Cracked Open (Mindjack Book Five)

Susan Kaye Quinn

Jul 2017 · Mindjack Book 5 · Twisted Space LLC

About this ebook

Zeph always knew he was a weapon. He didn’t count on being a spy. He’d made a dangerous bargain with the Director of Jacker Technologies at DARPA—he would let Wright test his mutant mindjack ability if she’d release his parents. Simple. Occasionally painful. And the screams of his victims fill his nightmares. But it will be worth it as long as she can’t crack open his head and find out his sister, with her super-surge jack-ability, is still alive. And if his parents are set free. Once that happens, he’s gone. Even if it means giving up everything he’s just now getting back. A home. Friends. A girl who believes in peace and love even when the world is falling apart.

But as the shock of assassinations and bombings and hate killings continue to pull at the threads that hold society together, Wright hands him a mission he can’t possibly complete. If he does, it will tear everything apart. If he doesn’t, he’ll lose everyone he loves.

Sometimes being a powerful weapon is the most dangerous thing of all.

MINDJACK

Open Minds (Book 1)

Closed Hearts (Book 2)

Free Souls (Book 3)

Locked Tight (Book 4)

Cracked Open (Book 5)

Broken Wide (Book 6)

Mindjack Short Story Collection (Book 7)

FORMATS AND TRANSLATIONS

Mindjack available in ebook, print, audiobook, French and German

LIVE ACTION TRAILER

Voted Best Trailer at the 2014 Illinois International Film Festival and one of 50 Most Cinematic Trailers Ever Made – check it out at Susan’s website

KEYWORDS: Young adult dystopian, teen science fiction, cyberpunk, action and adventure, genetic engineering, post-apocalyptic, metaphysical and visionary

Ratings and reviews

CRACKED OPEN is the fifth full-length installment in Susan Kaye Quinn’s young adult (YA) MINDJACK urban fantasy, sci-fi, dystopian series. CRACKED OPEN is the continuing story focusing on mindjacker Zeph MacCay- a young man with the ability to lock down, unlock or scramble the human mind. SOME BACKGROUND: In a world where mindreading is the norm (due to decades of contaminated or purposely poisoned water) there are those with more powerful abilities than most. These are their stories of discrimination, betrayal, retribution and control. Throughout the years the human population has developed various forms of mind-reading, mind altering and mind controlling abilities due to environmental toxins. And to complicate matters those without the ability to mindjack are purposely setting out to bring war between the have and the have-nots fearing for their own peace of mind. Told from first person point of view (Zeph) CRACKED OPEN furthers the struggle of Zeph MacCay and his underground group of people hoping to take down the Director of the Jacker Technologies, as well as the man who has developed anti-jacker technology that renders the victim all but paralyzed or dead. CRACKED OPEN follows Zeph MacCay as he struggles to free his family, imprisoned by the Director of the Jacker Technologies, and his fraudulent assignment as boyfriend and bodyguard to the daughter of an evil technology giant. With help from a couple of rogue agents and soldiers, as well as his intrepid gang of underground jackers Zeph MacCay puts into a motion a series of events that place him on the anti-jacker radar, once and for all. Success is measured by the tiniest of wins and in the end their struggle is only going to get worse. CRACKED OPEN is a comprehensive, intricate and action packed story line of discrimination, fear, power and control. Susan Kaye Quinn’s young adult MINDJACK series looks at the breakdown of humanity, the power of politics and control of the mind, and the people on the fringe trying to survive, one day at a time. Lives will be lost; minds will be broken; friendships and families will crumble and die. CRACKED OPEN is a powerful look at a possible future if and when chaos and oligarchy preside. Susan Kaye Quinn is a master storyteller

This is the fifth book in the MindJack series where humans have evolved the ability to broadcast their thoughts--but the new wrinkle is mindreaders who can hijack your brain. These "mindjackers" are a super powerful minority, being hunted for experimentation and extermination. And Zeph, a "locksmith" mindjacker who can lock and unlock the toughest minds, will do whatever it takes to keep himself and his family safe. In LOCKED TIGHT, book four, Zeph allied himself with some horrifying persons in the government and private enterprise--people who truly want to hunt down and kill "jackers"--in order to find his missing sister and parents. He's also infiltrated the jacker population, attempting to get close to the young, powerful and charismatic jacker senator. Hiding his jacker nature from readers has made Zeph a loner, by necessity, and his plan to rescue his family and go back on the run is upset by the new connections he's made. What if there could be a balance between the jackers and the readers? Could he then find sanctuary instead of isolation? In CRACKED OPEN, the battle lines have been clearly drawn. His employer, a MindWare developer who hired Zeph as a bodyguard to his daughter, believes Zeph's a reader, and shares all sorts of anti-jacker tech with Zeph, by way of relating how it will help Zeph be a better guard. The government's shadow lab, run by Dr. Wright, is preparing a jacking operation on the highest levels of government--to destroy any sympathy the President or populace might have for jackers. Once Zeph recognizes how dangerous all of this has become, he reaches out to Kira Moore, one-time spokesperson for the defunct Jacker Freedom Alliance, to offer his services as a mole. Zeph had rescued his sister in the previous book, but things aren't all quiet on that front. Her powers are raw and untrained, making Olivia a fourteen-year old walking weapon. Now, Zeph's trying to find his mom, and he knows Wright has her locked up somewhere. In fact, Wright agrees to release her if only he'll assist with the grand scheme she's cooked up. Zeph knows it's a bad job, but he has no choice if he wants his mom freed. This time, however, he's got friends who can assist him--and he calls them. Fundamentally, the MindJack series is about discrimination, and surviving intact after the powerful have sought to crush you. It's an allegory to the current political climate where discrimination by the government (of any marginalized community) has been lauded by a segment of the population who allow themselves to be led by fear, instead of community. For readers, it's a chilling journey into discovering what the experience might be for a marginalized population, if the government ideologically decided that (insert your personal minority) was Public Enemy Number One, and needed to be studied and eradicated. And yet, throughout, it's a humanizing story. One of hope and desperation, and succeeding against all odds against your most feared, armed, bully. CRACKED OPEN marks the midpoint of Zeph's three-book story and clearly articulates his rage and fear at the situation he's in for no other reason than being born different. But mostly, it's filled with Zeph's resolve to save his family, and to help all the other jackers out there lead whole lives, not the half-life he's lived. For being roughly 17-18 years old, Zeph's survived a lot of bad, bad stuff. And that's formed him into a weapon. Unlike a gun, however, Zeph has the presence of mind to keep his targeting mechanisms on the bad guys, to ensure he does the most good. Expect things to go from bad to worse, however, and for Zeph to make mistakes--because he's working within a narrow framework. The day might be lost, but the battle continues. Cannot wait to get my hands on the next book!!

Another chapter in the Mindjack series told from Zeph's point of view is out to get addicted to. Zeph has decided to "work" with the fun Dr Wright to hopefully find and rescue his parents and learn whatever he can to survive. Full of action, twists, wondering what/who's side is Zeph is in this chapter, and other outright fun, I thought it was a great read. Kept me guessing just enough that the time flew by and I was done. I was hooked from the first chapter again as had to see what twists I was in for and was not disappointed. Cannot wait for the third book in this story arc to see how it all ends, for now. I love this future imagined world.

About the author

Susan Kaye Quinn is a rocket scientist turned speculative fiction author who now uses her PhD to invent cool stuff in books. Her works range from gritty cyberpunk to hopepunk climate fiction, with side trips into steampunk romance and middle grade fantasy. Her bestselling novels and short stories have been optioned for Virtual Reality, translated into German and French, and featured in several anthologies. She writes full-time, trying to dream a better future into being.

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