Chosen One: A novel of passion and destiny

A child is born to working-class parents in the depressed heartland of New York. From his earliest days, Louis Redmond proves to be a prodigy: brilliant, powerful, and driven to achieve as no other man can. Louis grows to manhood strong in body, mind and conscience. He faces down challenges no other can meet. In overcoming them, he transforms the world -- and the people -- around him without even noticing. Tragedy dogs his steps. Mischances deprive him of family and friends. He hardly has time to recover from one hammerblow before the Fates lash him with another. His parish pastor, the only source of advice and comfort Louis never loses, monitors his maturation with fascination and fear. Louis is not only a wunderkind of the intellect. He is also a trailblazer of the spirit and a natural leader of men. Armies would follow him into the mouth of Hell. With such power comes great danger. But Louis is watched over by one who knows all the ways of Man: Malcolm Loughlin, immortal grandmaster of all things martial. Loughlin has trained the great warriors of the world for two millennia. His wisdom, sufficient to elevate the young champion to the throne of the world, is available to Louis...for a price. It is a price even a Titan would struggle to meet.