If you had the power to rewrite people’s thoughts… would you?
As a thirty-five-year-old farmer on a colony world, Raith is a kind and simple man, with a catch – he’s only existed for two years. His previous life is a mystery; the only clue to his past is a dark, ominous voice inside his head.
When the Empire executes its triennial ‘Soul Harvest’, Raith’s partner, Amorina, is amongst the abducted colonists. Stowing away aboard one of the departing ships, Raith must navigate strange yet familiar territory in an attempt to save her. Haunted by his inner demon, the rescue becomes increasingly complex, as Raith finds himself caught between the Empire, the Insurgency, and the United Earth Republic, with new friends and enemies knowing more about Raith’s history than he does.
Finally, as his past catches up with him, Raith discovers the dark truth about his former life and the powerful technology responsible for erasing it. With the burden of his disturbing past weighing upon him, Raith is forced into wielding that power once more; and the fate of humanity hangs on his decision.
If you had the power to rewrite people’s thoughts… would you?
As a thirty-five-year-old farmer on a colony world, Raith is a kind and simple man, with a catch – he’s only existed for two years. His previous life is a mystery; the only clue to his past is a dark, ominous voice inside his head.
When the Empire executes its triennial ‘Soul Harvest’, Raith’s partner, Amorina, is amongst the abducted colonists. Stowing away aboard one of the departing ships, Raith must navigate strange yet familiar territory in an attempt to save her. Haunted by his inner demon, the rescue becomes increasingly complex, as Raith finds himself caught between the Empire, the Insurgency, and the United Earth Republic, with new friends and enemies knowing more about Raith’s history than he does.
Finally, as his past catches up with him, Raith discovers the dark truth about his former life and the powerful technology responsible for erasing it. With the burden of his disturbing past weighing upon him, Raith is forced into wielding that power once more; and the fate of humanity hangs on his decision.
2144, Common Era – Planet Gaia, Outer Rim, Tynan Empire
The arrival of a stranger was seldom a good thing, particularly in the Outer Rim. Bad things happened when strangers arrived, things like Soul Harvests or piracy. A farming couple entertained these thoughts as they stood over the stranger they’d found lying unconscious at the river’s edge. But perhaps he wasn’t a stranger to this planet, only to them. The farmer lifted the man, carrying him all the way to the planet’s only medical centre. As the stranger drifted in and out of consciousness, the couple waited anxiously to discover who it was they’d found.
At long last, the doors to the room slid open as the assigned doctor entered.
“And?” asked the farmer. “Who is he? Where is he from?”
“That I cannot say. I know he’s not a citizen of Gaia, and I checked if he was from Ares, but he isn’t.”
“So he’s a pirate?”
“I don’t think so. The full-body scans suggest that he’s about thirty-three standard years old, in good physical condition – probably had an easy life. They also show that he’s got severe post-traumatic dissociative amnesia because of extensive, unnatural neural trauma. This man’s mind has been artificially tampered with and forcefully modified.”
“And that doesn’t make him a pirate?” the farmer inquired, derision filling his tone.
“We’re not graced with the technology to perform such operations here in the Outer Rim, nor the Mid Rim for that matter.”
The doctor paused, carefully thinking about how to phrase his following words.
“Therefore, I think it fair to surmise that he has come from the Inner Rim, and that is the domain of both the United Earth Republic and the core of the Tynan Empire – piracy doesn’t flourish there.”
“So, what does all of this mean?” implored the farmer’s wife. “What will happen to him?”
“I am no fortune teller, but if I were to make an educated guess, I would say that this man is largely going to be a blank slate. He’ll need to be cared for and supported as he forms a new identity.”
The doctor watched as the couple exchanged a glance before checking his notes. “If I’m not mistaken, you are childless?” he queried.
“We had a daughter!” the farmer snapped.
“Livietta. She died five years ago,” his wife added quietly.
“My condolences. Perhaps then, you could care for this man. I realise he is not a child, but he could become a strong set of farm hands in return for his board and lodgings.”
The couple exchanged another glance.
“But he is a stranger!” the farmer disputed. “Bad things happen when strangers arrive!”
“This man is a stranger to himself! Trauma like his doesn’t leave you knowing who you are. He’ll need guidance, support: both of which I think you can offer him.”
“And if bad things happen?”
“Then we’ll send him to Ares – let the Empire’s grunts deal with him.”
With a final glance and a nod, the couple agreed.
“Fine … we’ll take him.”
Raith is just a simple farmer living on a poor planet located in the Outer Rim. He knows his approximate age, thirty-five years old. He also knows he has two adopted parents that love him and a woman named Amorina who he loves with all his heart. But that’s where his knowledge ends.
Two years ago, something happened to Raith that completely wiped his mind clean, leaving his head an empty slate. The only connection to who he was before is a dark voice that speaks to him out of the depths of his mind. It isn’t until a Soul Harvest claims the love of his life that Raith is forced to face the darkness within and fight for the person he has become. When a mind is torn between light and darkness, which one will prevail?
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Forgotten Evil. It was a fast-paced story full of intergalactic adventure that kept me interested from the first page to the last. There was just the right amount of humor to break up the seriousness of the fighting and action packed scenes that allowed the story to flow smoothly.
As a fan of Marvel Comics, I couldn’t help being reminded of Venom as I listened to the banter between Raith and the dark voice inside his head. While the darkness couldn’t turn him into an alien capable of biting people’s heads off, it could occasionally possess his body and kept things interesting as Raith struggled to maintain control of his mind.
Towards the end of the story, Raith is faced with a difficult decision that puts the lives and minds of whole planets of people into his hands. Without giving anything away, I will just say I have conflicted feelings about how he handled it. I felt like there had to be a third option rather than the two that were presented to him, and perhaps if Raith had been a stronger character he could have found an alternate solution.
I would recommend Forgotten Evil to anyone who’s searching for a quick read, a sci-fi adventure, or a story whose main character is conflicted with demons from their past.