Amazon The Synarchy Series Amazon Barnes and Noble Category:  Science Fiction Publisher: SVT Publishing, LLC ISBN-10:  0615196756 Pages: 220 Copyright: 2006 ISBN-13: 9780615196756 "The Godfather Meets Stargate" - A Journey of Books. Consistent five star reviews have carried this science/fiction thriller. Carve out some time, after reading the first page you won't want to put it down! A plan is exposed, centuries in the making and so sinister not even the legend himself could have predicted the depth of its impact on the world. In his lifetime Stefano Terenzio had a merciless ambition for absolute power. Two generations later the shock wave he ignited was still being felt. Now, as the world inches closer to 2012 sides are chosen, families divide and an epic battle begins that will determine whether mankind continues existing in a world of lies or shatters the chains that have held us prisoner since his-story was written. Shocking yet hopeful, Synarchy slowly unravels the tightly laced reality we have created for ourselves. Blending the metaphysical with conspiracy, fact with fiction, debut author DCS has opened up a world that will force you to rethink everything you believe about your own. The knowledge within provokes the question: do you really want to know? Excerpt Chapter 1 “Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” - Benjamin Franklin November 10th, 2011 Undisclosed location Alcyone Island 11:11 PM He's dying?" "It's a wonder he lived this long." "Stubbornness. Pure stubbornness." The comment brought collective sad smiles, and softer laughter. "Vasco?" The bedroom door opened, the dim light from within blocked by the shadowed figure of the man in the doorway. Vasco turned from gazing sightlessly at the grandfather clock in the hallway. "Yes sir?" "He wants to see you." Steel gray eyes clouded with hidden emotion looked at two others. "All three of you." § There was nothing lavish in this room, the furniture as sparse as the walls. What did take up space was all mahogany wood, sturdy, masculine. Neither knickknacks nor small keepsakes touched the dustless surfaces. Nothing decorated the mantle above the burning fireplace. There wasn't place for those things in the room of a man who didn't exist. The only thing that indicated someone might occupy the room (besides the dying man in the canopy bed) was a single framed photograph on the nightstand. It showed a woman captured in a moment of happiness. You could see it in her shyly lowered blue eyes and the slight curl of her smile. Those allowed in this room had often said she should have smiled wider. She'd always had such a beautiful smile. Her husband had simply replied, it was just enough. Marcello S. Terenzio was one hundred years old. He lay there with his eyes closed, twisting the simple gold wedding band around his finger as if he needed to be reminded of its presence. It became more of a habit after his wife died. Demetrius Terenzio left as the triplets filed silently into the room, giving his children the requested time alone with their grandfather. When the door clicked shut Marcello released an audible heavy breath, well-aged light gray eyes blinking open. Simone M. Terenzio-Russo smiled gently at her grandfather, the first to move to his side. "You wished to see us." Marcello stopped fidgeting, covering his granddaughter’s hand in his own. "I must be brief." It was such a rarity to clearly see emotion rolling through those enigmatic eyes. "My Mari is waiting for me." He paused to take another heavy breath. "You have never been to the vault. I have arranged for the plane to take you." Lucien Terenzio, the youngest by seconds, stood behind his sister and asked curiously, "The vault? What's in the vault?" "Wrong question, Lucien." Vasco Terenzio said it quietly as he slowly walked to their grandfather’s side. "Why?" Marcello smiled, unmasking his pleasure with Vasco's question. "When you get there you will know." He dropped his head back against the propped up pillows, raising his eyes to the ceiling. "I almost wish I could live to see it. Well, with these eyes at least." "See it?" Simone asked. "The Ascension." § November 10th, 2011 Somewhere in the Caribbean Phoenix Isle 11:30 PM A full circle in a star-cluttered sky threw an eerie, omniscient glow over the thickness of the greenery below it. To say that the moon’s unblinking stare knew something the organisms on Earth did not was a truth not yet discovered. But it would be. A wet heat blanketed the acres of jungle, surrounded by the picture-perfect calm of clear blue waters. Exotic wildlife was forced to share their home on this small island, twenty miles away from the main one that had seen activity of a human kind since the mid 1920s. Power grew here. It did not wait silently; it spread its hands out like the tentacles of a tumor and touched everything it had been intended to and more. A house barely visible past the low hanging branches of the cypress trees was a recent addition. Stilts protected it from the mild swamp that occupied this particular corner of the island and full wall windows displayed the darkness within. It wasn't until the shrill ring of a telephone cut through nature's maternal hum that a small light snapped on. On the fourth shrill, the phone was answered. "What?" "He's dying." "Sudden but nothing I didn't already know." The reply was both groggy and slightly annoyed. "He's not transferring power to his daughter. He's giving it to the triplets." This information was unknown, the seconds of silence that followed confirmed this. "How do you know that?" "S.V.T. Securities put a bug in his room two days ago. They are on their way to you now. He's giving them access to the vault." Thinly trimmed eyebrows shot upwards. "What?!" "Mmm hmm." "Bastard." "Easy, cousin. We planned for this." He sighed in frustration, pushing his richly tanned hand back through the thick strands of his graying black hair. "I've never been in the goddamn vault. This will give them an edge." "True. Even so, I'm sure our grandfather would have agreed…” There was a slight curl to Olivia Terenzio’s lips as she spoke. “…who better to take on a Terenzio, than a Terenzio?" "The stakes are too high to take this lightly," he snapped back quickly, annoyed at the amusement he caught in her tone. "I take nothing lightly." "Fine. Have you heard anything from Kayla?" "Not yet. We will." "This needs to happen soon. The more the triplets know, the harder this will be." "You worry too much." "You don't worry enough." He frowned as he said it. "Pull the stick out of your ass and start enjoying your job. We'll win." "We better." "We will. Get ready for your guests." A dial tone punctuated the words. General Amadeo Terenzio glared at the phone, resisting the urge to slam it back into its cradle. Tossing the thin sheet aside he climbed out of bed, glancing over his shoulder at the now open pair of eyes peering back at him curiously. "Get dressed, get out. Your money is on the table in the living room." Without another word he stalked over to his closet, opening it up to the line of uniforms and expensive suits. A uniform was selected. Time to go to work. § November 11th, 2011 Somewhere in the Caribbean Alcyone Island 1:11 AM Brothels, while illegal almost anywhere else in the world, were not on this island. That made The God’s Tempest an extremely popular place for tourists and the locals. It also made the working boys’ and girls’ profession a lot safer. The brothel, cleverly shaped in the form of a pirate ship, was rarely empty, both men and women catered to by a wide variety of professionals. Disease free, discrete, and extremely talented, both in and out of the bedroom. Rich wallpaper that pictured the darkly lit interior of the various cabins on a ship stretched around windows that were purely for aesthetics. Oil lamps hung low on the walls throwing more shadow than light over the corners of the Grand Galley’s red carpeted room. There was little privacy for the customers but most here enjoyed indulging in their exhibitionist tendencies. For once Xavier Terenzio - Zhane, Deputy Director of Homeland Security for the United States of America, was not here to gratify his sinful desire. A few women he'd made a night of it with several times before stopped to chat with him, only to look briefly disappointed when he declined any offers. Ignoring the animalistic sounds coming from the lounge chair behind him, he polished off his second straight bourbon and kept his eyes on the clock. He was forced to wait over an hour before the woman he was expecting appeared. "Do you have it?" Xavier asked without preamble, dusting narrow bluish gray eyes from her generously exposed cleavage up to her face. Red painted lips smirked devilishly at him as matching polished fingernails squeezed between her cleavage and emerged with a compact DVD disc. "Every word for the last twenty-four hours." It was his turn to smile as his eyes zoned in on the tiny little case. If there was one thing almost every Terenzio male had a sweet tooth for, it was the company of a woman. Some just didn't choose theirs carefully enough. From the inside of his suit jacket he removed a thickly packed envelope and handed it to her. "Every penny, bonus included." She exchanged disc for cash, opening it immediately to count every bill. "Thanks X." "No Lisa…" Xavier tucked the CD carefully into the same pocket, a silent thrill rushing through him at the thought of the information he now carried. She had no idea how important this was, but she would soon enough. "…Thank you." Standing a good ten inches above the woman, he was forced to bend to kiss her painted cheek before walking quickly out to the waiting car and his three-man personal security team. The razor thin cell phone was already against his ear as he climbed into the backseat, silence reigning for exactly thirty seconds until he heard the "click" that meant the other line had been answered. For right now there was only one message he needed to transmit. "Our girl came through for us. I'm on my way home."

A Journey of Books
There aren't many times that I read a book and actually have to put it down to give my brain a rest. Most books are highly entertaining and give my brain a workout without taxing it too much. SYNARCHY: BOOK 1: THE AWAKENING took my brain through a full, multi day marathon. The story was complex and the world unique. For me, the best way to describe SYNARCHY is by simply saying that author DCS created a story where the reader didn't continue as a reader. She really brought us down into the pages of her book and it felt like we were journeying right along with the characters as they struggle to make sense of a world turned upside down.

SYNARCHY is the first book in what looks to be an amazing story. We follow the lives of multiple characters, most of them Terenzio's. With a story that I can only describe as a cross between The Godfather and Stargate, it should come as no surprise that the Terenzio's are a major family on Earth in 2012, holding their territory with a heavy hand and making quick work of competitors. As in most families, however, not every member is happy. Conflicts arise and tear the Terenzio family apart, pitting relatives against relatives in a deathly battle to do what each side feels is right.

At the beginning of the story we find Marcello Terenzio on his death bed. His son and triplet grandchildren accompany him as he draws on dwindling reserves of energy to continue the plot that was started by relatives before him. He sends the triplets away to uncover the mystery of The Awakening and the truth behind Earth and her people. Trying to stop Marcello and hide the mysteries of Ascension are The Brotherhood. As the triplets work to uncover truth, The Brotherhood and traitorous Terenzio's fight back, eager to hide a potentially dangerous truth.

If you couldn't tell from my attempt to outline the story here for you without giving away spoilers, this is quite a complex story! DCS mentions that she used note cards to signify the important events in the story and had to lay them out to ensure that the time line fit. I can completely see why! Although it is important to pay attention to the date listed at the beginning of each chapter, I did not find the complexity of the book to have a negative effect on the story. Instead, it added multiple layers of depth and ensured that the reader was drawn fully into the story. Another suggestion for readers that might have difficulty with a complex story - pay attention to the location that DCS puts us in as well. SYNARCHY takes place all over the globe so it's important to remember where events are happening.

I have to say, I really enjoyed SYNARCHY. Going into a new book with a new author is at times nerve-wracking because I always try to finish a book one way or the other, great book or not so great book. Within the first three paragraphs of SYNARCHY, however, I was able to tell that this was going to be a book that I definitely finished. Surprisingly for the story being so detailed it was a quick read. There's just something about the way that DCS writes that allows the eyes to flow over the page, lifting the story into the air. The descriptions and especially display of emotions were so vivid that one could really see the story.

If you're looking for a book full of action and intrigue you're going to love SYNARCHY. It really does have something for everyone. A bit of romance for the softer types and heart pounding, adrenaline rushing suspense and action that just about pulled me out of my seat at times. Then there is the emotion that DCS throws into the book. It's very difficult to separate your own emotions from those of the characters in the story; that's the kind of realism that DCS creates.

Writing: 7
Interest: 9
Passion: 8
Originality: 10
Characters: 9
Pace: 9
Overall: 52/60 - B

Book Cover: 2/3

Alright, don't look at the score above and go running for the hills. Books that I have absolutely adored have scored a C using my rubric. The score is meant for people that need to have some sort of a visual to help determine whether or not they want to read a particular book. As you can tell from my rating guide (left sidebar) a book with the score of B is still a book that I would definitely recommend.

Speaking or recommend, I believe that fans of Mafia stories or fans of Mysticism will thoroughly enjoy this book. It has the perfect amount of realism with just a kiss of otherworldliness. I found it highly compelling and absolutely can not wait for the second book to come out! DCS has created a fantastic world in SYNARCHY: BOOK 1: THE AWAKENING and I'm excited to see where it will go.

BCF Book Reviews
Fast paced, never a page without some action – twists and drama galore carry the reader though this book like reading a hint of what is to come. While it’s an action-packed book, it’s not so overflowing that it seems without depth – what the novel does is provide you with an almost sufficent (yet sure to leave you wanting more) taste of the characters, the story, the style. It features a complexity which is tough to harness in only a couple hundred pages, without being condensed or simply losing the reader along the way. This book requires your close attention, but it will grab it and keep it from the very first pages. It is absolutlely impossible to put down! Any time you tell yourself ‘just one more chapter’ – it’s not enough. You know every chapter adds a new layer to the story and you’ll tear through it trying to find the answers!

This book has something for everybody – from alien races and a secret from the world, to the emotionally invovled dramatics and politics of relationships easily understood by any reader. It successfully reaches across several genres, blending the lines between them and appealing to them all in one fell swoop. Spanning several decades, several generations, several races of beings – and only scratching the surface. The novel will definately leave you wanting more because it just isn’t enough – after such a well-rounded introduction it will be interesting to see how the author develops the depth and layers of her thrilling world as she proceeds. Not even a world – but a whole universe to be expanded upon. Book one is titled: The Awakening, and an awakening it is indeed, to a fantastic new creation that I for one cannot wait to read more of.

8/10

Morbid Romantic
Synarchy: Book 1- The Awakening is certainly a book that is hard to describe. The plot is so intricate and the characters so plentiful that to describe it would take a lot of time, and probably give away more of the storyline than I want to disclose. So, to keep it short, Marcello Terenzio is on his deathbed and summons his triplet grandchildren–Vasco, Lucien, and Simone– to finish what they started in their past lives: the Ascension. The Ascension is opposed by a group of creatures known as the Anunnaki who use humans as servants, some of those being members of the Terenzio family. One by one, members of the Terenzio family awaken to their former lives and connect on opposed sides to either stop or aid humans in their Ascension.

It won’t be easy, though, because the Anunnaki is backed by a group of 12 loyal and powerful families known as The Brotherhood. The Anunnaki and The Brotherhood want to stop the Ascension because they want to stay in power on Earth. Ascensions have failed before, resulting in the destruction of planets. God and human alike hope that this one will be the last and finally successful attempt.

Light read this book is not. The plot is intense and involved, and there are a lot of names and relationships to juggle. Many, many times while reading this book did I have to flip back to the previous pages to recall a person or a connection (hint for those who haven‘t read yet- there‘s a family tree online at the Synarchy novel website). The concept of Synarchy: Book 1- The Awakening is entirely unique. I’ve certainly never read anything like this before. In a world where every idea has been done and redone, it’s refreshing to read something that hasn’t been done quite like this before. The intricacy of the plot only enhances its uniqueness. I am surprised that a book this good, this well written and original, hasn’t gotten the attention that it deserves.

There’s a considerable amount of science and metaphysics in the book, so you have to pay attention in order to fully grasp what the characters are trying to achieve. The idea is that humans can affect things with thought and emotion, and that ultimately all humans are connected in a way deeper than we can understand. At least, not until we Ascend. But it would be wrong to classify this book as science fiction because it’s fantasy and mystery and thriller, as well. But in this way, within its complexity and perhaps because of it, the book is very thought provoking and it sort of makes you wonder if you have been looking at reality the right way all along.