In Kearney's previous book, THE CHALLENGE, readers met the computer with a human personality of gold, Dora. In THE DARE, Dora is just as mischievous as ever and even more bent on her goal of having intimate relations with the handsome Zical.

On her mission, Dora "grows" a body in which to funnel her personality and some of her impressive mind. However, she can't take all of her mind with her and must leave most of her supercomputer abilities with a new personality. Though Dora's personal goal to be with Zical drives her desires to become human, when she does gain a body, she has plenty of other things to worry about: physical discomfort, emotions and a mission to save the galaxy from ancient protector machines. While growing as a person instead of a computer and helping with the mission, Dora also learns about the multiple layers of love and compassion woven into human relationships, those layers that transcend the physical. However, the physical activities have unexpected side- effects for a computer in human form.

This book is a riot. It's a fun romp filled with playful sexuality and sci-fi adventure. The characters are well- drawn and the storylines are intriguing. THE DARE is easy to fall into even if one has not read THE CHALLENGE.