The Chosen: Book 1 (Contender, #1)

by Taran Matharu

In a world far from our own, where enemies come in many forms, the ultimate battle for survival is about to begin ... An epic new trilogy from the bestselling author of the Summoner series.

CADE CARTER IS LOST

Convicted of a crime he didn't commit, Cade is facing a year in reform school when he finds himself suddenly transported to another realm.

BUT THIS NEW WORLD IS NO ESCAPE

Populated by bloodthirsty prehistoric creatures and fierce warriors, Cade's surroundings are full of danger. Along with his fellow students, Cade is forced to become a contender in a deadly game of the highest stakes, controlled by invisible overlords.

Who are these brutal rulers, and why did they choose Cade? Before he can find answers, Cade must get ready to fight ...

BECAUSE IN THIS GAME, FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION

• ISBN10: 1444938940
• ISBN13: 9781444938944
• Publish Date: 9 January 2020 (first published 4 June 2019)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: Hachette Children's Group
• Imprint: Hodder Children's Books
• Format: Paperback (B-Format (198x129 mm))
• Pages: 400
• Language: English

Reviews

[tweetybugshouse]

Are you a fan of hunger games, maze runner, or other stories where your whole life depends on your surviving in a game where your not sure what really is going on. Then The Chosen is for you, we have a rag tag group of boys who have been sent off to a school for boys who have screwed up and are serving time rather then in a junvenile dention center. The majority of the book takes place once they been wisked away some how to a strange and interesting new place.

Like the books i mentioned the characters don’t know a whole lot about where they or even why. They do find out from a computer machine known as codex that they have to compete in a qualifying round or their planet will be destroyed. They are not told who brought them their, they discover things from various eras of the world history. Things like dinosaurs, long forgotten people how disappeared, and weapons that have not been seen in decades.

I was very intrigued by all the historical information that is sprinkled throughout this book, if your a history buff your interest will be peaked. The aspect of a deaf character who speaks Latin was quite a fun addition to the cast of characters as well. You also get a group of girls from 1985 which makes for some rather fun scences when the boys from our time line try to explain modern things such laptops or modernized cell phones.

Like with any group of characters you end up with some bad apples and some that start out rotten but eventually come around to what you see as the good side. Their quite a adventure to be had as the count down clock on codex reaches zero and they compete in the qualifiying round. More answers are revealed and more questions arise. Taran has once again provided with an thrilling adventure story that is sure to delight.

[Quirky Cat]

I received a copy of The Chosen through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The Chosen is the first novel in a new trilogy by Taran Mathara. This novel is full of action, intrigue, human nature, and science fiction elements. It makes for a great and fast-paced novel, to say the least.
Cade is just a kid who has had a serious case of 'wrong time, wrong place'. First, he took the blame for a crime he didn't commit. Then he got sent to reform school. And now he's on an alien planet full of monsters that want to kill him? When will it all end?
If you're looking for a novel that blends science fiction with young adult, and of course some action and adventure – then this is the novel for you.



The Chosen has to be one of the most fast-paced and chaotic novels I've read in quite some time. It seems like every chapter brought about a new adventure (or threat) for Cade and his classmates. There was hardly a moments rest, but I certainly appreciated all of the action and adventure that occurred within these pages.
I'm not entirely sure what I expected when I picked up The Chosen – but I know that I got something much bigger than I would have guessed. The situation that Cade and crew were thrown into...it was insane, intense, and highly entertaining.
The pacing, as I mentioned above, was very speedy. There was never a dull moment, with something always happening, or something mystery to solve. It sort of reminded me of a serial story, where every segment something had to be happening. But I'm saying that in a good way.
The characters in this novel were all very different, and I enjoyed taking the time to get to know them. We got to know Cade best of course, but there were a dozen other people to learn about as well. I think they all balanced each other out quite nicely. I wouldn't have minded learning a bit more about them all actually. And I'd love to know who didn't make it past the first test (I'm trying to be a bit vague here, but it's hard, sorry).
There was a stronger science fiction grounding than I expected. What with them all being transported to an alien planet (what else could it possibly be?). And let's not forget about the implication of Romans and dinosaurs being around at the same time.
The ending was...intense. To be honest, I'm still processing it. I don't know how I feel about it. On the one hand, I want to see what happens next. On the other, I'm a bit happy for the break between novels so I can think more about what happened and what was revealed.


For more reviews check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks