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Omega War #2
The Midnight Sun
War has come to the worlds of Humans. The rich planet of Tau-Rietzke, however, is far from Earth and the Mercenary Guild’s invasion, and its alien-registered mercenary companies are a safe haven for Humans on the run. Organizations like the Midnight Sun Free Company.
Having just completed another successful mission and taken possession of three Raknars, it was party time for Saisho Branco and the personnel of the Midnight Sun, and they were enjoying a little down time…until the war spilled over into their corner of the galaxy and two competing mercenary organizations showed up to steal the Raknars.
But no one takes the company owner’s toys, and Gloriana has given the Midnight Sun a new mission—return the Raknars to her at all cost…or don’t return at all.
This is the hardest mission the Midnight Sun has ever taken, and it will test not only the military prowess of the company, but also its members’ loyalties as well. When everyone is against you, and your race calls you to war, do you heed the call or continue to trust your shadowy employer? Outnumbered and outgunned, the Midnight Sun must decide whether to fight or to give up the Raknars and save their lives. Little do they know, it’s a decision which will impact the war being fought hundreds of light years away!
Having just completed another successful mission and taken possession of three Raknars, it was party time for Saisho Branco and the personnel of the Midnight Sun, and they were enjoying a little down time…until the war spilled over into their corner of the galaxy and two competing mercenary organizations showed up to steal the Raknars.
But no one takes the company owner’s toys, and Gloriana has given the Midnight Sun a new mission—return the Raknars to her at all cost…or don’t return at all.
This is the hardest mission the Midnight Sun has ever taken, and it will test not only the military prowess of the company, but also its members’ loyalties as well. When everyone is against you, and your race calls you to war, do you heed the call or continue to trust your shadowy employer? Outnumbered and outgunned, the Midnight Sun must decide whether to fight or to give up the Raknars and save their lives. Little do they know, it’s a decision which will impact the war being fought hundreds of light years away!
611 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 24, 2018
310 people are currently reading
54 people want to read
About the author
Tim C. Taylor
96 books127 followersJOIN THE LEGION! The Human Legion has sold over 200,000 copies, but is still recruiting for new readers. Visit humanlegion.com today and join the Legion for exclusive book downloads to start your journey into the worlds of the Human Legion, The Four Horsemen Universe, Revenge Squad and Sleeping Legion. Or you can sign up directly here.
Tim C. Taylor lives with his family in an ancient village in England. When he was an impressionable boy, between 1977 and 1978, he encountered several mind-altering substances: 2000AD, Star Wars, Blake's 7, and Dungeons & Dragons. Consequently, he now writes science fiction novels for a living.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
October 22, 2022
This was a very long book! I'm not sure why, but it seemed to go on forever. At times it seemed boring, but at other times it was exciting. I think my initial response to this book was disappointment since it's not tied into Book 1, "A Fiery Sunset" by Chris Kennedy and Mark Wandrey. I don't know why you would include this story in The Omega War series, but I guess it's still in the same setting.
If you haven't read the first book I mentioned above, then here's the background. Earth has been attacked and basically conquered by a group of alien mercenaries under the supposed approval of the Mercenary Guild. Earth has been introduced to a much bigger galaxy than they thought was out there. There are many, many alien civilizations and they have formed Guilds to manage and control the activities of so many skill groups. If your planet doesn't have a product that can be sold to the galaxy then you planet and civilization are going to be marginalized and eventually eradicated. Earth has found that it can produce mercenary armies organized as commercial companies to fight various battles for whomever wants to hire them. Of course, there have been alien mercenary companies that were flourishing before Earth came into the picture.
Humans are very good at being mercenaries. These mercenary companies are becoming very profitable and that has gotten the other alien mercenary companies downright made. So, under the Command of General Peepo, a Veetanho alien, they have decided to outlaw Earth's mercenary companies. Fortunately, the primary mercenary leaders caught wind of General Peepo's plans and they were able to escape to a stronghold owned by Alexis Cromwell and her Winged Hussars. While none of the "Four Horsemen" mercenary companies are at full strength, they are making plans to get that way and they intend to take Earth back. Part of their strategy is to gather assets to defeat the alien mercenary companies. Jim Cartwright in particular has the ability to activate the Raknar, a 100-ft tall, gigantic fighting machine that were thought lost thousands of years ago after the last terrible war. Jim found one and got it activated and now his in pursuit of others. And that's what this story is about. Three Raknars have been found and need to get back to Jim Cartwright.
But, which mercenary company is going to get this done. One is the Scorpions lead by James Sinclair. He wants to transport these three Raknars to where they should be in order to help the Earth in this war. On the other hand, another company called the Midnight Sun Free Company led by two sisters, Major Sue Sun and Captain Blue (no first name given). Major Sun was in charge of ground forces while Captain Blue, the younger sister, commanded their ship, the Midnight Sun. This company has a strange relationship with its owner, which happens to be an alien that actually resides aboard the ship. At first, this alien entity wanted the Raknars for its own purpose. But, it eventually decides that they would best be given to the humans. That decision comes too late.
As the Midnight Sun was trying to escape the system in which they had taken the Raknars from the Scorpions, it was attacked by the Condottieri, another human led mercenary company which has been hired by the Veetanho. Of course, this company and the Veetanho want the Raknars so they can give them to General Peepo. They almost get them except that the Midnight Sun and the Midnight Sun Free Company crashed on a terrible, jungle infested planet. They are fighting for their lives just to survive on this planet. Now the Condottieri land and start to exterminate the Midnight Sun soldiers, but they don't go quietly. Meanwhile, the Scorpion leader, James Sinclair did escape the system and had promised to send back reinforcements. Will he do that?
Most of this book, then, is the story of the Midnight Sun soldiers attempting to survive in a deadly jungle while fighting a full and better equipped mercenary company. It is a struggle. Still, this book really has nothing to do with the first book and the Four Horsemen. It also doesn't get into the fight to re-take Earth. I would hope future books in this series do both of those, but I can't be sure unless I read them.
So, book 4, "Dark Moon Arise", is available on Amazon and I guess I'll put it on my reading list for now.
If you haven't read the first book I mentioned above, then here's the background. Earth has been attacked and basically conquered by a group of alien mercenaries under the supposed approval of the Mercenary Guild. Earth has been introduced to a much bigger galaxy than they thought was out there. There are many, many alien civilizations and they have formed Guilds to manage and control the activities of so many skill groups. If your planet doesn't have a product that can be sold to the galaxy then you planet and civilization are going to be marginalized and eventually eradicated. Earth has found that it can produce mercenary armies organized as commercial companies to fight various battles for whomever wants to hire them. Of course, there have been alien mercenary companies that were flourishing before Earth came into the picture.
Humans are very good at being mercenaries. These mercenary companies are becoming very profitable and that has gotten the other alien mercenary companies downright made. So, under the Command of General Peepo, a Veetanho alien, they have decided to outlaw Earth's mercenary companies. Fortunately, the primary mercenary leaders caught wind of General Peepo's plans and they were able to escape to a stronghold owned by Alexis Cromwell and her Winged Hussars. While none of the "Four Horsemen" mercenary companies are at full strength, they are making plans to get that way and they intend to take Earth back. Part of their strategy is to gather assets to defeat the alien mercenary companies. Jim Cartwright in particular has the ability to activate the Raknar, a 100-ft tall, gigantic fighting machine that were thought lost thousands of years ago after the last terrible war. Jim found one and got it activated and now his in pursuit of others. And that's what this story is about. Three Raknars have been found and need to get back to Jim Cartwright.
But, which mercenary company is going to get this done. One is the Scorpions lead by James Sinclair. He wants to transport these three Raknars to where they should be in order to help the Earth in this war. On the other hand, another company called the Midnight Sun Free Company led by two sisters, Major Sue Sun and Captain Blue (no first name given). Major Sun was in charge of ground forces while Captain Blue, the younger sister, commanded their ship, the Midnight Sun. This company has a strange relationship with its owner, which happens to be an alien that actually resides aboard the ship. At first, this alien entity wanted the Raknars for its own purpose. But, it eventually decides that they would best be given to the humans. That decision comes too late.
As the Midnight Sun was trying to escape the system in which they had taken the Raknars from the Scorpions, it was attacked by the Condottieri, another human led mercenary company which has been hired by the Veetanho. Of course, this company and the Veetanho want the Raknars so they can give them to General Peepo. They almost get them except that the Midnight Sun and the Midnight Sun Free Company crashed on a terrible, jungle infested planet. They are fighting for their lives just to survive on this planet. Now the Condottieri land and start to exterminate the Midnight Sun soldiers, but they don't go quietly. Meanwhile, the Scorpion leader, James Sinclair did escape the system and had promised to send back reinforcements. Will he do that?
Most of this book, then, is the story of the Midnight Sun soldiers attempting to survive in a deadly jungle while fighting a full and better equipped mercenary company. It is a struggle. Still, this book really has nothing to do with the first book and the Four Horsemen. It also doesn't get into the fight to re-take Earth. I would hope future books in this series do both of those, but I can't be sure unless I read them.
So, book 4, "Dark Moon Arise", is available on Amazon and I guess I'll put it on my reading list for now.
April 26, 2019
(I'm about a year late in doing this review. I had to do it FIRST because I needed it as background. Sorry.)
A long time ago in a place far, far away, or, more specifically around Christmas of 2016, if memory is correct, in New York City (CHORUS: “NEW YORK CITY!!???), the aliens landed.
They didn't want to eat us, which was good, but they did seek to have us join the Galactic Union. We were eligible, because Voyager One had exited the solar system, making us Official Intergalactic Travelers, also known as 'bait' to the Galactic traders.
They did not wish to exchange cultures, they did not wish to learn from us. However, they were willing to provide us with some astoundingly amazing technology, in exchange for huge amounts of valuable raw materials. It was the end of civilization as we knew it, on Earth. Anything they had was better than everything we had; they knew it, we knew it, and that was the end. Until they found out we knew how to fight.
And it wasn't until we started doing so, and proving how good we are at the art of war, that we discovered that we might just be Galacticose Intolerant. (and I don't know who originated that term, but I like it. I MIGHT have come up with it myself, but I still like it.)
The Midnight Sun Free Company, headed by sisters Captain Blue and Major Sun, has come into possession of two ANCIENT, as in WAY before everything we know about on Earth, giant fighting robots called Raknar. And other people either want them, or don't want Midnight Sun to own them. Battle is joined, the Raknar are lost. Things ensue.
Complications include :
A semi-feud between the sisters, and
A prohibited sexual relationship between Major Sun and Man of Mystery & enlisted Midnight Sun mercenary Saisho Branco
The NATURE of Branco's mystery
The relationship between a giant spider and a weasel, who happen to be bonded companion-fighters
The treachery of a not-so-ethical mercenary company seemingly bent on revenge
and most of all: The DEEP, dark secrets behind...everything.
Okay, this one has LOTS of good action, LOTS of really creepy monsters, LOTS of treachery, and LOTS AND LOTS of entities at war with themselves. You don't HAVE to have read anything else in the universe to enjoy this one, but why deny yourself life's simple pleasures?
Get it, and read it. A couple of times.
A long time ago in a place far, far away, or, more specifically around Christmas of 2016, if memory is correct, in New York City (CHORUS: “NEW YORK CITY!!???), the aliens landed.
They didn't want to eat us, which was good, but they did seek to have us join the Galactic Union. We were eligible, because Voyager One had exited the solar system, making us Official Intergalactic Travelers, also known as 'bait' to the Galactic traders.
They did not wish to exchange cultures, they did not wish to learn from us. However, they were willing to provide us with some astoundingly amazing technology, in exchange for huge amounts of valuable raw materials. It was the end of civilization as we knew it, on Earth. Anything they had was better than everything we had; they knew it, we knew it, and that was the end. Until they found out we knew how to fight.
And it wasn't until we started doing so, and proving how good we are at the art of war, that we discovered that we might just be Galacticose Intolerant. (and I don't know who originated that term, but I like it. I MIGHT have come up with it myself, but I still like it.)
The Midnight Sun Free Company, headed by sisters Captain Blue and Major Sun, has come into possession of two ANCIENT, as in WAY before everything we know about on Earth, giant fighting robots called Raknar. And other people either want them, or don't want Midnight Sun to own them. Battle is joined, the Raknar are lost. Things ensue.
Complications include :
A semi-feud between the sisters, and
A prohibited sexual relationship between Major Sun and Man of Mystery & enlisted Midnight Sun mercenary Saisho Branco
The NATURE of Branco's mystery
The relationship between a giant spider and a weasel, who happen to be bonded companion-fighters
The treachery of a not-so-ethical mercenary company seemingly bent on revenge
and most of all: The DEEP, dark secrets behind...everything.
Okay, this one has LOTS of good action, LOTS of really creepy monsters, LOTS of treachery, and LOTS AND LOTS of entities at war with themselves. You don't HAVE to have read anything else in the universe to enjoy this one, but why deny yourself life's simple pleasures?
Get it, and read it. A couple of times.
November 26, 2025
Omega War #2: The Midnight Sun pulls you in fast and doesn’t let go. Tim C. Taylor does a great job expanding the Omega War universe, and this book really shows what happens when a small mercenary outfit gets dragged into something much bigger than themselves.
I really enjoyed the Midnight Sun Free Company as a whole they feel like a believable mix of professionals, misfits, and people just trying to survive. The dynamic between Saisho Branco, Gloriana’s mysterious influence, and the rest of the team adds layers that feel genuinely human. The book isn’t just nonstop fighting (though there's plenty of that). There are real moments of doubt, loyalty, frustration, and conflict that make the characters stand out.
The plot moves quickly, sometimes a little too quickly, but the tension stays high. The idea of being forced to choose between returning the Raknars or essentially facing death gives the whole story a strong moral weight. And the political tension two rival merc companies, a galaxy at war, and Humans caught in the middle keeps things interesting without becoming overly complicated.
The action scenes are sharp and easy to follow, and the stakes feel real. I especially liked how the book ties personal decisions to the larger war happening far away. It makes the galaxy feel connected and alive.
Overall, it’s a gripping sci-fi military adventure with just enough character drama to ground it. If you like fast-paced space combat, morally gray choices, and tight knit mercenary crews, this is a great read.
I really enjoyed the Midnight Sun Free Company as a whole they feel like a believable mix of professionals, misfits, and people just trying to survive. The dynamic between Saisho Branco, Gloriana’s mysterious influence, and the rest of the team adds layers that feel genuinely human. The book isn’t just nonstop fighting (though there's plenty of that). There are real moments of doubt, loyalty, frustration, and conflict that make the characters stand out.
The plot moves quickly, sometimes a little too quickly, but the tension stays high. The idea of being forced to choose between returning the Raknars or essentially facing death gives the whole story a strong moral weight. And the political tension two rival merc companies, a galaxy at war, and Humans caught in the middle keeps things interesting without becoming overly complicated.
The action scenes are sharp and easy to follow, and the stakes feel real. I especially liked how the book ties personal decisions to the larger war happening far away. It makes the galaxy feel connected and alive.
Overall, it’s a gripping sci-fi military adventure with just enough character drama to ground it. If you like fast-paced space combat, morally gray choices, and tight knit mercenary crews, this is a great read.
April 2, 2019
Competently written as I'd expect from Tim C. Taylor, but overly long for the amount that it moved the arc along. Writing in these shared universes is tricky; the challenge in pacing must be significant when doing these stories off the main sequence, i.e. outside of the Four Horsemen actual. This was evident here as this one bogged down (literally!) by about the 1/3 point in the book. I also saw echoes of characters/events from another series Tim did, but that's not a fatal flaw, especially if you haven't read that.
Overall good, but should have been shorter, or compressed and edited in with another side story or more points of view. The actual developments, while significant in the big picture, were a bit of a slog to get to in this book.
I realize as I'm writing this that most of the problem I had with this book is that I really didn't much care about the principals. I already have 4 main and however many supporting Horseman characters to track, the additions here seemed like a distraction from the main effort.
Overall good, but should have been shorter, or compressed and edited in with another side story or more points of view. The actual developments, while significant in the big picture, were a bit of a slog to get to in this book.
I realize as I'm writing this that most of the problem I had with this book is that I really didn't much care about the principals. I already have 4 main and however many supporting Horseman characters to track, the additions here seemed like a distraction from the main effort.
May 28, 2018
Again I'm impressed with Mr Taylor's storytelling. I have not read anyone better and I've been reading a long time now. I have always loved sci-fi stories but I'm very picky they have to be excellent, the right mix of blood, guts, gore, sex, fighting but not just constant fighting. And it has to be ingenious fighting, you know not just bombs and bullets. I like the weird stuff the different types of killing machines and Tim has a way of bringing those to life. He does that in this book. Like with all his stories I become one with the book. I'm there right next to the hero. Tim has a way of writing that draws you in makes it believable.
This book has it all, adventure, intense fighting, bad guys, good guys, betrayal, love, sex, really cool aliens, really cool aliens doing really cool stuff. I loved this book and can't wait wait for their next adventure. I just hope there is another adventure and soon. If you love sci-fi storytelling then this is an adventure for you.
This book has it all, adventure, intense fighting, bad guys, good guys, betrayal, love, sex, really cool aliens, really cool aliens doing really cool stuff. I loved this book and can't wait wait for their next adventure. I just hope there is another adventure and soon. If you love sci-fi storytelling then this is an adventure for you.
December 11, 2018
A bit long all things considered, but it does continue the tale nicely. I liked it, and will read the next one in the series as well, I'm liking the interactions we're seeing between some of the characters, and finding out about some of the alien races is interesting too, but this book sure won't win any awards for concise compact writing. There's plenty of battles, lots of hardship and character building, overcoming great odds, and emerging victorious, (which is always a good thing), and (for the most part) interesting to read, but I don't think the book would suffer overly from a 20 percent reduction in verbiage. If you like a good scifi story, and you like your battle scenes, this is a good book to take along on a long trip to pass the time. However, if you're looking for a quick read, you might want to look elsewhere.
January 10, 2019
Yet another great entry into the 4HU, where we meet 3 more human Merc companies. The Midnight Sun Free Company reminds me a lot of the manga and anime "Berserk" and the "Band of the Hawk." We also meet Jamie Sinclair and the "Sinclair's Scorpions" and "The Condottieri" and Colonel Nicolo SantoPietro.
The Scorpions have stolen 3 Raknar that the Midnight Sun have just been given, but the Condottieri want them as well. In a chase that starts on the planet the Midnight Sun call home, through hyperspace, and onto an abandoned jungle swamp planet, the Midnight Sun battle both the Scorpions, and then the Condottieri for ownership of the Raknar.
To make matters worse, the Condottieri are working for the Mercenary Guild, and the Veetanho, and General Peepo against their fellow humans. Good thing the Midnight Sun have a secret allie of their own!
The Scorpions have stolen 3 Raknar that the Midnight Sun have just been given, but the Condottieri want them as well. In a chase that starts on the planet the Midnight Sun call home, through hyperspace, and onto an abandoned jungle swamp planet, the Midnight Sun battle both the Scorpions, and then the Condottieri for ownership of the Raknar.
To make matters worse, the Condottieri are working for the Mercenary Guild, and the Veetanho, and General Peepo against their fellow humans. Good thing the Midnight Sun have a secret allie of their own!
February 10, 2019
wow strap in and hold on tight
this book was one wild ride and i really enjoyed it, it is like a rollercoaster in the dark as you never knew what was coming next
i loved the character development along the way
i hope Tim will share more adventures with Branco and Betty and Major Sun as i really enjoyed them
this book was one wild ride and i really enjoyed it, it is like a rollercoaster in the dark as you never knew what was coming next
i loved the character development along the way
i hope Tim will share more adventures with Branco and Betty and Major Sun as i really enjoyed them
September 2, 2019
Ok but could have been better
I enjoyed this book but it could have been so much better. It was too long for the series, and it dragged in places and then rushed disjointedly through others. Too much time on the jungle trek and the battles at the end were hurried through with little detail.
I enjoyed this book but it could have been so much better. It was too long for the series, and it dragged in places and then rushed disjointedly through others. Too much time on the jungle trek and the battles at the end were hurried through with little detail.
September 16, 2019
Probably my least favorite of the Revelation Cycle/Omega War stories. I liked the story of the Midnight Sun mercenary groups with their enigmatic leaders but the story drug in several spots (slogging through a swamp for ever it seemed) and then skipped through other segments that I thought were more critical to the overall story.
May 21, 2018
Another Four Horseman hit
Midnight Sun was a solid tale of the Omega Wars. It was a very enjoyable book and I recommend it. Branco is a great character and I hope to read more about him. I read this on Kindle unlimited and it is well worth the download.
Midnight Sun was a solid tale of the Omega Wars. It was a very enjoyable book and I recommend it. Branco is a great character and I hope to read more about him. I read this on Kindle unlimited and it is well worth the download.
September 8, 2019
One mean roller coaster ride
Very seldom can a book keep the action and tension of a story going from beginning to end, and even more seldom does a 10 foot tall spider get reasonable character development along the way. Read it for action. Read it for Betty.
Very seldom can a book keep the action and tension of a story going from beginning to end, and even more seldom does a 10 foot tall spider get reasonable character development along the way. Read it for action. Read it for Betty.
January 26, 2024
Very good read. The series is very active (sadly, it's also quite bloody), but the reader's interest is maintained. Looking forwards to more Midnight Sun adventures, although I'm tackling Dark Moon Arisen, next.
May 22, 2024
Welcome to the jungle...
...we've got fun and games! Midnight Sun has their back to the wall, and a real slog on their hands in this one. But more about their unknown backers as well as why some humans have sided with Peepo. Well worth reading but make sure you have read book 1!
...we've got fun and games! Midnight Sun has their back to the wall, and a real slog on their hands in this one. But more about their unknown backers as well as why some humans have sided with Peepo. Well worth reading but make sure you have read book 1!
May 8, 2018
Whoever has the Raknar wins?
While the Four Horsemen are trying to plan on their next steps to take back Earth, the Midnight Sun Free Company, with the help of Sinclair’s Scorpions, are trying to keep three of the Raknar from falling into the wrong hands.
Enemies become allies, and friends become enemies as people take sides in the war against the Mercenary Guild and the Veetanho.
While the Four Horsemen are trying to plan on their next steps to take back Earth, the Midnight Sun Free Company, with the help of Sinclair’s Scorpions, are trying to keep three of the Raknar from falling into the wrong hands.
Enemies become allies, and friends become enemies as people take sides in the war against the Mercenary Guild and the Veetanho.
May 14, 2018
Great read
Humans are being hunted but they are fighting back! Read to find out what is happening and find new or old allies!!
Humans are being hunted but they are fighting back! Read to find out what is happening and find new or old allies!!
November 10, 2018
Excellent!! The 4HU keeps getting better and better. More Taylor please.
April 15, 2019
Yummy
I love the 4 horseman universe and this book is a great one among the others the story had good balance waz intriguing keeping me reading even when I should be sleeping!!
I love the 4 horseman universe and this book is a great one among the others the story had good balance waz intriguing keeping me reading even when I should be sleeping!!
September 28, 2020
YAY a Danish Character!
October 11, 2022
too many characters
Action was good as was the later part of the book. Had a difficult time following all the new characters at the start which got in the was of the story
Action was good as was the later part of the book. Had a difficult time following all the new characters at the start which got in the was of the story
February 7, 2025
Don't skip this book when reading the Omega War series. It not only has some amazing relationships formed and explained, but the writing kept me engaged the entire time.
May 15, 2022
Wow
What a ride, i still smell the jungle swamp! The whole Omega war is rolling on, revealing players, movers and shakers left and right, can't wait for the next one!
What a ride, i still smell the jungle swamp! The whole Omega war is rolling on, revealing players, movers and shakers left and right, can't wait for the next one!
June 24, 2018
Long hard road!
This series just keeps getting better! Return of the Midnight Sun company as featured in one of the collection series. Very reminiscent of the WW2 Burma campaign.
Good plot that moves at a rapid pace that jumps from character to character .
Also gives more info on the Galactic Union.
Couldn't out this one down
This series just keeps getting better! Return of the Midnight Sun company as featured in one of the collection series. Very reminiscent of the WW2 Burma campaign.
Good plot that moves at a rapid pace that jumps from character to character .
Also gives more info on the Galactic Union.
Couldn't out this one down
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews