The Chosen [Kindle Edition]

Andrea Buginsky (Author)

Book Description

Halli is a shy, young dwarf who has no idea of her true calling. When the evil Prince Gastle sets out to detroy the world of Phantasma, Queen Laurali of the Elves comes to tell Halli she's a Holy Paladin with the power to heal, and will join The Chosen, a group of brave warriors being sent to defeat the evil beast and save Phantasma. Will Halli be accepted by her group, and be able to keep them alive through their adventures? Will the evil Prince Gastle be defeated, freeing Phantasma from his destruction? Only time will tell.

Product Details

• File Size: 305 KB
• Print Length: 114 pages
• Publisher: Solstice Publishing (December 14, 2010)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B004GEAH0O
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #768,595 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A Great YA Fantasy July 29, 2012

By G. B. Miller

Format:Paperback

I am normally not a big fan of YA, but when I'd received my copy of "The Chosen", I decided to put away my preconceived notions and read it with an open mind.

I am glad to say that this book managed to dampen my preconceived notions that I have about YA.

I found the plotting to be very smooth, the writing strong and the pacing fast. Most importantly, I found that Andrea didn't talk down to me. I know that sounds strange, but I believe it's very important for a writer not to talk down to a reader, no matter what the age.

As for the story itself, I found it be a quick read and it kept my attention all the way to the end in one sitting. I found it to be very good fantasy that had just the right balance of action that wouldn't turn off a reader or a parent.

If you have a child or young adult, I highly recommend this fantasy for them. If you don't have children, I still higly recomment this fantasy, as it is a very nicy intro to the genre.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Great read for a young fan of fantasy July 1, 2012

By Katharine M. Collins

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I read this with an eye towards my youngest daughter enjoying it. She's 10, but a bit ahead of the reading curve. It was written with plenty of action, which she'd like. The descriptions gave you a good feel for the world the author has built.

For younger fans of fantasy (I would say 3rd to 5th grade), it should be a big hit.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Video Game Meets Fairy Tale July 12, 2012

By mercuryval

Format:Kindle Edition

I would recommend this book for middle-grade readers just getting started in the fantasy genre, video game fans, and fans of plot-driven works. The book also contains lots of elements of video games---potions, quests, professions, etc.---that would resonate with video game fans.

The plot of this book moves along quickly, making it ideal for a young independent reader or a parent reading the book chapter-by-chapter to a child before bed. Almost right away, Queen Laurali of the Elves makes it clear that Halli, an 18-year-old dwarf, will play an important role in the story. She sends a messenger for the five other important characters while going to pick up Halli herself before setting off to defeat the evil ruler. And just like that, before we even settle in, the quest has begun.

I enjoy fantasy novels, but I'm often frustrated by being bogged down by too much detail. That said, in this story I was disappointed by the lack of detail. While the plot of this story is inherently engaging, the fairy-tale style of the story left it vulnerable to "telling" rather than "showing." With almost no description in the first chapter, I was left to rely on stereotypes and my imagination to picture the elf and the dwarf. But there were plenty of opportunities for more detail. For instance, I would be interested in learning what Halli's experiences in school were like. What happens at a dwarf school? I wasn't told until the very end. We are also told that Halli has been quite shy her whole life, yet has been demonstrating the qualities of a Holy Paladin for years. I would have liked to see these traits in action, rather than rely on other characters to tell me they are so. The dwarf is also called "beautiful," but we are never given a crystal clear description of her. I have only to rely on stereotypes I have seen/read about dwarfs--whose hardened, battle-ready features are usually not beautiful... We are also told about a love interest between Halli and another member of the party, but we are never shown the chemistry between them, even in innocuous ways, until the last chapter, so I feel like I'm missing out.

The other thing I would have appreciated would be shifting points of view. The story was told largely through an omniscient lens, which led to much telling rather than showing. I would have liked to get into more of the characters' heads to experience what they were thinking and feeling. But then again, I am a fan of character-driven stories (and am guilty of falling asleep during action films in movie theatres!)

The benefit of this Spartan style, though, is that it's a quick read. It's only 114 pages, which is far shorter than most fantasy works. This would benefit reluctant readers and young readers who avoid long fantasy novels because of overly-dense description.

The strength of this story is the message. Presenting Halli as a role model, Buginsky is urging children to follow their inner flame, having confidence in their abilities and reaching their full potential. I would recommend this book for a parents and child to read together before bed--it would open the way for a positive discussion, or for a beginning independent reader, as the story focuses mostly on plot rather than description.

The book is marketed as young adult, but I think based on the level of detail presented, I would recommend the book for a younger crowd. I look forward to the next installment, but I hope the author adds a bit more detail.

My rating is for the book as a middle-grade reader, rather than young adult.

More About the Author

Andrea Buginsky is a freelance writer and author. "The Chosen" was her first book, and was followed by "My Open Heart," an autobiography about growing up with heart disease. "Nature's Unbalance" is the second story in THE CHOSEN series. Andrea plans to write more in the series. She's already done with the first draft of book 3 and has a concept for book 4. You can find Andrea on her website, Andi's Realm.