The Outworlds

War Torrent

Fiction - Science Fiction
138 Pages
Reviewed on 06/19/2015
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

Daniel P. Douglas is a U.S. Army veteran who has also served as a senior analyst in the U.S. intelligence community. A long-term civil servant, with degrees in Political Science and Russian Area Studies, Douglas has also worked in the museum profession. His travels have taken him throughout the United States, Mexico, Europe, the Middle East, and the Caribbean.

As an author, Douglas creates epic tales – of the past, present, and future – with the most unlikely of heroes, and calls upon them to join extraordinary and mysterious struggles. His characters' sometimes-reluctant choices and actions put them on a collision course with destiny and reveal unimaginable truths. In every pulse pounding, edge-of-your-seat adventure, survival means confronting personal flaws and doubts, and forging unexpected fates as inspiring new champions in the eternal battle against evil. In short, Douglas is a multigenre author who turns ordinary people into extraordinary heroes.

Douglas explores this theme through science fiction, conspiracy, mystery, suspense, and thriller books. His first novel, Truth Insurrected: The Saint Mary Project, centers on a decades-old government cover-up of contact with extraterrestrial life. Other works include The Outworlds series, which is comprised of science fiction adventure stories set in the early twenty-fourth century at the fringe of human civilization; Green Bird, a modern-day thriller about an FBI agent racing to stop a cyber terrorist before it’s too late; and a hard-boiled, World War II era detective series called Richter’s War.

Born and raised in Southern California, Douglas has also lived in Virginia and Arizona. He now lives in New Mexico with his family, pets, and livestock, and enjoys reading science fiction books and conspiracy thrillers as much as writing them.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Emilija Ryks for Readers' Favorite

In The Outworlds: War Torrent by Daniel P. Douglas, Zy is looking forward to getting old enough to start service to the others of his bipedal, reptilian race called Angorals. That is until he stumbles on a spy from a rival moon. Sekkalan Angorals launch an assault out of nowhere with superior technology, but even more disturbing is the extensive cyborg modifications they have done to themselves. Cold killing machines with an unknown mission pour onto the moon both from the sky as well as through the quantum bridges between the two worlds. Zy has received a prophecy from their god and while he and his team make ready to act on it, intelligence officer Krjenar Attazahal is working out how to infiltrate the Sekkals to find out what they are doing with the Mokisiaan prisoners they have taken.

War Torrent is a fast paced, intelligent roller coaster ride set in an intricate world. Daniel Douglas has put extensive work into creating a fascinating culture. With attention to several players in the war, including some insight into the mechanical and cruel processes of the enemy, it is easy to develop real concern for the people involved. I enjoyed the pace and intelligence of this book, but more so the genuine and complex emotions and culture that are so expertly laid out. Daniel shows pieces of the world in natural and reasonable amounts, not holding up the story but letting it progress at an even tempo. If someone loves science fiction, particularly military science fiction, I would highly recommend this book.

Jack Magnus

The Outworlds: War Torrent is a military science fiction novella written by Daniel P. Douglas. Zyvolz K'olt was looking forward to his hike in the woods of the holy Ei'veth Forest. He had no school or household chores to worry about, and he enjoyed the exercise. While his mother worried about his solitary ramblings, Zy had confidence in his ability to outrun just about anyone he knew. He was aware that he was approaching that time in his life when he would be expected to be of service, but he was still stunned when he noted that the air suddenly smelled of incense and sounds of chanting surrounded him, and a heavenly voice proclaimed his role for serving Mokisia. Still staggering from the impact of this occurrence, Zy noticed a section of the woods before him that seemed wrong somehow, and, approaching it, found netting and an iron structure concealed where none should be. It was the outpost of a Sekkalan infiltrator and a grim harbinger of the conflict that would shortly descend upon Zy's home world.

Daniel P. Douglas's military science fiction novella, The Outworlds: War Torrent, is exciting and fast-paced. The author's story is well-written and his characters are larger than life, especially Zy, the blue-eyed warrior priest, and Major Krajenar Attazahal, whose dedication and family integrity are put to the ultimate test. This is an intense and complicated story that challenges the reader to recreate in his mind the history and differing philosophies of the high-tech Sekkalans and the more spiritual Mokisians, but the story is well worth the effort. I enjoyed reading War Torrent, the first book in Douglas' The Outworlds Series, and found the preview of the second book to be intriguing reading. Torrent is recommended reading for fans of hard and military science fiction.

Paul Johnson

In the early twenty-fourth century, humans have settled on what has become Earth's interstellar colonial frontier. One day, scientists make a profound discovery providing the first evidence of intelligent alien life. But, there’s more to the story. The humans judge the ancient alien species of space-faring reptilians, known as Angorgals, to be an extinct species. They also find evidence the Angorgals had most likely reached Earth centuries before and they weren’t just visitors.

In the distant Sceytera System, there is a surprise attack by one Angogal sect, the Sekkalan against another sect, the Mokisia. In a flash, the fragile peace is destroyed. The Mokisiaans soon learn there are other forces at play. The Sekkalan war is the start of a new interstellar fight coordinated by evil otherworldly entities called the Ruuksauro. Their plan is a genetic purification of the galaxy, which also includes Earth's Stone Age humans.

The Outworlds: War Torrent by Daniel P. Douglas is a very powerful and well staged science fiction tale. Always a fan of good science fiction, I looked forward to reading this book. I was not in the least bit disappointed. The characters are strong; the plot was nicely developed and moved along at a rapid pace. The dialogue was realistic and easy to follow. While reading all the alien names was sometimes a challenge and a small distraction at times, it didn’t detract from the overall quality of the story. The ending was interesting, setting up future stories of the Outworlds. If the reader is a fan of good science fiction, then I highly recommend this book.