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Portals of Destiny #1
The Chosen
Astra. Kromin. Volgon. Earth. To each of the four planets are sent four Guardians, with one mission: to protect and serve the Chosen, those unwitting champions of prophecy who alone can save the galaxy from the terrifying Mekans. But the signs of prophecy have not yet appeared, and the decision to send the Guardians early could doom all in the galaxy to death.
- GenresFantasyScience Fiction
264 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2011
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December 30, 2011
The Chosen by Shay Fabbro
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Shay Fabbro's Portals of Destiny trilogy is off to a great start with her first release, The Chosen. There is a lot to be excited about in this science fiction adventure as multiple genres are intertwined to create colorful settings with a solid plot pitting the mindlessly evil `Mekans' against the entire galaxy. Of course, the only thing standing between galactic annihilation and salvation are the Chosen, a collection of characters from four distinct worlds, each bearing unique abilities and individual depth along with personal complexities.
Summary:
From birth four Gentrans were isolated from their benevolent society and rigorously trained to become Guardians and Masters. After years of seclusion and secrecy the Guardians are split up and sent to four worlds where they must find and protect their assigned Chosen until a sign out of prophesy signals the time for return. They will use the time in between to prepare the Chosen by honing their natural skills and traits for the fight that is to come.
On Astra a human-like species expand their magical powers as mystics in a world much like earth during the Middle Ages. The humans of earth live in a post apocalyptic Wild West where they are battle tested and committed to the ideal of sacrifice to protect the helpless. Similarly the Volgon's are also embroiled in a struggle for survival that has manifested in their evolution to become the perfect warriors with a mastery of sophisticated weapons technology and design. The Chosen on planet Kromin come from mysterious roots. They are clones devoid of emotion and passion but possess unique psychic abilities and incredibly advanced technology.
If they are able to make it back to Gentra, all of the Chosen will undergo final preparations to meet the Mekan threat but first the Guardians must do everything in their power to protect their Chosen from danger and the truth. Revealing their purpose or losing any of their Chosen before the sign comes could have disastrous consequences.
Some Thoughts
Fabbro has set the stage for a unique combination of fantasy and epic science fiction. Each world is given significant detail and danger to match the great depth and conflict she creates in her cast of characters. Fabbro establishes a fast pace from the outset with by quality dialogue and action that drives the plot and character development. At about the 60 percent mark things slow down with some dialogue seeming unnecessary to the central story and subplots. It's worth pushing through because once you emerge from those couple of chapters you're back to a brisk pace as events on each planet culminate to either thrust the Chosen through the portal toward prophetic destiny or galactic ruin before they ever learn the truth.
This is an easy four-star read because Fabbro is a very good writer who crafts complicated settings and characters into an easy and enjoyable story and she clearly spent the time editing to make sure it is smooth. This first installment, The Chosen is very good with a ton of potential as the rest of this series rolls out.
Tom Clementson (Kindle Book Review)
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Shay Fabbro's Portals of Destiny trilogy is off to a great start with her first release, The Chosen. There is a lot to be excited about in this science fiction adventure as multiple genres are intertwined to create colorful settings with a solid plot pitting the mindlessly evil `Mekans' against the entire galaxy. Of course, the only thing standing between galactic annihilation and salvation are the Chosen, a collection of characters from four distinct worlds, each bearing unique abilities and individual depth along with personal complexities.
Summary:
From birth four Gentrans were isolated from their benevolent society and rigorously trained to become Guardians and Masters. After years of seclusion and secrecy the Guardians are split up and sent to four worlds where they must find and protect their assigned Chosen until a sign out of prophesy signals the time for return. They will use the time in between to prepare the Chosen by honing their natural skills and traits for the fight that is to come.
On Astra a human-like species expand their magical powers as mystics in a world much like earth during the Middle Ages. The humans of earth live in a post apocalyptic Wild West where they are battle tested and committed to the ideal of sacrifice to protect the helpless. Similarly the Volgon's are also embroiled in a struggle for survival that has manifested in their evolution to become the perfect warriors with a mastery of sophisticated weapons technology and design. The Chosen on planet Kromin come from mysterious roots. They are clones devoid of emotion and passion but possess unique psychic abilities and incredibly advanced technology.
If they are able to make it back to Gentra, all of the Chosen will undergo final preparations to meet the Mekan threat but first the Guardians must do everything in their power to protect their Chosen from danger and the truth. Revealing their purpose or losing any of their Chosen before the sign comes could have disastrous consequences.
Some Thoughts
Fabbro has set the stage for a unique combination of fantasy and epic science fiction. Each world is given significant detail and danger to match the great depth and conflict she creates in her cast of characters. Fabbro establishes a fast pace from the outset with by quality dialogue and action that drives the plot and character development. At about the 60 percent mark things slow down with some dialogue seeming unnecessary to the central story and subplots. It's worth pushing through because once you emerge from those couple of chapters you're back to a brisk pace as events on each planet culminate to either thrust the Chosen through the portal toward prophetic destiny or galactic ruin before they ever learn the truth.
This is an easy four-star read because Fabbro is a very good writer who crafts complicated settings and characters into an easy and enjoyable story and she clearly spent the time editing to make sure it is smooth. This first installment, The Chosen is very good with a ton of potential as the rest of this series rolls out.
Tom Clementson (Kindle Book Review)
April 1, 2012
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I don't often read a lot of sci-fi, in fact it probably only makes up like 10% of the books I review, even though I watch a ton of sci-fi when it comes to movies or tv. I am not sure why such a difference exists between the two genres, but either way I do enjoy a good sci-fi book from time to time, so I was pretty excited about this book.
One of the things I particularly enjoyed about this book was that even though it was a sci-fi book it still had a couple of my favorite elements from fantasy books within it. So because of that it didn't feel like a huge shift in genres while I was reading. It was easier to get into the plot once I got through the beginning because of those familiar elements.
The beginning of the book is probably my biggest issue with the book. I did have a little bit of a hard time with the beginning, which is actually a common problem I have with epic fantasy and sci-fi books. Often times authors have to introduce so much new information to the reader at the beginning of the book that it can sometimes be confusing for the reader. I felt like maybe there were too many people being introduced early on, and the names made it even harder for me to keep track of the people. I mean I couldn't pronounce most of the peoples name in the book, so when that happens it harder for those people to stay clear in my own mind, let alone multiple characters that I am having that issue with. I think it was for that reason it felt like the beginning of the book took a long time to get through just because I was having some confusion issues.
However, once you get through the beginning of the book it is actually a pretty enjoyable read. The writing is quality, and at that point you have pretty much everyone down, so you can really focus on the plot of the book. The theme is a common one you see in sci-fi but it is executed pretty well so it stands on it's own two feet, which I appreciate. None of the book felt too much like another book out there, while still staying true to theme.
Overall, I would have to say the book was a fun look into sci-fi, and a pretty enjoyable read. I think anyone who enjoys sci-fi would enjoy this book. The book isn't to terribly long so it might be good for someone who is wanting to try out sci-fi, but for those of you have issue with odd names in fantasy and sci-fi books maybe this book isn't for you. But like I said if you like sci-fi then this is probably a book you would enjoy.
I don't often read a lot of sci-fi, in fact it probably only makes up like 10% of the books I review, even though I watch a ton of sci-fi when it comes to movies or tv. I am not sure why such a difference exists between the two genres, but either way I do enjoy a good sci-fi book from time to time, so I was pretty excited about this book.
One of the things I particularly enjoyed about this book was that even though it was a sci-fi book it still had a couple of my favorite elements from fantasy books within it. So because of that it didn't feel like a huge shift in genres while I was reading. It was easier to get into the plot once I got through the beginning because of those familiar elements.
The beginning of the book is probably my biggest issue with the book. I did have a little bit of a hard time with the beginning, which is actually a common problem I have with epic fantasy and sci-fi books. Often times authors have to introduce so much new information to the reader at the beginning of the book that it can sometimes be confusing for the reader. I felt like maybe there were too many people being introduced early on, and the names made it even harder for me to keep track of the people. I mean I couldn't pronounce most of the peoples name in the book, so when that happens it harder for those people to stay clear in my own mind, let alone multiple characters that I am having that issue with. I think it was for that reason it felt like the beginning of the book took a long time to get through just because I was having some confusion issues.
However, once you get through the beginning of the book it is actually a pretty enjoyable read. The writing is quality, and at that point you have pretty much everyone down, so you can really focus on the plot of the book. The theme is a common one you see in sci-fi but it is executed pretty well so it stands on it's own two feet, which I appreciate. None of the book felt too much like another book out there, while still staying true to theme.
Overall, I would have to say the book was a fun look into sci-fi, and a pretty enjoyable read. I think anyone who enjoys sci-fi would enjoy this book. The book isn't to terribly long so it might be good for someone who is wanting to try out sci-fi, but for those of you have issue with odd names in fantasy and sci-fi books maybe this book isn't for you. But like I said if you like sci-fi then this is probably a book you would enjoy.
December 17, 2012
I was given this book as part of Library Things’ early reviewer scheme. But, as you can see, I’ve been honest in my review.
A threat is on the horizon and many worlds are in peril; their future lying in the hands of a group of chosen individuals, currently scattered amongst the various worlds. Unaware of their future, these individuals are being schooled, and protected, by a group of alien beings. These beings await the signs that will herald the opening of a series of portals.
This is a multi-world saga. One world resembles a high fantasy biosphere full of inns and busty maidens.. Terra is portrayed as a dystopia; a world that has returned to its early, non-technical roots. The third world has a futuristic feel; being set in a sterile space which is peopled by clones. The variety and diversity of the worlds enabled the writer to cross genres. In addition, it gives the work, superficially an adventure tale, another interesting dimension.
For a tale of this type, the characters are surprisingly well drawn. Although, you may feel that you’ve seen many of them before; the wise pipe smoking sage, the silly lovelorn teenager, the wise boy who is yet to find his power, the cynical warrior/priest who learns to love the world which he once despised, the evil queen, etc., etc.
In fact, that queen is my main cause of concern. Firstly, she seems to be a stereotypical character. In addition, her royal town, and its back story, trouble me . We are told that this group of women had thrown off the shackles of patriarchy and formed a Matriarchal society. The town is portrayed as a tyranny, having a lustful queen at its head. We have seen this before. Captain Kirk, or some other male Starfleet captain, lands on a planet and finds that it is headed by a woman. The world seems to be peopled by semi- clad women. It always turns into a tyranny. It always has to be saved by men. It’s a cliché and it’s slightly demeaning to half of the world’s inhabitants. This work sets up an interesting world and begins to ask the question- what would a female headed world look like? But, rather than giving us a nuanced picture, the writer returns to the tropes of bad science fiction.
This genre crossing book could have been an exciting, boundary crossing and thought-provoking work. But, the writer never pushes hard enough. The author asks interesting questions but answers them with stereotypes and tropes. But, saying that, if you want a good adventure story, and have a few empty hours, then this book is for you.
A threat is on the horizon and many worlds are in peril; their future lying in the hands of a group of chosen individuals, currently scattered amongst the various worlds. Unaware of their future, these individuals are being schooled, and protected, by a group of alien beings. These beings await the signs that will herald the opening of a series of portals.
This is a multi-world saga. One world resembles a high fantasy biosphere full of inns and busty maidens.. Terra is portrayed as a dystopia; a world that has returned to its early, non-technical roots. The third world has a futuristic feel; being set in a sterile space which is peopled by clones. The variety and diversity of the worlds enabled the writer to cross genres. In addition, it gives the work, superficially an adventure tale, another interesting dimension.
For a tale of this type, the characters are surprisingly well drawn. Although, you may feel that you’ve seen many of them before; the wise pipe smoking sage, the silly lovelorn teenager, the wise boy who is yet to find his power, the cynical warrior/priest who learns to love the world which he once despised, the evil queen, etc., etc.
In fact, that queen is my main cause of concern. Firstly, she seems to be a stereotypical character. In addition, her royal town, and its back story, trouble me . We are told that this group of women had thrown off the shackles of patriarchy and formed a Matriarchal society. The town is portrayed as a tyranny, having a lustful queen at its head. We have seen this before. Captain Kirk, or some other male Starfleet captain, lands on a planet and finds that it is headed by a woman. The world seems to be peopled by semi- clad women. It always turns into a tyranny. It always has to be saved by men. It’s a cliché and it’s slightly demeaning to half of the world’s inhabitants. This work sets up an interesting world and begins to ask the question- what would a female headed world look like? But, rather than giving us a nuanced picture, the writer returns to the tropes of bad science fiction.
This genre crossing book could have been an exciting, boundary crossing and thought-provoking work. But, the writer never pushes hard enough. The author asks interesting questions but answers them with stereotypes and tropes. But, saying that, if you want a good adventure story, and have a few empty hours, then this book is for you.
April 4, 2011
Mekans…even the name sounds foreboding. Machine intelligence, stripping the resources of planet after planet, making their way across the galaxy, leaving burned out husks in their wake. The only hope for the survival of countless species are The Chosen, small groups of four different species who are watched over and trained by Guardians from the planet Gentra. The Gentran prophecy says The Chosen hold the key to defeating the Mekans, but when one Chosen is killed, the prophecy may be in jeopardy. This is the epic science fiction/fantasy story Shay Fabbro has begun to weave with Book 1 of the Portals of Destiny.
Fabbro paints a vivid picture of five distinct worlds, and pulls it off with no trouble, something many world builders have issues with in just one. There is a wide range of characters, many of which are delved deeply into, enough so that the reader can identify with several at once. Fabbro makes it easy to follow each, as the races are significantly different enough not to get confused. A reptilian warrior race, a clone race, a magical race, and of course, humans - albeit post-apocalyptic.
I thoroughly enjoyed the story, from start to finish. The detail in the worlds, the depth of characters, the grandiose far-reaching plot are all done in an easy-to-follow format and style. At certain points I do feel it gets a bit deep into description, but knowing this is the first part of a series, and knowing the full story will not wrap up by the final page, it all makes perfect sense.
I felt the mix of science fiction (clones, weaponry) and fantasy (magic, transformations) was very well done. The overall crafting of the story reminded me a bit of The Empire Strikes Back, mixing the science fiction scenes with the Jedi training fantasy aspect.
The only negatives I encountered, and completely my personal opinion, would be a little bit of point of view confusion, but only very rarely; and (possible spoiler alert) I felt the key killing of the Chosen happened a little too late in the story (I kept waiting for it to happen, as the 'book jacket blurb' emphasizes it). But absolutely nothing that detracts from the overall story, which was well edited…much more so than most independent authors' works I've read before.
I'm very much looking forward to Book 2, which I understand is just around the corner, as Fabbro has put together the beginnings of an epic story arc with very interesting characters. And it's just starting!
Fabbro paints a vivid picture of five distinct worlds, and pulls it off with no trouble, something many world builders have issues with in just one. There is a wide range of characters, many of which are delved deeply into, enough so that the reader can identify with several at once. Fabbro makes it easy to follow each, as the races are significantly different enough not to get confused. A reptilian warrior race, a clone race, a magical race, and of course, humans - albeit post-apocalyptic.
I thoroughly enjoyed the story, from start to finish. The detail in the worlds, the depth of characters, the grandiose far-reaching plot are all done in an easy-to-follow format and style. At certain points I do feel it gets a bit deep into description, but knowing this is the first part of a series, and knowing the full story will not wrap up by the final page, it all makes perfect sense.
I felt the mix of science fiction (clones, weaponry) and fantasy (magic, transformations) was very well done. The overall crafting of the story reminded me a bit of The Empire Strikes Back, mixing the science fiction scenes with the Jedi training fantasy aspect.
The only negatives I encountered, and completely my personal opinion, would be a little bit of point of view confusion, but only very rarely; and (possible spoiler alert) I felt the key killing of the Chosen happened a little too late in the story (I kept waiting for it to happen, as the 'book jacket blurb' emphasizes it). But absolutely nothing that detracts from the overall story, which was well edited…much more so than most independent authors' works I've read before.
I'm very much looking forward to Book 2, which I understand is just around the corner, as Fabbro has put together the beginnings of an epic story arc with very interesting characters. And it's just starting!
January 20, 2012
From the cover to the last word in the book I was mesmerized, Shay has painted a beautiful galaxy rich in detail and diversity. I could not find a fault with the story and the harder I tried, the more the story pulled me in and convinced me otherwise.
Imagine being among the chosen few... that knew the galaxy as you knew it could come to an end. Imagine being among the chosen few who could save the galaxy... imagine the gravity of it all if you were one of the beings destined to train what would hopefully be the heroes of the galaxy....
Shay painted a world with the stroke of a word that was haunting and strikingly beautiful at the same time. Her words pull you at you hard and fast - giving you an escape in to a new landscape rich with a variety of life forms.
What amazed me the most about this book was not the detailed plot or characters, but the skill Shay has to have possessed to write such a story. Characters are taken pulled from one world to another in an effort to save the galaxy - some taking on different guises in order to fulfill their role in the grand scheme. While I like to consider myself a good writer, I can only hope that some day my skills are honed enough to not only think of a plot such as the one so eloquently displayed in The Chosen but to carry it out.
I would love to share more of the story with you, I could talk about it for hours but... if you haven't read it, all I can say is go read it NOW. My detailing even the smallest of plot points any more than I have or any further than the synopsis (see top of post) would surely ruin the experience - like telling a small child who just wants to believe in something that Santa doesn't really exist. The last thing I can say is this - Hollywood should take note of this book and trample over each other to get to Shay, rather than rehashing all the beloved movies and shows of my childhood make The Chosen.
Imagine being among the chosen few... that knew the galaxy as you knew it could come to an end. Imagine being among the chosen few who could save the galaxy... imagine the gravity of it all if you were one of the beings destined to train what would hopefully be the heroes of the galaxy....
Shay painted a world with the stroke of a word that was haunting and strikingly beautiful at the same time. Her words pull you at you hard and fast - giving you an escape in to a new landscape rich with a variety of life forms.
What amazed me the most about this book was not the detailed plot or characters, but the skill Shay has to have possessed to write such a story. Characters are taken pulled from one world to another in an effort to save the galaxy - some taking on different guises in order to fulfill their role in the grand scheme. While I like to consider myself a good writer, I can only hope that some day my skills are honed enough to not only think of a plot such as the one so eloquently displayed in The Chosen but to carry it out.
I would love to share more of the story with you, I could talk about it for hours but... if you haven't read it, all I can say is go read it NOW. My detailing even the smallest of plot points any more than I have or any further than the synopsis (see top of post) would surely ruin the experience - like telling a small child who just wants to believe in something that Santa doesn't really exist. The last thing I can say is this - Hollywood should take note of this book and trample over each other to get to Shay, rather than rehashing all the beloved movies and shows of my childhood make The Chosen.
February 24, 2015
I received this book in return for an honest review.
I'm not big into Sci-Fi books to be honest... at all.
Buuuut of course once I saw "by Shay West" I knew I HAD to read it! Her writing is so amazing! I love reading her books. I get so lost in it and I feel like I'm truly there... which was kinda hard and dangerous for this book. Haha! I'm a bit claustrophobic so of course the underwater world had me honestly about to faint because I was holding my breath without realizing it. (lol!)
Anyway, enough of that. Starting out with this book kinda took me a while to get into because like I said, not really my thing. But I'm glad I stuck in there! The more I got into it, the harder it got for me to put down.. Which of course was tough (I won't lie) I was in the middle of moving and sick so I could only read a little here and there (which is also why this book took me so long to read; I apologize for that.)
The characters in the book were a bit hard to grasp because there were so many, but you get use to it. and I have to just straight up say this now...I despise Jon. He makes me want to punch him in the face! I'm just sitting here with my jaw dropped and going "Are you serious?!" quite a few times. Sloan would be next to be slapped. tsk tsk tsk.
Of all the worlds, I have to say Gentra is my favorite though. It just sounds so beautiful... But I think if one of the people came up to me, I'd pull a "Finding Nemo" thing "Aw guys you made me ink!"
love love LOOOOOVE Moira!! Probably my most favorite thing out of the whole book! How can anyone NOT love Moira?! Lol
All in all, this book was perfect, amazing and wonderfully written. Can't wait to start book two!
I'm not big into Sci-Fi books to be honest... at all.
Buuuut of course once I saw "by Shay West" I knew I HAD to read it! Her writing is so amazing! I love reading her books. I get so lost in it and I feel like I'm truly there... which was kinda hard and dangerous for this book. Haha! I'm a bit claustrophobic so of course the underwater world had me honestly about to faint because I was holding my breath without realizing it. (lol!)
Anyway, enough of that. Starting out with this book kinda took me a while to get into because like I said, not really my thing. But I'm glad I stuck in there! The more I got into it, the harder it got for me to put down.. Which of course was tough (I won't lie) I was in the middle of moving and sick so I could only read a little here and there (which is also why this book took me so long to read; I apologize for that.)
The characters in the book were a bit hard to grasp because there were so many, but you get use to it. and I have to just straight up say this now...I despise Jon. He makes me want to punch him in the face! I'm just sitting here with my jaw dropped and going "Are you serious?!" quite a few times. Sloan would be next to be slapped. tsk tsk tsk.
Of all the worlds, I have to say Gentra is my favorite though. It just sounds so beautiful... But I think if one of the people came up to me, I'd pull a "Finding Nemo" thing "Aw guys you made me ink!"
love love LOOOOOVE Moira!! Probably my most favorite thing out of the whole book! How can anyone NOT love Moira?! Lol
All in all, this book was perfect, amazing and wonderfully written. Can't wait to start book two!
March 8, 2011
The Mekans were built to mine and collect resources. Somewhere along the way though, something went terribly wrong. Now these giant machines travel from world to world leaching the resources until there isn’t much left.
The entire galaxy is in danger but a Gentran prophecy may hold the key. It would seem that The Chosen have the ability to bring down the Mekans and save the universe. A decision is made to help the prophecy along a little. Four specially trained Guardians are sent to four different planets. Their job: to collect, train, and protect The Chosen. Then, when the time comes bring these young beings back to Gentra where they will prepare to do the impossible.
As one would expect, The Chosen has a huge cast of characters. After all, each Guardian is responsible for a handful or more chosen. At first, I was a bit concerned that I would get a bit lost in the who’s who of the story. In this the author did a spectacular job. I was surprised at how easy it was to remember each character (or set of characters with regards to the clones) once the groups met in Gentra.
Moreover, having such a diverse group allows for some very interesting interactions and personal conflicts as well as realistically accounting for the skills and talents that are necessary to undertake this enormous task. As this is the first book in the trilogy, we are just starting to understand what is expected of this group. However, already we have a good number of wrinkles and some hints that it’s not going to be easy.
The entire galaxy is in danger but a Gentran prophecy may hold the key. It would seem that The Chosen have the ability to bring down the Mekans and save the universe. A decision is made to help the prophecy along a little. Four specially trained Guardians are sent to four different planets. Their job: to collect, train, and protect The Chosen. Then, when the time comes bring these young beings back to Gentra where they will prepare to do the impossible.
As one would expect, The Chosen has a huge cast of characters. After all, each Guardian is responsible for a handful or more chosen. At first, I was a bit concerned that I would get a bit lost in the who’s who of the story. In this the author did a spectacular job. I was surprised at how easy it was to remember each character (or set of characters with regards to the clones) once the groups met in Gentra.
Moreover, having such a diverse group allows for some very interesting interactions and personal conflicts as well as realistically accounting for the skills and talents that are necessary to undertake this enormous task. As this is the first book in the trilogy, we are just starting to understand what is expected of this group. However, already we have a good number of wrinkles and some hints that it’s not going to be easy.
November 30, 2012
I won this book a little while ago and finally found a weekend to finish it off.
I really did enjoy this book. It started slowly, with introductions to characters, then really picked up. There's a lot of flicking back and forth between chapters, which kept me reading as I often wanted to get back to a cliffhanger going on in another thread.
There were weaker characters that I never found an affinity with, but there were equally well thought-out characters that I really wanted to follow.
For the physical copy of the book itself, there were a few spelling errors and grammatical problems, but then I think that's a problem for the editors/publishers.
All in all, I did really enjoy this book, can't say too much without giving away the story. There is magic for the fantasy lovers, a post apocalyptic Earth, alien warrior races. All of them trying to come together to face a bigger threat.
My only complaint about the book is that I felt the ending was a little rushed, especially the epilogue. A character we really didn't know much about and who I didn't personally care for becomes something of an important person for the next book.
That said, I know I'll be reading the next one, because it left enough of an impression on me to REALLY WANT to know what happens next, and what will happen with the "greater threat".
Thank you Shay West for letting me read this book; I will be looking out for you more! :)
I really did enjoy this book. It started slowly, with introductions to characters, then really picked up. There's a lot of flicking back and forth between chapters, which kept me reading as I often wanted to get back to a cliffhanger going on in another thread.
There were weaker characters that I never found an affinity with, but there were equally well thought-out characters that I really wanted to follow.
For the physical copy of the book itself, there were a few spelling errors and grammatical problems, but then I think that's a problem for the editors/publishers.
All in all, I did really enjoy this book, can't say too much without giving away the story. There is magic for the fantasy lovers, a post apocalyptic Earth, alien warrior races. All of them trying to come together to face a bigger threat.
My only complaint about the book is that I felt the ending was a little rushed, especially the epilogue. A character we really didn't know much about and who I didn't personally care for becomes something of an important person for the next book.
That said, I know I'll be reading the next one, because it left enough of an impression on me to REALLY WANT to know what happens next, and what will happen with the "greater threat".
Thank you Shay West for letting me read this book; I will be looking out for you more! :)
December 6, 2012
An interesting concept, a quasi religious sect of "Masters" are trained on their home planet and then transferred to one of four other planets in the same galaxy, as Guardians, where they gather marked trainees (the Chosen) who will study with them. Once the training period is complete the Chosen trainees graduate and are accorded the rank of Masters as well. The selected and their tutors await cosmic signs that the predicted time is upon them to take further action. The cryptic signs appear and the Masters tell their trainees the "rest of the story". They are the potential savers of all the life forms in the Galaxy as a recently sentient mechanical life force is foraging for raw materials on the planets throughout the Universe leaving the planets dead and unfit for biological life in any form. Former live planets are left as dead hulks. Unique aggregate skills of the Chosen leave them as biological life's only possible escape from the overwhelming threat of the huge mechanical robotic foragers. The Chosen and their trainers use an ancient collection of transfer stations to be moved back to the Master's home planet for further training and coordination of their various skills in the hope they might be able to forego disaster to their Galaxy as foretold in prophecies.
February 2, 2012
Full Review: http://thetbrpile.weebly.com/1/post/2...
I really liked the sound of this and thought it sounded right up my alley. Unfortunately, I found this very hard going very early on and really could not get to grips with all of the various characters who are spread out across many different worlds. I found many of the names difficult to pronounce. The plot just way too overly heavy and convoluted right from the start. The problem for me was that the plot all just felt a bit old hat. The alien invasion theme has been done multiple times in Sci-Fi to the point that authors attempting this angle need to come up with fresh ideas and a new approach. I am not sure that Shay Fabbo ever really manages this. The Mekans just came across as a bit of a cold, empty threat and never particulary frightening. There was so much going on in the opening chapters that I had trouble keeping track who was who and exactly what was going on.
The Chosen felt a bit too much like a step backwards for good, ground-breaking Sci-Fi and there was never anything here that I hadn't seen done before.
I really liked the sound of this and thought it sounded right up my alley. Unfortunately, I found this very hard going very early on and really could not get to grips with all of the various characters who are spread out across many different worlds. I found many of the names difficult to pronounce. The plot just way too overly heavy and convoluted right from the start. The problem for me was that the plot all just felt a bit old hat. The alien invasion theme has been done multiple times in Sci-Fi to the point that authors attempting this angle need to come up with fresh ideas and a new approach. I am not sure that Shay Fabbo ever really manages this. The Mekans just came across as a bit of a cold, empty threat and never particulary frightening. There was so much going on in the opening chapters that I had trouble keeping track who was who and exactly what was going on.
The Chosen felt a bit too much like a step backwards for good, ground-breaking Sci-Fi and there was never anything here that I hadn't seen done before.
November 25, 2012
I need to start by saying this is not my favourite genre - but having picked the book up as a kindle promotional giveaway I decided to read it.
Others have given an outline of the story - and I must say that the diverse worlds, cultures and 'peoples' were handled exceptionally well, keeping interest going throughout with problems to overcome in all worlds - while still awaiting the biggest problem of all.
I really felt this was 4 and a half stars - it is better than 4 but though part of a series I had this unsatisfied feeling at the end - we are left on cliff-hanger (as befits a part one of a series) but I just didn't feel that this one book left me feeling satisfied enough as it stands. OK, hard to explain - but even a book in a series I like to feel wraps up a major stage - and returning to Gentra wasn't quite enough for me. (personal opinion) On the other hand - it has been five days since I finished the book and I occasionally still wonder what will happen - to me this is a sign of a good book and a good hook!
As I said, not my favourite genre – and so I think that someone who likes this genre would go for it even more – hence the 5 stars.
Others have given an outline of the story - and I must say that the diverse worlds, cultures and 'peoples' were handled exceptionally well, keeping interest going throughout with problems to overcome in all worlds - while still awaiting the biggest problem of all.
I really felt this was 4 and a half stars - it is better than 4 but though part of a series I had this unsatisfied feeling at the end - we are left on cliff-hanger (as befits a part one of a series) but I just didn't feel that this one book left me feeling satisfied enough as it stands. OK, hard to explain - but even a book in a series I like to feel wraps up a major stage - and returning to Gentra wasn't quite enough for me. (personal opinion) On the other hand - it has been five days since I finished the book and I occasionally still wonder what will happen - to me this is a sign of a good book and a good hook!
As I said, not my favourite genre – and so I think that someone who likes this genre would go for it even more – hence the 5 stars.
February 3, 2015
Hello readers!
The author, herself, gave me a copy of this book for fee in exchange for an honest review. I have enjoyed several of her other books so I was looking forward to reading this one...I was not disappointed.
As book one of a three (four) part series, this book was all set up, but I didn't mind because it was broken up between different planets (Earth, Volgon, Astra, and Kromin), with different stories on each, that lead up to all of the Choosen ones joining together on another planet (Gentra) where they start their journey to protect the galaxy from a race of beings that devour and destroy planets. My favorite planet was Astra and, with how things were left, it will be brought up again throughout the series. My least favorite planet was Earth, but I'm not the type of person that enjoys post apocalyptic stories.
Between all of the planets, a lot of different things happen so I will not get into them (you should read the book for that) but I will tell you that each separate story was compelling and left me looking forward to the next time their story would be told, in turn, this means that I am looking forward to reading book two, too!
The author, herself, gave me a copy of this book for fee in exchange for an honest review. I have enjoyed several of her other books so I was looking forward to reading this one...I was not disappointed.
As book one of a three (four) part series, this book was all set up, but I didn't mind because it was broken up between different planets (Earth, Volgon, Astra, and Kromin), with different stories on each, that lead up to all of the Choosen ones joining together on another planet (Gentra) where they start their journey to protect the galaxy from a race of beings that devour and destroy planets. My favorite planet was Astra and, with how things were left, it will be brought up again throughout the series. My least favorite planet was Earth, but I'm not the type of person that enjoys post apocalyptic stories.
Between all of the planets, a lot of different things happen so I will not get into them (you should read the book for that) but I will tell you that each separate story was compelling and left me looking forward to the next time their story would be told, in turn, this means that I am looking forward to reading book two, too!
August 23, 2017
"The Mekans left much as they arrived, their shadows darkening the ruins of a once beautiful and vibrant planet. The noise of their engines, while still stirring up huge clouds of dust, no longer caused discomfort for the people.
There wasn’t anyone left to hear.
The Mekan Fleet threaten all life in the galaxy and only the Chosen can fight these metal monstrosities and save those that call this galaxy home. The Guardians travel to the home worlds of the Chosen, sent by the Masters of Gentra to guide and protect them. But the prophecy that speaks of the Mekan threat says nothing of sending the Guardians to the Chosen before the signs appear. The decision to send them early could doom all in the galaxy to death."
Fabbro has a good premise. The worlds were layered and grand- I got excited. Then the book continued and kept simply building the worlds and characters. Maybe this is the kind of series that you have to commit to reading all of the books to THEN go back and rate the first book? I don't know that I'll be able to make it through a book two...
There wasn’t anyone left to hear.
The Mekan Fleet threaten all life in the galaxy and only the Chosen can fight these metal monstrosities and save those that call this galaxy home. The Guardians travel to the home worlds of the Chosen, sent by the Masters of Gentra to guide and protect them. But the prophecy that speaks of the Mekan threat says nothing of sending the Guardians to the Chosen before the signs appear. The decision to send them early could doom all in the galaxy to death."
Fabbro has a good premise. The worlds were layered and grand- I got excited. Then the book continued and kept simply building the worlds and characters. Maybe this is the kind of series that you have to commit to reading all of the books to THEN go back and rate the first book? I don't know that I'll be able to make it through a book two...
December 30, 2011
In The Chosen Ms. Fabbro ties seamlessly ties together a little bit of Terminator with a Star Wars vibe. When a destructive mechanical race called the Mekans threaten all life in the galaxy, the aquatic Gentrans take matters into their hands by sending Guardians to four planets that contain sentient life in order to train those chosen by prophecy to save the planets. There are four distinct cultures represented: a future earth that has fallen into dystopia, Astra, a planet of magic using people,Kromin, adrogynous telepaths, and the war-like lizard folk, Volgons. Ms. Fabbro deftly handles the characters from each culture and builds a rapport with the reader. I found the Volgons to be jerks and some of the Astrans to be whiny. She did not invent the wheel, but merely filled the tires with some fresh air, I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys sci-fi and (I being one) some that usually don't. Gerald L. Black-author of Chronicles of the Sentient Sword
October 18, 2012
The galaxy as we know it may be coming to an end. The Mekans - a machine intelligence - is plundering the resources of the galaxies various planets. Prophets from the planet Gentra believe the galaxy can be saved. They send 4 trained Guardians from Gentra to 4 different planets to train and guard the Chosen. The Chosen hold the key to defeat the Mekans. Each planet is inhabited by a different species of sentient being ( humans, a reptilian warrior civilization, a race with magical ability, a society based on cloning). As the story unfolds, the time comes to bring the Chosen to Gentra. However, something happens to change the original prophecy ...
Perhaps with terrible consequences.
The author does a good job on developing the the various characters and showing each planet's culture and technological development. The story keeps you interested throughout.
A well written and enjoyable read.
Received this book from goodreads giveaway.
Perhaps with terrible consequences.
The author does a good job on developing the the various characters and showing each planet's culture and technological development. The story keeps you interested throughout.
A well written and enjoyable read.
Received this book from goodreads giveaway.
November 1, 2012
The concept here is definitely intriguing; several worlds each having their own Chosen who must band together to stop a galaxy-destroying horde. Each planet has it's own species and culture, giving the author the ability to create any fantasy world needed to extend the plot. However, this plot device essentially is nothing more than creating a world for the purposes of multiplying what is basically a set group of characters out of a D&D game. There's the warrior, the priest, the wizard, and over it all is the central world inhabited by amorphous beings who reside over the universe like deities. The personalities of each world create basic interactions which have the potential for great stories in themselves, but the complexity of the plot keeps getting swallowed by the simplicity of the dialogue and the inability to expend enough time to create full stories. That there are more books written is in-artfully a guarantee to explore things more but it could have been done better.
April 23, 2011
As a fellow Science Fiction author I really have to tip my hat to Shay. The characterization and multiple planets are just amazing. She was able to build some of the best worlds and believable characters. They showed just how much imagination that Shay has and being able to blend them all together…. all I can say is BRAVO!!! I have to say that this is one of the top reads that I have ever done for a fellow author. The detail was just amazing and easy to follow. The planets and the cultures that occupied each one really flowed. The Chosen really has me wanting more and I look forward to the next novel in her Portals of Destiny series. All I can say is you really need to read this one!!!! She is definitely tops in the Science Fiction world. I wouldn’t be surprised if you see this one on the big screen someday soon!
May 8, 2011
A possible epic adventure in the making, involving characters that are not just humanoid. The guiding characters are actually similar to jellyfish. The trials have already started, and victory is not assured. The character development is proving to be quite interesting, like regular people, some are not willing to give up their own personal desires to sacrifice themselves and save strangers. It will prove interesting to see how the character development continues, if the selfish desires will destroy some and how many will be able to overcome cultural and species prejudices.
This went very quickly, and left me wanting more. It is worth the effort to keep track of the multiple characters.
This went very quickly, and left me wanting more. It is worth the effort to keep track of the multiple characters.
August 20, 2011
The imagery and character descriptions in The Chosen were very well written. I could easily picture the scenery and action described in the book. Shay’s imagination is very vivid and she can paint a wonderful picture.
If you like fiction and fantasy, this is a good book, and a good series for you.
3.5 of 5 stars
If you like fiction and fantasy, this is a good book, and a good series for you.
3.5 of 5 stars
September 23, 2011
At first the various worlds can be confusing but I quickly lost myself in the story and the different groups of people called on as the "Chosen" to save the universe. While not the typical fantasy novel, it blends together the different personalities and lifestyles while keeping them unique among the different people involved.
October 6, 2013
I couldn't get into this book at all. I bought a copy of this book, autographed by the author when she was in town for a book signing because it was recommended to me. I think one of these days I will go back and try re-reading it because I really want to give it a chance.
May 1, 2011
I can't wait for book 2. I had a hard time keeping the planted straight in the first few chapters. But after I figure out who is from where I coul focus on the story and really got into it.
March 15, 2011
You really find yourself caring about these characters, and desperately hoping that the outcome is favorable for all. Very excited for the second in the series already!
September 4, 2012
I highly recommend this book for anyone
FTC: I received a free copy of this book and was not reimbursed in any other way.
FTC: I received a free copy of this book and was not reimbursed in any other way.
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