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Gladiatrix #3
Imperatrix
The third adventure in the visceral female gladiator trilogy that began with Gladiatrix— Lysandra is back, and she's going to war! In the dirt of the Flavian Amphitheatre, known to history as the Coliseum, lies the bloodied body of Spartan priestess Lysandra—cut down by Rome's adored Gladiatrix Prima, the beautiful and deadly Illeana, the Midnight Falcon. At the edge of the underworld, the goddess Athene offers Lysandra's spirit a stark choice: reside eternally amid the fields of Elysium, or return to a life that is full of pain and sorrow—but will secure Lysandra a glorious place in legend for generations to come. Meanwhile, the legions prepare to embark for the Dacian frontier as the Emperor Domitian seeks revenge for Rome's worst defeat for almost a century. With them is the former tribune Gaius Minervius Valerian, anxious to wipe away the disgrace of being the sole survivor of his own command, annihilated by a swarm of savage warrior horsewomen. And now it seems that Lysandra's destiny also lies to the east, as well as the prospect of a final and bloody reckoning with an old and hated adversary.
468 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2015
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222 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
May 23, 2015
One of the things I like so much about Russell Whitfield's rip-banging trilogy on female gladiators is that many of his women - including the heroine, the ferocious, lovely, and endearingly humorless Lysandra - take pleasure in their profession. Most books about gladiators (including my own) focus on slaves who come to the arena unwillingly, but Russell's ladies find pride, honor, and fulfillment in their dangerous career. Life is dangerous anyway; at least the arena offers them a chance at fame, fortune, freedom, and the gender-bending opportunity for pure badassery. It's a bold choice, and it works well for the first two books detailing Lysandra's rise to the top in Flavian Rome. Yet at the same time, it leaves the ironic taste in your mouth that the heroine's struggles are all happening in the name of . . . entertainment.
"Imperatrix" brings that full circle by sending Lysandra and her gladiators out of the arena and into the real world, into a battle where there are no rules of combat, no breaks for the wounded, and certainly no missio given for well-fought losers. The war against the Dacians is going badly, and a Roman commander recruits Lysandra and her force of female gladiators to soak up some of the casualties for the beleaguered legions. War in all its realities will strip Lysandra of many old friends, of her hubristic assumption that she is always right, and finally of her illusions about the honor of combat. It will also allow her to be a true champion, not just a paper champion made of applause and rose petals, but a warrior who knows death is coming in the morning and still doesn't flee - she meets it on her feet, not because an audience is applauding, but because her mission and her fellow warriors in the shield wall need her to the end.
I would not dream of saying if that means Lysandra actually dies. The final battle is grueling, hair-raising, splendidly written, and the end has a twist I did not see coming. A marvelous conclusion to a trilogy I have thoroughly enjoyed.
*Note: I am online friends with the author, but I only "met" him after reading his work. Ben Kane heard me raving about his first two books online, and virtually introduced us; I was a fan before I was a friend, and this review is completely honest.
"Imperatrix" brings that full circle by sending Lysandra and her gladiators out of the arena and into the real world, into a battle where there are no rules of combat, no breaks for the wounded, and certainly no missio given for well-fought losers. The war against the Dacians is going badly, and a Roman commander recruits Lysandra and her force of female gladiators to soak up some of the casualties for the beleaguered legions. War in all its realities will strip Lysandra of many old friends, of her hubristic assumption that she is always right, and finally of her illusions about the honor of combat. It will also allow her to be a true champion, not just a paper champion made of applause and rose petals, but a warrior who knows death is coming in the morning and still doesn't flee - she meets it on her feet, not because an audience is applauding, but because her mission and her fellow warriors in the shield wall need her to the end.
I would not dream of saying if that means Lysandra actually dies. The final battle is grueling, hair-raising, splendidly written, and the end has a twist I did not see coming. A marvelous conclusion to a trilogy I have thoroughly enjoyed.
*Note: I am online friends with the author, but I only "met" him after reading his work. Ben Kane heard me raving about his first two books online, and virtually introduced us; I was a fan before I was a friend, and this review is completely honest.
July 1, 2023
I feel sick. ... Sick and guilty, even though I have done nothing wrong. I killed them because they were trying to kill me -- no different to the arena. But I feel like something has been taken from me and I don't know what it is.
The third and presumably final book in Lysandra's saga takes her from the familiar surroundings of the city arena, where the crowds cheer and there is a slim prospect of mercy, to the cold, wet land of Dacia, where screams of pain echo around the countryside and mercy is unknown. War is nothing like one-on-one combat in the Coliseum, and Lysandra feels the pressure as her decisions could change -- and end -- the lives of her loved ones as well as herself.
It's a fast-paced, taut, intense novel, in which Lysandra feels new levels of pain and fear in circumstances that test her belief in herself and her Spartan superiority.
The third and presumably final book in Lysandra's saga takes her from the familiar surroundings of the city arena, where the crowds cheer and there is a slim prospect of mercy, to the cold, wet land of Dacia, where screams of pain echo around the countryside and mercy is unknown. War is nothing like one-on-one combat in the Coliseum, and Lysandra feels the pressure as her decisions could change -- and end -- the lives of her loved ones as well as herself.
It's a fast-paced, taut, intense novel, in which Lysandra feels new levels of pain and fear in circumstances that test her belief in herself and her Spartan superiority.
May 30, 2022
For books like this, I think it is a burden to have creative imagination. I had on number of times skipped a section because I had my imagination playing the gruesome scene only for me to force myself to go back and read it so as to ensure I don't deprive myself of a good storyline.
This is third book and I really think it should be the last as the ending while unexpected for me, was written well enough.
Here our heroine goes to war and all the characters might as well all have been heroines and heroes themselves. This was a great an epic story, gruesome yes and I reckon I will be avoiding some types food for a short while.
This is third book and I really think it should be the last as the ending while unexpected for me, was written well enough.
Here our heroine goes to war and all the characters might as well all have been heroines and heroes themselves. This was a great an epic story, gruesome yes and I reckon I will be avoiding some types food for a short while.
September 11, 2020
Lysandra and Illeana - what two great characters and this is the perfect setting for them to shine.
I am going to miss the series and the characters but this has been truly an epic book. Great action sequences and a hell of a story. This story has everything.
Hard to say more without spoilers but this is a truly great trilogy and even if you do not like historical fiction (I don't) you will love this series.
HIGHLY recommended, 5 stars is not enough.
I am going to miss the series and the characters but this has been truly an epic book. Great action sequences and a hell of a story. This story has everything.
Hard to say more without spoilers but this is a truly great trilogy and even if you do not like historical fiction (I don't) you will love this series.
HIGHLY recommended, 5 stars is not enough.
October 27, 2015
Imperatrix makes a fitting end to the Lysandra trilogy. Lysandra recovers (with divine help) from her near fatal battle with Aesalon Nocturna and gets drafted to fight the Dacians by canny Roman strategist Julius Frontinus. The Dacians destroyed 5 legions and part of this because they had women fighters which made the Roman legions hesitate - so Frontinus hires Lysandra and her female gladiators to be an auxiliary force in a punitive campaign against the troublesome plainspeople.
Love the plot - it makes sense and a refreshing change to take gladiators out of the arena and into war. Huge thumbs up there. But did it have to be the Dacian campaigns? sigh... Personally one of my least favourite Roman campaigns. It's pretty much guerilla warfare and wholesale slaughter with very little honour on either side - still Kudos to the author that he's managed to take one of my least favourite topics and come up with a novel that's not only readable but actually enjoyable.
Characters are well realised - Valerian the legion commander comes across as particularly sympathetic as do the supporting cast. I even gasp had some respect for the villainous Sorina and her new lover Amage - thought the way she treated Teuta was a bit bitchy though. Oddly the character I had the least liking for, at least for the first 3/4 was the heroine Lysandra. Now I loved her in the first two books, but here I found her arrogance rather off putting - still once she was in Sorina's clutches I rallied to her cause. She reminded me a lot of a female Alexander the Great here - which I guess was the intention? to show her as a war leader rather than a gladiator?
My only other niggle is a slightly simple plot with few surprises. The whole narrative is a pissing contest between various troops of both sides until one climactic siege battle - a couple of other skirmishes earlier on might have been nice. Otherwise can't really fault this. It was very exciting and the final battle lived up to my expectations.
My favourite thing about this series as a whole is the female perspective - It's so refreshing to have Ancient World fiction with strong female characters AND a decent amount of blood and guts. Highly recommended.
Love the plot - it makes sense and a refreshing change to take gladiators out of the arena and into war. Huge thumbs up there. But did it have to be the Dacian campaigns? sigh... Personally one of my least favourite Roman campaigns. It's pretty much guerilla warfare and wholesale slaughter with very little honour on either side - still Kudos to the author that he's managed to take one of my least favourite topics and come up with a novel that's not only readable but actually enjoyable.
Characters are well realised - Valerian the legion commander comes across as particularly sympathetic as do the supporting cast. I even gasp had some respect for the villainous Sorina and her new lover Amage - thought the way she treated Teuta was a bit bitchy though. Oddly the character I had the least liking for, at least for the first 3/4 was the heroine Lysandra. Now I loved her in the first two books, but here I found her arrogance rather off putting - still once she was in Sorina's clutches I rallied to her cause. She reminded me a lot of a female Alexander the Great here - which I guess was the intention? to show her as a war leader rather than a gladiator?
My only other niggle is a slightly simple plot with few surprises. The whole narrative is a pissing contest between various troops of both sides until one climactic siege battle - a couple of other skirmishes earlier on might have been nice. Otherwise can't really fault this. It was very exciting and the final battle lived up to my expectations.
My favourite thing about this series as a whole is the female perspective - It's so refreshing to have Ancient World fiction with strong female characters AND a decent amount of blood and guts. Highly recommended.
June 5, 2016
I am utterly, thoroughly and miserably envious of anyone who's not read Whitfield's marvelous and deliriously entertaining Lysandra Trilogy. They have an amazing trio of books to plough through. Imperatrix brings Lysandra and arch-nemesis Sorrina together for one last epic showdown amidst the Dacian Wars. Riveting stuff. A Must Read for any fan of historical fiction.
January 27, 2020
The first book went to great lengths to make female gladiators believable and historical. They did in fact exist. But we've moved beyond gladiators to regular warfare here. And no matter how desperate things got the Romans would never have used female soldiers.
Granted, the author freely admits that he moved from the realm of historical fiction to pure fantasy. He just wanted to have some more fun with the setting. And as that it mostly works. But it's nowhere near as good as the first two (and especially the first) books
Granted, the author freely admits that he moved from the realm of historical fiction to pure fantasy. He just wanted to have some more fun with the setting. And as that it mostly works. But it's nowhere near as good as the first two (and especially the first) books
January 18, 2021
It took a long time between book 2 and this, the third (and final ?) instalment of Lysandra, the Gladiatrix of the arena, but it was well worth the wait.
Although I didn't enjoy the book quite as much as the first 2, (maybe my expectations were too high) nonetheless I thoroughly recommend reading it to see what happens to Lysandra and Sorina.
Although I didn't enjoy the book quite as much as the first 2, (maybe my expectations were too high) nonetheless I thoroughly recommend reading it to see what happens to Lysandra and Sorina.
August 10, 2019
Again, loved it - absolutely brilliant conclusion - kept me hooked all the way through. Perfect balance of military/battle for me. Enjoyed it thoroughly - hope to convince my daughter to read them in a few years
May 23, 2023
I really enjoyed this story and the characters in it. For those saying Lysandra was an arrogant bitch, if she had not been, the whole story would be a lesser story.
March 15, 2018
Not the best of the trilogy
I'm glad Russell Whitfield explained in detail the difference between Imperatrix as opposed to the first books Gladiatrix and Roma Victrix. I was disappointed feeling more of a dramatic showdown between Lysandra and Sorina should have occurred. This was a long drawn out book of women sharing the battlefield with men with more than enough gore and Latin words. I loved the first two which featured women in gladiators arenas. There was interesting, intimate stories of women trained to fight and kill with and without remorse. This book was long and very detailed in what was was like in these times. I did like the question of the sense and validity of war which is tied in to current world events. This did tie up a very few loose ends and I doubt there will be anymore in this series.
I'm glad Russell Whitfield explained in detail the difference between Imperatrix as opposed to the first books Gladiatrix and Roma Victrix. I was disappointed feeling more of a dramatic showdown between Lysandra and Sorina should have occurred. This was a long drawn out book of women sharing the battlefield with men with more than enough gore and Latin words. I loved the first two which featured women in gladiators arenas. There was interesting, intimate stories of women trained to fight and kill with and without remorse. This book was long and very detailed in what was was like in these times. I did like the question of the sense and validity of war which is tied in to current world events. This did tie up a very few loose ends and I doubt there will be anymore in this series.
February 21, 2016
A satisfying conclusion to the trilogy, but there were numerous typos that should have been caught by the editor. Also, I couldn't help but laugh when
June 15, 2015
EPIC!!!!!
A brilliant end to a brilliant trilogy.
From start to finish this series has been well crafted in it's characterisation and story telling.
This ranks alongside Robert Shea's Shike 2 book series as being my favourite historical fiction.
I can't praise this highly enough.
If you love Historical fiction then just buy this and enjoy it!!
A brilliant end to a brilliant trilogy.
From start to finish this series has been well crafted in it's characterisation and story telling.
This ranks alongside Robert Shea's Shike 2 book series as being my favourite historical fiction.
I can't praise this highly enough.
If you love Historical fiction then just buy this and enjoy it!!
November 9, 2015
The culmination of the Epic Ode to Lysandra. Fans will not be disappointed with Lysandra's third adventure. Their only disappointment is that the book ends. Filled with Mercenaries, vengeful lovers, war and carnage, this sweeping tale will transport you back to the battles of the ancient world.
August 24, 2015
Perfect ending to the trilogy! Will miss Lysandra. Hope she and Illeana pop up somewhere else soon!
June 29, 2015
good ending to the series
March 5, 2016
Very enjoyable and a good finale to the whole trilogy.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews