The Valiant (The Valiant #1)
Lesley Livingston Hardcover, 384 pages
Published February 14th 2017
HarperCollins Canada
4 Stars
* Given ARC for free, opinion and thoughts ARE mine**
Summary
The youngest daughter of a proud Celtic king, Fallon has always lived in the shadow of her older sister Sorcha's legendary reputation as a warrior. But when Fallon was a young child, the armies of Julius Caesar invaded the island of Britain and her beloved older sister was killed in battle.On the eve of her seventeenth birthday, Fallon is excited to follow in her sister's footsteps and earn her rightful place in her father's royal war band. But she never gets the chance. Instead, Fallon is captured by a band of ruthless brigands who sell her to an exclusive training school for female gladiators—and its most influential patron is none other than Julius Caesar himself. In a cruel twist of fate, Fallon's worst enemy, the man who destroyed her family, might be her only hope of survival.Now, Fallon must overcome vicious rivalries, chilling threats and the dangerous attention of Caesar himself to survive the deadly fights that take place both in and out of the arena—and claim her place in history among the Valiant ( Goodreads,2017)
Story Time - Meeting Lesely Livingston
The first time I met her was when I was attending a writer class almost three...four million years ago, A real long time. I was running late to the writing class and I went to the area where you can pick up authors books. Apparently, I couldn't buy the books before the class because the store was opening in another 5 minutes - like I had two minutes to get my butt to the class in that time. I decided to grab them at the end of the class thinking I have time to meet her after. The class was phoeumnoal by the way. It was how to write outstanding female heroine in young adult fiction. When the class ended, I saw a line of people going to meet her so I drag my friend by the arm to grab the books that were on the fifth floor. I bought three because the rest of them where sold out. GO FIGURE. I race back to the first floor and ready to meet her, my heart soaring -I was going to meet the author I have been waiting to read since I pick Wondrous Strange from my library- then I notice two people in the room. They were not Lesley. They told me she left two mins ago. I absolute was heartbroken.
When I saw her name under the authors signings for OLA Super Conference, I immediately added the time in my phone for when I was deciding on sessions to attend. I stood in line for 45 minutes before it began because I did not want to miss the chance to meet her. I had so many things to say to her. Nothing was going to stop me. There was another lady in front but I was the second person in line and I WAS NOT LEAVING ANYTIME SOON. THEN THE QUEEN herself arrived. Everything I had written and thought about left my cortex and blank. I became nervous yet somehow my mouth worked and told her everything.
Then the most amazing thing happen.
SHE REMEBER ME ANBD HUG ME!!!! BEST.DAY.EVER.
Cowards die many times before their deaths; The valiant never taste of death but once." -William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar
Personal Thoughts
A spark somewhere deep inside of me flared to life. The tiniest blue flame, with nothing of tinder to catch onto except the delusional hope that I could somehow fight my way back to freedom.
Leslely Livingston is a compelling, addicting story binding master who is always pulling characters string into greater challenges and always causing the reader utter shock. I love her books. I love the Valiant.The concept of female gladiatrix in the ring -The plot was fast-paced, and world buliding of Rome was extremely imaginative and magnificent! This is a Young adult hististoical fiction twisted with fantasy !
Fallon
Feriece, valiant and strong, seventeen-year old Fallon, youngest daughter of Virico, the king, chief of the Cantii tribe of Prydain is in training to become one of her father's war chiefs. She's in love with an handsome guy named Maelgwyn Ironhand and everything is looking perfect. But it isn't and it all crushes to pieces. Fallon is taken and sold into slavery which ends up getting her into a school to train to become a gladiatrix. The Gladiator school, Ludus Achillea is filled with girls Fallon's age, who have been trained to be gladiators to serve Julius Caesar. What a cruel fate to be wrap in the fingers of the man who invaded her land and killed her older sister Sorcha. Fallon sets her blood thirty vengeances of Rome, to become vicious and butt kicking to take back what is rightfully hers. Freedom. For a price. emotionally and mentally, she makes mistakes, she struggles and learns. She determined to do everything she can to the gladiatrix for Julius Caesar. To get back her freedom. She is clever, prodigious and resilant. She foremost my favourite YA historical and fantasy character.
" Uri...Vinciri...verberai..ferroque necari..."
"I will endure to be burned...to the bound.. to be beaten...and to be killed by the sword."
I think the most incredbile and best of the novel was the bonds between the sisterhood. I love Elka and the rest of the band of girls training to be strong, letahl warriors.The sisterhood of the is amazing. They fight together through and through. These girl are unbeatable, strong and radiant. I want on join the sisterhood right now - where do I sign up ?
The romance. This was also a journey. We have the love of childhood firend Mael. The childhood friend love. They were uncomplicated, and teasing. Both are strong, brave and devoted to their tribes. Fallon and Mael would have been together if he had not be killed from of the hands of his brother. Fallon is deeply sadden for the lost of her partner. Then Caius ( Cai) drops in and things begin to rock. Caius is Roman decurion- extremly skill in training and powerful. The two bash heads together not seeing eye to eye, However Cai is intrigued and awestrucked by Fallon. He does not treat Fallon as property. There love is shared on the selflessness, compassion and resliant, . He treats her as a equal. I was very hesitant on the relationship in the beginning, however it broke when Caius really shown his true colours.
" He was silent for a moment, staring at me, and I wondered if he would give me an answered. The he said, " I was curious about you"
"Why?''
" On the ship, I saw something in you."
I raised an eyebrow at him. " And that was?"
" The ablsoute need to fight. To be free. That's something I can understand."
Overall I think this book was stunning, frecious and gripping, and that any fantasy reader a huge fan of the Wrath and the Dawn, Rebel of the Sands, Throne of Glass, Half-blood, The Star-touched Queen, and And I Darken would love the Valiant .
Comment below if you have read the book, and if you began a gladitrix, what would be your weapon ?
Signing out,
Maddi Clark