Reviewer: Robyn Roberts
Title: The Dare
Author: Susan Kearney
Publisher: Tor Romance
ISBN: 0-7653-5192-7
Release Date: July 2005
Genre/Sub-genre: Paranormal
Year/Setting: Future on planet Mystique
Connected to Series: Stands Alone, but connected to The Challenge
Overall rating: 4.25
Sexual content rating: Sensual
Susan's Website:
www.susankearney.com
First things first...Tor is publishing this under the category of "Paranormal" romance. I don’t think they have a category that actually fits The Dare. It’s really a sci-fi, futuristic, fantasy and romance novel all put into one. Think of Start Trek meeting Sex in the City. Wow!
I have never been drawn to sci-fi or futuristic types of books. I thought I’d give it a whirl and am I ever glad that I did. I have no idea how Ms. Kearney could come up with such realism of things and events that aren’t possible in our current time. Her imagination shows through clearly and she weaves a story together that has me believing this is our future. While this book stands on its own, there were a few references to The Challenge that I didn’t fully understand. I’ve since gone to Ms. Kearney’s website and read the teaser for The Challenge and it makes more sense now. Just be aware when you read The Dare that the character Tessa was sent forward about 300 years in time in the first book. It makes her easier to understand.
However, this book isn’t about Tessa. This is Dora’s story. Dora is a sentient computer who is "growing" a body to live in. When I first read that Dora is a computer, I started humming the Dora the Explorer tune that my kids sing. The joke was on me, since that’s a great way to describe a sentient computer. She’s a computer who can think, interact and learn. She’s in essence, a living being without a body…yet. Once her body is finished, her primary goal is to make love and understand why everyone thinks it is so wonderful. She also wants to taste and smell and really be alive. She hopes she can initiate her body into lovemaking with Zical, but he doesn’t seem to be able to forget she was a computer first. When fate intervenes and Zical accidentally recalls the machines that protect the galaxy from invaders, he will have to spend a lot of time (and close quarters) with Dora while they fly in his spaceship across the galaxy trying to right his wrong. One small ship plus two large egos equals one fun time for the reader.
The first chapter was a little difficult for me to read as I got acclimated to the genre of the book and the differences in the language and customs. Once I got past the initial learning curve, it was smooth sailing. This book is also a little longer than I typically read, but it was such a compelling story that it didn’t feel long. I thought the story flowed well and I need to emphasize again how Ms. Kearney puts together a riveting story that makes sense while writing about things not yet invented. I am amazed at the depth of her writing. I had not read any of her books until now. I have her on my "people I want to read" list but just hadn’t gotten there. I’m thrilled to have read this book. I am now searching out titles on her backlist. I think this story will be enjoyed by sci-fi fans as well as readers like me who don’t have a sci-fi clue.
Robyn
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