7 Scorpions, Book 1: Rebellion [Paperback]

Mike Saxton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 13, 2010

On May 7th, the mysterious dictator known only as the Zodiac unleashed an event called the Flash Storm, destroying every major city and military base across the world in one moment. No one saw it coming. There was no warning. There was no terrorist chatter. Hundreds of millions perished almost instantly. Humanity across the globe was plunged into chaos. In the days that followed, the enigmatic and frightening Seekers marched on the remnants of humanity, systematically enslaving or destroying everyone in their path.

All attempts to stand up to Zodiac's Grand Army failed. His Seekers, who radiate a mysterious aura that induces intense fear were virtually unbeatable.  It seemed as though the prophecies of the End of Days were coming to pass until the day came that a glimmer of hope arose in the form of an exile who had been part of a super soldier experiment. It is up to this man, Vincent Black, to rally a resistance to free humanity from the grips of oblivion, if he can let go of his past.

The first book of the 7 Scorpions Trilogy has earned recognition in 5 literary contests:

2010 Readers' Choice Awards: Honorable Mention for Science Fiction

2011 International Book Awards: Finalist

2011 Indie Excellence Awards: Finalist

2011 Pinnacle Book Award Winner

2011 Readers Favorite Gold Award Winner

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The story is a balls-to-walls roller-coaster with a few weird twists thrown in for good measure...If your science fiction tends to the Independence Day-Mad Max part of the spectrum, this is going to be a fun trip. The next two books should be a great read." - Sacramento Book Review

"The story was unique and a lot of fun. I look forward to seeing what the author has in store for Vincent and his group of rebels in the next book." - Feathered Quill Book Reviews

"Plenty of action and characters that are real enough for us to have genuine concern for them. '7 Scorpions: Rebellion' is the first book in a new trilogy and I'm looking forward to catching up with Vincent and his group of rebels in the second book, '7 Scorpions: Revolution.'" - Marty Shaw, Reader Views

Product Details

• Paperback: 450 pages
• Publisher: Eloquent Books (May 13, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1609112865
• ISBN-13: 978-1609112868
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,778,899 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

THE FOLLOWING IS AN INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR CONDUCTED BY HIS FRIEND AND FELLOW AUTHOR, BETH MUSCAT

Muscat: You're going to school to get your PhD and you have a young family. You've just recently moved to a new State, and you've been separated (due to the move) from your family. How do you find the time to write?

Saxton: Lots of caffeine. It extends the day. Of course, it shortens sleep which can lead to insanity but since I'm already insane (and only insane people attempt a PhD), that shouldn't be a problem.

Muscat: You're an avid reader of a multitude of genres. Not only that, but you also write reviews for these books. What is something that you like to do besides reading and writing?

Saxton: It's interesting you ask this. I originally intended writing to be a hobby. I debated for awhile whether I would even publish or not. I decided to go ahead and publish it to see what would happen. I'm glad I did. If I hadn't, I wouldn't have met so many cool people. Besides, it's been a lifelong dream to hold these books in my hands and I have one more . . .

Muscat: You're a published author with a small press for 7 Scorpions: Rebellion, but with your latest book, 7 Scorpions: Revolution, you decided to go Indie. What convinced you to change?

Saxton: In short: control. I have spent years on the trilogy. I want it to be the best it can be. Already, I've had reviewers comment on the change in the writing style (for the better). Since I now have full control over the process, I put it through a much more rigorous set of revisions and edits than a small press could do. Matter of fact, I am going back and putting Rebellion through this rigor, to give it some edits and at least attempt to bring it up to par with Revolution. I am also keeping in mind, however, that it is not messed up. It won awards and became a bestseller, so I must have done at least a little something right, and I don't want to lose that in the revision, which is why I have gotten some people to help me out with it.

Muscat: You've mentioned before that your novels are based on lucid dreams. Have you got ideas for further works that have come from other lucid dreams?

Saxton: Believe it or not, dreams haven't inspired any other writing from me. It's strange. It's almost like I was getting a message for 7 Scorpions. I have some whacked out dreams still, but nothing that I could compile into a novel, although a few later dreams were able to be adapted for me to add some parts to Revolution. Right now, after Retribution is done, the only writing I'll be doing for awhile is doctoral (provided I make it to the dissertation).

Muscat: 7 Scorpions: Rebellion was quite graphic, with the antagonist Zodiac blowing up major cities all over the world and killing innocent people because of their choices. How does the second book in the series differ from the first?

Saxton: The first book takes place about 5 months after the flash storm. The post-apocalyptic setting is still new to the survivors, who have no organization. When book 2 comes around, we have flashed forward a little more than a year and a half, right around the second anniversary of the Flash Storm. At this point, relationships between the characters have developed and flourished. There is also an organized rebellion (well, sort of organized). We also see Zodiac pushing forward with his mysterious "Final Solution" (yes, he stole that title from Hitler).

Muscat: What kind of support system do you have?

Saxton: Fortunately, I have been blessed with a great support system. Several fellow authors (including you :-) ), have been great. This is a tough field and it's nice to have the confidence and friendship of fellow authors who are dealing with the same thing. I am also fortunate to have family and friends who are great for editing, graphic design, and other things and have been thrilled to lend a hand.

Muscat: You've mentioned being dyslexic. Does that hinder your writing? How have you overcome it?

Saxton: Fortunately, I'm far from the worst end of the scale with dyslexia but it slows me down with both reading and writing. Over the years, I have learned where I start flipping and confusing words (believe it or not, the words "said" and "and" are problematic for me) so I can deal with it. Grammar check, spell check, editors, and proof readers are a must for me, possibly more so than other authors. I had a total of 7 people help me with the edits and proof reading on 7 Scorpions: Revolution.

Muscat: What else would you be doing if you couldn't write? Why?

Saxton: Now there's an interesting one. I'd probably get more schoolwork done. If I couldn't write, I'd probably be spending more training mastering the Dark Side of the force through various Sith Holocrons. After all, I'm going to rule the world!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well done and rooted with real world concerns, August 10, 2010

By 

Robert - See all my reviews

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This review is from: 7 Scorpions, Book 1: Rebellion (Paperback)

7 Scorpions Rebellion is a novel set in an apocalyptic world ruled by the Zodiac who brought the end of civilization in one day. Although the novel never directly explains how the Zodiac did bring about the end, it is implied that he worked behind the scenes to enact his plan. The ideas of the erosion of civil liberties, justice for those in power or with wealth, the rise of domestic terrorism all feature prominently in the novel. What's scary is that such concerns are a reality now and the subtle implications of such things helping the Zodiac scared me. This novel actually scared me, and I can't say that with hardly any books out there. When a writer is able to elicit such strong emotions from the reader, it speaks volume to the piece of work the author has constructed and is commendable as well as entertaining.

Regarding the characters, none of them can be categorized as a cliche. Vincent, aka Night Viper, is one of the main characters and is a superhuman soldier. One might expect such a character to be moody or dark, Vincent is neither. He is a dynamic individual who expresses emotion just like any of the other characters. He doesn't believe himself better or superior than anyone: he's simply a product of what's happened to him. Lexi, on the other hand, acts like she's a superhuman and she doesn't even have any powers (except for not feeling fear). Despite her limitations, especially when working with Vincent, Lexi shows confidence and courage.

Even the 'evil' or 'bad' characters are not one dimensional beings. Commander Jade has committed atrocities and is the very definition of sinister, but we learn this was a woman horribly abused in her life and who is really far from the evil commander she displayed herself to be. I was touched by the humanity explored within her, something I never expected after the character was first introduced. Even Dr. Erinyes, with his superiority complex and disdain for the lesser intellect, was a character I enjoyed and genuinely cared for, particularly after his attempt to protect Andromeda from Carl.

The country was lost until word of one man, Vincent Black, rallied people to join together and rebel. Such an ideal has been around for years, but it is that ideal that brings depth to the story and encourages the reader to rally around the characters. Josh, John, Eve, Talbot, Maria, and the others...all became people who I hope live to see the rebellion succeed because they want so much to make the world a better place.

There is just enough hints about what precipitated the Flash Storm (which ended civilization) that I'm anxious to learn more. How were things allowed to get to the point where someone like Zodiac could swoop in? History is replete with such individuals and this novel illustrates that someone will always be waiting in the darkness to take advantage for their own end.

This is just not a sci-fi novel, it's a warning that modern day society isn't as secured as most people believe it to be. But it's also a testament to the human spirit to endure even the bleakest of situations. I look forward to the second novel and what these characters who I care about do to fight back against Zodiac. And I hope they kick his ass to the moon!!!

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Impressive and Entertaining Debut Novel, August 19, 2010

By 

Cedric Cross - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: 7 Scorpions, Book 1: Rebellion (Paperback)

When I had purchased 7 Scorpions Rebellion, It was my first Science Fiction novel and I wasn't entirely sure what to expect. But after reading it, I realized this is definitely a genre I can stick to. So before I tell about the story and characters a little bit, I'd like to congratulate Mike on a well written and entertaining novel. Great Job! Now, into the story.

On May 7th, an event named the Flash Storm devastated the world when it destroyed every major city and military base on the planet. However, this wasn't a natural disaster, it was caused by the new ruler named Zodiac. A powerful and evil man who sometimes claims that his Flash Storm was for the better, as it eliminated the majority of the corruption. Due to the disastrous event, the world is plunged into complete chaos and hope less than dwindles on a thin string. Zodiac's Grand Army, made up of human slaves in special suit's are seemingly unstoppable and a rebel rebellion seems impossible. All until a small group make's it's appearance and gives new hope to the remaining of mankind. Vincent, a powerful and tough man who has a thing for killing Seekers and spreading hope. Alexis, who I call the woman version of Vincent, is a fearless and impressive sidekick who I think sub conciously spreads just as much hope. And Josh, a computer geek who is too smart for you not to have confidence in. And these three, seem to be gathering an army of their own, quietly and effectively.

This book doesn't just give you a one character point of view, but actually a lot of character's point of view. And Mike write's it so well that it doesn't bother you because you're forming relationship's with characters that help's establish emotion and concern for them. Vital importance when writing a series like Mike. But to take it a step further, he actually gives you a point of view from the enemy commanders and even Zodiac himself. So you really get a feel for everything that's going on and it help's create suspense. Another thing I felt when reading, was Mike's intelligence. You think to yourself 'This guy know's his stuff' and that really help's bring the story to life because it help's build confidence in the writer. So it was really a great story and I recommend it to any Sci-Fi fan or anyone who is looking for something new, but too scared to explore it. You won't be disappointed.

Cedric Cross, Author of "The Black Eagle"

31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A New Sci-Fi Series for Readers Starving For Something New and Original, July 10, 2010

By 

Cosmic Castaway - See all my reviews

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This review is from: 7 Scorpions, Book 1: Rebellion (Paperback)

For those who grew up on Sci-Fi movies... stories... novels and are looking for something new, original, and exciting... then this is the book you are looking for!

Remember the shock and surprise when Vader turned out to be Luke's dad... For the 80s, that was a unique WOW that all other sci-fi stories set their standards by... this book will be setting new levels of expectations for the years to come...

The author got the idea for the story all from him dreams....

Using real locations set to back drops familiar to us all with a unique Sci-Fi twist that will keep you on the edge of your seat and wanting more... AND THERE WILL BE. This is book 1 of 3!

Check out the author's site...

I definitely recommend this purchase.