Champion (novel)

Last updated
Champion
Champion (Marie Lu novel - cover art).jpg
Champion
Author Marie Lu
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
SeriesLegend series
Genre Dystopian, young adult
PublishedNovember 5, 2013
Publisher G. P. Putnam's Sons
Media typePrint (hardback & paperback), audiobook, e-book
Pages369 pp. [1]
ISBN 978-0-399-25677-6
OCLC 855507153
LC Class PZ7.L96768 Ch 2013 [1]
Preceded by Prodigy  
Followed byRebel 

Champion is a dystopian young adult novel and the third book in the Legend series written by American novelist Marie Lu. [2] It was released on November 5, 2013. [3]

Contents

Plot

After the events of Prodigy , Daniel "Day" Altan Wing now lives as a free citizen in San Francisco with his younger brother, Eden Bataar. Following several months of no communication, Day is contacted by June Iparis about a "feast" held by Anden Stavropoulos, the young Elector of the Republic. In reality, Anden wants Day to hand over Eden as part of the Republic's search for a cure for their virus, wreaking havoc upon the Colonies, causing the latter to give an ultimatum for the cure, lest they and Africa will invade the Republic. Day denies the request and the Republic's cause is further eroded when traitor soldiers Thomas Bryant and Commander Jameson, both in death row for the attempted coup, and the murder of June's brother (Metias Iparis), escape. The next day, Day collapses due to his illness and is rushed to the hospital. The following day, Day tells June about his terminal illness, just before the city is attacked by the Colonies' airships. While the population is being evacuated to Los Angeles, Day works with the Patriot organization to hijack the Colonies' airships. During the event, Thomas sacrifices himself to save Day.

Day is sent to the Los Angeles Central Hospital due to another illness flare-up and is contacted by the Chancellor of the Colonies, who blackmails him into defecting to the Colonies and convincing the masses to do so, or else he will kill June and Eden if the Colonies win. He gives him three days to decide. Day instead spreads messages through graffiti to make the Republic's population support Anden. He also reluctantly decides to let Eden become a test subject to find a cure for biological diseases spreading in the Colonies. Meanwhile, June accompanies Anden to meet with the President of Antarctica to request help for the war. The President refuses, stating that the Republic was infested with disease and that he would aid Anden only if a cure was found along with several plots of land as payment.

The Colonies has conquered Denver and are now landing their airships near the harbor. Day meets with the Chancellor to give an answer for the blackmail: no. He escapes as the Colonies attack Los Angeles. With the war ensuing in the streets, June speeds up the search for the cure when she offers her blood to be tested, as she realizes that she is the missing link required to patch up Eden, due to testing done on her by the colonies in the previous novel. Once the testing is done, she assists the Republic. She confronts Jameson, who has shot Day, and lets her get shot by Republic soldiers. Day almost dies of blood loss with bullet wounds in his chest and hip. After being in a coma for five months, Day wakes up, but has lost all memory of the events of the previous year and does not remember June. She lets him go, believing he will be happier without remembering all the grief she caused him.

In the epilogue, the Republic manages to neutralize the virus as well as opening up and establishing relations with the Colonies by building transborder cities; June continues to serve in the Republic's military, rekindles her friendship with Tess, and briefly dates Anden; while Day, now known by his given name, Daniel, leaves the Republic to accompany Eden (who is going to university in Antarctica) and attend military academy in Antarctica after the latter has regained his eyesight. Ten years after the invasion, June is about to have dinner with Tess when she hears Day and Eden are coming back. As she dashes her hope to meet Day, June stumbles on him and Eden, realizing that Tess has made them reunite. Day stops June, thinking he recognizes her. He begins to recover some memories, though they are scattered. He wants to know her further and introduces himself, an action foreshadowed in Prodigy.

Characters

June Iparis: A sixteen-year-old prodigy, who scored a 1500 (the maximum score) on her Trial. She decides at the end of the book to not tell Day whom she is, thinking that his suffering and pain is caused by her. When he appears dying, she pleas for his survival. She then lets go of Day, telling herself that it is for the best. She is good at appealing to other's emotions and understanding people's backgrounds, as well as observing things around her. In the epilogue, Day and June meet again, when they are both twenty-seven, and re-introduce themselves in hopes of becoming friends again.

Daniel Altan "Day" Wing: A sixteen-year-old boy who was experimented on by the Republic at the age of ten. During the ending sequence, he is shot twice. He ends up in a coma for five months, as he also needs surgery on his hippocampus. He is also a prodigy but is mostly considered the "Legend" and "Champion" of the Republic, who also scores a 1500 as well, but he didn't know this. Throughout the book, he experiences several excruciatingly painful headaches, which comes from the experiments on him that happed when he ‘failed’ his trial. In Prodigy, Day broke up with June as he thought she shouldn't be with a dying man but they rekindle their relationship in Champion after almost a year of being apart.

Eden Bataar Wing: Day's younger brother, who Day will do anything to protect. Day is adamant of not letting the Republic experiment on Eden again, but Eden agrees to do it. Eden was very sick from the plague.

Captain Thomas Alexander Bryant: A very loyal soldier to the Republic; however he is too loyal and follows his commander's orders exactly, which results in placing him as a traitor in an assassination plot against the Elector. Thomas killed his love interest and June's brother, Metias Iparis, after kissing him. He is killed by the soldiers of the Colonies.

Anden Stavropoulos- The young leader/elector of the Republic who is attracted to June. By the end of the novel (epilogue), Anden is leading the Republic in a new era of peace. In the epilogue, he even dates June for four years, before she broke up with him

Tess- An orphan girl whom Day took in, and is becoming attracted to Day. She joins the Patriot organization as a Medic-in-training. Later on, when she receives the plague, a cure made from June's blood helps save her. She and June become friends by the end of the novel. In the epilogue, she is responsible for making Day and June reunite.

Commander Natasha Jameson- An important antagonist in the series who is a murderer and attempted to kill Anden, Day and June. Her orders to Thomas were the reason why June's brother, Metias, was killed. She shoots Day and, not long after, is shot by Republic soldiers on June's command.

Pascao- A member of the Patriots, and leader of the Runners.

Chancellor of the Colonies- The antagonist of the story. He commands the Colonies and wages war against the Republic.

Reception

Critical reception to Champion was favorable and gained a favorable review from the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center. [4] Commonsensemedia gave the work four stars, writing that "Action-packed sci-fi series reaches rousing conclusion." [5] Publishers Weekly gave the work a starred review, comparing Lu to Charlotte Brontë. [6] The novel has an aggregate rating of 4.36 rated by 145,376 on Goodreads.

Related Research Articles

<i>Tess of the dUrbervilles</i> 1891 novel by Thomas Hardy

Tess of the d'Urbervilles: A Pure Woman is a novel by Thomas Hardy. It initially appeared in a censored and serialised version, published by the British illustrated newspaper The Graphic in 1891, then in book form in three volumes in 1891, and as a single volume in 1892. Although now considered a major novel of the 19th century, Tess of the d'Urbervilles received mixed reviews when it first appeared, in part because it challenged the sexual morals of late Victorian England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lü Dongbin</span> Chinese scholar and poet

Lü Dongbin is a legendary Chinese scholar and poet who lived during the Tang dynasty. His lifetime supposedly spanned two hundred and twenty years. Elevated to the status of an immortal in the Chinese cultural sphere by Daoists, he is one of the most widely known of the group of deities known as the Eight Immortals. Lü is also a historical figure and mentioned in the official history book History of Song. He is widely considered to be one of the earliest masters of neidan, or internal alchemy. He is also depicted in art dressed as a scholar carrying a sword to dispel evil spirits.

<i>The First Chronicles of Druss the Legend</i> 1993 fantasy novel by David Gemmell

The First Chronicles of Druss the Legend is a fantasy novel by British author David Gemmell, first published in 1993. The novel is a prequel to the popular title Legend. The novel details the early life and events of the character Druss, and is followed by The Legend of Deathwalker, which deals with later events in his life between this book and the events in Legend.

<i>Warlord of the Air</i> 1971 novel by Michael Moorcock

The Warlord of the Air is a 1971 British alternate history novel written by Michael Moorcock. It concerns the adventures of Oswald Bastable, an Edwardian era soldier stationed in India, and his adventures in an alternate universe, in his own future, wherein the First World War never happened. It is the first part of Moorcock's A Nomad of the Time Streams trilogy and, in its use of speculative technology juxtaposed against an Edwardian setting, it is widely considered to be one of the first steampunk novels. The novel was first published by Ace Books as part of their Ace Science Fiction Specials series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Seward</span> Fictional character appearing in Bram Stokers Dracula

John "Jack" Seward, M.D. is a fictional character appearing in Bram Stoker's 1897 novel Dracula.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rhona Goskirk</span> Fictional character from Emmerdale

Rhona Goskirk is a fictional character from the British television soap opera Emmerdale, played by Zoë Henry. She made her first appearance during the episode broadcast on 17 September 2001. The character was introduced by series producer Steve Frost and she appeared on a recurring basis during 2001 and 2002. She returned to Emmerdale as a full-time character on 31 March 2010, reintroduced by series producer Gavin Blyth.

<i>Tess of the DUrbervilles</i> (2008 TV serial) 2008 British television serial

Tess of the D'Urbervilles is a 4-hour BBC television adaptation of Thomas Hardy's 1891 book of the same name. The script is by David Nicholls. It tells the story of Tess Durbeyfield, a low-born country girl whose family find they have noble connections.

<i>Amulet</i> (comics) Cartoon novel series

Amulet is a graphic novel series illustrated and written by Kazu Kibuishi and published by Graphix, an imprint of Scholastic. It follows the adventures of Emily, a young girl who discovers a sentient and autonomous magical circular amulet in her great-grandfather's house, and consequently is tasked with protecting an entirely new world from a ruler known as The Elf King.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julie Kagawa</span> American author (born 1982)

Julie Kagawa is an American author, best known for publishing and writing The Iron Fey Series consisting of 15 books including: The Iron King, The Iron Daughter, The Iron Queen, and The Iron Knight.

Leigh Dragoon is a professional American comics writer and illustrator.

<i>Legend</i> (Lu novel) 2011 novel by Marie Lu

Legend is a 2011 dystopian young adult novel written by American author Marie Lu. It is the first book in the Legend series followed by Prodigy, Champion, and Rebel. Lu draws inspiration from events and experiences throughout her life and media she has consumed such as the movie Les Miserables.

<i>Prodigy</i> (novel) 2013 book by Marie Lu

Prodigy is a 2013 dystopian young adult novel written by American author Marie Lu. It is the second book of a trilogy, preceded by Legend and followed by Champion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marie Lu</span> Chinese-American author (born 1984)

Marie Lu is a Chinese-American author. She is best known for the Legend series, novels set in a dystopian and militarized future, as well as the Young Elites series, the Warcross series, and Batman: Nightwalker in the DC Icons series.

<i>Blood of Eden</i> (series) Novel series by Julie Kagawa

The Blood of Eden is a young adult fantasy novel series by Julie Kagawa. The first book in the series, The Immortal Rules was published on April 24, 2012 through Harlequin Teen. The series follows the character of Allison Sekemoto, a teenage vampire that is trying to survive in a world where vampires exist and rule over much of the population.

<i>The Legend of Korra: Turf Wars</i> American graphic novel

The Legend of Korra: Turf Wars is a three-part graphic novel series written by Michael Dante DiMartino, with art by Irene Koh. It serves as a canonical continuation of the animated television series The Legend of Korra, created by DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko. The graphic novel trilogy is set after the show's final season, with Avatar Korra dealing with the aftermath of Kuvira's attack on Republic City, while also exploring her new relationship with Asami Sato.

<i>The Legend of Korra: Ruins of the Empire</i> American graphic novel

The Legend of Korra: Ruins of the Empire is a three-part graphic novel series written by Michael Dante DiMartino, with art by Michelle Wong. The series was first announced in October 2018 as a three-part extended sequel to The Legend of Korra: Turf Wars, with the story centering on Avatar Korra and her allies as they deal with the fallout of Kuvira's surrender in the Earth Kingdom. Avatar Korra's romantic relationship with her close longtime friend Asami is also further explored in the series.

<i>Jade City</i> (novel) 2017 novel by Fonda Lee

Jade City is a 2017 fantasy novel by Fonda Lee. It is the first novel in the Green Bone Saga and was followed by Jade War (2019) and Jade Legacy (2021). A prequel novella, The Jade Setter of Janloon, was released in 2022. The novel received critical praise, winning the 2018 World Fantasy Award for Best Novel as well as the 2018 Aurora Award for Best Novel.

<i>Love at First Sight</i> (2023 film) American film by Vanessa Caswill

Love at First Sight is a 2023 American romantic comedy film directed by Vanessa Caswill and written by Katie Lovejoy, based upon the 2011 novel The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith. It stars Haley Lu Richardson, Ben Hardy, Dexter Fletcher, Rob Delaney, Sally Phillips and Jameela Jamil. The film premiered on Netflix on September 15, 2023.

<i>Rule of Wolves</i> 2021 novel by Leigh Bardugo

Rule of Wolves is a fantasy novel by American author Leigh Bardugo published by Imprint in 2021. It is the seventh overall novel in Bardugo's Grishaverse and the final novel in the King of Scars duology. The story takes place several weeks after the end of King of Scars and follows the third-person perspectives of Nikolai Lantsov, Zoya Nazyalensky, Nina Zenik, Mayu Kir-Kaat, and the Darkling.

References

  1. 1 2 "Champion : a Legend novel". LC Online Catalog. Library of Congress (lccn.loc.gov). Retrieved November 12, 2016.
  2. Truitt, Bryan. "Marie Lu's 'Legend' ends with a 'Champion'". USA Today. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  3. Lee, Stephan. "Marie Lu answers burning questions about the final Legend novel 'Champion'. Plus, the cover! -- EXCLUSIVE". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  4. "Legend Trilogy: Legend, Prodigy, and Champion by Marie Lu". Smithsonian APA. 13 May 2014. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  5. "Champion: Legend, Book 3 (review)". Commonsensemedia. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  6. "Champion (review)". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved 24 August 2015.