The Cause

The Minutemen Series #1

by Roderick Vincent

"An original voice launches this brooding, high-stakes series."
-Kirkus Reviews

The second American Revolution will be a fire lit from an internal spark.

America is on the verge of economic and social collapse. The government has made individual freedom its enemy. African American hacker Isse Corvus enters a black-ops training camp. He discovers the leaders are revolutionaries seeking to return the U.S. back to its Constitutional roots. Soon the camp fractures. Who is traitor? Who is patriot? Corvus learns that if he doesn’t join The Cause and help them hack the NSA’s servers, it could mean his life. If he joins, he becomes part of a conspiracy to overthrow America’s financial oligarchy.

NSA Director Titus Montgomery is building a system to pacify America’s instigators. He is told by the President rule of law must be maintained at all costs. What happens when martial law meets revolution?

The Cause is a dystopian novel taking many topical issues to the next logical level. The dense web of the NSA’s previous generation’s surveillance system has been supplanted by a new, more ruthless one. Robotic warfare, drones, quantum computers, Anonymous, the NSA, and a cast of conniving characters, this novel takes you on a manifest journey on how a new revolution could be born.

PRAISE FOR THE CAUSE

"In The Cause, Vincent extrapolates our current social and political milieu into a smart, muscular dystopian thriller set in the not-too-distant future, with prose that cracks like lightning and reads just as fast."
-Robert Barclay, author of Melal

"It's epic, ambitious, powerful and inventive with big themes of liberty, oppression, resistance and revolution. There's a topicality that is very relevant and a seriousness that isn't undermined by the ballsy action sequences or the sheer entertainment of fights, skirmishes, hijacks, and the visceral horror of the survivalist scenes at The Abattoir."
-Martin Fletcher, ex editor of Douglas Coupland (author of Generation X )

"I simply adore books like this. They make you do the one thing: think. Not only do we have this thrilling novel of intrigue, politics and freedom, but Roderick Vincent also gives us a little time to set aside and consider what the character is doing and if we ourselves would take the same action in that situation. The writing is top notch with great descriptions and a fascinating plot that moves at a quick pace."
-Samantha Coville, Reader's Favorite 5 Star Review

"The Cause takes current issues regarding economic disparity and government surveillance and plausibly shows what might easily happen in the near future. Unlike the more fantastical Hunger Games, Vincent's thematic palate includes explorations of issues like the distinctions between patriotism and treason, the meaning and importance of trust and loyalty, as well as the need for sacrifice and dedication to a cause greater than that of the individual"
-Dr. Wesely Britton, Book Pleasures

Genres: Thriller, Science Fiction, Dystopia

330 pages, Paperback

First published November 28, 2014

About the author

Roderick Vincent is the author of The Cause about a dystopian America set in the not-too-distant future published by Roundfire Books on November, 28th 2014.

His nonfiction and reviews have been published in Writer’s Digest and Ploughshares blog, and his fiction has appeared in The Nervous Breakdown, The Baltimore Post Examiner, StrayLight and The Satarist.

A good part of his childhood and young-adult years were spent living on the island of Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands.

To sign up for publication news visit: http://www.roderickvincent.com/

or visit his blog at:
http://www.narrativepalate.com/

Reviews

[Dustin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.

"There it is—a blue marble in the blackness of space, sweeps of white fuzzing the spherical surface, so small you can put your thumb over it and blip it out of existence. The Earth, suspended in the darkness, silent and fragile. But this is deception. It’s moving very fast, and just because you can’t see and feel it, doesn’t mean it’s not the truth."

Imagine a world where insect-like drones rule the air, watching our every move, and presumably reporting them to Big Brother. Where the U.S. government has become a totalitarian state, systematically re-structuring how we live, what we think, feel and taste, practically. It isn't very hard to imagine, is it? And what if our freedoms are being taken, stomped upon violently, never to be felt again, like a repressed memory or an ancient civilization.
And one that isn't singular, either, but a duality of worlds?
Can you imagine it?


Roderick Vincent takes these worlds and plops his hacker protagonist, Isse "Cerberus" Corvus (along with the reader,) directly into it. And it wasn't too long before I realized that I'd fallen under his impressive world-building skills. Skills that became increasingly evident throughout.
Almost as compelling was the gradual development of Cerberus, and a couple other supporting characters.
Isse comes from a lower-middle class African-American family, struggling (like so many of us) in the wake of a broken and sad economy. As a child, he was bookish and dreamt of space, exploring the infinite reaches of the universe.


But "the future is Turbulence."



Albeit somewhat choppy, the sentence structure in the novel's initial stages served to propel itself both forward and backward, but overall it remained steadily in the present. And those few flashbacks are important. All of this works well, too, as nothing uninteresting or irrelevant is dwelled upon. This not only moves the plot forward in a relatively brief duration, it informs the reader of Vincent's all too plausible dystopian world, but also helps give you a better sense of the characters...which felt kind of detached at first. Isse, in particular, felt almost numb to his surroundings.


The Abattoir training comprises more than half of the novel. A part of me wants to say it was a little too much, that the author could have summarized their training further, but once again, everything is germane. Little to zero words are wasted from this point until the final page. More to the point though, the Abattoir consists of roughly 365 days, a non-stop year of change, brutal scenarios with some shocking outcomes, philosophical intrigue, action/adventure, and much more.
In hindsight, I really wouldn't change a thing.



The future is Turbulence


Also in this section, we see glimpses of NSA Director Titus Montgomery, but only through inexplicable, real-time footage shown to Isse and Co., the remains of which eventually become known as The Cause.
But what exactly are their motives? Are they genuinely patriotic, and what does that term really mean? Or are they unknowingly being trained to become some sort of terrorist cell? These are only a few of the questions that Vincent seems to be demanding of his readers, and he does it in a way that isn't didactic, yet an integral part of the story. Even now, there's a sense of lingering doubt, both for and against, and that-to me-- speaks volumes. I know which way I want it to go, but as the series progresses, I think it can still go either way.


Titus isn't "officially" introduced until the second-half of the novel, and while I wish he had been seen working behind the scenes, earlier on, what Vincent delivers is quite good. The dynamics of his personal relations was downright fascinating, despite its disturbing nature. He has flaws just like the rest of us, thus making him more human. His flaws are not necessarily right nor wrong, but part of what makes him such a well-rounded character. And I suppose it's even possible to justify some of his actions. He certainly believes in what's he's doing as right.
I am really looking forward to delving deeper into his character in Book 2 (hint hint, Rick.)


By the end of this exciting thriller, I no longer felt detached from the characters. Especially Cerberus, whom I clearly visualized physically, felt emotionally adhered to, and the intonation of his voice was like an audible clip in my head. Furthermore, I want to know -no, it's a NEED-- more about him.



I think much of Vincent's strength derives from the fact that he's obviously very well-read, his inspiration ranging from George Orwell's 1984 and Animal Farm, to Lord of the Flies, The Call of the Wild, and possibly as far reaching as The Art of War.



Up until the last 50 or so pages, the author still had me guessing, speculating a plethora of possible outcomes. When he revealed the means of The Cause and just how far they were willing to go in order to make their point clear, my jaw literally dropped. I couldn't believe it. And I couldn't have been happier (or more proud.) The ending is just CRAZY!



The future is Turbulence



Thank you, again, for this delightful opportunity, Rick!

[Debbie Zapata · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to make a few statements before I begin my review of The Cause. One: Roderick Vincent is a GR friend of mine, but I paid full price for my copy of his book, and the opinions I will share are entirely my own. Two: I rarely read this genre, but I was interested in this book precisely because of various conversations with Roderick over the past couple of years. Three: I am probably the most ignorant person on the planet when it comes to computers, and my brain begins to shut down whenever I try to read about things that the computer wizards of the world take for granted.

This partly explains why I sometimes felt lost while reading The Cause. It is a very modern book, concerned with modern topics, and I am not so much of a modern person, it seems. I needed a few chapters to get used to the way narrator Isse Corvus talks. His language felt almost snobbishly intellectual at first, but as I got to know him better, I also got used to his way of speaking.

Corvus had been a policeman (before that he was a renowned hacker), and is accepted by the CIA where he enters a 'black ops' training camp and becomes basically a savage in order to survive the experience. While there he learns to understand what is expected of him, and what is meant by the words 'patriot' and 'traitor', at least according to those who are running the camp. This section takes up many chapters of the book, and is full of graphic and disturbing violence. I admit I rolled my eyes more than once at all the gruesome events, and pretty much skipped the scenes of fighting in The Pit. I can only take a certain amount of blood and guts, especially when combined with men acting like brainwashed animals. I understand it was apparently necessary for our man Corvus to experience everything that happened to him and the other men in this camp, but the action was a little too detailed for me.

I do have a couple of nits to pick. In Chapter 12, Seee, the boss, rides into the jungle camp on a black stallion and is talking to Corvus. But in the very next paragraph the gelding tried to throw him. Call me old-fashioned, but a horse surely cannot be a stallion and a gelding at the same time?! I think the veterinarians I used to work for would be astounded...and I imagine the horse would be as well, come to think of it.

And I can't help but wonder. Is it really possible to spit if you do not have a tongue? I mean, don't you need to use the tongue to keep from simply dribbling spit all down your chin? How else do you get the distance if you don't push it all out with your tongue? I must do some scientific research about this, I think. The idea of Tongueless Downs and his spitting in The Pit has captured my imagination for some odd reason.

The second part of the book was a bit easier for me to swallow. Well, except for the computer lingo, but I didn't roll my eyes at any of that. I simply didn't understand it; that's a lot different and just reveals my own ignorance. I was surprised at the ending, certainly didn't imagine Seee handling it the way he did.

And Corvus? What is next for him in his devotion to The Cause? And just how close to the scenarios in this book is our current reality? The entire premise is that such events as take place here could happen (are happening) even as we speak. Is there a Corvus out there somewhere in training right now? Or a Seee? And do we want to be protected by them or from them? These are the questons I am left with after finishing this book.

[عماد العتيلي · Rating 3 out of 5]

:: استلمت نسخة مجانية من هذه الرواية كهدية من الكاتب مقابل كتابة مراجعة لها ::

في البداية أود أن ألفت الانتباه لأمرين (الأول إيجابي، والآخر سلبي) حتى يتضح سبب التقييم.
أولا: الرواية مكتوبة بشكل جيد جداً، وتسلسل الأحداث جميل، كما أن تطور الشخصيات متقن الى حد ما.
ثانيا: أنا شخصياً - بغض النظر عن جودة الرواية - لا أحب هذا النوع من الروايات. وهذا السبب هو السبب الرئيسي الذي جعلني أعطي الرواية هذا التقييم والذي جعلني أصاب بالملل الشديد أثناء القراءة أيضاً.

الآن .. الرواية باختصار .. تدور أحداثها في عام ٢٠٢٢ ميلادي (المستقبل) في أمريكا.
الفكرة العامة من الرواية هي فكرة الثورة في مواجهة الطغيان. وخطورة الظلم والتجهيل، والأثر السيء للفساد والانهيار الاقتصادي والاجتماعي بالذات على البلد - أي بلد. وطبعاً في البداية يفتتح الكاتب كتابه بالقول:

[ إلى بلدي. أتمنى أن نتجنب هذا الطريق المدمر الذي يتنبىء به كتابي ]

أرى أن الفكرة التي يطرحها الكتاب ليست فكرة مختصة ببلد معين .. بل هي فكرة عالمية.
فهي تنطبق على كل البلدان .. وفي كل الأزمان.



كانت تجربة جميلة. وأشكر الصديق والكاتب رودريك فنسينت على إهدائه. وأتمنى لها مشواراً أدبياً مميزا.




:: I received a free copy [ebook] of this novel in exchange for an honest review ::

Ok. In the beginning, I'd like to explain my 3-stars rating.
First: there is nothing wrong about the novel. It's beautifully written, the event consequence is pretty neat, and the characters development is excellent.
Second (and finally!!): I personally - regardless of the novel's quality - don't like this type of novels! And this is the main (and maybe the only) reason for my low rating. And it's also why I felt really bored while reading the book.

Now, in short, this novel takes place in 2022 (future) in America. And the idea of revolution against tyranny is the general idea. It emphasizes the disastrous consequences of injustice, corruption and economic and social collapse. The writer begins his book by saying:

[ “For my country.
May we avoid the destructive path this pen forebodes.” ]

Honestly, I think the idea of this novel is universal. It applies everywhere (not only in America).
And that what makes the novel very true and alive.



It was a nice experience.
I truly thank my dear friend Roderick Vincent for giving me the opportunity to read his book.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free pre-released ARC copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

The year is 2022 and the United States of America is government-controlled with robot police and animals. The American people are spied by the NSA's drones, riots start in the streets and the government's enforcers who have to break up the riots and protestors. African-American Hacker Isse Corvus a.k.a. Cerburus used to be one of the government's enforcers until he is set on a mission to infiltrate the Abbatoir: a Jungle boot camp that forces its recruits against each other in mortal combat to see who will survive and who will perish bringing them back to their primal roots. Can Corvus succeed at his mission or will the Abbatoir convert them to their cause of bringing America back to the people by rebelling against the power-hungry government? All you got to do is check this book out for yourself and find out.

This was a pretty good dystopian thriller. The Abbatoir's fighting reminded me of the fighting in the movie "Divergent" as in that film the people recruited there had to fight each other too. This is a V for Vedetta-esque novel that will have you reading until the very end. Definitely check this book out when it officially comes out November 28th on Amazon.

[Chris Dietzel · Rating 4 out of 5]

What happens when America is on the verge of economic and social collapse? In Roderick Vincent's The Cause, a few men and women try to return the country to its former glory by starting a second revolution. The year is 2022 and individual freedom is under attack. The people who remember the constitutional roots their country was founded on can no longer sit back and watch. So they train at a camp called the Abattoir to become super spies.

With much more action than you find in most dystopians, many parts of The Cause read like a hard boiled detective novel. Spattered in are discussions on what the revolutionaries are trying to accomplish and the ideas they hold. Told in two parts, with the second half of the book being their time after the camp, the main action ensues when they carry out an attack on the financial oligarchy. Even then, there are very blurred lines between who is good and who is bad, what is right and what is wrong. This is a story exploring the outrage that men of action feel, seeing the country they love deteriorate into something other than a truly free nation. It is both thought provoking and edgy.

[Titas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Human behaviour is history’s broken record
In a near distant future, America along with the whole world is at the edge of financial and economic disaster. The rich has gotten richer while the poor has gotten poorer. With NSA watching over all, the government has made individual freedom an enemy to be chocked ruthlessly. In a black-ops training camp Isse Corvus, a hacker learns something that contains the fate of U.S. He discovers the leaders are revolutionaries seeking to return the U.S. back to its Constitutional roots. With a gun pointed on his head Corvus learns that if he doesn’t join ‘The Cause’ and help them hack the NSA’s servers, it could mean his life. If he joins, he becomes part of a conspiracy to overthrow America’s financial oligarchy.

First thing first, this is a bomb blasting début! It sticks to a reader’s hands and keeps him/her curious all the way. The best thing about the book for me is the atmosphere. The book balances itself at a very unique position of having all the tension of dystopia novel but without being one. It controls the chill and tension-in-the-air just as the premise promises. There are many surprisingly well written characters with Isse Corvus becoming just the hero everyone wants to be. The book may feel a tiny bit slow at the beginning but once the ground is set, it gives one hell of a ride to the last page. Government Conspiracy has always been a hot topic for thrillers but Mr Vincent has made a new approach throwing sci-fi in the pile because sometimes conspiracy thriller without an all-knowing-hero feels really good to read.

I must mention another thing – analogy. Personally I am not a literature person and I avoid symbolic analogies. So I was really surprised when I liked symbolic quotes and writing placed in a sci-fi thriller! The lines are really deep and compliments the writing greatly.

The only thing that bothered me was the cinematic approach at some places. Quite a few dialogues and situations felt pushy and stiff like movies. I am not saying that is bad because some may like it, some may don’t.

I would recommend this to anyone who loves action packed thrillers with little bits of science fiction mixed in excellent manner and a warm thanks to Roderick Vincent for providing me a copy to review!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book and the writer requested I wrote an honest report:

Intriguing, violent, true and powerful in every word. A best seller novel, which soaks you into our world!

[Helen Noble · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book and the writer requested I wrote an honest review. All of my reviews are honest, whether the book I read was bought, borrowed or gifted to me. That said, these are my thoughts about 'The Cause.'

At the crux of ‘The Cause’ lies the theory:

“The government holds the illusion of power, but it is the people who truly possess it.
Otherwise, why would the State need to plot against us? Their weapon is fear, and with fear they try to cow us into submission. But if the State can be shown as weak, out of control, then the spark is lit, the fire takes birth, and it is then the government that must bend the knee to the people instead of the reverse.”

‘The Cause’ opens as a fast-paced, powerful, first-person narrative of the exploits of the futuristic, front-line men of the CIA, who are ‘prepared to hit the self-destruct button should they get caught.’

Training for 'psychopathy' ( as I saw it) in The Abattoir, a camp where survivalist skills are honed, the protagonist Isse Corvus and his colleagues finally pass the ‘test’ of Nature, some having resorted to cannibalism to stay alive. Something reminiscent of ‘The Hunger Games,’ for adults, it is a savage rite of passage, glorifying the base aspects of human nature. The ultimate test being the choice, in true gladiator style, to condemn another to ‘The Pit’ or to fall into it yourself - ‘eat or be eaten.’

Vincent creates a vivid, futuristic world of warriors; a searing vision into a future where, ‘the word traitor applied only to those who didn’t agree.’

His conviction the subject of continuing doubt, Corvus, aka Hacker Cerberus, is confirmed as one of the ‘Minutemen,’ and crosses over into the next stage of his training. He takes up residence in the The Anthill, amidst other ‘disappeared’ members of the hacker community, to face his next ‘test’ for The Cause.

Throughout the action, Vincent pauses to reveal some poetic insights into the nature of the protagonist through his observances, so allowing the reader momentary glimpses of the innate humanity of the character. The detailed description does not slow down the pace.

The second part of the book is written in the third person and switches scenes to the hallowed halls of government, where the day’s work is burying the news of the latest city riot. Business is discussed in the red-velvet interiors, stocked with mini-bars of spirits. Yet, even here, the privileged find themselves vulnerable to the erupting violence of the state.

Chapter 21 takes the reader back into a future world of a technology conference in San Francisco, as seen through the eyes of Isse Corvus. Tasked with the installation of the Anthill virus programs, he is assigned a partner who can help him gain access to St Francis Memorial. I noted the proliferation of male characters and under-developed female personalities, a common feature of male authors writing about a ‘man’s world.’ I would have liked to have seen this author challenge, rather than embrace this stereotype.

The book certainly achieves the author’s desire to raise questions in the mind of the reader as to the nature of a patriot versus a traitor, in the current political climate. A chilling perspective on what could be...

[OpenBookSociety.com · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://openbooksociety.com/article/th...

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Scott

Where the lines of patriot and traitor blur, sits The Cause, a brilliantly written look into our near future: a NSA monitored police state in which the there is an ever increasing gulf between the rich and poor, many corporate entities are over flexing their muscle, and the populace is rioting because of food shortages, It’s not a difficult future to envision in which states are left to fend for themselves after fiscal breakdown, and the formation of “rehabilitation” camps to “re-educate” the prime dissenters in the populace. Enter the CIA, and it’s rivalry with the NSA, the classic electronic vs. human intelligence game. Isse Corvus a CIA operative who’s sent to the mysterious Abattoir for its “asymmetrical” counter-intelligence program.

As Corvus moves through the trials of the Abattoir, the reader is pulled into a Finder-esque plot in which you’re pulled in, given the options and left to fend for yourself in the shades of gray. It’s the attention to detail that really makes this novel. No word is carelessly put down, nor is the pace out of sync with the characterisation. The writing is mature and never talks down to the reader or sounds “preachy” (unless needed). The deftly handled shades of gray compliments a good espionage novel and leaves the reader in a constant state of suspense.

Corvus, the chief antagonist, immediately captivates the reader. His story and background and insatiable curiosity, propels the novel at a steady pace and keeps the reader questioning as well. The other protagonists, compliment this, juxtaposing Corvus’ views, calling out more questions that there just might not be an answer for. The antagonist, the head of the NSA. General Montgomery is equally well written and like a true villain, mirrors the readers “dark side.”

The pace is delicately laid out without stymying to the depths of super-tight word economy. The novel flows as naturally as a river, and ebbs and dies like waves crashing on the shore. The reader is constantly pulled through the novel by a revelation or dilemma that occurs. The read is lush with descriptive prose that sinks low in Part I: The Abattoir, and at a frenetic pace in Part II: Detritus. The two parts are naturally separated and the reader is pulled from left to right in the viewpoints of each section.

Overall, The Cause is a stunning espionage novel. Leaving the reader at the end with The Truth in The Cause, a mini-piece about the actual truth that the novel is based on. An author’s note piece also dictates the controversy of the novel and combined are a nice closing to a tremendous achievement, that will stick with the reader a long time.

[Glenn Conley · Rating 4 out of 5]

It seems like this book was written by a man who hates the government. He longs for rebellion. And I have no idea why. Maybe the government fucked him over with a bogus tax refund. Or maybe Mr. Vincent actually works for the government, and knows first hand how totally fucked up it is.

This book is set in the not too distant future, 2022. That's not very far away. Nothing can really happen in the United States in seven years that's going to totally change the nation. We're not going to starve to death. The country is not going to turn into a police state. It's just going to be the same old US-Of-Fucking-A.

In this story, the government is so corrupt that it steals from its citizens. There's no more middle class. You're either rich as fuck, or you're a poor-ass bitch, living on the street and sucking cock for one more hit of crack. And in this future, the crack is super-crack. It keeps you high as balls for weeks. Sweet.

So there's this guy. He doesn't really have a name. Well, he has like 4 different names, because he's like a hacker or something. And he's black, for some reason. And he's a badass motherfucker. An MMA fighter. And a fresh recruit for the CIA.

After black panther boy finishes his training at the CIA farm, he's picked up by a super hardcore special forces group. They fly him out to the jungle and beat the living shit out of him. Teach him the Tao of Bullshit. The Zen of hacking. And hardcore Buddha fighting.

It turns out that this special forces group is actually part of The Cause. A group that sets out to destroy the government oppression in the United States. To bring the country back to its principles. To kill a bunch of fucking politicians. And to use the word 'fuck' in ways that are just not fucking appropriate.

And I should be the last person to make this fucking accusation. Because I fucking use 'fuck' constantly. See how annoying that fucking shit is? You can't just fucking put 'fuck' in a fucking sentence for no fucking reason. Sure, I do that fucking shit all the time, but fuck, man. I write for fucking humor for fuck's sake.

I did like this book because it had quite a bit of good action. Plenty of killing, which is always a good thing. I mean, they killed people in training for fuck's sake. That's hardcore shit. But what I didn't like was the fact that there was too much training and not enough actual opps.

Seriously, like ninety percent of this book is training. It was good, sure. But the hardcore boot camp didn't have to go on for that long. Get to the fucking story already. And learn how to use the word 'fuck' for fuck's sake. Damn.

[Jennifer (JC-S) · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘People are dripping with discontent and it’s leaking out onto the streets.’

It’s the year 2022, and the USA is on the verge of economic and social collapse. Individual freedom is seen as the enemy of government, and a small, dedicated band of men and women are determined to stop this by returning the country to its constitutional roots. Isse Corvus is a hacker, who has to prove himself worthy to join the band by surviving brutal survival training in the CIA training camp known as the Abbatoir. If he survives, he will be able to join the Minutemen in the Anthill to face his next challenge. Making change when the government controls every means of communication is never going to be easy, but will it be possible?

‘In the near future, each man will be asked to stand over the abyss. Each of us will be asked to jump. Will you have the courage to do it?’

In this novel, the USA is a totalitarian state. Those who disagree are candidates for re-education camps. But the Minutemen have the highest, most noble objectives: they want to save the country from itself. And if overt action won’t do this, then maybe covert action might.
It’s deep, it’s dark, and it’s troubling. In Mr Vincent’s dystopian world, a subset of the CIA are (apparently) the good guys. It’s a black operation, aimed at saving the people from the government. Plenty of readers will find some realism in it, plenty of us will hope not to.

‘The government holds the illusion of power, but it is the people who truly possess it. Otherwise, why would the State need to plot against us?’

In the second part of the novel, the scene shifts from the Minutemen to the halls of government, from an active to a passive (third person) point of view where the privileged are to some extent protected from the violence erupting within the USA. But for how long? And can those in a world created from control and partial truth actually recognise reality?

If Mr Vincent’s objective is to make the reader think about the fine line separating patriot from traitor, he’s certainly achieved it for me. The novel is a surprising blend of gruesome action and reflection. What does the future hold?

Note: I was offered, and accepted, a copy of this novel for review purposes.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

[Pennie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A futuristic fantasy thriller set in the year 2022. America is on the verge of social and economical collapse. The scene opens up to a story with 'Isse Corvus'. An excellent hacker who begins an elite and secretive CIA training agenda. His leader has a powerful message to send to the populace, the government has no power and that it's the public that holds all the cards. Isse is a bold and charismatic character, he has a strong attitude but as of now, this hacker is now a stone cold killer, a recruited CIA agent that follows in pursuit of "The Cause".
Death, destruction, and loyalty flows through media and political war that is in the making so you are either for it, or against it.... (no spoilers)

An absorbing book you just cant seem to put down. It sends a clear message to us all as food-for-thought rears its head in disbelief.
It's not for the faint of heart. It gives true meaning as to the phrase "Critical times leads for critical actions."
- But how will it all end? in a siege of greed, power, and influence. The Cause has it's own bloody agenda that slams a radical propaganda target to extremists. A fast-paced action thriller that certainly gets your heart pumping with a dark under-belly of occurrences.

Harming others for the sake of "Good" in a very dangerous and intense style of rhythmical suspense throughout its pages will not be uncommon. A novel that is in a separate genre of its own accord that gives a surreal perspective on what it means to survive.
Hands down and two thumbs up to the author, a well thought out and entertaining read.

I was given a copy for evaluation and an unbiased review.

[Wampuscat · Rating 3 out of 5]

What is the difference between a Patriot and a Traitor? This novel is centered around Isse Corvus, and African American man born on the low end of the economic spectrum whose life has progressed from a youthful astronomer to programmer/hacktivist to SWAT officer to CIA agent to a present day recruit for the Abattoir, an off the books contractor led training program for the less-than-legal operations used by the U.S. government. It also happens to be a front for recruiting people to The Cause. The U.S. is embroiled in social turmoil caused by a failing financial system and corrupt governance that is relying more and more on the use of police state tactics. Some of those include robot assault droids, ubiquitous drones, surveillance systems backed by new quantum computer systems, and even internment camps used to medically control dissidents through high tech drugs. Although Isse is a devoted Patriot, mostly because of his daddy issues, he is soon driven to question his allegiance to the current regime through the trials and influences of the Abattoir. His big problem is that he was sent there to kill the leader of the place for Uncle Sam.

In the interest of full disclosure, I was given a copy of this book by the author for free. Even so, my reviews, as always, are completely honest. I liked the book, even though it had it problems. I guess you can say, it grew on me. Explanations are below...

The book has an interesting plot and a very high minded dialog. You will need to put your thinking cap on if you want to get the most out of this book. The character development seemed a bit out of order to me, and I was thrown off by the writing style at first, but since I hate giving up on a book, I kept reading and things finally began to click after the midway point. Since I have actually reflected on it for this review, I can say that the book is quite good and that I definitely want to read the next one in the series. I don't recommend it for anyone who does not enjoy thoughtful internal dialog, or for anyone who just loves a fast action book. It's a 'thinker' mostly, with a few tense moments in it. I rate as 3 stars and call it as a Good Read.

The following are my detailed thoughts, and they contain spoilers. They are in more of a book discussion style, so don't read any further if you don't like spoilers, or if you don't want other opinions to affect your discovery process as you read.



As I began to read this book, I was first struck by the fact that I had no idea what was going on. The scenes read like a half-heard conversation, or not catching onto what was going on because you fell asleep during the first fifteen minutes of a movie. I had a problem with what I'll describe as the 'Wait, what?' moments. Sometimes I would read a few pages that were very esoteric with internal Dick Tracy (think private eye) style dialogs that lead into a totally unrelated event. This would force me to go back and re-read to understand. This happened for about the first half of the book until I got used to the writing style, then things began to fall into place more easily. As I became used to the author's 'voice', things were easier to catch on the first pass. Most of the Abattoir section was like this. It was filled with very deep stuff coming from the character's minds. Unfortunately, I could not read their minds, and I had no idea who they were yet, so a lot of it didn't make sense until later in the book. As the details of Isse Corvus' life become more defined I began to understand that he was a man on a search for meaning. His mind sorted through the bits and pieces of his past, and restacked them into new mosaics around whatever his current situation was. The more pieces I was made aware of, the more I understood the empty spots in the mosaic, thus giving me a fuller picture of why he reached the conclusions he stated in his dialog. I don't know if this was intended, but it is what I experienced while reading this book. I can't say that too many people in today's 'short attention span theatre' world would stick with it long enough to get to that point though, so it may be a detriment to the books overall reception.

One thing I never fully understood from this book is... 'What is The Cause?'. Is it the overthrow of the 'police state'... or the 'government'... what exactly is the desired outcome? The endgame? The big picture? What does it look like when they win? The Cause is nebulously defined, but somehow it is brought to the level of fanatic worship by Seee and the Abattoir graduates. I'm not sure how that is affected. The graduates agree to devote their lives to 'fix the problem' after being put through a series of horrific, brutal, animalistic, torturous training camp exorcises, even though they have no idea how that will be done. I don't get that. At the end of the novel, Isse considers that the reason for the training may have been to desensitize them to the brutality necessary to carry out the actions of The Cause, but they didn't know that at the time, so how was the training camp such an effective recruiting tool? There is no nefarious plot with perpetrators to go after, just greedy politicos creating an amorphous entity called the government that they latch onto and try to control and manipulate as long as possible to get themselves the most personal gain from it. That gain being power, money, fame, etc. Montgomery is an Army General turned politico who gets off on the control aspect. In that regard, he's actually the real threat, no matter who is in charge of the elected government. I could see killing him as the first blow in the fight, but no, it ends up being something completely out of left field. The reason for that is not explained either as far as I can tell. Again, it was like I missed something, but I don't think I did.

The whole Abattoir experience was very reminiscent of Lord of the Flies. Survival at all costs. Death to the weak. Not really poster slogans for constitutional liberty, so the tie in must be the thought of doing whatever it takes, no matter how vicious, self serving or cruel, to achieve the end result. The ends justify the means.

The character of Seee is the most troubling one for me. His history is a blank. You only know him from the Abattoir dialogues. I cannot understand how he was able to instill such respect and devotion from the graduates based just on this. It's not explained (at least not that I can remember) so it leaves me wondering why. Also, the death of Uriah, while interpreted in the book as a huge sacrifice for The Cause, was just dumb. The situation was forced on him by Seee, but there was no point to it other than to put Uriah himself out of the misery his genetics had caused him. And to find out that he is Seee's son only makes Seee look all the more crazy. At that point I was reminded of the crazy general in Apocalypse Now.

I didn't really get the Promise interlude either. I assume it is a setup for future novels, but again it feels like the reverse character development thing.

The final ending did make sense. Corvus ends up looking like a hero so that he can get inside the Agency and continue to work for The Cause. It was a perfect setup for the sequel without leaving this one in a cliffhanger. The symbolic act of Isse letting his talisman of peace and beauty blow away at the end as he gives himself over completely to the pursuit of The Cause is quite the dénouement. Perfect.

Despite what may seem like a lot of negatives that I've listed here, I do look forward to the next installment of The Minutemen Series. I expect to see more of the AI Rose, Promise, Promiscuous, General Montgomery and of course Isse Corvus. After all, The Future is Turbulence.

[Amie's Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: THE CAUSE Author: Roderick Vincent Genre: Dystopian Fiction Release Date: November 28, 2014 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

* I received a free electronic copy of THE CAUSE from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.*

SYNOPSIS:

Set in the not too distant future, the year 2026, THE CAUSE takes it’s name from a group of freedom fighters formed in the 1700s.

“The year is 2022. America is on the verge of economic and social collapse. The government has made liberty its enemy. African American hacker Isse Corvus enters a black-ops training camp. He discovers the leaders are revolutionaries seeking to return the U.S. back to its Constitutional roots. He learns that if he doesn’t join The Cause and help them hack the NSA’s servers, it could mean his life.”

“A novel of juxtaposition, The Cause also tells the tale of NSA Director General Titus Montgomery. The President has told him that rule of law must be maintained at all costs. But something is wrong with the heartbeat of America. What will he do when Martial law meets revolution?”

REVIEW:

“When men take up arms to set other men free, there is something sacred and holy in the warfare.” —Woodrow Wilson

This book may be fiction, but large parts of it are based on fact.

In THE CAUSE the author states: “For some years they have had the ability to turn on your phone’s GPS, video and audio devices, tap in to your Google glasses, and use CCTV cams within the vicinity. Now, they can wire into everyone else’s devices too within your vicinity. They don’t even need feet on the ground anymore. They are following you with micro-UAVs. They are as small as a blue jay, and to the unsuspecting eye, can look like them too.” The scary thing is that this technology already exists and the United States government is already using it.

When the planes flew into the World Trade Center the government quickly instituted new privacy laws, or should I say ‘lack -of-privacy’ laws. They have the power to listen in on your phone calls, read your text messages, check your email and monitor your bank accounts. While some of the information these tactics have garnered has undoubtedly been used to identify and nullify suspected terrorists, it is what they are doing with the rest of the information they gather that should worry the American public.

It is that fear of ‘Big Brother’ that resounds throughout THE CAUSE. this book is more than just an interesting story. It is a warning. It can also be viewed as a wake-up call to the general public. The thing that I found so striking about this book is that is horrifyingly realistic and terrifyingly relevant to today’s society. There are real groups operating in the US today that are startlingly similar to the Minutemen in THE CAUSE. At present these groups are seen as fringe groups and are sometimes even labelled as domestic terrorists. This begs the question; are these people really terrorists or are they actually patriots? The government uses the public’s fear of terrorism to keep the public from complaining about the money spent to combat it. “Terrorism was the boogeyman, a propaganda tool to fund the programs.”

It is because of the issues I have listed and because of the questions this book poses that THE CAUSE is such a compelling read.

“The Cause” would make an excellent book club read. This book contains many discussion topics and offers readers the chance to open their eyes to what just might be happening in the world around them. It would also be interesting to discover which technologies being used in the Cause are fact and which are fiction. There are ready made Book Club discussion questions available on the author’s website.

Now, even though I say that many of the things in this book are happening already, readers must not forget that this book is FICTION.

Roderick Vincent’s writing is exquisite, with wording such as “The virtual world is a blaze that’s difficult to backburn, even if you wish you could.” The author has a gift for description and is able to paint pictures with words.

The author is able to evoke emotion in the reader. For example, when he writes “…my father’s whisper settled in my head, a voice rattling from years ago—Do right by your country and right by your family and life should be okay…” you can’t help but agree with the wisdom of the statement. And you can’t help but feel the love of the father for his son. You can almost picture the scene where he imparts this wisdom to his son, hoping that his child will grow into a good man.

THE CAUSE is the first book in a new series and I cannot wait to see how the story of Corvus and The Minutemen plays out. One thing I am sure of and that is that it will definitely be an interesting and thought-provoking read.

RATING:

I rate this book as 4 out of 5 stars. The only reason that I did not give it 5 stars was that I felt some of the scenes of the training at The Abbatoir could have been shortened. Also, there is an excessive amount of anti-government propaganda. At times it is just too much. It is like being hit over the head repeatedly with a club. The reader understands what the government is doing and that it is corrupt. This message comes through clearly without being repeated over and over again. However, even with the repetition this is still a great book.

[Tony Parsons · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 2022, LA was in full riot mode. Someone threw a Molotov cocktail & the 2 DARPA BigDogs with mounted machine guns starting shooting rubber bullets. Teargas was thrown & PPL were beaten with night sticks.

The Charleston Building was under a snipers attack & there was Timothy Skies (astronaut) & his wife caught in the line of fire.

Isse Corvus drove the armor plated SWAT-H mobile & saved them both.

For Isse (narrator, A/A, UCLA MS neurology, Computer Science) heroic deed Timothy invited him to an Apollo 15 nostalgia dinner in Tucson, AZ. It was a $5,000 a plate fund raiser & hosted by Virgin Galactic. The banner read Let’s Take the Next Step for Mankind.
His wife Melanie was by his side.

Fast forward; Seee (leader, aka The Conductor) explained to the new Warrior recruits of The Abattoir (the Cause): Isse Corvus (aka Hacker Cerberus), Brock (A/A, Notre Dame), Split (aka Spanish Monkey, former Army EOD), Conroy, Mir. Brock (A/A, Stanford, aka Peepshow Perv), Briana (Indian, aka Energizer Bunny, Ph.D. Clinical Psychology, Temple) Chloe (Arab), Grus, Bunker, Elliot, Harold, Sanders, Richards, O’Donnell, Davis, Pugs, Blanchard, Kumo (aka Sons of Liberty), Ayan Shankar, Merrill (f), Burns, Eaton Atlas, Drew Gareth, Ahanu (N/A) & Des (aka Merrill) that only 75% of them would make it through the training program.
Uriah (aka Clubhead, Elephant Man) was a trainer.

Isse had to fight Seee, he lost & was put in the hole.

Kasim, & Edwards were dismissed. O’Donnell, Rigby, Sharaf, & Chloe had bowed out.

Isse was out of the hole, more training, escape, running, war games, & field grunt work.

Next paint gun pellets from DARPA BigDog & more advanced from the Petman humanoid models.

There were 2 days of advanced weapons training, & learning to speak the language of Yoncalla.

In the Battle for Atlas a gang of Burmese invaded our camp. There were many casualties we had to bury; Glen Aims, Adam Avery, Drew Gareth, & Ahanu.

Time period; 11/27/2022-1/1/2023, Uriah, Mir, Grus, Split, Grus, Shankar, Conroy, Brock, Burns, Eaton, Drake, Orland, Briana, & Isse Corvus were embarking on the Test of Nature survival training. Each of them had their own campsite. Seee, Kumo, & Merrill would oversee the training.

Uriah had killed Bunker & Isse had killed Burns for trying to steal his stuff.

The Cannibal Crew: Damien Morton, Thomas Draper, Charlie Feller, Mark Jenks, & Balram Kumar had eaten Josh Winters another member of their group.

Split (Minutemen) had killed Zach Dionne in the Laddered Pit.

Geddy Drake (Minutemen) would be matched against John Hammond.

Edward Conroy & Isse Corvus were paired up.

Who will survive?

What is the Anthill?

What valuable information does Stellar Wind hold?

What will Basim Hassani reveal to the military brass & the politicians when they have a big meeting?

Government Bureaucracy, military vs the little PPL. What more could I ask for!

A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written historical true/false dystopian thriller book. It wasn’t always very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish, but never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a huge set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make great dystopian thriller movie, animated cartoon, or a mini TV series. There is no doubt in my mind this is a very easy rating of 5 stars.

Thank you for the free book (Goodreads)
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Cause follows the story of a man, Isse Corvus, who has lived a life full of strife and tragedy yet made himself into a man of fight and strength. The world has changed, set in 2022, in the not so distant future. We see a world that is slowing edging into chaos and destruction with the financial and economical collapse of the USA. Propaganda is at an all time high, covering up the real tragedies and chaos, showing a world that the government will save, despite the fact that they have a hand in the corruption. This book is broken into two parts, the first being at the Abattior, in the jungles of who knows where at an intensely dangerous and terrifying training camp meant to turn CIA recruits into Minutemen, people without fear and emotion, armed with incredible skills and talents to infiltrate the world at hand and bring about change. The second part is post training back in the “real” world to put that training and ideology into practice, attempting to bring about reformation and a new world, bringing back the foundation that the US was built on.
This book is all about the grey area: where the end justifies the means. It reads like a high intensity action movie in which you never know what will happen next. When I first began reading the book, it took me a bit to get into the grove of the story. There are flashbacks and time jumps and so much talk of ideology, government, and how the world has spiraled out of control that it takes a bit to envision the world as Roderick Vincent sees it. The world is still very similar, in a strikingly eerie way that has a note of premonition and likelihood, with many other nuances that differentiate the world we know from the one you read in The Cause.
Isse Corvus is a man on a mission, filled with convictions and determination to make the world a better place. He has been through so much strife and sadness in his life, which allows him to be a realistic hero, plagued with hard choices and a reality of life. It makes him pragmatic, looking for the truth and weighing all the options. He has a hero’s heart mixed with a martyr’s mentality. Throughout the first part, we see Isse grow and make hard choices. There are scenes that are terrifying and some that are horrific. The world he steps into is harsh, yet his doubts and fears are flushed out. His comrades work side by side to train and step up when duty calls. When their time in the Abbattior is up, they are sent into the world with a mission to support the work of the Minutemen and be an instigator of change.
This book is full of choices that each and every character must make. They were trained in a cruel, unforgiving world and later enter into the pretty facade of US to put their training and patriotism into action. This book is gripping, full of intrigue, action, adventure, and power. It will make you step back and think about the world we live in and the possibility of such downfall. The ending leaves the world of the Minutemen open to more and I am excited to see where Roderick Vincent takes this adventure. If you love Dystopian Thrillers and military action novels, then make sure to pick up this book today. It is not my usual go to genre but it was a book I am glad to have read! I am excited for more Isse and the Minutemen.

[Jalisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Due to my immediate interest, I was surprised when I had a hard time getting into the novel. I thought this was a sort of indication about the rest of the book, but it wasn’t. Once the story took off, the true story, I was engrossed.

But I was also incensed, saddened and intrigued. I found myself describing it to my husband to work through my frustrations, but they were frustrations I was happy to have, because the story is good.

The depths to which Vincent explores his characters, humanity and certain perspectives of America compelled me. Vincent addresses issues and themes that are becoming more prevalent as we, as a society, as individuals, question the place and limits of government and how it fits into our lives, how it affects us, controls us, guides us.

Often, I found myself disagreeing with the characters, their decisions and loyalties, but it didn’t lessen the story at all. If anything, it gave it a reality that I was happy to trudge through, sometimes peek in on.

Even more often than that, I was angered by how frequently I was faced with the idea that a thread of truth and an army of lies can lead us anywhere. Everywhere.

For a moment, toward the end of The Cause, I felt a moment of relief when I thought Corvus had finally realized what I had realized, but he was simply concerned about an imminent death, something he had been taught over and over again was such a little thing. And in the scope of the themes of this novel, I agreed. There was so much more to it than his life, or the lives of so many other characters that blinked out in a instant, or a long, painful moment.

In the end, I nearly forgot how the beginning had put me off.

I figure it could be a matter of the book not starting where the story begins. But it ended up not being of any consequence since I was left pondering so much more.

It is a big book with big ideas and it was very enjoyable to be forced to question those ideas while being sucked down into a rabbit hole unlike any other I’ve read. I certainly recommend it to fans of military SF, though it’s light on the SF and heavy on the military. But more than that, it’s an exploration of self, of society, and how far either can go for ideals that can twisted at a whim.

Great read.

[Keith · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Cause is set in a not-to-distant future of America that has fallen into financial ruin. The police employ high-tech, military style weaponry to control the populace, and the skies are filled with drones engaged in constant surveillance. Main character, Isse Corvus, enters a highly secretive CIA training program whose leader is focused on demonstrating to the American public that THEY are the ones who truly hold the power, not the government.

The Cause is an excellent novel. It is a combination of military suspense and espionage, set against a backdrop of a dystopian America. The book is intelligent and well-written. It is rich in detail about some of the more questionable tactics employed by the American government in the name of national security.

The story moves quickly and delivers intensity and suspense in a myriad of ways throughout, including a pulse-quickening ending. All of the major characters were so very well developed, and the exchanges between them were intelligent and thought provoking.

The author's message was delivered with strength and enthusiasm from start to finish. I thought the placement of quotations at the start of each chapter from individuals regarding liberty, country and patriotism was a nice touch.

I did have difficulty with much of the terminology used in the novel though. There were mention of various government entities and/or computer "snooping" programs (StellarWind, HumInt, SigInt, DARPA, Turbulence, StormBrew, etc...) that I was not familiar with. I was able to infer some things contextually about what these things are and I wasable to Google some others. However, I felt they were not clea r ly explained in the novel and, as such, I felt a little lost at times. It should be noted that, at the end of the book, there is a section called, "Truth In The Cause" that provides some background on some of these government programs.

The Cause is an excellent and intelligent read, which I highly recommend.

[Jeremy Frank · Rating 3 out of 5]

First, I want to thank the author of this book, Roderick Vincent for providing me a free digital copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Occurring in the near future, society and the economy are going downhill rapidly. A CIA operative enlists in an off-the-books program and learns key survival skills, including humility, self-sacrifice and the true meaning of the word patriotism. Or is it anarchy?

I had very mixed feelings about this novel. Some of the themes about what it means to best serve your country and standing up for what you believe in were poignant and well made. Some intense battle sequences, fierce action scenes, and brutal survivalism made some of this story a fun, fast-paced read. Some of the images and near future predictions were haunting and viable and caused me to think a little about where our society may be heading.

However other parts of this book were a little too preachy and slowed down the pace of the book at times. I had a lot of difficulty relating to the characters in the story. I never felt that any of the characters were well fleshed out, and I never truly felt any real sympathy when a character was killed or failed for any reason. The main character in the story was a an ex-super hacker, MMA champion, cop, and CIA spy. He seemed too unreal to me, and in the end, I never really cared whether he lived or died, succeeded in his training or missions.

Again, thanks to Roderick Vincent for supplying me the book. I think there were a lot of positives aspects in this novel, it did give me cause to think, and at times was quite enjoyable. But in the end, I felt it wasn't quite polished enough and I did not love this book.

[Stephanie Mutone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Initially, I almost quit this book. The beginning is a bit too much military lingo and I could not understand the acronyms and jargon being portrayed in the dialogue. That being said, I am so glad that I trudged on.
Isse Corvus, or Cerebus as his nickname states, is a young black man brought up in hard life that has special skills in the computer field. So good that he got caught hacking and was blacklisted from the silicon valley.
Set in future of 2022, not too far off, the country and economy is in chaos. Government has gotten too big and controlling. Drones and cameras are everywhere recording everything it's citizens do.
Isse, who left the computer field for the SWAT division of the Police Department, finds himself being approached by the CIA to go covert in an assassination of a leader of some radical organization of 'so called' patriots trying to overthrow the government and get inside the NSA to kill director Montgomery.
When he agrees and finds himself secretly taken to a camp, called the Abattoir, he starts questioning whether he is a 'patriot' for the people and the founders of this country or a 'traitor' to his own government when he can't complete his mission to kill Seee, the leader of Abattoir.
This story is action packed and full of mystery, politics, military ops, computer science fiction. It's an adult twisted Hunger Games based on a storyline that seems almost realistic to our country's own situation.
A true page turner to the very last page.

[Nathalia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won a copy of this book through First Reads.

Thrillers are one of those things that I have to prepare myself far in advance to get into. Typically they're fast-paced, empty and testosterone filled, but The Cause breaks that stereotype and was simply addicting from the first page. I could not get over how beautifully written the book was and I often found myself saying "wow" over and over. Simply put, I loved it.

The author doesn't waste time throwing random action-packed scenes at the reader, instead he guides you into situations that are easily believable despite how grotesque and macabre they be. I became so accustomed to the "WHAM! BAM!" mentality of other thrillers that I didn't realize how much I missed the lyrical writing style that can be found in The Cause.

However, there is a slight drawback to this writing style and it is the only reason why I gave this book 4 stars instead of 5. Just like Game of Thrones, with all the information, internal dialogue and philosophy embedded into the story, the chapters became heavy and I often found myself tired after a few pages. It is the reason why I took so long to finish it, not because I didn't enjoy it, but simply because I was too tired.

All-in-all, if you're looking for something to quench your thriller appetite yet want something that will make you think, I highly recommend this book.

[Rod Raglin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Didactic, clichéd, chauvinistic and likely predictable, but I quit before the end


The Cause depicts a future America where the gap between rich and poor has become a chasm, and the government uses brute force and disinformation to maintain a semblance of order.

This is hardly original, so it’s not surprising the hero, Isse Corvus, is an ex-military, ex MMA fighter, and is now being trained in black ops by a secret unit of the CIA.

This seems to be the standard resume of characters in this type of novel, as well as being muscle-bound receptacles of testosterone, with cynical, chauvinistic attitudes, and an IQ verging on genius. A philosopher-warrior which, when you think about it, is an oxymoron.

When author, Roderick Vincent, tries to instill depth in the character of Corvus it’s with very, very broad and unbelievable strokes and comes in the form of great chunks of info dump.

Much of the philosophical ramblings smack of author intrusion and more than often don’t advance the plot nor develop character.

The characters are clichéd and the narrative, when not didactic, reads like a violent video game. I never did find out what the “the cause” was. At about a third of the way through I couldn’t find “cause” to continue.

I received this book free from Story Cartel in return for an honest review.

[Charles Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Cause by Roderick Vincent will disturb most readers, but it’s the kind of disturbance that’s good for the soul. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my review.
In The Cause we meet Isse Corvus, who has risen from the ghetto to become first an LAPD cop, and is then accepted by the CIA. Soon after joining the Company, Corvus is invited to attend training at the Abattoir, where he meets the mysterious Seee and is exposed to a regimen of training and a train of thought that shakes him to his very core. Against the backdrop of increased government intrusion into the private lives of individuals, and the increased militarization of elements such as local police, we’re treated to a chilling story of individual growth and self-awareness and the often distorted views of what constitutes patriotism.
Your blood will alternate between chills and boiling as Corvus discovers how far he is able and willing to go for a Cause – a Cause that the reader is left to wonder if he truly understands. Although this story is set in the 2020s, it mirrors the headlines in our media today, and you’ll come away from it wondering how much was real and how much fiction.
A must-read for thriller fans – dystopian fiction at its best.

[Marin Wyden · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book follows Isse Corvus, former hacker and operative who's send to a particular harsh training camp to assassinate a certain person. After arriving there he learns many things about himself and the Cause.

I do have one major complaint though.
Unfortunately, while Isse comes to believe in the Cause, I did not.
The methods used to convert him, only convinced me that the Minutemen were a bunch of loons. Not because of the Cause itself being wrong, but because of the assumption that spending time in the jungle, while killing people and all wrapped in some semi mystical nonsense, leads to enlightenment. This caused me to give the book a three star rating only, as motivation is integral for a plot like this.

Ignoring that, however, you get a thriller that is accurate in it's description of what society might look like in the near future. The issues raised by the book are accurate and quite real. A good novel if you are interested in dystopian stories that are closely based on our current society.

[Rene Schmidt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for an honest review.

I will not give the plot away but if you read this book you will be positively surprised by the profusion of ideas explored by the author in domains like computer science, politics, financial processes and also military organization.

Roderick Vincent set his story in a near future (2022); this fact helps the reader imagining that these ideas are quite believable.

The combination of rich (sometimes hard) action scenes and a complex plot make it a very readable book; I had problems putting it down for such silly reasons like sleep or hunger.

The question is: will the hero(es) be able to restore America to its former glory?

[Randy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author Roderick Vincent gives a novel set in near future America, an America slowly grinding the middle class down in favor of the rich elite. A world all to possible considering some of the stuff going on around us today. A frightening thought.

Isse Corvus, an African-American hacker, goes undercover into a black-ops camp, a patriot that slowly learns a few things as he goes through the rigors of training that makes him question his own status.

Drones, robotic warfare, computers much more powerful than folks realize. This is the world of 2022. The people must be pacified, beat down.

The Minutemen are a group out to return America to the Constitution. It will take a new revolution!

An all too possible world.

[Lauralee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book through a Goodreads giveaway.

I think I created expectations for this book that just can't be met. I wasn't expecting a military thriller from the blurb about it. I guess I expected more of a story about average people trying to make it through the conflict.

So I felt disappointed when that isn't what I got. :p

Really though, it's alright. The dialogue was a little hard to follow and I had to reread some sections a couple times. But it does flow nicely.

[Rachel Sanders · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book, it had some really great characters and i loved the dynamic between Isse and See. I though t the future (being not to far into it) was believable enough for the states. I would have liked it if we knew more about his ex Rose, she was mentioned multiple time but remained vague.

I would recommend this to anyone wanting a little thrill, looking forward to the next installment

[Victoria Brinius · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a citizen very involved in politics I found this book to be entertaining. I enjoyed reading the different views and thinking of them. The future is exactly that, the future. Howevre this book did make me think and wonder about our government. There is definitely some truth to what the author thinks might happen. I am giving this book a 4/5. I was given a copy to review, however all opinions are my own.

[Rick Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

A realistic extrapolation of the current police state mentality and economic malaise in the United States. Vincent deftly paints a plausible scenario by leveraging emerging technology to its logical extension, given the creeping surveillance state. It will require extraordinary cunning and commitment to even consider turning the tide without being quickly crushed. So Vincent's heroes steel themselves in seclusion, winnowing out the true warriors in a brutal training camp.