New Series – June 14

This is said to have a sci-fi backdrop but looks like pure urban fantasy about a young girl, Chloe King who dies only to discover that she lives again. Guess that’s were the nine lives comes in.  She is the protector of an ancient race hunted by human assassins for millennia. Corny? maybe, but the trailer looked like good fun. Chloe is played by Skylar Samuels (The Gates). It is based on the book series The Nine Lives of Chloe King by Liz Braswell.

A smart, pretty, slightly offbeat teen girl who lives alone with her single-mother suddenly discovers her destiny is far greater than she could have ever imagined, in “The Nine Lives of Chloe King,” premiering Tuesday, June 14 at 9:00PM ET/PT on ABC Family. The new one-hour scripted action drama follows Chloe King, who is looking forward to celebrating her 16th birthday with her friends and single mother — just like every other year – that is until she starts developing heightened abilities and discovers she’s being pursued by a mysterious figure. Chloe soon learns she’s part of an ancient race called the Mai, which has been hunted by human assassins for millennia — and that she may ultimately be their only hope for survival.

Struggling to understand what fate now has in store for her, Chloe begins to uncover more about her newfound abilities. Overwhelmed by all she is learning, she wonders how she’ll be able to reconcile being a normal girl with an extraordinary destiny. With her childhood best friends, Amy and Paul, by her side to support her (despite being shocked to learn of her supernatural powers), Chloe must also figure out how – or if – she should tell her mom, Meredith, with whom she shares a very strong bond.

And as with any teenage girl, Chloe develops a crush on a new boy, Brian, whose charming and unpretentious nature contradicts the wealthy lifestyle in which he grew up. As she explores her relationship with Brian, Chloe learns that, when it comes to guys, things are much more complicated than they appear.

To help Chloe understand the history of the Mai, two of her fellow students, Alek and Jasmine, reveal to her that they, too, are descendants of the ancient race. She also learns quickly that the two just may be her best protectors – and Alek may prove to be something more altogether.

The story of the Mai is the background mythology for the ABC Family series. The supposed offspring of the Egyptian goddess Bastet, the Mai are considered to be both gods and humans. From the very beginning, the Mai have had a symbiotic relationship with humans and have been frequently referred to as their protectors.

The Nine Lives of Chloe King will be executive produced by Dan Berendsen (Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Hannah Montana: The Movie) and John Ziffren (Melissa & Joey, Make It or Break It) with Alloy Entertainment’s Leslie Morgenstein (Pretty Little Liars, Gossip Girl, The Vampire Diaries) and Gina Girolamo.

The drama is based on the book series The Nine Lives of Chloe King by Liz Braswell.

The series will star Skyler Samuels (The Gates) as Chloe King; Amy Pietz (The Office, Caroline in the City) as Meredith King; Grey Damon (True Blood, Friday Night Lights) as Brian; newcomer Grace Phipps as Amy; Benjamin Stone (10 Things I Hate About You) as Alek; Alyssa Diaz (Southland) as Jasmine; and Ki Hong Lee (The Secret Life as the American Teenager) as Paul.

The Books

The series are built on a series of young adult books with the same name written by Liz Braswell under the pen name Celia Thomson’s and published by Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing. There is also an upcoming omnibus of all three volumes out in June.

The Fallen

(The Nine Lives of Chloe King book 1) by Liz Braswell (Simon & Schuster 2010, 1st 2004)
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Chloe King was a normal sixteen-year-old girl.

She did her homework and got good grades, but she wasn’t afraid to ditch class sometimes to hang out with her best friends. She slept at home, but otherwise avoided all human contact with her mom. The usual stuff. Then she fell from San Francisco’s highest tower, and her life changed. For starters, she died. And then, she woke up. Now Chloe’s life is anything but normal: Suddenly guys are prowling around her, she’s growing claws, and someone’s trying to kill her. Luckily for Chloe, she still has eight lives to go.

The Stolen

(The Nine Lives of Chloe King book 2) by Celia Thomson (Simon & Schuster 2010, 1st 2004)
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She argues with her mother. She occasionally skips class. And she alternately crushes on two totally different boys. But Chloe King is by no means your typical teenager. The girl can scale buildings and see in the dark. Sometimes, at night, she even likes to leap from rooftop to rooftop. Yes, Chloe has the instincts and ability of a cat. And that makes her unique indeed. It also makes her a wanted woman. Because the Order of the Tenth Blade does not deal kindly with people like Chloe. It stalks them. Preys upon them. And wants many of them — like Chloe, for instance — dead.

The Chosen

(The Nine Lives of Chloe King book 3) by Celia Thomson (Simon & Schuster 2010, 1st 2005)
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CHLOE KING MAY BE THE ONE.

Despite a rocky few weeks, Chloe King is starting to get it. She’s figured out who she is (a girl with catlike superpowers), where she belongs (at home with Mom), and what she wants to do (chill with her friends). Yes, she’s got funky superpowers, and yes, two rival groups think she’s some “chosen” leader. But no, she’s not buying all that ancient-warrior crap. And she’s definitely not developing a superhero alter ego like in those old comic books. For Chloe, being the One means she can have whatever she wants — i.e., more goof-off time and fewer “cat people” conventions. Then she finds her friend bleeding in an alley. All at once Chloe realizes that the years of bloodshed are not over. In fact, they never will be. The Mai and the Tenth Blade are going to persist in their dangerous rivalry. Unless Chloe accepts her destiny — and takes control.