Review: Champion (Legend #3) by Marie Lu

Champion (Legend #3) by Marie Lu

Publication Date: November 5, 2013

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile

The explosive finale to Marie Lu’s New York Times bestselling LEGEND trilogy—perfect for fans of THE HUNGER GAMES and DIVERGENT!

He is a Legend.
She is a Prodigy.
Who will be Champion?

June and Day have sacrificed so much for the people of the Republic—and each other—and now their country is on the brink of a new existence. June is back in the good graces of the Republic, working within the government’s elite circles as Princeps Elect while Day has been assigned a high level military position. But neither could have predicted the circumstances that will reunite them once again. Just when a peace treaty is imminent, a plague outbreak causes panic in the Colonies, and war threatens the Republic’s border cities. This new strain of plague is deadlier than ever, and June is the only one who knows the key to her country’s defense. But saving the lives of thousands will mean asking the one she loves to give up everything he has. With heart-pounding action and suspense, Marie Lu’s bestselling trilogy draws to a stunning conclusion.“You once told me why you chose ‘Day’ as your street name... Every morning, everything’s possible again. Right?” I want to take her face in my hands again, kiss her cheeks and study her dark, sad eyes, and tell her I’ll be okay.

My Thoughts
PHENOMENAL! ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL!

“You once told me why you chose ‘Day’ as your street name... Every morning, everything’s possible again. Right?” I want to take her face in my hands again, kiss her cheeks and study her dark, sad eyes, and tell her I’ll be okay.

The year is 2132 and the Republic is at war with the Colonies. They have threatened to strike alongside their allies if the Republic fails to produce an antidote for a virus that is overtaking their cities. As the Colonies put pressure on the borders and capital of the Republic, there are three players in this game that can shift the pieces of the chess board.

Anden, the Republic’s Elector, is tasked with rounding allies to fight against the Colonies, as well as obtaining an antidote that will stop the plague from spreading. June, the Princep Elect, is tossed into a dangerous dance between the Republic and the one she cares for. She has been asked to convince Day, the people’s hero, to help rally the citizens and allow the Republic to run experiments on his brother Eden in the hopes of finding a cure that will put an end to the plague and keep their Republic intact.

As the pieces shift into place, June and Day must battle political agendas and determine how and if they can survive this war that threatens not only their lives but their friendship and love for one another.

I just can’t express how absolutely exhilarating it was to journey through Marie Lu’s final installment in her Legend series. It’s quite rare for me, as of late, to continue on with installments despite my initial enthusiasm, but Marie Lu’s books are truly an exception. I've loved every installment because she clearly writes with passion and continually delivers a story that doesn't compromise her end goal, nor sacrifices characters in needless fashion. To those authors out there failing fantastically at concluding a series, Marie Lu can offer you a lesson in EPIC.WIN!!

I feel confident in saying that I rarely compare books to my all-time favorites. It doesn't do anyone justice. However if I didn't share how Legend is the closest I've come to satisfying my Hunger Games palate, I’d be selling this series short. Where dystopic fiction can be one of the more difficult genres to deliver consistent character development and logical world-building, I truly feel Marie Lu has mastered the skill and technique to pen a powerful and convincing dystopic adventure.

In Champion, Lu did a flawless job in directing her cast of characters with grace and conviction. I fell for Anden, June, and Day completely in this installment. These three characters each delivered a worthy performance and not one page or chapter was wasted when it came to winning me over and having me root them on as they served their Republic.

Anden, the Republic’s Elector, gained the most sympathy from me because he lived in the shadows of his father's reign who committed many atrocities through The Trials, plagues and executions. However, Anden still mourned his father’s death because he was good to him and put him before any political agenda. When Anden sees the hatred his people have for the previous Elector, he’s forced to suppress the pain of losing someone he loved and find a balance to lead with a different strategy yet exhibit the strength and power that’s required to gain the loyalty of the Republic. The burden on his shoulders was incredible and I admired how he played his part.

June exploded off the pages in Champion. I always held a distant affinity toward this character, but she truly made some powerful and emotional moves in this book that had me connecting with this character more so now than ever before. She made some tough choices with courage and conviction, especially around the position she held in the Senate and her desire to fight in the front line. There were moments where she managed to tear at my heart, but never without gently folding it back together and making sure I wasn't completely destroyed.

“Sometimes, the sun sets earlier. Days don’t last forever, you know. But I’ll fight as hard as I can. I can promise you that.”

Day... Daniel... call him what you will… he was amazing inChampion! He played the part of nation’s hero, loyal brother and determined ally to a fault! There was one moment in the book when he traveled back to his home that simply rendered me speechless and emotional spent. I will never forget that scene in the book. The journey his character took in this last book was delivered with precision. I could not have imagined a better way to end his story.

Lastly, I have to mention that the political development in this installment was perfectly balanced to ensure the plot was substantiated with the right amount of background, but not too noisy in details that you lose interest, if you will. As Lu carefully weaves in the political environment needed to set the stage, she never loses sight of the struggle happening among her main characters. I feel Marie Lu did a flawless job in directing her cast of characters and developing a solid plot throughout the novel.

Overall, amazing job!! Thank you Marie Lu for sharing this unforgettable journey with your readers. You delivered! You really did!!

5 Snowflakes