Matharu is a brilliant author for getting non-readers, often boys to pick up a book - there's the right combination of action and emotion to draw you in and this series is no exception. Very strong stuff.

This book was a super fun read with loads of action. It kind of read like a video game in a book which was really entertaining. I also loved the really interesting and diverse cast of characters. The thing that bothered me was the lack of plot. There wasn’t really one…

An intriguing idea, and a bit of an odd one - though I can see this Maze Runner-style scenario going down well with certain readers. Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this prior to publication.
This is one of those books that may not appeal to everyone, but it certainly entertains.
Our main character, Cade, is in trouble when he is accused of stealing laptops and trying to sell them at school. He’s encouraged to plead guilty, and is given the opportunity to attend an alternative place for his punishment. Along with a number of other boys who are accused of crimes they didn’t commit, Cade is resigned to a rather odd existence.
One day - for reasons I am still unclear about - Cade finds himself in an unfamiliar scenario being attacked by strange creatures (what he refers to as piranha chimps). Along with others from his ‘school’ he learns he’s been plunged into a game. Nobody knows who’s in charge or what they’ll win for playing, but it seems their lives depend on it.
At this point things get very odd. They learn they’re facing death and encounter creatures that haven’t existed for millions of years.
Although there’s lots of action, we’re never sure what’s at the root of this or able to see the characters develop particularly. The ending came about very quickly and once we learn what’s behind this situation it does rather require us to suspend our disbelief.

As always with Taran Matharu’s books, I adored them. Always creative with the storyline and loved it so much, I have a signed edition of this book on my shelf!

Taran knocks it out of the park again!! This story is told through the eyes of Cade, a very bright teenage boy who was expelled from his boarding school for a crime he did not commit. Cade is now in a military reform school, which is maybe a step above juvie, and his life is not easy there.

However, one day, he wakes up somewhere different- a world beyond what he could have imagined, with danger around every turn. And it has Dinosaurs. I think this book was a great change of pace form what I usually read and honestly I'm looking forward to reading more!

I loved this book, the dinosaurs (which I felt a tad sorry for in some parts) ,the story telling, the history, the research and love that Taran has put into this book is very much represented within the pages. It is a book that all ages can enjoy and not just as a children's book.

I really enjoyed this read, ESPECIALLY the dinosaurs. The Chosen is a gripping YA sci-fi that’ll have you begging to find out just what the heck is going on from the very beginning.

There's a full review up on my website, but I'll definitely be checking out the rest of this series.

Taran Matharu's Summoner series is one of the most popular in our school library, and I think author's popularity is only going to grow with this new series of books. Danger, perilous situations, intriguing and relatable characters, plus dinosaurs - everything's better with dinosaurs!
Can't wait to see the game continue in the next book.

This was pretty damn intense. I have to admit when I first started I was a little unsure since it had a more modern feel to it but as soon as I got into it I really enjoyed it. It had everything I love endearing characters, personal journeys, suspense, mystery and of course, dinosaurs! It was a fantastic romp and I really want to read the next one like right now! I need to know what is going to happen next!

Thank you to Hodder Children’s Books and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Having loved the Summoner books by Taran Matharu I was so excited when he announced his new series The Contender especially as it was set in a world with dinosaurs! And this book did not disappoint!

The Chosen opens with Cade already in this alternate world faced with a creature he’s never seen before so right from the beginning we’re thrown into the action. I really liked that as it made me even more intrigued about the story and how Cade ended up there.

We get the backstory of Cade and his classmates throughout the book through Cade so we slowly get an idea of why the characters behave the way they do with each other. It was interesting to see the dynamics between them all and how they had to try and get a long because of the situation they were in. They have conflicts and don’t always agree on things but I wish we had gotten to see more of that in the story.

The story is fast paced and lots happen throughout the book. They have to face dinosaurs and lots of other creatures. I really loved how immersive it was and how he weaved real history and fiction together, the history nerd in me totally loved all mentions of historical facts! The history is actually an important aspect of the story too and one of the reasons that Cade is chosen to be taken to this world.

I really liked Cade and how he thinks before taking action, it’s unusual for a teenage boy to think before he barrels into things so that was nice to see. I really liked seeing the own voices rep as Cade is half Indian and how his culture and family dynamics are. We also see the racism and discrimination he receives from some of the other boys because of it. He is looked down upon because of his lower social class and everyone assumes he is guilt because of how he looks and that he isn’t rich. I liked that he does battle with these emotions and how it makes him feel despite being a top student his opportunities are taken from him. I really hope we get to see more own voices rep in books.

Another character I really liked was Quintus, who Cade meets in this world, he helps Cade and the others and even teaches them how to use some weapons. He has hearing difficulties and we see how he is unable to communicate with others and how that makes him feel isolated and lonely. Cade also meets a group of teenage girls while on this world and they also help him and I loved seeing them flip stereotypes that girls aren’t as capable as boys.

Throughout the whole story we are left to wonder why Cade and the others have been sent to this world. There is a lot of intrigue and mystery and it made me want to read just one more chapter. The ending of the book was so intense and kept me on the edge of my feet. They have to face these terrifying creatures and there are some things that happen that I was not expecting at all which left me reeling. We only get an idea of why Cade has been sent to this world right at the end which of course is then left on a cliffhanger and I just want to know what will happen next!

This book is full of action and intrigue and unlike any other book I’ve read. If you love dinosaurs and history then I highly recommend you pick up The Chosen! I am already dying to know what will happen in the next book!

Cade is just trying to get through an unfair sentence in a reform school without finding too much trouble. He doesn't want anything to do with Finch, the school's bully, or any of the other boys. The choice is taken from him, though, when he finds himself on a strange, alien world, surrounded by peril at every turn. Forced to find allies anywhere he can, Cade finds himself a player in a game he doesn't understand, for stakes that are unimaginably high.


This reads just a little younger than Taran's first series, but it's every bit as exciting and nail biting. The characters are a little less well developed, but there's time in the rest of the books and I like what we've seen so far. This book covers the first 'round' of the game nicely, while still leaving plenty of hooks for the next title. I love the setting; Taran describes it really well and I'm eager to see more of it.

A fantastic start to what promises to be a great new series.