Champion: Legend, Book 3

Common Sense Media says

Action-packed sci-fi series reaches rousing conclusion.

Age(i)

2
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10
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17

Quality(i)

 
(i)
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What parents need to know

Educational value

Realism isn't Champion's strong suit, but the book does raise interesting questions about what makes a good leader and how governments can manipulate and betray their citizens.

Positive messages

Champion shows how a tyrannical, totalitarian state might be overthrown and develop into a society that cares for its citizens. The path isn't easy, but the characters demonstrate why it's worthwhile.

Positive role models

Despite the tragedies they endured in Legend and Prodigy, Day and June keep up their struggles to turn the Republic away from its totalitarian past. Brave and resilient, they put the needs of others before their own.

Violence

Set during wartime, Champion contains violence, but it's not particularly graphic in its presentation. Both major and minor characters are shot in battle scenes. A supporting character is sickened by a weaponized virus.

Sex

The 17-year-old main characters spend an evening making love, but there's almost no description of the physical act. Rather, such passages concentrate on the characters' emotions.

Language

Characters in Champion use the made-up word "goddy" as a mild expletive. More mundane curses, such as "hell" and "damn," are used infrequently, and there's an instance or two of "bulls--t."

Consumerism
Not applicable
Drinking, drugs, & smoking

Day sometimes smokes a medicinal "cigarette." Two 17-year-old characters share a meal that includes wine.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Champion is the concluding volume in Marie Lu's Legend trilogy, following Legend and Prodigy, and it brings the various story lines to their satisfying resolutions. Set during wartime, the novel features violence, including gun- and knife fights and the spread of a weaponized plague virus, but the details are not dwelt upon. Aside from one discreet scene in which the protagonists share a night of lovemaking, there's little sexual content. There's a tiny amount of drug and cigarette use.

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Kids say

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What's the story?

As CHAMPION opens, it seems as if the Republic, for which Day and June have individually sacrificed so much, might enjoy some peace and stability under its reformed government. However, with a peace treaty imminent, an outbreak of plague threatens to undo everything they've struggled for. The Colonies prepare to attack the Republic's border cities, and Day and June must decide to whom their true loyalty belongs, even if it means losing everything they love.

Is it any good?

QUALITY
 

Although Champion has plenty of action scenes, the conflict is a bit more interior than it was in the trilogy's preceding volumes. That's a good thing, as it prevents the story from recycling plot points and allows the relationship between June and Day to develop in complexity. Author Marie Lu does a fine job of pulling together the disparate elements of the narrative, creating a climax and denouement that feel both conclusive and well earned.

Families can talk about...

  • Families can talk about why dystopian novels are so popular. How do you think the Legend trilogy compares with other dystopian series?

  • If you had a life-threatening illness, would it be better to hide the truth from your loved ones?

  • What are the ethics of governments using bioweapons, such as plague viruses? Should they be unilaterally banned?

Book details

Author:Marie Lu
Genre:Science Fiction
Topics:Adventures, Friendship, Misfits and underdogs
Book type:Fiction
Publisher:Putnam Juvenile
Publication date:November 5, 2013
Number of pages:384
Publisher's recommended age(s):12 - 17
Available on:Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle, Nook

This review of Champion: Legend, Book 3 was written by

Michael Berry

About our rating system

  • ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
  • PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
  • OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
  • NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids of any age.

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Quality

Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Learning ratings

  • Best: Really engaging, great learning approach.
  • Very Good: Engaging, good learning approach.
  • Good: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
  • Fair: Somewhat engaging, okay learning approach.
  • Not for Learning: Not recommended for learning.
  • Not for Kids: Not age-appropriate for kids; not recommended for learning.

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Teen, 13 years old Written byhiphoph December 12, 2013
AGE
12
QUALITY
 

Great Ending- More Questionable Than Last

The book was very well written, pulled you into the story, and - at least I think- had an amazing ending. Now, onto what to look out for! Like a lot of series, the last book had the most inappropriate content. Day (one of the main characters) is dying. At the beginning of the book he makes some questionable choices. He goes to a club and starts dancing with a random girl. Later they kiss and he notes that she tastes like vodka. Day also takes prescription cigarettes. Day and June kiss, then sleep together (though nothing is mentioned beyond starting to undress). A man kisses another man in an attempt to murder him. "D-mn" is used several times, along with "hell". "Bulls---" is used twice. The book has a fair amount of violence in it. Not enough that it bothered me, but you should just be aware of that. I personally liked this book a lot more than I expected to and thought it was a great ending to the series, but I wouldn't suggest it for younger children.
What other families should know
Great messages
Great role models
Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
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Kid, 11 years old December 4, 2013
AGE
10
QUALITY
 

I like this book a lot

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Teen, 14 years old Written byCeana December 30, 2013
AGE
13
QUALITY
 

wonderful yet heart wrenching

although there are some really down parts of this books, the ending is so amazing and sad that you have to pause to wipe your tears. I actually cried at the end of this book and there are only 2 other books that can do that. truely amazing book you just have to read! - Also have strong themes that make for a great english book report!
What other families should know
Educational value
Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
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