Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Book -- Smart and Funny, February 20, 2007
I was pleasantly surprised that such an action packed book also explored the relationships between friends and more-than-friends (and wasn't too sappy). The characters were also very likeable. The dialogue sounded the way young adults actually talk, which a lot of writers screw up, and a lot of it was really funny. I also liked that it wasn't full of sex and profanity. Anybody that likes sci-fi, and especially sci-fi for young people, would like this book. It was really good, and I will definitely read the next one in the series!
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A terrifically fun read, April 2, 2008
I was more than a bit surprised at the quality of the dialogue and the backstory that the author is creating. As an earlier reviewer mentioned, the characters are eminently likeable and engaging. I could't agree more. There is action aplenty, but not at the expense of plot and character development. It reads a bit like a cross between a graphic novel (for the thematic elements) and an espionage novella. The characters' motivations and personalities are consistent, given the setting. The snarky, Whedon-esk dialogue is damned funny at times, without seeming forced. That is not easy to achieve. Bravo, Dante. I am anxious to read many future installments in the series, and getting to know Saban, Margo, John and the rest as the ride continues.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Courtesy of Teens Read Too, August 2, 2008
SABAN AND THE ANCIENT is the first story in THE TRANSFORMATION series by Dante Amodeo.
Saban Smith is a quiet, bit geeky freshman at a small college. He's become sort of friends with Margo Weissmann, an athletic and outgoing sophomore. The two of them are in a study group together with a third pal, Mikey.
The story starts off after their philosophy midterm. They were on their way across campus to go to a party when Saban notices people in blue dropping from the sky with parachutes. This isn't supposed to be happening like this. Saban and Margo sense something is wrong and begin a mad dash across the campus. Their friend Mikey gets shot, and the two try to scramble to his aid in the trees. Mikey is shot, but it's not a bullet, more of a non-lethal pellet of some sort. There, Margo and Saban encounter a different group of people, these in camouflage.
They escape, but Margo is pulled into a net of intrigue that she never suspected. Saban greets the group in blue. Much to Margo's surprise, it seems that Saban is actually the leader of this mysterious group. She's pulled along with the momentum, and the group searches for a mysterious crystal that is buried somewhere on campus.
After the eventful night, Margo wakes up in her bed; her previously filthy clothes seem to have miraculously washed themselves. Everything feels like a dream to her, except for the wad of tobacco that is left in her ear. She recalls being spit upon by one of the camouflage team.
As Saban and his team try to plan their next steps in their mission, Margo is slowly going insane. She can't remember anything prior to her starting school at the beginning of the term. She has worked out how Saban's team completed their tasks, and terms of espionage roll easily off her tongue. But she can't come up with members of her family, or where she is from.
SABAN AND THE ANCIENT is a fast-paced spy thriller that should please everyone. Not normally a fan of this genre, I was able to easily follow the action and story line, keeping track of who was who and which agency was doing what. The ANCIENT is a secret organization that every spy network in the world is trying to discover. Saban Smith is only one small part of the organization, and the members are all on a need-to-know basis. The leader of the organization, John Smith, seems to have a secret agenda that even Saban is not able to figure out. There is so much more going on with the story, but I leave it a mystery for other readers to discover.
After clarifying with the author, a sequel is in the works, with the hopes of it being a five-part series. So Saban and the Alpha crew are expected to be back for more. I know I will be waiting!
Reviewed by: Jaglvr
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