"Prince Alexos, the long-awaited champion of the goddess Athene, follows the course of his destiny through war and loss and a deadly confrontation with his enemy to its end: shipwreck on a magical, fog-shrouded island. There he meets the unforgettable Aria and faces the greatest challenge of his life. Based loosely on Shakespeare's The Tempest"-- - (Baker & Taylor)

The author of The Silver Bowl presents a tale inspired by Shakespeare's The Tempest that follows the experiences of two princes, a mysterious girl and a goddess who has chosen them to save a kingdom. 30,000 first printing. - (Baker & Taylor)

Presents a tale that follows the experiences of two princes, a mysterious girl, and a goddess who has chosen them to save a kingdom. - (Baker & Taylor)

From master storyteller Diane Stanley comes a spellbinding tale, based on Shakespeare's The Tempest, of two princes—one chosen, one lost—and a mysterious girl on a magical island, all caught in a great web of destiny.

On the day of his birth, Prince Alexos is revealed to be the long-awaited champion of Athene. He grows up lonely, conscious of all that is expected of him. But Alexos discovers that being a champion isn't about fame and glory—it's about sacrifice and courage.

Alexos follows the course of his destiny through war and loss and a deadly confrontation with his enemy to its end: shipwreck on a magical, fog-shrouded island. There he meets the unforgettable Aria, and faces the greatest challenge of his life.

On the day of his birth, Prince Alexos is revealed to be the long-awaited champion of Athene. It will be his task to restore the kingdom to the favor of the gods—but no one knows exactly how.

Alexos grows up lonely in his greatness, conscious of all that is expected of him. But it soon becomes clear that being the chosen one is not about fame and glory. It's all about sacrifice and courage, and he is being tested.

Alexos follows the course of his destiny through war and loss on the borderlands and a deadly confrontation with his enemy to its ultimate end: shipwreck on a magical, fog-shrouded island. There he meets the unforgettable Aria, the girl he's loved for years but has seen only in his dreams, and faces the greatest challenge of his life.

Master storyteller Diane Stanley weaves an epic tale of warring kingdoms, shock-ing betrayal, and forgiveness inspired by Shakespeare's The Tempest and set in a mythical ancient Greece.

Booklist Reviews

Alexos, prince of Arcos, doesn't have an easy life. His father, King Ektor, is disapproving and demanding and spends most of his time far away, supervising their country's unending war against neighboring Ferra. Schoolmates keep their distance from the prince. His mother is dead. Only his little brother, Teo, brings light and fun into Alexos' life, and soon, Teo, too, is taken from him in a hideous act of treachery. Alexos must shoulder these burdens and more as he becomes a young man and assumes responsibility for his impoverished kingdom. Echoes of Shakespeare's The Tempest reverberate through this classically set court story, where male friendships and loyalty are the focus, and the gods interfere in human affairs. The story is told in third-person present tense, as if observed from on high, lending a sometimes off-putting distance to the action. Fans of Stanley's Silver Bowl books will relish the vivid settings, but The Chosen Prince is not her strongest work. Copyright 2014 Booklist Reviews.

Horn Book Guide Reviews

Twelve-year-old crown prince Alexos, recognized at birth as the one to end pestilence and war, is also a friendless outcast. When the polio-like "summer sickness" leaves him semi-paralyzed and he overhears his cold father's plan to leave the kingdom to beloved younger brother Teo, Alexos commits an unthinkable act. This book features a touchingly relatable character whose relationships make the racing plot meaningful.

Horn Book Magazine Reviews

Twelve-year-old Alexos, crown prince of the kingdom of Arcos, was recognized at birth as the champion for whom everyone has waited generations, the one promised by the goddess Athene to end generations of pestilence and war. He is also a burdened, friendless outcast, unloved by his cold father, and takes his only real joy from time spent with his younger brother, Teo. But when the dreaded, polio-like "summer sickness" leaves him semi-paralyzed and he overhears his father's plan to leave the kingdom to Teo, Alexos commits an unthinkable act and must live with the consequences. Percy Jackson fans will not be put off: Stanley uses short sentences, an immediate present tense, and basic vocabulary, and the plot races along. Alexos is a touchingly relatable character, and his relationships make the plot meaningful, as he learns to balance princely dignity with having friends and finds an alternate father figure in his doctor, Suliman. Eventually the two brothers are reunited on a mysterious island, where together they sort out all the hows and whys, which will satisfy readers who like their plot lines neatly tied up. susan dove lempk Copyright 2014 Horn Book Magazine.

Publishers Weekly Reviews

On the day of Prince Alexos's birth, the gods decree that he is destined for greatness, catalyzing a life of hardship as the prince attempts to fulfill this prophecy. An outsider among his peers, afflicted with an illness that damages his legs, 12-year-old Alexos is finally driven by anguish to leave his helpless younger brother, Teo, for dead by casting him out to sea alone. But through the goddess Athene's intervention, Alexos finds his way to a magical island where the brothers' purpose is revealed. Stanley's (The Silver Bowl) lush descriptions of the fog-shrouded island, which comes alive to respond to inhabitants' needs, hark back to the mythological roots from which she draws inspiration. Much of the story is relayed through dialogue, and Stanley's characters are prone to lengthy speeches used to explain the Arcoferrans' long suffering and espouse their feelings, making for some stilted exchanges. But, overall, Stanley's storytelling infuses each character and hardship with distinct purposes that coalesce and become clear to readers by book's end for a tidy finale that leaves no unanswered questions. Ages 8–12. Agent: Marcia Wernick, Wernick & Pratt. (Jan.)

School Library Journal Reviews

Gr 5–8—Stanley's newest fantasy, set in ancient Greece, is a bittersweet delight. Prince Alexos learns early that being the champion of a goddess does not make for an easy life. Alexos is destined to bring about reconciliation between battling gods, Athene and Zeus, if he can survive a childhood filled with near-impossible challenge and little joy, except for his love of running and his little brother Teo. However, by the age of 12, even these are lost to him. As he struggles to regain the use of his legs and recover from causing the death of his beloved brother, Alexos learns from a wise mentor, develops relationships with people from all levels of society, and becomes a force for good. At the same time, he is comforted by visions of his brother in the land of the dead, living an idyllic life with a new father and sister. However, the protagonist soon learns that all is not as it seems. Alexos is a strong character, capable of accepting and adapting to change, even as he struggles with heartbreak and almost insurmountable odds. Other characters—especially the court physician Suliman and Teo's new sister Aria—are equally well done. The language is lyrical and accessible, and the end is satisfying in the extreme.—Mara Alpert, Los Angeles Public Library