"Anazâr would take this offering, take Felix, seize this moment even if he died on the cross for it later. He was tired of worrying about later. He’d live like he did in the arena, one passionate horrible glorious moment at a time."

Amazing! Fantastic! Totally and absolutely loved it! Why have I not read more from this genre??????? (and I mean ancient-historical one LOL)


The story

After an incident in the arena, Anazâr is contracted by the nobleman Marianus to be the trainer of his female gladia More...

Review completed February 14, 2013****Overall rating 4 stars. 3.5 stars for the first half and 4.5 stars for the second half of the story.

The time for hate and outrage had passed. Even the bitterest seeds of resentment and despair, sown the day of his capture and watered ever since with an endless string of humiliations and degradations and pain, had dissolved into something else, something there wasn't a name for. Not in any victor's tongue, anyway, and that was all that mattered here.

"Ten l

More...

Outstanding Book... Definitely up in my top 5 books of the year, It is one of those exceptional reads that 5 stars does not do justice to the wonders contained within. This an excellent adventure set in Rome with all the brutality, debauchery and excesses we know so well from that period, it is full of intrigue, power plays, deception, gladiator battles, love and murder with a beautiful, intense and forbidden romance..



Firstly... I am in awe of the writing skills of these two authors, when I re More...

What a Tragically Beautiful Love Story!!! Gladiator Style!!!

Anazar, aka Cyrenaicus


Anazar is a Gladiator and a Roman slave. He's been tasked to train female gladiatices to fight in the arena. A job he takes seriously, because they will be fighting for their lives. Anazar also lives to please his Dominus, Marianus and takes pleasure in pleasing him sexually. But things start to change when a murder attempt goes wrong. Anazar finds his alliances torn. He must protect his Master, even as he fights t More...

A riveting read, wonderful 'world-building', the authors did an exceptional job as far as their research is concerned, the lies and deception, plotting and scheming, forbidden love, the fight for freedom, this story is amazing in so many ways. A big and 4.5 stars from me.


As some really good reviews have been done already for this book, I'll just add my voice to their praise. The storyline is very plot driven and fast-paced, with a wonderful cast of characters, some of whom you will love, and ot More...

i still want to go back and reread the last half, but i thought i would start to gather my thoughts . . .

***SPOILERS*****

fast paced, action packed read
historical setting and characters are very well done
HOLY COW IS THIS WELL WRITTEN!
after the druid stone, i knew i would be buying their work for a while, this just made them a MUST BUY.
but still not quite a 5 star

well developed main characters
felix is amazing . . .he made me laugh, cry, cringe, and cheer!
anazar is a loveable gladiator if such a More...

One of my favourite novels this year, hands down. Movie, pls!

Back to Rome with a romp. I was at first a little sceptical about this book, but pleased to say that I was proved totally wrong. A great read that transports you right back to Rome in all it's glory, debauchery and thirst for blood. Anazar is a gladiator that is bought by the house of Lucius Marianus to train his team of female gladiators. A hard job as the previous trainer had treated the women badly and Anazar first has to win their trust. Then an intrigue and murder is uncovered which threate More...

The writing and world building:

Perfect, absolutely faultless prose and dialogue. I can only sit back and admire the execution of this novel.
It is ever so easy to immerse yourself in this era with the poetic descriptions setting the scenes of historical Rome. The phrasing and dialog is in harmony with the era, and although it is authentic , it had me confused, stuttering over the meanings and rushing off to Google search certain phrases.
I am oblivious to ancient Roman culture, so this was a gr More...

I really enjoyed this book-so much I have a hard time thinking of things I didn't like about it.

The story has a couple of well written main characters, and several great supporting characters. For a story of its length I though the authors did a great job of developing the secondary characters.

I thought the story had a nice mystery along with a story line that makes the reader wonder who is trustworthy and who isn't. I worked out the main mystery though before the reveal, but that didn't take aw More...

SPOILERS!!!!! too tired to actually write a review! but believe me it is a must read!!!!!!!!!!!

read from down to up!!!! :)))) Blacky already told me to fix that :PPP

100.0%

perfection! beautiful!

88.0%

"I’ll die touching you. That’s all I ever asked."

86.0%

"omg
noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
omg"

85.0%

"this scene reminds me of gladiator when joaquin phoenix yelled at her : AM I NOT MERCIFUL?!?!?!!?!?

heheh More...

An intriguing and informative story of a Gladiator finding love and acceptance in a world where it is lacking.

I will start by saying that is my first foray into this type of book. I have read historical gay fiction, but this was way out of my comfort zone. But the unbelievable fact is that I enjoyed it from start to finish. Yes, I struggled with words and names and had to constantly look in the included glossary or the Internet, but the journey was very gratifying and informative.

Anazâr is a gl More...

Mark of the Gladiator by Heidi Belleau and Violetta Vane is an intricately researched historical set during the time of moral corruption that marked the Roman Empire. It weaves together two storylines. The first involves a romance and mystery set within an aristocratic family. Someone is trying to kill one of two highborn brothers, and our hero is drawn to both men. Here, I think the mystery takes center stage over the romance.

The second storyline, which I found most compelling, focuses on our h More...

4.0
short review: Strong plot and smooth writing, but may engage your intellect more than your emotions.

Conflict: Very strong conflict. As a slave, Anazar could be crucified for disobeying his master. This includes failing at training his female gladiators, or having suspicion fall on him when his master becomes the target of a possible murder plot.
Genre: Historical
Length: 71, 200
Rating: 4.0 stars
Setting: ancient Rome in the time of Augustus Caesar
Sex scenes: Some with mild kink (public sex, sex More...

I’m going to freely admit here that my love for all things Rome at present can firmly be blamed on watching the TV series Spartacus. So, yes, I was very much primed by the time the request to review Mark of the Gladiator landed in my inbox. And Heidi and Violetta do not disappoint in this offering, Mark of the Gladiator showing all the hallmarks that make all the Riptide Publishing offerings of a consistently high standard. This novel offers a heady combination of narrative, danger and sex, all More...

This was my first time reading a fictional story set in the time of the Roman Empire which was the biggest draw when I chose this book. However, once I started reading, I discovered that setting historical backdrop aside- which was fabulous by the way- I found the characters and intrigues that went on so fascinating that I couldn't put the thing down once it got started.

The story is Anazar's and he tells it well. It begins when Anazar is taking his punishment at a whipping post for showing mercy More...

Mark of the Gladiator by Heidi Belleau & Violetta Vane is the fourth book in the Warriors of Rome series and although I thoroughly enjoyed each book in the series, this novel was my favorite. The story depicts the life of a gladiator slave, Anazar, who is conscripted for two months to a nobleman, Lucius Marianus. Anazar’s task is to train captive, savage women in the art of the being gladiatrix.

The House of Marianus seemingly appears to be the ideal place for refuge when one is not a freedma More...

If Goodreads did half stars I would give this a 3.5. I liked it; I really enjoyed the authors' style and I liked Anazâr a lot. Unfortunately, I thought the plot itself was unwieldy and confusing, and Felix irritated me.

Basically, Anazâr is a Numidian who ended up on the wrong side at Actium. After being enslaved, he became a gladiator, and as the book opens is put in charge of training Marianus' gladiatrices, because he is so gay he will never sleep with any of them. He is attracted to Marianus, More...

Mark of the Gladiator by the talented writing duo of Heidi Belleau and Violetta Vane has a lot going for it! It's got great action sequences intermixed with clever political intrigue that keep you on the edge of your seat as well as a steamy but conflicted romance. The vivid scenery showing the differences between the have and have-nots along with its realistic language drew me even deeper into a storyline that kept me guessing and my heart pounding.

Focusing on the rarely discussed in history fe More...

As some of you already know (because I can’t shut up about it) I really, really love Spartacus, which is one of the best things I’ve ever seen. My love for the show made me read The Gladiator’s Master, which was a complete disappointment and that’s why I was afraid of reading Mark of the Gladiator. I truly don’t enjoy giving books less than 4 stars. But I decided to give this book a chance. And I was not disappointed this time.

The fact that the main character, Anazâr, was forced to train female More...

Originally Reviewed for The Book Vixen

Passionate MM romance set in ancient Rome. So long as readers aren’t squeamish with violence, blood and rape then this is a good read with plenty of intrigue and compelling characters.

This novel is way more than sex. There is a plot, intrigue, well-rounded characters and a descriptive historical setting of ancient Rome. Anazar is a sympathetic central character as a captured warrior turned into a gladiator with his life defined by the whims of his masters. I More...

My experience with Rome consists of watching a few episodes of Rome and Spartcus so I assumed that I would be lost in that culture. To my relief I found this not to be the case. The authors, Ms. Belleau and Ms. Vane paint a vivid picture of just what it mean to live in those days especially as a slave though they also showed me the privileges that the Roman citizens could expect. And I have to say that I regret the fact that bathhouses are just not found around the corner anymore.

I do have to s More...

It fell short for me a couple of times. It felt like it was dragging me somewhere but not convincing me this is the right way.

I don't know, maybe I should reread the second half for better judgement, but for me it was not convincing or believable. Both the plot and the love story - which, of course, were intertwined.

Credit where credit's due - it was crazy hot, and if there are scenes I'll be rereading, these will be the ones.

My first MM thanks to Blacky's review. *wink*
I liked it. I liked it because of the story, not because of the sex scenes. I must say that some of those were a little disturbing not because they were MM, but because I felt angry by the use slaves were subjected.
I didn't like Marianus. I didn't liked him at the beginning and din't liked him at the end. I understand that he was acting like so many patricians, but I was a little revolted when Aelia offer Anazâr’s "services" to Marianus like it was n More...

This is an absolutely phenomenal book that should not be overlooked. If you're the type of person that likes a m/m romance set during the time of the Roman Empire, then this is the book for you. This book is incredibly well-researched and visceral. At the heart of it all is a love story set during a time where love was hard to come by and loyalty even moreso.

Anazar is a gladiator who disobeys a direct order in the arena. Instead of being put to the cross or sent to the mines or worse, his master More...

I find this book extremly hard to review. I think I need to make myself for further cases some kind of formula.

But for now I have to try it without.

The book is extremly well written and the world building is outstanding. I felt like being there.

The plot is....at the beginning a bit slow pacing, I assume to get aquainted with everybody and the world. Later it's so fast pacing that it gets confusing.

The characters are...diverse.
Anazâr, the MC, is very likable, a honorable man who tries to cope wi More...

Cyrenaicus is a gladiator/slave in Rome. The tattoo on his forehead reads "stop me, I am a runaway slave", because he has attempted to run away. He's currently being flogged at the Circus Maximus by his lanista for refusing to co-operate in the theatrical massacre of a score of slaves. With this opening, the reader is sure that our hero will die of his wounds, and are heartened to hear that he's been loaned out to a novice ludii owner, Marianus. Cyrenaicus, Anazar in his own tongue, is refreshin More...

I registered on NetGalley and asked for several books to read and review... This was the first that answered with an "OK". Soon I downloaded the e-book, began to read... And found out that this book was totally different from anything I've read before. I've read several historical romances, but this was the first gay one. And it was a great read!

The book has a lot of hot scenes, but it also has romance and a well developed story. There is a lot of sex, but the focus is on Anazâr's life as a glad More...

Buddy read with Glass & Rain!:))

It had all the thrilling violence of 300, the historical lessons of Troy, and the intrigue and sizzle of Showtime's Spartacus!

Now I will admit the first 15 or so pages were a bit wordy and trying to acclimate to the language, setting, names etc was a bit overwhelming. But by page 30 I was absolutely hooked! What would happen to the strong and proud Anazar? Would he win his freedom? And who would he fall in love with...Marianus or Felix? Who is the good guy and who's really the evil plotter?

The f More...