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  • The Dar Lumbre Chronicles: A Hard Science Fiction Novel Laced With Political Satire

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Don Johnston
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The Dar Lumbre Chronicles: A Hard Science Fiction Novel Laced With Political Satire Kindle Edition

by Don Johnston (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 out of 5 stars (143)


“…could come straight from today’s headlines.” Kirkus Reviews

As NatGov was poised to arrest Dr. Dar Lumbre for performing illegal genetic experiments, he vanished like a will-o'-the-wisp. Fifty years later, Dr. Lumbre’s followers proclaim his imminent return as a unifying force between science, religion, and politics.

Geneticists Crane and Annie are drawn into the fracas by the failure of DL-666, the synthetic heart tissue developed by Dr. Lumbre before his disappearance. While attempting to solve the problem, they wish for the enigmatic doctor’s return. If he reappears, will NatGov allow him to help repair the tissue? Or will they arrest him?

“A clever extrapolation of today’s sociopolitical pathologies to the next century…ingenious narrative” Kirkus Reviews

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  1. Print length
    367 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Accessibility
    Learn more
  4. Publication date
    March 15, 2018
  5. Reading age
    15 - 18 years
  6. File size
    3.3 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Don was born in rural East Texas a long time ago and grew up with a sister and a brother. Upon completing high school, he joined the U.S. Air Force and served three years as a jungle survival instructor in Panama. Following his military service, he enrolled in Stephen F. Austin State University and got married. After getting his degree in biology and chemistry, Don and his wife moved to Houston where our only child, a son, was born. He worked fifteen years as a chemist for companies in the Houston area and then started his own business.Don has been a member of Sugar Land Baptist Church for over twenty years and has led Bible study classes throughout that time. Many of his best friends are in Bible study together. His wife of fifty-three years died of cancer in 2014, leaving him the patriarch of a small family-a son, a daughter-in-law, three grandchildren, and two great grandchildren. His family is his pride and joy.Don wrote numerous technical articles and reports during the early years of his career but no fiction until recently. Upon retirement, he began to study fiction writing, especially concentrating on science fiction, the genre he loves. "The Dar Lumbre Chronicles" is his first venture into the world of self-published paperbacks; hopefully, it will not be his last, as another work is in currently progress.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07BHV3WLZ
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 15, 2018
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3.3 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 367 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 15 - 18 years
  • Best Sellers Rank: #2,795,774 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 out of 5 stars (143)

About the author

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Don Johnston

Don Johnston

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I was born in East Texas a long time ago and grew up with a sister and a brother.

At five years old, I found a tattered science book with several pages missing. The first intact page showed a monarch butterfly emerging from a chrysalis. That incident was the "ah-ha moment" that drew me into the world of science.

Upon completing high school, I joined the Air Force and served as a jungle survival instructor in Panama. While in Panama, I wrote a gossip column for the base newspaper and won second place in a short story contest. After that, there was a sixty year gap in my creative writing. Following my military service, I enrolled in Stephen F. Austin State College and got married. After graduating with a degree in biology and chemistry, we moved to Houston where our only child, a son, was born.

After writing for three years in the Air Force, I didn't create any more fiction until I was eighty years old. My first novel, "The Dar Lumbre Chronicles," was published in 2018, and I've been writing ever since. "By Means of Peace" is my third novel, and the next one is simmering on the back burner.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
143 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find this science fiction novel engaging, with a compelling storyline supported by detailed scientific facts and thrilling action. Moreover, the book is well-written and easy to follow, with well-developed characters and a fast-paced plot. Additionally, customers appreciate how the story incorporates heavy parody of current world politics, and one customer notes how it adds realism to the fiction.
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47 customers mention readability, 45 positive, 2 negative
Customers find the book to be a satisfying and interesting read that keeps readers enchanted throughout the chapters, with one customer noting it's a quick but fulfilling experience.
A good read. Just a little quick to finish after the climax. Eight more words are required. Oops three more.Read more
...I can happily report that this was a great book. It did have complexity in both the storyline and in the medical jargon....Read more
...Very interesting and thought-provoking.Read more
Really enjoyed this book! Surprise ending was enjoyable. Thank you Don Johnson for your love of SyFi. Can’t wait for your next book.Read more
46 customers mention content, 43 positive, 3 negative
Customers enjoy the content of the book, describing it as a richly descriptive novel with an interesting mixture of science, and one customer notes how it adds realism to the fiction.
...makes this book realistic, spine-tingling at times and thought-provoking. The story is set in a dystopic future....Read more
The Dar Lumbre Chronicles by Don Johnston it is a science fiction novel about some genetic secret experiments by Dr. Lumbre that was about to be...Read more
The Dar Lumbre Chronicles is a richly descriptive novel, the author put me right into the narrative, and I felt as if I was actually in the story...Read more
The book is mystery, science fiction and highlights conflicts among science, religion and politics....Read more
40 customers mention story, 39 positive, 1 negative
Customers enjoy the compelling and thought-provoking storyline of the book, with one customer noting how the plot is supported by detailed descriptions of scientific facts, while another describes it as a fascinating tale of a world with dazzling advances.
...Discussion: a well written, spaced and paced sci-fi, mystery, thriller with extensive details on genetics presented in a readable fashion.Read more
This is a great story, well written, and structured around a fresh new idea....Read more
The Dar Lumbre Chronicles is an interesting tale. Dr Lumbre created a heart repair that the government considered illegal....Read more
...Likes: I’m smiling as I write this because I really liked the story....Read more
28 customers mention engaging, 28 positive, 0 negative
Customers find the book engaging, with thrilling action sequences and enough intrigue to pique interest. One customer notes how it captivates from the opening chapter, while another appreciates its entertaining medical mystery elements.
...mixture of genetics, a great deal of political drama and thrilling action with a dash of romance, this is a fascinating story of a world with...Read more
...Excellent medical thriller....Read more
...Much humor and fun, while also much fascinating discussion of human genetics that will likely engage even readers with no particular appetite or...Read more
...managed to create 249 pages of a hard science fiction novel, full of intrigue and mystery, adding drama and involving scientific work...Read more
22 customers mention writing style, 22 positive, 0 negative
Customers appreciate the writing style of the book, finding it well composed and easy to follow, with one customer specifically praising the character development.
...Discussion: a well written, spaced and paced sci-fi, mystery, thriller with extensive details on genetics presented in a readable fashion.Read more
...The Dar Lumbre Chronicles by Don Johnston is a wonderfully written and richly descriptive novel with brilliantly drawn characters and settings....Read more
...fiction seem almost possible, which to me is the cornerstone of a good writer....Read more
This was a unique and well-written book with very interesting and likeable characters....Read more
21 customers mention character development, 21 positive, 0 negative
Customers appreciate the character development in the book, with one mentioning how they enjoy the suspense as the characters seek a solution.
...A little bit eerie, a little mysterious, with great characters, and a fast paced plot, this is a highly recommended book for those who love science...Read more
...Characters are well developed and the pace is steady, easy to read and understand it makes a good read for a weekend!Read more
...Things see to actually heading this way. The characters were interesting, though not too in depth....Read more
...was a unique and well-written book with very interesting and likeable characters....Read more
20 customers mention political, 18 positive, 2 negative
Customers appreciate the political elements in the book, which includes heavy parody of current world politics and a mix of political and religious aspects.
...-esque, sci-fi novel is an interesting mix of current events and politics that would suggest not much will have changed 100 years in the future....Read more
Slightly too much genetics, but the political satire is terrific.Read more
...” is a futuristic novel with an interesting mixture of science and political intrigue and manipulation woven into its pages....Read more
...Chronicles is a unique mixture of science fiction, romance, and political satire....Read more
14 customers mention pacing, 10 positive, 4 negative
Customers enjoy the pacing of the book, with one mentioning its fast-paced plot.
...bit eerie, a little mysterious, with great characters, and a fast paced plot, this is a highly recommended book for those who love science fiction...Read more
...de Mayo parades -that’s entirely a US tradition; I found the book very fast-paced and exciting. I liked the precision of the scientific explanations.Read more
So this was slow in places I believe by design, some of the technical and personnel background data had to be detailed in order to make this book...Read more
...Characters are well developed and the pace is steady, easy to read and understand it makes a good read for a weekend!Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Piaras
    5.0 out of 5 stars A unique and wonderfully written Sc-Fi that was hard to put down.
    Reviewed in the United States on June 28, 2020
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Forty-some years ago my uncle gave me a science fiction anthology. It was a thick red hardback that I read from cover to cover. It inspired a lifelong love of the genre. The stories in that book made me think outside the box. They filled me with awe for the imagination it took to write them. That book still remains in my collection today. The title is OMNIBUS OF SCIENCE FICTION, edited by Groff Conklin, a well-known and prolific editor of the genre. It was published in 1952, the Golden Age of Science Fiction. It’s a substantial volume, 562 pages, with 43 stories divided into sections relating to a common theme. Some stories are fun, some are thought-provoking, and some are adventurous. I love them all.

    The Dar Lumbre Chronicles by Don Johnston is a wonderfully written and richly descriptive novel with brilliantly drawn characters and settings. The author weaves a clever web of intrigue in this well-crafted Sci-Fi that will captivate the reader from the opening chapter. Skillfully constructed, this well-written and unique story will have you turning the pages from beginning to end.

    I’m a big fan of Sci-Fi, so this for us was a phenomenal read. It’s one of those books that stayed with me for several days after I finished reading it. The vivid descriptions of the settings, situations, and the people were stunning and realistic.

    I’ll be looking forward to reading more from Don Johnston in the future. Highly recommended reading and a well-deserved five stars from me.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • SophAnn
    4.0 out of 5 stars Well Executed
    Reviewed in the United States on August 11, 2019
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I do judge a book by its cover, at least initially. Often, a book’s cover will give the reader a feel for what’s in store. However, the cover for The Dar Lumbre Chronicles was too simple. Though there is nothing wrong with the cover itself, it doesn’t seem to match the intensity of the book.
    I love sci-fi books, and The Dar Lumbre Chronicles looked unique and creative. The synopsis of the book was well written. The description gave enough information about the book without any spoilers. Also, it provided enough intrigue to pique my interest.
    One of the things that attracted me to this book was the complexity of the storyline. The Dar Lumbre Chronicles wasn’t just sci-fi; it is also a missing person mystery, medical mystery, and a bit on the suspenseful side. This book is not a suspenseful thriller, but instead, it's a fast page-turner.
    Although my excitement for this book was also mildly tempered. I know that with so many elements in one book, it was either going to be a hit or flop. I can happily report that this was a great book. It did have complexity in both the storyline and in the medical jargon. However, the medical/science speak didn’t make the book convoluted, instead, it gave it a touch of realism.
    The Dar Lumbre Chronicles was definitely a well thought out and well-executed book. I look forward to seeing what Don Johnston comes out with next.
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  • Grady Harp
    5.0 out of 5 stars ‘To give light’
    Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2019
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Texas author Don Johnston served in the US Air Force as a jungle survivor in Panama, then earning his degree in biology and chemistry from Stephen F. Austin State University, and has retired from his career as a chemist and entrepreneur to settle into writing – science fiction is his preferred genre. THE DAR LUMBRE CHRONICLES is his publishing debut.

    Don combines his background both from the military experience and his scientific curiosity as a chemist and biological investigator molds a very tight sci-fi/genetic engineering tale into a captivating novel. He seizes or attention with the opening lines: ‘Oct.21, 2086 – A black sedan coasted to a stop in front of the Anaheim Lofts on La Palma Avenue. Four burly NatGov Special Agents dressed in black uniforms jumped out and charged through the front door of the building. By passing the elevator, they bolted upstairs to the second floor and stopped in front of nit 6. The lead agent, Lieutenant Garza, rang the doorbell, waited five seconds, and rang it again. There was no answer. After ringing the bell for third time, Garza pulled a thumb-sized megaphone form his utility belt and spoke into t, “Attention, Dar Lumbre. Special Agents have your unit surrounded. Please open the door immediately.” Still, no answer…’

    That level of intensity is maintained through the book as we learn about Mexican geneticist Dar Lumbre whose experiments with DL-666 (a culture of synthetic heart tissue) cause a brutal response from the government and the influence of his strange disappearance result in a near cult following. A bizarre solar flare complicates facts and destroys scientific data and CellTech geneticists Crane Hopkins and Annie Lee commit to bringing Dar Lumbre’s DL-666 back into the intended course of providing material for heart transplants. Suspense and genetics and sci-fi incidents mix with romance and some prophecy for a better society to make this an involving novel – an impressive first novel for Don Johnston. Grady Harp, February 19
    One person found this helpful
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  • Agustina
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good read!
    Reviewed in the United States on October 26, 2020
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    The Dar Lumbre Chronicles is a richly descriptive novel, the author put me right into the narrative, and I felt as if I was actually in the story being one of the characters. It is set in a dystopic future in 2086, and it tells us about a great scientist who has been saving information and is being quieted by the government, and about families that are waiting for new treatments to save their loved ones, so it also relates to the present as those are things that are happening now.
    Don Johnston managed to create 249 pages of a hard science fiction novel, full of intrigue and mystery, adding drama and involving scientific work procedures.
    The thing that I liked the most is that although it is a futuristic saga, you can relate to the characters and settings in quite an easy way. The writing is simple to follow and it is very much worth checking out.
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Christine Lough
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Good Read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 13, 2019
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    The first thing I did when I saw this title was go and take a look at what it meant. I won’t spoil it for you, but I encourage you to do the same. Everything will make more sense once you know what Dar Lumbre means. If you are into a combination of science fiction and romance, this book is definitely for you. The author does a good job of blending two unrelated genres in a very clever way. You really do need to be a literary genius if you are going to pull something like this off and he seems to have done a very good job of it. The book is definitely a page turner, you won’t be able to put it down once you get started. I read it in two days. This book is highly recommended to those who are looking for something different. This novel is far from average.
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  • Julie Tsang
    4.0 out of 5 stars Captivating, fast-paced novel with a dystopian setting
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 28, 2021
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    This is a fast-paced, science fiction novel and it is great for readers of all ages. It is set in the 22nd century and offers a dystopian tale of what may lie ahead of us in the not so distant future. The author uses elements of science, politics and religion to craft a suspenseful story which grips the reader and draws you in as the chapters go on.

    This futuristic novel features a lot of scientific concepts to get your head around, but Johnston manages to put across the information in a digestible way to keep you entertained. It is an engaging book which is well suited for science fiction fans. As someone who usually reads outside of this genre, I was captivated by the storyline and found myself rooting for the complex characters as they progressed through this dark, new world.
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  • Sachi
    4.0 out of 5 stars Really good!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 5, 2021
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    This book combines science and romance to create a book that's quite different, but really intriguing and interesting. Both genres blended together perfectly and paired with the author's incredible descriptive ability, I was transported to another world completely. I managed to get drawn into the world. and drawn into the character development, which for me. is integral to falling for a book completely. I really enjoyed this one.
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  • Ben
    3.0 out of 5 stars Shaky, but enjoyable
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 25, 2019
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    The premise and world-building are the strongest thing this work has going for it. Incredible, suspenseful description pulls you straight into the world of Dr. Dar Lumbre and keeps you there.

    I can only commend Don Johnston for his ability to envision science in a later 21st century, in terms of genetics and morality.

    However, while the books main strengths lay here with the world-building and integrating science into this world, I found the dialogue and characters somewhat lacking. On one hand Annie's characterisation could be chalked up to the futuristic, dark, dystopian setting, on the other hand, I still found some of the dialogue clunky and unrealistic.

    So overall, this story isn't perfect, but it's commendable.
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  • QuirkyBookReads
    2.0 out of 5 stars Well researched medical and scientific information, poor characters
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 19, 2021
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    The Dar Lumbre Chronicles is a detailed story that was slow to get to the point. There are some action happening but a lots of things seemed to be irrelevant and I felt that is was quite tedious.
    The medical and scientific information seemed to be well researched.
    From the blur The Dar Lumbre Chronicles looked like a real interesting read. The chapters that I read were full with politics and conspiracy theories.
    Characters lacking in any personalities often seeming child-like.
    I am on the fence about whether it is a book I would recommend, as I ended up putting it in my DNF shelf at the end of chapter 5.
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