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The Returning (Saga of Davi Rhii #2)

by Bryan Thomas Schmidt (Goodreads Author)

4.57 of 5 stars 4.57 · rating details · 7 ratings · 5 reviews

The Vertullians are free and have full citizenship but that doesn't mean they're accepted. Someone is sending assassins to kill and terrorize them, riling up the old enmity all over again, while Xalivar is back seeking revenge on Davi and all those who defied him. Davi, Farien and Yao reunite to investigate the murders, finding their lives and friendships threatened by wha...more

Paperback, 1st Edition, 340 pages

Published June 19th 2012 by Diminished Media Group (first published June 4th 2012)

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Jul 28, 2012 Anthony rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: sf-fantasy

Bryan Thomas Schmidt's second foray (of a proposed trilogy) into The Saga of Davi Rhii retains all of the "golden age of science fiction" feel of the first installment (THE WORKER PRINCE). The narrative buzzes along, the characters are relatable, and the story builds to an appropriate climax without feeling (as many middle books do) as though the author is treading water or stretching the word-count to justify a third book.

What can I say about the story in book two that will not spoil things for...more Bryan Thomas Schmidt's second foray (of a proposed trilogy) into The Saga of Davi Rhii retains all of the "golden age of science fiction" feel of the first installment (THE WORKER PRINCE). The narrative buzzes along, the characters are relatable, and the story builds to an appropriate climax without feeling (as many middle books do) as though the author is treading water or stretching the word-count to justify a third book.

What can I say about the story in book two that will not spoil things for those who haven't read book one yet? Probably not much. Davi Rhii, the child of Vertullian slave-workers raised to be a Borali prince, has begun acclimating to his role as a cultural hero and figurehead of the new society that is emerging as the Vertullians are made full citizens of the Borali Alliance. His closest friends, Farien and Yao, and the love of his life, Tela, are by his side as he navigates the merging of the militaries who so recently fought against each other. But Davi's deposed Uncle Xalivar and his cronies are still on the loose, fomenting unrest across the Alliance from a clever hiding place.

Davi continues to be a likable but conflicted main character. He struggles to do the right thing in the face of both societal and familial/romantic pressure to turn away; he struggles to understand the reactions of the people he was raised among and the people he was born into; he struggles to comprehend Tela's growing anger towards the Borali. Basically, Davi is the balance point for everyone else, and he's not always perfect -- which is what makes him so enjoyably real. In the GA of SF Schmidt's writing harks back to, Davi would be The Infallible Hero. He's not. But neither is he naive (like Luke Skywalker) or jaded (like Han Solo), although at times he exhibits both of those qualities to some degree.

Schmidt has given himself a lot of narrative balls to juggle in this installment, and he deftly manages to keep them all moving. In addition to Davi's main thread, we also get to see the growing action from the point of view of a plethora of secondary (and some tertiary) characters. Most significantly, we see the struggles of the two women most important to Davi: his beloved Tela's struggles to accept loss and regain her sense of self and his adoptive mother Miri's dawning realization that the culture she was raised in may not be the culture she is most comfortable in. There's also the on-going struggle of Davi's oldest friend Farien to put aside childhood prejudices, and a variety of political and military machinations to keep track of. To the author's credit, we get to see into the minds of the people who work under arch-villian Xalivar so that they are not the blank cardboard cannon fodder so many "henchmen" (it's not the right term for Schmidt's characters, but you get the idea) usually are.

If there is one aspect of this book that shows improvement, it's the warfare scenes. Schmidt holds nothing back this time, almost as though he realizes that the reader needs to have a deeper emotional investment in the climactic battle than we felt with the big battle in the previous installment. Or perhaps it's because, for Davi personally and culturally, there is more at stake. Whatever Schmidt's impetus, the battle scenes feel at once cleaner and more chaotic, and I was far more worried for the safety of the characters I've come to love than I remember being in book one.(less)

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Jun 04, 2012 Peter rated it 4 of 5 stars

It is a shame that heroic science fiction has fallen out of favor. It seems there is a certain dystopian threshold or grittiness of character that is required in fiction these days, resulting in dark and bleak stories. Reading The Returning is like a splash of cool water, bringing back the nostalgia and feel of a Star Wars-like universe that instills the passion from my childhood. The Returning is original with characters that draw the reader into their world.

Freedom doesn’t come easy for the Ve...more It is a shame that heroic science fiction has fallen out of favor. It seems there is a certain dystopian threshold or grittiness of character that is required in fiction these days, resulting in dark and bleak stories. Reading The Returning is like a splash of cool water, bringing back the nostalgia and feel of a Star Wars-like universe that instills the passion from my childhood. The Returning is original with characters that draw the reader into their world.

Freedom doesn’t come easy for the Vertullians. Even after defeating Xalivar, the High Lord Councilor of the Borali empire, their return to full citizenship is marked with discrimination and treachery. Vertullians across the solar system are being murdered by assassins and everything they have fought for could soon be lost.

Davi Rhii, our hero and a captain in the Borali Alliance, is tasked with finding out who is behind these killings. But he is not alone in this crucial mission. Accompanying him are Farien, an old friend of Davi, who has worked alongside him in the alliance; Dru, a promising cadet who narrowly escapes an attempt on his own life and disobediently proves himself worthy of going on the mission; and Yao Brohma, a professor in charge of the Vertullian assimilation into the academy. Together they visit dangerous planets and Vertullian resistors to try and restore peace.

To complicate matters further, the love of Davi’s life, Tela, is growing impatient with his over-protection. She too has proven herself in battle and doesn’t want to sit around waiting for her boyfriend to be killed. While Davi tries to balance his duty to the alliance and to Tela, the lives of High Lord Councilor Tarkanius, Lord Aron, and even their family are in grave peril.

I must admit that I didn’t read the first book of the series, but there were no issues jumping in with the second novel. I understood The Worker Prince (book 1) to be a loose retelling of the story of Moses in the form of a space opera. I was pleased to find out the series is much more than that. The Saga of Davi Rhii is not really an allegory, but a story in its own right. The Vertullians are a Judeo-Christian people, but instead of entering a period of wandering toward the Promised Land, they are trying to establish peace, integrated with the Boralians. Also, the religious elements of the novel are non-intrusive and help paint a clearer picture of the Vertullian people and history.

The novel has good conflict and action. The characters are real and suffer real emotions and even death. I liked the romantic tension between Davi and Tela; however, it felt too contained. Davi remains too perfect, never letting his emotions make the best of him (unlike Moses, whose anger prevented him from entering the Promised Land). Tela’s emotions, on the other hand, seemed confused. She is a strong-willed woman around Davi, lovey-dovey with her “daddy,” and insecure when she is assigned to lead security detail. On the other hand, perhaps this is what makes her character more real.

The universe is creative, employing humans, insectoid-reptillian Lhamors, and blue-skinned Xanthians and Andorians. I would have liked for the novel to go a little deeper into their culture to help flesh out the solar system.

Overall, I don’t think you can go wrong with this novel. It was an enjoyable read and I had no trouble starting with the second book. Enough details are self-contained and it serves as a standalone novel within the broader story arc. If you are looking for optimistic science fiction with good action and adventure, The Returning is the book for you.

I look forward to the next book in the series.(less)

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May 03, 2012 Forrest Schultz rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Returning: Multiple Meanings

A review of

Bryan Thomas Schmidt The Returning: Book 2 of The Saga of Davi Rhii (Diminished Media Group, 2012)
$14.99 396 pp ISBN-10: 0984020942 ISBN-13: 978-0-9840209-4-2

Reviewer: Forrest W. Schultz

A good question for a book discussion or an essay in a literature course would be to state the various kinds of "returning" in the book under review. The most important of these, at least on the surface, would be the attempt of Xalivar, the arch-villain of The Saga...more The Returning: Multiple Meanings

A review of

Bryan Thomas Schmidt The Returning: Book 2 of The Saga of Davi Rhii (Diminished Media Group, 2012)
$14.99 396 pp ISBN-10: 0984020942 ISBN-13: 978-0-9840209-4-2

Reviewer: Forrest W. Schultz

A good question for a book discussion or an essay in a literature course would be to state the various kinds of "returning" in the book under review. The most important of these, at least on the surface, would be the attempt of Xalivar, the arch-villain of The Saga of Davi Rhii, to return to power. (It is not easy to note the other kinds without giving away the story.) Bryan Thomas Schmidt went to a lot of effort to create Xalivar in Book 1; he is wise to maintain him as a character here in Book 2. He does not want to waste a carefully crafted villain! Especially not in a story which has received such plaudits for being based on real good and real evil.

Having said that, Schmidt also, especially here in Book 2, depicts the complexity of the characters (especially Tela and Miri) who wrestle with tough questions trying to find what the right thing to do is in regard to their historical context and to their relationship with Davi. There is real good and real evil, yes! But his good characters are also complex, not simplistic. And there is realism in the debate by the Vertullians concerning staying within the Borali Alliance versus withdrawal. In fact it is reminiscent of the debates 40 years ago among American blacks in regard to integration versus separation. The answers are not easy to know. And Davi is not sure what to do about his deteriorating relationship with Tela, not only over the political issues but also over the question of the role of women in regard to careers and marriage, the same issue which has been discussed and debated a great deal in today's America. There is also realism regarding the principle that most people do not learn from history.

This is all very serious stuff both at the socio-political level and the personal level. But there is also humor interlaced with it, some of it subtle, such as the apparently serious discussion of "Trilithium", and, at another point of "Honorable Men".

This story is very good, very well told, and has us wondering how it will turn out. It makes us avidly await Book 3.

Information is available at these websites: www.bryanthomasschmidt.net and www.diminishedmediagroup.com.
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Jul 29, 2012 David rated it 4 of 5 stars

A solid follow-up to "The Worker Prince." Exciting space opera action and some good intrigue. My full review will appear in Tales of the Talisman volume 8, issue 1.

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Feb 18, 2012 Bryan Schmidt rated it 5 of 5 stars · (Review from the author)

I can't wait 'til you guys see this book. Every beta reader and editor has said it's way better than the first one. It's been compared to a rocket ride pace or a Bourne movie. Lots of action and never lets up. Surprising twists and turns. It's coming soon! Hope you're excited!

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Based on The Worker Prince, what would you like to see happen in Book 2?	1	1	Feb 06, 2012 12:56pm

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About Bryan Thomas Schmidt

Bryan Thomas Schmidt is an author and editor of adult and children’s speculative fiction. He's the author of the Saga Of Davi Rhii space opera series, a family friendly old fashioned science fiction series including the prequel short Rivalry On A Sky Course and the novels The Worker Prince(2011), The Returning(2012) and The Exodus (forthcoming 2013). His debut novel, The Worker Prince(2011) receiv...more

More about Bryan Thomas Schmidt...

Books by Bryan Thomas Schmidt

The Worker Prince (Saga of Davi Rhii, #1)

Space Battles: Full Throttle Space Tales #6

Rivalry On A Sky Course (A Davi Rhii Story)

Land Of Legends (Abraham Lincoln Dinosaur Hunter 1)

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