The Scribe

Mindjack: Kira #6

by Susan Kaye Quinn

SHORT NOVELLA

Twenty-three-year-old Sasha is in search of a mindjacker Clan that won't force him to use his unique skill--he can't face the prospect of erasing any more souls. A revolutionary Clan leader offers him a chance to serve a higher purpose, but Sasha's wary that it's only a trick to use his ability. When a beautiful female jacker seeks refuge with them, and her former Clan leader wants her special skill back at any cost, Sasha has to decide if there are any causes worth the price of using his ability one more time.

The Scribe is a short novella (12,000 words or 40 pages) in the Mindjack Origins series, which are companion stories to the bestselling Mindjack Trilogy. The Scribe is Sasha's story and takes place in the time period between Open Minds and Closed Hearts. It contains (minor) spoilers for those two novels.

Mindjack Trilogy (novels): Open Minds, Closed Hearts, Free Souls
Mindjack Origins (shorts): Mind Games (prequel to Open Minds), The Handler, The Scribe

Recommended Reading Order
Mind Games (prequel)
Open Minds
Closed Hearts
The Handler
The Scribe
Free Souls

Genres: Young Adult, Dystopia, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Paranormal, Suspense, Short Stories

40 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 29, 2012

About the author

CLICK HERE for a FREE STORY

Susan Kaye Quinn has designed aircraft engines and researched global warming, but now she uses her PhD to invent cool stuff in books. Her works range from hopeful climate fiction to gritty cyberpunk. Sue believes being gentle and healing is radical and disruptive. Her short fiction can be found in Grist, Solarpunk Magazine, Reckoning, and all her novels and short stories can be found on her website. She is the host of the Bright Green Futures podcast.

SOLARPUNK
collections
Bright Green Futures: 2024 (edited by SKQ)
Halfway to Better

novels
Nothing is Promised series
When You Had Power
You Knew The Price
Of Kindness and Kilowatts
Yet You Cry When It Hurts

short stories
A Moon Goddess to Watch Over Me (Luna Station Quarterly) (hopepunk)
It's in the Blood (Reckoning 8)
Once and Future Kilowatts (Solarpunk Magazine)
Rewilding Indiana (Little Blue Marble)
Seven Sisters (Grist)
The Joy Fund (DreamForge Magazine)

SCI-FI
Singularity Novel Series
The Legacy Human
The Duality Bridge
The Illusory Prophet
The Last Mystic

Stories of Singularity
Restore
Containment
Augment
Awakening
Harvest
Defiance
Resistance

YA SF
Mindjack Series
Open Minds
Closed Hearts
Free Souls
Locked Tight
Cracked Open
Broken Wide
Mindjack Short Story Collection

WATCH the award-winning live-action Mindjack Book Trailer!

STEAMPUNK ROMANCE
Royals of Dharia
Third Daughter
Second Daughter
First Daughter

CYBERPUNK
Debt Collector
LIRIUM (Season One)
WRAITH (Season Two)

WATCH the Debt Collector Book Trailer

ANTHOLOGIES
Synchronic
Telepath Chronicles
AI Chronicles
Dark Beyond The Stars
Future Chronicles
Cyborg Chronicles
CLONES: The Anthology

MIDDLE GRADE FANTASY
Faery Swap

WATCH the Faery Swap Book Trailer

CONTACT SUSAN
Susan's Website | Sue on Bluesky | Sue on Mastodon
Susan's Email: sue@twistedspacepub.com

Reviews

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short story is about Sasha, who was introduced in The Handler. And isn't he just gorgeous on the cover:) He and Julian have a meeting with a new recruit. Ava is a wisp of a girl that has the ability of a linker. And she can read minds without the person knowing. At first he doesn't trust her, but she slowly gains his trust. They both come from the same Clan leader, Arlis, but they did not know each other as they were in the clan at different time. They both want to stay away from him. But he wants Ava back, and so Arlis stages a confrontation to try and get her. Sasha must decide whether to use his ability to erase memories and build new ones to keep them safe from Arlis for good, or whether to kill him.

Ava is now the 4th member or their revolution, and there is a budding romance hinted at for Sasha and Ava. I am anxious to discover what happens in book 2, Closed Hearts, of this series.

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don’t read any spoilers. You’ll want to know why this novella’s called the scribe, and the answer involves ethics, powers, brokenness and redemption in almost equal parts. Of the three stories in this set, this is the one I like most, the character I most want to follow, and even, in some ways, the tale that tells me most about this future society.
The writing is spare and beautiful, vividly descriptive without being slow, equally at home with the feather of a dove and the mightiest sword of a powerful mind, and smoothly convincing. I enjoy the author’s ability to invite readers into different minds and hold them there, to create a future and make it believable without long explanation, and to tell a good tale. Highly recommended.

Disclosure: The author gave me free ecopies of these stories when I expressed an interest in them.

[Peter DeHaan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Part of the Mindjack Trilogy Box Set

[Eccentric Editions · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was awesome to know Shasha's story. I love him! He is my fav character. Getting to read about him and how he and Ava got together was amazing and cute.

[Kristie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Individual stories

Love learning more about these characters, I can picture them more in my mind with all I learn about them.

[Sandy S · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE SCRIBE (Mindjack Origins 2.2) by Susan Kaye Quinn

THE SCRIBE is another short-story (August 2012 release) from Susan Kaye Quinn’s Mindjack Trilogy. In a world where mindreading is the norm (due to decades of contaminated water) those without the ability are known as zeroes, but there are a few who possess a power greater than most. This story takes place between Open Minds and Closed Hearts.

Sasha Rimbali has a power that he considers so evil that he is willing to die before he ever uses his powers again. Believing his powers are too destructive, too complete and too final, Sasha searches out Julian Navarro and his small Clan of mindjackers hoping to side with them in the upcoming revolution. The revolution that will see mindjackers as the dominant species, Sasha hopes that Julian will see a different side and not use Sasha’s power to control, punish or gain power against others. Sasha believes Julian will make a difference, but time will tell if Sasha or the others will survive without the use of his powers.

Sasha was a new changeling when Arlis (Sasha’s old mentor) discovered his unbelievable powers. Teaching Sasha how to control and use his powers was more than beneficial for Sasha but also for Arlis and his Clan. But recruiting Sasha to use his powers for control and punishment was something that Sasha could no longer tolerate-the nightmares were frequent and the guilt was too high.

Ava Trinkle is a viewer. With the ability to view at great distances, Ava’s powers will benefit the Clan when she is able to reach and read their enemy during the revolution. But Ava and Sasha have something in common, and it is their common thread that will unite the pair for more than just a battle-but perhaps in their hearts. When Ava is accepted into Julian’s Clan, Sasha will become Ava’s protector in more ways than one.

THE SCRIBE is another short story that introduces two more members of Julian’s Clan of mindjacking specialists. From the talented desk of Susan Kaye Quinn, The Scribe is another welcome addition to the Mindjack Trilogy.

see all of my reviews at : thereadingcafe.com

[Lola · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review

I really enjoyed the Scribe, Sasha stays a bit of a mysterious character in the full length novels, so it was nice to get to see his point of view. I felt like this novella really explained some things about Sasha and gave us a feel for his character and personality. Sasha has had some hard times when growing up, someone trained him to use his mindjack powers, but Sasha feels bad about the souls he stolen. Now that he joins Julian's revolution he is determined not to use his powers again. This novella questions that decision and brings him in a situation where he has to choose what's the best option.

The novella takes place shortly after The Handler and still show the beginning stages of Julian his revolution. I really enjoyed seeing the process of them getting new recruits and seeing how it all started. I think it gives some interesting background information about the characters involved and about the revolution organization. We also get to see how Ava joins the group.

To summarize: I really enjoyed this novella/ Sasha stays very mysterious in the full length novels and I enjoyed getting his point of view. I thought it really added something and I got a good feel for his character and it was interesting learning more about Sasha and how his ability works. It shows an interesting point of view we never get int he full length novels and shows us the beginning stages of the revolution and also how Ava joins. There's a difficult decision Sasha has to make in this one and it's even a bit dark and shows the frightening impact of Sasha his mindjack powers on others and the effect using them has on him. And I really liked seeing Ava though Sasha his eyes.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now this is Sasha's story and he has the most incredible power I've ever read. I'm not going to tell you what it is. His name "The Scribe" might give you some indication but it is a powerful thing and any of the Clans would want him. But he's escaped to Julian. He wants to never use his "power" ever again. It takes a piece of him every time he uses it and he's used it so many times under his old Clan leader who basically raised him. Now that Clan leader is back and he wants the helpless girl that's just fled to Julian. As Arlis, the Clan leader lays seige to Julian and Sasha's new base of operations, Sasha has to war with himself, can he use his power for good instead of evil and at what cost to him? Will he stay sane if he uses it this time?
I'm not really sure what Sasha's power does to him, but it's painful for him as well as his victim. Maybe because he's a good soul who's been forced to do so many wrong's. But I think he also has to see all the wrong's the person he is working on has done and it's painful and he gets afraid that he'll get lost in the craziness. But you'll have to see how he ends up and who helps him. This is a story I really wanted to read because once you read about his "talent" you don't forget it. He will stick with you in Closed Hearts. Most everyone will. I loved this story and seeing him find his peace and safety. Another excellent tide over until FREE SOULS comes out!

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, so happy to have the chance to tell you about these two short novellas (The Scribe, The Handler) that go along with the Mindjack Series by Susan Quinn. I have reviewed the first two novels, Open Minds and Closed Hearts on my blog. I loved them.

I just love when authors give us these novellas. For me, it serves two roles. First, it feeds me need to read more in between the actual full length novels. A little snack at intermission. :) Second, it gives me a glimpse into the lives, emotions and history of individual characters. It's awesome. Now I love Julian and Sasha even more.

These two novellas are fantastic. Julian and Sasha are both introduced in book two of this series and if you have read book two you will be wondering about them both. I sure was. Your heart will break just a little for Sasha. Well, maybe a lot.

My thanks to Susan Quinn for allowing me a chance to read and review these novellas. Love, love, love. I cannot wait to read the next installment in the Mindjack series, Free Souls.

[Sher A. Hart · Rating 5 out of 5]

It had been long enough since I read Closed Hearts that I couldn't remember much about Sasha until The Scribe made me recall wanting to know more about him. Now I do, and I can say Susan did an excellent job of creating a soul so tortured that he needs more than Julian's skill to make something useful out of the shambles.

Susan's symbolism is great. With his life in the toilet, Sasha works to build a bathroom while he tries to rebuild his character destroyed by Arlis, a rival clean leader who forced Sasha to erase other people's personalities. Then, along comes Ava to clean up Sasha's act. He doesn't know what to make of her, a reader who's more like a linker. He doesn't even know what his own emotions are trying to tell him. He's too confused to hit the nail on the head.

But Ava trusts him. I can't tell you whether he will do the one thing he's sworn never to do again to protect a girl who sees something in him that he never knew existed: redemption. Oh, and love.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

These short stories are really great additions to the Mindjack series. I'm trying to work through them before diving into the next book so I can get a better feel for all the backstory that is not 100% covered in the books.

Sasha is a great character. He's been gifted with a powerful skill but it was twisted and abused by his last clan leader. His motivations are pure, but there are a lot of risks involved in joining Julian's clan. Sure, he says he won't ever use his power again, but the temptation is certainly there when forced to choose the fate of someone he despises.

Overall, this was a solid addition to the series and I'll keep gobbling these little stories up.

[Trisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

No Sasha, she thought, I'm here so you can save me.

Wow, and finally the Scribe - Sasha.
The one that I knew the least about from book 2. I now understand.

AND to be intro'd to Ava. Understand her back story, the link between Sasha and Ava.
And to see Julian help shape the revolution.

and to read of their flirting. It's so sweet and cute. The perfect ray of sunshine in this dark world.

[Anna Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this snack from the Mindjack world while waiting for book 3. Sasha was such an interesting character, and it was great to see the world through his eyes, and get inside his head (without jacking in of course ;-) ). Bravo!

[Concetta Phillipps · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of the better novellas surrounding the Mindjack series. I've been reading these because I enjoyed the Mindjack world, but I think the characters would be better served by full fledged novels. Sasha, for example, has way more character available than is developed here.

[Adam Heine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it! Sasha is such a flawed and tortured character that we know so little about. It makes me want to read Closed Hearts again (and makes me want the third book to come out even more).

[Stephy-jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never truly knew what to make of Sasha before now Its nice to understand why he is the way he is! And why he feels so protective of Ava!

[Jun · Rating 4 out of 5]

this makes me happy!:)

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading his story the most. I can't imagine what it would be like to have that kind of power! Ava seems right for him.

[Virginia Seven Swans · Rating 3 out of 5]

My favorite of the mind jack short stories!

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

More additional insite

[Noodle The Naughty Night Owl · Rating 4 out of 5]

7/10: Good solid read, something to get your teeth into.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent account of Sasha's time with Julian before the others joined and how he honed his skill.

I loved it!

[menr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awwww... Sasha, you sweet, sweet guy. I'd say this is the most romance I got from this series, and who knew Sasha would be the one to excel in the hot guy department?

[Misty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I get Sasha more he is awesome...

[Aydrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice background on Sasha. Poor guy!

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute novella. Loved Sasha