Hello, everyone! Today I’m reviewing Forged for Destiny by Andrew Knighton. I’m always down for the chosen-one trope. So, I couldn’t pass up a new heroic fantasy with a supposed twist on the trope. Did I love it? Read on to find out!

Raul has a claim his birthright as the last surviving heir of King Balbainus and lead his conquered people to freedom. 

The signs are all there—his birthmark, in the shape of Balbainus’ halfmoon and dagger sigil, the gemstone-hilted sword he found in his parents’ inn, and the sudden influx of illegal books featuring the late king’s lineage. Nevermind that his ma is a hidden scribe writing a play about Balbainus’ return, or that his da, a hardened warrior, has been training him to fight since he could stand. Or the fact that his sword doesn’t seem very old at all, he feels much more comfortable reading than fighting, and his birthmark is looking more and more like a burn scar…

As Raul leaves his simple village life to start a rebellion against the tyrannical Dunholmi government, he begins to wonder if his destiny is more someone else’s plan for a future he doesn’t want to be a part of. He’ll go along with things, for now, if only to prove that change can come from kindness instead of outright destruction. 

After all, destiny is what you make of it.

***Thank you to Orbit Books for providing an advanced copy of the book via NetGalley. My review contains my honest thoughts about my reading experience.***

I’m a bit of a sucker for a chosen one story, and I love to stumble upon new takes on the trope. Despite having “twist” in the tag line, Forged for Destiny felt really formulaic in both its plot and characters. Nothing about it was particularly bad, though, and I had a good enough time on this adventure to want to read the next book.

The plot of Forged for Destiny was executed well despite being a bit predictable. The only real twist in the story was given away at the very beginning, but I didn’t mind it. Raul’s journey was the typical hero’s journey. I liked getting to see him leave his small town and incrementally grow into a leader of the rebellion. There are reasons why chosen one stories are so popular, and this book definitely taps into a lot of the qualities of the trope that I love. The story was a good mix of action and emotional moments with just a hint of romance thrown in for good measure.

My favorite characters in Forged for Destiny were probably Raul and his father. They were the emotional heart of the story, and I really felt their connection leap off the page. Raul grew so much. He started out a naive farm boy who was just going along with his parents plan to overthrow the tyrannical government. He was soft and kind, and the rebellion hardened him in some ways but never changed his penchant for doing what was right rather than leading with malice. By the end, he was blooming into a leader that inspired others through his actions rather than his pedigree.

One of the weakest elements of Forged for Destiny for me was the world-building. There were some interesting bits here and there, but I needed way more to chew on. It felt like a very run-of-the-mill, barebones fantasy setting without much to make it stand out. I did like the themes in the story, though. It tackled the idea of destiny versus self-determination in interesting ways and touched on the ills of imperialism.

Overall, Forged for Destiny was a good chosen one story with interesting characters and thought-provoking themes. The setting and plot were pretty unexceptional, though. Nothing in this book could be said to reinvent the wheel, but it did execute the common tropes and trappings of a chosen one fantasy well. Therefore, I rate this book 3.5 out of 5 stars.

There you have it! My thoughts on Forged for Destiny by Andrew Knighton. Have you read this book? Let me know your thoughts down in the comments!