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The Dire Saga #4
DIRE: WARS
Supervillains never get to have good vacations. During Doctor Dire's undercover stay in a quiet banana republic, revolution interrupts her sinister master plan. Forced into action to once again prevent genocide, she ends up taking on far more responsibility than she ever wanted. With the fate of an entire nation in her hands, and the enemies against her both hidden and blatant, she'll be hard-pressed to give her adopted country a happy ending. But she is Dire, and her enemies will fear her before all is done. This is the fourth book in the Dire Saga, and the fourth full novel of the Tales from the Teslaverse series.
270 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 21, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
April 10, 2019
Book 4 of the Dire Series. Book 3 was a bit all over the place and a little confusing. In 4 it seams like the author kind retconned everything and went a different way with it. I’m not complaining though as this brought Dire back to a tighter plot with less meandering. While I will miss some of the previous novels characters you came for Dire anyway. Fun super villain series. I am enjoying it.
July 11, 2018
I have somewhat mixed feelings about this one.
Much of that stems from the conclusion to Time.
The start of DIRE: WARS plays upon a classic genre troupe . But it still leaves a lingering sense of disquiet.
However, once we've accounted for that this remains a fun, action filled entry into Dire's story. Dire has grown better and cagey-ier at planning for contingencies, she has her resources in place, and responds to situations with more forethought. However, at the same time, the story continues to throw curve-balls and bad luck her way, making the journey interesting.
Overall, this is fun book, with Dire (attempting to) rule a small Caribbean nation, with all the problems you'd expect, and Dire herself smashing through the scenery, and chewing it liberally with her (intentionally) over the top monologues.
So, for fans of the series this one doesn't have the [adjective] ending of the previous book, and is instead a return to the themes and directions of the first two. However, it's still the 4th book in the series, and having read the first three is probably advisable.
Recommended, with the caveat that it's the 4th book in a series.
I paid retail price for the Kindle version of this book, my thoughts on it are my own. They were neither solicited by, nor compensated for, by either the author or the publisher.
Much of that stems from the conclusion to Time.
The start of DIRE: WARS plays upon a classic genre troupe . But it still leaves a lingering sense of disquiet.
However, once we've accounted for that this remains a fun, action filled entry into Dire's story. Dire has grown better and cagey-ier at planning for contingencies, she has her resources in place, and responds to situations with more forethought. However, at the same time, the story continues to throw curve-balls and bad luck her way, making the journey interesting.
Overall, this is fun book, with Dire (attempting to) rule a small Caribbean nation, with all the problems you'd expect, and Dire herself smashing through the scenery, and chewing it liberally with her (intentionally) over the top monologues.
So, for fans of the series this one doesn't have the [adjective] ending of the previous book, and is instead a return to the themes and directions of the first two. However, it's still the 4th book in the series, and having read the first three is probably advisable.
Recommended, with the caveat that it's the 4th book in a series.
I paid retail price for the Kindle version of this book, my thoughts on it are my own. They were neither solicited by, nor compensated for, by either the author or the publisher.
September 5, 2018
Will please fans, a bit weak on its own
I'll admit that I was expecting this series to end after the third book. Dire had her story arc, we were assured that her story would continue, but it seemed she'd had her time. I'm kind of glad it didn't end there, but this book probably suffered a bit as essentially the fourth book of a trilogy. Dire felt a bit directionless, not quite herself. Which kind of makes sense given the ending of the third book, but still...
Anyhow, how does the book stand on its own? Well, Dire continues to be entertaining with her relatively benevolent villainy. Her Master Planner credentials are a bit tarnished as she gets outmaneuvered several times. The characters were interesting, although I was a bit disappointed at the resolution with the tribe she was starting with, or the lack thereof rather. The book felt short, and the ending feels a bit rushed. Eh, I'm not complaining for the price I paid, but the book could have been better. It's not quite as good as its predecessors.
On a side note, the character originated as an original character in a fanfiction set in Wildbow's Worm universe and this book has more sly references to the jokes there, although the Canadian Girlfriend bit verifies they are not in continuity with the fanfic. Maybe that happened in one of the timelines Dire has averted.
I'll admit that I was expecting this series to end after the third book. Dire had her story arc, we were assured that her story would continue, but it seemed she'd had her time. I'm kind of glad it didn't end there, but this book probably suffered a bit as essentially the fourth book of a trilogy. Dire felt a bit directionless, not quite herself. Which kind of makes sense given the ending of the third book, but still...
Anyhow, how does the book stand on its own? Well, Dire continues to be entertaining with her relatively benevolent villainy. Her Master Planner credentials are a bit tarnished as she gets outmaneuvered several times. The characters were interesting, although I was a bit disappointed at the resolution with the tribe she was starting with, or the lack thereof rather. The book felt short, and the ending feels a bit rushed. Eh, I'm not complaining for the price I paid, but the book could have been better. It's not quite as good as its predecessors.
On a side note, the character originated as an original character in a fanfiction set in Wildbow's Worm universe and this book has more sly references to the jokes there, although the Canadian Girlfriend bit verifies they are not in continuity with the fanfic. Maybe that happened in one of the timelines Dire has averted.
June 8, 2020
This should have been a five star book and I'm mad it wasn't
I threw this book against the wall at least three times for stupid choices the author made. I did love the characters and I'm fully invested in the story. I really dig the philosophy and the authors take on geopolitics, but why dose he have to make the MC act so bloody stupid?
Doctor Dire is not a villain. She isn't even bad. All the goals she has are things I want to see come to pass. What drives me crazy are the asinine convoluted schemes she uses to come at things sideways for no damn good reason. ARRGH! It's driving me crazy!
The number one thing that drives me to aggravation is the pointless mixed signals that Dire is sending out. let me explain.
Imagine you are a paramedic. You want to heal to wounded and render aid, But you don't want to charge money or involve the insurance company. So you decide to dress up as a serial killer with a hockey mask and a meat cleaver, ...wait What? Yeah it's like that, That is so frigging Stupid!
Let me say this again Dire is not a villain, but she plays one on TV. She has put on the scary mask and the power armor and the evil laugh for no single reason and is trying to obfuscate the good she is trying to do and the people she is try to help are dying and getting thrown into prison and fighting the help they need because the medic is dressed like a god damned serial killer for, wait for it... NO GOD DAMNED REASON!
People the author is spending pages and pages of prose getting me to care about are dying for a charade that does not serve the story except maybe to fit it into a sub-genera that this book would fugging eclipse if he had dropped that stupid pointless conceit of trying to make this a "super villain" book about an unconventional hero.
All this on top of the poison pill he introduced at the end of book three that has been stinking up the kitchen like a turd on the stove top. I just wonder Why? This could have been a five star book. This whole series could have been a best seller that we would be talking about for years and people you meet would pretend that they had read it just to fit in. So why, why do it the stupid, self destructive way? I almost don't care any more.
I threw this book against the wall at least three times for stupid choices the author made. I did love the characters and I'm fully invested in the story. I really dig the philosophy and the authors take on geopolitics, but why dose he have to make the MC act so bloody stupid?
Doctor Dire is not a villain. She isn't even bad. All the goals she has are things I want to see come to pass. What drives me crazy are the asinine convoluted schemes she uses to come at things sideways for no damn good reason. ARRGH! It's driving me crazy!
The number one thing that drives me to aggravation is the pointless mixed signals that Dire is sending out. let me explain.
Imagine you are a paramedic. You want to heal to wounded and render aid, But you don't want to charge money or involve the insurance company. So you decide to dress up as a serial killer with a hockey mask and a meat cleaver, ...wait What? Yeah it's like that, That is so frigging Stupid!
Let me say this again Dire is not a villain, but she plays one on TV. She has put on the scary mask and the power armor and the evil laugh for no single reason and is trying to obfuscate the good she is trying to do and the people she is try to help are dying and getting thrown into prison and fighting the help they need because the medic is dressed like a god damned serial killer for, wait for it... NO GOD DAMNED REASON!
People the author is spending pages and pages of prose getting me to care about are dying for a charade that does not serve the story except maybe to fit it into a sub-genera that this book would fugging eclipse if he had dropped that stupid pointless conceit of trying to make this a "super villain" book about an unconventional hero.
All this on top of the poison pill he introduced at the end of book three that has been stinking up the kitchen like a turd on the stove top. I just wonder Why? This could have been a five star book. This whole series could have been a best seller that we would be talking about for years and people you meet would pretend that they had read it just to fit in. So why, why do it the stupid, self destructive way? I almost don't care any more.
July 14, 2019
Note: I listened to the audio book but its not listed on Goodreads.com so I'm putting my review here.
Honestly, read the blurb to get the outline of this story. The only part I didn't like is that the MC, Dire, is told by her future self that she needs to take over the world to save billions of lives and Dire essentially refuses to accept this. Sure Dire doesn't trust her future self, but does that really make sense. Personally I believe I would have really enjoyed a story where Dire says "okay, I guess its time to take over the word".
Still this is a very enjoyable story with a great narrator (Amy McFadden).
Bottom line: read it.
Honestly, read the blurb to get the outline of this story. The only part I didn't like is that the MC, Dire, is told by her future self that she needs to take over the world to save billions of lives and Dire essentially refuses to accept this. Sure Dire doesn't trust her future self, but does that really make sense. Personally I believe I would have really enjoyed a story where Dire says "okay, I guess its time to take over the word".
Still this is a very enjoyable story with a great narrator (Amy McFadden).
Bottom line: read it.
September 30, 2019
Love the book, but
I loved the book. Five stars 😁
However, as Spanish speaker some of the translations were really bad. Responder is a verb. It should be Respuesta and a lady is loca no loco. Also the correct is Doctora no doctor. Feminists in Latin America fought for using the correct gender during the 70's.
I loved the book. Five stars 😁
However, as Spanish speaker some of the translations were really bad. Responder is a verb. It should be Respuesta and a lady is loca no loco. Also the correct is Doctora no doctor. Feminists in Latin America fought for using the correct gender during the 70's.
November 8, 2020
Fun story but a bit cartoony
The author delivers again on story telling. However, this novel in the series comes down on just the wrong side of believability. I was pleased that the changes to dire were mostly cosmetic as I never thought Minna was an interesting character in the previous books. The story was laced with a few bits of well timed humor.
The author delivers again on story telling. However, this novel in the series comes down on just the wrong side of believability. I was pleased that the changes to dire were mostly cosmetic as I never thought Minna was an interesting character in the previous books. The story was laced with a few bits of well timed humor.
March 24, 2017
Lots of fun. Dire is back!
After the rather disappointing book 3, this came as a relief. Not a lot of tragedy, no real soul searching, just a lot of sensible violence. And enough humor to keep things flowing well
.
After the rather disappointing book 3, this came as a relief. Not a lot of tragedy, no real soul searching, just a lot of sensible violence. And enough humor to keep things flowing well
.
February 21, 2018
Book four
While I didn't like the way book three ended, I found myself enjoying book four.
I look forward to seeing Dire fix more of the world's problems.
I do wish she could do more than just the little things she's accomplished so far.
I recommend this series.
While I didn't like the way book three ended, I found myself enjoying book four.
I look forward to seeing Dire fix more of the world's problems.
I do wish she could do more than just the little things she's accomplished so far.
I recommend this series.
May 14, 2018
Skillful and Complex
Dire returns from beyond the grave, into a Caribbean revolution. Treachery, politics, heroes, villains, secrets, and artifacts collide in an epic showdown that could destabilize the world.
Dire returns from beyond the grave, into a Caribbean revolution. Treachery, politics, heroes, villains, secrets, and artifacts collide in an epic showdown that could destabilize the world.
September 30, 2017
Where to draw the lines
The titles of heroes and villains is blurred beyond belief in this story. As it turns out, it takes a villain to remove a dictator and save a nation.
The titles of heroes and villains is blurred beyond belief in this story. As it turns out, it takes a villain to remove a dictator and save a nation.
December 16, 2018
Andrew Seiple never fails to deliver a good read.
January 25, 2019
Best book so far in this series. Book 3 had some misgivings, but she's back to the Dire we all know and love...err...fear. LOL.
January 27, 2019
Good to see the series getting back on track after that last clusterfuck of a book
Going to read the nest to see where it goes from here
Going to read the nest to see where it goes from here
August 18, 2019
Another great entry in this series. I'm looking forward to the next one.
June 22, 2020
Different....
More goodness involved in this story. I need evil plans with bad guys and good guys losing next time around.
More goodness involved in this story. I need evil plans with bad guys and good guys losing next time around.
January 22, 2022
Fun fluff.
October 6, 2022
An odd but great reset after first half of the series.
January 9, 2024
I got a lot of Just Cause vibes from this offering. Lots of fun as Dire mantles up on being a tyrant. This series is an Energizer bunny that keeps going and gets better as it does so.
March 21, 2017
Entertaining
Partially makes up for book 3's ending. Worth reading. I'd like it if Dire were a bit more ambitious; you know, conquer nearby nations or start a company, Dire Devices has a nice ring to it.
Partially makes up for book 3's ending. Worth reading. I'd like it if Dire were a bit more ambitious; you know, conquer nearby nations or start a company, Dire Devices has a nice ring to it.
December 12, 2019
Empress Dire
Can’t say I liked this as much as the previous volumes. I missed her supporting cast. This was set in a third world country. Dire becomes their manipulating dictator. Everything works out in the end. It took me awhile to finish this. The previous volumes were much better.
Richard Nixon is briefly made out to be a bad guy when the writer should have correctly made John F Kennedy the bad guy. Especially if you are going to include actual historical events. Nixon had nothing to do with the Cuban missile crises or the botched Bay of Pigs. That was all Kennedy good or bad. I hate when writers put their politics into their writing. I get enough of this one sided political crap daily in the real world. I’m not sure if I’ll continue with the next volume.
Can’t say I liked this as much as the previous volumes. I missed her supporting cast. This was set in a third world country. Dire becomes their manipulating dictator. Everything works out in the end. It took me awhile to finish this. The previous volumes were much better.
Richard Nixon is briefly made out to be a bad guy when the writer should have correctly made John F Kennedy the bad guy. Especially if you are going to include actual historical events. Nixon had nothing to do with the Cuban missile crises or the botched Bay of Pigs. That was all Kennedy good or bad. I hate when writers put their politics into their writing. I get enough of this one sided political crap daily in the real world. I’m not sure if I’ll continue with the next volume.
March 13, 2017
Again I find this author's writing style to my liking. He's managed to take on different superhero story cliches (the origin story, team building, time travel) and make them both interesting and also feel cohesive with each other.
This has a much more satisfying ending than the previous book and it's setting Dire up to become the global villain the world truly needs.
This has a much more satisfying ending than the previous book and it's setting Dire up to become the global villain the world truly needs.
March 3, 2017
DIRE IS BACK!! And she is wise oh god yes she is wise of those fucking shitty human profiteer. No more playing around, the gloves have come off.
February 27, 2017
And heads win!
Back from the dead more or less Doctor Dire just wants a small vacation. Sadly things rarely go Dires way.
Back from the dead more or less Doctor Dire just wants a small vacation. Sadly things rarely go Dires way.
February 24, 2017
Another great installment
Once again a Dire book is a read in a single pass again. Really screwed up my sleep but so worth it.
Once again a Dire book is a read in a single pass again. Really screwed up my sleep but so worth it.
March 8, 2020
DIRE is back.
After the rather unusual ending of the third novel DIRE is back. She has chosen to take a bit of a sabbatical in a small banana republic somewhere in South America. Thing go haywire however when revolution erupts and DIRE has to step in to prevent a Genocide... In other words: Bye, bye Vacation!
So yeah lets start with the Elephant in the Room... The ending of Book #3. DIRE is back, and tho She somehow feels a bit different, I don't think she in any way shape or form a different Character. Having said that, this new arc does takes DIRE out of her comfortable setting, and in lots more unfamiliar situations. As such I really liked this novel. It made a bigger world and introduced a true master villain and a true opponent for our beloved Villain.
Overall this was a good novel and a worthy 4th installment in the series.
After the rather unusual ending of the third novel DIRE is back. She has chosen to take a bit of a sabbatical in a small banana republic somewhere in South America. Thing go haywire however when revolution erupts and DIRE has to step in to prevent a Genocide... In other words: Bye, bye Vacation!
So yeah lets start with the Elephant in the Room... The ending of Book #3. DIRE is back, and tho She somehow feels a bit different, I don't think she in any way shape or form a different Character. Having said that, this new arc does takes DIRE out of her comfortable setting, and in lots more unfamiliar situations. As such I really liked this novel. It made a bigger world and introduced a true master villain and a true opponent for our beloved Villain.
Overall this was a good novel and a worthy 4th installment in the series.
August 9, 2021
Re-read August 2021
While there is not much "new" in this one, Dire is still kicking ass. But it's beginning to feel a little worn.
Still going to read the next one, of course.
While there is not much "new" in this one, Dire is still kicking ass. But it's beginning to feel a little worn.
Still going to read the next one, of course.
December 25, 2021
The Banana Republic book
April 9, 2017
Good Read.
A great story, where the heroes aren't all that heroic and one special villain is the heroine of the piece. I want more!
A great story, where the heroes aren't all that heroic and one special villain is the heroine of the piece. I want more!
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