THE SEVEN

A rollicking science-fiction story about mutant teens forced to battle the paramilitary army that created them.

Posey, Andy, Holly, John, Kenny, Indigo and Sarah were taken from their families when they were seven years old and kept at the Home where they were tested, operated on, observed and changed. Now, a decade older and on the brink of legal adulthood, they are ready to head into the real world to live as normally as they can. However, the group sponsoring the great experiment has other ideas. When they try to escape, the teenagers are confronted by an army of soldiers from all over the world who have one objective–final analysis and subsequent termination of the test subjects. A few of the kids also have to contend with the sudden maturation of their powers–one of them turns into a bird, another can run so fast that her pants catch on fire and another grows powerful muscles that can withstand bullets. Their powers are a help and a hindrance as they struggle to regroup, save each other and save themselves. Little is a deft writer, seamlessly blending fast-paced action with engaging dialogue and complementary descriptions in this, his second book. He does not ask readers to jump haphazardly into a sea of pseudoscience bent to the needs of his plot, but bases his science fiction in concepts that will feel slightly familiar and wholeheartedly believable, like genetic mutation. The plot of The Seven stems organically from the characters, and no scene feels forced together for the sake of explanation. Also, the author doesn’t ignore consequences. The characters take full responsibility for killing and stop to grapple with the moral question of whether it’s alright to kill when battling for your life, or if any death is too great a loss. As such, the book works well on multiple fronts, and will appeal to young readers and adults alike.

A discussion of morality disguised as a terrific sci-fi action story.