Kindle Edition Download to your Nook (eBook) Amazon Barnes & Noble.com SynergEbooks SynergEbooks Alan J. Garner Category:  Fantasy Publisher: SynergEbooks ISBN-10:  0744312736 Type: Fiction Pages: 286 Copyright: Jan 2007 Two dinosaurs must choose between them who will resurrect an alien saviour's vanished race before a doomsday meteors crashes on Planet Earth. The Chosen One is set in prehistoric North America, 65 million years ago. Dinosaurs still rule the Earth, but time is fast running out for them. Four light years away in a nearby star system, a massive explosion sends an asteroid on a direct collision course with Earth. The asteroid is big enough to cause an ecological catastrophe, but could it really wipe out the dinosaurs? As it approaches the Earth, a humanoid alien appears on the scene and offers one of the reptiles - the 'chosen one' - an opportunity to escape the potential annihilation of her kind.       Excerpt 'What in Mother Forest are you?' Bronte breathed aloud. She had the queerest sensation of deja vu. 'Don't be getting friendly out there with another female, sweetie,' Vai quipped. 'Jealously is so unbecoming for you,' retorted the alienaut. 'Keep tracking that predator. I want to be certain that we scared it off.' 'Continuing scan.' 'You're not a Killjaw then?' asked Bronte. 'No, I'm just henpecked. Greetings, my name is Gideon.' He shuffled to a stop directly before the Thunderfoot titan and gazed up. 'My, you're a lot bigger on the ground than from the air,' the new arrival exclaimed. Bronte regarded the one-eyed intruder closely. He was dreadfully small by dinosaur standards, standing a little over five feet tall. His ivory skin was unmarked and crinkled as he moved. He walked peculiarly with a rolling giat dictated by his bow-legged stance. 'He must be one of those weird southern reptiles, Bron,' Chappy decided after finding his voice, 'for I've not seen the likes of him anywhere on the migration north.' Gideon overheard the assumption. 'My territory lays somewhat farther afield than that, my Duckbill friend.'

Sci-fi novel thoroughly enjoyable - Iain Duffy, The Northern Advocate (NZ), 12/10/05
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel set in a world 65 million years ago when dinosaurs still ruled the earth. It is a story of fantasy, science fiction and evolution.
The Chosen One is a Thunderfoot (alamosaurus), a gigantic lizard of some tonnes whose name is Bronte.
She is selected by Gideon, the last surviving human of a race that died out when their planet lost its sun.
Gideon's job is to ensure that humanity survives the catastrophe when an asteroid hits earth in the very near future.
His intention is to manipulate Bronte's genes and turn her into a small animal which will survive and eventually evolve into a human being.
Before the arrival of the asteroid there is an entertaining story of Bronte and other Thunderfoot creatures fighting the dreadful Killjaws (albertosaurus).
They have the help of a few friends - other species. Oh, by the way, they can all talk, which makes the story a lot easier to understand.
Fantasy, science fiction and evolution are mixed up very well by the author into a very readable alternative view of the annihilation of the dinosaurs and the eventual creation, through evolution of the human being.
The Chosen One is good fun and well written.

Dinosaur gets help from far-off galaxy - Dave Pope, HB Weekend (NZ), 5/8/06
Local author Alan Garner has a wicked sense of humour. This story is set in prehistoric North America and dinosaurs still rule the world. In a far-off galaxy humans are coming to the end of their existence. These two worlds are linked by a collision. The result is a large rogue rock being pushed into a new orbit, a planet-killer. On earth, the dinosaurs can talk to each other. There are good ones and bad ones.
A child is born (Bronte) to the Thunderfoot, one with a birth mark. It becomes evident that this child will be the new matriarch for the clan, but must first endure a long trek to better feeding grounds. When they get there they encounter the killjaw king (Rexus) who wants to rule the known world. An alien (Gideon) intervenes and saves Bronte. Gideon's motives become evident only at the end.
Garner's skillful blend of fact and fiction will hold your attention. The interaction between reptiles is the story's strength.

The Chosen One...is traumatic, dramatic, and enjoyable to read - Crystal Adkins, www.bookreviewsbycrystal.blogspot.com 8/11/08
The Chosen One by Alan J. Garner is traumatic, dramatic, and enjoyable to read. The story starts out in tragedy and continues that path, although there are a good mix of adventure, and excitement thrown in for good measure.

Bronte, the future matriarch of the Thunderfoot herd was born with a disfigurement. Some called her ugly, while others saw what was inside and truly accepted her, flaws and all. Her grandmother seemed to be the hardest on her since her mother died while she was a little more than a hatchling. Bronte was forbidden to see her friend, had an arranged mating, and then the weight of her future was also added to her shoulders. Will she ever live up to her strict grandmother's wishes?

As I said there was a lot of adventure in The Chosen One, and I loved that the dinosaurs had a voice. In my opinion, this is the perfrect novel for young adults to enjoy; it is very clearly worded, the very detailed science fiction pulls you into this fantasy world dated sixty five million years into the Earth's past. It was alos readable. In the beginning Mr. Garner tells you that the dino's names have been changed so that they are more pronounceable, but he also includes a glossary with the correct terminology. I have only good things to say about his novel. I would have loved to have it in print instead of an eBook, so I hope that is a possibility in the future. 4 hearts.