The Chosen One Con is the first novel in a new duology by Trudie Skies, and is a story full of themes. In this world driven by magic, where the rich have everything and the poor toil themselves into the ground, there is manipulation via love potions, worker oppression, sex slavery, and exploitation. Among all of this gritty hardship, a love story blooms between two total opposites, flamboyant Max, who longs to become a rich mage and lives for the shows he watches religiously on the MagiVision, and down-to-earth socialist Lyle, who wants nothing to do with magic or the ruling classes. Opposites attract, and the two teenagers form a strong emotional bond, until a riot ends with Max’s father being killed and Lyle sent to the aether mines.

The story continues seven years later with Max believing Lyle to be dead and working as a prostitute named Magnolia to support his transgender sister, who needs food, rent, and hormonal medicine to support her transition.

A televised contest is announced to find the next Archon, “The Chosen One” who will act on the city’s ruling council, replacing the recently deceased Ignatius, a nasty piece of work, whose death is blamed on the Wrens, a group of anti-magic extremists. Lyle, now out of the mines and apprenticed to the mysterious ex-Archon, Warlock, decides to enter the competition to bring down the system from within. 

Meanwhile, Max sees winning the contest as a way to escape his boss/slaver, Valerian Thorn, and finally live a free life. 

As with Trudie’s other books, the worldbuilding is amazingly detailed and really brings the city to life in all its complexity. The city is powered by magic, and magic pervades everything, even food and drink, and makes addicts of people. The MagiVision shows are also a form of addiction, dumbing down the general populace and helping them to forget their woes. I loved the idea of a brothel named The Greenhouse with all of its workers named after flowers and run by Valerian Thorn, a real thorn amongst the roses. 

All of the characters are well-thought-out and believable — even the secondary characters have many layers and detailed backstories, which add depth and richness to the world they inhabit. None of Trudie’s characters are ever fillers; they always have multiple layers and interesting quirks. Max and Lyle were both really great characters, so different from each other. I found myself visualizing Tom Read Wilson as Max, and Sam Heughan’s character Jamie Fraser from Highlander in the role of Lyle. 

Everyone in The Chosen One Con is driven by desire. The poor long for money and a way out of their tormented lives; the rich desire perfection and take addictive potions for everything from appearance changes to knowledge of spells. 

“The Chosen One” MagiVision show offers betterment for the winning contestant: a place on the ruling council of the city, but no one is aware of just how corrupt the Archon council is and who exactly is behind all of the manipulation. There are many surprising revelations throughout the story, but this one takes the cake!

The Chosen One Con was a really enjoyable novel that I found completely compelling. The layers of society reminded me of The Hunger Games, and it deserves to be made into a movie.