Adrift

Donovan (Gear), Book 5

By: W. Michael Gear

Narrated by: Alyssa Bresnahan

The fifth book in the thrilling Donovan sci-fi series returns to a treacherous alien planet where corporate threats and dangerous creatures imperil the lives of the colonists.

The Maritime Unit had landed in paradise. After a terrifying 10-year transit from Solar System aboard the Ashanti, the small band of oceanographers and marine scientists were finally settled. Perched on a reef five hundred kilometers out from shore, they were about to embark on the first exploration of Donovan's seas. For the 22 adults and nine children, everything is new, exciting, and filled with wonder as they discover dazzling sea creatures, stunning plant life, and fascinating organisms.

But Donovan is never what it seems; the changes in the children were innocuous - oddities of behavior normal to kids who'd found themselves in a new world. Even then it was too late. An alien intelligence, with its own agenda, now possesses the children, and it will use them in a most insidious way: as the perfect weapons.

How can you fight back when the enemy is smarter than you are, and wears the face of your own child?

Welcome to Donovan.

©2021 W. Michael Gear (P)2021 Recorded Books Inc.

The One

Yet another amazing story by the Gears. it's clear the authors did a ton of research into a remarkable breadth of sciences. Yet, the story is not about science, it's about people, relationships, emotions, friendship, how individuals and groups find strength in each other, form communities; and like many of their earlier books, the concept of existence of a higher level- the One.

Exciting new Donovan book

This book is full of twists and turns ad only Donovan can deliver. The ending is shocking, an interesting and exciting. It’s hard to put this book down or rather turn it off when I gets too late to listen anymore. Cheers Michael Gear thanks for a wonderful book!

Great series sorry to finish the last audio.

Wish there were more series like this one.
The first book of Donovan was at the library and I was hooked.

another reading is required

Adrift (Donovan Book 5)
by W. Michael Gear
Alyssa Bresnahan has an haunting way of reading the horror into the story. she brings little facts and descriptions into light with her calm dictation of the story.. making visual pictures of the story more real.

The saying goes people “Come to Donavon For three things, To leave, To find themselves or to die.” Nothing is more apparent in Adrift. Those who have followed this series from the beginning know that Donavon is far from safe. Just getting there is risky. The Maritime Unit sent to catalog and explore the ocean of Donavon thought they were the best and the brightest from Earth. They knew on Earth how to survive in the harshest climate, roughest seas, and had the technology to conquer everything in Earth’s oceans. This is not true of the unexplored unknown ocean of Donavon. The planet is far more dangerous than they ever imagined. Weak and starved on Ashanti they were not fit to explore, even Earth's tranquil ocean, let alone Donovan. I counted at least 4 new land species (monsters), and at least 7 species described in part in the ocean, not counting the flora (??). All of life on Donavon is dangerous, even the smallest organisms. The Maritime Unit is not ready. Ignoring the advice from PA, from Corporate Mine, or even Supervisor Aguilar they begin a perilous path that leads to destruction. 

Talina and Dek have their own problems with TRiNA, and have their own personal battles, unfortunately this time they can not come save the fresh meat. Their adventures are where we find the 4 new land species, some so deadly even Quetzals are afraid. We also find the strength to carry on through this very eye opening adventure. 

Supervisor Aguilar has more battles under her belt than she can even handle with the eleven marines still in her employ. The Maritime Unit, itself is questioning her advice. The Corporate Mine has water issues, to say the least. Her own personal life is a mess. She may have to let something go, and tell people they have to do it on their own. 

As a whole I found this book far more haunting, and frightening then the previous books. I asked Michael Gear if it should not be cataloged as a Horror story instead of a Science Fiction, trust me it gets scary. In the end you will find something more beautiful about Donavon, and more science connected to our world than you ever imagined. I can’t wait to see how the Audible book reads. 

Stay Frosty

Whenever I hear a nasal, superior voice, a strikingly beautiful woman in a black pant suit and shining black hair appears in my mind. On closer look, she has laser-blue eyes and her exposed skin is cross-crossed with thin scars.
Alyssa Breshnahan does an outstanding job bringing Michael Year's characters to life in the Donovan series. In Adrift, Alyssa is challenged to include several children of various ages in her repertoire. She nails it!
The story, masterfully written by Michael Gear is skillfully read by Alyssa. Her performance brings each character in each situation into Quetzal-like focus, giving the listener a quantum-level experience.

The Donovan series is not to be missed.

There is a certain sadness as you approach the end of a beloved book. The same can be said of a series where each individual book builds on the past narrative and expands its worldview. Such is the case with "Adrift," the latest book in the Donovan series.

W. Michael Gear has somehow avoided the tendency for incremental releases in a series to become repetitive and the narrative to wane. Adrift not only continues to develop the storyline of beloved characters but moves the story offshore into what is literally the undiscovered country.

I highly recommend the entire series. Adrift, individually, is an excellent read, but it is a much richer read if the series is read in sequence. I envy those who are about to be introduced to Donovan and the challenges of being stuck on a planet where everything is trying to kill you. only some make it but hey, welcome to Donovan.

With the introduction of the new TriNA book 5 went stupid.

While I've enjoyed this series with its unusual planet and TriNA the author went from science fiction to fantasy with the book 5 introduction of a new TriNA. (Spoiler alert). The new algae TriNA is so smart it can make a person operate an iPad to conduct an investigation and a rifle to attack an enemy. Something the person previously didn't know how to do. Not to mention conduct research at the end of the book. So if this TriNA is so dominant and smart, why hasn't olit taken over all the sea life, the the birds who eat the sea life, and all the land creatures who eat the birds and so on. Like I said, this one should be listed as fantasy.

What a let down.

I have followed this story and carefully bought in from the first book. This addition to the series is not only a distracting deviation from the story line, it is a long, droning, badly framed impersonation of classics such as “The Thing” or “Invasion of the Body Snatchers”. I could have safely skipped this book.