Few Are Chosen: A Humorous Dystopian Sci Fi Fantasy Novel

M T McGuire

Mar 2020 · K'Barthan Series, a humorous sci fi fantasy adventure set in K'Barth Book 1 · Hamgee University Press · Narrated by Gareth Davies

About this audiobook

Fans of comedy science fiction and fantasy should enjoy the dry sarcastic humour (or humor) of thisseries. Quirky, satirical urban sci fi adventure with newly invented alien species, and cool technology, in a dystopian parallel world.

When the finger of fate points ... duck!

Meet The Pan of Hamgee: coward, unwilling adventurer and, by some miracle, K’Barth’s longest surviving outlaw. He just wants a quiet life so working as getaway driver is probably a bad career move. Then he falls in love at first sight with a woman he hasn't even met who comes from an alternative reality. That’s when things really begin to get complicated.

Meet Ruth Cochrane: she’s the Chosen One, destined to play a pivotal role in saving K’Barth from a cruel dictator. She’s never heard of K’Barth, though. She’s a public relations executive from London and she’s totally unaware of the chaos about to hit her life.

Meet Lord Vernon: power hungry psychopath on the brink of world domination. He wants to cement his hold on K'Barth by kidnapping the Chosen One and forcing her to marry him. Only one person is standing in his way: someone who doesn’t even realise it, The Pan of Hamgee. For The Pan, and Ruth, that’s a deadly problem.

Written in British English with some light swearing. There is dark stuff in here but any readers who have read all the Harry Potter books without any worries should be OK with this series. Suggested cinema rating, PG: first novel in a complete science fiction/fantasy series of 4 books.

Runner up in 2011 Wishing Shelf Awards

Awarded Awesome Indies Seal of Approval

Awarded IndiePENdents seal of approval.

Few Are Chosen is the first book in the K'Barthan Series. It's set in a parallel world, in a contemporary urban dystopia with newly invented alien species and lots of dry, British humor (or humour). This book ends in a cliff hanger and for full enjoyment readers are strongly advised to read the series in order, continuing the story with The Wrong Stuff, K'Barthan Series: Part 2 (green cover) after reading this one.

A word with the author

Q - Why did you write the K'Barthan Series? Why is it special?

A - There's a saying: if the book you want doesn't exist you have to write it.I love funny British authors, comedic sci fi, epic fantasy, adventure, action, humour - or humor. Misfit characters are great, the weirder the better. I like genre mashups: StarWars, alien races, flying cars, car chases, static powered laser guns. Dr Who meets James Bond ... sort of. K'Barth is kind of first contact, only not. There are many quirky characters from 6ft Swamp Things with antennae, to cute furry Blurpons with fluffy ears, big button eyes and a penchant for extreme violence. But the eternal questions they face mirror ours.

Other books in this series: The Wrong Stuff, K'Barthan Series: Part 2, One Man: No Plan, K'Barthan Series: Part 3, Looking For Trouble, K'Barthan Series: Part 4

Keep up to date with new releasese from M T McGuire and grab a free book at the same time. If you join the M T McGuire readers group you'll get a 90min prequel to all things K'Barthan for nothing. Interested? Go here: https://hamgee.co.uk/freebook/

Fans of these other sci fi and fantasy authors may also enjoy the K'Barthan series:

Dennis E Taylor Bobiverse books, Barry J Hutchison, Space Team, Matt Dinniman's Dungeoncrawler Carl.

Ratings and reviews

This is the first book in MT McGuire's K'Barthan series, described as 'comedic sci fi fantasy', and compared by many reviewers to the writing of Douglas Adams and Sir Terry Pratchett. That's a lot to live up to, but from the very funny description of a slow-motion disaster at the start, through various adventures and intrigues, to some highly skilful scenes of personal peril that made me laugh and wince at the same time, this book delivered. Our protagonist is the Pan of Hamgee - coward, survivor, and soon-to-be getaway driver for a gang of bank robbers. He's the perfect choice: a skilled driver, a coward whose caution has allowed him to evade capture by the authorities for years, and someone who owes a debt to Big Merv, the gang's notorious leader. But there's more going on in the city of Ning Dang Po than the Pan realises, and he's soon drawn into a much larger game of political intrigue, resistance, and survival. The humour threaded through every scene allows the author to explore the threat of living in a dictatorship, and the courage of the resistance movements, without appearing heavy-handed or preachy, and this makes for a highly engaging story. I loved the settings in this book. From the Parrot and Screwdriver pub with its formidable Landladies, to the genuinely terrifying headquarters of Lord Vernon's secret police, the city of Ning Dang Po feels like a character in the story. Every brick and pavement and riverbank feels real - grimy, solid, and full of potential hiding places for enemies of the protagonist. I loved every description and every close encounter with its architecture and thoroughfares. I listened to the audiobook edition of 'Few Are Chosen', and I have to mention the fantastic narration. Gareth Davies does an absolutely brilliant job of bringing the story to life. His delivery is perfect for the comedic but perilous plot, and his voices for the characters are superb. I used the audiobook as a bribe to get myself to exercise, and I can safely say that this is the first book ever to make me laugh out loud (many times) while speed-walking on a treadmill. Highly recommended.