She’s not the most levelheaded of individuals, and is quick to lean on her warrior training to solve her problems, but in a world like Fallon lives in, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have that friend who’s willing to throw down at a moment’s notice. Not only does Fallon have a cool name and a pretty awesome upbringing-I mean, growing up in a tribe in which women are seen as equals to men is a pretty sweet deal for the late BC time period (or any time period, obvs)-but also she’s a total badass and person who would literally fight anyone who does her friends wrong. Unfortunately, Fallon’s captured by slavers and sold to a Roman gladiatorial training school, where she’ll fight for the glory of Julius Caesar … who just so happens to be her greatest enemy. Fallon’s trained for much of her life to become a warrior and is looking forward to joining her father’s War Band. But then I spotted the column in the background with its, uh, masculine shape.įallon is the daughter of a Celtic king, but she’s no pampered princess: in her tribe, the women are terrific warriors who fight right alongside the men. Maas and Cinda Williams Chima, The Valiant recounts Fallon’s gripping journey from fierce Celtic princess to legendary gladiator and darling of the Roman empire.Bonus Factors: Female Gladiators, CleopatraĪt first, I was going to talk about how the young woman on this cover looks like a gladiator, which is fitting for a book about a young, female gladiator. Now, Fallon must overcome vicious rivalries, deadly fights in and out of the arena, and perhaps the most dangerous threat of all: her irresistible feelings for Cai, a young Roman soldier and her sworn enemy.Ī richly imagined fantasy for fans of Sarah J.

In a cruel twist of fate, the man who destroyed Fallon’s family might be her only hope of survival. She never gets the chance.įallon is captured and sold to an elite training school for female gladiators-owned by none other than Julius Caesar himself. On the eve of her seventeenth birthday, Fallon is excited to follow in her sister's footsteps and earn her place in her father's war band. When Fallon was just a child, Sorcha was killed by the armies of Julius Caesar. Always a Warrior.įallon is the daughter of a proud Celtic king and the younger sister of the legendary fighter Sorcha.

The valiant by lesley livingston