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Space Boots
Leo Jones wants nothing more than to become a surgeon, but a misplaced terrorist bomb destroys his chance at a fast-tracked career, and nearly his optimism. His plan B finds him cleaning a Navy starship and saving for school, and running out of patience.
Hophnia Zimmerman wields her willpower with even more skill than her violin bow. As a new Navy officer, she's disappointed her first battle is not against an invader, but Leo's traitorous captain. She vows to bring him down, but agonizes over the collateral lives.
In the confusion of damaged ships and reassignments, Leo creates more problems for Hophnia than a misplaced bomb did for him. In their struggle to save the ship and limp back to Earth, they find the battle isn't over. There are vindictive traitors who are not biding their time.
Hophnia Zimmerman wields her willpower with even more skill than her violin bow. As a new Navy officer, she's disappointed her first battle is not against an invader, but Leo's traitorous captain. She vows to bring him down, but agonizes over the collateral lives.
In the confusion of damaged ships and reassignments, Leo creates more problems for Hophnia than a misplaced bomb did for him. In their struggle to save the ship and limp back to Earth, they find the battle isn't over. There are vindictive traitors who are not biding their time.
- GenresScience Fiction
468 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 19, 2020
13 people are currently reading
47 people want to read
About the author
Derick William Dalton
6 books17 followersDerick is a former high school biology teacher and currently treats patients as an urgent care physician assistant. As a result, he flavors stories with precocious teens, plausible new technology, and delightfully messy medical scenes. He also designs fantasy games, thanks to cross-pollinated fascinations with Tolkien and mathematical probability.
He lives in Washington with his wife and kids. He’s planning a mountain bike trip on Mars, and will be backpacking from Imladris to Lothlorien when he finds a good map.
Follow his project updates on Instagram @d.w.dalton, at DWDaltonAdventures.com, and his game releases at thegamecrafter.com/games/lone-wilderl...
He lives in Washington with his wife and kids. He’s planning a mountain bike trip on Mars, and will be backpacking from Imladris to Lothlorien when he finds a good map.
Follow his project updates on Instagram @d.w.dalton, at DWDaltonAdventures.com, and his game releases at thegamecrafter.com/games/lone-wilderl...
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
April 23, 2020
A well-crafted Sci-Fi. I will admit some of the details were a bit long, but it did hold my attention for the seven or so hours it took to read. I enjoyed Leo’s POV more than Hophnia’s in the beginning; he has a special blend of eternal optimism mixed with snark that I enjoyed. There’s a tiny bit of flirting, but if you’re looking for a romance, this isn’t it. More like a Harry, Hermione, and a (much older) Ron scenario.
Clean, well-written, and without all the garbage you find in most YA these days, I received an ARC and I can honestly recommend this book.
Clean, well-written, and without all the garbage you find in most YA these days, I received an ARC and I can honestly recommend this book.
May 26, 2020
This book has a great mix of different ways a hero can be derailed and redirected. The world feels much bigger than the two main characters, with a host of interactions running in the background to keep Leo and Hophnia on their toes.
I had a great time going through an early copy of this as an editor, so I got to see it transform over time into the polished piece the rest of you get to see.
Dalton makes extensive use of his medical knowledge in his writing, wrapping it into the structure of the story as part of Leo's hopes and dreams for a medical career that is doomed to failure by forces beyond him.
I had a great time going through an early copy of this as an editor, so I got to see it transform over time into the polished piece the rest of you get to see.
Dalton makes extensive use of his medical knowledge in his writing, wrapping it into the structure of the story as part of Leo's hopes and dreams for a medical career that is doomed to failure by forces beyond him.
June 7, 2020
A Story with Fun and Depth
It took some time for me to realize how apt the title Spaceboots was. Who would have expected that major plot points--and loads of hilarity--would be directly related to interplanetary footwear? But it works admirably, and it's only one of the many elements that Derick William Dalton weaves into his latest adventure. The novel is told from two separate points of view. The first is Leo Jones, who wasn't able to graduate from middle school because it was blown up by moon-based terrorists. The second is Hophnia Zimmerman, who did graduate, from college, at the prodigious age of fifteen. These two characters collide (sometimes literally) in a wild and unpredictable tale featuring secret messages, mutineers, weaponized computer brain chips, space battles, and--yes--specially engineered spaceboots. To say any more would deprive you of a rewarding read. Just get this book and enjoy!
It took some time for me to realize how apt the title Spaceboots was. Who would have expected that major plot points--and loads of hilarity--would be directly related to interplanetary footwear? But it works admirably, and it's only one of the many elements that Derick William Dalton weaves into his latest adventure. The novel is told from two separate points of view. The first is Leo Jones, who wasn't able to graduate from middle school because it was blown up by moon-based terrorists. The second is Hophnia Zimmerman, who did graduate, from college, at the prodigious age of fifteen. These two characters collide (sometimes literally) in a wild and unpredictable tale featuring secret messages, mutineers, weaponized computer brain chips, space battles, and--yes--specially engineered spaceboots. To say any more would deprive you of a rewarding read. Just get this book and enjoy!
April 23, 2020
Warning: NSFPT (not safe for public transportation)!
I can neither confirm nor deny that I almost missed my stop (*cough* twice *cough*) while reading this book, but consider yourself warned. I'll also neither confirm nor deny occasional snort-laughing (Spider Man, anyone?!) and frequent nail-biting. (No need to confirm or deny either, though, there were plenty of witnesses.)
I simply loved this fast-paced romp of an action adventure from the very first page. Leo and Hophnia are smart, compelling main characters up against overwhelming odds, the story is engaging and entertaining, and the writing is excellent as always. Extra kudos to Derick William Dalton for putting a hefty dose of science in this science fiction story. :)
5/5 highly recommended stars
I can neither confirm nor deny that I almost missed my stop (*cough* twice *cough*) while reading this book, but consider yourself warned. I'll also neither confirm nor deny occasional snort-laughing (Spider Man, anyone?!) and frequent nail-biting. (No need to confirm or deny either, though, there were plenty of witnesses.)
I simply loved this fast-paced romp of an action adventure from the very first page. Leo and Hophnia are smart, compelling main characters up against overwhelming odds, the story is engaging and entertaining, and the writing is excellent as always. Extra kudos to Derick William Dalton for putting a hefty dose of science in this science fiction story. :)
5/5 highly recommended stars
April 24, 2020
SpaceBoots is part Military SF and part thriller, one of those rare can't-put-this-down reads with a handful of great plot twists. The story is fast-paced, the characters relatable on many levels, and I found myself swinging from indignant to tense to chuckling out loud as Leo and Hophnia applied their creative genius to uncovering the threats to their ship. Dalton is a truly adept and talented writer, and that adds additional layers of enjoyment to this book. I highly recommend SpaceBoots!
May 19, 2020
I’m not finished with this book yet, but I am loving it. It’s funny, well-written, and gripping. My favorite character is probably Hophnia. At first, I was worried that she’d be like all the other kick-butt females in a lot of books these days...But she’s really interesting and super intense! She even scares me a little bit. I really like how the story moves backward and forward in time, and it’s interesting how well the author is able to capture the middle-grade genre voice and the adult voices. The technology is really cool! I can also tell that the author has a lot of medical knowledge but writes about it in a really casual way. Great read!
July 26, 2021
I received a review copy and this is an honest review. Space Boots has a good mixture of funny and more serious moments. I have never read (or heard in this case) a book centered around footwear with a surprisingly in-depth story. This story alternates between the perspectives of Hophnia and Leo, two teenagers who are forced into a life changing detour surrounding boot-making. The only issue I had was one small hiccup in the audio almost a third of the way through the audiobook.
July 3, 2021
Well written and very good narration. Great characters some very likable and some very easy to hae. well done with some twists and unexpected turns. reccomend to any sci-fi fans.
February 14, 2022
Received as a review copy from Story Origin, this is an honest review.
Received as an audio review copy from Story Origin, this is and honest review. Narrated by William Carter- whose brilliant performance makes Space Boots both an equally humorous and captivating adventure.
Leo and Hophina both desire to have lives that are different than what's been given to them. Yet the wrong path they both started on will find both coming together to face an adventure that didn't to go through but one that changes how they both see the world around them. An awesome read with plenty of snarky humor, characters you love and hate at the same time and an enthralling world of ships and deep secrets... highly recommended.
Received as an audio review copy from Story Origin, this is and honest review. Narrated by William Carter- whose brilliant performance makes Space Boots both an equally humorous and captivating adventure.
Leo and Hophina both desire to have lives that are different than what's been given to them. Yet the wrong path they both started on will find both coming together to face an adventure that didn't to go through but one that changes how they both see the world around them. An awesome read with plenty of snarky humor, characters you love and hate at the same time and an enthralling world of ships and deep secrets... highly recommended.
December 21, 2021
“You don’t like people telling you what you can’t do. Don’t you dare be one of them.”
This is a good, action-packed, true sci-fi novel peppered with humor, and I loved it. It’s a really good story that kept me coming back to find out what happens next!!
I loved the character development of Leo Jones (who I couldn’t help picturing as a young Will Smith), and particularly Hophnia, as they both fight to overcome their circumstances and road blocks. Their characters and development were believable! They were well thought out, flawed and complex. It was like I was reading about actual people, not just characters in a story. Hophnia, to me, starts off as a bit of a jerk (understandably, when you see where she comes from) so seeing her grow was particularly enjoyable. You can’t help but cheer for them. I also really loved Mr. Inocente and Kimmel.
And honestly, I absolutely love, LOVE all the medical and science stuff that’s in this book. So much of it was absolutely fascinating to me. To me, hearing medical and science things is like listening to an elegant language that I would love to learn someday… if I could just adjust my IQ up to a level where I could grasp more of it. But I love it so much! And I loved seeing the author combine this knowledge with his stellar imagination. It made for fascinating, believable and exciting scenes.
I would love to see more of these characters! And definitely would love to read more from this author.
I absolutely *LOVED* these lines in particular. They were so deep and inspiring! But also funny. I love this so much:
“Then there was Emily. She *spoke* with her violin, and with it pulled any emotion from anyone at her leisure. She did so because she never gave up when a piece became too complex, and she never accepted a plateau in her skills as more than a brief holiday.
“I don’t think any of those women thought their wisdom and motivation would apply to tracking down a toolbox on a starship, but that’s how it was about to be used.”
This is a good, action-packed, true sci-fi novel peppered with humor, and I loved it. It’s a really good story that kept me coming back to find out what happens next!!
I loved the character development of Leo Jones (who I couldn’t help picturing as a young Will Smith), and particularly Hophnia, as they both fight to overcome their circumstances and road blocks. Their characters and development were believable! They were well thought out, flawed and complex. It was like I was reading about actual people, not just characters in a story. Hophnia, to me, starts off as a bit of a jerk (understandably, when you see where she comes from) so seeing her grow was particularly enjoyable. You can’t help but cheer for them. I also really loved Mr. Inocente and Kimmel.
And honestly, I absolutely love, LOVE all the medical and science stuff that’s in this book. So much of it was absolutely fascinating to me. To me, hearing medical and science things is like listening to an elegant language that I would love to learn someday… if I could just adjust my IQ up to a level where I could grasp more of it. But I love it so much! And I loved seeing the author combine this knowledge with his stellar imagination. It made for fascinating, believable and exciting scenes.
I would love to see more of these characters! And definitely would love to read more from this author.
I absolutely *LOVED* these lines in particular. They were so deep and inspiring! But also funny. I love this so much:
“Then there was Emily. She *spoke* with her violin, and with it pulled any emotion from anyone at her leisure. She did so because she never gave up when a piece became too complex, and she never accepted a plateau in her skills as more than a brief holiday.
“I don’t think any of those women thought their wisdom and motivation would apply to tracking down a toolbox on a starship, but that’s how it was about to be used.”
February 23, 2022
And I mean that in a good way. I read to escape, and this was well-written, funny, and smart. The narration was the icing on the scifi cake adventure. Our two main characters Leo and Hophnia are interesting and complex for teens. There were times I'd get frustrated with their choices, then I'd remember their ages and go, "yep, that fits."
The mystery of who the traitors are is really good with lots of red herrings to keep you guessing. But mostly, I just enjoyed the interactions between our main characters. It was funny and real.
I give Space Boots a 4.5 for good writing, a fun ride, the fact I listened to the whole thing in two sittings, and the fact that the narrator added to the experience in a positive way.
1-5 scale and what it means:
1: I couldn’t even finish it / just plain bad
2: I hope I didn’t pay for this / disappointing
3: I didn’t hate it, but it was still missing something / forgettable but inoffensive
3.5: On the line between good and ok / like, not love
4: Solid mind candy / worth reading
4.5: So very close to perfection! / must read
5: I could not put it down and I’m still thinking about it! / a true treasure
The mystery of who the traitors are is really good with lots of red herrings to keep you guessing. But mostly, I just enjoyed the interactions between our main characters. It was funny and real.
I give Space Boots a 4.5 for good writing, a fun ride, the fact I listened to the whole thing in two sittings, and the fact that the narrator added to the experience in a positive way.
1-5 scale and what it means:
1: I couldn’t even finish it / just plain bad
2: I hope I didn’t pay for this / disappointing
3: I didn’t hate it, but it was still missing something / forgettable but inoffensive
3.5: On the line between good and ok / like, not love
4: Solid mind candy / worth reading
4.5: So very close to perfection! / must read
5: I could not put it down and I’m still thinking about it! / a true treasure
September 30, 2021
Many years ago, I wandered away from SCI Fi books and tales as they all seemed pretty much the same. This book/audible brought me right back and OH Did I LOVE it. Back and forth fill-ins. Fully formed 3D characters and an intriguing tale, made this a listen into the wee hours of the morning. I finally turned off my headset when my eyes could no longer stay open as I didn't want to miss a nuance. Each chapter makes you want to get to the next one.
Haven't explored SciFi for a while or just want something with humor, great narration, and plot? This will be right up your alley. Now, where can I get these boots?
Haven't explored SciFi for a while or just want something with humor, great narration, and plot? This will be right up your alley. Now, where can I get these boots?
June 21, 2021
I was given a free copy of the audiobook for an honest review. I really struggled with the narration of this book most. It’s probably just me but I like a female character to be voiced by a lady as the tone of voice and pitch helps set the characters apart. There were times where I had to check which character was speaking at that point.
Overall though narration apart, I enjoyed the story. Both overcome adversity and the world building is good helping the plot develop nicely without feeling rushed or sluggish
Overall though narration apart, I enjoyed the story. Both overcome adversity and the world building is good helping the plot develop nicely without feeling rushed or sluggish
September 10, 2023
Refreshing!
Exciting, action filled, and did it without offensive material. Intriguing story with suspense from beginning to end. Thanks! Will be following this author looking for more.
Exciting, action filled, and did it without offensive material. Intriguing story with suspense from beginning to end. Thanks! Will be following this author looking for more.
July 18, 2024
Awesome sci fi adventure
I have no idea why I didn't post a review of Space Boots when I read it. I loved this book and can't believe the ebook is no longer available. The characters are interesting and believable. The story is thrilling, and the worldbuilding is great.
I have no idea why I didn't post a review of Space Boots when I read it. I loved this book and can't believe the ebook is no longer available. The characters are interesting and believable. The story is thrilling, and the worldbuilding is great.
September 14, 2021
I really loved this book. Had a great humour running through it and some great twists. I will reread/listen to this book.
June 7, 2022
Just awesome.
The sort of humour I am very familiar with! Excellent military sci fi setting. Great work from Derrick William Dalton. Loved it.
The sort of humour I am very familiar with! Excellent military sci fi setting. Great work from Derrick William Dalton. Loved it.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews