Chosen

By Ted Dekker

The first in the Lost Books series, a YA spin-off of the New York Times bestselling Circle series, Chosen sets four teens on a quest to save their world . . . and ours.

Think with your heart and prepare to die . . .  for you have been Chosen.

Thomas Hunter, supreme commander of the Forest Guard, has seen a great evil decimate much of his beautiful world. With a dwindling army and an epic threat, Thomas is forced to supplement his fighters with new recruits ages 16 and 17. From thousands, four will be chosen to lead a special mission.

Unknown to Thomas, the chosen four are redirected to a different endgame. They must find the seven lost Books of History before the Dark One. For these seven books have immense power over the past, present, and future, controlling not only the destiny of their world . . . but that of ours as well. 

• Book 1 of 6 in the Lost Books series (a spin-off of the Circle Series)
  • Lost Books 1: Chosen
  • Lost Books 2: Infidel
  • Lost Books 3: Renegade
  • Lost Books 4: Chaos
  • Lost Books 5: Lunatic
  • Lost Books 6: Elyon
  • Circle Book 0: Green
  • Circle Book 1: Black
  • Circle Book 2: Red
  • Circle Book 3: White
• Full-length book (70,000 words)

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Apr 11, 2010
• ISBN: 9781595549907

Book preview

PRAISE FOR TED DEKKER’S

BOOKS OF HISTORY CHRONICLES

"Young and old alike will enjoy this latest offering. Dekker fans will love this new story from the Circle universe and new readers will undoubtedly be sucked in to the greatness that is Ted Dekker. [Chosen] is a superb beginning to what is sure to be a fantastic series."

—Bookshelf Reviews

"Toss away all your expectations, because Showdown is one of the most original, most thoughtful, and most gripping reads I’ve been through in ages . . . Breaking all established story patterns or plot formulas, you’ll find yourself repeatedly feeling that there’s no way of predicting that will happen next . . . The pacing is dead-on, the flow is tight, and the epic story is down-right sneaky in how it unfolds. Dekker excels at crafting stories that are hard to put down, and Showdown is the hardest yet."

—Infuze Magazine

"As a producer of movies filled with incredible worlds and heroic characters, I have high standards for the fiction I read. Ted Dekker’s novels deliver big with mind-blowing, plot-twisting page turners. Fair warning— this trilogy will draw you in at a breakneck pace and never let up. Cancel all plans before you start because you won’t be able to stop once you enter Black."

—Ralph Winter, Producer of X-Men, X2: X-Men United,

and Planet of the Apes

"[In Showdown] Dekker delivers his signature exploration of good and evil in the context of a genuine thriller that could further enlarge his already sizable audience."

—Publishers Weekly

You’ve heard about the critical raves,

but here’s what readers are saying online about

The Books of History Chronicles

(Black, Red, White, Showdown, and Saint)

This trilogy is a MUST READ! Suspenseful, insightful, fast-paced, and certainly life-impacting. Ted Dekker is a master of bringing Truth close to home, in a way that causes us the readers to see and feel it in a fresh way.

D. (Pittsburgh, PA)

Whew, ok I’ve read all three books in the Circle Trilogy back to back and all I can say is man what a ride. Ted Dekker has to be one of our generations great story tellers, this story of Thomas Hunter’s fight to save mankind from a terrible virus intended to destroy the world is sure to become a Christian fiction classic much like Lewis’s Narnia Series and Frank Perretti’s This Present Darkness.

Todd (Mount Vernon, WA)

This was the first book by Ted Dekker that I’ve ever read. It was all I needed to be hooked for life! Ted Dekker has a way with words and storytelling that not many authors have anymore. He draws you in and you have to make yourself stop for daily functions such as eating and occasional breathing!

J. (South Carolina)

I cannot say enough good things about this book and series. It can change how you think. If a book can do that it is an amazing thing. I recommend it without reservation. The Circle Trilogy was my first Ted Dekker book, but it will not be the last.

Teresa (Parkersburg, WV)

Fascinating... worth the read.... I enjoyed the series so much I bought a second set as a gift even before I finished White.

Slwaldaias (Yerington, NV)

This book, like Red, picks up where the last left off. The book is very quickly paced and makes it easy to fly through even if you’re trying to slowly read it to take everything in. By the time you’re finished reading, you’re just left speechless with all the twists and turns in the plot. These three books are the best I’ve read in quite a while.

Becky (Mentor, OH)

This is an incredible book! Like all of Dekkers masterpieces, this plays with your emotions until your drained! By the end of a Dekker book, you are challenged to think, and on the brink of doing a million push-ups, (or crying depending on who you are.) Read this great book!

Media Lover

The writing is superb; fast paced, and always leaves the reader on the edge of the seat. Ted Dekker is a writer of rare creativity and imagination.

Michael

As a consummate reader of fiction I can honestly say that this trilogy penned by Mr. Dekker is perhaps the most absorbing and well executed tales I have ever read.

Barb

These books were simply amazing. I first heard about it after reading Thr3e. Once I picked it up, I could not set it down.

J. (Seaside, CA)

This guy is truly amazing. He’s written straight novels, romance thrillers, psychological suspense, and now a fantasy thriller. He stretches and stretches, yet never becomes distorted, uneven, or sloppy. I suspect that a generation from now, Dekker’s writings will be essential reading for those who wish to study spiritually motivated literature.

Tommy (Federal Way, WA)

Absolutely a terrific trilogy! I got the first book, Black from the library, and when I finished it and realized it was a trilogy, ordered all three books the same day...next day! Incredible book full of drama, mystery, and beautiful love stories...both for people and God. You won’t regret reading them...

June (Florida)

This may be one of my top 5 books of all time. The whole thing was engaging and outstanding. There was no lull anywhere. Each page and each chapter had interesting things happening. I’ve since read other’s of Ted’s including Red, White, Heaven’s Wager, and Three. All awesome.

Sgun73 (Carmel, IN)

This is the first of a trilogy - but don’t be intimidated by the fact that you must read three books to journey through all of Dekker’s tale. This is an incredible fantasy, written with such a furious pace that it is hard to put down. I was wise enough to not start any of the three books until I had all of them - unfortunately for my wife I did have all of them when I started reading them, and I just went from one to the next to the final one. Incredible!

Zachary (Wake Forest, NC)

I am addicted to great story telling. Ted Dekker is now my main drug dealer. I’m halfway through Red, the second book of the Circle Trilogy, and have now put Mr. Dekker in my pantheon with Robert Jordan, Stephen Lawhead, C. S. Lewis and Professor Tolkien. This guy writes literary heroine.

Mike (Centreville, Alabama)

I like books with lots of action. Dekker delivers. I love books that make you expand your inner universe. Dekker delivers. I enjoy books with great romance. Dekker delivers. I enjoy exotic locales. Dekker delivers. I LOVE this book! I highly recommend reading it! It totally keeps you on the edge of your seat from the very second you start until it leaves on a cliff-hanger for the next book in the series. You gotta get it!

Trinedy

The Circle Trilogy - Black, and the subsequent Red and White - is not the sort of book I usually read but I was persuaded to try it by a friend who had read it and loved it. I thought I would listen to just enough to be able to say I tried but couldn’t get into it - Boy was I wrong!

Lynne (Montgomery, AL)

These books touched me more than any other books I have ever read. I was reluctant to buy the books when I first heard what they were about. Finally said, what the heck and purchased them based on the great reviews. I am so happy I did. They are unlike any other books I have ever read and really cannot compare them to anything.

Rich L (Pennsylvania)

Quite possibly this is one of the most incredible books ever written. Definitely that I’ve read. Too bad I can’t give it more than just five stars! I was so in awe of this story. I can’t recall the last time I read a novel with such depth and magnitude.

Sir iliad (Pennsylvania)

This is one book you can not put down. I read all three books in three days. If you want a book to keep you occupied, then read this book.

Cheri

I just finished Red, and all I can say is Wow! This story just keeps getting better. Is Ted Dekker talented or what? Before I became a Chritian, I used to read secular suspense. I must say this is better than anything I’ve read not only in Christian writing, but in fiction period.

Nicholas (Salt Lake City, UT)

WOW ! Ted Dekker continued to blow my socks off in book two of the trilogy Black, Red, and White. The book held my interest, in fact it drew me to continually read to the point that I finished it way faster than most books that I have read(I think my wife was ready to put me out with the dog).

William (Stouffville, Ontario, Canada)

I am new to Ted Dekker: but I’ll be getting further acquainted. The story kept me turning the pages; some of my guesses were prescient and others missed the mark. Captivating! Where have I been as this author emerged in contemporary mystery fiction? A great read!

Lori (Lake Forest, CA)

It is unbelievable how Ted can take your mind in so many directions at once and then tie all of it together and really put a spiritual meaning to the whole thing. This is one of my favorite books of all time.

Franklin (Warner Robins, GA)

Ted Dekker did it again. He got me wrapped around his fingers (or writing I suppose). After months of wait I was not disappointed. This book is one of his best yet.

Rafa S.

Dekker pulls out all the stops in this tale. I don't want to give too much away, but he really grabs you by the pants and doesn't let go! The blurbs are right, this ranks right up there with King and Koontz, not to be missed!

Matt (Mendocino, CA)

teddekker.com

DEKKER FANTASY

BOOKS OF HISTORY CHRONICLES

THE LOST BOOKS

Chosen

Infidel

Renegade

(MAY 2008) Chaos (MAY 2008)

THE CIRCLE TRILOGY

Black

Red

White

PROJECT SHOWDOWN

Showdown

Saint

Sinner (OCTOBER 2008)

Skin

House (with Frank Peretti)

DEKKER MYSTERY

Blink of an Eye

MARTYR’S SONG SERIES

Heaven’s Wager

When Heaven Weeps

Thunder of Heaven

The Martyr’s Song

THE CALEB BOOKS

Blessed Child

A Man Called Blessed

DEKKER THRILLER

THR3E

Obsessed

Adam (APRIL 2008)

Title page with Thomas Nelson logo

© 2007 by Ted Dekker

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or other—except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson. Thomas Nelson is a registered trademark of Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Thomas Nelson, Inc. books may be purchased in bulk for educational, business, fund-raising, or sales promotional use. For information, please e-mail [e-mail].

Publisher’s Note: This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. All characters are fictional, and any similarity to people living or dead is purely coincidental.

Cover Design by The DesignWorks Group, Inc.

Page Design by Casey Hooper

Map Design by Chris Ward

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Dekker, Ted, 1962-

Chosen / Ted Dekker.

p. cm. — (The circle series ; bk. 1)

ISBN: 978-1-59554-359-2

I. Title.

PS3554.E43C47 2007

813'.54--dc22

2007032976

08 09 10 11 QW 11 10 9 8 7 6

Information about External Hyperlinks in this ebook

Please note that footnotes in this ebook may contain hyperlinks to external websites as part of bibliographic citations. These hyperlinks have not been activated by the publisher, who cannot verify the accuracy of these links beyond the date of publication.

Contents

beginnings

one

two

three

four

five

six

seven

eight

nine

ten

eleven

twelve

thirteen

fourteen

fifteen

sixteen

seventeen

eighteen

nineteen

twenty

twenty-one

twenty-two

twenty-three

twenty-four

twenty-five

twenty-six

twenty-seven

twenty-eight

twenty-nine

thirty

the end

beginnings

Our story begins in a world totally like our own, yet completely different. What once happened here in our own history seems to be repeating itself thousands of years from now, some time beyond the year 4000 AD.

But this time the future belongs to those who see opportunity before it becomes obvious. To the young, to the warriors, to the lovers. To those who can follow hidden clues and find a great treasure that will unlock the mysteries of life and wealth.

Thirteen years have passed since the lush, colored forests were turned to desert by Teeleh, the enemy of Elyon and the vilest of all creatures. Evil now rules the land and shows itself as a painful, scaly disease that covers the flesh of the Horde, a people who live in the desert.

The powerful green waters, once precious to Elyon, have vanished from the earth except in seven small forests surrounding seven small lakes. Those few who have chosen to follow the ways of Elyon now live in these forests, bathing once daily in the powerful waters to cleanse their skin of the disease.

The number of their sworn enemy, the Horde, has grown in thirteen years and, fearing the green waters above all else, these desert dwellers have sworn to wipe all traces of the forests from the earth.

Only the Forest Guard stands in their way. Ten thousand elite fighters against an army of nearly four hundred thousand Horde.

But the Forest Guard is starting to crumble.

one

DAY ONE

Qurong, general of the Horde, stood on the tall dune five miles west of the green forest, ignoring the fly that buzzed around his left eye.

His flesh was nearly white, covered with a paste that kept his skin from itching too badly. His long hair was pulled back and woven into dreadlocks, then tucked beneath the leather body armor cinched tightly around his massive chest.

Do you think they know? the young major beside him asked.

Qurong’s milky white horse, chosen for its ability to blend with the desert, stamped and snorted.

The general spit to one side. They know what we want them to know, he said. That we are gathering for war. And that we will march from the east in four days.

It seems risky, the major said. His right cheek twitched, sending three flies to flight.

Their forces are half what they once were. As long as they think we are coming from the east, we will smother them from the west.

The traitor insists that they are building their forces, the major said.

With young pups! Qurong scoffed.

The young can be crafty.

And I’m not? They know nothing about the traitor. This time we will kill them all.

Qurong turned back to the valley behind him. The tents of his third division, the largest of all Horde armies, which numbered well over three hundred thousand of the most experienced warriors, stretched out nearly as far as he could see.

We march in four days, Qurong said. We will slaughter them from the west.

two

Twelve of the forest’s strongest and bravest young fighters crouched in their brown battle leathers at each end of the grassy stadium field, waiting for the command to stand and fight for the hairy ball sitting at center field. Five thousand spectators stood in the stands carved from the earth, holding their collective breath. Four squad leaders were to be chosen today, and each one given a house to own, the choice of any horse, and an emerald-handled sword—making them the envy of every man, woman, and child in the village.

All of this would be decided by one man: Thomas Hunter, supreme commander of the Forest Guard.

Johnis stood next to his father, Ramos, shivering a little. It wasn’t cold, but the breeze dried the sweat on his neck and made him cool. So he told himself, anyway.

He had dark hair to his shoulders and, according to his father, a strong jaw that was sometimes best kept closed. His nose was sharp and his lips full, giving him the appearance that he was fourteen, not sixteen.

He stared at the hairy Horde ball at center field. His mother, Rosa, had been responsible for that lump of Scab hair. Three months had passed since she’d been killed by the Horde at

Reviews for Chosen

[bookslesstravelled · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A great Inspirational Suspense short story

[hgbutchwalker · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It was great to be reading again about the world of Thomas Hunter. Now I can't wait till the others come in.

[nsmith529 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a really good book. I read it rather quickly. It starts out with Johnis who lives in a forest in a mythical world where there are only green forests and sandy deserts. Or so everyone thinks. In this desert lives the Horde, who are the enemies of these forest people. They are evil and want nothing more to make everyone in the forests like them, with scaly, stinking skin that hurts when they move. The forest people can be turned into these Horde by not bathing in certain lakes of water that keeps them from changing. The Horde hate water and stay away from it at all costs. Johnis is then joined by 3 other teens for an adventure that will change their world forever. I give this book 4 1/2 stars as it was a really good book.

[shannanwithana · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed this book, eager to get the last 3 in the series. I got Chosen on a whim at Half price books store. I thought it would be fairly predictable from the back cover, but was pleasantly surprised at the twists and turns. It's a simple read, good for kids starting in the preteen age group.

[blog_gal · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Full of action and adventure, Ted Dekker's books never fail to deliver. There is a slight minor plot that involves romance, but the major plot is full of adventure, excitement, and fighting.

There is also some comic relief present in the form of the rouch, Michal and Gabil.

I also like the Christian allegories that are present. Most of the time, these allegories are very subtle. One of the main allegories is to God through Elyon who is the loving God in this series. Although there are Christian allegories, I believe that this series would be great for anyone who loves fantasy, action, and/or adventure.

One last comment: the cover. Have you seen the new covers for this series? They are gorgeous. I cannot keep my eyes off of them. The original covers were not bad, but the new covers are AMAZING.

The new covers are so pretty and not as plain as the old covers. I also think that the new covers appeal more to both males and females; whereas, the old covers appeal more to a male audience.

[charlottejones952 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was another book that I picked up at the library the other day just because the cover was so intriguing and also the tagline, "think with your heart and prepare to die for you have been chosen" really drew me in. Chosen is the first in the Lost Book series, so the first of four.

"The chosen four are sent on a quest to prove their character, but their mission takes a drawmatic turn when they are intercepted, sworn to secrecy, and redirected to a different endgame. Now they must find the seven lost Books of History. Books that have power over the past, present and future. Books whose words are alive. Books sought by the Dark One that control not only the destiny of their world.....but that of ours as well".

This just sounded great from the get-go so I was really excited to read it.

The characters in this book were amongst some of the best that I have read about recently. The main protagonist, Johnis, was an interesting character which is always good since he is the main focus of the novel. Without giving too much away about the story, I found Johnis a likeable character that grew on me as the other characters seemed to warm to him. The other three main characters were also very relatable in some ways and even when they were being horrible to Johnis, you as the reader could understand why this was happening. My favourite character ended up being Gabil who was one of the Roush. I just thought that he was a very funny character that lightened up the novel and added a bit of humour.

The plot was also really good! It drew me in from the start and developed at a good pace, not too quickly and not to slow either. However, this was obviously going to be the beginning of a series because of the way it ended, but on reflection, I think that even if you weren't interested or able to read the rest of the series, this would still be a great read with a really interesting and multifaceted plot with great characters.

The writing made this novel really easy and quick to read. With only 260 words in the hardback addition that I read, this isn't a long novel, but the way it reads made it very quick and it flowed well. I read it only in one day! I think that this book has the right amount of description that shows you enough about this world to make it believable and easy to imagine, without taking over from the narrative.

Overall I would definitely give this book 5 out of 5 stars as I think that it would be a great read for people of any age, female or male. I really do love all of the characters and the world that Ted Dekker has created and having not heard about this book before, I was surprised how much I actually enjoyed this. Chosen has the right balance of humour, suspense, action and romance to keep you hooked from the beginning and ends leaving you wanting more.

[the_hibernator · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Johnis was disappointed, but relieved, when he was deemed "too small" to fight in the Forest Guard against the evil Horde. However, due to a chance encounter, the supreme leader Thomas Hunter chooses Johnis as one of his four new captains of the Forest Guard. He, and the 3 other new teenaged captains, are sent out on a mission to prove themselves. They end up proving a lot more than Hunter bargained for. Chosen is the first book in a young adult spin-off series from Ted Dekker's popular series Circle Trilogy: Black / Red / White, and is also related to the Paradise series (of which Showdown is the first). This series is meant to work as a stand-alone, but I would highly recommend reading the Circle Trilogy first, since these are the books that build Dekker's fantasy world and Chosen takes place after the events in Red. However, based on reviews of other readers, it's clear that people can enjoy this book even without reading the original trilogy. Either way, this book is good wholesome adventure.

[triciadm_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Not what I expected, but the story was still intriguing. Very easy read, I am going to continue on with the series...

[jt_48 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I actually consider this to be the first book in a riveting 13 book series. There are 3 separate series that all tie in here. The Circle, The Paradise Books, and the Lost books. I feel this book was pretty straightforward with the story and action. It was fast moving and left me wanting the second book. Johnis, Silvie, Billos, and Darsal are characters you will identify with quickly. This book begins a battle between the light and the dark that is truly epic in every fashion of the word.

[8f_sam · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book was awesome! At the beginning, it was pretty confusing, and I was thinking about giving up, but I'm glad I read on. The whole concept of the story is hard to explain. So I won't try to. But once you get it, it's really, really interesting. This book sorta reminds me of the Brave Story, a book I read last year. In that book, the main character had to find the missing gems, and in this book Johnis has to find the 6 lost books of history. It's really interesting! You should read it!

[cherryblossommj_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I'm not sure what I think about this book. I sit here and feel that there is so much to ponder beyond what was written. The story itself is fast paced and you must pay attention for one thing happens after another in a perfect harmony. The characters are great and lovable, while the villains are very much the opposite as should be. I can tell from reading this story that there is so much more in Ted's mind of what is going on and I'm curious about more related books to see what more I can delve from this world. It appears that there is more than one world, and more than one series that connects and I'm curious to learn more.

[bell7_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Johnis has already been overlooked for the Forest Guard, a group of soldiers fighting for their lives against the Horde, who have lately started allowing younger fighters join their ranks. Twenty-four contestants are trying to prove to their leader, Thomas Hunter, that they have what it takes to lead in the Guard, but Johnis is able to "think with his heart" and fool them all. Thomas sends him and three others who proved themselves in the contest - Darsal, Silvie, and Billos - to the desert with a task: bring back four, whole cacti by sundown. They will have to work together to do it, but seem more interested in bickering.Readers of the Circle Trilogy may recognize Thomas Hunter's name - this is set between the first and second books in that series and, yes, involves the Books of the Histories. It's been a few years since I read the series, so I had a little trouble fitting the chronology together. Though fast-paced, I thought the writing and character development left much to be desired. In writing for teens, Dekker tells, and rather repetitively at that, instead of letting the reader piece things together or describing a change in a character's thinking in a way that didn't beat you over the head with it. I might read the second book but have yet to be convinced that I need to read the whole series.

[hpluver07 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The first book in a series of 4. 4 teens are chosen to go on a quest to find the 7 lost books before the evil shitaki do. Very exciting adventure!