Young Gamma has questions in The Chosen Twelve. Like, if he and his friends are only twelve years old, then how come the markings on his wall – one of which he makes every day – add up to much more than twelve years? Luckily, Gamma has found out that God is in a coffee maker. Unluckily, the door to the coffee maker wants to kill him.
In fact, almost all of the machines in the rundown moonbase where he and the last 22 humans in existence live want to kill them. Even the ration machine (which only gives out slightly cherry-flavoured cubes) has favourites.
However, all that is about to change when the head robot, SCASL (The Supreme Commander of All Sentient Life) decides that it’s time for the humans to colonise the only habitable planet in the solar system, Dion, so they can start digging for metal so more robots can be made. The problem: there are only twelve seats in the one shuttle that can get them there.
Thus ensues a hilarious, daring, heartfelt tale of the continuation of humanity. It’s basically the story of being picked for the team and not wanting to be the last one. Because being the last one means you’re dead.
The Chosen Twelve grabs you from its first line ‘God lived in the coffee maker on deck four’ and keeps you there no matter what crazy path the story turns down. And crazy it is. From simulations the kids take on how they will colonize Dion (including a rather strange plan that involves elephant diarrhoea), to the games they play (like the ‘Not The Not The Death Race’, which of course is very different to the now-banned ‘Not The Death Race’), to supreme robots choosing who will live based on their haircut, The Chosen Twelve is certainly a ride like no other.
This is the first fiction story from author James Breakwell, whose other works are about navigating parenthood (he’s the father of four girls aged eleven and under) and that experience is clear here. Wrangling the voice of 22 twelve-year-olds who are actually 62, is no mean feat. But then making each of them individually complex, quirky and unique is something else altogether.
Add in moments that will genuinely make you laugh out loud and then swipe the carpet from underneath you as you realise the bigger questions Breakwell is asking (like is existing the same as living? Does the human race even deserve to survive?) and The Chosen Twelve is a ride you’ll want to join. This is a must-read and we hope to spend more time with Breakwell and these crazy kids (minus the elephant diarrhoea of course).
The Chosen Twelve is out now from Rebellion. Order your copy here. Read our Author Guest Blog from James Breakwell here.