RA Reviews

"Great Little Book"
Review by Alastair Rosie
for eBook-Reviews.net
24 Sep 2001

   I found Right Ascension to be an enjoyable read and while we have such potent weapons as the Omega Cannon, Derrico hasn’t tried to explain this and other weapons and propulsion systems with complicated or imaginary laws of physics, which is a refreshing change. We only need to know that the Omega obliterates a whole planetary system at once! We are also brought up to date on recent history in the fourth millennium as it pertains to the plot but he doesn’t labor the point too much.

   The plot moves fairly quickly and we move from one side of the galaxy to the other in a matter of minutes, a fairly easy task when you know how it’s done! The interaction between the characters on the appropriately named Apocalypse is lively and entertaining, nothing like the drollness of Star Trek speak. Characterization is well developed in this narrative, although I wished that the characters could be a little bit rougher around the edges, I don’t think we humans will be totally politically correct in 3043. Perhaps a few racial or class taunts could be thrown in to let us know that these are humans to which we can relate.

   Overall though, this is a great little book and with a subject like genocide on the agenda I think it’s appropriate to raise the subject now. We humans are great at obliterating what we do not understand; perhaps Derrico’s book provides a little insight into the intricacies of the human mind. Although in closing it’s probably safe to say that this book appeals strictly to sci-fi fans and not the general public. Well done and sure to do well in the science fiction market at least.

"Page-Turner"
Review by Nina M. Osier
for eBook-Reviews.net
20 Jun 2002

   David Derrico’s first novel kept me turning its virtual pages, wanting to read longer each evening than time would permit. His prose has an overabundance of modifiers for my taste, and his characters (although suitably developed) are often "too perfect" or "too dastardly" for me to believe in them as fully as I would like. Nevertheless his hero carries the narrative, which features believable alien cultures and a plot that kept me guessing until I bumped up against the book’s cliffhanger conclusion.

   I look forward to reading the sequel to Right Ascension, and to Mr. Derrico’s future works.

“Great Tale”
Posted by Clive Morecambe (U.K.)
5 Jul 2000

   I don’t usually write reviews on books that I’ve read, mainly because I’m not very good at writing.  David Derrico, on the other hand, IS good at writing.  Very good.  I read this book cover to cover and enjoyed every word of it.  The story is the product of a great imagination, and I urge David to keep going with the sequel.  As bit of a sci-fi nerd, this ranks as good as anything else I’ve read in the last year.  Enough said.

“Thanks”
Posted by Glenn Kirby (Charleston, SC)
27 Sep 2000

   Dear Bookbooters: Thank you for providing a fantastic service for E-book addicts like me. I have purchased three E-books from you now, the last of which was Right Ascension by David Derrico. This one easily compares to the very best commercial sci-fi blockbusters, and I would appreciate it if you could let me know if and when it is scheduled for release in paperback or hardback.

Bookbooters’ Critique
Posted by Bookbooters.com
26 May 2000

   Every so often comes along an author who threatens to redefine the boundaries of Science Fiction. David Derrico is such an author. His debut offering, Right Ascension, goes beyond the standard realms of the futuristic space epic, subtly tackling the issues of human morality, honor and loyalty where many authors would fear to tread.

   Derrico has clearly given much thought to the setting for his story, describing in vivid detail the technology and social environment against which Right Ascension is set. Without overwhelming us with technical detail, he draws a brilliant picture of the technology that could shape mankind’s future, describing futuristic weaponry and space-faring vessels in both a realistic and highly inventive manner of which Greg Bear would be proud.

   Unusually for a debut author, Derrico has a remarkable talent for characterization, and in presenting his core characters with a series of awkward situations and dilemmas, he adeptly manages to challenge our definitions of right and wrong. Right Ascension is an utterly thought-provoking novel rich with vividly drawn characters, electrifying action sequences and plenty of food for thought.  Derrico paints a darkly atmospheric future that, unlike many such futures depicted in popular science fiction, is actually quite believable. And the believability of Derrico’s future is accentuated by his subtle exploration of the parallels between the thirty-first century and the twenty-first.

   With this stunning debut, Derrico proves himself a worthy successor to the likes of such giants as Heinlein and Asimov.

Unofficial Review
Posted by Gretchen Dent (Berkeley, CA)
10 Jan 2001

   I read Right Ascension and I liked it a lot, found it to be at least as good as the rest of my sci-fi collection, and appreciated the fact that you never struck any of the typical false notes that pop up too often in the genre (which is to say that I enjoyed both the social structures you set up, both on Earth and elsewhere, and the names you chose for alien species and individuals). You are a very evenhanded, fair writer — not "fair" in the sense of ability, which I would rate in the good-to-very good range, but fair to your characters, story, and reader. The book was always engaging, moved smoothly and coherently toward its finish, and steered clear of the major flaws of most sci-fi: the gratuitous sex, random exotic-sounding weaponry, psuedo-scientific jargon, sensationalism in general. As a reader, I appreciate this. Your style is very clear and readable, which I think is unusual in this genre, although I would not have expected less. To be honest, I probably wouldn’t have picked the book up had I come across it in a bookstore and read the jacket blurb, simply because I tend to put down anything with even quasi-military involvement. However, having read it, I liked it quite a lot and read it pretty much in two or three sittings; this is not something I would include in a review because it would be meaningless to the masses, but you have my word that, given my own knowledge of my reading habits and my available free time, it is very rare that I take the time to read during the day, and only do it if I am very engrossed. In this case it was easy to become engrossed with the story, and your technical ability as a writer meant that there were no distractions to jar me out of the framework you’d set up. In short, I very much enjoyed reading it, would gladly read your further work and will not hesitate to say so, and strongly recommend the book.

“Right Ascension: An Ambitious Plot that Tackles Complex Issues While Holding Your Full Attention”
Posted by M. Alammar
28 Feb 2010

   When I decided to purchase this book through the Kindle I was only hoping for something to help me sleep. I’ve always enjoyed a relaxing read before sleeping and I thought $1 wouldn’t be too much to spend for some comfort. So I purchased the book and started reading. And then I couldn’t stop.

   Six hours later, with an all-nighter looming head, I realized how wrong I was about this book. From page one David Derrico grabbed my attention and pulled me into a world packed with everything a science fiction novel should have. From a stew of issues including morality, responsibility, loyalty, family, and modern conflict Derrico conjures a story more personal than I could’ve imagined. Most of my time with the novel I was on the edge of my…err..bed wishing I could read faster so that I would see what had happened to Derrico’s well-crafted characters. What decision will they make? Will they choose to annihilate billions or risk losing the only chance to save themselves? How can they possibly follow their next orders? Etc.

   I’ve always been a fan of hard science fiction like Kim Stanley Robinson’s Mars series or Asimov’s Foundation series yet even in this respect Right Ascension does not disappoint. While lacking the realism and detail of Robinson, Derrico keeps the science at a believable level which is enough to satisfy even my hunger for realism and logic. And while the science fiction purist may have cried out at the mention of ‘hyperspace’ I could not find any fault in the basis of any of the futuristic technology presented in Right Ascension. Derrico paints using the perfect mix of action-adventure and science fiction enough to keep this science fiction nerd waiting for the next sequel.

I’d like to hear what you think!  Please let me know at .