Champion's Lord: A Traibon Family Saga Prequel

by V.C. Willis

Ashton’s world is crumbling and he refuses to let anyone come between him and his self-hatred, even his latest fling Lord Raphael Traibon.

Ashton Le Denys Thompson is in line to be the next clan chief, but after Grandemere was attacked by invaders, what does that matter anymore? A young noble from the Old Continent comes waltzing in and changes everything. Fueled by desire and intrigue, Ashton finds himself infatuated with the man that just might be the key to saving what’s left of his family and even Grandemere. That’s if the Fates don’t have other plans for one of their most devoted followers.

Lord Raphael Kristr de’Traibon left the Old Continent years ago in an attempt to save his family and allies, but it failed. Fallen Arbor and the noble houses from his father’s fallen empire are here destroying Grandemere and everything he’s come to love. When Ashton comes into the fold, he finds himself aggravated and in love with the most maddening of creatures in the world. Despite the need to use his standing to help push back the battle royale law the corrupted council wants to pass, it all goes belly up when they have to fight back.

Together, Ashton and Raphael will have to battle between their own emotions of self-hatred and obsessive desires in order to protect what they both have left and recently gained in one another. When the Blood Duels begin, will they be able to withstand the pressure placed upon them and persevere?

This story contains violence, gore, sexual content, toxic behavior, verbal abuse, blood, and other themes performed by fictional characters within a fictional world.

323 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 8, 2024

Reviews

[shadowarc13 · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.” The champion’s lord. A Dangerous Alliance. Ashton Le Denys Thompson's world is in turmoil, fractured by the collapse of his home, Grandemere. Plagued by self-hatred, he stubbornly rejects any form of help, even from his recent fling, Lord Raphael Traibon. However, when a young nobleman from the Old Continent appears, his arrival changes everything. Ashton finds himself unexpectedly captivated by this man, who may hold the key to saving what remains of his family and world.
Lord Raphael Kristr de'Traibon left his home years ago in a failed attempt to save his family, only to find the remnants of his father's fallen empire now corrupting the very land Ashton holds dear. When their paths cross, their relationship is a volatile mix of aggravation and irresistible attraction. Both men are forced to confront their inner turmoil and obsessive desires to protect their fragile alliance. As the formidable Blood Duels loom, they must withstand immense pressure and a host of threats, including the corrupt council's new laws. This story is a dark and intense exploration of power, desire, and survival, as two men with haunted pasts fight to protect what little they have left. 💛

[Latty|The Creative · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Reading Ashton’s story has been so fascinating! Throughout Books 1&2 respectively that name has been thrown around especially in comparison to Dante—you’d think Ashton was some big deal and he was (at the end of this book anyway) but Ashton is an unhinged, unprofessional, hotheaded, unpredictable, whoring brat!lol. I mean when he does put the brain that’s in his head to use and not that of his pants he’s pretty good, in fact he had the potential to be more but like I said he is a BRAT!

I enjoyed this so much because the breadcrumbs are all so fascinating that you question what you think you know back in books 1&2 and it’s as if you’re mind has been opened even more to the Traibon Saga. The world building and character development is AMAZING and I’m looking forward to rereading Books 1&2 with fresh eyes and new insights.

[stephanie cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Champion's Lord is an intriguing prequel to the A Traibon Family Saga, setting the stage for a captivating journey. Ashton’s world is in turmoil as he grapples with self-hatred, even pushing away his latest fling, Lord Raphael Traibon. This prequel skillfully weaves fantasy elements into a compelling narrative, and the characters are well-developed and engaging. By the end, I was eager for more from this world and V.C. Willis.

Content Warning: The story contains violence, gore, sexual content, toxic behavior, verbal abuse, blood, and other themes that should be considered before reading.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the books of the Traibon world but I hate the name of this series...the FALL of Ashton. I'm hoping it means something different then what would first be implied. Ashton is such a dear....lol. in his own way. He just needed someone like Raphael to file down those edges. And to grow up a bit. I'm almost scared to see what happens next. I mean part of me knows from the other series but I know the details of getting there are going to be hard. I definitely recommend reading all of the Traibon books. Definitely worth it.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kat M · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a strong prequel to the Traibon Family Saga. I enjoyed the way the fantasy elements worked and thought the characters worked well overall. It left me wanting to read more in this world and from V.C. Willis.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sabrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Captivating and interestingly written prequel to The Fall of Ashton Series. The story is engaging written and the storyline is well written. The characters are well developed and have good character development. Haven't read the other books in the series, but I really enjoyed reading this prequel.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Nimi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading the book, especially the banter between Ashton and Raphael, although I got a bit lost in Ashton's thoughts, and I did not appreciate his temper tantrums and self-pity regardless of was a good read.

[Nanii’s Book Corner]

DNF at 64%

I found myself struggling to finish so I decided to stop. Others might like this book so please don't take my DNF as "this is a bad book"

[Marie France · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn't get into it, finding it confoundingly written.

[Hanna Belle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this prequel, despite it being a shorter read for me. I look forward to reading this series!.

I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jordi Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved the fiery main character. He is hilarious. And the writing style was so new for me, it kept my brain quite engaged.

[Adrianna Heaney-velu · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Champion’s Lord,” by V. C. Willis

This book was super interesting and entertaining. I really liked the plot and the characters. A couple things that prevented me from giving it a 5 star was I didn’t love how overly complicated the plot was, it felt a little unnecessary at times. I also didn’t love how the two MCs seemed even tempered and then all of a sudden, they were super abusive, it would happen a little too quickly for me. All in all, though it was a really good book and I enjoyed reading it a lot. 4 out of 5 stars.

Thank you for the ARC, Booksprout.