CHARACTER LIST

MAJOR PLAYERS (BOOK ONE: CHAPTERS 1-5)

While the Beta clone “John Michael Smiths” look nearly identical and have the same childhood memories, they have very different personalities. Here’s your cheat sheet to keep track of the clones, and the other characters who share screen time with them in the first five chapters.

THE CLONES

JOHN: A zero-bullshit college dropout who pours shots at a Miami nightclub and works construction to keep food on his table. A gifted musician, John writes rock songs in his downtime and pines for a recording contract to whisk him away from this life of sixty-hour work weeks. He has a girlfriend named Sarah, with whom he enjoys “Saturday sex.”

Physical description: Standing at 5’11″, John has a lean, almost lanky physique. His fashion tastes match his no-frills attitude — he’s a jeans and T-shirt man. His shoulder-length hair is almost always pulled back in a ponytail.

MICHAEL: A Marine with Force Recon training and natural leadership abilities. Proficient in reconnaissance and weaponry, Michael’s very classified missions have taken him all over the globe. He is gay, and has a lover named Gabriel.

Physical description: Michael’s body is a study in endurance and physical perfection, aside from the (presumably) combat-related scars on his back and arms. He sports a USMC tattoo on his right bicep, and a meticulously maintained crew cut.

JACK: Married with twin daughters. Lives the contented life in Tucson, where he supervises a genetic research lab at the University of Arizona. Ever the scientist, Jack hails from a world where skepticism is more important than evidence. And the only thing more important than that is Jack’s family.

Physical description: Jack is one of the best-fed of the bunch. He has a sweet tooth … and a healthy paunch to show for it. Jack has a beard (which he is fond of scratching when he’s concentrating), and wears wirerim glasses.

FR. THOMAS: As head priest of St. James Church in Stanton, Oklahoma, Fr. Thomas has spearheaded several outreach programs for his community, including a rehab center for drug addicts. A man who holds his faith in God above all things, Thomas is a devout Catholic priest whose personal views stray very little from his Catechism. He thinks often about the death of his parents, which (he thinks) occurred sixteen years ago.

Physical description: Although Fr. Thomas is a karate black belt, his physique now reflects a slower-paced, priestly life. He has a slight beer gut, and a humble combover hairstyle. His hairline is beginning to recede.

JONATHAN: A cautious, timid man, despite his job as a field agent for the United Nations’ human rights division. Jonathan lives in Manhattan’s East Village with his wife. He’s a rising star at the U.N., politely declining promotions that would take him out of the field. But his travels have made Jonathan a cynic who embraces rationality over emotion.

Physical description: Jonathan’s appearance is nearly identical to Fr. Thomas’ — the same humble wardrobe, the same slightly-receding hairline, the same combover. Jonathan appears about fifteen pounds lighter than the priest, however. Jonathan’s complexion is often pale, sickly.

DR. MIKE: A man who is about to hit the big time … and boy, is he smug about it. As a freelance criminal psychologist for the L.A.P.D., Dr. Mike has been the driving force behind the capture of Los Angeles’ most notorious criminals, including the Three Ring Circus killer. Dr. Mike’s recently-published book chronicling his exploits–Hunting the Hunters–is about to begin a major media push.

Physical description: The vainest of the clones, Dr. Mike dresses to the nines whenever he can. His hair is often coiffed in a camera-freindly blow-dried style. His fingernails are always clipped and cleaned. He wants his appearance to personify his excellent reputation as a criminal profiler.

KILROY2.0: The madman among the group, Kilroy2.0 is a Washington, D.C.-based computer hacker who posts governmental conspiracy theories on his websites. An obese trainwreck of a man, Kilroy talks to walls, abhors authority and sees himself as a quasi-religious figure.

Physical description: Weighing in at 320 pounds, Kilroy2.0 cares little for personal appearance — after all, who can see him online? He sports a wildman’s beard and thick-rimmed glasses, and his hair is often a shaggy, greasy mess. Kilroy2.0′s wardrobe is as chaotic as his mind.

The 7th Son Staff

DR. KLEINMAN: The chief scientist at the 7th Son facility. He’s been with the project for decades, and knows its secrets. At 83, Kenneth Kleinman also the oldest staffer at 7th Son.

GEN. HILL: Brigadier General Orlando Hill is head of operations and security at the facility. He was assigned this task fifteen years ago. A tall, imposing man, Hill is not one for chit-chat.

THE VILLAINS

JESSE FOWLER: The four-year-old boy who recently assassinated U.S. President Hank “Gator” Griffin. The reason for the child’s murderous behavior is a mystery, as are the strange circumstances surrounding his own death.

JOHN ALPHA: At this point in the story, nothing is known about the “alpha” John Michael Smith, other than he’s the apparent source of the Beta clones’ bodies and childhood memories. He is also the reason behind the clones’ unexpected family reunion at 7th Son.