The Chosen One - Fritz Franke

Reading something of your own volition and reading something someone wants you to read are both very different. And in this case, really special. Because the author himself wants you to read his book. Apart from all the excited hyperventilation of talking to a real, honest-to-goodness published author, I was really happy (and worried!) about this assignment. Doing justice to someone’s baby is something you want to handle like a boa constrictor. Really carefully. And I do hope I've done it well!

All right,

Chris Gates is a special child who has been selected by the soldiery, humanoid Terlokyans as part of the Savior Project and is being brought up to be the savior of the world.

We begin the book with Chris at the age of forty or thirty-ish (mid-life crisis anyone?!), with two kids and a lovely wifey, who’s kidnapped(or rather extracted) by the Terlokyans in a wholesale UFO-kidnap scenario(that’s what they want us to think!) in broad daylight in the middle of a baseball match no less.

*Flashback to the beginning of the project and what all this about*

This is when we learn about the specialness of Chris. And how he’s been brought up for this very mission in life.

We alternate between Chris on earth and the Terlokyan base on the dark side of the moon (or GAIA) built specially for this very project.

And here on, the story unfolds thick and fast!

Baby Chris to teenage-hottie Chris to married-yet-charismatic Chris!

All under the watchful eyes of the Terlokyan world and especially Zenta who’s the daughter of the Terlokyan ruler Sohan and also in charge of Chris’s development and training.

Until he’s brought back to be with them. Not forever. Unless you can save the earth without actually being on the planet.

And the second part is yet to come anyway!

The characters are likeable especially Chris(think Metro Man from Megamind. or Ben Hur. You choose. Except he plays baseball. And goes to college...and generally lives in the 21st century!) and Zenta (think Halle Berry in X-Men. Exactly!) and that is great for such a character intensive story.

Also the book is chock full of detailing which reflects on the care the author has taken to research terminologies(and real alien sounding names!) so fans of sci-fi, aliens and yes, baseball games(and alien-human romance tales) will really love it!

The only teensy gripe I had would be that the book can sometimes be a little recurring at times(with the Veloptor attacks especially) and a bit stereotypical with the characters (but I still wish perfect people existed. Of course. I'm looking for one!;))

 But all in all, the Savior Project is one series I’d definitely want to stay with till the end!

Book Specifications:

Original Title The Chosen One

Author Fritz Franke

Published April 23rd 2012 by Imagination Pro

ISBN 9780985539

Edition Language English

Series The Savior Project #1

E-book, 315 pages

Fritz is a native of Virginia and The Chosen One is his very first book. You can find out more about the Savior Project and Fritz at the series website and while you're at it,go watch the trailer(sort of!).