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7th Son #2
7th Son: Deceit
Two days ago, seven human clones -- John, Michael, Father Thomas, Dr. Mike, Jonathan, Jack and Kilroy2.0 -- were torn away from their "normal" lives to stop a ruthless plot created by their progenitor, a man code-named John Alpha. Their quest was a descent into conspiracy, violence and death.
The clones were successful in their mission, but victory was not without its price.
As 7th Son: Book Two - Deceit begins, the Beta clones are demoralized, reeling from their loss ... and about to learn that John Alpha's plans are far from over.
To prevent the next phase of Alpha's plan, John, Kilroy2.0, and the others must unearth more dark secrets about the government project from which they were spawned. They will experience the horrors of betrayal, and race cross-country to track John Alpha.
And they will finally realize the scope of Alpha's wrath -- the bloodshed the clones have witnessed is merely a prelude to the world-rending destruction to come. Unless they can stop it first.
Deceit is the second novel in J.C. Hutchins' 7th Son thriller trilogy.
The clones were successful in their mission, but victory was not without its price.
As 7th Son: Book Two - Deceit begins, the Beta clones are demoralized, reeling from their loss ... and about to learn that John Alpha's plans are far from over.
To prevent the next phase of Alpha's plan, John, Kilroy2.0, and the others must unearth more dark secrets about the government project from which they were spawned. They will experience the horrors of betrayal, and race cross-country to track John Alpha.
And they will finally realize the scope of Alpha's wrath -- the bloodshed the clones have witnessed is merely a prelude to the world-rending destruction to come. Unless they can stop it first.
Deceit is the second novel in J.C. Hutchins' 7th Son thriller trilogy.
6 pages, Audiobook
First published January 1, 2006
10 people are currently reading
242 people want to read
About the author
J.C. Hutchins
25 books218 followersFrom the About J.C. page of jchutchins.net:
J.C. Hutchins crafts transmedia narratives, screenplays and novels for such entertainment companies as A&E, Cinemax, Discovery, St. Martin’s Press, Smith & Tinker and Leviathan Games.
J.C.’s recent work includes Lead Writer & Experience Design roles on campaigns for the Cinemax espionage series Hunted, Stephen King’s Bag of Bones (a cable miniseries based on King’s bestselling novel) and The Colony, an intense survival reality series. He also recently created an educational transmedia experience based on the works of Edgar Allan Poe.
J.C. began his career has a “new media novelist,” using emerging storytelling strategies such as podcasting, social media and crowdsourcing to create and distribute his thriller novels.
His 2009 novel Personal Effects: Dark Art (co-written with web storytelling pioneer Jordan Weisman) featured online and physical transmedia elements that blurred the reader’s role from passive consumer to active participant. The Personal Effects IP is presently in development as a Starz TV series, with Gore Verbinski executive producing.
J.C. also also helps entertainment companies reach new markets by creating canonical tie-in content, and offering best practices for worldbuilding, revenue generation and cross-platform storytelling.
J.C. has been profiled by The New York Times, The Washington Post, NPR’s Weekend Edition, ABC Radio and the BBC. He lives in Denver with fellow novelist Eleanor Brown, and their cat, Chester.
J.C. Hutchins crafts transmedia narratives, screenplays and novels for such entertainment companies as A&E, Cinemax, Discovery, St. Martin’s Press, Smith & Tinker and Leviathan Games.
J.C.’s recent work includes Lead Writer & Experience Design roles on campaigns for the Cinemax espionage series Hunted, Stephen King’s Bag of Bones (a cable miniseries based on King’s bestselling novel) and The Colony, an intense survival reality series. He also recently created an educational transmedia experience based on the works of Edgar Allan Poe.
J.C. began his career has a “new media novelist,” using emerging storytelling strategies such as podcasting, social media and crowdsourcing to create and distribute his thriller novels.
His 2009 novel Personal Effects: Dark Art (co-written with web storytelling pioneer Jordan Weisman) featured online and physical transmedia elements that blurred the reader’s role from passive consumer to active participant. The Personal Effects IP is presently in development as a Starz TV series, with Gore Verbinski executive producing.
J.C. also also helps entertainment companies reach new markets by creating canonical tie-in content, and offering best practices for worldbuilding, revenue generation and cross-platform storytelling.
J.C. has been profiled by The New York Times, The Washington Post, NPR’s Weekend Edition, ABC Radio and the BBC. He lives in Denver with fellow novelist Eleanor Brown, and their cat, Chester.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
May 27, 2015
This book has the mental thinking, calculation, along with the action and on the move for their lives feel. There is quicker paced as we are learning big details and the clones have to move to keep safe. The tension of whether they will make out alive, is ever so strongly present in this book.
Alpha's plans are so much deeper than the clones, even the lead doctor, had ever thought. Alpha has one twisted, brilliant mind. His corruption and conspiracies have no end in sight.
***FULL REVIEW****
Our clones continue on, rallying from the shock of what they've learned of their selves, of Alpha, and the event at the night club. They thought they won, but will learn things are deeper than they even imagined. Alpha has far more plans for them all, however these plans and learning secrets comes a price. But can the beta's pay the price Alpha is demanding to follow his clues and do as he wants?
The author as sole narrator of this book... I don't even notice that he's the sole voice of the audio. He uses infliction as a master with the different beta clones and other characters to differentiate them as listening. But the action and all that materializes here has my attention and I know well who is who of the characters by now.
The clones learn of Psyjack, what John Alpha most likely is using to continue on living, in a fashion. John Alpha's body might be dead, but his mind lives on. Now the prospects of what Alpha has planned are endless. What is he going for? What is he planning?
John Alpha has left puzzles for the clones to solve. I got drawn into this puzzle and tried to figure it out myself! I loved being pulled in, in such a fashion.
The stress of the quick pace of the last few days along with the shock of all they learn and finding their thought-to-be-dead mom causes friction between the clones. The whole idea of what she's worked on, and even perfected, with the Psyjack has them all shaken up as to morals and ethics, and how this can all be used sooo wrong. It has to be hard when you have morals, and who you are looking for does not. To put together fast enough what he is doing with the science that questions each of their ethics.
When we thought we learned all that we could, there is more that Alpha wants the clones to know. With what they are doing, and the psychotic man they are looking for, there are costs and some may die.
These men, the beta's, are experts in their specific areas of study. Alpha is one man, even though he Psyjacks people and knows their memories, it takes a few minutes to access and find what he needs. The beta clones might be able to use that second to get ahead of Alpha.
Alpha's plans are so much deeper than the clones, even the lead doctor, had ever thought. Alpha has one twisted, brilliant mind. His corruption and conspiracies have no end in sight. And we are starting to learn hints to the extent of his plans with the clones and beyond. Alpha is one dangerous man, and no one is safe. Is it all a game to him?
This book has the mental thinking and calculating, along with action and on the move for their lives feel. There is quicker paced as we are learning big details and the clones have to move to keep safe and learn their clues left behind.
With the action is the tension of whether they will make out alive, ever so strongly present.
Once again, I've already got book 3, Destruction, downloaded and ready for listening. And I need it now!
Alpha's plans are so much deeper than the clones, even the lead doctor, had ever thought. Alpha has one twisted, brilliant mind. His corruption and conspiracies have no end in sight.
***FULL REVIEW****
Our clones continue on, rallying from the shock of what they've learned of their selves, of Alpha, and the event at the night club. They thought they won, but will learn things are deeper than they even imagined. Alpha has far more plans for them all, however these plans and learning secrets comes a price. But can the beta's pay the price Alpha is demanding to follow his clues and do as he wants?
The author as sole narrator of this book... I don't even notice that he's the sole voice of the audio. He uses infliction as a master with the different beta clones and other characters to differentiate them as listening. But the action and all that materializes here has my attention and I know well who is who of the characters by now.
The clones learn of Psyjack, what John Alpha most likely is using to continue on living, in a fashion. John Alpha's body might be dead, but his mind lives on. Now the prospects of what Alpha has planned are endless. What is he going for? What is he planning?
John Alpha has left puzzles for the clones to solve. I got drawn into this puzzle and tried to figure it out myself! I loved being pulled in, in such a fashion.
The stress of the quick pace of the last few days along with the shock of all they learn and finding their thought-to-be-dead mom causes friction between the clones. The whole idea of what she's worked on, and even perfected, with the Psyjack has them all shaken up as to morals and ethics, and how this can all be used sooo wrong. It has to be hard when you have morals, and who you are looking for does not. To put together fast enough what he is doing with the science that questions each of their ethics.
When we thought we learned all that we could, there is more that Alpha wants the clones to know. With what they are doing, and the psychotic man they are looking for, there are costs and some may die.
These men, the beta's, are experts in their specific areas of study. Alpha is one man, even though he Psyjacks people and knows their memories, it takes a few minutes to access and find what he needs. The beta clones might be able to use that second to get ahead of Alpha.
Alpha's plans are so much deeper than the clones, even the lead doctor, had ever thought. Alpha has one twisted, brilliant mind. His corruption and conspiracies have no end in sight. And we are starting to learn hints to the extent of his plans with the clones and beyond. Alpha is one dangerous man, and no one is safe. Is it all a game to him?
This book has the mental thinking and calculating, along with action and on the move for their lives feel. There is quicker paced as we are learning big details and the clones have to move to keep safe and learn their clues left behind.
With the action is the tension of whether they will make out alive, ever so strongly present.
Once again, I've already got book 3, Destruction, downloaded and ready for listening. And I need it now!
August 2, 2021
Awwwwesome as ever.
June 1, 2023
Well written series, it was just too fictional (unbelievable) for me.
February 28, 2024
Interesting story so far. The writing is decent. The plot didn't go where I thought it should go but it's entertaining enough.
March 27, 2025
Love it so much but it has been years since I read it.
March 19, 2017
Great sequel. While you can definitely seem some other storylines come in as inspiration here, Hutchins still has quite the unique story. From learning about the cloning and Alphas sneaking back into the complex to twists like that of Special K going rogue and the HQ in a water tower, this book does it all!
January 3, 2012
I have to admit I am disappointed by this installment of the 7th Son trilogy. It took me a little bit, and 3 attempts to listen to it, in order to really love the first installment but eventually I couldn't get enough of it! And the first installment left me on a cliffhanger that had me yelling at my ipod in frustration to know what happened! But with as exciting and awesome as the first one was, this one was just as...blah.
Frankly, reading some of the other reviews for it I thought for a minute they were listening to a totally different book! The gay gene? When the hell did they discuss that?! Probably about the time my brain tuned out because I was tired of waiting for something interesting to happen. Here is the synopsis of Deceit: Clones almost die, some clones do die, clones go off on wild chase that will probably end in death, clones find out that they've been on a pointless chase that served no purpose at all except to lead to death, clones get clues about the real thing they're being distracted from, clones (and everyone else) have no idea what those clues mean, clones explode things, end of book.
Really I felt that there was little to no plot development at all and that made me yawn through the whole thing. Finally we learn that everything the writer has been leading up to was entirely pointless and served no purpose to the real plot at all, now I am getting really bored. So, what was the real plot? We don't know and the characters don't know either, I am wondering if even the author knows! Now I am wondering why I was still even listening to this book.
Yet, I know that I will continue on to the third and final installment. Why, you may ask, since I clearly did not like this one? Because the first one left me with so much promise that I simply have to know if this will be another fiasco like Lost was, where the author really had no plan all along and the story will end with a fizzle. I hope not, but we shall see.
Frankly, reading some of the other reviews for it I thought for a minute they were listening to a totally different book! The gay gene? When the hell did they discuss that?! Probably about the time my brain tuned out because I was tired of waiting for something interesting to happen. Here is the synopsis of Deceit: Clones almost die, some clones do die, clones go off on wild chase that will probably end in death, clones find out that they've been on a pointless chase that served no purpose at all except to lead to death, clones get clues about the real thing they're being distracted from, clones (and everyone else) have no idea what those clues mean, clones explode things, end of book.
Really I felt that there was little to no plot development at all and that made me yawn through the whole thing. Finally we learn that everything the writer has been leading up to was entirely pointless and served no purpose to the real plot at all, now I am getting really bored. So, what was the real plot? We don't know and the characters don't know either, I am wondering if even the author knows! Now I am wondering why I was still even listening to this book.
Yet, I know that I will continue on to the third and final installment. Why, you may ask, since I clearly did not like this one? Because the first one left me with so much promise that I simply have to know if this will be another fiasco like Lost was, where the author really had no plan all along and the story will end with a fizzle. I hope not, but we shall see.
February 14, 2017
"Read" as a podcast novel.
Good, but not as good as the first book of the trilogy.
Not typically a thriller fan, but this one had me hooked. A really bad set of villains. And a team of flawed, but greater-than-the-sum-of-their-parts heroes.
I was a bit upset by a few of Hutchins' decisions, but I imagine it will all pay off. #fingerscrossed
On to Destruction!!
Good, but not as good as the first book of the trilogy.
Not typically a thriller fan, but this one had me hooked. A really bad set of villains. And a team of flawed, but greater-than-the-sum-of-their-parts heroes.
I was a bit upset by a few of Hutchins' decisions, but I imagine it will all pay off. #fingerscrossed
On to Destruction!!
May 12, 2009
A lot of readers attach a stigma to fiction that's given away by its author, the thinking no doubt being that if the author doesn't think it's worth buying, why should the reader/listener bother investing their time and emotional energy in it? It's an understandable argument on one level, but with podcasted novels like this, those arguments are proven completely false.
Hutchins is amazingly talented. He writes with the scope and scale of big summer blockbuster films, but in a way that contains more character depth and complexity than Hollywood would usually feature, as we continue to follow the clones of John Alpha in their attempts to discover their progenitor's plans, which go much deeper than any of them dare realize. Hutchin's treatment of the clones is masterful; each of them has their own distinct personality, but every once and awhile you catch subtle little similarities between their personalities, as well as some similarities with Alpha.
7th Son is coming out in print later this year, and I hear a film's been optioned as well, but for now you can listen to the whole thing for free at www.jchutchins.net
Hutchins is amazingly talented. He writes with the scope and scale of big summer blockbuster films, but in a way that contains more character depth and complexity than Hollywood would usually feature, as we continue to follow the clones of John Alpha in their attempts to discover their progenitor's plans, which go much deeper than any of them dare realize. Hutchin's treatment of the clones is masterful; each of them has their own distinct personality, but every once and awhile you catch subtle little similarities between their personalities, as well as some similarities with Alpha.
7th Son is coming out in print later this year, and I hear a film's been optioned as well, but for now you can listen to the whole thing for free at www.jchutchins.net
July 25, 2010
As previously discussed, the first book in this series was not actually good. I "read" the second book because it was available as a free podcast novel and I would listen to a 89-year-old woman with a North Shore accent read the telephone book when I'm stuck on the 89 bus.
This series is very DaVinci Code meets Tom Clancy. The second book is all about ANWR! I bet you didn't see that coming! Also, we finally got an explanation for why only one of the seven clones is gay, and while it wasn't as horrible as I thought it would be, it was a little didactic: "But how can that be if homosexuality is genetic WHICH I (AND BY "I" I MEAN THE CHARACTER AND ALSO "I" THE AUTHOR, SEE, PLEASE DON'T SEND ME HATE MAIL) BELIEVE IT TO BE." The answer is a handwave "stuff can be in our genes but it can take environmental stimuli to activate it." This wouldn't have been so bad if the clones hadn't been comparing the gay clone with the schizophrenic clone. I'm not sure that worked the way the author thinks it worked.
Although, hahah, I am totally listening to the third book for aforementioned discussed reasons.
This series is very DaVinci Code meets Tom Clancy. The second book is all about ANWR! I bet you didn't see that coming! Also, we finally got an explanation for why only one of the seven clones is gay, and while it wasn't as horrible as I thought it would be, it was a little didactic: "But how can that be if homosexuality is genetic WHICH I (AND BY "I" I MEAN THE CHARACTER AND ALSO "I" THE AUTHOR, SEE, PLEASE DON'T SEND ME HATE MAIL) BELIEVE IT TO BE." The answer is a handwave "stuff can be in our genes but it can take environmental stimuli to activate it." This wouldn't have been so bad if the clones hadn't been comparing the gay clone with the schizophrenic clone. I'm not sure that worked the way the author thinks it worked.
Although, hahah, I am totally listening to the third book for aforementioned discussed reasons.
September 20, 2015
I did listen to this whole series on podcast before reading the books. I liked the podcast a lot, enough to seek out the books once they were finally published.
None of the three books stands up to reading as well as listening because when you can go slow and reread, some of the plot holes show up including 1) convenient guesses that always turn out to be right and 2) superpower (ie Code Phantom) that can sort of be invoked to explain away anything and 3) convenient ignorance/lack of suspicion when needed. Now, writing something this intricate, there are bound to be some problems keeping everything together and believable.
That being said, this is a fun series and a fun book. I consider this book to be the best of the three. It's action-packed. It's got lots of character-defining moments. There are plenty of puzzles and suspenseful moments that let you, the reader, play along at home. A lot of the twists are predictable, but not all.
I recommend this as a fun experience and I definitely love supporting authors who do something new!
None of the three books stands up to reading as well as listening because when you can go slow and reread, some of the plot holes show up including 1) convenient guesses that always turn out to be right and 2) superpower (ie Code Phantom) that can sort of be invoked to explain away anything and 3) convenient ignorance/lack of suspicion when needed. Now, writing something this intricate, there are bound to be some problems keeping everything together and believable.
That being said, this is a fun series and a fun book. I consider this book to be the best of the three. It's action-packed. It's got lots of character-defining moments. There are plenty of puzzles and suspenseful moments that let you, the reader, play along at home. A lot of the twists are predictable, but not all.
I recommend this as a fun experience and I definitely love supporting authors who do something new!
January 10, 2015
7th Son: Deceit is a fitting sequel to 7th Son: Descent. Honestly, I enjoyed it more than the first book. The puzzles from book one are followed by even better ones here, and it's a blast to try and solve them myself as the clones are... only to find out that yes, I'm on the right track, but I just don't take it far enough. Then again, the puzzles are intended specifically for the clones' expertise, and since I don't have that, it isn't a surprise. I do get bits and pieces right, but the whole, nope. And I don't mind. These puzzles are a mental thrill in the action and, if you ask me, do not take away from the narrative at all.
The action in this book is way ramped up compared to book one, character development jumps through the roof, and the stakes blow up. Literally. I mean, nuclear warheads. Come on. This was definitely a book of extremes, and it makes me all the more eager to read the third installment.
The action in this book is way ramped up compared to book one, character development jumps through the roof, and the stakes blow up. Literally. I mean, nuclear warheads. Come on. This was definitely a book of extremes, and it makes me all the more eager to read the third installment.
March 6, 2010
A little slower than the first installment of the series, but still a good book. The end is a little bit dissapointing because there isn't much of any kind of conclusion or closure. Certainly, there is more development to the story, over the course of about a day or two, shedding more light on the 7th Son Experimental Program, the facility, John Alpha's activities after the Betas were created, and some of the relationships between what is happening around the world. There are a few twists that were unseen (by me anyways) causing the story to take unexpected turns. A little more insight is given as to why John Alpha is on this rampage, but the whole picture is still a bit fuzzy. And John Alpha's apperant plan for involving the Betas seems a little lacklustre, but I expect that is just a ruse as well. We'll have to see how book #3 brings all these loose ends together.
October 15, 2008
This podcast continues the sage of the remaining John Michael Smiths as they try to find and defeat John Alpha. The story splits up the remaining clones and has them travel all across the U.S. in an attempt to decipher Alpha's cryptic clues.
As usual J.C. Hutchins is not afraid to kill people or create havoc on an international scale. All the violence and foul language made me almost feel guilty to listen to the story at work. Almost.
Overall I found this book quite enjoyable but the pacing seemed a bit off to me. I suspect I would enjoy this story a bit more as an actual book rather than a podcast. Despite that I am still looking forward to hearing the final book.
As usual J.C. Hutchins is not afraid to kill people or create havoc on an international scale. All the violence and foul language made me almost feel guilty to listen to the story at work. Almost.
Overall I found this book quite enjoyable but the pacing seemed a bit off to me. I suspect I would enjoy this story a bit more as an actual book rather than a podcast. Despite that I am still looking forward to hearing the final book.
June 29, 2010
This book has just as much action and intrigue as the first one, and J.C. Hutchins' skill with character voices, both textual and vocal, does not disappoint. He also definitely raises the bar from the last book with regard to the trials he throws at his characters.
I was going to give this four stars on the argument that it felt like a middle book. Then I realized that it took me so long to finish it that I was mentally dividing the first half from the second. Taking the whole book properly into account, it may have an abrupt ending but it is definitely a coherent story.
I was going to give this four stars on the argument that it felt like a middle book. Then I realized that it took me so long to finish it that I was mentally dividing the first half from the second. Taking the whole book properly into account, it may have an abrupt ending but it is definitely a coherent story.
February 5, 2012
A vast improvement on the first book in the trilogy, which wasn't half bad itself. I thought the stakes were upped very nicely and (minor spoilers) less characters meant the surviving ones got more room to breathe. The nature of the ending was a bit disappointing to me personally but it is the middle book of a trilogy. JC also got better and better at performing the various voices. Gripping and entertaining stuff.
March 27, 2015
Sure it's over-the-top and ridiculous but JC Hutchins crazy action thriller about a group of clones trying to track down the original man they were cloned from (who has now gone evil and is threatening to destroy The World As We Know It) is great fun.
Still think this would make an awesome movie but instead the latest movie to be called 7th Son was a lame-looking fantasy with Jeff Bridges ... Oh well.
Still think this would make an awesome movie but instead the latest movie to be called 7th Son was a lame-looking fantasy with Jeff Bridges ... Oh well.
June 20, 2008
Like I said, J.C. Hutchinson is one of the best authors I've listened to through a Podcast. Try as I may, I couldn't figure out what would happen next, which is a good thing because all to often I could guess what would happen next. If you made it this far, there's no way you couldn't liste to the last of the trilogy.
April 29, 2011
An adrenalin filled thrill ride, an intense and sharply written sequel - a little slower, a bit more information, Deceit is an excellent middle volume. It also features the BEST depiction of Alaska I have ever seen in any sort of fiction. An accurate depiction? Unfortunately I don't know enough to say, but I can say that J.C. Hutchins NAILED the feel and many of the details.
April 27, 2010
I enjoyed this book, even when the shit hit the fan. I started skipping the beginning of chapter re-cap, though when I caught some of the fancier readers (Nathan Fillion, anyone?) I went back to listen to the whole thing.
August 20, 2015
The characters in this one are distinct, and I found it to be more enjoyable than the first novel. The characters are still a touch naive, but they're learning, and there were some great twists that caught me by surprise.
June 27, 2009
See my review of Book Three for this series.
October 12, 2009
go read it, it is a must and it is free on itunes as a audio book
November 22, 2009
Even more action and intensity than 7th Son: Book One - Descent.
May 6, 2012
Kilroy 2.0 is my favourite clone, so much mystery surrounds him, could not put this story down.
October 10, 2013
This podiobook rocks!
July 20, 2013
Awesome book! Meets the level of expectation set by the first book! Great goin hutchins!
February 2, 2013
I liked the first book a little better but this was a good trip into the conspiracy theorists world.
May 1, 2013
Interesting stuff!
Was hooked from book one and this book was a blast to dull the tedium of work and studies.
Was hooked from book one and this book was a blast to dull the tedium of work and studies.
August 7, 2013
Read this in one day; starting on the third book in the series now. Great story.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews