The Supremacy
The Wehtiko Influence
This action-packed science fiction novel has vivid, beautiful settings and characters with depth.
Eric Peter Brown’s The Supremacy is a science fiction epic with an eclectic cast of characters, unique fantastic settings, and a distinct descriptive style.
Marc Hawkins is awaiting trial when he decides to recount his adventures with the Qi-Tahh Supremacy, a collective of diverse alien protectors who battle against threats to the known universe.
The Qi-Tahh appear to Mark one night, and he decides to leave his wife and unborn child behind to fight with them. He is mentored by U’kristu Rixx, a short but stern humanoid woman whose combat expertise has earned her much renown. He also befriends Torr Sivgins, an orange-skinned humanoid who is part of the group’s medical team.
With the other Life Protectors, Marc and the Qi-Tahh battle forces such as the life-exterminating robot Linksys and the rage-inducing Wehtiko disease to save the universe from annihilation. The entire novel comes together with an ending that raises interesting moral and ethical questions.
World-building is strong, introducing new terminology, creatures, and technology that is explained in a comprehensible way. Human-animal hybrids, gigantic bipedal lizards, and sentient gibbon-like creatures are just a few of the interesting species introduced, and all are distinct and creative. Although the entire universe is traversable for the characters, the story focuses on a few key locations, helping to keep the story grounded.
Rules and limits are laid out early, and the novel sticks to them throughout. Fast-paced action scenes are balanced effectively with exposition, resulting in a story that is never bland.
The extensive cast is well developed. All of the members of Marc’s team have unique abilities, backstories, and talents that are explored in interesting ways. Even the weapons they use are distinct. The book’s extensive unique terminology can become confusing, particularly when multiple foreign descriptors are used to refer to the same character.
The Supremacy is partially a story of conflict, and its casualties are to be expected. Complex fight scenes are clearly explained, and some of this imagery is truly frightening: “Within moments the creature’s vegetative body vibrated, as she was slowly ripped apart from the inside out.” Dramatic tension is easily built, and involvement in the Qi-Tahh’s mission is guaranteed—their success is truly life and death, and for many life-forms.
Locations are excellently described, and in a way that plays into the larger narrative. Lines like “Its lavender skies and soft red clouds were breathtakingly beautiful, and the lush green landscape below was gorgeous” create images of a tranquil backdrop.
The Supremacy is an action-packed science fiction novel with vivid, beautiful settings and characters with depth.
Reviewed by
Gregory A. Lowe
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
