Common Sense Media Review
By Michael Berry
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Teen hostages fight for survival in intense sci-fi tale.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
Sometime in the future, a global computer intelligence named Talis attempts to prevent another world war by holding hostage the children of various world leaders. If a war breaks out, the future rulers of the participating nations are killed in some mysterious fashion. Greta, a duchess and a crown princess, is sure her turn will come soon. When a new hostage, Elian, arrives at the Precepture and resists the orders of the robots who run the place, his disobedience causes Greta to reassess her predicament and the power wielded by her captors.
Is It Any Good?
Starting from a clever premise that guarantees growing suspense, this futuristic tale of survival reads like a brainier version of The Hunger Games. THE SCORPION RULES boasts an engaging and formidable protagonist, a sarcastic and seemingly invincible antagonist, and a colorful and well-defined supporting cast. Halfway through, the plot takes a fascinating turn, opening up a host of new possibilities, and the ending will leave readers gasping for more.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about methods of preventing war. What strategies do modern governments use to deal with aggression by other countries?
Why are books about robots so popular? What others have you liked?
Do you think Artificial Intelligences will ever be able to control humanity? How is a computer program different from a human mind?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Science Fiction
- Topics : Friendship , Robots
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : McElderry Books
- Publication date : September 22, 2015
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 14 - 18
- Number of pages : 384
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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