The Champion. was a solid end to a trilogy. They were good parts and they were bad parts but unfortunately the bad outweighed the good for me. Depending on the person I believe that this could be a very hit or miss book.
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Unfortunately, I felt that parts of this book were under developed and left too much to the imagination, which was not consistent with the rest of the series. The ending was also a bit lackluster and disappointing.
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All of that said though, I do recommend this trilogy and I am excited to pick up more from this author.

Fantastic addition to this series! I have loved reading this one and catching up with these characters again! I love this world and this book did not disappoint! Loved it so much!

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.

Thank you to NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The final book in The Contender series picks up as Cade is recovering from his battle with the Hydra Alpha. Unfortunately, Abaddon is throwing the humans into another battle on another world. There they find the missing Roman legion whom they enlist in their battle with the Greys (Tritons), a humanoid species that is more technologically advanced than Cade and his friends. Any more information here would be a spoiler. I was a tad disappointed in the ending (felt rushed) but otherwise enjoyed it and would definitely recommend it for readers of the series.
#TheChampion #NetGalley

I didn't really like the ending to this series overall. I am sad that Cade didn't get to go home, and that his story wasn't really resolved.

Two months after his victory over the Alpha, Cade and the other contenders are starting a new round. They are guided to a fort in the middle of the desert and the next morning they have been transported to a different world. They must kill everyone there to win the round, but they have help. They find about 200 of the missing Romans. Cade must deal with their power struggles as well as figure out how to breach the enemy's fort. Once the enemy is defeated, Cade meets a member of their species that has been working to kill Abaddon and the rest of the gods. He gives Cade the means to end them. Cade struggles with not being able to tell his friends about the plan as the Codex (Abaddon) is always there and will overhear the plan. Ultimately, Cade is able to gather everything he needs, but what will it cost him? Who will go home? Will Earth be saved?

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.

A bittersweet but realistic ending to such a historically interesting and action packed story. One of the best series I’ve read recently!