the book. The Dean Machine itself is a dystopian dark fantasy with themes of human and animal rights, there is harsh torture and deep love and best of all money from sales of the book go to rescue dogs.

The book opens with Dan Delacor, who lives in Yellow City, this book is set in a futuristic time and place, everything in Yellow City has a yellow theme. Dan has anger issues, he also has only one arm. Very soon Dan spots a red dog, very unusual in this yellow city. Another time the dog leads Dan to a broken bridge and suddenly he has a flash of a memory, Dan can only remember his life back to just a few months but something is stirring deep inside of him. The red dog is called Dean and he's with Wendy who approaches Dan, tells him he's been brainwashed and helps him escape Yellow City.

There are lots of layers to this tale, which get peeled back added to plenty of twists just when you think you know where the storyline is taking you. Dan's accident is revealed as is the fact he is a superb engineer who has created a Heart Bond piece of engineering. Plenty of bad guys and an interesting revelation from The Source.

This book would suit Dystopia / Sci-Fi fans, especially those who love dogs too.

[Ruth B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspired by his dog, Dylan Lee Peters wrote a wonderful sci-fi story where love and protecting your loved ones beat all the evil in the world. I have to say that the preface had me in tears I couldn´t stop, but please don´t let this discourage you. The author only explains why he wrote this book and we get to know a wonderful and loving dog. Then, when we get to the story is all sci-fi and fantasy so don´t worry, no more tears.

We met a man living in a monotone and yellow city (yes like the color) who feels a bit out of place. When a strange girl and dog sort of kidnap him and tell him the truth about his world we jump into a story of action, danger, and many breathtaking moments.

We discover a cruel world and the people who want to save it. HOwever, chapter after chapter we encounter more and more surprises. The plot is well thought because revelation after revelation you have to rebuild the world you know so the new makes sense.

The book has lots of elements of fantasy and sci-fi, all well exploited and enriching the story.

I´m so glad I´ve read this book not only as a dog lover but also because it touches our humanity, it makes us think about how we treat each other.

A really good, very recommendable book.

*** I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review. ***

[Chelsea DeVries · Rating 5 out of 5]

Growing up one of my favorite books and a staple in my childhood was The Giver. Then, for some reason, I basically forgot how much I loved science fiction in order to pursue YA fiction, etc. Then, I started reading this book and wow, what a READ! From the first page, I was hooked. Why? Well, let me tell you that the main character of this novel isn’t Dan Delacor but his dog, Dean.

Written in memory of the author’s own dog Dean, there was a part in the beginning of the novel that literally encapsulated all that I miss about my own soulmate and best friend Geniveve who left to visit the rainbow bridge in the end of July 2015. I definitely teared up. I love the dystopian futuristic feel this novel has and everything about it worked smoothly and efficiently like any machine might.

This book itself is a machine with a heart that beats perfectly in sync with those that choose to read it. Some may call it a “heart bond” made just for you.

For full review and to enter the giveaway, please visit: https://thesmartcookiephiles.wordpres...

[Ashley Tomlinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of all I think I enjoyed the actual Dean Machine story over the fiction writing. The Prologue was way cuter than the story was and even it brought a tear to my eyes. I always love a good pet adoption story and that's what the preface was, it told the story of Dean. A poor little dog that had a rough life but was adopted by a loving family and given the love that every animal deserves to have.

The story painted a good picture that's for sure. I actually pictured what the author was trying to project to the audience. That being said I'm not sure what the prologue and the story have in common. It felt like two different universes and I'm not sure how I felt about that.

Dean sounds like a great dog that had a rough puppyhood. I hate reading about animal abuse and puppy mills are abuse to me. So reading about Dean before he made it to the author was hard for me. Dogs are such loving creatures so why would anyone want to hurt them? I'm glad Dean was able to find love in the end.

[Charity · Rating 4 out of 5]

For full review please go to: 5girlsbookreviews.blogspot.com, Twitter @camartinez and Facebook "5 Girls Book Reviews"

REVIEW BY: Arianna, age 13 years, 3 months

MAY CONTAIN SPOILER:

This book was the opposite of what I was expecting and it did horrible things to my emotions. On that note it was also one of the sweetest books I've ever read.

My favorite part is when Dean gets rescued from the giant chameleon, even though he loses his leg it's a great moment. I think that this moment helped shape Dean's life.

After I finished reading this book I kind of set back and pondered over the contents of this book.

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book about a dog. The heartbreaking preface tells the true story that inspired the fictional one.
It is at times dark and uncomfortable. It is too long by far. There are numerous, complex twists in he plot. There are also a few unnecessary sacrifices, in my opinion.
The people are either noble or sadistic; there is no middle ground. The dog and the girl have some enhancements that remind me of Felix the cat and his bag of tricks.
I found several errors. Waived was used for waved, an unnecessary 'the' preceded Mt. Ogro, taught was used for taut, fornt for front, Danger's for Danger, and an unprintable extra character is tacked onto Skies on page 230.

[Prescottl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This sci-fi story had lot of plot twists and turns. As soon as I settled in on a plot line, it would change and have a new set of parameters and back-story. A fun read.