Gladiator

by Casey Lea

One arena. ONE DAY.  One Love .   Happy ever after is never guaranteed but that's the Gladiator's mission. It wasn't his plan to fight to the death, but plans change. When Harvesters steal his wife, he tracks them down. When he finds her, she's a slave, fighting for her life in a deadly arena. His search is over, but his problems are just beginning. The gladiator will have to face gigantic killers hardened by battle, feral beasts desperate to devour him, weaponized weather, and the most dangerous enemy of all - his wife. His lost love is a deadly fighter, so it's too bad she doesn't remember him… Memory stripped and struggling to survive she has no interest in romance. The idiot claiming to be her husband is just another target. One more body standing between her and freedom, but not for long. She'll take down anything and anyone she must. Can the gladiator live long enough to win back his love? Unlikely. It's the end of the season and this is the last fight. They're about to enter the Carnival of Death, which leaves only a single survivor. Today one of them will die…   If you love an action-packed epic romance in an exotic setting full of alien monsters, get your copy of Gladiator now. Please this is a longer version of the previously published novella  Lovestruck.

184 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 2, 2022

About the author

Casey Lea is a mother-daughter writing partnership, which began a couple of decades ago (and counting) with the birth of Emma Casey, to Shelley Lea and Gary. A shared imagination and love of the fantastic eventually led to the creation of a growing number of books.

We write to share our passion for science-fantasy with our readers and enrich your world. Our sole goal is to send you screaming round the room, with your hair on fire and one of our stories in your hand. Metaphorically of course. Our novels are a rollercoaster, so strap yourself in.

We deliver a powerful emotional experience in fabulous settings filled with characters you love.

We achieve this with the help of our wonderful hubbies, gorgeous girls and slightly scabby cat. The dog was our most enthusiastic cheerleader and we trust she’s still looking down on us with a huge, slobbery grin.

We live a topsy-turvy life down under in New Zealand and are thrilled by modern technology’s ability to spread story and connect minds. We look forward to sharing our worlds with you…

Reviews

[Kameron · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars review request submitted by the author for an honest critique)


Imagine waking up and not knowing who you are, what species you are, where you are, or how you got there. That’s how Gladiator (The Arena Book 1) by Casey Lea begins. Haze’s com (nicknamed Connie) informs him that he is on the slave-trading planet Vertigo. It claims he’s seeking work in the arena as a gladiator. Haze is confused. Nothing makes sense.

Slowly, snippets of who he is resurface and, with it, a name. Silk is his wife, and he’s on a mission to find her. The path takes him to the Carnival of Death, a battle where many walk in, but only one will leave…alive.

Haze will do anything, sacrifice anything to ensure Silk makes it to the center of the area (the maze) and claim the prize, the knife. However, there are several obstacles in Haze’s way. For one: the other contestants vary in size and species from an enormous dragon to a scrawny guy. Two, he has to face non-contestants who love to snack on the fighters: eels and wolves. Thirdly, there’s Umpyre, the guard of law, who is a stickler for following the rules he made up. And finally, the most challenging obstacle of all, Haze’s wife, Silk, doesn’t remember her hubby.

The cards are stacked against Haze, but he is a tenacious S.O.B. He will battle creatures, contestants, and even his wife’s stubbornness. I won’t disclose what Haze is, but he’s not your typical lawyer. He puts fear in many, and you’ll understand why once you see him lose control.

Many shall enter. Only one is supposed to win. The road to victory was hard. The fights were intense, bloody, and brilliantly written.

There were several shocking developments as the day came to a close. I did not see the twists coming. I was left stunned, like the characters in the book.

Who survives 24 hours of hell, aka the maze cut out of stone? That question will only be answered by reading the book. So read it!

The story did end with a set-up for a sequel. I can’t wait to read it as well!

(Find more reviews/ratings at www.superkambrook.com)