VITALERIUM

In Casbarro’s SF series starter, humanity’s desire for the “blue gold” powering the cosmos keeps the inhabitants of planet Deorum locked in familiar earthly patterns of oppression and control.

The book’s title refers to an uncanny spaceborne substance that’s allowed fantastic technological achievements and has propelled humankind into the furthest reaches of the known galaxy. Initially, the blue substance is quite difficult to acquire, but in 2351, scientists identify a fracture in space-time from which the coveted material spews forth. The discovery of this “Vital Cascade,” however, sparks wars that span centuries. Deorum emerges from the carnage in a unique position of power and importance. Casbarro grounds his interstellar adventure in the person of Roman Matthews; like Luke Skywalker before him, he starts out as an average, everyday teen who’s just trying to get by. After his parents are brutally gunned down before his eyes by soldiers (“klangs”) from the Coalition for Prosperity government, he’s forced to survive on the mean streets of Kairus, far beneath the circular city’s gleaming spires. Later, he spends time in the abusive crucible of the Ion Street Home for Boys and emerges transformed, assuming the role of a tough-as-nails bounty hunter on a collision course with the villainous Zerris Aganon, the most powerful man on Deorum. This introductory volume of Casbarro’s planned six-volume series carries all the hallmarks of classic SF escapism: expansive worldbuilding, robust lore, myriad characters, and fundamental philosophical inquiries.For all of its futuristic components, though, the appeal of this space opera undoubtedly rests on its two-fisted emphasis on action and adventure; as such, its style calls to mind the work of both Isaac Asimov and Quentin Tarantino: “Unable to aim in time, the goon’s head slams off the linoleum, causing him to involuntarily discharge a spray of bullets into the ceiling.” The tireless pursuit of quantities of Vitalerium in Casbarro’s fictional universe promises lots of gory good fun in future installments.

A gritty, street-level take on familiar interstellar fare.