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Ell Donsaii #11
Rescue
“Rescue" is the eleventh of a series of near future SciFi/Thrillers whose young heroine Ell Donsaii’s nerve mutation makes her a genius and provides her some astonishing athletic abilities. In “Rescue,” President Stockton tells the FBI to tone down its efforts to imprison Ell. Unfortunately, the SCDF, a group of ultraconservative survivalists now has the President in their sights. Their attack on the President succeeds far beyond anyone’s imagination. Could it be that Stockton’s very life will now depend on the woman she has been imprisoning and harassing?
Meanwhile, Stell Simsworth, the ten year old blind singing sensation, is hoping that Ryan will be able to use his technology to restore her eyesight and Carter is working on a project to colonize Mars (despite his daughter’s cogent observation that a colony would have high risks but provide few benefits.)
Meanwhile, Stell Simsworth, the ten year old blind singing sensation, is hoping that Ryan will be able to use his technology to restore her eyesight and Carter is working on a project to colonize Mars (despite his daughter’s cogent observation that a colony would have high risks but provide few benefits.)
264 pages, Paperback
First published May 7, 2014
400 people are currently reading
68 people want to read
About the author
Laurence E. Dahners
62 books672 followersI was born on the island of Cyprus where my dad was employed as a mining engineer. We moved to the Philippines (more mining) when I was three and then to Arizona when I was 9. I went to med school at the University of Arizona and did a residency in Orthopaedics at the University of Kansas. I taught Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill until I retired in 2017.
I've always loved science fiction and it's been great fun getting to write some. I also like music and have a little home recording studio. You can read more, listen to some music and look at some of my art, at http://laury.dahners.com/ if you like.
If you want to contact me, or be put on my email list to be notified when new books come out, just email me at ldahners@gmail.com
Laury Dahners
I've always loved science fiction and it's been great fun getting to write some. I also like music and have a little home recording studio. You can read more, listen to some music and look at some of my art, at http://laury.dahners.com/ if you like.
If you want to contact me, or be put on my email list to be notified when new books come out, just email me at ldahners@gmail.com
Laury Dahners
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
February 21, 2022
Great
Honestly, I tend to repeat myself quite a bit when it comes to reviews for a series I like, but this really was another great addition to the series. It was a fun read, some great action, really awesome new technology, and just overall exciting. The one thing I could say I probably wasn’t overly fond of was the relationship drama with two of the side characters, just wasn’t my cup of tea.
Honestly, I tend to repeat myself quite a bit when it comes to reviews for a series I like, but this really was another great addition to the series. It was a fun read, some great action, really awesome new technology, and just overall exciting. The one thing I could say I probably wasn’t overly fond of was the relationship drama with two of the side characters, just wasn’t my cup of tea.
February 28, 2024
Very good!
June 21, 2015
Worst in series (through book 11)
A large portion of this book was spent on romantic dead end sub-plots that were juvenile and boring. It was a real chore to slog through. An additional portion of this book were devoted to the fantastical, and highly unbelievable development of the main character's child. My question to the author would be: why, then, bother holding anything back at all on the 15 month-old character? Since everything else was written in, why not also give him the ability to fly and to shoot lightening bolts from his eyes? The remainder of the book dealt with an unimagined main plot. The resolution details were interesting, but the outcome was predictable.
I've liked the series overall, but this book made me glad that it's almost done.
A large portion of this book was spent on romantic dead end sub-plots that were juvenile and boring. It was a real chore to slog through. An additional portion of this book were devoted to the fantastical, and highly unbelievable development of the main character's child. My question to the author would be: why, then, bother holding anything back at all on the 15 month-old character? Since everything else was written in, why not also give him the ability to fly and to shoot lightening bolts from his eyes? The remainder of the book dealt with an unimagined main plot. The resolution details were interesting, but the outcome was predictable.
I've liked the series overall, but this book made me glad that it's almost done.
March 2, 2021
I haven’t come up with a better term so I will call these books “competency porn” (think Sherlock Holmes and James Bond). I LOVE competency porn so I blew through all the Ell Donsaii books in about two weeks. As a result I’m giving books 1-16 the same review. While these books largely hit my sweet spot, I recognized several imperfection but, before listing those, I want to first say I greatly enjoyed these books and so I encourage anyone who enjoys “competency porn” (I really hate that term) to give them a try.
The first problem is actually kind of a small, yet somewhat annoying: I had read the author’s Vaz series (alos recommended competency porn) immediately before this one. In fact the Ell Donsaii blurb did not make the book sound appealing to me and so I only gave them a try because I liked the Vaz series so much. Unfortunately this resulted in realizing the author re-used story lines. While this is disappointing it only slightly diminished my enjoyment and the Ell series, with its 16 books to Vaz’s 4, quickly moves beyond this issue.
The second problem is the author writes by recipe and that recipe is: Have multiple secondary story lines that remain unresolved at the end of the book to make the reader buy the next book. An example would be a main story line about terraforming Mars accompanied by a side story line about a vaccine. The Mars story will be resolved by the end of the book but the author will also have spent pages setting up a will he/won’t he for a character to secretly try the vaccine. While the author almost universally handles multiple story lines well, in the end I found this approach truly unfortunate as this author is good enough to keep readers coming back without this manipulation. In short, this author’s books would have been much better if treated as stand alones rather than installments.
Finally, from my point of view, the books are short. The three samples I took from the series were: 217, 210 and 210 pages. I view anything under 300 pages as short and prefer books 350 pages or longer. I must admit, however, that I got all of these books for $4 off Amazon so I don’t really feel shorted. Had I seen these books on a shelf in a book store I likely wouldn’t even have picked them up based on how thin they are.
Bottom line: While not perfect, these books are pretty easily worth the read for any lovers of competency porn.
The first problem is actually kind of a small, yet somewhat annoying: I had read the author’s Vaz series (alos recommended competency porn) immediately before this one. In fact the Ell Donsaii blurb did not make the book sound appealing to me and so I only gave them a try because I liked the Vaz series so much. Unfortunately this resulted in realizing the author re-used story lines. While this is disappointing it only slightly diminished my enjoyment and the Ell series, with its 16 books to Vaz’s 4, quickly moves beyond this issue.
The second problem is the author writes by recipe and that recipe is: Have multiple secondary story lines that remain unresolved at the end of the book to make the reader buy the next book. An example would be a main story line about terraforming Mars accompanied by a side story line about a vaccine. The Mars story will be resolved by the end of the book but the author will also have spent pages setting up a will he/won’t he for a character to secretly try the vaccine. While the author almost universally handles multiple story lines well, in the end I found this approach truly unfortunate as this author is good enough to keep readers coming back without this manipulation. In short, this author’s books would have been much better if treated as stand alones rather than installments.
Finally, from my point of view, the books are short. The three samples I took from the series were: 217, 210 and 210 pages. I view anything under 300 pages as short and prefer books 350 pages or longer. I must admit, however, that I got all of these books for $4 off Amazon so I don’t really feel shorted. Had I seen these books on a shelf in a book store I likely wouldn’t even have picked them up based on how thin they are.
Bottom line: While not perfect, these books are pretty easily worth the read for any lovers of competency porn.
December 17, 2024
Once again, the prejudise against Indian men continues. I'm wondering where the *u** is he doing the research about India? I mean if men were like this in India, then logic begets no woman in india would be safe, or molestation free. Then there are other things. I've pointed out in my previous review, Viveka is not a female name. So is not "Rana" her sister. Rana is a male name. She's also supposed to be an Adivasi, people of tribal origin. Neither of these names are of tribal origin. I would know. Apart from being Indian, I'm an Adivasi myself. Besides, no one India has English as second language, least of all Adivasis. Considering the vicinity to Delhi, Viveka's second language would be Hindi, and her mother would speak it. And no matter what, every Indian would know the "Namaste" gesture and the word itself; So she wont be surprised when Dr Pace said it. **c* off Laurence E Dahners get your facts straight.
I'm also surprised that Ell's feud with the president has lasted three books, it had built in one book before that. That's definitely not Dahners' style. He rarely build a story with 'Hero's Journey' and the escalations in his stories are always easily resolved. So this kind of escalation is unique. Perhaps it has something to do with him being a MAGA supporter.
I'm also surprised that Ell's feud with the president has lasted three books, it had built in one book before that. That's definitely not Dahners' style. He rarely build a story with 'Hero's Journey' and the escalations in his stories are always easily resolved. So this kind of escalation is unique. Perhaps it has something to do with him being a MAGA supporter.
July 13, 2018
By far the worst book in the series.
This is by far the worst book in the series. Going into this book, all you really want is satisfying closure to the Ell vs president Stockton issue. Instead Ell isn’t even the main storyline. The main story is a romantic relationship with Viveka and Gary. Ell is hardly even in the first 3/4 of the book and when she is she is just baby sitting her kid. These books are good because Ell is a genius problem solver and a kick ass combatant. In this book she is none of those things until the very end. They toss in what amounts to an Ell cameo at the end for her to do cool stuff, but that leaves 90% of the book as boring filler about people I don’t care about.
I have read through this series fairly quickly and throughly enjoyed it but I can’t see myself being interested in this new mother Ell. I wish the series had gone another direction.
This is by far the worst book in the series. Going into this book, all you really want is satisfying closure to the Ell vs president Stockton issue. Instead Ell isn’t even the main storyline. The main story is a romantic relationship with Viveka and Gary. Ell is hardly even in the first 3/4 of the book and when she is she is just baby sitting her kid. These books are good because Ell is a genius problem solver and a kick ass combatant. In this book she is none of those things until the very end. They toss in what amounts to an Ell cameo at the end for her to do cool stuff, but that leaves 90% of the book as boring filler about people I don’t care about.
I have read through this series fairly quickly and throughly enjoyed it but I can’t see myself being interested in this new mother Ell. I wish the series had gone another direction.
April 8, 2020
So far the best book in the series more realistic.
Finally ell had to take lives. She was getting a little too self-righteous for me which is totally unrealistic. I don’t know if the author has a pacifist band as far as her character or not but the fact that people were shooting at her and tried to kill her and the president she had to protect herself and her charge. This made the book more realistic. And made her seem like a more flushed out character. Yes taking lives is bad but sometimes you have to fight. As ELL matures as the series goes the authors writing seems to be maturing as well still a good series going on to the next book give it a shot you might like it
Finally ell had to take lives. She was getting a little too self-righteous for me which is totally unrealistic. I don’t know if the author has a pacifist band as far as her character or not but the fact that people were shooting at her and tried to kill her and the president she had to protect herself and her charge. This made the book more realistic. And made her seem like a more flushed out character. Yes taking lives is bad but sometimes you have to fight. As ELL matures as the series goes the authors writing seems to be maturing as well still a good series going on to the next book give it a shot you might like it
June 4, 2020
Imagine
I certainly hope the Secret Service and FB I are better than the Keystone Cops in this story! 😂 I also appreciated that the President was doing what she felt best and clarified the negative image left from Story #10. This story continues to explore port possibilities. Imagine if they really existed! Dahners makes they you believe that they just might!?
I certainly hope the Secret Service and FB I are better than the Keystone Cops in this story! 😂 I also appreciated that the President was doing what she felt best and clarified the negative image left from Story #10. This story continues to explore port possibilities. Imagine if they really existed! Dahners makes they you believe that they just might!?
June 4, 2021
Great story.
A great continuation of the El Donsai Saga. Several sub plots made it very interesting. I love the hard science aspect of the stories. I have read the series multiple times and still enjoy them. I hope Doc. Dahners continues the El stories with parts for the Twins. I would love to read more about them.
A great continuation of the El Donsai Saga. Several sub plots made it very interesting. I love the hard science aspect of the stories. I have read the series multiple times and still enjoy them. I hope Doc. Dahners continues the El stories with parts for the Twins. I would love to read more about them.
May 13, 2023
Speculative science with commentary about society
First of all I like the storyline. Secondly, this allows a superficial look at different cultures and expectations. Finally, this exposes the foibles of politicians, established procedures and what out of the box thinking may possibly accomplish.
First of all I like the storyline. Secondly, this allows a superficial look at different cultures and expectations. Finally, this exposes the foibles of politicians, established procedures and what out of the box thinking may possibly accomplish.
March 27, 2024
Extremely entertaining and enjoyable series!!!!!!
Congratulations to Lawrence Dahners for this amazing series. It’s hard to find such an interesting and exciting author who not only writes intelligently but also provides top rated plots, characters and excitement in the stories. I’m really looking forward to the next book.
Congratulations to Lawrence Dahners for this amazing series. It’s hard to find such an interesting and exciting author who not only writes intelligently but also provides top rated plots, characters and excitement in the stories. I’m really looking forward to the next book.
September 30, 2018
Plot-irrelevant dorky CEO pervs on super hot but socially awkward indian immigrant employee.
Meanwhile Ell looks after Magic Wonderbaby while he looks knowingly at other things.
Maybe something actually interesting happens later in the book but at this point I dropped it, and the series.
Meanwhile Ell looks after Magic Wonderbaby while he looks knowingly at other things.
Maybe something actually interesting happens later in the book but at this point I dropped it, and the series.
January 6, 2025
not the correct book
For some reason my copy of book 11 actually has the content for book 12. I got book 12 to see if it was switched. It was actually book 12. Not sure why I can’t find book 11 content.
For some reason my copy of book 11 actually has the content for book 12. I got book 12 to see if it was switched. It was actually book 12. Not sure why I can’t find book 11 content.
June 28, 2018
Wonderful book, wonderful series
I never know what else to say about Laurence Dahners great books. I know I can always trust them to be gentle, thoughtful, entertaining reading.
I never know what else to say about Laurence Dahners great books. I know I can always trust them to be gentle, thoughtful, entertaining reading.
Read
May 9, 2020Good read
If you like science fiction books with action ,you'll like this book. I can't wait to read the next book in this series.
If you like science fiction books with action ,you'll like this book. I can't wait to read the next book in this series.
October 8, 2020
Hard science fiction
Hard science fiction looking at implications of new technologies. The story is fun to read and fast paced.
Hard to put down.
Hard science fiction looking at implications of new technologies. The story is fun to read and fast paced.
Hard to put down.
November 17, 2020
I have enjoyed this book of Eli Donsaii
January 20, 2021
Excellent!
Nice example of the Biblical principle of being kind to your enemies. The rest of the story was well written and good words in a row.
Nice example of the Biblical principle of being kind to your enemies. The rest of the story was well written and good words in a row.
July 16, 2021
Fun, as always :)
August 3, 2022
Worst of the series so far
The motivations and plot in this one were just too hard to believe. Do sail is too naive to be believed
The motivations and plot in this one were just too hard to believe. Do sail is too naive to be believed
September 22, 2023
Typical
This is typical of the Donsaii person. One of the good ones. It also is great to find there are still like that, even if they are in books. Thank you.
This is typical of the Donsaii person. One of the good ones. It also is great to find there are still like that, even if they are in books. Thank you.
March 5, 2024
Ell's nemesis, POTUS, is kidnapped during a very violent assault, 20+ dead. by a reactionary group. The Secret Service and the FBI are stymied, Ell to the rescue.
June 17, 2024
Rescue of president for local terrorists is attempted, Mars mission is planned, medical treatments are Advanced. Read Kindle book using Alexa audio asset. Borrowed with kindle unlimited.
July 2, 2025
President gets kidnapped.
August 17, 2024
RECOMMENDED
May 14, 2014
Rescue picks the Ell story-line back up and manages to move it along quite quickly. I am as always impressed that the author continues with this series so quickly.
Mr. Dahners states that he tries to explore a single new technology in each book; but I am a little unclear exactly what was so novel about the new ports here. I guess I may just not visualize them in the same way that the author does but it seems he thinks the curved ports are significant.
Ell uses them to dispose of the device by the President it seems because it can dispose of more than a regular port would. This would mean that this curved port has a cutting edge that is always active almost. I don't see then how this is different from her open ended ports she can adjust the size on and maneuver. If the ports have to bubble out when they build with a charge then they can't be used on the eye contacts. If they are manipulated to grow/shrink in a bubble its no different than moving a port around.
While I enjoy the series I don't know where Mr. Dahners plans to take it from here. We have solved the world's energy crisis, possibly food production as well. Will soon have the ability to make cheap almost indestructible items on demand (including electronic circuits). This will end all manufacturing around the world and people can get anything sent to them at any time anywhere.
It seems to me that America would have Ell and her devices to stop any wars and they are destroying the energy/cheap labor that the rest of the world has provided. I also can't see all the world allowing Ell's tech into repressive regime's it would change their ability to exert control. The US is slowly releasing the tech but sooner or later they will reach the point where it will take little to no effort to provide the basic essentials of life to almost everyone.
gallandro
Mr. Dahners states that he tries to explore a single new technology in each book; but I am a little unclear exactly what was so novel about the new ports here. I guess I may just not visualize them in the same way that the author does but it seems he thinks the curved ports are significant.
Ell uses them to dispose of the device by the President it seems because it can dispose of more than a regular port would. This would mean that this curved port has a cutting edge that is always active almost. I don't see then how this is different from her open ended ports she can adjust the size on and maneuver. If the ports have to bubble out when they build with a charge then they can't be used on the eye contacts. If they are manipulated to grow/shrink in a bubble its no different than moving a port around.
While I enjoy the series I don't know where Mr. Dahners plans to take it from here. We have solved the world's energy crisis, possibly food production as well. Will soon have the ability to make cheap almost indestructible items on demand (including electronic circuits). This will end all manufacturing around the world and people can get anything sent to them at any time anywhere.
It seems to me that America would have Ell and her devices to stop any wars and they are destroying the energy/cheap labor that the rest of the world has provided. I also can't see all the world allowing Ell's tech into repressive regime's it would change their ability to exert control. The US is slowly releasing the tech but sooner or later they will reach the point where it will take little to no effort to provide the basic essentials of life to almost everyone.
gallandro
February 17, 2017
This serie is an interesting project. It starts with a question "what would happen if ..." and the books try to answer it.
It is a light, quick and easily readable set of books. Well written and enjoyable.
It is a light, quick and easily readable set of books. Well written and enjoyable.
May 15, 2014
I really expected to not like this book... it was an odd number and very short (just barely over 200 pages). None of the Donsaii stories are long, but this was closer to novella length.
I did like it, Dahners gets back to the roots of the story; he takes a fictional but scientifically plausible situation and runs away with "what ifs". A lot of this and some interesting characters are what make this series so enjoyable for me. This story got really bogged down with 'Nerds in Love' in the middle parts, but the rest of the plot lines kept it going.
Ideally; combining "Defiant" (#9), "Wanted" (#10) and "Rescue" (#11) into one book would have made a better overall story. This one, however not only can stand alone, but also is the best of the three most recent books.
I did like it, Dahners gets back to the roots of the story; he takes a fictional but scientifically plausible situation and runs away with "what ifs". A lot of this and some interesting characters are what make this series so enjoyable for me. This story got really bogged down with 'Nerds in Love' in the middle parts, but the rest of the plot lines kept it going.
Ideally; combining "Defiant" (#9), "Wanted" (#10) and "Rescue" (#11) into one book would have made a better overall story. This one, however not only can stand alone, but also is the best of the three most recent books.
June 7, 2020
I like all of the author's books and this was no disappointment. I have enjoyed all the Ell books and feel like the stories are presented so matter of fact they seem imaginable. I know these are science fiction and try to follow the science part as much as I can understand. The improbable heroics of Ell soothe my soul in a world where discord runs rampant. I like a courageous protagonist. As a long time employee in big corporate American and as a volunteer at the community level, all of the scenarios seem possible and probable. These tiny tomes are escapism in the best possible way. This is my third time to read the Ell books and I will probably pick them again in a few years.
May 10, 2014
Bonsai is still amazing
As the other books I found it well written and interesting. I found it also that I didn't like using oddballs, false Christians, who were out to kill abortionists while in fact history has shown Communists, marxists and other liberal groups who have killed countless people, pushing their ideas on the masses. There has been a few isolated cases but mostly very peaceful demonstrations to save the unborn child. Otherwise, it had a nice side love story, a brilliant child and did bring the evil men to justice.
As the other books I found it well written and interesting. I found it also that I didn't like using oddballs, false Christians, who were out to kill abortionists while in fact history has shown Communists, marxists and other liberal groups who have killed countless people, pushing their ideas on the masses. There has been a few isolated cases but mostly very peaceful demonstrations to save the unborn child. Otherwise, it had a nice side love story, a brilliant child and did bring the evil men to justice.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews