The Returning

by Bryan Thomas Schmidt

Overview

Hugo-nominated editor Bryan Thomas Schmidt won Honorable Mention on Barnes and Noble.com's Year's Best Science Fiction Releases alongside books by Ben Bova, Robert J. Sawyer, Jack Campbell, Ernest Cline and more with his debut novel, THE WORKER PRINCE, which captures the feel of the original Star Wars than any other recent series. In book two, Davi Rhii helped his enslaved people fight for their freedom and earn equality, but now that they have it, they find freedom and acceptance don't necessarily go hand-in-hand. When assassins begin killing and terrorizing Vertullians, threatening Davi's family and friends, they face a renewal of old enmity all over again. Davi, Farien and Yao reunite to investigate the murders, finding their lives and friendship threatened again by what they discover.

Meanwhile, Xalivar is back seeking revenge on all those who defied him, especially Davi, while the new High Lord Councilor, Tarkanius, finds himself fighting all over again to preserve the unity of the Borali Alliance, with many of his allies and friends seeming determined to tear it apart.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781622257928
Publisher:	Boralis Books
Publication date:	10/19/2021
Pages:	346
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.77(d)

What People are Saying About This

Paul S. Kemp

The Returning blends themes of faith with classic space opera tropes and the result is a page-turning story that takes off like a rocket.
-- Paul S. Kemp, Author, Star Wars: Riptide, Star Wars: Deceived

Mike Resnick

The Returning has romance, assassins, tension, both modern and classic science fiction notions, and very smooth writing. What more could you want? Bryan Thomas Schmidt keeps improving. As good as THE WORKER PRINCE WAS, THE RETURNING is better. — Mike Resnick, Author, Starship, Ivory

Howard Andrew Jones

A fun space opera romp, complete with intrigues, treachery, dastardly villains, and flawed but moral heroes. Howard Andrew Jones (Pathfinder: Plague Of Shadows, The Desert Of Souls) on THE RETURNING

Editorial Reviews

The second chapter of Schmidt’s ultra-retro Davi Rhii space opera series (after The Worker Prince) follows Davi as he helps bring his once-enslaved fellow Vertullians into the Borali Alliance. Davi’s people have been granted full citizenship, but many conservative Borali are upset by the Vertullians’ improved lot in life. Meanwhile, the evil outcast Xalivar plots revenge against his replacement, Tarkanius, and the entire Vertullian race from his hideout on a “cold rock” of a moon, vowing, “They hadn’t seen the last of Xalivar!” Unfortunately, Xalivar’s minions aren’t entirely competent or trustworthy, and the good guys are already hunting for him. Davi must also contend with his lover, Tela, a trained fighter who longs for an equal role despite Davi’s conservative view that women need to be protected. Schmidt’s tale of black-hearted villains against well-meaning good guys delivers predictable high notes, but suffers from simplistic characters and shockingly outdated gender stereotyping. (June)

Publishers Weekly