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Roma Victrix Russell Whitfield Books

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Roma Victrix Russell Whitfield Books

Roma Victrix didn't quite live up to it's name, but you won't find out how until you reach the end the book. Let's just say, the ending was nothing short of shocking.

Being a history buff and well versed on the history of Gladiatrices and the work of ancient art that inspired the trilogy, I generally found the story rather transparent. I knew exactly what was going to happen a few chapters before it happened nine times out of ten. And then the ending threw me a massive curl back.

This book was absolutely wonderful. It made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me nervous and arroused me in ways that few books have. I ran the gamut of emotions when I read this book and by the end I most definitely left wanting more.

So you may be asking, 'why only 4 stars then'? Well, for starters this book, unlike the first, had more than one chapter I had to struggle to finish. Turning the Gladiator concept into a series is probably not an easy thing to do. After all, how much can you write about their training and harsh yet mundane daily lives and still keep it interesting? That, however, is not the reason this book was boring. The book was full of sub plots and focused on a rather extensive cast of characters, each with their own story lines and it was this that made it a bit of a difficult read for me. The book was very true to history, but I often found myself wanting more of Lysandra and less of Rome, it's emperor and it's politics or wartime strategy. Overall the book was quite entertaining and there were maybe 2 relatively short chapters that made me lose my attention while reading, but they were there and I am going to be honest about them.

Regardless of the sub plots and the multiple 'protagonists', the book did not ramble. It was very coherently put together and it all came together to form a wonderfully moving story.

This book, like the first, is not for everyone though. If you read the first book and enjoyed it then this book will be nothing new as it visits recurring themes of homosexuality and rape. This time however, it is a man who is raped by other men. And let's not forget the multiple acts sadism that the prisoners of war had to endure. There was also an enjoyable yet seemingly gratuitous foursome which may not be for everyone. If you're open minded and mature however, I'm sure you'll make it through this book just fine. All of the events that take place are merely products of the time period in which the book is set.

I absolutely adored Gladiatrix and Roma Victrix and I cannot wait to read the third novel in the series. If you too are a fan of ancient history, ancient Rome or Gladiatrices then I highly recommend this book and it's predecessor.


Tags : Amazon.com: Roma Victrix (9781905802418): Russell Whitfield: Books,Russell Whitfield,Roma Victrix,Myrmidon Books,1905802412,Gladiators;Fiction.,Rome;History;Flavians, 69-96;Fiction.,Women soldiers;Fiction.,Action & Adventure,Fiction,Fiction - General,Fiction Action & Adventure,Fiction Historical,Gladiators,Historical - General,History,Rome,Women soldiers

Roma Victrix Russell Whitfield Books Reviews

Russell Whitfield's "Gladiatrix" is easily one of my favorite novels of all time. It was an incredibly gripping personal story about a lone warrior enslaved by the tyrannical Roman Empire and forced to fight as a gladiatrix in their arena. It was gritty and incredibly violent, it showcased just how brutal the time period was and it treated the reader like an adult by doing so. The characters were memorable and the storyline was one of the few I'd call a true page turner. Needless to say, I loved every second of it. However I wasn't even aware Whitfield was making a sequel so you can understand my ecstatic reaction when I stumbled across it. While I can't say it's quite as good as Gladiatrix was, it's still a worthy sequel and a definite must read if you loved the first book.

Roma Victrix takes place six years after Gladiatrix, with Lysandra crowned the Gladiatrix Prima of Asia Minor. Her achievement earns her more wealth than she ever dreamed of which she uses to construct a temple in honor of the gods. This new found ease in her life has left her with a severe drinking habit and the disrespect of her fellow gladiatrices. This all changes when she is invited to Rome to confront their champion Aesalon Nocturna the Midnight Falcon. After some soul-searching, Lysandra decides to confront the Midnight Falcon in an attempt to find balance in her life and return to her old self as Achillia the Gladiatrix Prima.

I've read a few historical fiction novels of the ancient Roman Empire but no one captures the sheer barbarism and violence of the time like Russell Whitfield does. Every sword swing creates painful spurts of gore, and every love scene is filled with erotic lust. Some people are turned off by this extreme adult tone, but I personally find it much more grounded in reality and more enjoyable than a toned down version. Although there is a certain scene around the first fourth of the book that's a little much even by my standards, once you read the book you'll understand exactly what I'm describing.

The issue of racial segregation and prejudice is just as present as it was in the first novel, with the various ethnicities in the Roman Empire constantly hurling abuse at one another. No other character personifies this theme as much as Lysandra herself. She indulges herself in her supposedly superior Spartan heritage to give her confidence and balance; however on the offhand this gives her a rather narcissistic outlook on other people's culture, knowledge, and capabilities. Admittedly Lysandra's constant culture bashing does get a little old after a while especially when she rudely insulted ancient Italians, the culture I descend from.

Unlike the first novel which followed a very tightly woven linear narrative, Roma Victrix's storyline is divided into separate story arcs that eventually merge towards the end into one big climax. I enjoyed this different approach but unfortunately the supporting characters just weren't as interesting this time around. Tribune Valerian was a decent character although his storyline felt a little out of place for a story about gladiator combat, although he does meld nicely into the storyline eventually. Illeana, aka Aesalon Nocturna was by far the most interesting new character due to her not actually being a villain, despite being Lysandra's opponent. Unlike the antagonist of the first book "Sorina", there is no animosity between Lysandra and Illeana. They're simply two professionals finding out who's the best at what they do. Illeana is also calmer and more laid back than the barbaric and hateful Sorina, even at some points acting somewhat motherly to the gladiatrices under her tutelage. She lives for the arena and indulges herself in earthly pleasures to remind herself of how dangerous her life is and how easily it can be lost on the sands. The characters that I weren't too fond of were Lysandra's two body guards (I can't remember their names), and the insanely unlikable "Settus." The characters from the first book could have been utilized more in my opinion instead of relying almost entirely on new ones. Though one character in particular is used for an absolutely jaw dropping twist.

I also am not particularly fond of how the book ended; it wasn't to my liking and it completely suspends my disbelief, which is unfortunate because of how well grounded in reality this series is. Yet despite my few issues, Roma Victrix is a very good sequel to one of my favorite books, it's not as good as the first but that's a very hard feat to top. I'll be getting the third book day one for sure.
Roma Victrix didn't quite live up to it's name, but you won't find out how until you reach the end the book. Let's just say, the ending was nothing short of shocking.

Being a history buff and well versed on the history of Gladiatrices and the work of ancient art that inspired the trilogy, I generally found the story rather transparent. I knew exactly what was going to happen a few chapters before it happened nine times out of ten. And then the ending threw me a massive curl back.

This book was absolutely wonderful. It made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me nervous and arroused me in ways that few books have. I ran the gamut of emotions when I read this book and by the end I most definitely left wanting more.

So you may be asking, 'why only 4 stars then'? Well, for starters this book, unlike the first, had more than one chapter I had to struggle to finish. Turning the Gladiator concept into a series is probably not an easy thing to do. After all, how much can you write about their training and harsh yet mundane daily lives and still keep it interesting? That, however, is not the reason this book was boring. The book was full of sub plots and focused on a rather extensive cast of characters, each with their own story lines and it was this that made it a bit of a difficult read for me. The book was very true to history, but I often found myself wanting more of Lysandra and less of Rome, it's emperor and it's politics or wartime strategy. Overall the book was quite entertaining and there were maybe 2 relatively short chapters that made me lose my attention while reading, but they were there and I am going to be honest about them.

Regardless of the sub plots and the multiple 'protagonists', the book did not ramble. It was very coherently put together and it all came together to form a wonderfully moving story.

This book, like the first, is not for everyone though. If you read the first book and enjoyed it then this book will be nothing new as it visits recurring themes of homosexuality and rape. This time however, it is a man who is raped by other men. And let's not forget the multiple acts sadism that the prisoners of war had to endure. There was also an enjoyable yet seemingly gratuitous foursome which may not be for everyone. If you're open minded and mature however, I'm sure you'll make it through this book just fine. All of the events that take place are merely products of the time period in which the book is set.

I absolutely adored Gladiatrix and Roma Victrix and I cannot wait to read the third novel in the series. If you too are a fan of ancient history, ancient Rome or Gladiatrices then I highly recommend this book and it's predecessor.