
Content levels
Positive tags
Hero archetypes
Protagonist archetypes
Tropes
Synopsis
In the year 2160, in a recovered post-apocalyptic landscape, the world is controlled by four geopolitical, socio-economic nation-state factions vying for scarce resources. Following the brutal assassination of his wife by a rival faction's hired ninja assassin, Tyco Orion, an undisciplined officer from the United Freedom Alliance, is assigned to command a space frigate tasked with safeguarding Alliance interests in the Mars sector. As he navigates this perilous mission, he must also mend his fractured relationship with his sons while battling his thirst for revenge. The challenge intensifies as he attempts to explain the nature of evil to his young son, who struggles with the painful question of how a benevolent God could permit the murder of his mother, while his resentful older son blames him for failing to protect their mother. Amidst this turmoil, he uncovers a secret involving a captured alien and is tasked with the covert mission to transport the Alien from Earth to Mars while trying to thwart a corrupt Empire from destroying the Alliance in a deadly space war stretching from Earth to Mars. Ultimately, he faces the ninja assassin responsible for his wife's death, forcing him to confront his desire for vengeance at the risk of succumbing to darkness himself and becoming an instrument of evil.
Tags
Is Dragon Defense Force - Dark Space appropriate for my child?
Suitable for most readers 16 and up.
This military SF novel contains explicit assassination violence, war themes, and a protagonist dealing with traumatic loss while seeking revenge. The story explores mature themes of grief, faith, morality, and the corrupting influence of vengeance.
What to know going in
This book has strong violence, no sexual content, and moderate language. Content notes include murder, death of spouse, death of parent, and grief (see the full list above).
Who'll love this
Teens interested in military space opera with complex moral questions and father-son relationships will find this revenge-driven story compelling.