THE HOUSE OF THE SCORPION is a science-fiction young adult book concerned with the not-too-distant future. The main character, Matt is a clone of one of the most powerful drug dealers in the world, El Patron. The future has a deal between the governments of Mexico (now called Aztlan) and America and the drug dealers. The governments will allow the drug dealers to operate on land in between the two countries, and the drug dealers promise not to send their drugs to those countries. At the Alacran estate, Matt has been kept hidden his whole life. When he is discovered, his life is turned upside-down. He finds that people treat clones worse than animals and that the world around him is not so nice. People trying to cross the border are routinely captured and their minds are destroyed. Then they become eejits and work as slaves on the estate.

The book definitely has mature topics, but it is a very satisfying read. Cloning is an issue not far from the minds of todays Americans and this novel provides some food for thought. However, cloning is not the only issue. Even when Matt is in Aztlan, things are not run in a fair or moral way. The real problem is Matt's problem of identity.  Is he a real person?  Does he have a soul?  The plot is very interesting and the book has won numerous honors.

The story builds to a climax in which readers can feel that the there is the beginning of a resolution. However, a good topic for discussion would be about what will happen next. Will there be a revolution? The scientific information and the way it is presented in the novel make the situation seem very realistic and, in fact, possible. This book will spark many conversations with older readers.