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Twilight of Blood #1
Lion of Zarall
The king's ruthless gladiator receives an order that will break him — and break the kingdom apart.
In a world where dragons once soared alongside gods and fiends lurked in the shadows, Lion of Zarall is the most feared gladiator in history. Branded, collared, and forced to kill for the entertainment of nobles, he's known only as property — a "purebred" slave without a soul, without rights, without hope.
But when everything changes in a single night of dark magic and political betrayal, Lion finds himself cast into a world that wants him dead. His past fame is now a curse, his name an insult to the new order.
Hunted by the king and ailed by a deadly injury, he must survive in the harsh North where his very existence is a sin — and confront the invisible chains that bind him. But if his obedience shatters, he'll face a fate far worse than death.
What if a living weapon broke loose?
What if a man who knew no mercy held the power to destroy the world?
Lion of Zarall is a low-magic grimdark fantasy that drags you deep into its unforgiving world. Perfect for fans of Mark Lawrence and Joe Abercrombie.
Brutal, bleak and utterly immersive, one-click now and step into the arena.
In a world where dragons once soared alongside gods and fiends lurked in the shadows, Lion of Zarall is the most feared gladiator in history. Branded, collared, and forced to kill for the entertainment of nobles, he's known only as property — a "purebred" slave without a soul, without rights, without hope.
But when everything changes in a single night of dark magic and political betrayal, Lion finds himself cast into a world that wants him dead. His past fame is now a curse, his name an insult to the new order.
Hunted by the king and ailed by a deadly injury, he must survive in the harsh North where his very existence is a sin — and confront the invisible chains that bind him. But if his obedience shatters, he'll face a fate far worse than death.
What if a living weapon broke loose?
What if a man who knew no mercy held the power to destroy the world?
Lion of Zarall is a low-magic grimdark fantasy that drags you deep into its unforgiving world. Perfect for fans of Mark Lawrence and Joe Abercrombie.
Brutal, bleak and utterly immersive, one-click now and step into the arena.
388 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 12, 2018
12 people are currently reading
1871 people want to read
About the author
Eddy Rose
4 books33 followersEddy Rose writes grimdark fantasy filled with gladiators, grit, and romance. Her characters are morally grey, complex humans with emotional depth, strong character development, and often a fatal lack of social skills. She enjoys creating worlds full of deadly arenas, questionable social structures, rich lore, unique creatures, and maps she designs herself as a budding cartographer.
Eddy is a psychologist by day, author by night—and you can ask her characters how they feel about being written by a shrink (hint: they're not thrilled). Her readers blame her training for being good at making people cry, and she's probably guilty of that.
When she’s not working, you can (try to) find Eddy somewhere on the Gold Coast, Queensland—but you’ll probably fail, because she’s very good at hiding from people. Unless you’re her husband or son, who are exceptionally talented at tracking her. Jokes aside, she adores her reader community and will spoil you with free short stories and maps if you join her newsletter.
Eddy is a psychologist by day, author by night—and you can ask her characters how they feel about being written by a shrink (hint: they're not thrilled). Her readers blame her training for being good at making people cry, and she's probably guilty of that.
When she’s not working, you can (try to) find Eddy somewhere on the Gold Coast, Queensland—but you’ll probably fail, because she’s very good at hiding from people. Unless you’re her husband or son, who are exceptionally talented at tracking her. Jokes aside, she adores her reader community and will spoil you with free short stories and maps if you join her newsletter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
September 6, 2023
This book has the Greco-Roman setting which reminded me of The Winged Lion with fights in the arena until death minus the woo-doo priestress. We have forbidden romance, tragedy, hardcore killings.
Lion has grown up a slave and he has climbed ranks as a fighter. He is one of the most precious as he is a purebred slave which compares them to robot: obeys command and is without feelings as in no "rhoa". I believe what it means is no soul.
Olira is poverty ridden living with her four younger siblings at a farm. She gets manipulated into purchacing a slave, Lion. Now where she thought to begin a day to get a payment, to finally settle a debt and to restocking her supplies for winter instead she bought an injured slave and lost all her supplies.
The story narrates between the past and present of Lion's fate. Olira nurtures Lion to health but she is wary. Lion is less worth the trouble and all she wants is to sell him in the auction and settle her debt. What she doesn't know is he is the infamous Lion of Zarall.
If you are looking for romance there is none, at least nothing between Lion and Olira in Book 1. This year I have the bad luck of picking up books with unfinished series. The third book is yet to be released. Interactions between Lion and Olira is very little, the main part of the story is about Lion's past.
Lion has grown up a slave and he has climbed ranks as a fighter. He is one of the most precious as he is a purebred slave which compares them to robot: obeys command and is without feelings as in no "rhoa". I believe what it means is no soul.
Olira is poverty ridden living with her four younger siblings at a farm. She gets manipulated into purchacing a slave, Lion. Now where she thought to begin a day to get a payment, to finally settle a debt and to restocking her supplies for winter instead she bought an injured slave and lost all her supplies.
The story narrates between the past and present of Lion's fate. Olira nurtures Lion to health but she is wary. Lion is less worth the trouble and all she wants is to sell him in the auction and settle her debt. What she doesn't know is he is the infamous Lion of Zarall.
If you are looking for romance there is none, at least nothing between Lion and Olira in Book 1. This year I have the bad luck of picking up books with unfinished series. The third book is yet to be released. Interactions between Lion and Olira is very little, the main part of the story is about Lion's past.
February 15, 2025
4.5 stars
Loved this. The gladiator scenes were bloody but I liked Lion’s prowess against his opponents. His resilience is admirable. I also liked how he became more human throughout the book- more than just a purebred killing machine. His desire to survive - even when the worst had happened to him. He’s due for some revenge.
I liked Olira and her brothers but a bit frustrated with how she’s treating the Lion. Of course she has NO idea who he is. I feel bad for her cause you can tell she’s kind but in a bad situation.
The whole book is a set up for the real action. I’m excited for the next book. CAN’T WAIT.
Loved this. The gladiator scenes were bloody but I liked Lion’s prowess against his opponents. His resilience is admirable. I also liked how he became more human throughout the book- more than just a purebred killing machine. His desire to survive - even when the worst had happened to him. He’s due for some revenge.
I liked Olira and her brothers but a bit frustrated with how she’s treating the Lion. Of course she has NO idea who he is. I feel bad for her cause you can tell she’s kind but in a bad situation.
The whole book is a set up for the real action. I’m excited for the next book. CAN’T WAIT.
December 16, 2024
Full review to come, but early thoughts:
Wow.
I started reading this and it was suddenly hours later and I was reading the final sentence. As someone with anxiety and a voice in the back of the my head always reminding me of things that need doing, I don't think I've ever been sucked into a book this much in... ever. This is incredibly dark and sad. It is about a gladiator and fans of those types of stories will be right at home here. This sets up future books beautifully and is mostly a story of the Lion's past horrors. Ya'll it is SAD and I cannot stress that enough - but it captures the attention and makes you bond with these characters as you see them go through trials and tribulations. My heart still hurts and I want to wrap them up in my arms protectively - but THAT is the heart of a good story. These people aren't real, but they sure feel like they are and they absolutely mean something to me. Phenomenal read.
Thank you, thank you to @eddyroseauthor & @rrbooktours for this amazing opportunity to read and review.
--
Updated:
This is an utterly consuming dark fantasy. From the very first page, this story hooked me, dragged me into its gritty, brutal world, and refused to let go until the very end.
The story mostly focuses on Lion, a gladiator bred for violence, and his sorrowful past. This isn’t just a tale of survival; it’s a raw, deeply emotional exploration of trauma, identity, and the slivers of humanity that can persist even in the bleakest conditions. Lion’s journey is heart-wrenching—his past horrors are the backbone of the story, and while it’s dark and painful, it’s impossible to look away.
This makes you feel so deeply for the characters. You don’t just watch them suffer; you’re there with them, sharing their pain and fleeting moments of hope and love. Rose crafts a story where every moment of violence, every betrayal, and every victory lands with a punch to the gut. The world they inhabit is merciless and my heart ached for these characters.
The pacing is relentless. While the story is undeniably dark—fans of gladiator tales or grimdark fantasy will feel right at home—it also lays the groundwork for future books beautifully. This first book seems to be all about setting the stage, building tension, and diving into Lion’s tragic past, leaving me intrigued to see where the series will go next.
This is not a book for the faint of heart, but it’s an unforgettable read for those who appreciate complex, morally ambiguous characters and stories that challenge your emotions. It’s sad, brutal, and hauntingly beautiful, with a rawness that makes it impossible to forget. If you’re ready for a book that will break your heart, this one is a must-read.
Wow.
I started reading this and it was suddenly hours later and I was reading the final sentence. As someone with anxiety and a voice in the back of the my head always reminding me of things that need doing, I don't think I've ever been sucked into a book this much in... ever. This is incredibly dark and sad. It is about a gladiator and fans of those types of stories will be right at home here. This sets up future books beautifully and is mostly a story of the Lion's past horrors. Ya'll it is SAD and I cannot stress that enough - but it captures the attention and makes you bond with these characters as you see them go through trials and tribulations. My heart still hurts and I want to wrap them up in my arms protectively - but THAT is the heart of a good story. These people aren't real, but they sure feel like they are and they absolutely mean something to me. Phenomenal read.
Thank you, thank you to @eddyroseauthor & @rrbooktours for this amazing opportunity to read and review.
--
Updated:
This is an utterly consuming dark fantasy. From the very first page, this story hooked me, dragged me into its gritty, brutal world, and refused to let go until the very end.
The story mostly focuses on Lion, a gladiator bred for violence, and his sorrowful past. This isn’t just a tale of survival; it’s a raw, deeply emotional exploration of trauma, identity, and the slivers of humanity that can persist even in the bleakest conditions. Lion’s journey is heart-wrenching—his past horrors are the backbone of the story, and while it’s dark and painful, it’s impossible to look away.
This makes you feel so deeply for the characters. You don’t just watch them suffer; you’re there with them, sharing their pain and fleeting moments of hope and love. Rose crafts a story where every moment of violence, every betrayal, and every victory lands with a punch to the gut. The world they inhabit is merciless and my heart ached for these characters.
The pacing is relentless. While the story is undeniably dark—fans of gladiator tales or grimdark fantasy will feel right at home—it also lays the groundwork for future books beautifully. This first book seems to be all about setting the stage, building tension, and diving into Lion’s tragic past, leaving me intrigued to see where the series will go next.
This is not a book for the faint of heart, but it’s an unforgettable read for those who appreciate complex, morally ambiguous characters and stories that challenge your emotions. It’s sad, brutal, and hauntingly beautiful, with a rawness that makes it impossible to forget. If you’re ready for a book that will break your heart, this one is a must-read.
December 3, 2024
Emotionally Provocative, Laced With Action.
Lion of Zarall caught my attention months ago with the promise of both gladiator-vibes and a ruthless plot, and author Eddy Rose does not disappoint with this dual timeline, dual POV fantasy.
I intentionally skipped the blurb to go in as blind as I could, and I'm so glad I did. Dual timelines aren't always my favorite but this one delivers with salivating hooks that keep you interested chapter after chapter. I couldn't decide which story and character I was more invested in, and when the timelines didn't merge until the final chapter, I was all but throwing my tablet at the realization I'd have to wait for book 2 to learn more.
Thank you Eddy for blindsiding me with all the emotional trauma, I'll be laying awake staring at my ceiling and cursing your name for the foreseeable future as I contemplate what could possibly be coming next for Lion.
Absolutely frothing at the mouth for the sequel.
Lion of Zarall caught my attention months ago with the promise of both gladiator-vibes and a ruthless plot, and author Eddy Rose does not disappoint with this dual timeline, dual POV fantasy.
I intentionally skipped the blurb to go in as blind as I could, and I'm so glad I did. Dual timelines aren't always my favorite but this one delivers with salivating hooks that keep you interested chapter after chapter. I couldn't decide which story and character I was more invested in, and when the timelines didn't merge until the final chapter, I was all but throwing my tablet at the realization I'd have to wait for book 2 to learn more.
Thank you Eddy for blindsiding me with all the emotional trauma, I'll be laying awake staring at my ceiling and cursing your name for the foreseeable future as I contemplate what could possibly be coming next for Lion.
Absolutely frothing at the mouth for the sequel.
November 6, 2024
LION OF ZARALL
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“And be careful with him, he's the LION OF ZARALL.”
Lion Of Zarall, a debut novel by Eddy Rose. Amazing🤍. I was sucked in from the first paragraph!
EPIC! How Eddy Rose weaved the gladiators and the outsiders life was perfect!
“Not my body, its their property.” Lion’s daily mantra.
I remember how I counted the days till the Arc would be in my email😫🥹.
The world building was excellent.! I was fascinated by the universe created by the author. The past few days I read the book, it was like I was living in the book.
It is so well written that even through the gore I was unable to stop reading. I would curl up in a blanket with my dim screen light as I read through the night.
I was also drawn into Lion and Olira's stories. The book is mainly about Lion, who he is, and how he ended up as Olira's slave.
I sincery believe the author did a good job, and wish her luck.
I am waiting the next book impatiently.
Ps: Don’t swallow the book at once, you'll regret it. Savor the meal😭
LION OF ZARALL by
RATING: 🦁🦁🦁🦁🦁
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“And be careful with him, he's the LION OF ZARALL.”
Lion Of Zarall, a debut novel by Eddy Rose. Amazing🤍. I was sucked in from the first paragraph!
EPIC! How Eddy Rose weaved the gladiators and the outsiders life was perfect!
“Not my body, its their property.” Lion’s daily mantra.
I remember how I counted the days till the Arc would be in my email😫🥹.
The world building was excellent.! I was fascinated by the universe created by the author. The past few days I read the book, it was like I was living in the book.
It is so well written that even through the gore I was unable to stop reading. I would curl up in a blanket with my dim screen light as I read through the night.
I was also drawn into Lion and Olira's stories. The book is mainly about Lion, who he is, and how he ended up as Olira's slave.
I sincery believe the author did a good job, and wish her luck.
I am waiting the next book impatiently.
Ps: Don’t swallow the book at once, you'll regret it. Savor the meal😭
LION OF ZARALL by
RATING: 🦁🦁🦁🦁🦁
November 20, 2024
Where to begin! I happened across this book last year and had the honor of reading again as an ARC reviewer for it's re-publishing in December. It's got gladiators, forbidden romance, morally grey elements, some magic...essentially everything you want in a fantasy book.
REVIEW:
The world in which we find ourselves is immense and immersive from the first chapter. Our main character Lion and Olira are brought together by circumstance, shifting political landscapes and shady dealings. In a sense it’s a book split into two timelines, the past as we see the events leading up to Lion’s meeting with Olira, and the present in which Olira tries to understand this slave she has been forced to own. The story mostly focuses on our MMC Lion as we understand who he is, what he has been shaped into by society who treat “Beasts”, a type of gladiator slave, as nothing more than tools. Held to a strict set of rules we find out who Lion truly is as he is forced to confront the nature of his reality. In the story lines, I found that Lion’s was more action packed and intriguing, but don’t discount Olira yet either. She is a young woman caring for a family all on her own, leaving it up to her skills as a herbalist and part time healer to keep the farm afloat. It’s a story of action, questionable morals, and love. A story that I became entranced by.
A warning before you read: It’s fast paced, gritty and DARK. Varying from gladiator slaves, morally grey characters, in depth fight scenes and devastating childhood traumas it can be hard to read at times what people can do to one another. And yet with this darkness we learn so much about our characters…yes there were moments that were so dark and heartbreaking that I didn’t want to read on, but felt I had to, because if our characters could face it then so could I. I’ll leave it at this…it’s not for the faint hearted. (Nor children.)
It’s not all death and destruction though. There are moments that balance the book out, laughter, hope and dare I say love. It’s not your typical love story between our characters, it’s difficult at first. Forbidden and tense, but refreshing to see how these characters navigate around rules placed on them. Two people who are opposites, different upbringings and morals, that clash at first in the situation they are thrust into. The romance is delicate, the relationships between characters complex.
This balance between these action sequences and slower moments of the present added pace as I raced to find out how each character came to be in the present. I’ve never consumed a book so quickly. Reading chapter by chapter to find out what happens next.
Villains and Morals: there’s a couple of shady characters in this book but few are black and white. They’re grey with black undertones, and I think that’s what makes this book so intriguing, there’s always a reason and it makes them feel that much more real. Now don’t get me wrong there are some that lean heavily on the darker side, but the author adds in little snippets that makes me believe everything may not be as it seems. And to limit evil to the villains seems unfair; this society has as much to blame as for what happens to our characters. It’s this society whose largely to blame for Lion’s moral code. He’s torn between what he was raised to be, needed to be to survive; and the person we know he can be with his love.
Only thing I would’ve liked was a map. We don’t do much traveling in the world of Chinderia but knowing the landscapes and locations of cities mentioned would’ve been helpful. But the lack of map does not hinder the reading process at all.
I can’t begin to explain how I love Lion and the world that this author has built. I’ve become protective over Lion because well…he’s been through a lot as you’ll see. I’ve laughed, I’ve cried (more than I want to admit) and I’ve cheered for Lion throughout it all and I’m waiting not so patiently for his story to continue. Highly recommend.
P.S. I warn you the author withholds no punches, both with arena battles and emotional impact. Brace yourself.
-ARC REVIEW-
REVIEW:
The world in which we find ourselves is immense and immersive from the first chapter. Our main character Lion and Olira are brought together by circumstance, shifting political landscapes and shady dealings. In a sense it’s a book split into two timelines, the past as we see the events leading up to Lion’s meeting with Olira, and the present in which Olira tries to understand this slave she has been forced to own. The story mostly focuses on our MMC Lion as we understand who he is, what he has been shaped into by society who treat “Beasts”, a type of gladiator slave, as nothing more than tools. Held to a strict set of rules we find out who Lion truly is as he is forced to confront the nature of his reality. In the story lines, I found that Lion’s was more action packed and intriguing, but don’t discount Olira yet either. She is a young woman caring for a family all on her own, leaving it up to her skills as a herbalist and part time healer to keep the farm afloat. It’s a story of action, questionable morals, and love. A story that I became entranced by.
A warning before you read: It’s fast paced, gritty and DARK. Varying from gladiator slaves, morally grey characters, in depth fight scenes and devastating childhood traumas it can be hard to read at times what people can do to one another. And yet with this darkness we learn so much about our characters…yes there were moments that were so dark and heartbreaking that I didn’t want to read on, but felt I had to, because if our characters could face it then so could I. I’ll leave it at this…it’s not for the faint hearted. (Nor children.)
It’s not all death and destruction though. There are moments that balance the book out, laughter, hope and dare I say love. It’s not your typical love story between our characters, it’s difficult at first. Forbidden and tense, but refreshing to see how these characters navigate around rules placed on them. Two people who are opposites, different upbringings and morals, that clash at first in the situation they are thrust into. The romance is delicate, the relationships between characters complex.
This balance between these action sequences and slower moments of the present added pace as I raced to find out how each character came to be in the present. I’ve never consumed a book so quickly. Reading chapter by chapter to find out what happens next.
Villains and Morals: there’s a couple of shady characters in this book but few are black and white. They’re grey with black undertones, and I think that’s what makes this book so intriguing, there’s always a reason and it makes them feel that much more real. Now don’t get me wrong there are some that lean heavily on the darker side, but the author adds in little snippets that makes me believe everything may not be as it seems. And to limit evil to the villains seems unfair; this society has as much to blame as for what happens to our characters. It’s this society whose largely to blame for Lion’s moral code. He’s torn between what he was raised to be, needed to be to survive; and the person we know he can be with his love.
Only thing I would’ve liked was a map. We don’t do much traveling in the world of Chinderia but knowing the landscapes and locations of cities mentioned would’ve been helpful. But the lack of map does not hinder the reading process at all.
I can’t begin to explain how I love Lion and the world that this author has built. I’ve become protective over Lion because well…he’s been through a lot as you’ll see. I’ve laughed, I’ve cried (more than I want to admit) and I’ve cheered for Lion throughout it all and I’m waiting not so patiently for his story to continue. Highly recommend.
P.S. I warn you the author withholds no punches, both with arena battles and emotional impact. Brace yourself.
-ARC REVIEW-
December 21, 2024
This was everything I needed! 🤩 So, so good. Can't wait for book 2.
November 24, 2020
This is a tough one. The world building was excellent. I was fascinated by the universe created by the author. I was also drawn into Lion and Olira's stories. The bulk of the book is about Lion, who he is, and how he ended up as Olira's slave.
The editing was not good, it got worse as the story went along. The first half was okay, but the second had more errors. The one that was truly annoying was the misuse of "lied" instead of "lay" throughout the book. It was so consistent that it made me question my own grammar usage. There was also some awkward phrasing, especially toward the end. No cliffhanger, it just sort of stopped.
With that said, I really want to know what happens next. I want to see how Lion and Olira work together. I want to know about this world. I just hope the editing is better in the next book.
The editing was not good, it got worse as the story went along. The first half was okay, but the second had more errors. The one that was truly annoying was the misuse of "lied" instead of "lay" throughout the book. It was so consistent that it made me question my own grammar usage. There was also some awkward phrasing, especially toward the end. No cliffhanger, it just sort of stopped.
With that said, I really want to know what happens next. I want to see how Lion and Olira work together. I want to know about this world. I just hope the editing is better in the next book.
December 11, 2024
BEST BOOK of the year for me!!
December 9, 2024
Just wow. First off, this book took me by surprise. Im genuinely taken aback. What an insane ride! I rounded this book from a 4.5 to a 5.
I found the way the book was constructed appealing because it kept me on my toes and wanting more with each chapter. It switched back from present to past—and with two different POVs.
The world is unique and left me wanting to know more about it.
It follows Lion, a slave and one of the Kings best gladiators, who is literally conditioned to believe he lives to serve his masters or owners. Somewhere along the line, with the help of a beautiful and fiery slave, he starts to snap out of it.
It also follows Olira, a farm girl who doesn’t believe in owning slaves. She ends up with Lion given to her. You follow the journey of Lion and how he ended up in Olira’s hands.
This is a very dark book so I’m warning anyone that doesn’t do good with torture and gore to stay away.
I’ll be reading book two and can’t to follow both characters journey. I need to know what’s going to happen!
The romance in this was subplot but it does have romance. I’m primarily a romance reader but this book really captured me and even though I wanted more romance, I didn’t need it because I was enraptured by Lion and his journey. I desperately need to see him get his vengeance and become the King that he is.
I found the way the book was constructed appealing because it kept me on my toes and wanting more with each chapter. It switched back from present to past—and with two different POVs.
The world is unique and left me wanting to know more about it.
It follows Lion, a slave and one of the Kings best gladiators, who is literally conditioned to believe he lives to serve his masters or owners. Somewhere along the line, with the help of a beautiful and fiery slave, he starts to snap out of it.
It also follows Olira, a farm girl who doesn’t believe in owning slaves. She ends up with Lion given to her. You follow the journey of Lion and how he ended up in Olira’s hands.
This is a very dark book so I’m warning anyone that doesn’t do good with torture and gore to stay away.
I’ll be reading book two and can’t to follow both characters journey. I need to know what’s going to happen!
The romance in this was subplot but it does have romance. I’m primarily a romance reader but this book really captured me and even though I wanted more romance, I didn’t need it because I was enraptured by Lion and his journey. I desperately need to see him get his vengeance and become the King that he is.
August 5, 2018
The details of daily lives of people around our protagonist is amazing. We can observe people, how they act, react and live their ordinary life easily. It helps us to create the world in our minds, also you go deeper with the characters passage by passage and can interpret their intentions so well. I think E.B. Rose did a hard but well-crafted job by indirectly adding those characters and their emotions. Author, as a guess, hid many crucial information about them and we are going to unveil many presents with the sequels. To be honest, I am eagerly waiting what interesting characters will show up next.
I did not spend much time on reading this book. Easy to read, well-used language and the flow of the story line is catchy. Glad to have read this book.
I did not spend much time on reading this book. Easy to read, well-used language and the flow of the story line is catchy. Glad to have read this book.
January 7, 2025
I LOVED this read. Great characters, great plot, great pacing. I loved the different POVs and the storytelling. I can’t wait for book two.
Lion stands out as the greatest gladiator and a highly sought-after purebred slave. He has just won four consecutive tournaments where the battles are to the death and is training for another. But now everything’s about to change and Lion must survive for vengeance, freedom or greatness.
Lion stands out as the greatest gladiator and a highly sought-after purebred slave. He has just won four consecutive tournaments where the battles are to the death and is training for another. But now everything’s about to change and Lion must survive for vengeance, freedom or greatness.
December 5, 2024
I loved it!
I blew through this book,I finished it in three days! The story is so thought out and I love the main character. It felt so realistic too.
I blew through this book,I finished it in three days! The story is so thought out and I love the main character. It felt so realistic too.
December 9, 2024
Really struggled between a 3.5 or 4 star rating for this one. Going with 4 because of how much I want to read the second book.
But wow, I absolutely loved Lions character! This is absolutely a dark fantasy so it was extremely sad to read about everything Lion had gone through and I’m sure he won’t be happy anytime soon🙃
My biggest complaint is that I got a bit tired of all the flashbacks, I get that we needed all of the backstory of Lions life but I also wanted to actually be able to read about what was happening in the present timeline and there really wasn’t many chapters for that so I was a bit frustrated. I just wanted to have more chapters with Olira and Lion interacting. Not sure that I like Olira though, she was kind of awful at times and pretty naive whenever she thought about Lion. I’m sure she’ll grow more in the second book.
Another thing was that I didn’t understand all of the elements in the book at first, like the magic system was pretty confusing but maybe that was intentional? So we were learning things as Lion was too. Going into this book though I didn’t even think there was supposed to be any “magic” in the setting so that was a bit confusing at first to adjust to.
Also I’m not sure why but I didn’t really like the whole relationship between Saradra and Lion, it was extremely tragic how she died, but I thought the book was supposed to be a “dark fantasy romance” and I expected that to be between the two main characters so I was pretty much waiting for Saradra to die the whole time. Whenever she did eventually die I was surprised at all, so her and Lions whole backstory just seemed like a waste of time. And it took a LOT of space in the book that I would’ve rather spent reading about Lion in the present timeline.
Overall it was very entertaining, read at your own risk because it’s not a happy book at all, but I was left feeling frustrated with the lack of chapters for the current timeline and almost the whole book getting devoted to the past. That said, I’ll definitely be reading the next one.
But wow, I absolutely loved Lions character! This is absolutely a dark fantasy so it was extremely sad to read about everything Lion had gone through and I’m sure he won’t be happy anytime soon🙃
My biggest complaint is that I got a bit tired of all the flashbacks, I get that we needed all of the backstory of Lions life but I also wanted to actually be able to read about what was happening in the present timeline and there really wasn’t many chapters for that so I was a bit frustrated. I just wanted to have more chapters with Olira and Lion interacting. Not sure that I like Olira though, she was kind of awful at times and pretty naive whenever she thought about Lion. I’m sure she’ll grow more in the second book.
Another thing was that I didn’t understand all of the elements in the book at first, like the magic system was pretty confusing but maybe that was intentional? So we were learning things as Lion was too. Going into this book though I didn’t even think there was supposed to be any “magic” in the setting so that was a bit confusing at first to adjust to.
Also I’m not sure why but I didn’t really like the whole relationship between Saradra and Lion, it was extremely tragic how she died, but I thought the book was supposed to be a “dark fantasy romance” and I expected that to be between the two main characters so I was pretty much waiting for Saradra to die the whole time. Whenever she did eventually die I was surprised at all, so her and Lions whole backstory just seemed like a waste of time. And it took a LOT of space in the book that I would’ve rather spent reading about Lion in the present timeline.
Overall it was very entertaining, read at your own risk because it’s not a happy book at all, but I was left feeling frustrated with the lack of chapters for the current timeline and almost the whole book getting devoted to the past. That said, I’ll definitely be reading the next one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 30, 2025
I found myself in a world full of blood, sand and gladiator-like warriors but with an agonising twist.
This book stole my breath, it was so gorgeously crafted, the characters so tormented and lost that I couldn't put it down. There is a level of brutality surrounding the main character and what he endures and my heart hurt for him in so many passages - Eddy has written the hell out of this.
We follow two characters, a pure-bred slave named the Lion of Zarall, a ruthless killer, born and bred to serve and fight, always obeying, having no wants or desires of his own, and Olira, a simple farm girl who is trying to keep her brothers and her afloat after her parents death.
How Olira reluctantly ends up in possession of a severely injured slave, the Lion, is a story told in two parts.
The Lions POV is set in the past, what happens to him in the lead up to being owned by Olira and Olira's POV is from their first meeting as she comes into possession of one of the most celebrated and condemned fighters the lands have ever seen.
The differing POVs are seamless and each chapter is as compelling as the next, I never knew what chapter I wanted more, the past or present, so... I kept reading. And where I thought the storyline was going, did not - I was on my toes the whole time.
This book is not for the squeamish, it contains blood, gore, violence, more blood, senseless punishments, a little dark magic and maybe a bit more blood - it was one of the best and grittiest grimdark fantasies I've ever read.
If you devour:
- Morally grey characters
- Gore and violence
- Arena style fighting
- Owner-Slave dynamics
- Forced Proximity
- Forbidden Love
- Loss and tragedy
- Action packed
Then you are going to LOVE this!
This book stole my breath, it was so gorgeously crafted, the characters so tormented and lost that I couldn't put it down. There is a level of brutality surrounding the main character and what he endures and my heart hurt for him in so many passages - Eddy has written the hell out of this.
We follow two characters, a pure-bred slave named the Lion of Zarall, a ruthless killer, born and bred to serve and fight, always obeying, having no wants or desires of his own, and Olira, a simple farm girl who is trying to keep her brothers and her afloat after her parents death.
How Olira reluctantly ends up in possession of a severely injured slave, the Lion, is a story told in two parts.
The Lions POV is set in the past, what happens to him in the lead up to being owned by Olira and Olira's POV is from their first meeting as she comes into possession of one of the most celebrated and condemned fighters the lands have ever seen.
The differing POVs are seamless and each chapter is as compelling as the next, I never knew what chapter I wanted more, the past or present, so... I kept reading. And where I thought the storyline was going, did not - I was on my toes the whole time.
This book is not for the squeamish, it contains blood, gore, violence, more blood, senseless punishments, a little dark magic and maybe a bit more blood - it was one of the best and grittiest grimdark fantasies I've ever read.
If you devour:
- Morally grey characters
- Gore and violence
- Arena style fighting
- Owner-Slave dynamics
- Forced Proximity
- Forbidden Love
- Loss and tragedy
- Action packed
Then you are going to LOVE this!
September 21, 2025
I would give this book 6 stars if I could it was so unbelievably good! The fight scenes were so good and I just love lion so much! He’s portrayed as a monster but throughout his story with Saradra you found out more about him and his life before becoming the Lion of Zarall. This book was very heavy on the gore and torture so I would bear that in mind before reading. I can’t wait to read the next one and follow both Lion and Olira on their tough journeys.
Definitely one of my favourite reads this year ❤️
Definitely one of my favourite reads this year ❤️
November 2, 2024
This book was so epic! The balance between the gladiators and and outsider's life was so well written, the plot was so excitingly unexpected and from the first chapter you immedietly see how high the stakes are. The time jumps and the build up to what's going to happen next were so thrilling and had me reading until 2am because I couldn't put the book down. The forced proximity, reluctant bonds, Roman setting, duel POV all help to create an epic story in which you don't know who you want to come out on top. I already can't wait for book two.
March 28, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
Didn’t realize how much I needed a gladiator read! I loved the dual POV and dual timeline. Was always anticipating when they would align. Though the ending wasn’t too much of a cliffhanger, it definitely is setting book 2 up for lots of action, possible revenge, possible love again, and hopefully freedom.
Didn’t realize how much I needed a gladiator read! I loved the dual POV and dual timeline. Was always anticipating when they would align. Though the ending wasn’t too much of a cliffhanger, it definitely is setting book 2 up for lots of action, possible revenge, possible love again, and hopefully freedom.
May 8, 2025
The Lion of Zarall is unlike anything I’ve read recently and is a wonderful debut novel. The story is original and creative; I love how Eddy wrote the story from two POVs from different timelines until it all came together. Not to mention, it absolutely devastated me! I felt like my heart was being ripped from my chest the deeper and deeper I got into it.
An EASY 5 stars for me, and I can’t wait for the sequel.
An EASY 5 stars for me, and I can’t wait for the sequel.
December 3, 2024
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5
Spice: 🌶🌶 out of 5
⚔️Greco-Roman Setting
🖤Dark Fantasy
⚔️Battles and V1olence
🖤Wound Tending
⚔️Forbidden Love
🖤Morally Grey
⚔️Sl@very
✨️Review:
An epic scale historical-style drama with hints of fantasy elements encased around a timeless tale of revenge, fighting for one's freedom and humanity as well as finding it.
I absolutely loved this Gladiatorial-inspired story and first book of the series. Moreover, it's an exceptionally driven character drama, primarily focused on our beastly warrior, Lion. Getting inside his head and seeing how being raised from childhood and bred to simply fight, k1ll, be submissive, essentially having no independent thoughts, conditioned his behavior, was fascinating! The psychological effect on his his psyche just fed my psych loving brain. Using Pavlovian and other brutal techniques, Lion has lost most of his humanity. But through the dual timeline (which takes place over about a year), we see how interactions allowed shards of his lost humanity to creep back in.
The current timeline allows us to see the aftermath of his harrowing adventure months previous that led him to a young woman farmer where he's now her slave. But seeing how and why he's acting the way he does adds such a complex layer to him.
This is incredibly dense with plot, action (I love all the battles and how vivid they are!), intense drama and thrills. I binge read this! It's so hard to find some amazing action stories but with such heartfelt characters. I equate Lion to something like a Maximus in Gladiator, there's a nobility, strength, honor that is getting revealed bit by bit and I'm so mesmerized by him on his journey.
This is a sprawling epic! It's dirty, v1olent, raw, intense, nail biting, but not without tenderness, heartbreak and hope! I cannot wait for book 2, this set up was spectacular!
Spice: 🌶🌶 out of 5
⚔️Greco-Roman Setting
🖤Dark Fantasy
⚔️Battles and V1olence
🖤Wound Tending
⚔️Forbidden Love
🖤Morally Grey
⚔️Sl@very
✨️Review:
An epic scale historical-style drama with hints of fantasy elements encased around a timeless tale of revenge, fighting for one's freedom and humanity as well as finding it.
I absolutely loved this Gladiatorial-inspired story and first book of the series. Moreover, it's an exceptionally driven character drama, primarily focused on our beastly warrior, Lion. Getting inside his head and seeing how being raised from childhood and bred to simply fight, k1ll, be submissive, essentially having no independent thoughts, conditioned his behavior, was fascinating! The psychological effect on his his psyche just fed my psych loving brain. Using Pavlovian and other brutal techniques, Lion has lost most of his humanity. But through the dual timeline (which takes place over about a year), we see how interactions allowed shards of his lost humanity to creep back in.
The current timeline allows us to see the aftermath of his harrowing adventure months previous that led him to a young woman farmer where he's now her slave. But seeing how and why he's acting the way he does adds such a complex layer to him.
This is incredibly dense with plot, action (I love all the battles and how vivid they are!), intense drama and thrills. I binge read this! It's so hard to find some amazing action stories but with such heartfelt characters. I equate Lion to something like a Maximus in Gladiator, there's a nobility, strength, honor that is getting revealed bit by bit and I'm so mesmerized by him on his journey.
This is a sprawling epic! It's dirty, v1olent, raw, intense, nail biting, but not without tenderness, heartbreak and hope! I cannot wait for book 2, this set up was spectacular!
August 4, 2018
Lion of Zarall is the first book of a well planned and intriguing series, Earthome. In this first book we learn the life of a slave, a gladiator, and his struggles of survival in a rather dangerous and alien (to him) enviroment. We see a monster, a person, a man.
The story takes place in a series flashbacks and "now times" and puts a very good foundation for the incoming story,which I must say what lacks most modern novels today.
I sincery believe the author did a good job, and wish her luck. I am waiting the next book impatiently.
The story takes place in a series flashbacks and "now times" and puts a very good foundation for the incoming story,which I must say what lacks most modern novels today.
I sincery believe the author did a good job, and wish her luck. I am waiting the next book impatiently.
December 11, 2024
’m not going to lie I went into this book fully expecting myself not to like it. As you can see by the five stars that was not the case.
It was so good! This book was so well thought out. The end of every chapter left me wanting more. I liked how the story went back and forth from present to past.
There was very little Romance and lots of action. Some of the scenes were very graphic. Which doesn’t bother me at all but something to keep in mind if you decide to read it. This book left my heart and my jaw on the floor.
Can’t wait for book 2!!
It was so good! This book was so well thought out. The end of every chapter left me wanting more. I liked how the story went back and forth from present to past.
There was very little Romance and lots of action. Some of the scenes were very graphic. Which doesn’t bother me at all but something to keep in mind if you decide to read it. This book left my heart and my jaw on the floor.
Can’t wait for book 2!!
November 8, 2020
Amazing. Was sucked in from the first paragraph!
Fell in love with this world, the main character & it left me wanting more.
There are some intense scenes, be prepared for some pretty graphic imagery. It is so well written that even through the gore I was unable to stop reading.
Gripping.suspenseful & a little bit heart breaking
Fell in love with this world, the main character & it left me wanting more.
There are some intense scenes, be prepared for some pretty graphic imagery. It is so well written that even through the gore I was unable to stop reading.
Gripping.suspenseful & a little bit heart breaking
April 15, 2025
I won this in a giveaway from Goodreads, and it was so good!
I liked:
- the world building and unique fantasy aspects
- I liked both POV
- I grew attached to Lion and loved the background story to present
- it was a quick read! Flowed quickly
A few things I didn’t like:
- the ending was just kind of the ending. I like slow build ups throughout series, but I think it needed some sort of resolution.
- I don’t know why but some of the sentences had exclamations and it threw me off?
- some of it was graphic, I’m not normally affected by this but one of the gory scenes actually made me pause a bit lol
I liked:
- the world building and unique fantasy aspects
- I liked both POV
- I grew attached to Lion and loved the background story to present
- it was a quick read! Flowed quickly
A few things I didn’t like:
- the ending was just kind of the ending. I like slow build ups throughout series, but I think it needed some sort of resolution.
- I don’t know why but some of the sentences had exclamations and it threw me off?
- some of it was graphic, I’m not normally affected by this but one of the gory scenes actually made me pause a bit lol
April 16, 2025
I won this in a Storygraph giveaway, which I entered because I liked the sound of the blurb. The story definitely went in a different direction to my expectations, but it absolutely had me on an emotional rollercoaster! You could almost imagine this really was taking place in Ancient Rome, but for the little touches that take this into the realm of fantasy. And as you'd expect for a book focused on recreating scenes from the Colusseum, it gets pretty dark in places, so definitely check your trigger warnings if you're that way inclined.
Although it should be hard to get into the mind of a character who has been conditioned purely to obey and serve, the writing makes it so incredibly easy to reconcile that complete and utter control Lion has over his mind, despite the complete lack of control he has over his body. And despite his having very few lines of dialogue and the book being written in the third person, the insight into his character is crystal clear. Needless to say, I felt like I was in his head for much of the book. And as his perspective changes, your heart gets pulled into the mix as well. If for no other reason, you should read the book for this masterful bit of character writing.
You root for Lion due to his status, but his status does mean he commits some horrific acts (even if they're not all explicitly described). So although he might be described as the blond-haired Adonis and his quiet, gentle behaviour in some scenes might leave you with a very appealing impression, I do understand Olira's hesitancy in accepting him into her life and home. However, given her background, I had expected something of a softer personality from her when it comes to Lion; for someone who doesn't believe in slavery, man she's a hard taskmaster! Yes, there's a reason for it, but her negative attitude felt like it went on for a bit too long before she thought to actually talk to the guy. And genuinely I was just waiting for the master/slave romance trope to kick in. But then you realise that's probably not going to happen and that's a whole other layer of sadness.
The clever thing is that following Lion's character gives you (and the author) a bit of an on-ramp for worldbuilding. Oh, don't get me wrong, it's all there and very very easy to picture and follow, but because you're following from Lion's limited perspective, the immediate focus is on his experiences and so the outside world is built up slowly, layer by layer. It's a rich, varied world and even the smaller details fall seamlessly into place. I didn't need to question anything; I was simply transported.
The one thing it did take me a moment to reconcile was the dual POV/dual timeline narrative. In the case of the latter, it's not immediately obvious that you're going to be jumping between two time periods, so I did have to take a moment to adjust when I realised. But thereafter, again, it really works well. This is a case where I can't imagine the story being any clearer or better if it were written chronologically; the dual build just adds to the atmosphere of the story.
This is not a light and fluffy read by any stretch of the imagination, but it's very easy to read and I'm interested to see the sequel.
Although it should be hard to get into the mind of a character who has been conditioned purely to obey and serve, the writing makes it so incredibly easy to reconcile that complete and utter control Lion has over his mind, despite the complete lack of control he has over his body. And despite his having very few lines of dialogue and the book being written in the third person, the insight into his character is crystal clear. Needless to say, I felt like I was in his head for much of the book. And as his perspective changes, your heart gets pulled into the mix as well. If for no other reason, you should read the book for this masterful bit of character writing.
You root for Lion due to his status, but his status does mean he commits some horrific acts (even if they're not all explicitly described). So although he might be described as the blond-haired Adonis and his quiet, gentle behaviour in some scenes might leave you with a very appealing impression, I do understand Olira's hesitancy in accepting him into her life and home. However, given her background, I had expected something of a softer personality from her when it comes to Lion; for someone who doesn't believe in slavery, man she's a hard taskmaster! Yes, there's a reason for it, but her negative attitude felt like it went on for a bit too long before she thought to actually talk to the guy. And genuinely I was just waiting for the master/slave romance trope to kick in. But then you realise that's probably not going to happen and that's a whole other layer of sadness.
The clever thing is that following Lion's character gives you (and the author) a bit of an on-ramp for worldbuilding. Oh, don't get me wrong, it's all there and very very easy to picture and follow, but because you're following from Lion's limited perspective, the immediate focus is on his experiences and so the outside world is built up slowly, layer by layer. It's a rich, varied world and even the smaller details fall seamlessly into place. I didn't need to question anything; I was simply transported.
The one thing it did take me a moment to reconcile was the dual POV/dual timeline narrative. In the case of the latter, it's not immediately obvious that you're going to be jumping between two time periods, so I did have to take a moment to adjust when I realised. But thereafter, again, it really works well. This is a case where I can't imagine the story being any clearer or better if it were written chronologically; the dual build just adds to the atmosphere of the story.
This is not a light and fluffy read by any stretch of the imagination, but it's very easy to read and I'm interested to see the sequel.
April 6, 2025
So Good.
How long to pre order of the next one? The story is different from expected but in a good way.
How long to pre order of the next one? The story is different from expected but in a good way.
February 25, 2025
I went into this not knowing what to expect. I usually don't reach for gladiator themed books, but I was blow away by the whole concept of Lion of Zarall. Eddy, you've written such a powerful book, and I can't wait to read more about Lion's story. If you love easy-to-follow worldbuilding, cool magic systems, and heart-wrenching emotions, then this book is for you. Five stars all the way!!
April 16, 2025
Updated/In-depth Review - Second Read:
Lion of Zarall by Eddy Rose is one of those books that sticks with you long after the last page. The world-building is vivid and haunting, pulling you straight into a kingdom where people are bought, sold, and stripped of their humanity. At the center is Lion, a purebred beast bred for violence and survival, and Olira, a simple farmer who never wanted a slave but ends up tangled in a world she can’t ignore. Their connection is slow, raw, and deeply emotional as they both fight against the roles their world has forced on them. Rose’s writing is smooth and well-paced, making the heavy themes hit even harder. Every moment of hardship draws you closer to the characters, and the story reminds you that even in the darkest places, humanity and hope can survive. It’s gripping, beautifully written, and impossible to forget.
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First Read:
I flew thru this book! The story is told so well and the world building at the beginning is organized and logical. My heart quickly fell in love with the MMC. I was so enthralled by how the 2 different characters were going to converge. I CANNOT WAIT for the next installment of this series! I am truly looking forward to learning more about this work and the hero’s journey thru it. I am officially and Eddy Rose fan ❤️❤️
Lion of Zarall by Eddy Rose is one of those books that sticks with you long after the last page. The world-building is vivid and haunting, pulling you straight into a kingdom where people are bought, sold, and stripped of their humanity. At the center is Lion, a purebred beast bred for violence and survival, and Olira, a simple farmer who never wanted a slave but ends up tangled in a world she can’t ignore. Their connection is slow, raw, and deeply emotional as they both fight against the roles their world has forced on them. Rose’s writing is smooth and well-paced, making the heavy themes hit even harder. Every moment of hardship draws you closer to the characters, and the story reminds you that even in the darkest places, humanity and hope can survive. It’s gripping, beautifully written, and impossible to forget.
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First Read:
I flew thru this book! The story is told so well and the world building at the beginning is organized and logical. My heart quickly fell in love with the MMC. I was so enthralled by how the 2 different characters were going to converge. I CANNOT WAIT for the next installment of this series! I am truly looking forward to learning more about this work and the hero’s journey thru it. I am officially and Eddy Rose fan ❤️❤️
August 5, 2018
The details of daily lives of people around our protagonist is amazing. We can observe people, how they act, react and live their ordinary life easily. It helps us to create the world in our minds, also you go deeper with the characters passage by passage and can interpret their intentions so well. I think E.B. Rose did a hard but well-crafted job by indirectly adding those characters and their emotions. Author, as a guess, hid many crucial information about them and we are going to unveil many presents with the sequels. To be honest, I am eagerly waiting what interesting characters will show up next.
I did not spend much time on reading this book. Easy to read, well-used language and the flow of the story line is catchy. Glad to have read this book.
I did not spend much time on reading this book. Easy to read, well-used language and the flow of the story line is catchy. Glad to have read this book.
December 5, 2024
What a group of evil, awful and awesome characters. Authors website describes the book as morally ambiguous. I can't think of any better description. It's been some time since I had this much fun with the violence in a book. Not for children or the squeamish. This is a bloody bucket load of good time.
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