Dreams of Humanity 1. Dreams of Humanity Premium

This is one of my all time favorite science fiction stories.  It does start in a different place but it moves on from there and becomes pretty epic.  As with all of dkstories' writing, there is a heavy, believable political weight to the story.

Definitely worth your time if you like science fiction!

The story has so many twists and turns sometimes I was a little confused. But as the story progressed things coalesced to the point where we are left at a cliffhanger. I don't know where to find the next part of this epic story.

Very well written, proof-reading way excellent and I could see the purple & green eyes of the clones & humans. The year is 2018 and I have not found part 2 which does not have Dreams of Humanity in the title. I subscribed to gayauthors.org and nifty.org because I enjoyed the stories so much. Authors should not be ripped off because many stories aren't individually priced as does Amazon or Audible.

Thanks to dkstories for the adventure with all the characters!

My all-time favorite Science Fiction novel is The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell.  I own both a hardcover (actually trade paperback) version and a Kindle version.  Every couple years, I open one of them and re-read it - each time finding some new facet that had been undiscovered until that reading.

Dreams of Humanity is the same for me.  I read it many years ago here on Gay Authors.  It disappeared for a while and then reappeared, but I have always held onto my own copy.  It and its sequel are my favorite completed Science Fiction stories on the web.  Each time I read them, I discover some jewel within that my previous readings had missed.

In almost all of my reviews at this site, I have stressed the importance of character portrayal by the authors.  In Dreams of Humanity the reader is drawn to Garrett Lars/Atrix as steadily as a moth to candle flame, first in sympathy, then in admiration and finally with an unbridled sense of respect for Garrett's personality, strength and - amazingly - humanity.

This is a complex story with many threads weaving a tapestry of a future universe where great power is held by three different - and differing - forms of governance.  Dan Kirk is masterful in his descriptions to us, the readers, how those different alliances are governed.  Because it is important to the overall tapestry, he even gives very plausible histories of why each alliance operates as it does.

He draws the readers into each military action with such prose that it is almost like watching a video, it is so real within our minds.  As with his other stories, Dan proves that he is great at giving his readers very plausible military situations and actions.  

The supporting characters, and there are many, are also fleshed out so that we become familiar with each one to the point that we develop opinions of each whether of admiration or contempt.

The story is a grand epic which focusses on a main character that is most remarkable and is told in a setting that is so imaginative and so large that when we reach the end, we are physically tired and filled with awe.

It is at that point that we turn to Dreams of a Father and find that it is possible for an author to write a tremendously good story and follow it up with an even better one.

If you like Science Fiction, space battles, International (Interplanetary) drama and intrigue and characters that you are drawn to inescapably, I would not recommend Dreams of Humanity to you, but rather beseech you to immediately go to Chapter One.

As with all of Dan Kirk's stories, the English construction is superb, the grammar almost perfect and without error.  Though it is a large story - like Mrs. Russell's The Sparrow, there is not a wasted sentence or phrase.  Just a superbly constructed piece of prose.

Davey

This is an absorbing, exciting, well-written story.  One where earth is the enemy, clones are the norm, and space fights abound.

This story turned out not what I was expecting, and that was beautiful. An epic science fiction tale, that I would recommend for anyone that loves SciFi.

"Dreams of Humanity" is a breathtaking epic of science-fiction and space opera, clearly inspired by the great masters of the genre such as Frank Herbert and, to a lesser degree, Isaac Asimov. The universe it unfolds is rich with detail: enormous space battles, memorable characters, and a tapestry of old and newly born worlds. From the very first chapters, the author immerses us in a setting both vast and intimate - where politics, faith, technology, and war intertwine with deeply human questions.

The story presents a future in which ancient religions have evolved into fanatical cults, new galactic orders rule with iron agendas, and both natural-born humans and clones are drawn into relentless struggles for dominance. In this world, human clones make up a significant part of the population, raising profound ethical dilemmas:
Are clones truly human? Should they hold the same rights as their creators? If they are deemed worthy to die for a cause, why are they denied the freedom to choose their own path?
These moral questions form one of the story’s most compelling thematic pillars.

Author @dkstories skillfully constructs a post-democratic Republic governed by Great Houses - a clear homage to Herbert’s Dune. Each House has its official Speaker, and though they hold power, they rule guided by ethics and a sense of duty to their citizens. In such a system, democracy as we know it becomes portrayed not as a salvation, but as a danger - susceptible to populism, corruption, and emotional manipulation of the masses.
By contrast, Earth serves as the heart of a rigid Empire, ruled by religious authorities. There, natural-born humans are seen as God’s true creations, while clones are condemned as abominations. This ideological clash sets the stage for sweeping conflict.

At the center of this saga is Garret, a special clone with striking green eyes, raised as a true member of the Lars family - son, brother, soldier, and ultimately, a leader. Loyal to the Republic with every fiber of his being, Garret must face impossible choices and heartbreaking sacrifices to protect the civilization he loves. Whether he succeeds, and what it will cost him, is the emotional engine of the narrative. The novel’s conclusion offers closure to one chapter of his life, while opening the door to a new journey in Book II.

In the end, I wholeheartedly recommend "Dreams of Humanity" to every true sci-fi enthusiast. I do not know whether @dkstories is still active as a writer, but this series deserves to be published in print alongside the greats of the genre. I would also like to thank @Myr for making it available to readers on the GA site.