Chosen

I went into *Chosen* expecting the usual dragon-bonding hype, but Richard Fierce delivered a gut-punch of a story that left me questioning every trope I thought I knew. Kai isn’t a reluctant heroine; she’s a shattered one, and her journey from entitled protégé to desperate underdog is both painful and compulsive to follow. The moment the Ceremony of Oaths flips on her is so abrupt and cruel that I actually gasped—rarely do I find a fantasy story that leans so hard into the bitterness of dashed dreams. Fierce’s writing has a sharp, almost cinematic edge, especially in the fight sequences, which crackle with tension despite the audiobook’s brevity. The only hiccup? The brevity itself. At just over two hours, some character arcs feel rushed, particularly the world-building around the rival who becomes Kai’s nemesis. A few more scenes to flesh out the politics of dragon-riding society would’ve made the betrayal hit even harder. Kevin E. Green’s narration is the star here. His portrayal of Kai’s initial arrogance and later desperation is pitch-perfect, and his ability to modulate between icy disdain and shattered pride keeps the listening experience immersive. The production quality is top-notch, with subtle audio cues that distinguish between tense dialogue and the rare moments of fleeting hope. If you’re a fan of character-driven fantasy that punches above its runtime, *Chosen* is a standout—but be warned: it doesn’t let you off easy. By the end, I was emotionally drained and weirdly exhilarated, which is the mark of a story that refuses to play nice.