Dorsai!

Dorsai Series, Book 1

By: Gordon R. Dickson

Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki

Throughout the Fourteen Worlds of humanity, no race is as feared and respected as the Dorsai. The ultimate warriors, they are known for their deadly rages, unbreakable honor, and fierce independence. No man rules the Dorsai, but their mastery of the art of war has made them the most valuable mercenaries in the known universe. Donal Graeme is Dorsai, taller and harder than any ordinary man. But he is different as well, with talents that maze even his fellow Dorsai. And once he ventures out into the stars, the future will never be the same....

©1988 George R. Dickson (P)2010 Audible, Inc.

A Classic that still holds up well

Although a bit dated these days in terms of modern culture and technology, it is still well worth following Dickson as he explores his ideas.

Before it's time.

Would you consider the audio edition of Dorsai! to be better than the print version?

I read the book when it first came out. At that time it was cutting edge SF. Super-ior fighters, mental powers, great stuff. The listen was as good as I remember the read was.
Ive been wanting to re-visit some old time memories, this was and now IS a good one.
However, not as much action as I remembered.

Who was your favorite character and why?

When I first read it I WAS the lonely misunderstood hero . . . maybe I still am.

What about Stefan Rudnicki’s performance did you like?

The narration didn't intrude on the story. I wasn't aware of the characters more than the story.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I thought the part about the hero

Any additional comments?

I'm looking forward to the rest of the 'Dorsai' series.

Great story, less be than adequate narration

Great Scott, what a lousy narrator!!! My guess is he must have been an Honors grad at Pretentious U...

dorsai

Dorsai tells a story about a man is unique in his intelligence and abilities. He is from a world where people are mercenaries and have a code of honor and higher themselves to other planets as elite soldiers. By smart thinking, tactical genius, and strength, he elevates himself in power and becomes a hero. There are multiple worlds, space flight and fights, politics and power struggles. I enjoyed following the main character on his journey through his life. However, it got a little strange and hard to follow when the author went on about genes and these strange super abilities. There was a feeling of something missing at times and the book jumps around strangely. The ending lost a star for me as well. I was looking forward to the next book, but I am not sure anymore.

A sentimental favorite from childhood/adolescence.

Many elements of "Tactics of Mistake" which was my first time seeing this general plot and main character. It was a lot more profound when I was less educated in science and math. Listening to "Dorsai!" many years later, some of his technical stuff is just gobbledygook. I think I prefer "Tactics of Mistake" to this one. But I'm going to try to go thru the whole series, to see where Dickson took it. He wrote some pretty tight shorts and novellas in the Dorsai universe.

I think my first exposure to this universe were shorts/novellas in Dad's Analogs, back in the '70s.