Book Reviews
THE CHOSEN – RISE OF THE DARKNESS BY C. A. MILSON:
Set in Australia, The Chosen – Rise of the Darkness is a story that can be told anywhere, in any country, on any planet, but it is a story that we are all familiar with; one of the war between good and evil, in a battle of power, might and magic, and the inevitable question of who will triumph? In the small town of Winmont, the Ancient Legion has been awoken and will stop at nothing in its effort to destroy everything. But in the balance of life and the world, there must be a good to fight the evil. Alex Manning is The One – though he of course doesn’t know this at first – but in a world where the supernatural is an everyday existence that, if not respected, can take you life within a breath, he is the only one to stop this evil. In this world knowledge is power: knowledge of the ways of the paranormal and how to fight them. The question is whether the young Alex Manning will be up to the task of stopping the Dark Forces?
Milson’s style is a little unusual with head jumping and throwing the reader full into the story, providing little history or back story, but this kind of works for the story being told. And while terms like “Dark Ones,” “The One,” and “The Elders” are cliché for a horror novel, Milson nevertheless has his own story to tell set in a world that is terrifying and threatening, where you just want to make sure you stay on the side of good, as those who are evil and twisted are beings you don’t ever want to meet.
FMAM Review
THE FMAM MOSTLY MYSTERY REVIEW is the place to come to find out what to read next.
Review by Cynthia Lea Clark, Psy.D., MHt
Alex’s anxiety kept him from enjoying the seminar. But was it just anxiety or the three visions? By the third vision (which were all the same), Alex knew something was brewing, something terrible, something evil. The seminar, conducted by three gentlemen discussed entities and violence. When Alex looked at the one he felt most looked Native American, he grew icy cold. It unnerved him. Alex began to feel a presence stronger and stronger, yet as he scanned the crowd, no one else seemed to feel or sense it.
Drake one of the lecturers had told the attendees of the evil doings of Jamiesonn and his brush with the entity. But Alex saw it in a vision. He also saw the entity in the bar after the seminar. Why did it let Drake live? Why was it haunting Alex? What did it want? D
Drake gave Alex the report on Jamiesonn which led to more questions. Who is the One, Jamiesonn refers to?
Then in the city of Winmont the ritualistic killings begin. THE CHOSEN is a book about good and evil and friendships and betrayals. It is a supernatural jaunt through trust, learning, and growth. But things are not as they seem…to finad out why, read THE CHOSEN. CA Milson has crafted a story that bridges both the mysterious and the horror in a supernatural thriller.
On a scale of 1 to 5, I give it a 4.8.
The New Author - Book Review
The Chosen – A Review by The New Author
C.A. Milson
Before I begin let me just say that I found it difficult to put this book down until I saw the words “The End.”
Although marketed as a horror novel I feel that The Chosen hugs the line between horror and fantasy. Don’t get me wrong, there are horrific scenes of pain and torture but the overall feel of the novel is that of a quest or journey rather then fear.
The main character, Alex Manning, is a character that can be related to as he suffers through the tragedies of life. Unlike the rest of mankind Alex has a destiny to fulfill. With few allies and enemies at every turn it is left too Alex to save not only the world but also himself.
This is a fast paced novel with few sections to catch your breathe. C.A. has crafted the foundation of a really good story here. This story grabs hold of you and takes you for a ride. The enemies are evil through and through while the good guys are at times questionable. What is not questionable is the battle between good and evil.
The story is solid and I look forward to reading the second novel in this trilogy. I will say that there were grammatical errors and a few missing words throughout the novel; however, in my opinion, this does not take away from the story itself. Being a new author C.A. demonstrates that he has what it takes to craft even better stories in the future.
In closing, if you wish to read a book from a new author that will take you on an enjoyable ride I recommend – The Chosen.
Brian – The New Author
Bitten By Books - Review
Review by Cassie. 5 Tombstone Rating
Alex Manning is “The One”, well actually Alex Manning is a nice guy, with anxiety attacks who has visions. He dosent know he is “The One” until he gets wrapped up in the investigation of the Jamiesonn house. Then he is drawn neck deep into betrayal, battling demons, freaky scary ghosts, and falling in love again tossed in for good measure.
The Chosen is a well written, extremely enjoyable horror novel by C.A. Milson. The character development and story flow are well thought out and full of great details. As you read you can easily visualize the events that are taking place. This is one of those books that you can read over and over again and still get something new out of it each time. In fact I have read it twice already and caught some great parts I had forgotten about the first time.
Writing.com Reviews
Reviews and comments by readers on Writing.com
#1. Review Of “The Chosen”
Review By: Inne (1)
Date and Time: 11-11-08 @ 9:23pm
Reviewer’s Rating: (4.5)
Review Follows:
Wow! This is really great! There were only a few grammatical things like apostrophes and at one point two words were stuck together, but other than that this is a really well written piece!
#2. Review Of “The Chosen”
Review By: Anonymous Reviewer
Date and Time: 10-24-08 @ 10:16pm
Reviewer’s Rating: (3.0)
Review Follows:
Nice, dramatic story. Some random notes:
I liked the way you avoided repetition with: He carefully observed and He turned his attention, although the last word appeared twice more in the paragraph.
Unclear sentance:
He carefully observed the other people as they came in then turned his gaze to others in this room.
Typo:
inthe
#3. Review Of “The Chosen”
Review By: Pammi (3)
Date and Time: 10-16-08 @ 10:19am
Reviewer’s Rating: (5.0)
Review Follows:
This is a great start to what I feel will be a very good story. You have built the main character well, and the plot is engaging. I’m now left wondering who is the indian? what is the meaning behind his dreams. I feel that this is a clever way to leave the reader wanting more. Well done.
Keep writing
Pammi
#4. Review Of “The Chosen”
Review By: Mr. Brightsyde (1)
Date and Time: 10-07-08 @ 8:49am
Reviewer’s Rating: (4.0)
Review Follows:
This was very intriguing. I genuinely felt for Alex and his paranoid dilema. But, there seemed to be a rushed pace throughout this whole thing. If it was slowed down a notch it might allow the reader to catch up, visualize the place and setting more. But, that is just a suggestion. This was very enjoyable.
http://www.writing.com/main/my_feedback.php?action=reviews&sr=r&item_id=1481996
The Chosen: Rise of the Darkness.
C.A. Milson.
Australia: May 2009 304 pp.
Review by Amanda E. Clark, Editor-in-Chief, Grammar Chic, Inc.
Author C.A. Milson explores the line between good and evil in the new, thrilling page turner, The Chosen: Rise of the Darkness and introduces the reader into a terrifying world that will have you guessing until the very end. In his latest piece of work, Milson tells the story of Alex Manning, a man who finds himself entertaining a strange fascination with a powerful demon by the name of Jamiesonn and the town that will fall victim to the peril of this devil if someone doesn’t intervene. What Alex doesn’t know is that his draw to investigate this evil source of power is because he is being called by his destiny to stop the takeover of the world by warring factions of the underworld.
The story begins by introducing us to Alex as he is on his way to a supernatural society meeting where he is instantly intrigued by the story of the evil demon Jamiesonn. Approaching researcher Drake Winters, he asks to be involved in banishing the demon from the Earth. What Alex doesn’t understand is his involvement a siren song to his destiny as opposed to following a personal death wish. Alex learns of “The One,” a man foretold by the ancients who will walk the Earth and banish evil forces into hell to protect mankind. Unfortunately, the war that is brewing does not only involve Jamiesonn, but other evil beings that are locked into a power play against each other and against humanity. What Alex must decide is how to get rid of these competing beacons of evil before they find a way to get rid of him.This is a wickedly entertaining read that starts with action from the first page and leaves you breathless until the very end. The fate of the future of humanity lies in Alex’s hands and Milson does an incredible job of developing characters and setting the stage. The book transitions from back and forth between various storylines, but does so in such a smooth manner that the reader is curious about all the angles of all the characters, regardless of good or evil.
Readers who enjoy Stephen King and Dean Koontz will appreciate the voice that Milson invokes in his tale. A delicious combination of fantasy and horror, The Chosen: Rise of the Darkness is at times full of blood and gore but also has the attributes of the spiritual and ultimately epic quest of a hero who is destined to become who he is meant to be. The classic struggle of the main character evokes the spirit of Tolkien and Katherine Kurtz as Alex Manning pursues his quest to become The One and save humanity from its destruction at the hands of villainous forces. Milson is an excellent study in not giving his main character an easy out or an abundance of accessible choices at his fingertips. The reader constantly wonders if inevitably Alex is going to be forced to make a deal with one of the forces of darkness that would be the lesser of two evils. On top of dealing with forces bigger than Heaven and Hell, Alex has to deal with treachery amongst his own. The book has the reader constantly looking over their shoulder, not sure who to trust.
The Chosen: Rise of the Darkness is a thrill ride from start to finish. Author C.A. Milson is a colorful writer with much imagination. Milson has done a great job of creating himself as a certifiable expert in the horror and fantasy genre. He speaks with the same tantalizing words that authors like King and Michael McDowell utilize, leaving a reader sitting on the edge of their seat or hiding under their covers. Milson is a fabulous example of what horror writing should be through his creative use of light versus dark, good versus evil and in the end will leave you guessing who is going to win. While some scenes are violent and bloody, there is balance through character development and the use of flashback in each of the individual stories to give the characters identity and personality.
The Chosen: Rise of the Darkness is the third book out in print by C.A. Milson. He is the author of other books in The Chosen series as well as the author of 26 short stories. Milson is fan of H.P. Lovecraft and found himself a home in the horror genre as a writer in 1989. Milson was born in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia and has resided in the United States and New Zealand. He currently calls Russia his home as he creates and prepares his next novel.
Amanda Clark (Grammar Chic)
The Bookstacks Mini Book Review of The Chosen
For a beginning that involves abuse, prostitution, sex, and satanism, The Chosen excerpt wasn’t a bad read. Milson starts off by lulling the reader a bit into a former memory, thus - in my mind - rendering the horrors that occur more ‘digestible’ for the reader. This was a good move on his part, as it helped me be able to keep reading and to not be put off by the events that occur.
However, it does look like The Chosen needs a picky editor. Various typos - admittedly few and far between - pop up and could be taken care of with some good story polishing.
Even so, having read this first bit, I am interested enough to read on further.
Bookstacks
Amberkatze’s Book Review
Review on Amberkatze’s Book Blog:
From the time that the Darkness ruled the ages, The Ancient Ones prophesied of a time when the last descendant of The Gods would arise. Now, in the town of Winmont, the Ancient Legion has awoken to finish what was started many millennia ago. Now, the fate of humanity is in the hands of One, but can he overcome the forces that dare to challenge the bloodline of the Gods?
Alex Manning is on the way to a Society meeting but all he can think about is the weird visions and nightmares he has been having. When he arrives at the meeting he can’t shake the feeling that he should leave, that something weird is about to happen. When he hears about the Jamiesonn investigation he realises that he needs to know more about it and that it maybe the answer to his visions.
Before he knows that he is ‘The One’, Alex is already in too deep. In battle with demons, betrayed by fellow society members and maybe even falling in love again makes for a mass of feelings and exhaustion. Will Alex come through it all in one piece? Or will evil win this time?
Seventy percent horror and thirty percent paranormal The Chosen will appeal to Stephan King fans who love a little bit more supernatural. Well written this novel is very dark, deep and even disgusting at times but full of details to keep the storyline on track and worth reading.
If you like your books full of evil, heavy with horror and a powerful plot then this is definitely worth your time. A little to hard for my personal tastes but I still enjoyed the book for what it is.
Review by Jacquie ~ Calliope’s Coffee House
Visions, illusions, supernatural visitations, demons, angels… if that is what you want to read about, then this debut novel by C. A. Milson is packed to the page edges with them.
Alex Manning is seeing things, particularly malevolent things; the human race is under threat from demons who will enslave us all. There is something special about Alex and unfortunately the evil entities know it and decide to take steps. “The Chosen” is the story of his search for a way to fight for mankind’s deliverance from evil, and to keep from getting killed in the process.
The book is classed as supernatural/horror and it lives up to its genre. Initially I thought “I’ve been here before”, it was familiar and gave me that feeling of “I know what’s going to happen next”.
In my opinion the plot has elements of “The Second Coming” and “The Book of Revelations”. That and the author’s style put me in mind of some early Graham Masterton and Guy N. Smith novels. There is blood, possession, demons, sex, and of course there is also the one who must put his life and soul on the line.
A couple of chapters in though and the familiarity receded. The story took on a life of its own, and carried me right along with it. I was as unsure as Alex whether the visions were visitations or illusions or precognition. I was kept on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen next and if anyone was going to come out of this unscathed.
I really did enjoy this story. The only downside I have is that it was too short. Please, next one, make it a bit longer!
Princess Neve Reviews
Here is my preview.
The Chosen by C.A.MILSON
Preview:
From the first page of the book; it took my breath away and I am totally hooked. Starting from Alex’s vision; the action is so straight to the point and hit’s the imagination. Not boring prolog that we never understands even if we read the whole book but a beginning to pull you inside the book.
The Chosen is a thrill ride from the first drop of ink.
Now how to turn a nervous person dealing with his own issues into a Hero?
This is what I am going to now after finishing the whole book.
Thanks to C.A.Milson for letting me reviewing his novel.
Princess Neve Reviews
INTERVIEWS
C. A. Milson has been a guest on several websites. The archive for his Interviews can be found here.
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