7th Son, Book One: Descent
Written by J.C. Hutchins. Read by the author.
For more information, please visit http://www.jchutchins.net
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Dec 24, 2011
Paul
rated it: 
Just a quick reminder: I don't give 5 stars (well maybe once or twice a decade). I'm stingy. I'm mean.
So, on with the review.
7th Son: Descent by J. C. Hutchins
Now, I haven't read all of this book. I've only read the first 33 pages. So I can make no comments about the book's overall structure, or character arcs, or sub-plots.
What I can comment about is the quality of the writing.
It is superb.
From a real kick-ass opening, unexpected More...
So, on with the review.
7th Son: Descent by J. C. Hutchins
Now, I haven't read all of this book. I've only read the first 33 pages. So I can make no comments about the book's overall structure, or character arcs, or sub-plots.
What I can comment about is the quality of the writing.
It is superb.
From a real kick-ass opening, unexpected More...
Feb 24, 2011
Jesse
rated it:
Way back in 2005 J. C. Hutchins tried to sell his book. Nobody wanted it. There were good reasons nobody wanted it. It was almost unmarketable. The book was 1200 pages and had seven protagonists. It also didn't fit into an easy genre label. It was quite definitely science fiction, the protagonists were clones, but it was also a political thriller, and maybe a little bit of a horror novel.
Then he heard about podiobooks, a service that allows people to post audio versions of their book More...
Then he heard about podiobooks, a service that allows people to post audio versions of their book More...
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Aug 26, 2008
Tyan
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This is a fun little scifi story about seven different guys who are drawn into a massive conspiracy. They all share the same memories through their teenage years. Turns out after a manufactured accident the seven were cloned from the original, named John Alpha, and were implanted with his memories. They were each raised in different environments, each unaware of his clones. When John Alpha goes rogue the organization that created the seven clones coerces them into helping them stop John Alph
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Dec 25, 2010
Andrew
rated it: 
It’s actually quite difficult to review a book you absolutely love.
Pithy one liners are much easier to come up with when you want to bring out the knives. I’ve been sitting here for the last twenty minutes trying to think of a good one liner to describe 7th Son Descent, but I liked it so much I’ve got nothing pithy for you.
So instead let me tell you that 7th Son: Descent is well worth your time, money and evangelical support.
J C Hutchins brings the characters to bea More...
Pithy one liners are much easier to come up with when you want to bring out the knives. I’ve been sitting here for the last twenty minutes trying to think of a good one liner to describe 7th Son Descent, but I liked it so much I’ve got nothing pithy for you.
So instead let me tell you that 7th Son: Descent is well worth your time, money and evangelical support.
J C Hutchins brings the characters to bea More...
Nov 25, 2010
Chibineko
rated it:
While I'll admit that I'm not the biggest sci-fi reader, the idea of clones & espionage is pretty intriguing. The fact that this book was also touted by Scott Sigler, one of the best sci-fi podcast authors out there, was another bonus. (There's even a nod to Sigler in the book, as Hutchins named a minor character after him.) I do have to admit that I was a little wary- not all podcasts translate well into the written form. Sometimes what works in audio format doesn't work in the written form. Lu
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Feb 02, 2010
Teel
rated it: 
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
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Jul 01, 2010
Kelly
rated it:
Interesting idea (seven clones of a 14-year-old old alpha who grow up not knowing they're clones) but clumsy Dan-Brown-esque execution of the plot.
Also: so the clones are drawn together and they compare the differences in their lives after age 14 and one of them is gay. Originally I was like, "Oh, huh, that's cool," but as the book progressed, I found it more and more irritating and eventually offensive. Because if the clones are genetically identical and only one of them More...
Also: so the clones are drawn together and they compare the differences in their lives after age 14 and one of them is gay. Originally I was like, "Oh, huh, that's cool," but as the book progressed, I found it more and more irritating and eventually offensive. Because if the clones are genetically identical and only one of them More...
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Apr 21, 2010
Jesse
rated it:
This is a fairly exciting story that does, however, strain credibility a bit too far.
A secret government program spent what I can only imagine were billions of dollars to construct a giant underground headquarters and staff that headquarters for three decades. They have access to technology no one else has. They have access to science no one else has. They have something called "phantom level" security which even the president isn't allowed to know about. After all this More...
A secret government program spent what I can only imagine were billions of dollars to construct a giant underground headquarters and staff that headquarters for three decades. They have access to technology no one else has. They have access to science no one else has. They have something called "phantom level" security which even the president isn't allowed to know about. After all this More...
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Jul 31, 2009
Kyle
rated it:
Descent is a free audio book written by J. C. Hutchins. The book revolves around seven unsuspecting clones who are brought together by the organization that created them to stop John Alpha, the evil man from which they were clone. Some of the clones make an assault on John Alpha's base. The book ends there. I don't understand how the book can be so long when so little happens. The Descent should have been shortened to about novella length. Descent is also written pretty terribly. Hutchins leans
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Feb 24, 2010
Jessica
rated it:
WOW!! This is going to be one of those series that I can't read here and there - its definitely a read-through-to-the-end kind of series, lots of suspense, thrill, mystery, and action. I am certainly glad that I don't have to wait for the next installment. I basically listened to the second half of the book without stopping, listened at work as much as I could, in the car, and even sitting on the couch at home!!
Its definitely a conspiracy theory novel, but the author did an excellen More...
Its definitely a conspiracy theory novel, but the author did an excellen More...
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Nov 03, 2011
Tricia
rated it:
7th Son: Descent by J.C. Hutchins
Starts off with an astounding opening! This book has it all; thrilling suspense, sci-fi, and a little horror to round things off. This book accelerates into the characters and plot and holds on until the end.
After the U.S. president is assassinated by a four year old, seven men are taken from their lives to a government facility. These men are look a likes; completely identical to each other. The men find out that they are clones with fabricat More...
Starts off with an astounding opening! This book has it all; thrilling suspense, sci-fi, and a little horror to round things off. This book accelerates into the characters and plot and holds on until the end.
After the U.S. president is assassinated by a four year old, seven men are taken from their lives to a government facility. These men are look a likes; completely identical to each other. The men find out that they are clones with fabricat More...
Jul 14, 2010
Brian
rated it: 
One of the first things I noticed when I started reading this book was how comfortable it was to read his writing style and how effectively he moved the story along; where too many authors will shift their story into neutral for pages (or chapters) at a time, he keeps things constantly developing.
At times though, it seems a little over-the-top, the way that the mysteries become unraveled by seemingly arbitrary and even ridiculous logic, and it left the plot feeling a little bit cheap More...
At times though, it seems a little over-the-top, the way that the mysteries become unraveled by seemingly arbitrary and even ridiculous logic, and it left the plot feeling a little bit cheap More...
Feb 03, 2010
Miranda
rated it:
This is a free podiobook (podcast audiobook) read by the author. It was originally released weekly in 2006 chapter by chapter.
The story starts with the murder of the President... by a 4-year-old boy. Seven men are brought into a secret installation that even Presidents don't know about. All the men are the same person, John Smith, clones of the mastermind behind that assassination with all the same memories up to the age of fourteen. They never knew. Now, they have to catch their ori More...
The story starts with the murder of the President... by a 4-year-old boy. Seven men are brought into a secret installation that even Presidents don't know about. All the men are the same person, John Smith, clones of the mastermind behind that assassination with all the same memories up to the age of fourteen. They never knew. Now, they have to catch their ori More...
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Dec 02, 2008
Doublejack
rated it:
An unlikely treat. Current day clones and "total memory" transfers stretched even my capacity for suspension of disbelief further than I thought possible, but I hung in there and was glad I did.
The podiobook format can be a little off-putting at times; I don't need or really want the recap at the beginning of each episode, for instance. But for free (though I do donate to the authors, and encourage other to do so as well), it seems petty to gripe.
This volume i More...
The podiobook format can be a little off-putting at times; I don't need or really want the recap at the beginning of each episode, for instance. But for free (though I do donate to the authors, and encourage other to do so as well), it seems petty to gripe.
This volume i More...
Feb 19, 2010
Erin (Bookish in a Box)
rated it:
This is not a typical book for me; I prefer fluffier science fiction when I delve into it at all, but this book blew me away. It reminded me a lot of Michael Crichton's work--well researched and written, very intellectual but disguised as entertainment. The science is explained bit-by-bit, leaving the reader intriguingly as confused as the seven clones and just as interested in figuring out the puzzles presented by the madman. Descent was a nice blend of science fiction and a murder mystery, jus
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Nov 25, 2011
Lynn
rated it:
This is one of the first "podiobooks" (www.podiobooks.com) I ever listened to, and it blew me away.
The story is great, very imaginative and well plotted, the writing is terrific and sucks you right in to the story (warning!! you will not be a nice fellow to be around because you can't stop listening to all three parts in a rush and cursing whatever dares interrupt you), great characters, and the quality of the recording is quasi-professional.
To me, the "7 More...
The story is great, very imaginative and well plotted, the writing is terrific and sucks you right in to the story (warning!! you will not be a nice fellow to be around because you can't stop listening to all three parts in a rush and cursing whatever dares interrupt you), great characters, and the quality of the recording is quasi-professional.
To me, the "7 More...
Sep 07, 2010
Kate
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Dec 13, 2009
Bob
rated it:
Likes: Interesting concept, engaging action, surprising sentimental at times. You'd think a novel with seven main characters who are all clones of the same person would be difficult to write well, but Hutchins pulls it off. One of the clones is gay, and regardless of the nature / nurture implications, his relationship with his boyfriend is really the emotional center of the book.
Dislikes: Exposition scenes are often awkward. The pace is like a season of 24, which is odd for a More...
Dislikes: Exposition scenes are often awkward. The pace is like a season of 24, which is odd for a More...
Dec 10, 2009
Michael
rated it:
J.C. Hutchin's "7th Son" starts with one hell of a hook and then never lets go.
When a four-year-old boy assisgnates the President of the United States, seven men are drawn together to try and help find the master mind. The twist--they are all clones of the original mastermind, called John Alpha. The seven John Smiths (each are named differently and have led radically different lives since being downloaded with Alpha's memories at age 14) must work together to stop Alpha be More...
When a four-year-old boy assisgnates the President of the United States, seven men are drawn together to try and help find the master mind. The twist--they are all clones of the original mastermind, called John Alpha. The seven John Smiths (each are named differently and have led radically different lives since being downloaded with Alpha's memories at age 14) must work together to stop Alpha be More...
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Aug 03, 2010
John
rated it:
Great techno-thriller. Very satisfying read that moved like a swiftly-paced screenplay. --And I mean that in a very good way! Interesting characters, creepy villain, intricate theme and immersive plot.
Highly imaginative and well-written, this SF thriller starts off with a presidential assassination, moves to a multIple kidnapping, then plunges us into a government-sponsored world of cloning and memory manipulation.
It was apparent from the ending that the author intended t More...
Highly imaginative and well-written, this SF thriller starts off with a presidential assassination, moves to a multIple kidnapping, then plunges us into a government-sponsored world of cloning and memory manipulation.
It was apparent from the ending that the author intended t More...
Dec 29, 2009
Alpha
rated it:
Meh. I found the premise, characters, and plot to be thin. The hacker clone was absurd, between his internet cult and ridiculous portrayal of hacking/security. I was willing to buy into the cloning/memory tech, but my suspension of disbelief only goes so far.
Also, really, it just so happens that the 7 clones somehow wind up with different names? How convenient!
I might have overlooked all this, but the denouement was lackluster. The twist at the end (if you can call it tha More...
Also, really, it just so happens that the 7 clones somehow wind up with different names? How convenient!
I might have overlooked all this, but the denouement was lackluster. The twist at the end (if you can call it tha More...
Dec 22, 2011
Stefani
rated it:
I have long heard tales of the infamous 7th Son audiobook, and told that if I like thrillers I have to give this a try! I admit, it took awhile for me to agree. I have attempted to listen to this book on several occasions and found that I just could not become engrossed in the story and it was just confusing to me. But I decided to give it one more shot, and am I ever glad that I did. Because I did not have this story in print it was much easier to become lost in the details. There are a lo
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Nov 04, 2011
Crystal Starr Light
rated it: 
I honestly think this book gave me a concussion. But first, a plot summary.
NOTE: I received this from the Amazon Vine program (and regret every moment of it).
Seven men are abducted and find out they are all clones named John Michael Smith. A supersecret government organization (and really, what ones aren't?) has created them to...um, we'll I'm still not quite sure about that, and I've finished the book. Anyway, John Michael Smith Alpha, the original source material, has More...
NOTE: I received this from the Amazon Vine program (and regret every moment of it).
Seven men are abducted and find out they are all clones named John Michael Smith. A supersecret government organization (and really, what ones aren't?) has created them to...um, we'll I'm still not quite sure about that, and I've finished the book. Anyway, John Michael Smith Alpha, the original source material, has More...
Apr 22, 2010
Angela
rated it:
I've had quite a bit of fun lately listening to SF audiobooks on my iPhone, and 7th Son is one of the most notable things I've listened to lately. Audio is the form I mostly dealt with it in, although it's critical to mention as well that Book 1 of this story is available in print and ebook form. Once I got far enough into this story that I realized I did in fact want to own a copy, I snatched up the ebook. If you like SF-flavored thrillers, it's definitely worth your time.
The story More...
The story More...
Dec 28, 2009
Cindy
rated it:
(This review pertains to the written edition of 7th Son, not the original podcast. I've heard some serious editing and changes were made for publication.)
I was so excited by the first half-dozen or so chapters of 7th son. There was so much mystery and intrigue; why are these different men being abducted, who's the torturing maniac, what's up with the clones? It's a really excellent sci-fi/thriller set-up.
Unfortunately around the half-way point I got really tired of all th More...
I was so excited by the first half-dozen or so chapters of 7th son. There was so much mystery and intrigue; why are these different men being abducted, who's the torturing maniac, what's up with the clones? It's a really excellent sci-fi/thriller set-up.
Unfortunately around the half-way point I got really tired of all th More...
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Dec 09, 2009
Ryan
rated it:
I gave this one a lower rating when I first listened to the podcast, but in retrospect I'm not quite sure why - I think maybe I had gone into it thinking it was one kind of story, and then found out it was entirely a different kind, and that affected my rating? Reading it in print, though, revealed an amazingly enjoyable story.
7th Son is best described as a technothriller about cloning and memory, although doing so is kind of like describing Battlestar Galactica as "a space ope More...
7th Son is best described as a technothriller about cloning and memory, although doing so is kind of like describing Battlestar Galactica as "a space ope More...
Aug 26, 2009
Mike
rated it:
This was one of the first Podiobooks I listened to. It's great to listen to the feed and hear J.C. get feedback from his fans and hear him taunt the reader with hints about upcoming chapters.
The book is about a group of 7 men that are all pulled out of their lives days after the President of the United States is killed by a 4 year old boy. It turns out that these men all share the same history up to age 14 when there was a horrific car crash, this is because they are all clones of a man re More...
The book is about a group of 7 men that are all pulled out of their lives days after the President of the United States is killed by a 4 year old boy. It turns out that these men all share the same history up to age 14 when there was a horrific car crash, this is because they are all clones of a man re More...
Mar 26, 2010
Victoria
rated it:
This book's premise was more interesting than its execution. It just wasn't as exciting as I had hoped and the characters were not developed enough to make connections with the reader. I do, however, have high hopes for the books that are surely to follow this one. This book was more like a long introduction and set up to the real plot, and I am very curious to see where that plot will go. I enjoyed the inclusion of "Sigler" for a brief page (a shout-out to Scott Sigler?), and I must a
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Feb 10, 2009
Ginger
rated it:
This book I got off of Podiobooks and it was terrific. I can't wait to get myself into the next one in this serie.
The book starts with the President of the U.S being murdered by a 4 year old boy. The suspense builds when 7 men from different areas are kidnapped and held captive...where they find that the kidnapping is only one of the many things that they have in common. Together, these seven men must stop one man from this evil plan.
The book starts with the President of the U.S being murdered by a 4 year old boy. The suspense builds when 7 men from different areas are kidnapped and held captive...where they find that the kidnapping is only one of the many things that they have in common. Together, these seven men must stop one man from this evil plan.
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Apr 26, 2010
Jon
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I've mixed feelings about this book. I came across it via a PDF that someone produced that contained the first few chapters of several books. After having read the first three chapters, I decided that it sounded good enough to buy.
Now that I've read it, I can't decide exactly how I feel. Parts of it were what I was expecting, an action-thriller, not too complex, but interesting enough to be worth the time. Other parts, though, I found quite annoying. In many ways, this book read More...
Now that I've read it, I can't decide exactly how I feel. Parts of it were what I was expecting, an action-thriller, not too complex, but interesting enough to be worth the time. Other parts, though, I found quite annoying. In many ways, this book read More...
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