It seems like it might be at first Catherine of Aragon’s section kicks it off by detailing the beginning of Catherine’s life in England, up until her marriage is collapsing. What impressed me about this book was how it wasn’t really straightforward. A collaborative novel from the perspectives of all six of Henry VIII’s queens-and Henry himself. hasn’t everyone been enslaved by Romans to some degree? Taken from their homelands? Forced into a blood sport to be entertainment? It’s fun, and I won’t say that it isn’t without merits, but this is too shallow for what it takes on.įatal Throne by Candace Fleming et. The gladiatrix thing is cool, but there’s so much in this book about how the ludus is home, and like.
But I think I’m over this series this book drove home that it skews too young for me to enjoy it. I would still say that the sister relationship is the core focus of the plot, which is different (and distracts from a fairly shallow romance between Fallon and Cai, a Roman soldier there’s an opportunity for something cooler, but the author bypasses that completely). I rated The Valiant, the first book in this series, four stars so I must have enjoyed it, but I also don’t really remember it, aside from the basic plot and being interested in Sorcha and Fallon’s relationship.
However, her life is upturned when the women of the ludus are accused of rebelling, and Sorcha goes missing. Now triumphant and happy in a ludus run by her sister, Sorcha, Fallon expects to have it easier. The second in a series, The Defiant returns to the world of female gladiators and in particular Fallon.