The Chosen introduces the first book in the Contender trilogy, an epic young adult fantasy from Taran Matharu, author of the New York Times-bestselling Summoner series. Throughout history, people have vanished with no explanation. A group of teenagers are about to discover why. Cade is settling into a new boarding school, contemplating his future, when he finds himself transported to another … finds himself transported to another realm. He soon discovers their new world is populated with lost remnants from the past: prehistoric creatures, ancient relics, and stranger still–people. Overwhelmed by his new surroundings, Cade has little time to adjust, for soon he and his fellow classmates are forced to become contenders in a brutal game, controlled by mysterious overlords.
But who are these beings and why did they choose these teens? Cade must prepare for battle . . . because hiding is not an option. Fans of fantasy and LitRPG will welcome this new character and world from the author of the Summoner series.
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u r all poop breaths XD
Wonderful
I am not the intended target audience for this book, but I thought it might be something my son would like. It was a slow start for me. Once the pace picked up, I didn’t want to put it down. There was quite a bit of action. While some questions were answered, some were not. I’m not sure how I feel about the ending. I am intrigued enough to read the second book.
I really like the Codex
Disclaimer: This review MAY contain spoilers. I received an Advance Reader Copy at no cost from the publisher/author. All opinions expressed in my review are my own.
This book takes the reader on such an explosive journey! It is one of those stories that will intrigue you from the get-go with the synopsis and doesn’t let up for an instant once you are immersed in the story. And you will be– you won’t be able to put this book down!
I love the way that the books starts out with alternating chapters in the past and present. There is a massive amount of action and mystery in the chapters set in the present. Those chapters really hook the reader and make them want to keep turning the pages. The chapters set in the past were extremely helpful in getting to know the characters. Getting that little bit of background information really helped set the stage for when the characters find themselves instantly in an impossible situation in the present. Their dynamics were easy to follow with the chapters set in the past. I liked getting pieces of the past a little bit at a time.
The world-building in this book is really fantastic! Completely atmospheric in its telling. The descriptions are vivid and powerful. I could absolutely feel myself in the story as I read. I loved the historical pieces worked into the story. I felt their portrayal to be accurate (or believable at least, I am no history major) and they really added to the mystery and ambiance of this world. I also love that when I was reading I couldn’t tell if I was reading a fantasy or a science fiction book. It was exhilarating to see elements of both.
I found myself liking the main character, Cade, straight away. He is intelligent and resourceful. I loved that we see totally normal sides of him as well. He gets bullied and is faced with racism at school and we see him dealing with his emotions over it. We also get to see him do things that make him feel guilty. I felt that his personality and his character as a whole were balanced out very well. His character was realistic. This book has a relatively large cast of side characters but I enjoyed the dynamics between the characters.
I felt that I really enjoyed the author’s writing voice. I have not read Taran Matharu previously, but this book was so easy to latch onto. The words flow fluidly and the author introduces concepts gradually as not to overwhelm the reader with the complexity of the world. I am definitely going to read his previous series.
Overall, this book is full of adventure and intrigue and it keeps you wanting more! If you love fast-paced stories that are full of action and shocking revelations then you need to pick this one up. This book will thrill you and enchant you. I enjoyed this so much and I am excited for book two!
This is my first book by this author, and I was not disappointed at all. I can totally see what all the fuss about the other series has been about. This book was definitely a page turner. I loved all the history in the book, and the whole vibe of the historical people and animals and places reminded me of the tv show Land of the Lost. A favorite show of mine. And then there was the whole competition thing. From the beginning it was in my head that maybe it was aliens. Then maybe it was futuristic humans. The book really keeps you pretty much guessing till close to the end when the qualifying competition is about to begin. There’s a lot of great action in this, characters that you really are interested in and want to either see succeed, or get what they deserve. I will definitely be ready to read book two whenever it is ready, as I need to know what else these characters will need to fight and do to save themselves, and possibly Earth itself.