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Vicara #1
Belligerent
In a dystopian future the populace is segregated into castes. Belligerents, the lowest of status, are comprised of criminals and outcasts. Content as a faceless Commoner, Ryan has made a life for himself on the streets as a car thief. While the work isn’t the most noble, he’s known as one of the best despite his young age.
Ryan’s skills catch the eye of a flagrant Owner, bent on winning the virtual competition: Vicara. Newly branded as a Belligerent, Ryan struggles for freedom and acceptance at an academy specialized in training teams for Vicara. Ryan’s place on the team is shaky as he learns the truth and tragedy behind the person he replaces.
Join the Belligerents as we get our first look into the world of Vicara!
Ryan’s skills catch the eye of a flagrant Owner, bent on winning the virtual competition: Vicara. Newly branded as a Belligerent, Ryan struggles for freedom and acceptance at an academy specialized in training teams for Vicara. Ryan’s place on the team is shaky as he learns the truth and tragedy behind the person he replaces.
Join the Belligerents as we get our first look into the world of Vicara!
226 pages, Paperback
First published June 4, 2013
4 people are currently reading
1844 people want to read
About the author
B.N. Mauldin
2 books35 followersWorld traveler, tea drinker, and cat person, B.N. Mauldin draws inspiration from both the mundane and the extraordinary. An avid reader of all genres, Mauldin prefers fiction, particularly that which involves elements that inspire the imagination.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
September 10, 2013
For those of you who've been saying "Oh, it's just another Hunger Games. Big whoop," you need to shut your mouths right now before the rest of your brain falls out. This is not The Hunger Games. Aside from the fact that it includes a televised event of children fighting each other in a dystopian universe (which is not an idea unique to The Hunger Games originally anyway), these two books really don't have that much in common.
One of my personal favorite premises in this book is the fact that anyone who is caught committing a crime become a Belligerent and lives out the rest of his or her life a either a servant, a labor worker, an entertainer, or a modern day gladiator. Of course, committing a crime isn't nearly the same thing as getting caught committing a crime, but talk about a motivator to keep the public in line! Do something illegal and you get a band strapped around your wrist that will inject a sedative into your bloodstream the moment you try to resist.
Not only does becoming a Belligerent mean that you practically forfeit all control over your own life, but you have to give it to someone else. You are now property of an Owner that has every power to make you do whatever they want. That's where Ryan ends up after he tries to steal the car of a wealthy Owner who's determined to have his team win the Vicara games for reasons that are never fully clear to us. All we know is that Shifter, the man that's now calling the shots of his life, saw something in Ryan that he needed and decided to take it.
I liked how you could see the different opinions people had of the Belligerents, and how they changed with time. When Ryan was younger, he thought it would be the coolest thing ever to be able to compete in the Vicara Games, but now all he wants to do is get out of them because he sees Belligerents for what they really are: slaves. Sure, a few of them may gain the status of wealthy celebrities every year, but up until that point, their freedom is the very last thing they have control over.
Shifter's team is probably the best thing about Belligerent. Meeting them way by far my favorite part of the novel, and they are always the easiest characters for me to identify. They're all so unique and obviously became Belligerents in different manners, yet their differences are probably the very reason they work so well together. They all need each other in some way, and I love the family dynamic that B.N. Mauldin creates with them.
My one criticism for this book lies with the ending. Cliffhangers, man. Cliffhangers. Belligerent is obviously supposed to be part of a series, but what a place to end! Do you think you could have left me with even more to wonder about?
Taylor
For the original review and more, please visit Marked By Books.
One of my personal favorite premises in this book is the fact that anyone who is caught committing a crime become a Belligerent and lives out the rest of his or her life a either a servant, a labor worker, an entertainer, or a modern day gladiator. Of course, committing a crime isn't nearly the same thing as getting caught committing a crime, but talk about a motivator to keep the public in line! Do something illegal and you get a band strapped around your wrist that will inject a sedative into your bloodstream the moment you try to resist.
Not only does becoming a Belligerent mean that you practically forfeit all control over your own life, but you have to give it to someone else. You are now property of an Owner that has every power to make you do whatever they want. That's where Ryan ends up after he tries to steal the car of a wealthy Owner who's determined to have his team win the Vicara games for reasons that are never fully clear to us. All we know is that Shifter, the man that's now calling the shots of his life, saw something in Ryan that he needed and decided to take it.
I liked how you could see the different opinions people had of the Belligerents, and how they changed with time. When Ryan was younger, he thought it would be the coolest thing ever to be able to compete in the Vicara Games, but now all he wants to do is get out of them because he sees Belligerents for what they really are: slaves. Sure, a few of them may gain the status of wealthy celebrities every year, but up until that point, their freedom is the very last thing they have control over.
Shifter's team is probably the best thing about Belligerent. Meeting them way by far my favorite part of the novel, and they are always the easiest characters for me to identify. They're all so unique and obviously became Belligerents in different manners, yet their differences are probably the very reason they work so well together. They all need each other in some way, and I love the family dynamic that B.N. Mauldin creates with them.
My one criticism for this book lies with the ending. Cliffhangers, man. Cliffhangers. Belligerent is obviously supposed to be part of a series, but what a place to end! Do you think you could have left me with even more to wonder about?
Taylor
For the original review and more, please visit Marked By Books.
May 14, 2014
I loved BELLIGERENT.
I couldn't get my nose out of this book, it snagged me from page one.
Although the characters are extremely young, I was fulling engrossed in their feelings and the plot.
I'm officially captivated by the story, and will be following it as the story continues. It will be interesting to see how the relationship between Ryan and the other Betas progress, and am especially interested in seeing where things go with Mackenzie and with Alex.
Officially a fan. A big one.
I couldn't get my nose out of this book, it snagged me from page one.
Although the characters are extremely young, I was fulling engrossed in their feelings and the plot.
I'm officially captivated by the story, and will be following it as the story continues. It will be interesting to see how the relationship between Ryan and the other Betas progress, and am especially interested in seeing where things go with Mackenzie and with Alex.
Officially a fan. A big one.
August 31, 2013
Book review originally published here: http://www.iheartreading.net/reviews/...
Ryan is a car thief on the streets of a dystopian world. He shares an appartment with some of his friends, and a whole bunch of strangers. Life is tough, but he’s managed to make the best out of it, along with his best friend, Alex. And life could be worse – he could be a Belligerent, the lowest of the low, criminals and outcasts. With his profession, it’s only a matter of time before something like that really happens. When he catches the eye of an Owner, Ryan’s life is in greater peril than he could anticipate.
The Owner, Shiftler, sets up a trap for Ryan, and when he’s caught stealing, Shiftler makes him a Belligerent and brings him to an academy for Belligerents, where he will be trained to fight in the virtual competition called Vicara. Along with the other members of his team – Eva, Mackenzie, Logan, Daylan, Kenichi, Aria and Clarisse – he has to learn to work and function as a team member, not just an individual. But the problem is that he’s replacing someone – James, the car specialist the other team members all loved dearly – and that nobody can seem to trust him, and Ryan isn’t exactly very trusting of them either. As he puts his trust in the wrong people, he may need his team members to survive…
I liked the ideas mentioned in this book: the Belligerents, Owners, the virtual competition. None of those ideas are particularly original, but it’s the combination of those that works so well. My largest pet peeve was that, for a dystopian novel, we don’t get to see a lot about how the government works in this world, or even what the rules are. For now, all I’ve gathered is that criminals are Belligerents, some kind of slaves, and you’ve got Betas and Omegas, Omegas being house slaves. You’ve got Owners, who obviously own some Belligerents, and Commoners who are basically nobodies. So a caste system is nice and fun, but that can’t be all there is. Who is in charge of this world? Can Commoners get actual jobs, or is this limited to Owners only? Isn’t the presence of law enforcement necessary to declare someone a Belligerent? Or can any Owner do it at any given time?
I had a lot of questions in regards to the world building that were left unanswered, which was a little annoying, but it was probably the only pet peeve I had with the book. That, and the characters’ ages. They’re all about fourteen years old, but when you read about them, they sound much more like seventeen year olds. Ryan sounds way too mature for his age. So I’m willing to believe he’s more mature because of his life on the streets, but even then, he acts way older than fourteen, and it’s hard to believe.
But on to the good stuff. Let’s start with our main character, Ryan. I liked him, because he’s probably as far from perfect as can be. He gets caught stealing, makes a fuss about turning into a Belligerent but never actually tries to escape or something like that, then he starts hanging out with the rest of his team members but can never quite fit in. The other team members were all right as well. I got a sense of personality from each of them, but I would’ve preferred to get to know them a little better. Oh well, maybe in the next book? I have to say I liked Clarisse the best. She instantly wanted to make Ryan feel like part of the group. She’s always outgoing and social – a stark contrast to Ryan’s personality. Mackenzie was all right as well. I understood her reasoning a little better toward the end, and I liked how she was willing to give Ryan a shot afterall.
Belligerent reads like a mix of The Hunger Games and X-men or something. Not that the Belligerents have supernatural powers, but they’re looked down upon, and they have to work together as a team. The writing was great as well – it pulled me in almost right away, and really made me care for the characters.
An excellent read if you like young adult books, or dystopian novels in general.
Ryan is a car thief on the streets of a dystopian world. He shares an appartment with some of his friends, and a whole bunch of strangers. Life is tough, but he’s managed to make the best out of it, along with his best friend, Alex. And life could be worse – he could be a Belligerent, the lowest of the low, criminals and outcasts. With his profession, it’s only a matter of time before something like that really happens. When he catches the eye of an Owner, Ryan’s life is in greater peril than he could anticipate.
The Owner, Shiftler, sets up a trap for Ryan, and when he’s caught stealing, Shiftler makes him a Belligerent and brings him to an academy for Belligerents, where he will be trained to fight in the virtual competition called Vicara. Along with the other members of his team – Eva, Mackenzie, Logan, Daylan, Kenichi, Aria and Clarisse – he has to learn to work and function as a team member, not just an individual. But the problem is that he’s replacing someone – James, the car specialist the other team members all loved dearly – and that nobody can seem to trust him, and Ryan isn’t exactly very trusting of them either. As he puts his trust in the wrong people, he may need his team members to survive…
I liked the ideas mentioned in this book: the Belligerents, Owners, the virtual competition. None of those ideas are particularly original, but it’s the combination of those that works so well. My largest pet peeve was that, for a dystopian novel, we don’t get to see a lot about how the government works in this world, or even what the rules are. For now, all I’ve gathered is that criminals are Belligerents, some kind of slaves, and you’ve got Betas and Omegas, Omegas being house slaves. You’ve got Owners, who obviously own some Belligerents, and Commoners who are basically nobodies. So a caste system is nice and fun, but that can’t be all there is. Who is in charge of this world? Can Commoners get actual jobs, or is this limited to Owners only? Isn’t the presence of law enforcement necessary to declare someone a Belligerent? Or can any Owner do it at any given time?
I had a lot of questions in regards to the world building that were left unanswered, which was a little annoying, but it was probably the only pet peeve I had with the book. That, and the characters’ ages. They’re all about fourteen years old, but when you read about them, they sound much more like seventeen year olds. Ryan sounds way too mature for his age. So I’m willing to believe he’s more mature because of his life on the streets, but even then, he acts way older than fourteen, and it’s hard to believe.
But on to the good stuff. Let’s start with our main character, Ryan. I liked him, because he’s probably as far from perfect as can be. He gets caught stealing, makes a fuss about turning into a Belligerent but never actually tries to escape or something like that, then he starts hanging out with the rest of his team members but can never quite fit in. The other team members were all right as well. I got a sense of personality from each of them, but I would’ve preferred to get to know them a little better. Oh well, maybe in the next book? I have to say I liked Clarisse the best. She instantly wanted to make Ryan feel like part of the group. She’s always outgoing and social – a stark contrast to Ryan’s personality. Mackenzie was all right as well. I understood her reasoning a little better toward the end, and I liked how she was willing to give Ryan a shot afterall.
Belligerent reads like a mix of The Hunger Games and X-men or something. Not that the Belligerents have supernatural powers, but they’re looked down upon, and they have to work together as a team. The writing was great as well – it pulled me in almost right away, and really made me care for the characters.
An excellent read if you like young adult books, or dystopian novels in general.
July 12, 2013
I won this book in a goodreads first reads giveaway. I honestly wasn't sure what to expect going into it, but I absolutely loved it! The writing hooked me in from the first page. The writing is simple yet elegant and easy to read. It is a fairly short book at 221 pages and a quick read. I read the book in one sitting, unable to tear myself away.
The world in this book was so unique. It is a world where criminals (mostly children aged 10-late teens) are kept by owners and train at academies to fight in the Vicara games, which are a sort of virtual reality game of capture the flag held in a coliseum. There are teams of eight and the winning team wins riches and a lifetime pass of freedom. This world is made up of elite, commoners, and belligerents. The elite are rich and free. The commoners are poor and seem to mostly be criminals because it is the only way for them to make money to survive. The belligerents are the criminals that are caught and either become beta belligerents and try to get into the Vicara games or if they aren't good enough or too old they become omega belligerents who are basically gladiators who are also used as slave labor. The world is complex and interesting. It beautifully combined new and old to form a disturbing and realistic dystopian future.
The characters are all around fourteen years old. Not since Harry Potter have I read a book with such young characters that I was able to relate with and thoroughly enjoy. The characters are young, but living in a constant life and death struggle. They think and appear as much older than they are due to their circumstances. There were several prominent characters in this book, but I think the main character would be Ryan. He is a fourteen year old master car thief who cherishes his freedom and lives with his best friend Alex (a fourteen year old girl). He attracts the attention of an owner, Shifter, who sets him up in order to get him on his team of beta belligerents. He is 'caught' breaking into Shifter's car and taken in. He ends up at Proserpine Academy to train to be the 'transportation' specialist on the team. Once in the academy he has a lot to deal with in becoming a part of the already existing team, training to hopefully gain his freedom in the next Vicara games, and in surviving the academy.
This book is the first in a series and I cannot wait to see what happens next. This first book was so much better than I thought it would be and it ended in such a way that I have a feeling the next one will be even more nerve-wracking and exciting. It's so hard not to give the ending away, but this book is a must-read in my opinion. I am really looking forward to the next Vicara book.
July 31, 2013
Even if I hadn’t seen the synopsis or saw the grungy (but awesome) cover, I would have instantly known that this was dystopian. There’s no explanation, you’re just thrown into this world where if you’re punished you “GET” to join a Colosseum type of fighting, and you may or may not get training. I can’t imagine wanting to be a criminal but sometimes it’s either that or starve to death, and that’s where we meet our main character, Ryan.
I really like Ryan, although he has some trust issues. But living in this type of world I’m pretty sure everyone does. For a short book this was pretty intense. B.N. Maudlin is able to introduce Ryan’s team mates but that doesn’t mean the drama stops, quite the opposite! And the drama gets more and more interesting as we get to know his group and the school that he attends. Sadly we don’t see much of Shifter. I am curious about that guy! And we also lose touch with Alex. I really liked her!
Into dystopian and need a short read? Pick this one up! It’s fast, dramatic, and is completely different from anything I’ve read. Fabulous!
I really like Ryan, although he has some trust issues. But living in this type of world I’m pretty sure everyone does. For a short book this was pretty intense. B.N. Maudlin is able to introduce Ryan’s team mates but that doesn’t mean the drama stops, quite the opposite! And the drama gets more and more interesting as we get to know his group and the school that he attends. Sadly we don’t see much of Shifter. I am curious about that guy! And we also lose touch with Alex. I really liked her!
Into dystopian and need a short read? Pick this one up! It’s fast, dramatic, and is completely different from anything I’ve read. Fabulous!
May 22, 2013
I really enjoyed this book! I liked the world building and the characters - each of them unique and diverse. I'm excited to see where the series goes from here!
July 16, 2013
I won this book from www.goodreads.com!
I could not put it down. I loved it!
I could not put it down. I loved it!
September 25, 2019
This shows a lot of promise, if you really like YA dystopias with competitions, but basically tries to cram a 500 page book into a 200 page book. Every aspect suffers as a result.
July 16, 2013
Just wow!
I am shocked that this book hasn't received more readers. Granted, this book doesn't have the most complex plot developments or character developments, but it is an amazing book.
The book's description doesn't really do it justice. A better summary for this book would be, "Delve into the world where children gladiators and technology combine to form an amazing tale, of intrigue and betrayal."
I encourage everyone who reads this review to read the book... if you have Amazon Prime, it is free!! Yipee!!
Onto the serious review....
The tale of an orphan kid being picked up from the streets and placed into a new, "special", role is nothing new, yet the method that this author approaches the subject is truly inspiring. Not only is our protagonist adept at thievery, but he also has the ability to be an accomplished pain in the ass sometimes, to the degree that you begin to sympathise with the other characters.
update to come...
I am shocked that this book hasn't received more readers. Granted, this book doesn't have the most complex plot developments or character developments, but it is an amazing book.
The book's description doesn't really do it justice. A better summary for this book would be, "Delve into the world where children gladiators and technology combine to form an amazing tale, of intrigue and betrayal."
I encourage everyone who reads this review to read the book... if you have Amazon Prime, it is free!! Yipee!!
Onto the serious review....
The tale of an orphan kid being picked up from the streets and placed into a new, "special", role is nothing new, yet the method that this author approaches the subject is truly inspiring. Not only is our protagonist adept at thievery, but he also has the ability to be an accomplished pain in the ass sometimes, to the degree that you begin to sympathise with the other characters.
update to come...
June 11, 2013
Each and every character is compelling and well developed. So many authors don't do this well when there are too many characters, but Mauldin introduces them to you in a way where you care about them all.
July 3, 2014
This was a Great Book. I did not want to put it down. Now am anxiously waiting for the next one! Brandi is an amazing & talented writer. This would make for a Very Good Movie!!!
July 17, 2013
A well written book that takes you right into the world the author has created. The characters really come alive. Read it!
August 2, 2022
It was short. But in all honesty, I absolutely loved it.
I have a feeling that others will disagree with my rating, and I feel I know why (?), but this was such a great story.
My feelings toward this book are indescribable.
But oh help me please, for the small plot twist at the end, not only caused me to be slightly shocked, but also pissed a bit.
I have a feeling Clarisse and Kenichi like eachother and I may or may not totally fuckin ship them oops
I'm mad that this book was published, like, this year, because now I'm sure I have to wait a long time for the next book to come out.
I have a feeling that others will disagree with my rating, and I feel I know why (?), but this was such a great story.
My feelings toward this book are indescribable.
But oh help me please, for the small plot twist at the end, not only caused me to be slightly shocked, but also pissed a bit.
I'm mad that this book was published, like, this year, because now I'm sure I have to wait a long time for the next book to come out.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 6, 2015
Lovely story, highly recommended. It is the first time actually that I like every single character. I just love the Shifter's team and it's a pity that this book is so short. Definetely can't wait for the sequel!
June 6, 2013
Terrific book! Well written. I loved the characters and can't wait to read what's in store for them in this series.
December 27, 2013
Loved it! Disappointed that it was so short and that a sequel hasn't yet been published! Can't wait to read the next one.
February 20, 2014
Good premise, childish writing.
February 10, 2014
Amazing book!
February 1, 2014
i loved this book, cant wait for 2nd
May 23, 2018
An interesting concept and a good start to a story, and although the story does 'end' in it's own way it's not fully concluded. Meaning you have to read the next book(s) to get into the rest of it, which is currently not available to buy in kindle or hardcopy format due to errors with the publishers.
I'd really like to be able what happens next and it's frustrating that I'm not able to read the rest of it.
I'd really like to be able what happens next and it's frustrating that I'm not able to read the rest of it.
April 24, 2025
This book was alright, not the best dystopian novel I’ve read but it’s definitely up there. Some of the plot twists (such as the betrayal of the other team) were easy to catch onto before they even happened, which kind of made it less exciting to read. The fight scene closer to the end as well was really underwhelming. It would also be better if the reader got to know James better before killing him off, without that connection there’s no hard impact and feeling of loss for the reader.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 16, 2025
Fun read! It's not complex, it is cheesy but it is "feel-good" YA dystopia. We have a crazy world and they have to fight in an unfair system (imagine Hunger Games but in a team). It is short and can be consumed in an evening, which saves us a lot of the back and forth of similar stories and keeps the focus on progress.
March 8, 2014
There were too many characters; it made the book feel disjointed and it was hard to get to attached to any of them (or even remember who all of them were). I think the book would have been better written from solely Ryan's POV. Not a fan. One reviewer described the book as "a good premise" but "childlike writing." I would have to agree.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews