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The Arena
Bran was one of the most dangerous and revered humans in the galaxy before he vowed never to fight again.
His new existence is not accepted and a bounty is placed on Bran's head. When he's captured and imprisoned, the only way he can earn his freedom is to fight in The Arena
If he fights, his captors will profit from television rights and gambling and he will earn his freedom.
But freedom means nothing to Bran…until his captors raise the stakes.
The Arena is a Science Fiction Space Opera short story, that looks at how violence can both empower and destroy.
His new existence is not accepted and a bounty is placed on Bran's head. When he's captured and imprisoned, the only way he can earn his freedom is to fight in The Arena
If he fights, his captors will profit from television rights and gambling and he will earn his freedom.
But freedom means nothing to Bran…until his captors raise the stakes.
The Arena is a Science Fiction Space Opera short story, that looks at how violence can both empower and destroy.
34 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 9, 2015
15 people are currently reading
41 people want to read
About the author
Michael Robertson
98 books206 followersMichael Robertson is an author and blogger. He has had several short stories published, including one with HarperCollins. He is the author of Crash - http://michaelrobertson.co.uk/crash--...
You can connect with Michael on Twitter at @MicRobertson, Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/MichaelRober... and you can also contact him through his website at www.michaelrobertson.co.uk
You can connect with Michael on Twitter at @MicRobertson, Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/MichaelRober... and you can also contact him through his website at www.michaelrobertson.co.uk
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
April 2, 2015
Short but sweet
This short story leaves you wanting more. Who is Bran and what is his story? I hope I find out.
This short story leaves you wanting more. Who is Bran and what is his story? I hope I find out.
October 11, 2017
This is the first book I have read from Michael Robertson. The Arena wasn’t what I had expected, but it was still a good read. Since the book is around 21 pages, the main character named Bran, won’t really grow on you. In fact, I kind of dislike the guy. His style of fighting is well umm… savage. I wanted more fighting from him, but I guess our limited amount of time was good enough.
The ending will leave you with some questions, both good and bad, not only about Bran. Sadly, the questions I’m left with leave me feeling a bit disappointed with the ending. Though, the authors detailed fighting scenes is what caught my eye. This is no book for children though, let me say that. Also loved his descriptions of the non human like aliens. It’s always a joy to imagine creatures not of our world.
I feel this book is a bit of a teaser for Michael Robertson’s more lengthy books. Which is a smart idea, showing off his writing skills reassuring us that we will get the action we crave.
The ending will leave you with some questions, both good and bad, not only about Bran. Sadly, the questions I’m left with leave me feeling a bit disappointed with the ending. Though, the authors detailed fighting scenes is what caught my eye. This is no book for children though, let me say that. Also loved his descriptions of the non human like aliens. It’s always a joy to imagine creatures not of our world.
I feel this book is a bit of a teaser for Michael Robertson’s more lengthy books. Which is a smart idea, showing off his writing skills reassuring us that we will get the action we crave.
October 16, 2021
A really great, if quite dark, sci-fi short story! It touches on the theme of male violence in such a way that it's deeper than you think it's going to be considering it's got saw-tooth monster aliens fighting to the death in it. The central character of Bran is a mystery right up until the moment you realize exactly what got him into his situation. The writing kept the tension up all the way through; even though it's mostly slower paced scenes it works hard to build the dread you know is coming. One plot point seems a little bit dun-dun-DUUN! for the story's dark tone (if you know what I mean ) but it 's a surprisingly touching, emotional read none the less.
(The story ends at 68% of the Kindle book, the rest being an excerpt of a related series)
(The story ends at 68% of the Kindle book, the rest being an excerpt of a related series)
October 1, 2017
Not a favourite of mine from Robertson for sure, i love his longer stories better as this one hardly had time to develop however saying that Robertson sure has a gift with words and manages to write a real gritty tale even in a few pages! The fight in the arena was quite savage but humans against monsters calls for savagery if the human is to survive!!
September 17, 2021
A good short story that is obviously a teaser for a longer series. Robertson did a good job conveying the desperation and sense of being deflated that are felt by main character Bran. I was glad I had already read many of Robertson's full-length works because it showed me what he can really do when given a few hundred pages.
January 4, 2022
Entertaining fantasy listening 🔰😡
A will written fantasy thriller adventure novel by Michael Robertson about a man 🚹 who ends up fighting to save his family and his freedom. His family is freed but he must continue to fight. I would recommend this novel to anyone looking for a quick read. Enjoy the adventure of novels 🔰2022 😈
A will written fantasy thriller adventure novel by Michael Robertson about a man 🚹 who ends up fighting to save his family and his freedom. His family is freed but he must continue to fight. I would recommend this novel to anyone looking for a quick read. Enjoy the adventure of novels 🔰2022 😈
May 5, 2019
A short story about an imprisoned fighter that leaves the reader full of questions. I've read several of Mr. Robertson's longer works and really enjoyed them. The Arena seems like it just gets started and then its' done. Overall an interesting story.
December 3, 2018
The arena
The arena was a fun book and had an interesting plot. It proceeds a book about the main character and this is a short story on how he got started.
The arena was a fun book and had an interesting plot. It proceeds a book about the main character and this is a short story on how he got started.
October 11, 2022
A short but powerful tale where the main character is forced to unleash his darkest self to save those he loves - which only pushes those same people further away.
I received this story as a freebie for signing up for the author’s newsletter.
I received this story as a freebie for signing up for the author’s newsletter.
December 21, 2025
Absorbing
Trained to fight and now in prison , brought in ɓy bounty hunters his one option for freedom is to fight will or wont he ?
Trained to fight and now in prison , brought in ɓy bounty hunters his one option for freedom is to fight will or wont he ?
December 8, 2017
i have read the Shadow Order books so being already familiar with the Arena it iws difficult for me too judge this short story on its own merit. This can be read at any time but if you are already into or about to start the story of Seb and the Shadow Order I suggest reading this 21 page story.
The main character is Bran and his self-struggle and reasoning on why to fight or not to fight are understandable and relatable. Beyond that he is not very likable.
In a short story, character and world building are limited. But, Robertson paints a clear image of the Arena in purpose and ownership giving us the true texture of Moses as the manipulative, greedy, mean, despicable entity we see develop in the Shadow Order series.
The main character is Bran and his self-struggle and reasoning on why to fight or not to fight are understandable and relatable. Beyond that he is not very likable.
In a short story, character and world building are limited. But, Robertson paints a clear image of the Arena in purpose and ownership giving us the true texture of Moses as the manipulative, greedy, mean, despicable entity we see develop in the Shadow Order series.
April 16, 2016
A sci-fi gladiatorial tale that deftly manages a remarkable amount of world-building and character-building along with a fair amount of mystery within the narrow lens of a single imprisoned ex-warrior awaiting his inevitable moment in the arena to battle for his freedom.
Society has developed to the point of billions of technologically interconnected planets with all of their native "peoples" and cultures linked into a mass economy. Despite the colorful space-opera background, the humanity and regrets of the lone protagonist pierces through white noise. Bran is a man with a past, as seen in the sycophantic rambling of his latest prison roommate. Everyone wants him to choose an arena-exit from this prison, in which two beings enter and two beings leave--one dead, the other free.
This tale is highly recommended and makes for a tantalizing tease to a forth-coming novel in this universe.
I received this short story directly from the author for review purposes. I've previously reviewed books from three other series by this author:
The Alpha Plague --5 stars
The Alpha Plague 2 --4 stars
The Alpha Plague 3 --5 stars
The Alpha Plague 4 --4 stars
Crash (Crash, #1)--4 stars
New Reality: Truth (New Reality, #1)--3 stars
New Reality 2: Justice (New Reality, #2)--4 stars
New Reality 3: Fear (New Reality, #3)--3 stars
Society has developed to the point of billions of technologically interconnected planets with all of their native "peoples" and cultures linked into a mass economy. Despite the colorful space-opera background, the humanity and regrets of the lone protagonist pierces through white noise. Bran is a man with a past, as seen in the sycophantic rambling of his latest prison roommate. Everyone wants him to choose an arena-exit from this prison, in which two beings enter and two beings leave--one dead, the other free.
This tale is highly recommended and makes for a tantalizing tease to a forth-coming novel in this universe.
I received this short story directly from the author for review purposes. I've previously reviewed books from three other series by this author:
The Alpha Plague --5 stars
The Alpha Plague 2 --4 stars
The Alpha Plague 3 --5 stars
The Alpha Plague 4 --4 stars
Crash (Crash, #1)--4 stars
New Reality: Truth (New Reality, #1)--3 stars
New Reality 2: Justice (New Reality, #2)--4 stars
New Reality 3: Fear (New Reality, #3)--3 stars
March 11, 2015
( I was given the story for an honest review )
What will a man do that has given up, lost all hope? If you were in prison, had lost hope and someone told you that freedom would be yours if you did something you have said no to hundreds of times. Could you be talked into going against your standing? This is what this story is about. Giving in against all you said no to. Our main character has been locked up, repeatedly saying no to fighting till something is dangled in front of him and he can't resist saying yes. When he does so, he is so desperate to win that he loses sight of the wording that propels him into fighting. And that is all I can say. Spoilers. I will say you will go through many emotions in the course of this story. I read it twice so I could get all the nuances of the story. Sadness is the main emotion I felt reading this. The main character is tough, pulled away from others yet there is a vulnerable side to him. Which is true for most everyone at times. Read it, have a tissue ready. And then grab some of his other books and begin. You're welcome.
What will a man do that has given up, lost all hope? If you were in prison, had lost hope and someone told you that freedom would be yours if you did something you have said no to hundreds of times. Could you be talked into going against your standing? This is what this story is about. Giving in against all you said no to. Our main character has been locked up, repeatedly saying no to fighting till something is dangled in front of him and he can't resist saying yes. When he does so, he is so desperate to win that he loses sight of the wording that propels him into fighting. And that is all I can say. Spoilers. I will say you will go through many emotions in the course of this story. I read it twice so I could get all the nuances of the story. Sadness is the main emotion I felt reading this. The main character is tough, pulled away from others yet there is a vulnerable side to him. Which is true for most everyone at times. Read it, have a tissue ready. And then grab some of his other books and begin. You're welcome.
August 21, 2016
This is a good story, where Bran’s hopelessness is the reader’s to feel… unavoidably. At first, I was expecting a bit more story about the time leading to Bran’s present situation. But, after a second thought, I wonder whether the way it’s told isn’t the best option, for we are presented with the disillusioned Bran already.
August 12, 2016
A scifi gladiator arena? I love it! Reminds me of a cooler version of the Arena in Star Wars Ep. II.
November 23, 2017
As short stories go,. this one hits the mark. After a brief glimpse into this man's grief, you get an understanding of what he has lost and why he now wants nothing. All the while making the reader want more..
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews