The Transformation Bk. 1:
Saban and the Ancient
by Dante Amodeo

    SABAN AND THE ANCIENT by Dante Amodeo
    Category:  Mystery/Thriller
    Age Recommendation:  Grades 6+
    Release Date:  10/1/06
    Publisher:  High-Pitched Hum Publishing
    Reviewed by:  Jaglvr
    Rating:  5 Stars


    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!