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Daros
Plunged into chaos
High above Daros, sixteen-year-old Brecca Vereen prepares to unload a cargo of trade goods aboard her father's ship, the Envy's Price. Nellen Vereen shows her a mysterious artifact bound for a contact below, one that will earn them a lot of credits, and one that they definitely won't be declaring to customs.
Materializing out of nowhere, alien invaders fire upon all ships, destroy the jump gate, and knock out communications. The Envy's Price is crippled, and as her father tries to guide it down from orbit, Brecca rescues the illicit artifact and jettisons in a life pod to an uncertain fate below.
On the flagship of the invading fleet, Navigator Frim tries to persist within the cruel autocracy of the Zeelin Hegemony, under constant threat of death, but wishing for something better. And then she notices a whisper of radiation above Daros – the trail of a cloaked Vonar ship. What are they doing in the midst of all this? And will the captain kill her just for revealing this disagreeable news?
High above Daros, sixteen-year-old Brecca Vereen prepares to unload a cargo of trade goods aboard her father's ship, the Envy's Price. Nellen Vereen shows her a mysterious artifact bound for a contact below, one that will earn them a lot of credits, and one that they definitely won't be declaring to customs.
Materializing out of nowhere, alien invaders fire upon all ships, destroy the jump gate, and knock out communications. The Envy's Price is crippled, and as her father tries to guide it down from orbit, Brecca rescues the illicit artifact and jettisons in a life pod to an uncertain fate below.
On the flagship of the invading fleet, Navigator Frim tries to persist within the cruel autocracy of the Zeelin Hegemony, under constant threat of death, but wishing for something better. And then she notices a whisper of radiation above Daros – the trail of a cloaked Vonar ship. What are they doing in the midst of all this? And will the captain kill her just for revealing this disagreeable news?
459 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 18, 2021
About the author
Dave Dobson
14 books88 followersA native of Ames, Iowa, Dave loves writing, reading, boardgames, computer games, improv comedy, pizza, barbarian movies, and the cheaper end of the Taco Bell menu. Also, his wife and kids.
Dave is the author of Snood, Snoodoku, Snood Towers, and other computer games. Dave first published Snood in 1996, and it became one of the most popular shareware games of the early Internet. His most recent game is Scryptix, a word game for cell phones.
Dave taught geology, environmental studies, and computer programming at Guilford College for 24 years before stepping away to write full time. He does improv comedy every week at the Idiot Box in Greensboro, North Carolina. He’s also played the world’s largest tuba in concert. Not that that is relevant, but it’s still kinda cool.
Dave is the author of Snood, Snoodoku, Snood Towers, and other computer games. Dave first published Snood in 1996, and it became one of the most popular shareware games of the early Internet. His most recent game is Scryptix, a word game for cell phones.
Dave taught geology, environmental studies, and computer programming at Guilford College for 24 years before stepping away to write full time. He does improv comedy every week at the Idiot Box in Greensboro, North Carolina. He’s also played the world’s largest tuba in concert. Not that that is relevant, but it’s still kinda cool.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
December 28, 2021
My rating 4.3
The sci-fi novel “Daros (Kindle Edition)” by Dave Dobson is solid with an interesting story. The characters are well-crafted, and the descriptions are good. Only a few little things I needed to give a grade of 5, in some places the story somehow slowed down (maybe that's my impression), but overall the story is a lot of fun.
Now, a little about the story: Sixteen-year-old Brecca Vereen, with her father’s merchant ship, is coming to the planet Daros. But before they reach the runway at Daros, the planet is attacked by an unknown alien race. Their ship is shot down by unknown aliens, and Brecca Vereen jumps out of the ship with the rest of the crew. Her father made her do it because he was the only one left on the affected ship to try to land him on the surface. When Brecca comes out of the rescue capsule, she sets off in search of her father, but the alien invaders begin to occupy the planet. But she is unaware that she will soon have to save the entire universe and that she will have to make decisions on which her life and everyone she knows will depend.
I would recommend the book to fans of science fiction.
The sci-fi novel “Daros (Kindle Edition)” by Dave Dobson is solid with an interesting story. The characters are well-crafted, and the descriptions are good. Only a few little things I needed to give a grade of 5, in some places the story somehow slowed down (maybe that's my impression), but overall the story is a lot of fun.
Now, a little about the story: Sixteen-year-old Brecca Vereen, with her father’s merchant ship, is coming to the planet Daros. But before they reach the runway at Daros, the planet is attacked by an unknown alien race. Their ship is shot down by unknown aliens, and Brecca Vereen jumps out of the ship with the rest of the crew. Her father made her do it because he was the only one left on the affected ship to try to land him on the surface. When Brecca comes out of the rescue capsule, she sets off in search of her father, but the alien invaders begin to occupy the planet. But she is unaware that she will soon have to save the entire universe and that she will have to make decisions on which her life and everyone she knows will depend.
I would recommend the book to fans of science fiction.
February 10, 2022
This book is one of the Semifinalists Round of 30 in this years Self-Published Science Fiction Contest (SPSFC). It ticked off the most check-boxes in my favorite kind of science fiction. It was an easy read and even though one of the three main characters is only 16 years old, it's not aimed at the YA audience. Among other things there's advanced alien technology and a planetary invasion. There's punny chapter titles and decision making (between the human MC and the AI MC) done as arguments, which was novel. It's a fun, humorous, found-family story that will remind you of books like the Wayfarers series by Becky Chambers, the Murderbot series by Martha Wells, the Salvagers series by Alex White or the Axiom series by Tim Pratt. Note that at times, the wow and implausibility factors are turned up high, which might be off-putting to some. The ending was slightly telegraphed, or maybe that was just me. Still, all in all, I really enjoyed this book. If this is your shtick though, then I suggest given it a go (the eBook is a fraction of the price of some of those other trad. pub. works I mentioned). The author also has three fantasy books that have been added to my TBR. (The tagline of "kind of Princess Bride meets CSI" sold me.) Finally, Dave is the author of Snood, a computer game I played waaay too much back in the late 90's.
April 7, 2022
A fun and light-hearted scifi adventure brimming with humour and alien weirdness. This felt like an end-season TV movie of a family scifi show, if that makes any sense at all. I particularly enjoyed the various alien species and how not-human they were, and the galaxy-scale worldbuilding that came in towards the end. There's loads of banter and loads of action - check this out if you're in the mood for something fun and uniquely weird!
April 2, 2024
Another great story by Dave Dobson! His world building skills are amazing, it was easy to picture all the aliens and characters in the book. I hope Dave Dobson writes a sequel someday, it seems like Brecca has more adventures ahead of her!
July 3, 2022
3.5 and for rounding purposes
I don't know if it was my mood or what reading this but I never got fully engaged with Daros. It is an SPSFC semifinalist with overwhelmingly positive feedback so I am willing to chalk it up to my mood and possibly the format - I read ePUB on the ReadEra reader and it can be hard to interact with this at times.
OK let's start with the positive - In itself, the plot is a good idea. There's an alien invasion and humans are caught in the crossfire. The issue is that we don't know why they are invading or what artifact on the surface is being protected for quite a while. There's plenty of action interspersed throughout the book too but after an exciting beginning and interesting ending, I found a lot of the middle dragging.
Character wise, I liked our main character Brecca. She's funny, resourceful, and took the events in stride better than most teenagers would. Frim's storyline, according to the author, was written into the plot later and I think it shows. The chapters come in alternating points of view and it was hard to tell what was happening in Frim's at first. I don't think we got enough Zeelin backstory to make me care about her even once her goals and that of the fleet became apparent.
The first contact elements to me were the best thing that Dobson did in this book. It was funny, entertaining, and realistic that the human and Zeelin would be eyeing each other trying to figure out what, for example, each facial feature was for. The comparison of oral openings was my favorite part of the entire novel - and what the heck are THOSE slits for? Exactly. He only dropped it once when the Zeelin magically learned what the human body parts were called for a minute, then they snapped back into character.
As with any space opera, you'd better believe there is also a snarky ship's AI. I liked the Lyra and Brecca dynamic. The banter and reasoning back and forth was excellent. Every AI has a "thing" and I liked Dobson's concept of reasoning through the ethical codes and such. As much as I liked Lyra - this is where my readers groan - SJW commentary always shuts me off, which is ironic as a SciFi fan, but I'm not here to be lectured about things like gender, and the ship got a little high-horsed about it
That said, I did ok with some of the imagery but Dobson's descriptive language didn't give me a great idea of what certain things like ships and characters looked like. I pictured the Zeelin as upright walking crocodiles without the long noses, for example.
I don't have any real complaints about the book but it just dragged overall for me despite having many great elements. I have also been reading a TON of sci-fi recently and maybe I need a break. All the space opera elements are there AND you get plenty of entertainment as you go. Also make sure to read the chapter titles, they are entirely punny
Thanks to Escapist Tours and the author for providing me an ecopy to read!
I don't know if it was my mood or what reading this but I never got fully engaged with Daros. It is an SPSFC semifinalist with overwhelmingly positive feedback so I am willing to chalk it up to my mood and possibly the format - I read ePUB on the ReadEra reader and it can be hard to interact with this at times.
OK let's start with the positive - In itself, the plot is a good idea. There's an alien invasion and humans are caught in the crossfire. The issue is that we don't know why they are invading or what artifact on the surface is being protected for quite a while. There's plenty of action interspersed throughout the book too but after an exciting beginning and interesting ending, I found a lot of the middle dragging.
Character wise, I liked our main character Brecca. She's funny, resourceful, and took the events in stride better than most teenagers would. Frim's storyline, according to the author, was written into the plot later and I think it shows. The chapters come in alternating points of view and it was hard to tell what was happening in Frim's at first. I don't think we got enough Zeelin backstory to make me care about her even once her goals and that of the fleet became apparent.
The first contact elements to me were the best thing that Dobson did in this book. It was funny, entertaining, and realistic that the human and Zeelin would be eyeing each other trying to figure out what, for example, each facial feature was for. The comparison of oral openings was my favorite part of the entire novel - and what the heck are THOSE slits for? Exactly. He only dropped it once when the Zeelin magically learned what the human body parts were called for a minute, then they snapped back into character.
As with any space opera, you'd better believe there is also a snarky ship's AI. I liked the Lyra and Brecca dynamic. The banter and reasoning back and forth was excellent. Every AI has a "thing" and I liked Dobson's concept of reasoning through the ethical codes and such. As much as I liked Lyra - this is where my readers groan - SJW commentary always shuts me off, which is ironic as a SciFi fan, but I'm not here to be lectured about things like gender, and the ship got a little high-horsed about it
That said, I did ok with some of the imagery but Dobson's descriptive language didn't give me a great idea of what certain things like ships and characters looked like. I pictured the Zeelin as upright walking crocodiles without the long noses, for example.
I don't have any real complaints about the book but it just dragged overall for me despite having many great elements. I have also been reading a TON of sci-fi recently and maybe I need a break. All the space opera elements are there AND you get plenty of entertainment as you go. Also make sure to read the chapter titles, they are entirely punny
Thanks to Escapist Tours and the author for providing me an ecopy to read!
Read
September 5, 2021One of the semi-finalists for the first Self-Published Science Fiction Competition!
May 22, 2022
I was sent a complimentary audiobook code by the author - thank you Dave! My review is honest and all opinions are my own.
Jennifer Pratt’s Audio narration of this SPFSC semi-finalist novel is really excellent. The opening chapter involves a couple of crew members of the Envy’s Price attempting to rid the ship of an alien arachnoid infestation and all of the disgust and horror this involves comes across really well. Her voice acting makes use of lots of different accents - Russian, New Zealand and British accents, to name just a selection, in order to distinguish different alien groups. She is able to put on a sassy teenage girl voice when Brecca asks the machine intelligence individual, Lyra, to be more friendly. This was hilarious.
The chapter titles are cleverly witty and intriguing. There are 79 short chapters which keeps the pace of the novel fairly fast and makes you want to keep listening/reading.
The story is a fun and light-hearted sci-fi adventure in which an unlikely human teenage heroine, Brecca Vereen, finds herself in the thick of an alien invasion of planet Daros after her father’s spaceship, the Envy’s Price, is caught up in an interstellar battle. Their ship is hit, forcing her to escape in a pod to the surface of the planet. She has in her possession an item that must be delivered to a contact named Corax for a large sum of money. Her father’s spaceship crashes on the planet and Brecca embarks on a journey to discover if he and her friends have survived. On the way she meets many imaginatively described non-humanoid alien species and has to decide where her morals lie in deciding whether to sell the mysterious object.
Brecca is a brave and determined sixteen year old. She has a sensible attitude to her own survival and is remarkably resourceful, using skills and capabilities which enable her to ingratiate herself with groups of people she meets along the way, who help to further her journey. She is compassionate towards the small purple Vonar she encounters and respectfully tries to decipher his dying wishes. He gives her his communicator armband which gives her the ability to locate and fly his cloaked ship which turns out to be decorated internally with purple fur - what teenager wouldn’t love to fly an invisible purple furry spaceship!
In addition to Brecca there is another point of view character - Frim, who is one of the invading Zeelin species. Frim is part of a hive-like, all-female crew where additional crew members are grown as needed from buds which occasionally develop on the bodies of the crew. Their memories and experiences are implanted into them soon after incubation and they are culled by the despotic Captain Torlo whenever they displease her. Frim is not a fan of the invasion and we discover she is actually a member of the Resistance, with a mission to find and protect artefacts which have been located on Daros by its human mining colony. The invading Zeelin want to use these artefacts to enable them to dominate other species. Empathic Frim has a strong moral compass and sense of unfairness of the way life is under Captain Torlo. She is a really well-written many-layered alien whose mission I became totally invested in. As we get to know Frim we find out that she has never known affection or had feelings for another of her species and was not aware this was even a possibility, but this gradually changes as she becomes closer with another member of the Resistance. This awakening of feelings was tentatively explored and very heart-warming. I found myself hoping the two Zeelin in question might find a happy ending together.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characterisation and world-building are solid, although the latter is mostly located in the final quarter of the narrative. I especially enjoyed all of the different alien species, whose descriptions were a lot of fun to read, especially telepathic Guzma, a non mobile entity who lives in a box and emits a jelly like substance occasionally, the four armed, beaked Kenthar, whose history was so interesting and the invading Zeelin:
“The soldier was a hulking thing, maybe 200 kilos and half again as tall as a person. Bipedal, but with a thick fleshy tail protruding from the back of the metallic armor, tapering to a point at the tip. The armor suits on the other ones she could see seemed to include a helmet, but on this one, the glassy dome was missing or retracted. This revealed a gray leathery head with three slits on top that flapped open sometimes, a single bulbous eye in the middle, then below that the mouth hole, an irregular gash across the bottom of the face. This hole opened and closed as the soldier spoke. There was no discernable neck. The head just extended from the top of the armor like a chunk of gray biopaste from a rations tube.”
The “machine intelligence individual” known as Lyra who is present on the Vonar ship brought a whole other dimension to the story, along with more than a few laughs. Her irreverence towards Brecca at the beginning of their relationship was hilarious, particularly when Brecca asks her if she can maybe be a little friendlier, after all that Brecca has been through, and Lyra takes on th epersona of a snarky teenaged girl. This came across really well in the narration as Jennifer Pratt switched between bland machine voice to a more modern teenager type voice. The history of the rise of the “machine intelligence individuals” and the subsequent Principle Agreement which had to be made between them and the Vonar to foster compatibility and cooperation, rather than annihilation of the Vonar species or destruction of all of the machines was an interesting perspective. Lyra was one of my favourite characters in the book.
There is a reason why this book is a semi-finalist in this year’s SPFSC competition (put together by Hugh Howey) - it is a fun and fast-paced character-driven adventure that is well worth your time and attention and I highly recommend it if you like space battles, smuggling, a daring rescue mission, intriguing aliens, brave, strong female characters, moral decision-making by a teenaged heroine, friendship and honour in the face of death.
Jennifer Pratt’s Audio narration of this SPFSC semi-finalist novel is really excellent. The opening chapter involves a couple of crew members of the Envy’s Price attempting to rid the ship of an alien arachnoid infestation and all of the disgust and horror this involves comes across really well. Her voice acting makes use of lots of different accents - Russian, New Zealand and British accents, to name just a selection, in order to distinguish different alien groups. She is able to put on a sassy teenage girl voice when Brecca asks the machine intelligence individual, Lyra, to be more friendly. This was hilarious.
The chapter titles are cleverly witty and intriguing. There are 79 short chapters which keeps the pace of the novel fairly fast and makes you want to keep listening/reading.
The story is a fun and light-hearted sci-fi adventure in which an unlikely human teenage heroine, Brecca Vereen, finds herself in the thick of an alien invasion of planet Daros after her father’s spaceship, the Envy’s Price, is caught up in an interstellar battle. Their ship is hit, forcing her to escape in a pod to the surface of the planet. She has in her possession an item that must be delivered to a contact named Corax for a large sum of money. Her father’s spaceship crashes on the planet and Brecca embarks on a journey to discover if he and her friends have survived. On the way she meets many imaginatively described non-humanoid alien species and has to decide where her morals lie in deciding whether to sell the mysterious object.
Brecca is a brave and determined sixteen year old. She has a sensible attitude to her own survival and is remarkably resourceful, using skills and capabilities which enable her to ingratiate herself with groups of people she meets along the way, who help to further her journey. She is compassionate towards the small purple Vonar she encounters and respectfully tries to decipher his dying wishes. He gives her his communicator armband which gives her the ability to locate and fly his cloaked ship which turns out to be decorated internally with purple fur - what teenager wouldn’t love to fly an invisible purple furry spaceship!
In addition to Brecca there is another point of view character - Frim, who is one of the invading Zeelin species. Frim is part of a hive-like, all-female crew where additional crew members are grown as needed from buds which occasionally develop on the bodies of the crew. Their memories and experiences are implanted into them soon after incubation and they are culled by the despotic Captain Torlo whenever they displease her. Frim is not a fan of the invasion and we discover she is actually a member of the Resistance, with a mission to find and protect artefacts which have been located on Daros by its human mining colony. The invading Zeelin want to use these artefacts to enable them to dominate other species. Empathic Frim has a strong moral compass and sense of unfairness of the way life is under Captain Torlo. She is a really well-written many-layered alien whose mission I became totally invested in. As we get to know Frim we find out that she has never known affection or had feelings for another of her species and was not aware this was even a possibility, but this gradually changes as she becomes closer with another member of the Resistance. This awakening of feelings was tentatively explored and very heart-warming. I found myself hoping the two Zeelin in question might find a happy ending together.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characterisation and world-building are solid, although the latter is mostly located in the final quarter of the narrative. I especially enjoyed all of the different alien species, whose descriptions were a lot of fun to read, especially telepathic Guzma, a non mobile entity who lives in a box and emits a jelly like substance occasionally, the four armed, beaked Kenthar, whose history was so interesting and the invading Zeelin:
“The soldier was a hulking thing, maybe 200 kilos and half again as tall as a person. Bipedal, but with a thick fleshy tail protruding from the back of the metallic armor, tapering to a point at the tip. The armor suits on the other ones she could see seemed to include a helmet, but on this one, the glassy dome was missing or retracted. This revealed a gray leathery head with three slits on top that flapped open sometimes, a single bulbous eye in the middle, then below that the mouth hole, an irregular gash across the bottom of the face. This hole opened and closed as the soldier spoke. There was no discernable neck. The head just extended from the top of the armor like a chunk of gray biopaste from a rations tube.”
The “machine intelligence individual” known as Lyra who is present on the Vonar ship brought a whole other dimension to the story, along with more than a few laughs. Her irreverence towards Brecca at the beginning of their relationship was hilarious, particularly when Brecca asks her if she can maybe be a little friendlier, after all that Brecca has been through, and Lyra takes on th epersona of a snarky teenaged girl. This came across really well in the narration as Jennifer Pratt switched between bland machine voice to a more modern teenager type voice. The history of the rise of the “machine intelligence individuals” and the subsequent Principle Agreement which had to be made between them and the Vonar to foster compatibility and cooperation, rather than annihilation of the Vonar species or destruction of all of the machines was an interesting perspective. Lyra was one of my favourite characters in the book.
There is a reason why this book is a semi-finalist in this year’s SPFSC competition (put together by Hugh Howey) - it is a fun and fast-paced character-driven adventure that is well worth your time and attention and I highly recommend it if you like space battles, smuggling, a daring rescue mission, intriguing aliens, brave, strong female characters, moral decision-making by a teenaged heroine, friendship and honour in the face of death.
June 14, 2021
This is Dave Dobson's first foray into science fiction. I found this a fast-paced and entertaining story harking back to my favorite old-style science fiction where the focus is on different alien biologies and societies learning to coexist. Dobson approaches this with humor and goodwill. The villains have funny lines, the intelligent spaceship is delightfully difficult, and everyone has room to learn and grow.
December 29, 2021
Full disclosure: I know the author, but not so well that I would have to read the book, and definitely not so well that I would have to like it. But I really, really do. In particular, it deserves five stars for its cleverest character, an artificial intelligence that I don’t want to reveal more about but trust me, you’ll love it. It’s simultaneously everything you love about classic sci-fi, but with a 2020s spin that makes it feel fresh and a very quick read.
December 18, 2023
I’ll start this off by saying this book was great fun and I thoroughly enjoyed my time with it. The plot took me to places I didn’t expect, and the setting was excellent, with characters caught up in the midst of an interstellar invasion. I especially liked the Zeelin, and the chapters in which we followed Navigator Frim. I found seeing things from her perspective to be an imaginative and fascinating experience. The pacing was pretty spot on; I didn’t find anything that really slowed things down too much, and for the most part I enjoyed the prose. However, I did feel in some places that things were over-egged in terms of the characters considering the possible outcomes of certain situations. The author did a great job with the worldbuilding, however, and I especially enjoyed the lore appendix at the back! It reminded me of the Horrible Histories books.
In terms of characters, they were all really fantastic. In addition to Frim, I particularly enjoyed Lyra’s personality. I’m always drawn to sassy sentient AI spaceships in sci-fi. They’re always really interesting to read. Brecca herself was resourceful, and her considerations were believable. Guzma was fun as a weird meat-blob thing. I would like to have seen more of the humans in it, though. Near the start, Brecca meets up with a group of soldiers who are pretty interesting, but after she’s whisked away by Lyra, we don’t see much of them again, which is a bit of a shame.
All in all, I would really recommend Daros to anyone who wants a space opera that’s a bit light-hearted, with good humour and high stakes.
In terms of characters, they were all really fantastic. In addition to Frim, I particularly enjoyed Lyra’s personality. I’m always drawn to sassy sentient AI spaceships in sci-fi. They’re always really interesting to read. Brecca herself was resourceful, and her considerations were believable. Guzma was fun as a weird meat-blob thing. I would like to have seen more of the humans in it, though. Near the start, Brecca meets up with a group of soldiers who are pretty interesting, but after she’s whisked away by Lyra, we don’t see much of them again, which is a bit of a shame.
All in all, I would really recommend Daros to anyone who wants a space opera that’s a bit light-hearted, with good humour and high stakes.
September 26, 2023
This is a YA sci-fi adventure with different alien species, an AI with personality, a young protagonist trying to survive an alien invasion and save friends and family, a rebellious alien fighting for a good cause, a bit of mystery, and more.
I enjoyed reading it and would recommend it.
I enjoyed reading it and would recommend it.
June 4, 2022
Review to come
October 9, 2021
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Daros is a Sci-Fi Adventure/Space Opera novel focusing on the exploits of two characters on and above an imaginary planet the book is named for. I enjoyed this story immensely, but it took me a few chapters to get into it. The story has a lot of detail, so the reader really must be invested in reading this story. After the exposition, the story flows well and is rich in aspects of the motivation of the characters, the setting, and especially the humor. I would add the category of humorous sci-fi to the description. The humor is really what kept me reading on. I loved the subtle dry wit the author added to the story through an artificially intelligent character that aids one of the principal characters through most of the book.
Captain Nellen Vereen of the small freighter, Envy's Price, intends to unload cargo on the planet Daros. Accompanying him is his daughter, Brecca, and two more crew members. Along with regular items to be delivered, there is an item promising to deliver wealth to all aboard.
When the ship arrives at Daros, they find themselves in the middle of a war. The Envy's Price is hit and plummets toward the planet below. Captain Vereen orders all hands to evacuate the ship. Brecca grabs the valuable item and leaves the ship in an escape pod while the captain attempts to land the damaged ship.
Meanwhile, aboard one of the attacking Zeelin warships, Navigator Frim unfolds a plan to stop the war. That is, if she can avoid being culled by the cruel commander of her ship.
Brecca finds herself alone and unsure of what to do until she is taken aboard a cloaked Vonar ship being operated by an artificially intelligent entity named Lyra. The two strike up an uneasy relationship as they learn to understand one another, that transforms into an unusual friendship as time goes on.
I enjoyed the principal human character, Bacca Vereen, and her artificially intelligent companion, Lyra. Although, I may have that backward. Sometimes it appeared Bacca was more of the sidekick than the ship. In any case, these two and their interactions were priceless and a major source of entertainment.
Sixteen-year-old Bacca is wise beyond her years. Thanks to what she has learned while working onboard her father's ship, and also, because of a good education, she solves problems that would confound some of the smartest adults. Her main quest is to find her father who went down with his ship. While she hopes for the best, she also fears the worst which drives most of her part of the story. She also has a great sense of humor, which is helpful in her dealings with Lyra.
Lyra is the power behind the Vonar ship who adopts Bacca as the Interlocutor. The Interlocutor's job is to provide Lyra with arguments, or rather, statements, to analyze to determine how to best proceed in particular situations. The interactions between Bacca and Lyra is where much of the humor appears. Lyra comes across as your basic smart-ass without meaning to. Nearly every statement made to Lyra is analyzed out loud, which often seems condescending.
As far as I am concerned, the interactions between these two are worth the price of the book. Daros is a stand-alone story, but I would enjoy a sequel featuring these two characters again.
Along with the character interaction, I also enjoyed the many plot twists, but there in one in which a character is encased in a substance and requires rescue. It is one of the best scenes in the book and I laughed all the way through it.
The biggest takeaway for me in Daros is Bacca's hero’s journey as she is forced to think on her feet, but also relies on help from Lyra. As a teenager, Bacca is a force to be reckoned with. I can only imagine what she will be like as an adult. It wouldn't surprise me if she became a major player in the affairs of the galaxy.
If you are looking for an entertaining, witty, and interesting story, this is it. This review really only scratches the surface of what is in the book. I recommend this for the quality of the writing, the humor, and the character interactions in Daros.
Daros is a Sci-Fi Adventure/Space Opera novel focusing on the exploits of two characters on and above an imaginary planet the book is named for. I enjoyed this story immensely, but it took me a few chapters to get into it. The story has a lot of detail, so the reader really must be invested in reading this story. After the exposition, the story flows well and is rich in aspects of the motivation of the characters, the setting, and especially the humor. I would add the category of humorous sci-fi to the description. The humor is really what kept me reading on. I loved the subtle dry wit the author added to the story through an artificially intelligent character that aids one of the principal characters through most of the book.
Captain Nellen Vereen of the small freighter, Envy's Price, intends to unload cargo on the planet Daros. Accompanying him is his daughter, Brecca, and two more crew members. Along with regular items to be delivered, there is an item promising to deliver wealth to all aboard.
When the ship arrives at Daros, they find themselves in the middle of a war. The Envy's Price is hit and plummets toward the planet below. Captain Vereen orders all hands to evacuate the ship. Brecca grabs the valuable item and leaves the ship in an escape pod while the captain attempts to land the damaged ship.
Meanwhile, aboard one of the attacking Zeelin warships, Navigator Frim unfolds a plan to stop the war. That is, if she can avoid being culled by the cruel commander of her ship.
Brecca finds herself alone and unsure of what to do until she is taken aboard a cloaked Vonar ship being operated by an artificially intelligent entity named Lyra. The two strike up an uneasy relationship as they learn to understand one another, that transforms into an unusual friendship as time goes on.
I enjoyed the principal human character, Bacca Vereen, and her artificially intelligent companion, Lyra. Although, I may have that backward. Sometimes it appeared Bacca was more of the sidekick than the ship. In any case, these two and their interactions were priceless and a major source of entertainment.
Sixteen-year-old Bacca is wise beyond her years. Thanks to what she has learned while working onboard her father's ship, and also, because of a good education, she solves problems that would confound some of the smartest adults. Her main quest is to find her father who went down with his ship. While she hopes for the best, she also fears the worst which drives most of her part of the story. She also has a great sense of humor, which is helpful in her dealings with Lyra.
Lyra is the power behind the Vonar ship who adopts Bacca as the Interlocutor. The Interlocutor's job is to provide Lyra with arguments, or rather, statements, to analyze to determine how to best proceed in particular situations. The interactions between Bacca and Lyra is where much of the humor appears. Lyra comes across as your basic smart-ass without meaning to. Nearly every statement made to Lyra is analyzed out loud, which often seems condescending.
As far as I am concerned, the interactions between these two are worth the price of the book. Daros is a stand-alone story, but I would enjoy a sequel featuring these two characters again.
Along with the character interaction, I also enjoyed the many plot twists, but there in one in which a character is encased in a substance and requires rescue. It is one of the best scenes in the book and I laughed all the way through it.
The biggest takeaway for me in Daros is Bacca's hero’s journey as she is forced to think on her feet, but also relies on help from Lyra. As a teenager, Bacca is a force to be reckoned with. I can only imagine what she will be like as an adult. It wouldn't surprise me if she became a major player in the affairs of the galaxy.
If you are looking for an entertaining, witty, and interesting story, this is it. This review really only scratches the surface of what is in the book. I recommend this for the quality of the writing, the humor, and the character interactions in Daros.
February 22, 2022
I enjoyed this story by Dave Dobson. The protagonist was a sixteen-year-old girl named Brecca. Once Brecca landed on the planet, she needed to find her way through all the dangers of a planet at war. The story was fun and exciting. The characters were quirky and memorable. I hope that the author has more planned for these characters. I recommend this book to others who enjoy this genre. Jennifer Pratt's narration was great and entertaining. I was given a free copy of the audiobook and I have voluntarily posted this review.
February 23, 2022
The comedy is the book is fab, the pace is good. Storyline was great. The irony of turning up and getting caught up in a planetary invasion, with a sassy ship and a bunch of odd characters worked. And even the 16yr old heroine made sense in not wanting to sacrifice herself in the first place but when faced as the only one suitable making that very move. one of the best i read in a while.
July 14, 2021
Brecca is a teenaged girl traveling with her father; a merchant with money owing on his interplanetary ship, and occasionally questionable cargo. Minor problem; spider creatures not on known lists. Major problem; the object they're here to sell to a contact on Daros, may be the least of their current worries. Because somebody is shooting at their ship, and the deal may be off.
Frim is a member of the invading force. A race of beings with one large eye, no neck, and a long tail. Their society has turned brutal (especially the military), allowing anyone in power to cull individuals in public and while on the job. As a secret rebel, Frim's mission is to stop her people from achieving their goal on Daros. At all cost. Or billions could die, and a rein of subjugation and oppression will continue.
Lyra is a sentient AI on a small cloaked ship. She(?) is dependent upon a partner/leader who can propose actions that will help complete her goals. She may seem powerful and in control, but she is the most helpless of all.
Other characters are looking out for their own interests; good or bad. But the current invasion is causing chaos, as well as bringing together a volatile group of allies.
What did the mining company find on Daros? Is it untold treasure, or an unimaginable weapon? How did non-human races find out? Why are they willing to risk attacking a planet for what was found?
This is a briefly gory (alien death only) space opera from the viewpoints of a human teenage girl and an alien navigator as they risk everything to gain freedom in one sense or another, and discover that there is much more at stake than they realized. So, no pressure!
Brecca and Frim don't appear to have much in common on the surface. However, each are in circumstances they never imagined, and they aren't sure whether they are strong enough to be successful. But when there's an invasion and their former lives are destroyed, forward is the only choice.
The characters face defining experiences; adding depth to the action, treasure hunting, and layers of fighting and defense. This is the type of adventure to read and re-read as part of a personal library. Or a favorite gift for any Sci-fi fan!
5/5 Stars
Thanks to the publishers and Book Sirens for the free preview of this great ebook!
#Daros #BookSirens
Frim is a member of the invading force. A race of beings with one large eye, no neck, and a long tail. Their society has turned brutal (especially the military), allowing anyone in power to cull individuals in public and while on the job. As a secret rebel, Frim's mission is to stop her people from achieving their goal on Daros. At all cost. Or billions could die, and a rein of subjugation and oppression will continue.
Lyra is a sentient AI on a small cloaked ship. She(?) is dependent upon a partner/leader who can propose actions that will help complete her goals. She may seem powerful and in control, but she is the most helpless of all.
Other characters are looking out for their own interests; good or bad. But the current invasion is causing chaos, as well as bringing together a volatile group of allies.
What did the mining company find on Daros? Is it untold treasure, or an unimaginable weapon? How did non-human races find out? Why are they willing to risk attacking a planet for what was found?
This is a briefly gory (alien death only) space opera from the viewpoints of a human teenage girl and an alien navigator as they risk everything to gain freedom in one sense or another, and discover that there is much more at stake than they realized. So, no pressure!
Brecca and Frim don't appear to have much in common on the surface. However, each are in circumstances they never imagined, and they aren't sure whether they are strong enough to be successful. But when there's an invasion and their former lives are destroyed, forward is the only choice.
The characters face defining experiences; adding depth to the action, treasure hunting, and layers of fighting and defense. This is the type of adventure to read and re-read as part of a personal library. Or a favorite gift for any Sci-fi fan!
5/5 Stars
Thanks to the publishers and Book Sirens for the free preview of this great ebook!
#Daros #BookSirens
June 8, 2022
4.5/5 stars
Daros was unexpectedly awesome. The synopsis/blurb does not do it justice. This scifi space opera follows teenager Brecca as her father’s trade ship is shot down by an invading alien fleet upon reaching the remote mining planet Daros. Aboard the flagship of that fleet of the Zeelin autocracy is Navigator Frim, a rebel with a secret mission of her own. Joining them are a sassy spaceship AI, fierce alien zealots, and a telepathic goo being.
What follows is a humorous mishmash of first contact, strange aliens and their different cultures, and hidden plots and conspiracies. This is a fun romp through an unfamiliar planet between reluctant allies filled with funny interactions and quite a bit of action. Ultimately though, it is a story with a lot of heart—of a daughter’s love for her father and of an individual’s longing for a better future for herself and her people.
*I was provided an copy of the book as part of its book tour.
Daros was unexpectedly awesome. The synopsis/blurb does not do it justice. This scifi space opera follows teenager Brecca as her father’s trade ship is shot down by an invading alien fleet upon reaching the remote mining planet Daros. Aboard the flagship of that fleet of the Zeelin autocracy is Navigator Frim, a rebel with a secret mission of her own. Joining them are a sassy spaceship AI, fierce alien zealots, and a telepathic goo being.
What follows is a humorous mishmash of first contact, strange aliens and their different cultures, and hidden plots and conspiracies. This is a fun romp through an unfamiliar planet between reluctant allies filled with funny interactions and quite a bit of action. Ultimately though, it is a story with a lot of heart—of a daughter’s love for her father and of an individual’s longing for a better future for herself and her people.
*I was provided an copy of the book as part of its book tour.
July 19, 2021
I've read a few of Dave Dobson's other books and really enjoyed them, so I was excited when I find out he was going to write a science fiction novel. I enjoyed this book a lot. The story was very suspenseful yet peppered with Dobson's trademark humor. Sometimes sci-fi can get too complicated and becomes a chore to read, but Daros remained accessible and fun throughout. The two main characters, a teenage human and a bizarre alien rebel are likeable and well written, and I enjoyed the creativity that Dobson put into his descriptions of otherworldly species. Although it is certainly approachable for younger readers, it didn't feel overly YA or out of reach for adults either. Overall, this book was a fun ride and I would wholeheartedly recommend it to even casual fans of the genre.
August 9, 2021
This was my first time reading a book by Dave Dobson. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The story takes you on an adventure set in the future with a plethora of alien entities, some friendly, some not so much. Mr. Dobson's imaginative descriptions made visualizing these aliens believable, and the humorous banter added a lightheartedness not usually found in hard core sci-fi. Fun and entertaining, I would definitely recommend this book.
I received this as an ARC, advance review copy, for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received this as an ARC, advance review copy, for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 10, 2021
Fast paced entertaining story. Received free from Goodreads
December 21, 2021
What a fun group of characters!!! An amazing story that creates an unlikely alliance. This is totally a book I want to see made into a movie. And I want another book.
March 30, 2022
Read for SPSFC Semifinalists!
Overall Thoughts
Throwing comedy and a teenager into the mix with planetary invasion, talk of genocide, and grievous bodily harm might sound like a tall order, but Daros manages to give us laughs and thrills throughout the story. While a lot of the tale is concerned with small objectives—getting to safety, not starving, getting a loved one back—it does evolve into a much larger story by the end. My only issue was that it took a long time getting there, especially for a comedic book, which are generally shorter. I really enjoyed the ending, but felt it dragged a bit during the beginning and there were a few parts that could have been cut. But there is still a lot to like in Daros…
Plot
I feel like the plot was the weakest part of the book, mainly because there was a lot of moving around at the beginning and not really getting to a certain objective until much later. Once that happened, though, things really pick up! The story is also told from two points of view, and while I was pretty sure they would come together at some point, it happened later than I wanted. There was an entire section early in the book with a spaceship crash, getting separated from crew, and a cave of refugees, which while interesting, didn’t really add much to the overall story, and I felt it could have been shortened to give more room for the more exciting events at the end. Some of the characters early on were never onscreen again, which added to my feeling of dragging through the early sections. By the end, though, we get some really exciting events for the larger universe, while still focusing on the excellent characters and worldbuilding.
Setting
Again, much of this came later in the book, but there is a well-thought-out universe here with a lot of potential for more stories. And, because I’m a sucker for a good appendix, I really enjoyed the tour through future human history at the back, even though it really doesn’t affect the story. We gradually learn of events the teenage character is not at first aware of, and the other, alien POV might know, but has no reason to think about. This means that as the story spirals to the end, there are a lot of Big Facts laid on us about alien species, history, and intergalactic relations, some of which I think could have been doled out a little earlier to let the reader start guessing about the final conclusion.
Character
This is where the book really shines, as we start with a teenager, Brecca, who’s traveling with her father and crew. They quickly become separated, and while that was the part I thought was slow, it’s great to see the world through her eyes. Her character really comes into focus when she starts communicating with a ship AI, however, learning how to ask the right questions and make good decisions. By the end, we see how much Brecca has grown in this time.
The other viewpoint is of a relatively young alien, in a society where workers are quickly grown and implanted with knowledge. This gives us an excellent look into their culture as the alien discovers new aspects, some forbidden. Once again, it takes a little too long for me for these two viewpoints to come together with the knowledge they’d gained, and I would have loved a wider peek behind the curtain of the two cultures. Instead, there is a lot of time spent developing with smaller challenges of escape and rescue, which while fun, didn’t in the end contribute that much to the exciting ending.
Score out of 10 (My personal score, not the final contest score)
A comedic space opera with a fun teenage point of view. It takes a little too long to reach the larger issues, but the final events are worth it. 7.5/10.
Overall Thoughts
Throwing comedy and a teenager into the mix with planetary invasion, talk of genocide, and grievous bodily harm might sound like a tall order, but Daros manages to give us laughs and thrills throughout the story. While a lot of the tale is concerned with small objectives—getting to safety, not starving, getting a loved one back—it does evolve into a much larger story by the end. My only issue was that it took a long time getting there, especially for a comedic book, which are generally shorter. I really enjoyed the ending, but felt it dragged a bit during the beginning and there were a few parts that could have been cut. But there is still a lot to like in Daros…
Plot
I feel like the plot was the weakest part of the book, mainly because there was a lot of moving around at the beginning and not really getting to a certain objective until much later. Once that happened, though, things really pick up! The story is also told from two points of view, and while I was pretty sure they would come together at some point, it happened later than I wanted. There was an entire section early in the book with a spaceship crash, getting separated from crew, and a cave of refugees, which while interesting, didn’t really add much to the overall story, and I felt it could have been shortened to give more room for the more exciting events at the end. Some of the characters early on were never onscreen again, which added to my feeling of dragging through the early sections. By the end, though, we get some really exciting events for the larger universe, while still focusing on the excellent characters and worldbuilding.
Setting
Again, much of this came later in the book, but there is a well-thought-out universe here with a lot of potential for more stories. And, because I’m a sucker for a good appendix, I really enjoyed the tour through future human history at the back, even though it really doesn’t affect the story. We gradually learn of events the teenage character is not at first aware of, and the other, alien POV might know, but has no reason to think about. This means that as the story spirals to the end, there are a lot of Big Facts laid on us about alien species, history, and intergalactic relations, some of which I think could have been doled out a little earlier to let the reader start guessing about the final conclusion.
Character
This is where the book really shines, as we start with a teenager, Brecca, who’s traveling with her father and crew. They quickly become separated, and while that was the part I thought was slow, it’s great to see the world through her eyes. Her character really comes into focus when she starts communicating with a ship AI, however, learning how to ask the right questions and make good decisions. By the end, we see how much Brecca has grown in this time.
The other viewpoint is of a relatively young alien, in a society where workers are quickly grown and implanted with knowledge. This gives us an excellent look into their culture as the alien discovers new aspects, some forbidden. Once again, it takes a little too long for me for these two viewpoints to come together with the knowledge they’d gained, and I would have loved a wider peek behind the curtain of the two cultures. Instead, there is a lot of time spent developing with smaller challenges of escape and rescue, which while fun, didn’t in the end contribute that much to the exciting ending.
Score out of 10 (My personal score, not the final contest score)
A comedic space opera with a fun teenage point of view. It takes a little too long to reach the larger issues, but the final events are worth it. 7.5/10.
June 12, 2022
I want to start off by saying thank you to Escapist Book Tours for having me on this book tour. I also want to thank Dave Dobson for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Daros is definitely a fun Sci-Fi to read. At first, I was a little confused telling the characters apart because the chapters are quite short and it did change from one character to the next rather quickly making the beginning of the book a little confusing. I will also be honest and say that I did not read the synopsis making it a contributing factor to my confusion. Dave Dobson did provide a section where it explains the history which led to the situation Daros starts with completely allowing the reader to decide whether they want to start with a back story or not. I decided I wanted to have insight on what happened so I read it and it did help a lot. The story already starts with some action due to the alien invasion that took over the planet Daros. I would say its crazy action but its cool that it immediately went into something interesting because it totally hooks you in.
There are a few characters in this story but the main ones are Brecca, Frim, and the AI named Lyra. I found so much interest in both sides even if they weren’t particularly on the same side at the time. I enjoyed all the chapters with Brecca because she had so many interesting encounters and she deals quite a bit more with Lyra who is hilarious. I just love me a story with a snarky AI. Lyra is very likable. She is super sarcastic and has the funniest replies when talking with Brecca. Brecca is 16 but she really does not act like it. She is pretty fearless and is always willing to try something out even if the outcome may not be in her part. Frim is an Alien from the species invading Daros. I like how the author gave both sides an opportunity to speak and how they both had a certain task. Frim is a really humble character. Every time it was her turn to speak within the chapters, I felt a calmness and also fear that something would happen to her. Her species is identified in such a cool way which makes Dobson’s story extremely unique. I like how all the aliens are different from one another according to their home world. I like that he added a forbidden romance in the story with out making it what drives the story. I just really enjoyed the characters in this book and I’m sure many who read it will feel the same way.
I could briefly get an idea of the Daros world with the little descriptions given. Sometimes it said there are bushy areas with twigs and then you get a description of a dusty terrain. I did find it a little difficult to envision but not too bad. It seems like a planet from Star Trek that was allowed to be surveyed but never supposed to be messed with. Then again, when do humans actually follow rules?
I really enjoyed this book. From my experience, it is perfect as a bedside table book since I did find myself reading at night and right before bed. The chapters are short and sweet. I really liked that the chapters are titled, I just really enjoy when authors do that. I also think this is a good pallet cleanser in between heavy reads. It’s something fun to get into after reading a heavy fantasy. This is perfect for fans of the Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells or Velocity Weapon by Megan E. O’Keefe. I hope I Inspired you all to grab yourself a copy.
Happy Reading!
Daros is definitely a fun Sci-Fi to read. At first, I was a little confused telling the characters apart because the chapters are quite short and it did change from one character to the next rather quickly making the beginning of the book a little confusing. I will also be honest and say that I did not read the synopsis making it a contributing factor to my confusion. Dave Dobson did provide a section where it explains the history which led to the situation Daros starts with completely allowing the reader to decide whether they want to start with a back story or not. I decided I wanted to have insight on what happened so I read it and it did help a lot. The story already starts with some action due to the alien invasion that took over the planet Daros. I would say its crazy action but its cool that it immediately went into something interesting because it totally hooks you in.
There are a few characters in this story but the main ones are Brecca, Frim, and the AI named Lyra. I found so much interest in both sides even if they weren’t particularly on the same side at the time. I enjoyed all the chapters with Brecca because she had so many interesting encounters and she deals quite a bit more with Lyra who is hilarious. I just love me a story with a snarky AI. Lyra is very likable. She is super sarcastic and has the funniest replies when talking with Brecca. Brecca is 16 but she really does not act like it. She is pretty fearless and is always willing to try something out even if the outcome may not be in her part. Frim is an Alien from the species invading Daros. I like how the author gave both sides an opportunity to speak and how they both had a certain task. Frim is a really humble character. Every time it was her turn to speak within the chapters, I felt a calmness and also fear that something would happen to her. Her species is identified in such a cool way which makes Dobson’s story extremely unique. I like how all the aliens are different from one another according to their home world. I like that he added a forbidden romance in the story with out making it what drives the story. I just really enjoyed the characters in this book and I’m sure many who read it will feel the same way.
I could briefly get an idea of the Daros world with the little descriptions given. Sometimes it said there are bushy areas with twigs and then you get a description of a dusty terrain. I did find it a little difficult to envision but not too bad. It seems like a planet from Star Trek that was allowed to be surveyed but never supposed to be messed with. Then again, when do humans actually follow rules?
I really enjoyed this book. From my experience, it is perfect as a bedside table book since I did find myself reading at night and right before bed. The chapters are short and sweet. I really liked that the chapters are titled, I just really enjoy when authors do that. I also think this is a good pallet cleanser in between heavy reads. It’s something fun to get into after reading a heavy fantasy. This is perfect for fans of the Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells or Velocity Weapon by Megan E. O’Keefe. I hope I Inspired you all to grab yourself a copy.
Happy Reading!
April 27, 2024
This is truly a star shining within the vast sci-fi universe. While the blood-thirsty invading fleet bent on decimating an entire planet is a well-known storyline, Daros is anything but just that. From the first, it’s clear there is a much more sinister, far-reaching horror imagined by the invaders, one that will reverberate throughout whole galaxies if it succeeds.
Thus, it takes an army, an unlikely one, to beat such an unthinkable fate from coming to pass. A group that includes sixteen-year-old Brecca, who is torn between trying to save her dying father and fulfilling a promise to a dead alien to save the planet from destruction. Then there’s Lyra, the artificial intelligence of the dead alien’s ship, whose purpose becomes to continue the mission with Brecca. We find ourselves ceasing to see Lyra as a mere computer but a living part of the crew. Then there’s Guzma, whose seemingly only contributions are single word telepathic communications, yet there’s more life held in those whispers that could ever have been imagined. Then there’s Frim, who wears the garb of the oppressors but discovers she is as much a prisoner as those on the invaded planet. And she decides it’s time to break free of that world, even if she has to die in the effort.
So as an empire seeks to reclaim an ancient power, a strange alliance is born. The differences are cast aside as the one endeavor takes priority, even over saving their personal worlds. That of a dying father. Another of an untapped future relationship that had such promise. And perhaps that’s the part that hurts the most. It’s having to do what’s best for the galaxy, rather than just you. It’s being the hero when you’d rather just fly away and let someone else take the shot. It’s saving the universe when your own has been shattered into pieces. Yet with this path they’ve taken, they’re all in now. So when the stardust settles, they’ll hope it was enough to keep the universe together.
Thus, it takes an army, an unlikely one, to beat such an unthinkable fate from coming to pass. A group that includes sixteen-year-old Brecca, who is torn between trying to save her dying father and fulfilling a promise to a dead alien to save the planet from destruction. Then there’s Lyra, the artificial intelligence of the dead alien’s ship, whose purpose becomes to continue the mission with Brecca. We find ourselves ceasing to see Lyra as a mere computer but a living part of the crew. Then there’s Guzma, whose seemingly only contributions are single word telepathic communications, yet there’s more life held in those whispers that could ever have been imagined. Then there’s Frim, who wears the garb of the oppressors but discovers she is as much a prisoner as those on the invaded planet. And she decides it’s time to break free of that world, even if she has to die in the effort.
So as an empire seeks to reclaim an ancient power, a strange alliance is born. The differences are cast aside as the one endeavor takes priority, even over saving their personal worlds. That of a dying father. Another of an untapped future relationship that had such promise. And perhaps that’s the part that hurts the most. It’s having to do what’s best for the galaxy, rather than just you. It’s being the hero when you’d rather just fly away and let someone else take the shot. It’s saving the universe when your own has been shattered into pieces. Yet with this path they’ve taken, they’re all in now. So when the stardust settles, they’ll hope it was enough to keep the universe together.
October 17, 2022
I like to try something different once in a while to cope with slumps from reading too many fantasy books. Graphical novels and science fiction help a lot in such cases. Ideally I'd like to read them regularly, but haven't found many that are light-hearted in tone.
Luckily, Daros turned out to be just the kind of story I like, with characters that I can root for. The humor, especially the chapter titles, worked well for me. Add a mysterious creature, a sassy AI, a fast paced plot with good amount of action to the mix, and you get an enjoyable read.
At the heart of the plot was a powerful artifact with different groups vying to gain access for different reasons. Brecca, a teenager working for her father on a merchant ship, found herself landing in Daros after the ship was damaged by an invading force. Frim, navigator of this invading fleet, doesn't want the mission to succeed as an attempt to derail the cruel hegemony. Their POV chapters worked well to present the situation from both angles (as well as other side plots). Some of the chapters were really short, but I got used to it and in some cases they contributed to the feeling of a fast paced plot.
I felt like the author had put a lot of effort into presenting the aliens — their physical characteristics, biology, way of thinking, etc. This was a standalone novel, with no indication of possible sequels. I hope there will be more books in this setting.
Luckily, Daros turned out to be just the kind of story I like, with characters that I can root for. The humor, especially the chapter titles, worked well for me. Add a mysterious creature, a sassy AI, a fast paced plot with good amount of action to the mix, and you get an enjoyable read.
At the heart of the plot was a powerful artifact with different groups vying to gain access for different reasons. Brecca, a teenager working for her father on a merchant ship, found herself landing in Daros after the ship was damaged by an invading force. Frim, navigator of this invading fleet, doesn't want the mission to succeed as an attempt to derail the cruel hegemony. Their POV chapters worked well to present the situation from both angles (as well as other side plots). Some of the chapters were really short, but I got used to it and in some cases they contributed to the feeling of a fast paced plot.
I felt like the author had put a lot of effort into presenting the aliens — their physical characteristics, biology, way of thinking, etc. This was a standalone novel, with no indication of possible sequels. I hope there will be more books in this setting.
February 6, 2024
Daros secrets.
A story like no others.
What an amazing book the author Dave Dobson have written.
It’s one of the hardest to review but total joy.
It is long but worth listening to, feels like a movie because of simplicity of understanding, funny, action packed, aliens, artificial intelligence, good and bad humans, conspiracies, powerful ancient artifacts and twists from all directions.
A secret worth dying for is on the planet but what is it ?
Narration by Jennifer Pratt for each of the characters in this creation is done beautifully.
My absolute recommendations !!!
Oded Ostfeld.
A story like no others.
What an amazing book the author Dave Dobson have written.
It’s one of the hardest to review but total joy.
It is long but worth listening to, feels like a movie because of simplicity of understanding, funny, action packed, aliens, artificial intelligence, good and bad humans, conspiracies, powerful ancient artifacts and twists from all directions.
A secret worth dying for is on the planet but what is it ?
Narration by Jennifer Pratt for each of the characters in this creation is done beautifully.
My absolute recommendations !!!
Oded Ostfeld.
May 19, 2022
First off I have to thank Dave Dobson for providing me with a copy of Daros for review.
Daros is a fun sci-fi space opera with a bit of a modern pop culture twist. I thought the story was fast-paced, entertaining and more often than not it had me flat out laughing out loud . Daros is an easy read that is sure to make you laugh with some of its great one liners. Also how can you not like a book with chapter titles like "A Game of Drones", "Everything Happens for a Treason", "Busta Slimes" and "There’s No Place Like Foam"
Now onto a serious note.... Why are you still reading this review you should be off reading Daros already :)
Daros is a fun sci-fi space opera with a bit of a modern pop culture twist. I thought the story was fast-paced, entertaining and more often than not it had me flat out laughing out loud . Daros is an easy read that is sure to make you laugh with some of its great one liners. Also how can you not like a book with chapter titles like "A Game of Drones", "Everything Happens for a Treason", "Busta Slimes" and "There’s No Place Like Foam"
Now onto a serious note.... Why are you still reading this review you should be off reading Daros already :)
May 21, 2025
I was skeptical when I purchased this book in BookBub for 99 cents. But I was greatly surprised.
The different POVs between characters of different planets and races was very interesting. When you see them come together, it all makes sense. The characters were very well developed, especially the aliens and the ship. A character that communicates in one word sentences worked well as well.
At the end it made me feel satisfied with the development and especially the ending. The getting together could call for a next book. There are possibilities to explore further.
The only criticism is that it could have been shorter. Other than that, good job!
The different POVs between characters of different planets and races was very interesting. When you see them come together, it all makes sense. The characters were very well developed, especially the aliens and the ship. A character that communicates in one word sentences worked well as well.
At the end it made me feel satisfied with the development and especially the ending. The getting together could call for a next book. There are possibilities to explore further.
The only criticism is that it could have been shorter. Other than that, good job!
May 4, 2025
Four + cultures
Breeca, a teenage girl working on her father's spaceship, is involved with his business dealings some bordering on illegal. The mining planet they were attempting to land on is attacked by murderous aliens. Breeca escapes via pod, father crash lands. The human mining company is doing something illegal. A third alien saves Breeca but gives her his ship as he dies. It is an enjoyable story with different narrators dealing with morality and inner turmoil.
Breeca, a teenage girl working on her father's spaceship, is involved with his business dealings some bordering on illegal. The mining planet they were attempting to land on is attacked by murderous aliens. Breeca escapes via pod, father crash lands. The human mining company is doing something illegal. A third alien saves Breeca but gives her his ship as he dies. It is an enjoyable story with different narrators dealing with morality and inner turmoil.
May 10, 2025
Great story
There are a lot of good lessons to be learned in this book. The main character remained true to her core beliefs, and a number of other characters be and evolved into better beings. This is probably a YA book, but I'm 72 and enjoyed the lack of foul language and adult material I find in so many other books.
There are a lot of good lessons to be learned in this book. The main character remained true to her core beliefs, and a number of other characters be and evolved into better beings. This is probably a YA book, but I'm 72 and enjoyed the lack of foul language and adult material I find in so many other books.
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