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The Valiant #2
The Defiant
Gladiator Fallon and her warrior sisters must face off against a rival gladiator academy in this lush sequel to the highly anticipated historical fantasy The Valiant.
They call her "Victrix" now. Victory.
But winning the highest honor ever bestowed upon a gladiatrix in Rome has earned Fallon more deadly enemies outside the arena than she ever faced within it. And it is those dearest to Fallon who will pay the price for her success.
Now, Fallon and her warrior sisters are thrust into a vicious conflict with a rival gladiator academy, one that will threaten not only Fallon's heart - and her love for Roman soldier Cai - but the very heart of the Roman Empire.
They call her "Victrix" now. Victory.
But winning the highest honor ever bestowed upon a gladiatrix in Rome has earned Fallon more deadly enemies outside the arena than she ever faced within it. And it is those dearest to Fallon who will pay the price for her success.
Now, Fallon and her warrior sisters are thrust into a vicious conflict with a rival gladiator academy, one that will threaten not only Fallon's heart - and her love for Roman soldier Cai - but the very heart of the Roman Empire.
336 pages, ebook
First published January 23, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 371 reviews
February 6, 2018
The Valiant was one of my favorite new YA books of 2017. The concept was fascinating imagining the existence of a training school devoted to making women into gladiatrices. It felt fresh with high stakes. Any predictable moments didn't bother me because the story held its own. I'm beginning to think this should've been left as a standalone because The Defiant didn't do anything for me. In fact..as excited as I was to dive back into this world, the excitement slowly dwindled down as I got into the story and began questioning what I loved so much about the first one. Eventually something happens to jumpstart the plot of this sequel, but what's behind the plot was one of my least favorite aspects of book one.
The basis of the story is Fallon and her fellow gladiatrices are faced with a threat to their ludus and the freedom they desire. Anything feels like a spoiler here. There were a couple things I liked, so I'll put a spoiler tag here. The romance still felt out of place and too forced. The story was very slow at times, especially the beginning. I did still appreciate the fight scenes. Sometimes a book does so well, it earns a sequel that wasn't initially planned. I thought this would be a great thing because the historical aspects were so fun to explore and I really loved the theme of sisterhood and honor. Unfortunately, this one felt too forced and took the plot a direction that didn't work for me.
The basis of the story is Fallon and her fellow gladiatrices are faced with a threat to their ludus and the freedom they desire. Anything feels like a spoiler here. There were a couple things I liked, so I'll put a spoiler tag here. The romance still felt out of place and too forced. The story was very slow at times, especially the beginning. I did still appreciate the fight scenes. Sometimes a book does so well, it earns a sequel that wasn't initially planned. I thought this would be a great thing because the historical aspects were so fun to explore and I really loved the theme of sisterhood and honor. Unfortunately, this one felt too forced and took the plot a direction that didn't work for me.
January 31, 2018
4.5*
This series is so good! I was hooked from book one with a female gladiator on the cover. As soon as I started reading the first book I wanted a trilogy right away! The sequel was very good but I did like the first book better but that seems to be normal in a lot of trilogies. I however CANNOT wait for next year’s third book to come out (even though the second just came out last week). This series and these characters are so entertaining! I just know the third book is going to be ridiculously exciting! I don’t want to give away anything about this book but the dual between two gladiator academies is an epic plot to read about.
My quick and simple overall: fantastic! Read it in one sitting.
This series is so good! I was hooked from book one with a female gladiator on the cover. As soon as I started reading the first book I wanted a trilogy right away! The sequel was very good but I did like the first book better but that seems to be normal in a lot of trilogies. I however CANNOT wait for next year’s third book to come out (even though the second just came out last week). This series and these characters are so entertaining! I just know the third book is going to be ridiculously exciting! I don’t want to give away anything about this book but the dual between two gladiator academies is an epic plot to read about.
My quick and simple overall: fantastic! Read it in one sitting.
February 4, 2020
"They call her Victrix now. Victory"
I think this book was not the right one for me for this moment. I enjoyed the Valiant very much, however I was unfortunately not as enthusiastic with this book.
You follow the story of our Victrix Fallon which endures a lot of heartbreak at the beginning of the book where her Ludus is taken over by an incredible rude and (in my imagination ugly) man who wants nothing but exceed in everything he does whatever it takes.
It was fun but not like I hoped it would be. In doubt if I am going to read the next book in this series. Anyone who read it and thinks it is worth the while?
Happy Reading
XO Feather
I think this book was not the right one for me for this moment. I enjoyed the Valiant very much, however I was unfortunately not as enthusiastic with this book.
You follow the story of our Victrix Fallon which endures a lot of heartbreak at the beginning of the book where her Ludus is taken over by an incredible rude and (in my imagination ugly) man who wants nothing but exceed in everything he does whatever it takes.
It was fun but not like I hoped it would be. In doubt if I am going to read the next book in this series. Anyone who read it and thinks it is worth the while?
Happy Reading
XO Feather
Want to read
May 30, 2017I'M HERE FOR THIS.
Well, assuming the romance stays put. :P
Well, assuming the romance stays put. :P
January 10, 2021
THIS WAS SO GOOD!!! Even better than the first!!! It was so action-packed from start to finish!!! We saw the bonds between characters deepen - as well as get to know new ones - and got to see cutthroat Roman politics!!! I especially loved seeing actual historical figures like Caesar and Cleopatra!!! 💙
March 12, 2021
Action-packed from start to finish. Loving this series so far. ⚡
February 17, 2021
Gladiatrices, badass, ruthless warrior women, political intrigue, love, sacrifice - this is pretty much what The Defiant is about. And I loved every single page of it. This is truly a worthy sequel!
I love the world of ancient Rome because for once it's something different, something I didn't read about before in ya fantasy. I love that it's based on actual places, characters and happenings - we have Caesar, Cleopatra and gladiator fights. And Lesley Livingston cleverly weaves these real elements into a fictional story. An amazing, fast paced, breathtaking story! I read this in a few days and never got bored, the pacing was perfect and it was 100 % interesting and exciting. The many action packed, ruthless fight scenes in between were the perfect build up for the big finale, and guys, it's not an exaggeration to say I cried a little. I was torn between crying and smiling, actually, because it was so well done. Ahh I'm raving. The ending was so good!!
The characters were great too. I recognized them from the first book and learned more about them in this one. They were interesting and had many facets. Fallon for example. Our main character is a ruthless warrior princess turned slave turned gladiatrix who became the darling of the masses, yet she hasn't lost her sense of family or the ability to love. She seems cold hearted, but has many soft spots that I loved to discover. Her fellow gladtriatrices (or warrior sisters) were equally awsome, and so were Cai and Quintus. Such a funny new character! And there was no love triangle!
The antagonists were well done too. Some of them were obvious antagonists from the beginning, but some slowly grew into their role and you couldn't be quite sure about them for a long time. The characters surprised me several times and I loved it.
Some themes explored in The Defiant are whether your blood family is more important than the family and loved ones you chose, political intrigues, betrayal and sacrifice. All these themes were woven into the story quite well. Also there were some amazing and badass Amazon warriors (you liked that part of Wonder Woman: Warbringer? You'll definitely love these fierce girls!)
The fight scenes in this book are often quite brutal and bloody, and I loved that the author wasn't afraid of that. The world and time this book is set in is a harsh one, and the brutality was only fitting.
So yeah, this again got wayyy longer than I expected it to be, but I think the main message is clear now: I loved this book! I don't hand out 5 stars easily, but The Defiant has truly earned them. I can highly recommend these books!
I love the world of ancient Rome because for once it's something different, something I didn't read about before in ya fantasy. I love that it's based on actual places, characters and happenings - we have Caesar, Cleopatra and gladiator fights. And Lesley Livingston cleverly weaves these real elements into a fictional story. An amazing, fast paced, breathtaking story! I read this in a few days and never got bored, the pacing was perfect and it was 100 % interesting and exciting. The many action packed, ruthless fight scenes in between were the perfect build up for the big finale, and guys, it's not an exaggeration to say I cried a little. I was torn between crying and smiling, actually, because it was so well done. Ahh I'm raving. The ending was so good!!
The characters were great too. I recognized them from the first book and learned more about them in this one. They were interesting and had many facets. Fallon for example. Our main character is a ruthless warrior princess turned slave turned gladiatrix who became the darling of the masses, yet she hasn't lost her sense of family or the ability to love. She seems cold hearted, but has many soft spots that I loved to discover. Her fellow gladtriatrices (or warrior sisters) were equally awsome, and so were Cai and Quintus. Such a funny new character! And there was no love triangle!
The antagonists were well done too. Some of them were obvious antagonists from the beginning, but some slowly grew into their role and you couldn't be quite sure about them for a long time. The characters surprised me several times and I loved it.
Some themes explored in The Defiant are whether your blood family is more important than the family and loved ones you chose, political intrigues, betrayal and sacrifice. All these themes were woven into the story quite well. Also there were some amazing and badass Amazon warriors (you liked that part of Wonder Woman: Warbringer? You'll definitely love these fierce girls!)
The fight scenes in this book are often quite brutal and bloody, and I loved that the author wasn't afraid of that. The world and time this book is set in is a harsh one, and the brutality was only fitting.
So yeah, this again got wayyy longer than I expected it to be, but I think the main message is clear now: I loved this book! I don't hand out 5 stars easily, but The Defiant has truly earned them. I can highly recommend these books!
January 20, 2018
5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2018/01/20/...
I adored the first book—finally, a Young Adult novel I was really hyped up for that didn’t disappoint me—but this sequel was even better. I think it’s safe to say if you enjoyed The Valiant, then The Defiant will continue to impress.
Warning: possible spoilers for the first book if you haven’t read it yet! Our series protagonist, Fallon, has gone from Celtic princess to captured slave to Rome’s most beloved gladiatrix, but now she’s about to learn that fame comes with a price. Following the events of The Valiant, Fallon is looking forward to spending some time with her sister Sorcha, with whom she was recently reunited. Their gladiator academy is also flourishing, having gained the favor of Caesar as well as the Egyptian queen Cleopatra.
But those Fallon has wronged have not forgotten nor forgiven the way she humiliated them. Bent on revenge, a rival school is about to threaten everything Fallon fought so hard to gain, including the autonomy she has won for herself and her fellow gladiatrices. Then there’s Cai, the Roman soldier she fell in love with, who is pulled into the conflict as Fallon and her friends are forced to make a desperate escape from their home in the middle of the night. With Sorcha missing and everyone fearing the worst, Fallon’s only hope now lies in locating a lost tribe of warrior women said to be descended from the mythical Amazons.
The Defiant was an addictive read. Lesley Livingston once again shows her talent for engaging storytelling as she brings this series to a whole new level, delivering fast-paced action and nonstop entertainment. Old foes return and new alliances are forged in this sequel, which also focuses on exploring the relationships between characters we’ve come to know and love. In addition, the story addresses some of the questions we were left with at the end of The Valiant: what exactly was the dark ritual Fallon witnessed, and how deep does the corruption go?
I loved what this book did for the main protagonist, showing us once more what a talented leader and fighter she is. Fallon also comes across as genuinely capable and motivated, and she has this no-nonsense approach that I find really refreshing. This attitude extended to the romance between her and Cai, which had the appropriate amount of tension without going overboard with the melodrama. It certainly didn’t distract from the main storyline, which the author has packed with plenty of action and intrigue.
The Defiant also brings interesting new developments to the overall series, and compared to the first book, this sequel does feel quite a bit meatier in terms of substance. It’s as if all the elements that worked in The Valiant were honed, polished, and made even better. There were also improvements aplenty, from more detailed world-building and character development to cleaner prose and writing. Livingston has been working hard at her craft, and it shows.
As a reader, it’s always a joy to find a sequel which surpasses its predecessor, especially when I already love the first book so much. It’s rare enough, especially in YA fiction, that I didn’t dare get my hopes up, approaching The Defiant with realistic expectations, not knowing that the book would ultimately exceed all of them. With luck, the trend will continue into the third installment, which I’m already looking forward to with much excitement.
Audiobook Comments: I just had to go with the audio edition for this one, considering the amazing time I had with the audiobook of The Valiant. Fiona Hardingham returns for the narration, and she was once again brilliant in her role as Fallon. Her wonderful accents, intonations, and impeccable sense of timing are all reasons why she’s one of my favorite narrators, and why I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this series in audio.
I adored the first book—finally, a Young Adult novel I was really hyped up for that didn’t disappoint me—but this sequel was even better. I think it’s safe to say if you enjoyed The Valiant, then The Defiant will continue to impress.
Warning: possible spoilers for the first book if you haven’t read it yet! Our series protagonist, Fallon, has gone from Celtic princess to captured slave to Rome’s most beloved gladiatrix, but now she’s about to learn that fame comes with a price. Following the events of The Valiant, Fallon is looking forward to spending some time with her sister Sorcha, with whom she was recently reunited. Their gladiator academy is also flourishing, having gained the favor of Caesar as well as the Egyptian queen Cleopatra.
But those Fallon has wronged have not forgotten nor forgiven the way she humiliated them. Bent on revenge, a rival school is about to threaten everything Fallon fought so hard to gain, including the autonomy she has won for herself and her fellow gladiatrices. Then there’s Cai, the Roman soldier she fell in love with, who is pulled into the conflict as Fallon and her friends are forced to make a desperate escape from their home in the middle of the night. With Sorcha missing and everyone fearing the worst, Fallon’s only hope now lies in locating a lost tribe of warrior women said to be descended from the mythical Amazons.
The Defiant was an addictive read. Lesley Livingston once again shows her talent for engaging storytelling as she brings this series to a whole new level, delivering fast-paced action and nonstop entertainment. Old foes return and new alliances are forged in this sequel, which also focuses on exploring the relationships between characters we’ve come to know and love. In addition, the story addresses some of the questions we were left with at the end of The Valiant: what exactly was the dark ritual Fallon witnessed, and how deep does the corruption go?
I loved what this book did for the main protagonist, showing us once more what a talented leader and fighter she is. Fallon also comes across as genuinely capable and motivated, and she has this no-nonsense approach that I find really refreshing. This attitude extended to the romance between her and Cai, which had the appropriate amount of tension without going overboard with the melodrama. It certainly didn’t distract from the main storyline, which the author has packed with plenty of action and intrigue.
The Defiant also brings interesting new developments to the overall series, and compared to the first book, this sequel does feel quite a bit meatier in terms of substance. It’s as if all the elements that worked in The Valiant were honed, polished, and made even better. There were also improvements aplenty, from more detailed world-building and character development to cleaner prose and writing. Livingston has been working hard at her craft, and it shows.
As a reader, it’s always a joy to find a sequel which surpasses its predecessor, especially when I already love the first book so much. It’s rare enough, especially in YA fiction, that I didn’t dare get my hopes up, approaching The Defiant with realistic expectations, not knowing that the book would ultimately exceed all of them. With luck, the trend will continue into the third installment, which I’m already looking forward to with much excitement.
Audiobook Comments: I just had to go with the audio edition for this one, considering the amazing time I had with the audiobook of The Valiant. Fiona Hardingham returns for the narration, and she was once again brilliant in her role as Fallon. Her wonderful accents, intonations, and impeccable sense of timing are all reasons why she’s one of my favorite narrators, and why I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this series in audio.
March 5, 2019
Overall, this was a really enjoyable read.
At one point though, I got stuck with this book. But this wasn't really due to the contents of the book if I'm being honest, but had more to do with my mood that's so fickle and can change so fast haha. Because basically every time I ended up with the book in my hands, I flew through each chapter and couldn't stop. It was such a fast-paced read!!
My only remark really is the fact that there's basically no surprise to the story line development in general. All of the plots were really predictable to me unfortunately. It's forgiven seeing how action packed and entertaining the book is, but hence the 4 star rating and not a 5 star rating.
I love the characters a lot, I love how action packed and plot driven it is. It's such an enthralling and engaging read. There's yet again a beautiful balance in Roman elements, character development, story line development and romance. The writing is addictive.
I'm also definitely really curious about book 3 now. The synopsis of book 3 has me wanting to read it right away because it looks like it's going to be quite an intense read yet again.
At one point though, I got stuck with this book. But this wasn't really due to the contents of the book if I'm being honest, but had more to do with my mood that's so fickle and can change so fast haha. Because basically every time I ended up with the book in my hands, I flew through each chapter and couldn't stop. It was such a fast-paced read!!
My only remark really is the fact that there's basically no surprise to the story line development in general. All of the plots were really predictable to me unfortunately. It's forgiven seeing how action packed and entertaining the book is, but hence the 4 star rating and not a 5 star rating.
I love the characters a lot, I love how action packed and plot driven it is. It's such an enthralling and engaging read. There's yet again a beautiful balance in Roman elements, character development, story line development and romance. The writing is addictive.
I'm also definitely really curious about book 3 now. The synopsis of book 3 has me wanting to read it right away because it looks like it's going to be quite an intense read yet again.
August 30, 2018
Review from Tenacious Reader: http://www.tenaciousreader.com/2018/0...
4.5/5 Stars
I’ll be honest, I read The Valiant by Lesley Livingston pretty much on a whim last year. It wasn’t a book that was on my radar until after it was released, which is unusual. I read a couple of glowing reviews for it for that essentially made me set my review books to the side because it sounded so good. I was glad I did because it just happened to have everything I love and in just the right amounts. I am very happy to tell you that The Defiant continues with all the strengths and excitement that made me enjoy The Valiant so much.
I still love Fallon as a character. She is strong both physcially and mentally, but she is not infallible. She won the admiration and respect of Caesar at the end of the first book, and now we can see how that has impacted her life. Her rise to be favored by Caesar And known as “Victrix” gave her a decent life, but when it comes down to it, she is still a slave and not free to do as she pleases. And winning so much also puts her in the spotlight for potential enemies. Also to add to the Intrigue a bit, if you read book one, you may remember Fallon witnessed some pretty nefarious underground stuff and we never really learned more about it. Well, that all becomes clearer and more critical in The Defiant (as one might expect).
Fallon and her fellow gladiatrices find themselves as fugitives and the concept of trust becomes something that Fallon needs to evaluate both with who she should trust, as well as who she should not. You can’t go through life never trusting anyone, and for her, survival depends on it. But of course sometimes its trickier to guage where to place your trust than others, and Fallon definitely struggles with that. It is interesting seeing her character deal with this, and it creates a bit of inner conflict at times. It also shows opportunities for her to grow as a person, which is always nice. I’m not even saying this is a fault of hers, its a common human struggle that most people can relate to.
Speaking of personal relationships, I don’t always enjoy romance in books and my enjoyment of it really seems depends on how much I relate to the characters as well as how it is incorporated into the story. I have to admit, I do really like this one and root for Fallon and Cai as a couple. There’s just been so much pain and fighting for Fallon, I love seeing her find happpiness with someone and have something to look forward to. Everything is not easy and straightforward for them, and I think that helps the romance from feeling over the top. I’m not sure Fallon is really the “dreaming” type for the future, but for us readers, it is really nice to envision a potential happy future for her, with someone that makes her happy by her side. If it will work out in the end, we’ll probably have to read book three to find out, but it sure hope it does!
Overall, I have to say I still absolutely adore this series. I love all of the tough women characters that can have a bit of attitude, but still remain human instead of caricatures. I love the ancient rome setting, and the entire concept of women gladiators, so book three is on my Must Read As Soon As I Can Get My Hands On It list.
Audiobook Notes: To cut straight to it, I also love the narration for this series. Sometimes when I start a book in audio and the narrator works really well, I just can’t imagine switching to print and missing out on their performance. That is the case with Fiona Hardingham’s narration of The Valiant series. She makes this an easy and addictive read placing just the right emphasis and inflection to keep the reader fully engaged with story. I am sure the print version of this book is also amazing, so if you don’t do audiobooks, no worries since narration alone can’t create this good of an experience, but it can add a positive element to the experience if you enjoy audiobooks.
4.5/5 Stars
I’ll be honest, I read The Valiant by Lesley Livingston pretty much on a whim last year. It wasn’t a book that was on my radar until after it was released, which is unusual. I read a couple of glowing reviews for it for that essentially made me set my review books to the side because it sounded so good. I was glad I did because it just happened to have everything I love and in just the right amounts. I am very happy to tell you that The Defiant continues with all the strengths and excitement that made me enjoy The Valiant so much.
I still love Fallon as a character. She is strong both physcially and mentally, but she is not infallible. She won the admiration and respect of Caesar at the end of the first book, and now we can see how that has impacted her life. Her rise to be favored by Caesar And known as “Victrix” gave her a decent life, but when it comes down to it, she is still a slave and not free to do as she pleases. And winning so much also puts her in the spotlight for potential enemies. Also to add to the Intrigue a bit, if you read book one, you may remember Fallon witnessed some pretty nefarious underground stuff and we never really learned more about it. Well, that all becomes clearer and more critical in The Defiant (as one might expect).
Fallon and her fellow gladiatrices find themselves as fugitives and the concept of trust becomes something that Fallon needs to evaluate both with who she should trust, as well as who she should not. You can’t go through life never trusting anyone, and for her, survival depends on it. But of course sometimes its trickier to guage where to place your trust than others, and Fallon definitely struggles with that. It is interesting seeing her character deal with this, and it creates a bit of inner conflict at times. It also shows opportunities for her to grow as a person, which is always nice. I’m not even saying this is a fault of hers, its a common human struggle that most people can relate to.
Speaking of personal relationships, I don’t always enjoy romance in books and my enjoyment of it really seems depends on how much I relate to the characters as well as how it is incorporated into the story. I have to admit, I do really like this one and root for Fallon and Cai as a couple. There’s just been so much pain and fighting for Fallon, I love seeing her find happpiness with someone and have something to look forward to. Everything is not easy and straightforward for them, and I think that helps the romance from feeling over the top. I’m not sure Fallon is really the “dreaming” type for the future, but for us readers, it is really nice to envision a potential happy future for her, with someone that makes her happy by her side. If it will work out in the end, we’ll probably have to read book three to find out, but it sure hope it does!
Overall, I have to say I still absolutely adore this series. I love all of the tough women characters that can have a bit of attitude, but still remain human instead of caricatures. I love the ancient rome setting, and the entire concept of women gladiators, so book three is on my Must Read As Soon As I Can Get My Hands On It list.
Audiobook Notes: To cut straight to it, I also love the narration for this series. Sometimes when I start a book in audio and the narrator works really well, I just can’t imagine switching to print and missing out on their performance. That is the case with Fiona Hardingham’s narration of The Valiant series. She makes this an easy and addictive read placing just the right emphasis and inflection to keep the reader fully engaged with story. I am sure the print version of this book is also amazing, so if you don’t do audiobooks, no worries since narration alone can’t create this good of an experience, but it can add a positive element to the experience if you enjoy audiobooks.
April 12, 2018
4.5 stars
So I just spend the entire day on a financial report for this crazy project I'm working on for uni, and it was almost fun to do but because I listened to this audiobook. It was so addicting, I read it in one sitting. I've been waiting for this book for a year, and now I'll have to spend another year highly anticipating the next one...
So I just spend the entire day on a financial report for this crazy project I'm working on for uni, and it was almost fun to do but because I listened to this audiobook. It was so addicting, I read it in one sitting. I've been waiting for this book for a year, and now I'll have to spend another year highly anticipating the next one...
August 20, 2022
Overall Rating : B
"Not in strength are we inferior to men, the same our eyes, our limbs the same; one common light we see, one air we breath. What then denied to us have the gods on man bestowed?"
Fallon and her fellow Gladiatrices are back. When her Ludus is attacked and commandeered and her sister taken, she and her friends flee, first to recapture her sister from what they thought was an extinct civilization of warriors, and then take back what is there's from the traitors within their group.
For me this was a real 'meh' book, especially following the first one, which was very well done. It was like when you here a steady tone - nothing changes. You think you heard a blip, but then it's back to the same freaking thing. And sadly one of the main letdowns was the MC herself.
Characters:
Fallon who was so determined, unflinching in her ways, took a sudden 180° turn. It felt like a was relearning about an entirely different character.
The first book, she was a warrior princess, unflinching to her captors, determined to win her freedom, and taking to crap from anyone, including her newly discovered sister.
The second book, she's perfectly happy to stay in the ring - where she fights people for sport and the amusement of others, but don't worry she is free in her mind, even though she basically lives in a prison.
I get that she wanted to stay with her sister, who had no choice but to stay where she was, along with some of the others who have no one and nothing to go back to but Fallon had choices. She has a father, an entire KINGDOM to go back to, yet she wants none of it now???
And another thing that irked me about her was that she didn't want to hurt or kill people, yet she still wants to be a warrior? To go out into battle? What is it with people and being wishy-washy?
And it felt to light-hearted for the premise. I couldn't take what was happening to them seriously enough because of the way they acted and talked. First their fighting to the death, then they're all buddy buddy.......sure.
World
The world in the story kept me going to be honest. I LOVE ancient history of all kinds and to learn about Rome, Italy, Julius Ceasar and all of it was amazing to me. And yes I fact checked some and it all synced so kudos to the writer for this. She also talked about Spartacus and Amazons and that just made me so giddy!! XD And the fighting described was really great to read and imagine it all hundreds of years ago.
Ending
So in conclusion the characters should have been better for the world and story in itself. The ending was satisfying to an extent but, again, the characters didn't fit into what I believed them to be. Not really sure if I'll go ahead and buy the third book. We'll just have to wait and see(but I probably will).
"Not in strength are we inferior to men, the same our eyes, our limbs the same; one common light we see, one air we breath. What then denied to us have the gods on man bestowed?"
Fallon and her fellow Gladiatrices are back. When her Ludus is attacked and commandeered and her sister taken, she and her friends flee, first to recapture her sister from what they thought was an extinct civilization of warriors, and then take back what is there's from the traitors within their group.
For me this was a real 'meh' book, especially following the first one, which was very well done. It was like when you here a steady tone - nothing changes. You think you heard a blip, but then it's back to the same freaking thing. And sadly one of the main letdowns was the MC herself.
Characters:
Fallon who was so determined, unflinching in her ways, took a sudden 180° turn. It felt like a was relearning about an entirely different character.
The first book, she was a warrior princess, unflinching to her captors, determined to win her freedom, and taking to crap from anyone, including her newly discovered sister.
The second book, she's perfectly happy to stay in the ring - where she fights people for sport and the amusement of others, but don't worry she is free in her mind, even though she basically lives in a prison.
I get that she wanted to stay with her sister, who had no choice but to stay where she was, along with some of the others who have no one and nothing to go back to but Fallon had choices. She has a father, an entire KINGDOM to go back to, yet she wants none of it now???
And another thing that irked me about her was that she didn't want to hurt or kill people, yet she still wants to be a warrior? To go out into battle? What is it with people and being wishy-washy?
And it felt to light-hearted for the premise. I couldn't take what was happening to them seriously enough because of the way they acted and talked. First their fighting to the death, then they're all buddy buddy.......sure.
World
The world in the story kept me going to be honest. I LOVE ancient history of all kinds and to learn about Rome, Italy, Julius Ceasar and all of it was amazing to me. And yes I fact checked some and it all synced so kudos to the writer for this. She also talked about Spartacus and Amazons and that just made me so giddy!! XD And the fighting described was really great to read and imagine it all hundreds of years ago.
Ending
So in conclusion the characters should have been better for the world and story in itself. The ending was satisfying to an extent but, again, the characters didn't fit into what I believed them to be. Not really sure if I'll go ahead and buy the third book. We'll just have to wait and see(but I probably will).
October 5, 2019
The much acclaimed sequel to The Valiant started off with a bang regarding a competition between the two rival gladiator academies happening for the benefit of a bored Cleopatra. Fallon and her friends battle the Amazons, ultimately winning the reenactment and achieving the crowd's approval. The following day, Cai and two members of his legion appear at the academy and Fallon is reunited with her boyfriend after so many months. Everything in her world seems to be going smoothly: her friends, her boyfriend, her sister, her place at the academy among her fellow gladiatrix. But then her life is thrown into chaos when the nefarious Pontius Aquila makes a surprise visit with some disturbing news.
I expected to love this second installment detailing Fallon’s journey (as I did The Valiant), but it fell short in more than one expectation. The writing was fine as well as the characters; the story line was a let down that didn’t capture my attention. The betrayals and deaths didn’t affect me. The uprising and take-downs didn’t affect me. The twists and defeats didn’t affect me. I detached more from this story when there was great emphasis on Fallon being special regarding her appearance, abilities, and birth right. And once again this turned into another novel with a main character who is unique and forced into the middle of an uprising between two opposing parties. I felt as if the weight of all the bad events weren’t forceful enough to matter because every bad thing that happened was resolved without taints or hardships. There weren’t any struggles or sacrifices that Fallon had to make. The plot was neatly written so that the good guys won and the bad guys were defeated with all casualty plaguing the bad guys.
I’m sure many will like this sequel, but it didn’t do much for me.
I received an ARC of The Defiant from Edelweiss.
I expected to love this second installment detailing Fallon’s journey (as I did The Valiant), but it fell short in more than one expectation. The writing was fine as well as the characters; the story line was a let down that didn’t capture my attention. The betrayals and deaths didn’t affect me. The uprising and take-downs didn’t affect me. The twists and defeats didn’t affect me. I detached more from this story when there was great emphasis on Fallon being special regarding her appearance, abilities, and birth right. And once again this turned into another novel with a main character who is unique and forced into the middle of an uprising between two opposing parties. I felt as if the weight of all the bad events weren’t forceful enough to matter because every bad thing that happened was resolved without taints or hardships. There weren’t any struggles or sacrifices that Fallon had to make. The plot was neatly written so that the good guys won and the bad guys were defeated with all casualty plaguing the bad guys.
I’m sure many will like this sequel, but it didn’t do much for me.
I received an ARC of The Defiant from Edelweiss.
July 2, 2020
I didn't enjoy The Defiant (The Valiant #2) by Lesley Livingston quite as much as the first book, but it's still a solid YA historical action adventure story. I have a feeling I would have enjoyed the audiobook production a little more since it's narrated by Fiona Hardingham who is one of my favorite voices. I'm still looking forward to the picking up the finale. I would certainly like to read more books set in this time period in the future.
August 12, 2019
Después de que Fallon triunfara y se convirtiera en la Victrix en los Triunfos del César, se ganó el favor de la plebe pero aún sigue siendo una esclava, sigue siendo una gladiadora del Ludo Aquilea, aunque quizás su libertad está más cerca de lo que la princesa cantii piensa gracias al favor del emperador romano hacia ella y su hermana. Pero tras los Triunfos los patricios se aburren por ello e impulsados por Cleopatra las gladiadoras aquileas se enfrentan a las amazonas de Poncio Aquila en una naumaquia, lo que deriva en una traición inesperada y el abandono de las gladiadoras de su academia. Desesperada, Fallon, quien no está dispuesta a rendirse ni a abandonar todo lo que le importa, decide realizar una retirada estratégica junto a sus compañeras para volver y luchar por el Ludo. Pero en una república donde las voces contrarias a César están cobrando cada vez más fuerza, ser una de sus gladiadoras quizás no juegue a su favor.
La verdad es que está segunda parte me ha gustado tanto o más que el primer libro (recuerdo que el romance me pareció al principio un poco prematuro). Me encanta como se desarrolla la historia con varios giros en la trama y traiciones que me han sorprendido y que no me esperaba para nada. Otro punto fuerte del libro es la aparición de personajes históricos así como las escenas de lucha donde se describen las batallas de manera detallada. Me ha gustado que en este libro se describieran técnicas de combate de la legión ya que en el primero se describían bastante bien las técnicas de los gladiadores. Aunque el punto fuerte del libro creo que es, sin duda, la ambientación y la cantidad de información de la época que la autora aporta, así como los estilos de batalla de los gladiadores, los diferentes tipos de procedencia de las gladiadoras, etc. que enriquecen la historia y la verdad es que yo he disfrutado enormemente ya que muchas las desconocía. En cuanto a los personajes me sigue encantando Fallon, como está dispuesta a luchar por todo lo que cree y como lo hace sin abandonar su fe por la diosa Morrigan. Aunque también me encanta Cay, sabéis eso que dicen de que los chicos en los libros son mejores no? pues no voy a añadir nada más de él jeje. Las nuevas incorporaciones también son todo un acierto, destacaría a Quint porque la verdad es que me he reído bastante con su personaje. De los demás sigo odiando a Aeddan, no puedo con él (sorry not sorry), siempre al acecho de Fallon y la explicación que le da a esta de porque no puede abandonarla me ha parecido de acosador de manual,y Poncio Aquila me asquea al igual que su sociedad de los Hijos de Dis que no puede ser más perturbadora, macabra y enferma. La única pega que le pondría al libro es con respecto a la traducción, ya que hay varios momentos en que las oraciones no tenían mucho sentido. Y también me hubiera gustado que la historia profundizara un poco más en los optimates aunque creo que eso la autora lo ha dejado así para centrarse en ello en el tercer y último libro de la historia. En definitiva un libro con un toque de historia increíble lleno de mujeres fuertes que creo que gustará a todo aquel que se adentre en sus páginas.
"Ni en la fuerza somos inferiores a los hombres, los mismos son nuestros ojos, nuestras extremidades las mismas; una luz común vemos, un aire respiramos. ¿Qué nos negó entonces tener a los dioses conferidos a los hombres?"
La verdad es que está segunda parte me ha gustado tanto o más que el primer libro (recuerdo que el romance me pareció al principio un poco prematuro). Me encanta como se desarrolla la historia con varios giros en la trama y traiciones que me han sorprendido y que no me esperaba para nada. Otro punto fuerte del libro es la aparición de personajes históricos así como las escenas de lucha donde se describen las batallas de manera detallada. Me ha gustado que en este libro se describieran técnicas de combate de la legión ya que en el primero se describían bastante bien las técnicas de los gladiadores. Aunque el punto fuerte del libro creo que es, sin duda, la ambientación y la cantidad de información de la época que la autora aporta, así como los estilos de batalla de los gladiadores, los diferentes tipos de procedencia de las gladiadoras, etc. que enriquecen la historia y la verdad es que yo he disfrutado enormemente ya que muchas las desconocía. En cuanto a los personajes me sigue encantando Fallon, como está dispuesta a luchar por todo lo que cree y como lo hace sin abandonar su fe por la diosa Morrigan. Aunque también me encanta Cay, sabéis eso que dicen de que los chicos en los libros son mejores no? pues no voy a añadir nada más de él jeje. Las nuevas incorporaciones también son todo un acierto, destacaría a Quint porque la verdad es que me he reído bastante con su personaje. De los demás sigo odiando a Aeddan, no puedo con él (sorry not sorry), siempre al acecho de Fallon y la explicación que le da a esta de porque no puede abandonarla me ha parecido de acosador de manual,y Poncio Aquila me asquea al igual que su sociedad de los Hijos de Dis que no puede ser más perturbadora, macabra y enferma. La única pega que le pondría al libro es con respecto a la traducción, ya que hay varios momentos en que las oraciones no tenían mucho sentido. Y también me hubiera gustado que la historia profundizara un poco más en los optimates aunque creo que eso la autora lo ha dejado así para centrarse en ello en el tercer y último libro de la historia. En definitiva un libro con un toque de historia increíble lleno de mujeres fuertes que creo que gustará a todo aquel que se adentre en sus páginas.
"Ni en la fuerza somos inferiores a los hombres, los mismos son nuestros ojos, nuestras extremidades las mismas; una luz común vemos, un aire respiramos. ¿Qué nos negó entonces tener a los dioses conferidos a los hombres?"
April 19, 2019
⚔️
This book took me far longer to finish than it should have, bloody reading slump!! *shakes fist vehemntly* But that is not a reflection on the book itself. Between a slump, a cold, a strong allergy meds as well it's just not been a good reading month.
As for the book, I actually wasn't as impressed with it as I thought I'd be. I loved the Valiant and heard this one was even more action-packed, etc. And yet...and yet I just never got fully engrossed in it. It may have been the conditions I was reading under, but there were just many things in it that just felt too contrived or too easy, etc I'm afraid. So it grieves me to say, but this only gets a 3.75 stars from me. =/
To start off, the beginning of the story was really good. I loved the comaraderie between the girls of the Ludus Achillea, and the witty banter. Elka is my girl!! Love her snarkiness >:D When the ludus gets taken over I was thoroughly into the story. And there were some seriously touching moments that followed that I never expected, moments where former enemies become human and real and genuine. There's losses you never expected to care about, but I do.
There's so many good things in this story. We get to see more of Fallon's ludus sisters, get to know them better. I really like Antonia. To see her overcome what would normally be a disadvantage, in having lost a hand, but she comes back so fiercely from it in this book. Neferet mothering them and tending their wounds. And of course my two favs Ajani & Elka. Fallon couldn't ask for better friends and sisters. This book showcases the beauty of sisterhood, found family, and love. It just fills you with warmth for these characters.
And yet...for all the good things in this book, there were also some things that just really took the greatness of it down for me =( I'd heard such great things about it & thoroughly expected to love it, and then, instead, it left me somewhat disappointed -_- There just seemed to be plot holes, too easy outs, forced romantic tension. Gah!!
So the romantic tension: we all remember the jealousy Fallon felt in the first book when she thought there was something between Cal & Kass, which felt totally realistic and believable. Well, it had been resolved, but it rears it's head again in this book and just feels so forced for extra "drama." From knowing the confident, tough, girl in Valiant, Fallon's character seems to take a major detour from her personality in this one. She's constantly doubting herself, doubting Cai's love, taking the blame for everything that's happening (like girl!! That shit's all outta your control!!). She can't blame herself for the actions of a madman! >_< So to sum it up, she really started to annoy me throughout the middle portion of the book. Sigh. Give me back confident, kickass Fallon! Now Sorcha, on the other hand, has realistic reasons to doubt herself, but that's another story.
There were some things that were just a tad too predictable, some things that were supposed to be major plot twists, buuuuut they weren't. Aeddan though, now he kept me in the dark about his intentions. So yay!
Some plot holes, Kallista's father for example And other than their flaming chain weapons dance, I found the Amazons kinda unimpressive. Made me want to go watch Wonder Woman for some tough Amazon skills.
When Fallon and Aeddan are walking through the house to leave for the challenge match, Fallon sees a door ajar
Then that ending bit...It was just a tad too over-climactic for me, and a bit of a key down if I'm honest. What?! For real?! That's it?! I'm like soo...soo...dissatisfied. Apparently one shouldn't be watching stuff like Gladiator, King Arthur, or Game of Thrones while reading this, cause it definitely leaves you wanting more and longer fight scenes, dances of death. Hmm now I sound like a Roman with bloodlust lol. Oops.I
Anyway, I'll wrap this up with some other things I did thoroughly enjoy: Quint , Kallista , Charon, how I love his character and I just find him amusing, Gratia & Meriel , an instance of smuggling 😁, Sorcha , and finally, Aeddan
This book took me far longer to finish than it should have, bloody reading slump!! *shakes fist vehemntly* But that is not a reflection on the book itself. Between a slump, a cold, a strong allergy meds as well it's just not been a good reading month.
As for the book, I actually wasn't as impressed with it as I thought I'd be. I loved the Valiant and heard this one was even more action-packed, etc. And yet...and yet I just never got fully engrossed in it. It may have been the conditions I was reading under, but there were just many things in it that just felt too contrived or too easy, etc I'm afraid. So it grieves me to say, but this only gets a 3.75 stars from me. =/
To start off, the beginning of the story was really good. I loved the comaraderie between the girls of the Ludus Achillea, and the witty banter. Elka is my girl!! Love her snarkiness >:D When the ludus gets taken over I was thoroughly into the story. And there were some seriously touching moments that followed that I never expected, moments where former enemies become human and real and genuine. There's losses you never expected to care about, but I do.
There's so many good things in this story. We get to see more of Fallon's ludus sisters, get to know them better. I really like Antonia. To see her overcome what would normally be a disadvantage, in having lost a hand, but she comes back so fiercely from it in this book. Neferet mothering them and tending their wounds. And of course my two favs Ajani & Elka. Fallon couldn't ask for better friends and sisters. This book showcases the beauty of sisterhood, found family, and love. It just fills you with warmth for these characters.
And yet...for all the good things in this book, there were also some things that just really took the greatness of it down for me =( I'd heard such great things about it & thoroughly expected to love it, and then, instead, it left me somewhat disappointed -_- There just seemed to be plot holes, too easy outs, forced romantic tension. Gah!!
So the romantic tension: we all remember the jealousy Fallon felt in the first book when she thought there was something between Cal & Kass, which felt totally realistic and believable. Well, it had been resolved, but it rears it's head again in this book and just feels so forced for extra "drama." From knowing the confident, tough, girl in Valiant, Fallon's character seems to take a major detour from her personality in this one. She's constantly doubting herself, doubting Cai's love, taking the blame for everything that's happening (like girl!! That shit's all outta your control!!). She can't blame herself for the actions of a madman! >_< So to sum it up, she really started to annoy me throughout the middle portion of the book. Sigh. Give me back confident, kickass Fallon! Now Sorcha, on the other hand, has realistic reasons to doubt herself, but that's another story.
There were some things that were just a tad too predictable, some things that were supposed to be major plot twists, buuuuut they weren't. Aeddan though, now he kept me in the dark about his intentions. So yay!
Some plot holes, Kallista's father for example And other than their flaming chain weapons dance, I found the Amazons kinda unimpressive. Made me want to go watch Wonder Woman for some tough Amazon skills.
When Fallon and Aeddan are walking through the house to leave for the challenge match, Fallon sees a door ajar
Then that ending bit...It was just a tad too over-climactic for me, and a bit of a key down if I'm honest. What?! For real?! That's it?! I'm like soo...soo...dissatisfied. Apparently one shouldn't be watching stuff like Gladiator, King Arthur, or Game of Thrones while reading this, cause it definitely leaves you wanting more and longer fight scenes, dances of death. Hmm now I sound like a Roman with bloodlust lol. Oops.I
Anyway, I'll wrap this up with some other things I did thoroughly enjoy: Quint , Kallista , Charon, how I love his character and I just find him amusing, Gratia & Meriel , an instance of smuggling 😁, Sorcha , and finally, Aeddan
March 22, 2019
This installment wasn't bad, the history and story telling was still entertaining. All the girl power moments were fantastic as well. However, the twists & betrayals in the plot were very, very obvious. I was also hoping for a new love interest for Fallon. Overall, this is a fun series and I look forward to seeing how the final third book turns out.
Audiobook: great accents, Fiona Hardingham is definitely one of my fav narrators.
-------------------------
The Valiant, #1 ★★★★☆
The Defiant, #2 ★★★☆☆
The Triumphant, #3 ★★★☆☆
Audiobook: great accents, Fiona Hardingham is definitely one of my fav narrators.
-------------------------
The Valiant, #1 ★★★★☆
The Defiant, #2 ★★★☆☆
The Triumphant, #3 ★★★☆☆
Want to read
July 7, 2017EXCUSE ME WHILE I FLAIL OVER THAT PERFECT COVER!!!
February 28, 2018
Review from Tenacious Reader: http://www.tenaciousreader.com/2018/0...
4.5/5 Stars
I’ll be honest, I read The Valiant by Lesley Livingston pretty much on a whim last year. It wasn’t a book that was on my radar until after it was released, which is unusual. I read a couple of glowing reviews for it for that essentially made me set my review books to the side because it sounded so good. I was glad I did because it just happened to have everything I love and in just the right amounts. I am very happy to tell you that The Defiant continues with all the strengths and excitement that made me enjoy The Valiant so much.
I still love Fallon as a character. She is strong both physcially and mentally, but she is not infallible. She won the admiration and respect of Caesar at the end of the first book, and now we can see how that has impacted her life. Her rise to be favored by Caesar And known as “Victrix” gave her a decent life, but when it comes down to it, she is still a slave and not free to do as she pleases. And winning so much also puts her in the spotlight for potential enemies. Also to add to the Intrigue a bit, if you read book one, you may remember Fallon witnessed some pretty nefarious underground stuff and we never really learned more about it. Well, that all becomes clearer and more critical in The Defiant (as one might expect).
Fallon and her fellow gladiatrices find themselves as fugitives and the concept of trust becomes something that Fallon needs to evaluate both with who she should trust, as well as who she should not. You can’t go through life never trusting anyone, and for her, survival depends on it. But of course sometimes its trickier to guage where to place your trust than others, and Fallon definitely struggles with that. It is interesting seeing her character deal with this, and it creates a bit of inner conflict at times. It also shows opportunities for her to grow as a person, which is always nice. I’m not even saying this is a fault of hers, its a common human struggle that most people can relate to.
Speaking of personal relationships, I don’t always enjoy romance in books and my enjoyment of it really seems depends on how much I relate to the characters as well as how it is incorporated into the story. I have to admit, I do really like this one and root for Fallon and Cai as a couple. There’s just been so much pain and fighting for Fallon, I love seeing her find happpiness with someone and have something to look forward to. Everything is not easy and straightforward for them, and I think that helps the romance from feeling over the top. I’m not sure Fallon is really the “dreaming” type for the future, but for us readers, it is really nice to envision a potential happy future for her, with someone that makes her happy by her side. If it will work out in the end, we’ll probably have to read book three to find out, but it sure hope it does!
Overall, I have to say I still absolutely adore this series. I love all of the tough women characters that can have a bit of attitude, but still remain human instead of caricatures. I love the ancient rome setting, and the entire concept of women gladiators, so book three is on my Must Read As Soon As I Can Get My Hands On It list.
Audiobook Notes: To cut straight to it, I also love the narration for this series. Sometimes when I start a book in audio and the narrator works really well, I just can’t imagine switching to print and missing out on their performance. That is the case with Fiona Hardingham’s narration of The Valiant series. She makes this an easy and addictive read placing just the right emphasis and inflection to keep the reader fully engaged with story. I am sure the print version of this book is also amazing, so if you don’t do audiobooks, no worries since narration alone can’t create this good of an experience, but it can add a positive element to the experience if you enjoy audiobooks.
4.5/5 Stars
I’ll be honest, I read The Valiant by Lesley Livingston pretty much on a whim last year. It wasn’t a book that was on my radar until after it was released, which is unusual. I read a couple of glowing reviews for it for that essentially made me set my review books to the side because it sounded so good. I was glad I did because it just happened to have everything I love and in just the right amounts. I am very happy to tell you that The Defiant continues with all the strengths and excitement that made me enjoy The Valiant so much.
I still love Fallon as a character. She is strong both physcially and mentally, but she is not infallible. She won the admiration and respect of Caesar at the end of the first book, and now we can see how that has impacted her life. Her rise to be favored by Caesar And known as “Victrix” gave her a decent life, but when it comes down to it, she is still a slave and not free to do as she pleases. And winning so much also puts her in the spotlight for potential enemies. Also to add to the Intrigue a bit, if you read book one, you may remember Fallon witnessed some pretty nefarious underground stuff and we never really learned more about it. Well, that all becomes clearer and more critical in The Defiant (as one might expect).
Fallon and her fellow gladiatrices find themselves as fugitives and the concept of trust becomes something that Fallon needs to evaluate both with who she should trust, as well as who she should not. You can’t go through life never trusting anyone, and for her, survival depends on it. But of course sometimes its trickier to guage where to place your trust than others, and Fallon definitely struggles with that. It is interesting seeing her character deal with this, and it creates a bit of inner conflict at times. It also shows opportunities for her to grow as a person, which is always nice. I’m not even saying this is a fault of hers, its a common human struggle that most people can relate to.
Speaking of personal relationships, I don’t always enjoy romance in books and my enjoyment of it really seems depends on how much I relate to the characters as well as how it is incorporated into the story. I have to admit, I do really like this one and root for Fallon and Cai as a couple. There’s just been so much pain and fighting for Fallon, I love seeing her find happpiness with someone and have something to look forward to. Everything is not easy and straightforward for them, and I think that helps the romance from feeling over the top. I’m not sure Fallon is really the “dreaming” type for the future, but for us readers, it is really nice to envision a potential happy future for her, with someone that makes her happy by her side. If it will work out in the end, we’ll probably have to read book three to find out, but it sure hope it does!
Overall, I have to say I still absolutely adore this series. I love all of the tough women characters that can have a bit of attitude, but still remain human instead of caricatures. I love the ancient rome setting, and the entire concept of women gladiators, so book three is on my Must Read As Soon As I Can Get My Hands On It list.
Audiobook Notes: To cut straight to it, I also love the narration for this series. Sometimes when I start a book in audio and the narrator works really well, I just can’t imagine switching to print and missing out on their performance. That is the case with Fiona Hardingham’s narration of The Valiant series. She makes this an easy and addictive read placing just the right emphasis and inflection to keep the reader fully engaged with story. I am sure the print version of this book is also amazing, so if you don’t do audiobooks, no worries since narration alone can’t create this good of an experience, but it can add a positive element to the experience if you enjoy audiobooks.
May 26, 2018
Actual review: 4.5
How could I not love this? The story was a fast-paced, action-packed, fun, funny and dramatic historical fiction. And the drama!!! So much drama!
A satisfying middle book that exceeded my expectations.
Full review to come.
How could I not love this? The story was a fast-paced, action-packed, fun, funny and dramatic historical fiction. And the drama!!! So much drama!
A satisfying middle book that exceeded my expectations.
Full review to come.
May 30, 2018
Now that was a really bloody ending! only con was I could tell the big betrayal by the mid way point. Really curious what direction the third book is gonna go in.
June 22, 2018
While I understand the reasoning behind having a year between books in a series, it doesn't help my memory. You see, after a year, I can barely remember who was who and what happened in the previous book. That was the case here. I knew this was about gladiatrixes, but I had completely forgot about key plot elements.
So, whenever someone appeared that I was supposed to remember, my reaction was:
I also went in thinking this was a duology. Much to my surprise, it is a trilogy. So I still don't know how everything will end up. Some plot elements were, I felt, unnecessary:
The writing style, though, was pretty good for me, especially the fight scenes (they did become a tad excessive at one point, though).
So, whenever someone appeared that I was supposed to remember, my reaction was:
I also went in thinking this was a duology. Much to my surprise, it is a trilogy. So I still don't know how everything will end up. Some plot elements were, I felt, unnecessary:
The writing style, though, was pretty good for me, especially the fight scenes (they did become a tad excessive at one point, though).
March 5, 2019
Ooookay.... not very interesting.
Ending the series here.
Ending the series here.
March 5, 2018
For more review follow my blog shades of paper
Okay, I was super excited about this book because I read The Valiant last year and really enjoyed, so I read it as soon as I managed to grab a copy.
Turns out, I liked the book and I think it was a very interesting sequel, but I didn’t love it as much as the first book. It was slower, and the plot took a while longer to develop. However, I really enjoyed knowing more about Fallon and what was she going through, and of course, I loved the female friendship that all the gladiatrix had. This installment was a bit more focused on the romance than The Valiant, and thought I liked the main couple in this book, I think that sometimes nothing really was happening apart from that romance or some drama between some characters, and I was hoping to see more about the gladiatrix and their fights.
I took me a while to get into the story. I don’t know the reason, but I noticed that in this book I wasn’t as focused as I was when I read the first novel, but once I got focused on the story, it was really fast paced and took me almost nothing to finish it.
Overall, it was a solid read and I really enjoyed the ending and the character development, as well as the female friendship that was portrayed in the story, and I’m still excited to continue with the third installment and know finally how everything would end.
Actual rating: 3.5⭐️
Okay, I was super excited about this book because I read The Valiant last year and really enjoyed, so I read it as soon as I managed to grab a copy.
Turns out, I liked the book and I think it was a very interesting sequel, but I didn’t love it as much as the first book. It was slower, and the plot took a while longer to develop. However, I really enjoyed knowing more about Fallon and what was she going through, and of course, I loved the female friendship that all the gladiatrix had. This installment was a bit more focused on the romance than The Valiant, and thought I liked the main couple in this book, I think that sometimes nothing really was happening apart from that romance or some drama between some characters, and I was hoping to see more about the gladiatrix and their fights.
I took me a while to get into the story. I don’t know the reason, but I noticed that in this book I wasn’t as focused as I was when I read the first novel, but once I got focused on the story, it was really fast paced and took me almost nothing to finish it.
Overall, it was a solid read and I really enjoyed the ending and the character development, as well as the female friendship that was portrayed in the story, and I’m still excited to continue with the third installment and know finally how everything would end.
Actual rating: 3.5⭐️
March 7, 2018
“But even if we’re too late for rescue, we’ll still be right on time for revenge.”
The first book wasn’t so good in my opinion, but, the author did a better job with the sequel. This was more interesting than the first book, bloody and full of action and adventure, rituals. The Amazons and the Sons of Dis were a nice touch...4 stars ✨
“Tomorrow we would bury the dead. We would throw open the Ludus Achillea gates. And we would carry on. Defiant, triumphant, together.”
The first book wasn’t so good in my opinion, but, the author did a better job with the sequel. This was more interesting than the first book, bloody and full of action and adventure, rituals. The Amazons and the Sons of Dis were a nice touch...4 stars ✨
“Tomorrow we would bury the dead. We would throw open the Ludus Achillea gates. And we would carry on. Defiant, triumphant, together.”
February 7, 2018
Review can be found on *Milky Way of Books*
My wonderful group of gladiatrix returns! I really enjoyed the sequel of "The Valiant" with the action, the romance and the mystery! Fallon is the star gladiatrix of her ludus with her sister and her fellow warriors ready to enjoy a life of freedom. But when folly forces them to escape, followed by Cai and his friend Quintus, they will discover a plan to even overthrow Ceasar himself.
With cameo appearances of Cleopatra, sea travel to an island of 'Amazons' and lots of time to have banter, romantic declarations and even some funny times, this book became one of my favorites in January! Not to mention that the battle scenes were movie worthy!
My wonderful group of gladiatrix returns! I really enjoyed the sequel of "The Valiant" with the action, the romance and the mystery! Fallon is the star gladiatrix of her ludus with her sister and her fellow warriors ready to enjoy a life of freedom. But when folly forces them to escape, followed by Cai and his friend Quintus, they will discover a plan to even overthrow Ceasar himself.
With cameo appearances of Cleopatra, sea travel to an island of 'Amazons' and lots of time to have banter, romantic declarations and even some funny times, this book became one of my favorites in January! Not to mention that the battle scenes were movie worthy!
November 21, 2022
3-3.25. Worth reading, and with some interesting new additions to the cast. The “twist” in this one was predictable from book 1. Maybe I’m just looking for more darkness/complexity in my books these days; this one was honestly upbeat for most of the story. Still definitely fun to read though.
February 19, 2018
Loved this! Just like I loved The Valiant. While there wasn’t as much bloodshed as I would have liked it was still fantastic. I can’t wait for The Triumphant!!
February 25, 2018
4 Stars
A good continuation to the series. I can't wait to see what next book has to offer. Although I guess I have to for once since it's not out yet.
A good continuation to the series. I can't wait to see what next book has to offer. Although I guess I have to for once since it's not out yet.
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