The Chosen

by Bob Stegner, Greg Opalinski (Illustrator)

Earth had been laid to waste and abandoned over five hundred years in the past by The Chosen, an elite and powerful corporate upper-class. Most of their descendants, over time, had spread out across the galaxy in order to survive, and their original society and culture had been lost and forgotten.

Lost and forgotten everywhere, that is, except on one planet - M-78. On that rich and resource-laden world, The Chosen’s way of life had remained intact ever since leaving Earth, and Harlequin and the Visionaries, through the use of reboot technology, had continued as their leaders. Their philosophy: “The Chosen must survive, and Profit, above all else!”

But The Chosen were not satisfied with one planet. They were determined to spread their influence across the galaxy and had been searching for another Earth-like world to exploit. They eventually discovered Loon, but the humans on that rich and verdant planet were nothing like The Chosen. This set up a galactic conflict that would influence human evolution one way or another for eons and eons to come.

277 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 22, 2015

About the author

Bob Stegner grew up in Colorado and now lives in the Pacific Northwest. He has a master’s degree in education and has been a “ski bum,” a teacher, a published singer/songwriter, and a musician. He has run his own school in Alaska, worked in educational technology, and was employed overseas for several years. Now he’s a published independent author, writes science fiction and fantasy, and travels extensively. All of these experiences have added depth to his life and to the stories that he has to tell.

Reviews

[Kendra · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent read!
First reviewed on Amazon May 26, 2015

I was excited to read the author’s sequel to Rooms, and he did not disappoint me. I was thoroughly impressed by the author’s capacity to not only successfully weave an intricate plot, but to create a variety of complex characters and societies that enriched and promoted that plot. I was kept on the edge of my seat the entire time as I read of the struggle between the Loonites and The Chosen to gain control of the Earth’s newly regained resources, the tiny outposts scattered throughout the galaxy, and the human’s who inhabited them. Which society won the right to change the course of human history? I will never tell. However, I will say that it was worth reading the entire novel to find out.

Update 6/8/25: I recently finished the updated version of this book along with the first book in the series titled “Rooms”. Everything I said in my previous review above still holds. However, I will add that Bob Stegner’s writing has matured to the point where I had an even better sense of the characters and their relationships. The story also flowed effortlessly from one chapter to the next and kept me thoroughly engaged. This is an impressive series that deserves a bigger audience!

[Bob Stegner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review is not from me. It is actually the first review of The Chosen that someone did on Amazon.com. I didn't want to write one of my own, so I put this one in. The rating was 5 stars.

An Excellent Read!
I was excited to read the author’s sequel to Rooms, and he did not disappoint me. I was thoroughly impressed by the author’s capacity to not only successfully weave an intricate plot, but to create a variety of complex characters and societies that enriched and promoted that plot. I was kept on the edge of my seat the entire time as I read of the struggle between the Loonites and The Chosen to gain control of the Earth’s newly regained resources, the tiny outposts scattered throughout the galaxy, and the human’s who inhabited them. Which society won the right to change the course of human history? I will never tell. However, I will say that it was worth reading the entire novel to find out.