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Contender #3
The Champion
In Taran Matharu's The Champion, the explosive final book in the Contender trilogy, Cade and his friends wage the ultimate battle for their lives—and the fate of Earth itself—in the Game set by the cruel and mysterious Pantheon…
Cade has managed to survive the duel with the Hydra Alpha—barely. But the Games are far from over.
By order of their cruel and mysterious overlord, Abaddon, Cade and his friends are sent off to war against the Greys, a humanoid race who have far surpassed humans in technology on their home planet. This attempt to move up the leaderboard, however, leads Cade to a game-changing revelation: The Pantheon—the millennia-old alien masterminds behind the Games—have a weakness.
With the right artifacts scavenged from the land of Acies and a heavy dose of courage and luck, Cade has exactly one chance to end their tyranny forever. But if he fails, the lives of his friends—and the survival of Earth itself—will be forfeit.
Cade has managed to survive the duel with the Hydra Alpha—barely. But the Games are far from over.
By order of their cruel and mysterious overlord, Abaddon, Cade and his friends are sent off to war against the Greys, a humanoid race who have far surpassed humans in technology on their home planet. This attempt to move up the leaderboard, however, leads Cade to a game-changing revelation: The Pantheon—the millennia-old alien masterminds behind the Games—have a weakness.
With the right artifacts scavenged from the land of Acies and a heavy dose of courage and luck, Cade has exactly one chance to end their tyranny forever. But if he fails, the lives of his friends—and the survival of Earth itself—will be forfeit.
384 pages, Paperback
First published June 8, 2021
47 people are currently reading
1415 people want to read
About the author
Taran Matharu
29 books4,595 followersTaran Matharu is the New York Times bestselling author of the Summoner series, which has been translated into 15 languages and has sold over a million copies in English. He was born in London in 1990.
Taran began to write the SUMMONER series in November 2013 at the age of 22, taking part in ‘Nanowrimo 2013’ and sharing his work on Wattpad.com. The shared sample of the story went viral, reaching over 3 million reads in less than six months. THE CHOSEN is his first book in his new CONTENDER series, out now.
His books are published by Hodder Children’s (Hachette) in the UK, Australia and Commonwealth, Feiwel and Friends (Macmillan) in the US and Canada, Hachette Jeunesse in France, Heyne in Germany, Planeta in Spain, Crown in Taiwan, Record in Brazil, EKSMO in Russia, Jaguar in Poland, Ecliptic in Bulgaria, Alpress in the Czech Republic, Ithaki in Turkey, Forlaget Forar in Denmark and Unieboek in the Netherlands.
Taran began to write the SUMMONER series in November 2013 at the age of 22, taking part in ‘Nanowrimo 2013’ and sharing his work on Wattpad.com. The shared sample of the story went viral, reaching over 3 million reads in less than six months. THE CHOSEN is his first book in his new CONTENDER series, out now.
His books are published by Hodder Children’s (Hachette) in the UK, Australia and Commonwealth, Feiwel and Friends (Macmillan) in the US and Canada, Hachette Jeunesse in France, Heyne in Germany, Planeta in Spain, Crown in Taiwan, Record in Brazil, EKSMO in Russia, Jaguar in Poland, Ecliptic in Bulgaria, Alpress in the Czech Republic, Ithaki in Turkey, Forlaget Forar in Denmark and Unieboek in the Netherlands.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
September 5, 2021
The series is great. The ending left me feeling just a little let down. Might be because I enjoyed the series so much.
November 24, 2022
Eindelijk las ik het slotdeel van de Contender trilogie van Taran Matharu. Een dikke shoutout naar degene die bedacht heeft om samenvattingen van deel 1 en 2 in dit boek op te nemen!!
Cade wordt weer uitgedaagd voor een duel, dit keer in hoog paars gras (ik dacht dat het gewoon leuk was voor de cover). Cade en zijn vrienden strijden tegen een groep aliens en krijgen hulp van een Romeins legioen. Daarna moeten ze weer de jungle in om iets te zoeken, maar worden aangevallen door dinosauriërs.
Als je denkt: huh hoe kan dat. Cade is naar een andere planeet geteleporteerd, samen met allerlei mensen die verdwenen zijn van de aarde gedurende de hele geschiedenis. Dus deze serie is een combinatie van actie, geschiedenis, maar ook sciencefiction en misschien wat fantasy. Moeilijk te omschrijven maar zeker de moeite waard om te lezen 😁
Cade wordt weer uitgedaagd voor een duel, dit keer in hoog paars gras (ik dacht dat het gewoon leuk was voor de cover). Cade en zijn vrienden strijden tegen een groep aliens en krijgen hulp van een Romeins legioen. Daarna moeten ze weer de jungle in om iets te zoeken, maar worden aangevallen door dinosauriërs.
Als je denkt: huh hoe kan dat. Cade is naar een andere planeet geteleporteerd, samen met allerlei mensen die verdwenen zijn van de aarde gedurende de hele geschiedenis. Dus deze serie is een combinatie van actie, geschiedenis, maar ook sciencefiction en misschien wat fantasy. Moeilijk te omschrijven maar zeker de moeite waard om te lezen 😁
September 27, 2021
**SPOILERS**
It was a good book (a very good book at that I enjoyed every second of it) but at the same time I didnt like how it ended theres to many questions left unanswered... What happens now that the Paethons are dead? Did Grace, Bea, and Trix end up back in the 80's? or just get thrown somewhere in the middle of the UK? Are Scott and Yoshi back at the bording School? Do they regret leaving Cade, Amber, and Quintus behind? Did anytime pass from when they where taken until they where sent back? Did anyone even relize they where missing or where they just thrown back into the point they where taken with atleast some from of severe ptsd? And if so how are there parents suddenly reacting to this? I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS AND NO ANSWERS!!!!
It was a good book (a very good book at that I enjoyed every second of it) but at the same time I didnt like how it ended theres to many questions left unanswered... What happens now that the Paethons are dead? Did Grace, Bea, and Trix end up back in the 80's? or just get thrown somewhere in the middle of the UK? Are Scott and Yoshi back at the bording School? Do they regret leaving Cade, Amber, and Quintus behind? Did anytime pass from when they where taken until they where sent back? Did anyone even relize they where missing or where they just thrown back into the point they where taken with atleast some from of severe ptsd? And if so how are there parents suddenly reacting to this? I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS AND NO ANSWERS!!!!
June 4, 2021
A bittersweet but realistic ending to such a historically interesting and action packed story. One of the best series I’ve read recently!
Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC!
Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC!
March 18, 2023
Kanske mer 3,5 stjärnor men jag gillar verkligen dessa karaktärer!
September 9, 2021
A really great ending to this amazing trilogy. I loved all these books and can't wait to read Taran's other work
August 21, 2023
This is not a strong finish to the series. Certainly not what I expected. After the rushed ending of book 2, I thought this book would deal with the fallout. But it didn't. It skipped ahead a number of months and everything seemed miraculously okay. It was a strange time jump to make, and was probably a missed opportunity.
I enjoyed the introduction of the Romans in the book. It added two further characters that added a lot to this book, and they added more than most characters we knew since the first book. Which is something else that's strange in this book. The characters from book one, that we have seen develop in the series, mostly fell to the shadows in this book. I don't understand the choice behind that. The author wants those characters there for a reason. It can't be just to let them be forgotten.
Once more this is a fun adventure with a heavy GameLIT influence. But once again it lacked the atmosphere of book 1, which had a really great balance of character development, action, and suspense. Even introducing Atticus as a possible villain within the new group couldn't raise the suspense to the same level as book 1.
I'd say this series is more suited to fans of fantasy fiction that is heavily influence by PC games. Other readers may still enjoy it, but it has a heavy feel of GameLIT.
I enjoyed the introduction of the Romans in the book. It added two further characters that added a lot to this book, and they added more than most characters we knew since the first book. Which is something else that's strange in this book. The characters from book one, that we have seen develop in the series, mostly fell to the shadows in this book. I don't understand the choice behind that. The author wants those characters there for a reason. It can't be just to let them be forgotten.
Once more this is a fun adventure with a heavy GameLIT influence. But once again it lacked the atmosphere of book 1, which had a really great balance of character development, action, and suspense. Even introducing Atticus as a possible villain within the new group couldn't raise the suspense to the same level as book 1.
I'd say this series is more suited to fans of fantasy fiction that is heavily influence by PC games. Other readers may still enjoy it, but it has a heavy feel of GameLIT.
August 28, 2024
This series was a lot of fun, every time you think you know what to expect of the next book, but it ends up going into an entirely different direction.
This was not my favourite out of the series, but it was fun. However the ending was a bit of a punch to the gut, especially with leaving some thing undiscussed.
All in all, great and mostly entertaining series
(also, loved the dinosaurs and history bits)
This was not my favourite out of the series, but it was fun. However the ending was a bit of a punch to the gut, especially with leaving some thing undiscussed.
All in all, great and mostly entertaining series
(also, loved the dinosaurs and history bits)
September 30, 2024
I really liked this story. I was sucked into the world very quickly, and felt like I was watching a movie through my mind with every page I read. I give it 5 stars, with an * as the end needed one final conclusion in my mind that did not come to fruition.
January 30, 2022
There is a lot going on in this book to make it to the end and not gonna lie, it messed with my brain a bit to keep it all straight. But the theme of this book is resiliance and Cade has it in spades. He was frustrating at time, but I am glad he did what he did for that ending.
August 31, 2021
The series is great. The thrill and excitement marvelous. But I HATE lack of closure. Least favorite way to end a book. That said, it's really exciting and great characters and world building. A satisfying ending - other than it's missing a solid chapter or 2 for closure.
July 3, 2022
This was a brilliant final instalment to a fab YA sci-fi series.
Cade and his friends are fighting for Earth...
Cade has managed to survive the duel with the Hydra Alpha - barely. But the Games are far from over. By order of the cruel and mysterious alien overlord, Abaddon, Cade and his friends are sent off to war against the Greys, a humanoid race who have far surpassed humans in technology on their home planet.
A glimmer of hope...
This attempt to move up the leaderboard leads Cade to a game-changing revelation: The Pantheon - the millennia-old alien masterminds behind the Games - have a weakness. With the right artefacts scavenged from the land of Acies and a heavy dose of courage and luck, Cade has exactly one chance to end their tyranny for ever. But if he fails, for the lives of his friends and the survival of Earth it will be...
GAME OVER!
Like it's predecessors, this was a fun, unique, and refreshing series. It's good to read from the perspective of a male MC in YA books for a change. The book is very much focused on the survival of Cade and his friends, but with a sprinkling of feeling, romance, and lighthearted comedy throughout.
This instalment did not disappoint me and it was a good finale to the series. Although the ending itself was pretty mind-blowing and bittersweet...
The whole series was great for me and I really look forward to reading more by Taran Matharu in the future.
Cade and his friends are fighting for Earth...
Cade has managed to survive the duel with the Hydra Alpha - barely. But the Games are far from over. By order of the cruel and mysterious alien overlord, Abaddon, Cade and his friends are sent off to war against the Greys, a humanoid race who have far surpassed humans in technology on their home planet.
A glimmer of hope...
This attempt to move up the leaderboard leads Cade to a game-changing revelation: The Pantheon - the millennia-old alien masterminds behind the Games - have a weakness. With the right artefacts scavenged from the land of Acies and a heavy dose of courage and luck, Cade has exactly one chance to end their tyranny for ever. But if he fails, for the lives of his friends and the survival of Earth it will be...
GAME OVER!
Like it's predecessors, this was a fun, unique, and refreshing series. It's good to read from the perspective of a male MC in YA books for a change. The book is very much focused on the survival of Cade and his friends, but with a sprinkling of feeling, romance, and lighthearted comedy throughout.
This instalment did not disappoint me and it was a good finale to the series. Although the ending itself was pretty mind-blowing and bittersweet...
The whole series was great for me and I really look forward to reading more by Taran Matharu in the future.
September 16, 2021
Taran Matharu brings his second trilogy to a terrifying, bloodydamn fast-paced, unpredictable, thrilling close in The Champion, in which I'd have a very hard time believing that Matharu didn't read at least one of Matthew Reilly's Jack West Jr novels for inspiration for this one. HIstorical figures from all over the world, and their long-lost, long-storied tombs, play the most important part of all in Cade and company's quest to defeat the sinister Abbadon once and for all, even as this strange parallel world also fills with lost nukes from all across the 20th century and beyond. Weapons some see fit to use no matter the consequences. But Matharu, as always, doesn't let up for even a page, to the point where the only time you get to breathe again is when the acknowledgments come and you can finally bid the series ave atque vale...unless Matharu decides to go the route of the Summoner series with a prequel novel in the next year or so? Who bloody knows.
June 1, 2024
This book was so slow to start. The first 150 pages I had to force myself to keep reading. The ending was definitely interesting, with the main character basically sacrificing his happiness for the others, but I wish the epilogue had been a time skip or something. The current epilogue should really have just been the last chapter, imo.
October 20, 2024
The trolley problem fears Cade Carter. If he were a song he would be "Who will pray?" - We Came as Romans
That was wild, I loved every second of it, Just incredible.
That was wild, I loved every second of it, Just incredible.
June 2, 2025
an amazing series, captivating throughout.
October 31, 2021
De overwinnaar is het derde en laatste deel in de Contender trilogie van Taran Matharu. Eerder las ik al De uitverkorene en De uitdager. Beide van deze boeken zitten vol actie en mysterie. Het tweede deel kende een epische verhaallijn, maar zal dit derde deel weer net zo goed zijn?
Je leest het in mijn volledige recensie op mijn blog Boekensteeg
Je leest het in mijn volledige recensie op mijn blog Boekensteeg
February 14, 2022
Erg gaaf einde van de serie. Ook een lekker makkelijk boek om even te lezen. :)
December 28, 2023
3.5
We have come to the conclusion of the Contender series by Taran Matharu. I have to say this one was a bit of a let down. I wanted so much more out of this finale, but once again the ending was so rushed. I didn't get the satisfying ending I wanted from the series. Taran still did a wonderful job expanding on the world yet again and giving the characters time to shine and grow. I really enjoyed the action in the Contender series and all the callbacks to Icons or Artifacts lost throughout history. I should have said that in the first two book reviews I did, but I wanted to save it till now because it could have just been a one off. It was a really smart touch by Taran to incorporate in the series to add that extra layer of world building. Although I didn't enjoy this as much as I wanted to, Taran is growing as an author and that is what I love to see.
We have come to the conclusion of the Contender series by Taran Matharu. I have to say this one was a bit of a let down. I wanted so much more out of this finale, but once again the ending was so rushed. I didn't get the satisfying ending I wanted from the series. Taran still did a wonderful job expanding on the world yet again and giving the characters time to shine and grow. I really enjoyed the action in the Contender series and all the callbacks to Icons or Artifacts lost throughout history. I should have said that in the first two book reviews I did, but I wanted to save it till now because it could have just been a one off. It was a really smart touch by Taran to incorporate in the series to add that extra layer of world building. Although I didn't enjoy this as much as I wanted to, Taran is growing as an author and that is what I love to see.
August 4, 2021
Do you like dinosaurs? Sure you do.
Do you like space? Damn right
Realistic YA characters who aren't emotionally invulnerable to the countless atrocities around them as the world implodes? Where am I taking this?
Imagine all three mixed in with swords, cannons, nukes, aliens, and the ninth legion of Rome and we essentially get the Contender trilogy.
AND I ADORE IT.
Did I forget the lost artefacts from our history all end up here???? Maybe.
This book starts out reading like The Lights of Isarn and ends up feeling like the climax of Morning Star.
From swords to.... well that's for the spoiler portion ;)
(SPOILER FREE PORTION)
-------------------------
Honestly, after spending enough time thinking on my initial rating of this book, 3.5 stars feels about right. It feels like it COULD have been two books and given everything more depth rather than making everything shoot by far too fast.
And it further needs to be lowered because after discussing it with a friend, the slaver arc started in book 2 just went.... Nowhere in this book. New Rome could literally not be a thing and other than some shield wall training (which they would have gotten from the 9th legion anyway), nothing would change.
----------------------//
As always, I stand proven wrong.
Going into this book I thought 'how is this man wrapping this up in any way that is at all satisfying' and then I remembered... The Battlemage exists, and from that moment I had ultimate faith in Matharu. Not only does he maintain the quality of the other books in the series (with particularly exceptional character work on Cade's part), but he absolutely exceeds it in every way possible!
The plot? An unpredictable rollercoaster of emotions, betrayal, and action. Did I mention there were dinosaurs and an army of ants? (That better interest you)
The characters? Loveable as always, each dealing with their own trauma.
Abaddon? Still an absolute douche but my GOD do I love reading Abaddon. There's just something fascinating about watching a literal sociopath have the powers of a God! (And I'm still not over the plot twist of the first book)
I have a few things to say before diving into some juicy juicy spoilers:
1) I read this thing in a day. Not quite one sitting, but a singular day as a buddy read! (which was awesome)
2) There is one thing I've noticed with the books of this series that rings true after thinking about it. Book one is about the world, about the threats, stakes and setting them. Book two, rather than being about Cade, feels much more like its about his friends, those that surround him, for a while it ceases being his story. And I LOVE THAT! Book 3 then... well I think this is just Cade dealing with the world that built itself up around him and reminding the reader, yeah, he's done all this awesome shit, but at the end of the day, he's still a kid. A kid who didn't ask for this and is deeply traumatised as a result and is forced to make some HARD decisions in this book that I'm honestly unsure I would have been able to.
3) A while ago, when first reading the summoner books, I coined a term called 'the law of taran' this being that everything you THINK is going to happen in the book will have literally NOTHING on the insanity of the last five chapters of said book. Those 5 chapters in each of his works are always the most insane, adrenaline-fueled parts of them, and I will stand by this law until I DIE.
The thing is, what I expected the law of Taran to be.... happens by page 160. So needless to say, the insanity trebles what I thought it would be, and that is wholly unprecedented and why this man will be an insta-buy author for me until I die!!!!
And before we reach spoiler territory
If you have not read this series yet, or anything by Taran Matharu, I cannot stress enough how much you NEED to. You are missing out!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(SPOILER SECTION: You have been warned)
RIGHT
The plot of this book is absolutely wonderful. I'll admit, in book one of the series I was weary of Matharu's craftsmanship, coming off of the high of Summoner I was worried that it would just fall...flat.
No.
This book literally just rises. Book two sets the bar for some of the best character work I have seen in all of fiction! Beaten out only by the likes of Red Rising, The Unanswered Questions, and The Stormlight Archive, which since there are only three series here... THAT'S A GOOD LIST!
The way Matharu approached the PTSD of Cade was masterfully done and really shows the effects of war on a teenage mind that most YA would try to glorify or simply not even approach, yet he does it with such care that even WE want to hug Cade, and he'd just committed xenocide.
Well of course, all except for Song.
Speaking of that xenocide. I genuinely think that part of the book will haunt me for a good few weeks. Seeing Cade look through the artefacts of the culture he had just doomed to die and massacred the remnants of in a hallway was one of the most gut-wrenching parts of the book, watching him come to terms with it all was sobering, beautiful, and utterly soul-destroying.
The fact we're constantly reminded that he doesn't take pleasure in the killing is one of the best recurring themes of the book as Cade tries to hold on to what humanity he has left before having to kick into action hero mode at I THINK chapter 64?
I honestly wish we could have seen more of Song, but I think he definitely served his role well within the book in a very Ender's Game esc manner when he told Cade that he would have to sacrifice himself to destroy the pantheon.
This is also something I thought was handled extremely well!!
Speaking of characters... Quintus as always was my stand out favourite. I love mah boi. He is honestly one of the sweetest characters I have ever read! I would follow this man to hell and even a little bit further!
Also, in the politest way possible. Fu*k Atticus.
One thing that certainly persists throughout the book is Matharu's writing style. I don't know... something about it just feels comfy to me. He is one of the easiest authors to pick up and just say 'yeah, I'll knock this out today'. His writing feels like a literal blanket and I love it.
The only gripe I take with the writing is that some words get repeated a FAIR amount (though I may be noticing this more for my binge) but 'abate' was definitely one of them. Though of course, this did not detract from the reading.
All in all, I'd recommend this book to literally everyone!
I don't know what the author plans to do next, but my Waterstones account is primed and waiting for the pre-order!
Per Audacia Ad Astra!
J
---------------------------------------------------------------
If you want to see more of me, I'm @Josephellis_author on instagram!
Do you like space? Damn right
Realistic YA characters who aren't emotionally invulnerable to the countless atrocities around them as the world implodes? Where am I taking this?
Imagine all three mixed in with swords, cannons, nukes, aliens, and the ninth legion of Rome and we essentially get the Contender trilogy.
AND I ADORE IT.
Did I forget the lost artefacts from our history all end up here???? Maybe.
This book starts out reading like The Lights of Isarn and ends up feeling like the climax of Morning Star.
From swords to.... well that's for the spoiler portion ;)
(SPOILER FREE PORTION)
-------------------------
Honestly, after spending enough time thinking on my initial rating of this book, 3.5 stars feels about right. It feels like it COULD have been two books and given everything more depth rather than making everything shoot by far too fast.
And it further needs to be lowered because after discussing it with a friend, the slaver arc started in book 2 just went.... Nowhere in this book. New Rome could literally not be a thing and other than some shield wall training (which they would have gotten from the 9th legion anyway), nothing would change.
----------------------//
As always, I stand proven wrong.
Going into this book I thought 'how is this man wrapping this up in any way that is at all satisfying' and then I remembered... The Battlemage exists, and from that moment I had ultimate faith in Matharu. Not only does he maintain the quality of the other books in the series (with particularly exceptional character work on Cade's part), but he absolutely exceeds it in every way possible!
The plot? An unpredictable rollercoaster of emotions, betrayal, and action. Did I mention there were dinosaurs and an army of ants? (That better interest you)
The characters? Loveable as always, each dealing with their own trauma.
Abaddon? Still an absolute douche but my GOD do I love reading Abaddon. There's just something fascinating about watching a literal sociopath have the powers of a God! (And I'm still not over the plot twist of the first book)
I have a few things to say before diving into some juicy juicy spoilers:
1) I read this thing in a day. Not quite one sitting, but a singular day as a buddy read! (which was awesome)
2) There is one thing I've noticed with the books of this series that rings true after thinking about it. Book one is about the world, about the threats, stakes and setting them. Book two, rather than being about Cade, feels much more like its about his friends, those that surround him, for a while it ceases being his story. And I LOVE THAT! Book 3 then... well I think this is just Cade dealing with the world that built itself up around him and reminding the reader, yeah, he's done all this awesome shit, but at the end of the day, he's still a kid. A kid who didn't ask for this and is deeply traumatised as a result and is forced to make some HARD decisions in this book that I'm honestly unsure I would have been able to.
3) A while ago, when first reading the summoner books, I coined a term called 'the law of taran' this being that everything you THINK is going to happen in the book will have literally NOTHING on the insanity of the last five chapters of said book. Those 5 chapters in each of his works are always the most insane, adrenaline-fueled parts of them, and I will stand by this law until I DIE.
The thing is, what I expected the law of Taran to be.... happens by page 160. So needless to say, the insanity trebles what I thought it would be, and that is wholly unprecedented and why this man will be an insta-buy author for me until I die!!!!
And before we reach spoiler territory
If you have not read this series yet, or anything by Taran Matharu, I cannot stress enough how much you NEED to. You are missing out!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(SPOILER SECTION: You have been warned)
RIGHT
The plot of this book is absolutely wonderful. I'll admit, in book one of the series I was weary of Matharu's craftsmanship, coming off of the high of Summoner I was worried that it would just fall...flat.
No.
This book literally just rises. Book two sets the bar for some of the best character work I have seen in all of fiction! Beaten out only by the likes of Red Rising, The Unanswered Questions, and The Stormlight Archive, which since there are only three series here... THAT'S A GOOD LIST!
The way Matharu approached the PTSD of Cade was masterfully done and really shows the effects of war on a teenage mind that most YA would try to glorify or simply not even approach, yet he does it with such care that even WE want to hug Cade, and he'd just committed xenocide.
Well of course, all except for Song.
Speaking of that xenocide. I genuinely think that part of the book will haunt me for a good few weeks. Seeing Cade look through the artefacts of the culture he had just doomed to die and massacred the remnants of in a hallway was one of the most gut-wrenching parts of the book, watching him come to terms with it all was sobering, beautiful, and utterly soul-destroying.
The fact we're constantly reminded that he doesn't take pleasure in the killing is one of the best recurring themes of the book as Cade tries to hold on to what humanity he has left before having to kick into action hero mode at I THINK chapter 64?
I honestly wish we could have seen more of Song, but I think he definitely served his role well within the book in a very Ender's Game esc manner when he told Cade that he would have to sacrifice himself to destroy the pantheon.
This is also something I thought was handled extremely well!!
Speaking of characters... Quintus as always was my stand out favourite. I love mah boi. He is honestly one of the sweetest characters I have ever read! I would follow this man to hell and even a little bit further!
Also, in the politest way possible. Fu*k Atticus.
One thing that certainly persists throughout the book is Matharu's writing style. I don't know... something about it just feels comfy to me. He is one of the easiest authors to pick up and just say 'yeah, I'll knock this out today'. His writing feels like a literal blanket and I love it.
The only gripe I take with the writing is that some words get repeated a FAIR amount (though I may be noticing this more for my binge) but 'abate' was definitely one of them. Though of course, this did not detract from the reading.
All in all, I'd recommend this book to literally everyone!
I don't know what the author plans to do next, but my Waterstones account is primed and waiting for the pre-order!
Per Audacia Ad Astra!
J
---------------------------------------------------------------
If you want to see more of me, I'm @Josephellis_author on instagram!
June 14, 2021
I love this series and the third book did not disappoint. I gave the first two books in the series five stars. This book I gave four and there are two reasons for that: 1) I felt like the character development wasn't as strong in this book and 2) for a series that had such innovative world building and storytelling, I wish the ending was a little more unique. That said, I still couldn't put it down and I will absolutely encourage others to read this series.. Frankly, the first two books were some of my favorite reads in the last year so I had huge expectations for this one. Thank you so much to the publisher for providing a free copy of the ebook in exchange for an honest review.
August 17, 2021
Just a brilliant three years with characters I'm sorely going to miss.
August 11, 2021
Content notes:
I picked up the first book in this series on a whim, not sure what to expect, but the history geek action-adventure with a scifi twist hit the exact right note for me. And this final book in the trilogy is no slouch in terms of any of that!
Cade, Amber and Quintus (and the rest of the teens) have had a short reprieve after defeating the Hydras, but Abaddon isn’t done with them yet. But Cade’s darkest moment yet leads to the startling revelation that he could end the Pantheon once and for all – if he’s willing to sacrifice everything.
From the very first book, I’ve loved the way Cade relies more on his brain than on his fighting skills, not that they’re too shabby after all that time in the gladiatorial training in New Rome. He’s not the passive kid we first met, either, but the true leader of the group. And with the addition of new characters – and a new twist to the competition – one of the main themes explored is leadership. Cade’s tendency to make decisions for the group without consulting them cropped up in the last book, and it’s even more of an issue here. It’s not that he sets out to do that, but Cade always seems to end up in a situation where he needs to act quickly and decisively. It’s a huge weight on him and a wedge between him and the other teens, and seeing what happens when that leadership style goes to extremes causes him to question himself repeatedly. And, keep in mind, even with all of his experiences, Cade’s still just a kid – a gladatorially-trained but still hesitant to kill, severely traumatized kid.
As before (and depicted on the cover) this book revolves mostly around Cade and his relationships with Quintus and Amber. Quintus is unfailingly loyal, even when Cade makes some questionable-looking decisions, and I’m glad he had that kind of friend. Amber, on the other hand, is still romantically involved with him (though, again, not much more than kissing and holding hands) but also willing to be critical of him when she thinks he’s being a jerk. They’re opposites that balance Cade nicely.
The book is jam-packed with action from almost the first page, whether it’s hunting dinosaurs for food (yum?) or preparing an assault on a seemingly impregnable fortress. With that being said, it almost feels like two books, as there are two distinct “epic battles,” one that comes about halfway through the book and the other at the actual end. The pacing steadily builds throughout, though, so it did work for me. The book is impossibly engrossing, and it’s a hard book to put down. It’s the sort of book you pick up intending to read just a few pages and then look up and oops, it’s an hour later. The world-building and the history involved continue to be delightful, too. As for cons, I found some of the plot elements a bit deus ex machina, and I would’ve liked an epilogue, but all in all they didn’t affect my enjoyment too much.
Overall, this is a superb ending to the trilogy, and I can’t wait to see what the author comes up with next! Recommended for anyone looking for YA adventure with a geeky twist!
I received an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I picked up the first book in this series on a whim, not sure what to expect, but the history geek action-adventure with a scifi twist hit the exact right note for me. And this final book in the trilogy is no slouch in terms of any of that!
Cade, Amber and Quintus (and the rest of the teens) have had a short reprieve after defeating the Hydras, but Abaddon isn’t done with them yet. But Cade’s darkest moment yet leads to the startling revelation that he could end the Pantheon once and for all – if he’s willing to sacrifice everything.
“You think it’s bad enough being Abaddon’s puppet? It’s worse when we’re yours too.”
From the very first book, I’ve loved the way Cade relies more on his brain than on his fighting skills, not that they’re too shabby after all that time in the gladiatorial training in New Rome. He’s not the passive kid we first met, either, but the true leader of the group. And with the addition of new characters – and a new twist to the competition – one of the main themes explored is leadership. Cade’s tendency to make decisions for the group without consulting them cropped up in the last book, and it’s even more of an issue here. It’s not that he sets out to do that, but Cade always seems to end up in a situation where he needs to act quickly and decisively. It’s a huge weight on him and a wedge between him and the other teens, and seeing what happens when that leadership style goes to extremes causes him to question himself repeatedly. And, keep in mind, even with all of his experiences, Cade’s still just a kid – a gladatorially-trained but still hesitant to kill, severely traumatized kid.
As before (and depicted on the cover) this book revolves mostly around Cade and his relationships with Quintus and Amber. Quintus is unfailingly loyal, even when Cade makes some questionable-looking decisions, and I’m glad he had that kind of friend. Amber, on the other hand, is still romantically involved with him (though, again, not much more than kissing and holding hands) but also willing to be critical of him when she thinks he’s being a jerk. They’re opposites that balance Cade nicely.
“Well, you find yourself in quite a predicament,” Abaddon said, gesturing behind him. “Slavers, dinosaurs, and mummies, oh my!”
The book is jam-packed with action from almost the first page, whether it’s hunting dinosaurs for food (yum?) or preparing an assault on a seemingly impregnable fortress. With that being said, it almost feels like two books, as there are two distinct “epic battles,” one that comes about halfway through the book and the other at the actual end. The pacing steadily builds throughout, though, so it did work for me. The book is impossibly engrossing, and it’s a hard book to put down. It’s the sort of book you pick up intending to read just a few pages and then look up and oops, it’s an hour later. The world-building and the history involved continue to be delightful, too. As for cons, I found some of the plot elements a bit deus ex machina, and I would’ve liked an epilogue, but all in all they didn’t affect my enjoyment too much.
Overall, this is a superb ending to the trilogy, and I can’t wait to see what the author comes up with next! Recommended for anyone looking for YA adventure with a geeky twist!
I received an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
January 30, 2024
(CONTAINS SPOILERS)
Sorry for the long review....❤️
I loved the teens in this book, all 8 of them were amazing but I wish there were more parts with Yoshi, Bea, Trix, Grace and Scott because I felt as if they were just left in the shadows of Cade, Amber and Quintus, who don't get me wrong are amazing characters but I just wish it had more parts with the others as I would have loved to see their character developments as well. I would also like to say that the ending was not what I was expecting. The ending was great but not what I expected. I was happy that the others got to go home, but where did they go? Did Bea, Trix and Grace go back to the 80's? Are they in the present ?(Cades present) Are they still in touch with Scott and Yoshi? And did time pass while they were away?
And what made me sad was that Cade, Amber and Quintus didn't get to go home as well. You know be with their parents ( sorry Quintus and possibly Amber), Cade and amber a couple, Quintus living with Cade, them all in touch after what they have all been through together!
Mabey he would consider a sequel, Cade, Amber and Quintus could be surviving on the the planet and find a way to go home 😊 But that's just a thought and may always be one as everyone has a different view and Taran Matharu may like the ending he created and want it to stay that way, that is OKAY! because people have different opinions!
Anyway this is just my view and I may be seen as weak for liking happy endings but who cares about what other people think I'm allowed my opinion and everyone else is allowed theirs
So on a happier note I did enjoy the series and was excited to read it and a bit sad when I finished as I wanted to keep reading. Good Job Taran Matharu I enjoyed this series and sorry for the negative bits of this review, don't let my opinions get you down and keep up the good work👍❤️
Sorry for the long review....❤️
I loved the teens in this book, all 8 of them were amazing but I wish there were more parts with Yoshi, Bea, Trix, Grace and Scott because I felt as if they were just left in the shadows of Cade, Amber and Quintus, who don't get me wrong are amazing characters but I just wish it had more parts with the others as I would have loved to see their character developments as well. I would also like to say that the ending was not what I was expecting. The ending was great but not what I expected. I was happy that the others got to go home, but where did they go? Did Bea, Trix and Grace go back to the 80's? Are they in the present ?(Cades present) Are they still in touch with Scott and Yoshi? And did time pass while they were away?
And what made me sad was that Cade, Amber and Quintus didn't get to go home as well. You know be with their parents ( sorry Quintus and possibly Amber), Cade and amber a couple, Quintus living with Cade, them all in touch after what they have all been through together!
Mabey he would consider a sequel, Cade, Amber and Quintus could be surviving on the the planet and find a way to go home 😊 But that's just a thought and may always be one as everyone has a different view and Taran Matharu may like the ending he created and want it to stay that way, that is OKAY! because people have different opinions!
Anyway this is just my view and I may be seen as weak for liking happy endings but who cares about what other people think I'm allowed my opinion and everyone else is allowed theirs
So on a happier note I did enjoy the series and was excited to read it and a bit sad when I finished as I wanted to keep reading. Good Job Taran Matharu I enjoyed this series and sorry for the negative bits of this review, don't let my opinions get you down and keep up the good work👍❤️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 24, 2025
The showdown to the final rounds are about to begin, Cade and his friends have become fledged warriors and come so far. Now they must prepare for the real test: facing other alien beings and win, for if they lose, not only their lives are gone, but also the entire Earth. The group are ready, as their desire to finally return home grows strong, they know they can do it. Once in battle, Cade learns another twist in the scheme of things, and now, he must be ready to make the ultimate sacrifice to ensure their captors meet their end.
Compared to the build up in The Chosen & The Challenger, The Champion doesn't feel quite the expectations, but it does hold are a relatively solid conclusion. All the things that were left hanging in since the beginning, are brought up here to reach an ending. Cade has developed into a leader, but also one so traumatized by all the violence and near-death experiences he faced since the games first began. Inner conflict and grand conspiracy is a recurring theme throughout the plot. I will say I was a wild ride on seeing how the gang will succeed and how will things go should they return home. Ultimately, the ending is not to my liking, but I can understand its bittersweet realistic outcome that came to it. It is still enjoyable, even when certain events are dragged out, and you are constantly left hanging to figure out what happens next. Do things feel like it too abrupt turns? Yes, but with how things played out in the plot, it's reasonable. Taran Matharu has managed to make a series that is just as thrilling as his Summoner series and the Contender trilogy comes to a welcomed end.
Compared to the build up in The Chosen & The Challenger, The Champion doesn't feel quite the expectations, but it does hold are a relatively solid conclusion. All the things that were left hanging in since the beginning, are brought up here to reach an ending. Cade has developed into a leader, but also one so traumatized by all the violence and near-death experiences he faced since the games first began. Inner conflict and grand conspiracy is a recurring theme throughout the plot. I will say I was a wild ride on seeing how the gang will succeed and how will things go should they return home. Ultimately, the ending is not to my liking, but I can understand its bittersweet realistic outcome that came to it. It is still enjoyable, even when certain events are dragged out, and you are constantly left hanging to figure out what happens next. Do things feel like it too abrupt turns? Yes, but with how things played out in the plot, it's reasonable. Taran Matharu has managed to make a series that is just as thrilling as his Summoner series and the Contender trilogy comes to a welcomed end.
October 6, 2024
2 /5⭐️
Miało być dobrze, a wyszło jak zwykle. Po dobrym tomie drugim spodziewałam się, że poziom serii znowu wzrośnie a zamiast tego otrzymałam najgorszą część z trylogii.
Odniosłam wrażenie, że cała akcja stała się zdecydowanie bardziej chaotyczna. To w jak nieodkrywczy i nudny sposób została zakończona historia jest obrazą dla czytelnika. Seria miała swoje momenty i twisty, ale tylko w dwóch pierwszych tomach. Tutaj, jeśli uprzemy się, aby takie wskazać, to będą one po prostu idiotyczne.
Gdyby usunąć całą paczkę Cade to nic by się nie zmieniło. Czytając, odnosimy wrażenie, iż tylko on posiada krztynę inteligencji, WSZYSTKIE decyzje podejmowane w czasie powieści były JEGO decyzjami, pozostali nie wnosili absolutnie nic. Sprawia to, że wydaje się on jedyną postacią poza głównym antagonistą.
Co do stylu to nie ma za bardzo o czym mówić, nie wiem, czy to już moja paranoja, czy faktycznie istnieje spadek względem tomu drugiego.
Czy się zawiodłam? Tak. Czy żałuję, że przeczytałam? Nie. Czy polecam?...??
Miało być dobrze, a wyszło jak zwykle. Po dobrym tomie drugim spodziewałam się, że poziom serii znowu wzrośnie a zamiast tego otrzymałam najgorszą część z trylogii.
Odniosłam wrażenie, że cała akcja stała się zdecydowanie bardziej chaotyczna. To w jak nieodkrywczy i nudny sposób została zakończona historia jest obrazą dla czytelnika. Seria miała swoje momenty i twisty, ale tylko w dwóch pierwszych tomach. Tutaj, jeśli uprzemy się, aby takie wskazać, to będą one po prostu idiotyczne.
Gdyby usunąć całą paczkę Cade to nic by się nie zmieniło. Czytając, odnosimy wrażenie, iż tylko on posiada krztynę inteligencji, WSZYSTKIE decyzje podejmowane w czasie powieści były JEGO decyzjami, pozostali nie wnosili absolutnie nic. Sprawia to, że wydaje się on jedyną postacią poza głównym antagonistą.
Co do stylu to nie ma za bardzo o czym mówić, nie wiem, czy to już moja paranoja, czy faktycznie istnieje spadek względem tomu drugiego.
Czy się zawiodłam? Tak. Czy żałuję, że przeczytałam? Nie. Czy polecam?...??
April 1, 2022
"The Champion" was a good ending to a solid series, this was probably the best book of the set. Cade is a good protagonist, and I liked the addition of the Romans like Marius. This is definitely the most action-packed of the series; it's a page turner. The ending is satisfying and not too far-fetched for these types of stories.
My only "compliant" is that there was almost too much going on here, at least in regards to the previous two. The pacing of the series as a whole confused me: the first book is just the preliminary round, the second book is mostly a side-trip to New Rome with the actual contest round thrown in the last dozen pages, while here we have an entire attack on another "team", a trip through the jungle (note: I really liked the visit to the tombs, that was interesting), a defense of the keep against yet another "team", and then the final action. About 70% of the entire series' plot and action is crammed into the last 33% of pages.
My only "compliant" is that there was almost too much going on here, at least in regards to the previous two. The pacing of the series as a whole confused me: the first book is just the preliminary round, the second book is mostly a side-trip to New Rome with the actual contest round thrown in the last dozen pages, while here we have an entire attack on another "team", a trip through the jungle (note: I really liked the visit to the tombs, that was interesting), a defense of the keep against yet another "team", and then the final action. About 70% of the entire series' plot and action is crammed into the last 33% of pages.
February 12, 2023
More accurate rating - 9.4 / 10
Wow, what a finale to this incredibly written series. This book flipped my expectations on its head and delivered something amazing, It starts with Cade and friends arriving back “home” after winning the tournament and finding themselves preparing for the next round, against the “Greys” .It’s after the battle with the Greys that, in my opinion, this book goes from good to amazing.
The plot twists with a certain character lead to some of the most engaging text I’ve ever read (I read about half of this book in 1 sitting) and the ending, well it’s just brilliant. I was super thankful that the book didn’t end in a “happily ever after way” and the build up to the finale was super suspenseful.
Please, read the contender series. You will not regret it.
Wow, what a finale to this incredibly written series. This book flipped my expectations on its head and delivered something amazing, It starts with Cade and friends arriving back “home” after winning the tournament and finding themselves preparing for the next round, against the “Greys” .It’s after the battle with the Greys that, in my opinion, this book goes from good to amazing.
The plot twists with a certain character lead to some of the most engaging text I’ve ever read (I read about half of this book in 1 sitting) and the ending, well it’s just brilliant. I was super thankful that the book didn’t end in a “happily ever after way” and the build up to the finale was super suspenseful.
Please, read the contender series. You will not regret it.
May 15, 2024
The ending to this book reminds me of essays I had to write in college. I would detail the absolute crap out of the essay and make it as deep and as interesting as possible to fill pages. Then when I hit my word count I would submit it without summarizing or without writing a decent conclusion.
If I could relate it to a food, I would relate it to the best meal Ive ever eaten but the last few bites that would usually leave me fat, full, and happy. Well, they never came. Instead those last bites that are usually utter bliss tasted like nothing and my hunger was left raging.
So in conclusion to this review lol, this is whag you need to know. There is no good conclusion to this book. It’s like Taran wrote the book and got to the last page and was like “I could use the spark notes edition for this chapter”.
If I could relate it to a food, I would relate it to the best meal Ive ever eaten but the last few bites that would usually leave me fat, full, and happy. Well, they never came. Instead those last bites that are usually utter bliss tasted like nothing and my hunger was left raging.
So in conclusion to this review lol, this is whag you need to know. There is no good conclusion to this book. It’s like Taran wrote the book and got to the last page and was like “I could use the spark notes edition for this chapter”.
November 7, 2021
This series was a lot of fun.
It felt like Hunger Games on a larger scale but I am glad that there was no love-triangle business involved.
I was hoping for things to be a little easier for Cade and the crew but then they meet some sketchy characters as well as a larger plot-changing moment.
The bits of history make this book quite interesting. It has made me Google the artifacts or the people just to see learn a little bit more. It makes learning about history more fun, which says a lot as I was never one who liked history classes.
As for the ending, I was hoping for something more happy, however there wasn’t exactly a way for Cade to execute his plan and still go back home.
Definitely a great series and it’s clear that Taran did so much research for this.
It felt like Hunger Games on a larger scale but I am glad that there was no love-triangle business involved.
I was hoping for things to be a little easier for Cade and the crew but then they meet some sketchy characters as well as a larger plot-changing moment.
The bits of history make this book quite interesting. It has made me Google the artifacts or the people just to see learn a little bit more. It makes learning about history more fun, which says a lot as I was never one who liked history classes.
As for the ending, I was hoping for something more happy, however there wasn’t exactly a way for Cade to execute his plan and still go back home.
Definitely a great series and it’s clear that Taran did so much research for this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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