Roberts Essex's debut novel "Chance: Beginning" has reached the Best Sellers eBook List on Amazon, signaling strong early interest in a story that traces one man's journey through the civil rights movement, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, and Watergate against the backdrop of mid-century Georgia. Published in 2025, the book is the first volume of a planned trilogy, with subsequent installments titled "Chance: The Search" and "Chance: A New Life."
The novel follows Chance Brogdon, a boy born in rural Georgia and raised in the Savannah suburbs, across several of the most turbulent decades in American history. The narrative spans the era from Presidents Kennedy to Carter, from the Mercury 7 space program through the introduction of the space shuttle, and from the Cuban Missile Crisis through the escalation of the Cold War. Essex, who writes under a pseudonym and is based in rural Georgia, said the story was written for anyone who fears that the past defines the future. "I wanted to show that healing is real and that no one is bound by their wounds," he said.
"Chance: Beginning" draws on the textures of mid-century Southern life, from drive-in diners and jukeboxes to the cultural shifts brought by rock 'n' roll and the British Invasion. It also confronts more difficult subjects, including grief, trauma, addiction, racism, and violence, balanced by humor and the Southern storytelling tradition. Essex has described the book as semi-autobiographical, with the character of Chance Brogdon based on his own life. "Writing Chance became a way of confronting long-hidden ghosts," Essex said. "I hope the book inspires others through the trials and tribulations of one man's life, showing that anything is possible with enough optimism and belief."
The novel's Amazon ranking underscores its commercial appeal, but the book's deeper significance lies in its exploration of personal and historical trauma. As the first of three volumes, "Chance: Beginning" sets up a larger narrative arc that Essex has said will address his son's abduction and the aftermath that followed, themes to be explored in "Chance: The Search" and "Chance: A New Life." The trilogy promises to cover over six decades of events and decisions that shaped his life and the lives of those around him, exploring faith, family, loss, and redemption in the American South.
The book is available through major retailers, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, and Walmart. Essex, now in his late 60s, has spent over six decades in rural Georgia and lives with his wife of more than 30 years. For review copies or additional information, contact the author through his website.
