What do you think?
Sapien: Days of Deception
Robbed of its innocence, planet Neutralia fights to restore the order it previously enjoyed. The escaped Bastillians are running freely throughout District County. As the citizens of Central City try to adjust to their new normal, the Solar Alliance seeks to gain even more control of the Sapien Solar System through a newly implemented justice system. The Mayhem Marauders, who serve as the enforcers for that system, have undergone an image change, and the citizens have reluctantly embraced them. But things are not as they seem. All is not well under the new regime. In his quest to extinguish the notorious DOD from planet Hades, Chancellor Steven Aldrich makes a bold move that sets off a series of events that cause the solar system to change forever. While he attempts to execute his plan, the crew of the Whisper—led by Mulati Soldaat—continue the clandestine mission they were hired, by Vice-Chancellor Theris Lamont, to complete. What unfolds is more than any of the players involved could have anticipated. Behind every loss is a victory, every lie a truth, and every death...
363 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 16, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 7, 2023
Amazon Rating: ★★★★★
Book Rating: ☆★★★★
—
I enjoyed Dawn of Oblivion, the first book in the Sapien series. It's a fun story though it did feel a bit rough around the edges. There was potential that I liked and that left me curious about the follow-up book: Days of Deception (aka this one)
I don’t really have a detailed report. I’m a bit of a forgetful soul and easily distracted, so I tend to write little review notes as I steadily make my way through the story and organise them at the end. But I didn’t really do that this time and a large part of that is because I just enjoyed the story, there wasn’t much that threw me out. It just flowed nicely and kept me coming back.
Now saying that, it isn’t a perfect book. (but let's be honest and ask what is? — not many of them would exist I’m sure) I did struggle from time to time, largely with character motivations seem a bit forced or unrealistic. But that was probably less than 5 percent of the story. 95% of the time I was pretty engrossed and happy with what I read.
The Days of Deception is a fun read. But there is something different too. I don't know if it's me easing into Burnett's writing style, or I'd he became more confident in his voice but I found the second book more immersive than the first. The first book was good and fun, but a fair chuck of it didn’t trigger my imagination like this one did. Maybe I need to return to it and give it another read (I am one of those types who takes a bit to warm up and enjoy books, even the greats that are in my favourite lists)
T.O. does have a pretty straightforward writing style, it's a bit old school in that sense. It's factual, but with enough emotion to captivate you (or me anyway). There is no smothering with extra flowering prose but it isn’t bare minimum either. It's a nice change from many modern books I've come across. On that note, the universe also feels a little old school. It’s not bogged down in high tech, there’s a bit of a golden age of sci-fi feel to it in that sense. Like Silverberg or A.E. van Vogt. You read scifi books today and it’s a digitaly dominated world. The Sapien universe certainly has a digital side, but it’s - Idk - more restricted? Like perhaps people consciously choose to step back and build a world for individual privacy or something. It’s a nice change in modern scifi setting.
But on the slightly negative side, my modern brain does struggle to accept this world on that basis. Especially as we consider the political characters running amock and being … well … typical politicians. XD — some of that again leads back to strange actions. It all circles around on each other with pros and cons. I do wonder if this is an anarchist social system. Would make a lot of sense, especially with one of the main antagonists fighting to change things to his liking.
I’m also really digging the segregation theme. Again, I didn’t really feel the power of it in the first book, but it really hit home in the second. Perhaps that’s just me coming back to it and understanding how the worlds work. I am no longer blind. It makes me want to see this as a TV series or movie. Would be interesting to explore these worlds further. I like the potential and the underlying arc of togetherness that some of the characters seek or try to build.
The one real negative I have. The one thing I didn’t enjoy is the sex scene (about 20% into the book) I don’t know how to write this without being horrible, lol. But please, if you’re a male writer, consult one or two trusted female friends on sex scenes, because sex scenes written by men are so often bad for female readers. They just don’t work — on the plus side. The scene is super short and we're back to normal systems. There’s even some little scenes scattered sparsely throughout the book where characters are just adorable and sweet to each other. And I'm glad we saw them, because at the time, I was really worried.
Anyways, certainly a series worth investing in. Looking forward to reading the final novel.
—
My rating Systems:
Amazon Rating: (because they suck when it comes to book ratings)
5 – Fantastic work. Anything from brilliant to highly likeable.
4 – A decent solid piece of writing with a lot going for it. I really dig your jive.
X – No rating if I didn’t like it or think others won’t like it.
All other Book Rating Systems:
5 – Absolutely genius. I probably want to marry you.
4 – Fantastic story. I loved it and will pick up your other work without hesitation.
3 – A good, solid story. I enjoyed it and if it wasn’t quite my thing I’m sure others would dig it.
2 – I wasn’t into it. Some potential but missed opportunities.
1 – Yeah, na.
Typically my Amazon score is my honest rating + an extra star.
I try to star-rate with the intended audience in mind, not my own personal feelings.
Book Rating: ☆★★★★
—
I enjoyed Dawn of Oblivion, the first book in the Sapien series. It's a fun story though it did feel a bit rough around the edges. There was potential that I liked and that left me curious about the follow-up book: Days of Deception (aka this one)
I don’t really have a detailed report. I’m a bit of a forgetful soul and easily distracted, so I tend to write little review notes as I steadily make my way through the story and organise them at the end. But I didn’t really do that this time and a large part of that is because I just enjoyed the story, there wasn’t much that threw me out. It just flowed nicely and kept me coming back.
Now saying that, it isn’t a perfect book. (but let's be honest and ask what is? — not many of them would exist I’m sure) I did struggle from time to time, largely with character motivations seem a bit forced or unrealistic. But that was probably less than 5 percent of the story. 95% of the time I was pretty engrossed and happy with what I read.
The Days of Deception is a fun read. But there is something different too. I don't know if it's me easing into Burnett's writing style, or I'd he became more confident in his voice but I found the second book more immersive than the first. The first book was good and fun, but a fair chuck of it didn’t trigger my imagination like this one did. Maybe I need to return to it and give it another read (I am one of those types who takes a bit to warm up and enjoy books, even the greats that are in my favourite lists)
T.O. does have a pretty straightforward writing style, it's a bit old school in that sense. It's factual, but with enough emotion to captivate you (or me anyway). There is no smothering with extra flowering prose but it isn’t bare minimum either. It's a nice change from many modern books I've come across. On that note, the universe also feels a little old school. It’s not bogged down in high tech, there’s a bit of a golden age of sci-fi feel to it in that sense. Like Silverberg or A.E. van Vogt. You read scifi books today and it’s a digitaly dominated world. The Sapien universe certainly has a digital side, but it’s - Idk - more restricted? Like perhaps people consciously choose to step back and build a world for individual privacy or something. It’s a nice change in modern scifi setting.
But on the slightly negative side, my modern brain does struggle to accept this world on that basis. Especially as we consider the political characters running amock and being … well … typical politicians. XD — some of that again leads back to strange actions. It all circles around on each other with pros and cons. I do wonder if this is an anarchist social system. Would make a lot of sense, especially with one of the main antagonists fighting to change things to his liking.
I’m also really digging the segregation theme. Again, I didn’t really feel the power of it in the first book, but it really hit home in the second. Perhaps that’s just me coming back to it and understanding how the worlds work. I am no longer blind. It makes me want to see this as a TV series or movie. Would be interesting to explore these worlds further. I like the potential and the underlying arc of togetherness that some of the characters seek or try to build.
The one real negative I have. The one thing I didn’t enjoy is the sex scene (about 20% into the book) I don’t know how to write this without being horrible, lol. But please, if you’re a male writer, consult one or two trusted female friends on sex scenes, because sex scenes written by men are so often bad for female readers. They just don’t work — on the plus side. The scene is super short and we're back to normal systems. There’s even some little scenes scattered sparsely throughout the book where characters are just adorable and sweet to each other. And I'm glad we saw them, because at the time, I was really worried.
Anyways, certainly a series worth investing in. Looking forward to reading the final novel.
—
My rating Systems:
Amazon Rating: (because they suck when it comes to book ratings)
5 – Fantastic work. Anything from brilliant to highly likeable.
4 – A decent solid piece of writing with a lot going for it. I really dig your jive.
X – No rating if I didn’t like it or think others won’t like it.
All other Book Rating Systems:
5 – Absolutely genius. I probably want to marry you.
4 – Fantastic story. I loved it and will pick up your other work without hesitation.
3 – A good, solid story. I enjoyed it and if it wasn’t quite my thing I’m sure others would dig it.
2 – I wasn’t into it. Some potential but missed opportunities.
1 – Yeah, na.
Typically my Amazon score is my honest rating + an extra star.
I try to star-rate with the intended audience in mind, not my own personal feelings.
October 12, 2021
Mo Worlds Mo Problems
The gist of this imaginative book seems to say:
No matter how many worlds we colonize, or how much diversity we find in the universe, we will bring our intrigues, treachery, hunger for power and revenge with us.
The gist of this imaginative book seems to say:
No matter how many worlds we colonize, or how much diversity we find in the universe, we will bring our intrigues, treachery, hunger for power and revenge with us.
October 9, 2019
Burnett hits it out of the Sapien Solar System!!!
If George Lucas and Ava DuVernay had a baby, T.O. Burnett would be their child. Like Lucas, Burnett creates entirely new worlds that we’ve never seen before and like DuVernay, his work bursts with heart, humanity and empathy. Burnett’s Sapien: Days of Deception, the tour de force sequel to his debut novel, Sapien: Dawn of Oblivion, left me awestruck. After reading the jaw-dropping opening to the book, I knew I was in for a treat, and Burnett didn’t disappoint.
Although a novelist, Burnett’s writing is reminiscent of a seasoned screenwriter. He paints vivid, colorful, and vibrant pictures with his words that tell a story that you cannot only see, but smell, taste, hear, and feel. His use of metaphors and similes will give you pause while you wonder to yourself, how did he come up with that? His writing is so crisp, I swear at times while reading the book, I could hear the words crunch.
The action-packed and riveting chapters, propelled me forward into the story that centers around planet Neutralia. It’s trying to restore the innocence it once enjoyed—an innocence that it was robbed of in the first installment of the series: Sapien: Dawn of Oblivion. With that in mind, the Solar Alliance has implemented a new justice system enforced by The Mayhem Marauders. It is their hope to convince the inhabitants of Neutralia that all is well. But when the barbaric and brutal Bastillians, who are running wild throughout District County, go on a murdering rampage, their objectives are compromised. The Supreme Council fears that if the people believe the Bastillians are still wreaking havoc--all the Supreme Council's efforts to appear to be in control would be for naught. Desperate to maintain the appearance of order, Chancellor Aldrich, the leader of the Supreme Council does the unthinkable. This act unleashes a series of events that cause the solar system to change forever.
Chancellor Aldrich is only one of the numerous, colorful, dynamic, interesting, three-dimensional characters in this page-turning sequel that we’re initially introduced to in book one. There’s Judas Benedict, Aldrich’s archenemy, once himself a Supreme Council member, that has been arrested for treason and his scheduled to be executed. Will the execution take place? Rokuro Onishi, the defacto leader of the DOD, a ruthless Asian swordsman is a force to be reckoned with who senses his relevance is waning. Is he right? Are his days numbered? Then there’s the crew of the Starship Whisper that is carrying out a secret mission called the Genesis Project—Mulati, Sampa, Bjorn, Corto, Ean, Francois, and Beth. Will they be successful at their mission or will one of them, some of them, or all of them, come to an untimely demise, as they fight one bloody battle after another? The answers to these questions and Burnett’s suspenseful writing kept the swiping my screen.
The aforementioned individuals and various other characters navigate throughout the planets in the solar system that are a testimony to Burnett’s creative genius: Neutralia, Evropa, Asia, Albin, Hades, to name a few, the most interesting of which is Planet Albin, home to the Albinos and unfortunately for the Albinos, home to condors with wingspans the size of a bridge, who feed off of anything moving, including humans.
In conclusion, if you’re a sci-fi lover or not, you will enjoy this read. I highly recommend it. Bravo T.O. Burnett!
If George Lucas and Ava DuVernay had a baby, T.O. Burnett would be their child. Like Lucas, Burnett creates entirely new worlds that we’ve never seen before and like DuVernay, his work bursts with heart, humanity and empathy. Burnett’s Sapien: Days of Deception, the tour de force sequel to his debut novel, Sapien: Dawn of Oblivion, left me awestruck. After reading the jaw-dropping opening to the book, I knew I was in for a treat, and Burnett didn’t disappoint.
Although a novelist, Burnett’s writing is reminiscent of a seasoned screenwriter. He paints vivid, colorful, and vibrant pictures with his words that tell a story that you cannot only see, but smell, taste, hear, and feel. His use of metaphors and similes will give you pause while you wonder to yourself, how did he come up with that? His writing is so crisp, I swear at times while reading the book, I could hear the words crunch.
The action-packed and riveting chapters, propelled me forward into the story that centers around planet Neutralia. It’s trying to restore the innocence it once enjoyed—an innocence that it was robbed of in the first installment of the series: Sapien: Dawn of Oblivion. With that in mind, the Solar Alliance has implemented a new justice system enforced by The Mayhem Marauders. It is their hope to convince the inhabitants of Neutralia that all is well. But when the barbaric and brutal Bastillians, who are running wild throughout District County, go on a murdering rampage, their objectives are compromised. The Supreme Council fears that if the people believe the Bastillians are still wreaking havoc--all the Supreme Council's efforts to appear to be in control would be for naught. Desperate to maintain the appearance of order, Chancellor Aldrich, the leader of the Supreme Council does the unthinkable. This act unleashes a series of events that cause the solar system to change forever.
Chancellor Aldrich is only one of the numerous, colorful, dynamic, interesting, three-dimensional characters in this page-turning sequel that we’re initially introduced to in book one. There’s Judas Benedict, Aldrich’s archenemy, once himself a Supreme Council member, that has been arrested for treason and his scheduled to be executed. Will the execution take place? Rokuro Onishi, the defacto leader of the DOD, a ruthless Asian swordsman is a force to be reckoned with who senses his relevance is waning. Is he right? Are his days numbered? Then there’s the crew of the Starship Whisper that is carrying out a secret mission called the Genesis Project—Mulati, Sampa, Bjorn, Corto, Ean, Francois, and Beth. Will they be successful at their mission or will one of them, some of them, or all of them, come to an untimely demise, as they fight one bloody battle after another? The answers to these questions and Burnett’s suspenseful writing kept the swiping my screen.
The aforementioned individuals and various other characters navigate throughout the planets in the solar system that are a testimony to Burnett’s creative genius: Neutralia, Evropa, Asia, Albin, Hades, to name a few, the most interesting of which is Planet Albin, home to the Albinos and unfortunately for the Albinos, home to condors with wingspans the size of a bridge, who feed off of anything moving, including humans.
In conclusion, if you’re a sci-fi lover or not, you will enjoy this read. I highly recommend it. Bravo T.O. Burnett!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews