[dkstories] Do Over Was Great

[Rilbur]

I loved the do-over series, quite a bit. The first story was just lovely, with the opportunity to fix the mistakes of a past life and find a joy beyond his wildest dreams. The second one kind of turned me off a little because of how bitter it all was -- he'd had such a great life, and now he had to turn around and give it all up. Other than that, I enjoyed all of them. Even the last one, where they had to go back 'yet again' to fix stuff was a great story, and I love how they decided to send not one, but all six of themselves back to do their new do over (and then do it over over...).

 

It's a beautiful series, and thank you for writing it. It was well worth reading. I'm only sad to see you aren't going to Do It Again or something similar (hint hint, nudge nudge ).

[Rilbur]

I'm re-reading the series (OK, I love DK's writing more than I should! So sue me! ) and I noticed something that kinda disgruntled me. I don't have the exact chapter on hand (I'll come back and edit / repost when that's the case ), but in chapter 4 Coach Campbell ends up 'in' on the secret of time travel, but in the later chapter where they give a list of who knows about the time travel secret to the government they mysteriously forget that Coach Campbell knows.

 

I'm a nit picker, sorry! I just had to pick at it... because it'd drive me nuts if I didn't. (Read: I forgot to post it the first read through because I wanted to save it until I'd read everything... and now I can't put it off because I know I'll forget it again!)

 

Edit: OK, I'm an idiot. I missed the one line in chapter 17 where Coach Campbell ends up dead

 

Edit edit:

There was nothing like a pissed off Master Chief to work miracles

. I just had to mention on this read through how much I loved this line! I've spent enough time around the navy to understand exactly how true it is

[W_L]

Dan's a great set piece writer, I love the 1980's setting.

 

It's a beautiful story that is inspiring and amazing.

 

Dan please get back to this story again! I'd even consider editing for you or ghost writing if you give me an outline.

 

If you want ideas, I've got three interesting ones:

 

1. If you want to push for gay civil rights, then I got an interesting option. Have the boys meet with several of the era's closeted guys and try building a network from there. I'm kind of thinking of making something like the illumaniti or any underground group, who could theoretically influence history for the greater good or bring about the new world order, whichever seems better .

 

2. Forget politics, start working from the ground up. Davey and the gang have 2 decades of knowledge on pop cultural trends, why not use it? Think of it as a more realistic version of "Bill and Ted's Bogus adventure", where rock and roll brings about world peace. It is possible to have a strong movement based off music and culture shift the world. Elvis did it in the 50's, the beatles did it in 60's, and Woodstock did it for the 70's.

 

3. There's a theory among scientists about the idea of using a quantum tunnel like what you have done in do-over with signals being sent into the past. One idea of it is the amount of alternate universes that it gives access to. Why not explore the possibility by tweaking the frequency or design towards another set of alternate universal timelines? Mix a bit of sliders and Quantum leap.

 

I've got more plot ideas for Do-Over than ever and I can't wait to read a sequel.

[Toast]

Rilbur and WL, I love the do-over series too. It broke my heart a number of times. I love the characters.

[theschnauzers]

I've read some science articles recently that suggest Dan's theory about recording brain patterns would include the electrical patterns that make up memories may not be far off in reality. They've used CAT scans to show how and where the brain recorded something and then show that the brain had recorded that information through electical activity patterns.

 

Combine that with some of the recent theories on what the space/time dimension is and how one cpuld be moved along it, and the device used in the Do Over stories becomes more and more plausible. As to the story itself, there's one thread of plot (involving the Chinese) that was sort of left hanging out there somewhere. Given how the North Koreans, and then the Iranians, became influenced in nuclear research and development in part due to the Chinese over the years, (not to mention the Indians and the Pakistanis, and the threat of al Queda with their access to money) it's not a hard stretch to see a more contemporary set of villains trying to tinker with the past to change the present using their own version of the Do Over technology.

[Rilbur]

But the fundamental criteria is the fact that Dr-whats-his-face is both a genius, and at least partially insane (the first to come up with time travel, the second to push on the way he did). Without that combination, without the obsession with the subject, I doubt anyone else is going to crack the tech anytime soon.

[Allerron]

I loved the series. There were some points where I had to walk away from the computer because of some of the heart-wrenching twists. Once I even had to skip ahead to the end to see if there was a happy ending before I could force myself to read the book. Silly queen that I am I'm a sucker for that true love stuff...

[phana14]

I loved the series. There were some points where I had to walk away from the computer because of some of the heart-wrenching twists. Once I even had to skip ahead to the end to see if there was a happy ending before I could force myself to read the book. Silly queen that I am I'm a sucker for that true love stuff...

 

I just love your quotes on life and laughter!

You should live long AND happy!

Bless you.

[EMoe57]

The problem with a series like Do Over is finding an ending. Since the premise of the story is the characters can go back in time, it is possible the story never ends. That is unfortunate for Dan since he develops stories with a wide range of characters and topics. Just look at his story site: time travel, dragons, politics, magic, religion, clones, dooms day. As much as I laughed and cried through the Do Over series, I am always happy to read a new chapter from Dan - regardless of the topic.

 

PS: if you haven't already, your next story should be The Beard...

[Hamen Cheese]

The problem with a series like Do Over is finding an ending. Since the premise of the story is the characters can go back in time, it is possible the story never ends. That is unfortunate for Dan since he develops stories with a wide range of characters and topics. Just look at his story site: time travel, dragons, politics, magic, religion, clones, dooms day. As much as I laughed and cried through the Do Over series, I am always happy to read a new chapter from Dan - regardless of the topic.

 

PS: if you haven't already, your next story should be The Beard...

 

I liked how he finished the third book (I think it's called Doing It Right). For me, it gave some closure to the story. I think Let's Do It was a bit of a stretch already even if it was written now from another character's perspective. Everything was perfect in the third book (well, mostly anyway). The fourth just made it all seem like it didn't matter.

 

Aaah well.

[Omnimon]

To me the last book was a sobering piece that gave me closure to the drama of the previous books. After the first story, I was left in a puddle of tears (not really but that's how I felt). Brian's journal made my heart drop. What made it worse was not only that Brian died, but the memory of him was erased in the events of time travel. I have a quote from one of my favorite video games: "To be forgotten is a fate worse than death." Oh, I was so depressed thinking about them being forgotten. I had to read on to find some sort of closure, and I'm glad that the last book gave me some of that.

[Rilbur]

I liked how he finished the third book (I think it's called Doing It Right). For me, it gave some closure to the story. I think Let's Do It was a bit of a stretch already even if it was written now from another character's perspective. Everything was perfect in the third book (well, mostly anyway). The fourth just made it all seem like it didn't matter.

 

Aaah well.

 

Yeah, agreed; the fourth one seemed like something of a stretch. The third one ended 'just right' in so many ways.

[mmike1969]

Yeah, agreed; the fourth one seemed like something of a stretch. The third one ended 'just right' in so many ways.

 

I agree!

 

Except I do not remember Bush 2 losing and having a President Jones ever winning in 2004 :wacko:

 

Even Brian said it was the BEST of times! So, yes, I think it was necessary to tie-up this loose end and have Bush 2 win in 2004...

 

Besides, if it was left at DiR, we would not of had a nice moment in "The Beard"

[Rilbur]

True, 'dat.

[Ravyn]

I guess I have to agree that in a lot of ways, the 3rd story did end the most "perfectly" of all. But I'm definitely not sorry to see the series continued anyway. Actually, I'd be happy if the series never did end! Seriously, it's one of my favorites, and I'd love to read even more. I'm actually reading it all through for the second time right now, which is something I pretty much NEVER do. I dunno what it is exactly that I love so much -- everything I guess! I love the time travel "do it over" concept, and I love the characters. I love the 80s cultural aspects, I love the military/war stuff, and I love President Reagan. I love how emotional I get while I'm reading. I even love how everything doesn't turn out perfectly all the time. But most of all, I love how Davey and Brian are meant to be together.

Edited September 30, 2010 by Ravyn

[husky14620]

I wanted to add how much I've loved this saga. I even like the last one, although, if the DiR had ended just a little differently, I could have lived with it.

 

I do have one nit to pick, and a question that finally cleared in my mind after the last book.

 

The nit is that election day in the US is NOT the first Tuesday in November. It is the Tuesday after the first Monday! Election day is always between the 2nd and 8th inclusive. It can never be on the 1st of November, even when November begins on a Tuesday.

 

The question is, who is the other spy / mad scientist? In the last book, obviously, Sean and Brian missed the Agent named "E l d r i d g e" as a spy, but also, it seems that every time any of them go back, even with the jamming device, someone else sneaks back as well. So is it Sean, Trevor, Dyadya, or Tyatya? Was Dyadya involved enough with his co-worker to finish the time machine? Is Sean sabotaging the work due to his religious brainwashing? Was Trevor recruited to keep an eye on his father's work? There are so many questions created in book four that I really hope a book five is in the works.

 

Between this site, the CSU (Clan Short Universe) stories, and EWalk over at Tickie, I never have time for anything else anymore.

Edited January 9, 2011 by husky14620

[J.T.]

I've only read to Chapter 26 of the second novel and I'm loving it every bit.

 

One thing that has been perfect as I'm reading is to play the Inception soundtrack on a loop (the entire thing) while reading. So far it's syncing up to the ups and downs of the stories perfectly. Even the track titles fit with story.

 

I deliberately skipped to the bottom and didn't read most of the posts because I saw a big bold "Spoiler Alert" thing and I was like... no. NO! *click* (skipped)

 

Anyways, don't spoil it for me. I want to be able to finish this series - it's sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo good.

[J.T.]

Just finished the second one - I was so sad when... wait...

 

 

he went back in time but his brain wasn't developed properly and couldn't handle his own experiences. After reading the first novel I had prepared myself for a dramatic snap about 3 chapters before the novel ended. It was a good twist in events for the second novel, although I'm quite interested in the 3rd novel now. Hopefully 17 chapters will be able to quench my seek for satisfaction for the best mainly for Davey and Sean. I can't wait until what happens in 1984 when Sean comes back.

 

 

 

Okay... at least I used the spoiler thingy.

 

Can't wait to read the 3rd novel. Absolutely enjoying reading this series thus far.

[J.T.]

wow... the third one was so good I couldn't go to bed... actually I ended up finishing up the 3rd novel in my bed reading on my phone.

 

 

ZOMFG Brian turned into Mr. Mom and bottomed at the end of the story.

 

 

 

It was a great end... now I'm wondering what's in the 4th one if the end of the 3rd one was supposed to mark the end of the series supposedly.

[J.T.]

K... finished the entire series last night. Finally going to read the comments I skipped earlier lol

 

---

EDIT:

 

Doing it Right ended the series properly for me. I really enjoyed the entire series, but there were a few issues with the last novel I just wanted to address:

 

Using Davey as the primary perspective for three books and then suddenly switch to Brian was interesting. But the last chapter was written in an outside observer point-of-view, which is understandable considering the unstable state of mind of what Brian had to deal with. It was just a very awkward shift for the very last chapter.

 

The main issue with Let's Do It is that it took Dan 20 chapters to get Brian started and then in eight chapters the span of three lifetimes occur. It just felt extremely rushed. I would have loved for the entire Russia setting and experience elaborated more. The treatment of Brian after the fact

that he was sent to a Siberian labor mine

of how he got there, how bit by bit he began breaking down, how his personal will towards the United States, his secrets, and his friends did break while his will towards Davey never broke, why that was, whether the details of the Do Over technology was properly recorded and enacted by the Russian Colonel who became interested in the technology, and

how Brian was rescued.

Since Let's Do It became a shifting perspective novel, I would have liked to see how Brian was at last sent back in time, the details involved with obtaining, researching, and enacting "the last act" to make things right.

 

The other main issue I had with Brian in particular was that Davey was so careful and calculating with every detail in initiating change while assuming a greater moral compass as much as possible, while Brian, even after multiple timelines, still had no reservation about sending not only himself, but his friends to essentially have free reign on the effects and consequences of time travel. I just feel that when all of Brian's friends got to go back after essentially betraying the government officials of the United States in that particular timeline, that the importance of the security of the time machine was cheapened, and the sense of duty to make things right became more and more of a slippery slope. While I agree that the driving force of Davey was his sense of duty to his country while Brian's driving force was to influence indirectly the greater good in the world, there are multiple decisions that I personally would have loved Davey with multiple timeline experience to somehow be able to evade jamming (such as him getting into the bubble after Brian and Sean went back in time when the bubble collapsed temporarily or was able to use the same signal that wasn't able to be jammed to be sent back. It would really be nice of Davey was allowed to issue some direct influence to help make certain decisions that would ultimately avert the mistakes made in Let's Do It.

 

And I guess if Dan decided to write a fifth novel to continue the series, I would really like to see if they could get Brian to recover, rebuilding his life, getting a grasp on things.

 

Let's Do It was an interesting sequel, but until I see a better "ending" to tie the series up, I really see Doing It Right be the right ending to the series for now.

 

Thank you Dan for write such wonderful series such as Do Over and Rich Boy, I really look forward to reading the rest of your published works on here and hope to be able to read more material from you soon.

Edited January 14, 2011 by fmd

[TimGRmich]

i am writing to complain about dan's stories.

 

i just started the "Do Over" saga / series, and am only 1/3 of the way into the first ... PLUS ... i just got my first Kindle & have loaded many of DK's stories onto it ... so ...

now i find myself staying up longer than i should reading -- i don't look at the clock, i go by how tired / bored i am, and reading the first of the do overs, i sometimes find my first look at the clock after starting some evening reading often shows it's like 1:20 a.m. ... and sometimes those are weekdays, not just weekends ...

SO ... i'm writing to complain, cuz while the stories are enjoyable & cause me to lose track of time, the last 'converstions' ii'm involved in many days are with dan's characters, which means i often continue the dialogue (fantasize about a new story with them?) during my sleep hours, which are fewer than i need, thanks to dan, so ...

Kindly provide me with dan's contact information so my lawyer may get in touch with him. that way, when i lose my job due to lack of performance (due to lack of sleep/reading too long), i will already have the information my solicitor will require in order to bring suit -- it'll obviously be dan's fault, so the cost (lost wages, mental trauma, yadda-yadda-yadda) should be his burden, not mine.

[:-p

 

(love the style, and especially (1.) that the first i'm reading is long, and (2.) there are a good deal more of them to jump into after finishing this first one. thanks for sharing your talents: much appreciated!!)

[zland666]

do over was awesome!! im not really into sci fi but that series is freaking mind blowing, i know a series has to come to an end but i truly hope there's one more:)

[A_Akira]

Really enjoyed the whole series though Doing It Right was the high point for me.

 

This is not to mean that Let's Do It was bad or anything. Well I do think that the beginning of it was a bit forced and somewhat un-fleshed out but aside from this, I think DIR had a nice, fuzzy, "perfect" (so to speak) ending and to drag Davey and Brian through another journey kinda broke that up.

 

Would be nice to have a 5th book to round up the story with another warm and fuzzy ending but even without one the series is solid and a definite joy to read. Kudos to Dan!