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  • Tapper

  • A Novel
  • By: S.A. Combs
  • Narrated by: Rand Doerning
  • Length: 9 hrs and 27 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (2 ratings)
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Tapper cover art

Tapper

By: S.A. Combs
Narrated by: Rand Doerning
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Summary

Tapper - a projecting empath - is the product of a corrupted government. Nurtured from birth and ruthlessly trained, Tapper learns the art of manipulation and persuasion - becoming an elite operative with a gift of immense power. He’s the government’s prized spy until he does the unthinkable. Horrified by his actions, branded as a monster, he goes into self-exile on Mitta-4 - a colony planet on the fringe of the known universe - to settle down and lose himself in a new life. There, he finds danger comes in many guises.  

A dark and deeply moving story filled with amoral behavior and one man’s quest to atone for his darkest impulses.
 

©2016 Scott A. Combs (P)2018 Scott A. Combs

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Life and times of a projecting empath

Quite often it seems like you have a choice with scifi/fantasy books, you can either have a well-built and fully realised world around your heroes or you can have a standalone book as more authors seem to be more comfortable when they have the additional space of a series to work in, but that is not the case with this one. The author has done a good job of doling out enough of the crucial information about the world that it still feels fleshed out without taking up too much of the book to do so.

The star of the book is a man named Tapper, born a projecting empath and controlled by the government from an early age, in part due to the inherent danger in his powers if they are not kept under control by him as was not the case when he was very young as we see during some of the sections of the book that flashed back to that period. The book covers most of his life from those early days upwards until he finally breaks away from the government and settles down on an isolated planet for what he expects to be a more rustic retirement.

This is the second book I have listened to that has been performed by this narrator and again he has nicely enhanced the book with a pleasant tone and suitably distinctive voices for the various characters.

Overall, this was a strong standalone novel, but I wouldn't be surprised if the author chooses to revisit this world with other characters too in the future.

[Note - I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.]

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

War is the natal state of humans.

"I was one hour old when I committed my first murder..." From the opening line, the reader is plunged into the relating of his life, by Tapper, to a video recorder, in 2191. Born with a freak ability and considered 'a menace to society,' he was brought up in a military facility with almost no human contact (even his nappies were changed by a robot and learning came from vids), until, at four years old, Teach arrived to teach him, to befriend him and to show him how to control his terrifying power as a true projecting empathy. And to give him a name: Tapper.

The story, told in the first person by Tapper himself, is conducted from both ends of his life: his childhood and years working for the government, and his later experiences after he retires to start a new life far from earth. The chapters alternate until the earlier time catches up with the near present- a clever device which encourages the reader ever forward to discover what caused the events related.
The writing style is simple, easy to read and enjoy filed as it is not only with death and destruction but also the wonder of life.

Rand Doering's narration fits perfectly with the writing style. His pleasant, melodious voice, with good intonation and understanding of the text, delivers Tapper's story as his own, the pace gentle and appropriate. His voicings of all of the other characters makes each individually identifiable, too. An excellent performance which very much enhanced the book for this reader.

The book has fast paced action but is more than just a thriller as it lightly touches on the nature of man, of society, and of life itself. The author, apparently, received the book in a dream but struggled to write it down because of the deep emotional impact it created within in him. I am so glad that he managed to overcome his reservations: this is a great story I would recommend everyone read - with so many aspects within it, not just S.F. or action thriller, it is one for all to enjoy.

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