Eleven days ago, I had no idea what a twice emitter, JEDDO, VC, EPIC, and DAN were. But now that I’ve read Sapien: Dawn of Oblivion by T.O. Burnett, the combat weapon, heavily armored ten passenger all-terrain vehicle, viewing console, information conveyor, and currency, respectively, are as familiar and real to me as they are to the inhabitants of the colorful Sapien Solar System featured in Mr. Burnett’s wonderfully written Sci-fi Fantasy book. Before coming across Sapien, I had never read anything in this genre and never thought I would. But the beautiful, haunting cover of the book and the blurb on the back piqued my curiosity. I’m glad I followed through, because the book was more than worth the read.
Mr. Burnett is a gifted writer whose woven a tale filled with three dimensional characters that you will fall in love with and love to hate. The story revolves around the mercenary crew of the Starship Whisper led by Mulati Soldaat, a 6’2” Adonis of Scandinavian and Zulu warrior descent. And yes, you will fall in love with this man who embodies ethics and courage. Other team members are Sampa Yambasu, Mulati’s right hand woman. She’s strong, fearless, and a force to be reckoned with. Her black skin is as smooth and flawless as her fighting skills. Bjorn Mathison is a 6’5” Scandinavian tough guy with a bad temper, and Corto Canales is a diminutive chain smoker from the Spanish Province on Evropa. Then there’s the woman who loves and worries about them all—Beth Kirby, a solidly built Irish woman who knows her way around the ship’s kitchen, whipping together meals described so meticulously by Mr. Burnett, that I could smell the aroma through my phone.
The crew has been hired by Vice Chancellor Theris Lamont to embark on a mission that he hopes will bring harmony and unity to the human race. At the present time, the yet to be integrated Sapien Solar System is on the verge of major economic, political, and social change. Meanwhile, there are other politicians who are not as ethical as Theris Lamont, who have aligned themselves with factions of the underworld in an attempt to push their own agenda. Mulati and his crew come up against these factions as they endeavor to fulfill their commitment to Theris Lamont. Mr. Burnett takes you on a whirlwind journey with the crew as they encounter life threatening situations underwater and in the air. His writing is vivid and will have you on the edge of your seat wondering will the crew survive. Mr. Burnett is fearless in his descriptions that paint battles filled with blood and gore, fights that have you scrunching up your face and biting your nails as you root for Mulati and the crew to overpower the bad guys. During one trip, they encounter Francois Larue, a rogue member of the notorious DOD gang. After betraying the DOD, Francois has to conceal his past affiliation with the gang as he tries to become a part of the Whisper team. This leads to several comical situations that serve as a nice contrast to the deadly adventures of the crew.
After much blood and mayhem, the crew realizes that Theris Lamont is in danger and that it will be left to them to save him. Will they once again rise to the occasion or will the crew or some of its members be killed in the huge battle that takes place at the amphitheater in Central City at the end of the book? You’ll have to read it to find out. And I promise you, it’ll be worth the read and you’ll be more than ready for book two!