7 Scorpions: Rebellion

Sometime a little cheese in the diet is not a bad thing. In the post-apocalyptic world of 7 Scorpions: Rebellion, Zodiac has destroyed all of the major cities around the world and is well on his way to wiping out the rest of humanity. Vincent Black, suicidal vigilante turned super-soldier, is humanity’s last hope. He must not only rally humanity around him, but find a way to deal with the fear-causing auras of the lobotomized soldiers and the mind-warping telepathy of Zodiac himself. Throw in engines of destruction like the BFT-5000 Apocalypse Dozer, and it could be a very bad year for of humanity.

As a piece of literature, this book is not Joyce, and this is not a bad thing. The heroes and heroines are reasonably realistic; Black has a number of virtually super-human physical enhancements as well as a helpful sixth sense, and yet he comes off as someone who is doing all that he can to stop Zodiac. He is “what happens when the government screws with things it shouldn’t,” as he started his career off as a vigilante racing cancer to the finish. He becomes a leader, someone others rally around, but he does it by being likable, not by forcing others to follow him. He becomes a fun character, even though he needs a new line. The story is a balls-to-walls roller-coaster with a few weird twists thrown in for good measure.

This a book for those who like their science fiction to be fun, and not too serious. 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.