The Rookie
From Siglerpedia
| The Rookie | |
| |
| Title | The Rookie |
| Publisher | Dark Overlord Media |
| Published | August 2009 |
| Pages | n/a |
| ISBN | n/a |
| Podcasted | 2007 |
| Podiobooks.com Page | |
The Rookie is a thriller / science fiction podcast novel by American author Scott Sigler. It is the first in a four-book series following the career of Quentin Barnes, quarterbacking prodigy from the Purist Nation, in the Galactic Football League
Contents |
[edit] Synopsis
The Rookie takes place in a galaxy of the future; a galaxy with a history of planetary colonization and conquest, and of interspecies warfare and cooperation. The events of this history have ultimately lead to the current 'pseudo-marshal law' state of society that is imposed by the current ruling species, the Creterakians. In this universe, the Creterakians, using their sheer overpowering numbers, have conquered several species and now control and oversee all 'official' aspects of the galaxy.
As a means to maintain order without violence, the Creterakians devised a distraction for the masses: the Galactic Football League. The GFL is a sports league modeled after the game of American football, with teams of varying skill separated into three tiers: the most skilled playing in Tier 1, the least skilled playing in Tier 3, with Tier 2 in the middle. The multi-species nature of society is reflected in the make-up of the GFL team lineups; the strengths of certain species make them natural fits for certain football positions. The quarterback, running back and tight-end positions are generally played by Humans. The female Sklorno, known for their speed and jumping ability, play the wide receiver and defensive back positions. The offensive and defensive lines are manned by Ki, a race of huge, agile creatures with enormous mass. And finally, the linebacker positions are played by Quyth Warriors and High-G Humans.
The Rookie is the story of Quentin Barnes, a human Tier 3 quarterback raised in the Purist Nation. As a Tier 3 quarterback, Quentin is a superstar and a hero among the Purists, and he has used his talents to easily lead his third rate team to the championship of a Tier 3 division. His natural talent, coupled with his ingrained Purist Nation self righteousness and bigotry have made him extremely arrogant.
The story begins with Quentin Barnes playing Tier 3 football on a backwater planet. His contract is purchased by underworld mogul Gredok the Splithead, who is a Quyth Leader , or Shamakath, and suddenly Quentin is on his way to The Combine to get cleared before he starts playing with the Ionath Krakens, a Tier 2 football team. Apparently there are a great deal many people who try to get through the Combine, a former Creterakian prison station, with biological and cybernetic enhancements in place. The Creterakians require all football players in Tier 2 or above to go through the extensive testing for enhancements in The Combine. Quentin passes the tests and is admitted to the team. He then goes to practice with the Ionath Krakens where, for the first time, he has to confront the reality of his new team-mates' alien origins.
Quentin's planetary religion is that of the Purist Nation, which is very species-ist. Even other evolutionary strains of human beings are clearly looked down upon - only "pure strain" humans are regarded as proper beings. As a result, Quentin has a very hard time trusting and working with his team-mates.
[edit] Characters
| Name | Information |
|---|---|
| Quentin Barnes | Rookie GFL player |
| Donald Pine | Current Ionath Krakens Quarterback |
| Gredok the Splithead | Owner of the Ionath Krakens |
| Hokor the Hook-Chest | Head Coach of the Ionath Krakens |
| Virack the Mean | Linebacker for the Ionath Krakens |
| John Tweedy | Linebacker for the Ionath Krakens |
| Chodo the Bright | Linebacker for the Ionath Krakens |
| Ju Tweedy | Running Back for the Orbiting Death |
| Mitchell Fayed | Running Back for the Ionath Krakens |
| Yassoud Murphy | Running Back for the Ionath Krakens |
| Pookie Chang (Circa 2682) | Running Back for the Texas Earthlings |
[edit] Release Schedule
[edit] Print | ||||
| Cover Art | Edition | Country | Release Date | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| | 1st Ed. Hardcover | United States | August 2009 | The Rookie at ScottSigler.com |
[edit] Audio | ||||
| Cover Art | Edition | Country | Release Date | Site |
| | 2007 Podcast Audio Release | Worldwide (Internet) | December 2007 | Podiobooks.com |
[edit] Episode Downloads & Tailgate Book Tour
Following the success of the Sigler Stank Tour to promote the release of the novel Infected and the subsequent Sigler Stank Tour II author to promote the release of the sequel Contagious, Scott Sigler is taking to the road again to promote the release of his self-published novel entitled The Rookie. The following schedule is lists the current tailgate tour dates and locations. A remastered version of the The Rookie podcast was released during the Tailgate Book Tour, corresponding with the different cities that were visited.
| Date | City, State | Episode Number | Download Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 5, 2009 | Atlanta, GA | Episode 1 | Download |
| September 7, 2009 | Birmingham, AL | Episode 2 | Download |
| September 8, 2009 | Nashville, TN | Episode 3 | Download |
| September 9, 2009 | Indianapolis, IN | Episode 4 | Download |
| September 10, 2009 | Chicago, IL | Episode 5 | Download |
| September 11, 2009 | Grand Rapids, MI | Episode 6 | Download |
| September 12, 2009 | Episode 7 | Download | |
| September 13, 2009 | Ann Arbor, MI | Episode 8 | Download |
| September 14, 2009 | Cincinnati, OH | Episode 9 | Download |
| September 15, 2009 | Canton, OH (Pro Football Hall of Fame!) | Episode 10 | Download |
| September 16, 2009 | Pittsburgh, PA | Episode 11 | Download |
| September 17, 2009 | Philadelphia, PA | Episode 12 | Download |
| September 18, 2009 | Episode 13 | Download | |
| September 19, 2009 | Episode 14 | Download | |
| September 20, 2009 | New York City, NY | Episode 15 | Download |
| September 21, 2009 | Episode 16 | Download | |
| September 22, 2009 | Jacksonville, FL | Episode 17 | Download |
| September 23, 2009 | Talahassee, FL | Episode 18 | Download |
| September 24, 2009 | New Orleans, LA | Episode 19 | Download |
| September 25, 2009 | Houston, TX | Episode 20 | Download |
| September 26, 2009 | Dallas, TX | Episode 21 | Download |
| September 27, 2009 | Norman, OK | Episode 22 | Download |
| September 28, 2009 | Little Rock, AR | Episode 23 | Download |
| September 29, 2009 | St. Louis, MO | Episode 24 | Download |
| September 30, 2009 | San Francisco | Episode 25 | Download |
| October 1, 2009 | Episode 26 | Download | |
| October 2, 2009 | Episode 27 | Download |
[edit] Theme Music
The Rookie podcast featured the song Heaven's a Lie by Lacuna Coil. This track can be found as the second track on the band's 2002 album Comalies, as well as Radio Edit, Acoustic and Live Acoustic versions from the 2007 Ozzfest Edition of the same album. It can also be found on the following albums:
- MTV2's Headbanger's Ball (Track 26)
- Revolver Presents: The Dark Side (Track 9)
- Gothic Spirits, Vol. 3 (Track 2)
- Lacuna Coil's Closer EP (Live, Track 5)
[edit] Related Stories
There are two other free standing stories that share the realm of The Rookie universe:
- Title Fight- Story that combines science fiction elements with mixed martial arts (MMA) fighting. Set in The Rookie universe.
- The Crypt- Story follows the exploits of the mythological intergalactic warship named the P.U.V. James Keeling.
[edit] See Also
Novels by Scott Sigler
EarthCore · EarthCore II: Mt. Fitzroy · Ancestor · Descendant · Infected · Contagious · Pandemic · The Rookie · The Rookie II: The Starter · The Crypt · Nocturnal
