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DRAG.N
The DRAG.N units were invented to support the marriage of the Universal Health Initiative (UHI) and Green Nation. Their purpose: mass airborne vaccinations to ensure health for all U.S. citizens. The vaccines serve another purpose though.
Laced with behavioral modification drugs, the REP inoculation has created a docile, drugged, and receptive American populace.
Anti-UHI activists are determined to take down the DRAG.N and the corrupt healthcare system. Their planning has been meticulous, spanning nearly a year. Benton and Rachel Greer take the first steps towards raising the proverbial sword and slaying the DRAG.Ns.
Will they succeed?
DRAG.N- a brief dystopian- is an Orwellian take on an American future where human fundamental rights and freedoms are options rather than guarantees. This novelette chronicles three days in the lives of researchers, activists, a deceptive Presidential Cabinet, and a First Lady with secrets of her own.
Laced with behavioral modification drugs, the REP inoculation has created a docile, drugged, and receptive American populace.
Anti-UHI activists are determined to take down the DRAG.N and the corrupt healthcare system. Their planning has been meticulous, spanning nearly a year. Benton and Rachel Greer take the first steps towards raising the proverbial sword and slaying the DRAG.Ns.
Will they succeed?
DRAG.N- a brief dystopian- is an Orwellian take on an American future where human fundamental rights and freedoms are options rather than guarantees. This novelette chronicles three days in the lives of researchers, activists, a deceptive Presidential Cabinet, and a First Lady with secrets of her own.
- GenresDystopia
Kindle Edition
First published March 25, 2013
31 people want to read
About the author
Eli Constant
77 books83 followersEli Constant also writes as Eliza Grace.
The Victoria Cage Series and more.
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The Victoria Cage Series and more.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
May 14, 2013
Not since Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 have I read a novel of this genre with this caliber. During my first read of Fahrenheit I was struck by how true the contrasts of the time period it was written in were. While reading Constant's DRAG.N I came to the realization that I had come upon a work that reflects aspects of this age and not the age of the past. What Constant writes here, the forced medication of a mass group through airborne release and also the control of the population through this, is not so far fetched and is eerily connected to things in the US's recent history, and yet different. I am a supporter of actual universal health care, but as with all things we see here how 'health care' could be used to control the masses.
Constant's characters were strong, believable and well plotted and my heart pulled for them as they managed the fight against the DRAG.N machines and their controllers. I especially liked the use of the First Lady here. It was exquisite and really brought DRAG.N to the next level for me.
Do you love Bradbury and Orwell? You will enjoy DRAG.N just as greatly. This is a book that is not to be put down until its finish. I hope to see more works like this from Constant in the future.
Constant's characters were strong, believable and well plotted and my heart pulled for them as they managed the fight against the DRAG.N machines and their controllers. I especially liked the use of the First Lady here. It was exquisite and really brought DRAG.N to the next level for me.
Do you love Bradbury and Orwell? You will enjoy DRAG.N just as greatly. This is a book that is not to be put down until its finish. I hope to see more works like this from Constant in the future.
July 23, 2015
I didn't actually read this book. I listened to it on Audible during my commute to and from work. I got in my car this morning, reached for my phone to plug in the audio cable, when I thought, Oh, darn. I finished this book yesterday.
DRAG.N went too quickly. Its pace is perfect and the plot is well-planned, which surprised me when I learned afterward that it was written in two days for a contest.
I am simultaneously blown away and terrified of the mass airborne vaccinations the author schemed up because I find it plausible, and if that were to become reality, why wouldn't some power-hungry politician secretly include a couple of chemicals to make the populace pliable and eager to do as he or she decides is for the good of the people?
DRAG.N, though a novelette, boasts fantastic characterization. I enjoyed getting to know each of the characters--on both sides of the UHI fight.
I recommend this book to all fans of dystopian novels.
DRAG.N went too quickly. Its pace is perfect and the plot is well-planned, which surprised me when I learned afterward that it was written in two days for a contest.
I am simultaneously blown away and terrified of the mass airborne vaccinations the author schemed up because I find it plausible, and if that were to become reality, why wouldn't some power-hungry politician secretly include a couple of chemicals to make the populace pliable and eager to do as he or she decides is for the good of the people?
DRAG.N, though a novelette, boasts fantastic characterization. I enjoyed getting to know each of the characters--on both sides of the UHI fight.
I recommend this book to all fans of dystopian novels.
April 8, 2013
First off let me just say that this was not anything what I expected it to be. Which was great. The synopsis gives nothing away and neither will I.
Just to say that once again, Eli has written a well planned out, character driven and thought provoking book.
Each chapter takes you on another step of the journey, as we are eventually lead out of the dark and into the light.
High stars.
Just to say that once again, Eli has written a well planned out, character driven and thought provoking book.
Each chapter takes you on another step of the journey, as we are eventually lead out of the dark and into the light.
High stars.
August 13, 2016
Hi all =)
I had a comment on amazon.com that provided constructive feedback about the drug usage in DRAG.N.
Written for a fly-by weekend novelette/novella contest, research time was precious; however, I can definitely see the reviewer's point. Below is my reply and response within DRAG.N.
Hi!
Eli here.
I can definitely see where you are coming from. I wrote DRAG.N in two days for a contest and research time was precious. I have chosen not to remove the mentions of mescaline and fluoxetine to keep the spirit of the original contest entry, however, I have qualified the drug cocktail as follows:
---------------
Charles felt like the accused walking towards final judgment.
He'd been on the board of the UHI from the get-go, approving the protocols, building locations, DRAG.N schematics. He'd supported everything... up until he'd received the biological breakdown of the approved inoculations.
It was one thing to vaccinate the populace against influenza, typhoid, hepatitis; he could agree with that. But secreting behavioral drugs into the mix, that was... immoral. An iota - just an iota, no more - of chemically reimagined mescaline, a naturally occurring alkaloid from the peyote cactus known for causing hallucinations, was tempered with a new formulation of fluoxetine, an anti-anxiety medicine. The behavioral formula was quite a bit more complicated, including more than the mescaline and fluoxetine. Well-known drugs had been laboratory re-birthed, combined to suit, and made effective over long periods of time.
In lab trials, when taken in very small amounts - approximately 0.05 micrograms - the chemically modified mescaline was shown to produce an increase in receptiveness rather than periods of vision-seeing delirium. Add an open-mind with stress-lowering modified fluoxetine and you had a very amiable, appeasing test subject or, in the government's mind, a very malleable citizen and voter. The chemical formula went on for pages, a cocktail of other drugs dancing with the mescaline and fluoxetine. The government called it REP. Only a few knew its name and its purpose. Re-elect the President.
Charles sat at the computer that networked with the other UHI buildings and DRAG.N units. His eyes bore holes into the monitor. He knew it wouldn't take long for a trained eye to find the slight alteration in the DRAG.N program that occurred before and after the cooling manifolds malfunctioned.
------------------
Other mentions of the two particular drugs have simply been changed to REP to represent the cocktail as a whole.
Thank you for your feedback!
-Eli Constant
Please feel free to visit me at www.eliconstant.com or email me at eli.constant.writes@gmail.com
I had a comment on amazon.com that provided constructive feedback about the drug usage in DRAG.N.
Written for a fly-by weekend novelette/novella contest, research time was precious; however, I can definitely see the reviewer's point. Below is my reply and response within DRAG.N.
Hi!
Eli here.
I can definitely see where you are coming from. I wrote DRAG.N in two days for a contest and research time was precious. I have chosen not to remove the mentions of mescaline and fluoxetine to keep the spirit of the original contest entry, however, I have qualified the drug cocktail as follows:
---------------
Charles felt like the accused walking towards final judgment.
He'd been on the board of the UHI from the get-go, approving the protocols, building locations, DRAG.N schematics. He'd supported everything... up until he'd received the biological breakdown of the approved inoculations.
It was one thing to vaccinate the populace against influenza, typhoid, hepatitis; he could agree with that. But secreting behavioral drugs into the mix, that was... immoral. An iota - just an iota, no more - of chemically reimagined mescaline, a naturally occurring alkaloid from the peyote cactus known for causing hallucinations, was tempered with a new formulation of fluoxetine, an anti-anxiety medicine. The behavioral formula was quite a bit more complicated, including more than the mescaline and fluoxetine. Well-known drugs had been laboratory re-birthed, combined to suit, and made effective over long periods of time.
In lab trials, when taken in very small amounts - approximately 0.05 micrograms - the chemically modified mescaline was shown to produce an increase in receptiveness rather than periods of vision-seeing delirium. Add an open-mind with stress-lowering modified fluoxetine and you had a very amiable, appeasing test subject or, in the government's mind, a very malleable citizen and voter. The chemical formula went on for pages, a cocktail of other drugs dancing with the mescaline and fluoxetine. The government called it REP. Only a few knew its name and its purpose. Re-elect the President.
Charles sat at the computer that networked with the other UHI buildings and DRAG.N units. His eyes bore holes into the monitor. He knew it wouldn't take long for a trained eye to find the slight alteration in the DRAG.N program that occurred before and after the cooling manifolds malfunctioned.
------------------
Other mentions of the two particular drugs have simply been changed to REP to represent the cocktail as a whole.
Thank you for your feedback!
-Eli Constant
Please feel free to visit me at www.eliconstant.com or email me at eli.constant.writes@gmail.com
May 31, 2015
I fell in love with DRAG.N from page 1. It was so riveting I laid all my other reads aside as I knew I wanted to finish this one first, before getting back to the other reads. It’s the first book by Eli Constant that I’ve read, but definitely not the last.
DRAG.N combines very powerful writing (not many bestselling books have) with excellent characterization and a fantastical plot that is actually very realistic to me. This novelette tells of a group of activists determined to take down technologies that drug the American nation and keep it brainwashed and “healthy”.
Even though it was a novelette, each character was fleshed out so well it seemed I knew them in real life. It doesn’t happen to me often even after reading a full-length novel.
I really enjoyed reading about Gracie Phillips, the creator of DRAG.N. Here's a short excerpt that, in my opinion, presents really well-done characterization:
The voice on the other end of the phone became more enthusiastic, cutting into her speech. “DRAG.N Inventor extraordinaire; I know who you are.”
Gracie paused; the praise made her uncomfortable. It always did, because down deep inside of her, she realized that inventing the DRAG.N was not something she wanted to be remembered for... like Einstein’s role in the development of the atom bomb.
I would definitely recommend this book to all who love well-written books. If you are a fan of dystopian novels, DRAG.N is a must-read for you.
DRAG.N combines very powerful writing (not many bestselling books have) with excellent characterization and a fantastical plot that is actually very realistic to me. This novelette tells of a group of activists determined to take down technologies that drug the American nation and keep it brainwashed and “healthy”.
Even though it was a novelette, each character was fleshed out so well it seemed I knew them in real life. It doesn’t happen to me often even after reading a full-length novel.
I really enjoyed reading about Gracie Phillips, the creator of DRAG.N. Here's a short excerpt that, in my opinion, presents really well-done characterization:
The voice on the other end of the phone became more enthusiastic, cutting into her speech. “DRAG.N Inventor extraordinaire; I know who you are.”
Gracie paused; the praise made her uncomfortable. It always did, because down deep inside of her, she realized that inventing the DRAG.N was not something she wanted to be remembered for... like Einstein’s role in the development of the atom bomb.
I would definitely recommend this book to all who love well-written books. If you are a fan of dystopian novels, DRAG.N is a must-read for you.
December 28, 2013
Drag.N is a fantastic read, part government conspiracy/part resistance thriller. Constant's voice is dark and humourous in all the right places, bringing this novella to an interesting climax...in every sense of the word.
But length is an issue, and I want to see more of this world, especially more of the President and the First Lady at the very top of this conspiracy. If and when Constant returns to this world, I for one will be standing rapt, ready and willing for my dosage.
But length is an issue, and I want to see more of this world, especially more of the President and the First Lady at the very top of this conspiracy. If and when Constant returns to this world, I for one will be standing rapt, ready and willing for my dosage.
July 30, 2013
It takes a lot for me to pick up a book (which is crazy knowing that I'm married to an author). To understand that this author had a very limited time to write this Novelette for a competition and still get this level of detail. Bravo Eli.....Bravo! Any chance on expanding this into a 'Novel' sequel?
February 10, 2014
Who really trusts the Government anyway? Conspiracy theory is alive and well with this story, as you will wonder yourself if Ms. Constant has discovered future plans and derailed them. This is so wonderfully written with so many twists and turns on who is playing for which team. I had to read this from beginning to end as soon as possible. You have to read this story, it is great.
October 21, 2013
Beautifully written thriller about a "public health" conspiracy. Amazing that this was written so quickly! The characters are very well developed and the plot is seamless. Though this is not my normal genre, Constant pulled me in and kept me interested until the very end! Fantastic!
May 5, 2013
Brilliant story & brilliant writing! Loved it and so wanted it to be a novel rather than novelette. Can't wait to read what Eli. C writes next:-)
April 15, 2020
Fantastic
Great little short story.I wish it was a full book.everyone email here to extend the book.
I would buy it.
Great little short story.I wish it was a full book.everyone email here to extend the book.
I would buy it.
August 9, 2014
*This Book Was Given To Me By The Author In Exchange For An Honest Review*
This is a Good Novella that captures a dystopian outlook that there by the grace of a good spin doctor and shady Politicians could actually be conceivable, I am all for a universal health care, I take it for granted the free vaccinations my children received in the UK, free health care etc. Moving countries has made me realize the benefit the NHS has in a whole - even though the masses constantly complain! I now live in a country where some is free - others are not, but I still think I am lucky to have access to an affordable health care system.
Eli Constant has created characters that are quite well rounded for you to understand each of them, Gracie Phillips, the creator of DRAG.N. isn't a complete Evil Inventor, in fact I felt quite sorry for her! She did feel guilt in some form for the way her invention was used, she just lacked the back bone to stand up to her bosses... and in reality I am sure there are many who would do just like she did... and therefore she was a very believable character.
I also really liked the President's wife - but I am not saying anymore, I am not going to give the plot away, but just say that this is a good short stand alone book with a story line that flows well.
I did think as I was 88% in how is this going to end? Will I be disappointed because we are just getting to the good bits and now its nearly finished. But all in all the last 3 paragraphs were OK in rounding it off to a conclusion.
There may be those who will pull the author up for the "Science" used - but I FLUNKED CHEMISTRY so I just enjoyed the story for what it was... FICTION.
I would definitely recommend this book to all who love dystopian novels, and even those who haven't tried this Genre.
Well Done Ms Constant, for a story which was initially written in 2 days its a really great concept.
***Review has been done in conjunction with Nerd Girl Official. For more information regarding our reviews please visit our Fansite: www.facebook.com/NerdGirl.ng ***
This is a Good Novella that captures a dystopian outlook that there by the grace of a good spin doctor and shady Politicians could actually be conceivable, I am all for a universal health care, I take it for granted the free vaccinations my children received in the UK, free health care etc. Moving countries has made me realize the benefit the NHS has in a whole - even though the masses constantly complain! I now live in a country where some is free - others are not, but I still think I am lucky to have access to an affordable health care system.
Eli Constant has created characters that are quite well rounded for you to understand each of them, Gracie Phillips, the creator of DRAG.N. isn't a complete Evil Inventor, in fact I felt quite sorry for her! She did feel guilt in some form for the way her invention was used, she just lacked the back bone to stand up to her bosses... and in reality I am sure there are many who would do just like she did... and therefore she was a very believable character.
I also really liked the President's wife - but I am not saying anymore, I am not going to give the plot away, but just say that this is a good short stand alone book with a story line that flows well.
I did think as I was 88% in how is this going to end? Will I be disappointed because we are just getting to the good bits and now its nearly finished. But all in all the last 3 paragraphs were OK in rounding it off to a conclusion.
There may be those who will pull the author up for the "Science" used - but I FLUNKED CHEMISTRY so I just enjoyed the story for what it was... FICTION.
I would definitely recommend this book to all who love dystopian novels, and even those who haven't tried this Genre.
Well Done Ms Constant, for a story which was initially written in 2 days its a really great concept.
***Review has been done in conjunction with Nerd Girl Official. For more information regarding our reviews please visit our Fansite: www.facebook.com/NerdGirl.ng ***
February 1, 2014
This dystopian view of the world is harrowing and brilliant and impossible to put down. Smartly written and thought-provoking, it provides insight into how easily ethics can be compromised for personal gain making this seemingly far-fetched idea actually conceivable. The plot unfolds at a pace that keeps you hooked (though it does leave you wanting more). A must-read for anyone who likes smart, timely fiction with an Orwellian tint.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews