Brian Burt

Aquarius Rising: The Complete Trilogy by Brian Burt is a post-apocalyptic tale of survival two hundred years after global warming has catastrophically changed planet Earth. Told from the perspectives of the Humans, non-Humans, hybrids, and genetically modified creatures that now inhabit Earth’s ecosystems, the interplay between the diverse populations is complex and challenging to follow.

The prologue introduces multiple characters from different species living in the ocean off the coast of Oregon. Aquarians, human-dolphin hybrids genetically engineered to create a new species capable of living underwater, have reclaimed the submerged cities abandoned by Humans. The Aquarians interact with living brain reefs which store their memories. Humans are divided between the Guardians who work with the Aquarians and the Redeemers who are willing to sacrifice the Aquarians if necessary to restore the land they once inhabited. Atavisms are a hybrid species, a bridge between Humans and Aquarians.

This futuristic world is very Hobbesian with many of its inhabitants expending vast amounts of energy developing inventive ways to destroy entire communities while seeking to either “redeem” the world or simply control it. Brian Burt has constructed a fascinating framework to explore a future where humanity has devolved back into a brutish state of nature now equipped with a terrifying assortment of technological wonders that threaten to destroy everyone left on planet Earth.

Throughout the trilogy, Ocypode, an Atavism, and his fellow creatures must navigate uncharted waters and develop strategic alliances to try and save Mother Ocean, their undersea world, from those who continually seek to destroy it. Countless generations of whales have sung ballads about a Storm-Slayer who will restore the balance on land and sea and bring peace. Is Ocypode the one who will finally fulfill the prophecy? Only the tides will tell.… (mer)

Review of eBook

Ocypode, an Aquarian-Human Atavism serving as a lorekeeper, lives in the reef-cities that were once Human towns before they turned into undersea gardens following humanity’s disastrous attempt to reverse global warming on Earth. He, like other Atavists, finds no acceptance with either group.

When an unexplained attack against Astoria Reef turns the reef-city to stone, it is the beginning of a planned attack against the Aquarians by an unknown enemy.

Can Ocypode and the others find a way to bring peace between Humans and Aquarians? Can they find a way to stop the destruction of the reef-cities? Is there a way to restore the world?

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This volume contains all three books in the trilogy, making it easy for readers to happily binge-read!

The world-building here is first-rate; well-developed; the aftermath of the apocalypse created by the humans is both credible and intriguing. With the land having become dry and barren, scientists labor to find a way to restore the planet’s climate.

The characters well-drawn, believable, and relatable. The backstory concerning how the Aquarians and their water-world home came to be gives readers the necessary context to understand the underlying issues faced by the characters. While some humans serve as Guardians for the Aquarians, others, such as the Redeemers, want only to destroy the Aquarians.

An undercurrent of tension flows beneath the telling of this impressive tale; the typing of the issues in the narrative to climate change makes it particularly relevant to the reader. Unexpected plot twists keep readers guessing in this unputdownable tale.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this book through the LibraryThing Early Readers program… (mer)

A deeply immersive scifi novel set in the future after a human created apocalypse nearly destroys the planet. In this future, most of the land becomes a barren wasteland, but the oceans are populated by Aquarians, a race of human-dolphin hybrids, and Guardians, the human scientists that live with and protect them. Ocypode is an atavism, closer to human than Aquarian, and starts out the story being largely shunned by his fellows because of this. However, when several of their cities fall to a plague that is created by a group of human Redeemers (a group that hates the Aquarians), Ocypode and his compatriots may just be the world's saviors. They will have to fight many other battles before lasting peace can be found and the world can be restored.

I loved the well developed lore of this post apocalyptic world. The idea of demi-humans like the Aquarians, as well as the other humanoid races that are explored, is different than anything I've read. The set up to the apocalypse is realistic and quite scary. The underwater world is fully fleshed out and beautifully described. There are high stakes in this fight, and the characters know it. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this series.… (mer)