Trope
Chosen One
Prophecy shaped, reluctance optional.
11 books on this shelf, newest first.
The chosen one is the oldest engine in fantasy and still the most reliable: a prophecy, a mark, a bloodline, and an ordinary person who did not ask for any of it. Modern entries tend to interrogate the premise rather than accept it.
Where to start: If the straight version appeals, epic and YA fantasy deliver it cleanly. If you would rather see it dismantled, look for books where the prophecy turns out to be wrong, self-fulfilling, or someone else's political invention.
