The Defiant

January 1, 2018

Gr 7 Up-Fallon and her warrior sisters return in this powerful tale of treachery, Roman secret societies, and gladiatrix. Fueled by the desire to regain control of the Ludus Achillea from the Son of Dis, Fallon enlists the help of the legendary Amazon and two Roman Legionaries in this page-turning sequel to The Valiant. Strong female characters lead this Ancient Roman story that captures the political subterfuge and geographical diversity characteristic of Caesar's Rome. The strength of family, both blood relatives and family by choice, permeate as the gladiatrix of the Ludus Achillea put themselves in danger in order to rescue their leader, friends, and training academy. The women quickly discover that it will take the strength, smarts, and bravery of each member of their war clan in order to defeat Pontius Aquila and the other members of the Son of Dis. Clearly a second in a series, this volume will be best appreciated by those who have familiarity with the previous installment. While readers can enjoy the thrilling fight scenes and strategic adventure of the novel, it is clear this is not a stand-alone and the backstory is necessary for a complete understanding of the events and characters. VERDICT An action-packed sequel that will complement larger YA collections.-Jo Schofield, Cuyahoga Library, OH

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2017
Princess-turned-gladiatrix Fallon must defend Ludus Achillea from treachery in Livingston's ancient Rome.Although she pines for her sweetheart, decurion Cai, and hosting the sullen gladiators of rival Ludas Amazona for mock combat games to entertain elites is far from glorious, things are looking up for Fallon. Her older sister, the Lanista of Ludus Achillea, is about to receive the deed to the school, which means all of its gladiators will be free, fighting by choice instead of because they're forced. But villainous tribune Pontius Aquila and his secret society, the Sons of Dis (a death cult that eats the hearts of fallen gladiators to gain their strength), have other plans. Instead of Ludus Amazona, Fallon and her fellows find themselves facing actual Amazons. To counter Aquila, the gladiators must navigate treacherous schemes and concoct plans of their own. Of the whiplash-inducing quantity of betrayals, very few will come as a surprise. While all of Fallon's plans eventually pay off, they're frequently laid out in blocks of exposition that disrupt the story's rhythm. The story's strongest in fight scenes, with techniques well-matched to the characters and situations. Racial descriptors come in the form of side characters' origins--besides Romans and Greeks, some, such as Queen Cleopatra, come from Aegypt; some are "desert herders; others are Germanic or Celtic, like Fallon. Girl-power fights make up for less-successful elements. (Historical fantasy. 12-16)

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December 1, 2017
Grades 8-12 Teen gladiatrix Fallon is settled in her sister's ludus, a training camp and home for women who battle each other in Caesar's arena, but she's missing a certain Roman army officer who is away on campaign. As she and her fellow fighters settle in after a recent contest, Ludus Achillea is betrayed from insideher sister kidnapped and likely dead. Fallon escapes captivity with a few of her peers and vows vengeance on the corrupt and evil man who thinks he now owns them. Following on the success of The Valiant (2017), Livingston transports readers back again to ancient Rome and the rivalry between fighting houses of the time. As with the first book, there are rousing battle scenes and plenty of action, a few more romantic moments, and a strong feminist message. Give this to fans of the 2017 Wonder Woman movie and those looking for intelligent and powerful women who glory in their strength and abilities.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)