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Life's Defeat
Tragedy places the soldier in StPatrick’s complex, determination to be someone of use keeps her within its walls. When she finally takes her first breaths of freedom, the soldier is sucked back into military servitude. Her long, violent capture and imprisonment by Rochester sets her path of physical and psychological terror.
Under his rule she learns the depth of her own depravity, and how far she can go before she threatens to lose herself. But when Tomlin and his team rescues her, she discovers a new threat in the life she chooses to lead.
As the pages of her genetically-altered history are revealed, the solider finds the key to achieving her new goal: revenge.
It’s unfortunate it might just kill her in the end.
Under his rule she learns the depth of her own depravity, and how far she can go before she threatens to lose herself. But when Tomlin and his team rescues her, she discovers a new threat in the life she chooses to lead.
As the pages of her genetically-altered history are revealed, the solider finds the key to achieving her new goal: revenge.
It’s unfortunate it might just kill her in the end.
344 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 30, 2015
97 people want to read
About the author
Rebekah Raymond
6 books112 followersBorn in Ontario, Canada, Raymond was raised in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. She resides there now with her Husband and two small children.
Raymond has always been very interested in the Arts. Writing and reading were always a frequent hobby, and she was involved in music through school from grade 3 onwards, and in Art for many years. After graduation, Raymond attended Alberta College of Art + Design and received her BFA with a major in Drawing.
Life's Defeat was Raymond's first published novel (though not her first written one).
Raymond has always been very interested in the Arts. Writing and reading were always a frequent hobby, and she was involved in music through school from grade 3 onwards, and in Art for many years. After graduation, Raymond attended Alberta College of Art + Design and received her BFA with a major in Drawing.
Life's Defeat was Raymond's first published novel (though not her first written one).
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
August 20, 2017
She is swept off at a very young age to a private academy presumably by friends of her recently deceased parents. There she excels and becomes a deadly soldier at age 16 in the fight against evil factions. Desiring to learn more about the world she leaves the academy at age 19 and takes off using the fortune her parents left to her. Once her trek is over she decides to return to the academy only to find it under siege by the man with the cigar. This is not her first encounter with him.
Rochester, the cigar man, has her captured and then put through a series of physical and psychological experiments that test her will and ability to live. These tortures go on for months and months – each more deadly than the last. And, that is where I stopped reading.
As hard as I tried I could not get into this novel. I kept reading and got as far as about chapter 15 or so. The chapters are not numbered so I’m not certain. Anyway, about a third of the way through. There were no glaring grammatical or plot issues. The hook for me wasn’t there.
Raymond’s debut novel, Life’s Defeat (Life’s Series Book 1), never names the protagonist. Her character is very well-developed as is the mindset of the antagonist. I’m sure Rochester’s desire is to turn her into a soldier for his side and have her go against her former team. It takes too long to get to that point. The lack of action and the prolonged torture became boring to me.
Giving Raymond the benefit of the doubt and assuming it is just me, I will give the book 3 out of 5 stars. I wish her the best of luck.
I received this book for free from the author for review consideration. This in no way affected my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Rochester, the cigar man, has her captured and then put through a series of physical and psychological experiments that test her will and ability to live. These tortures go on for months and months – each more deadly than the last. And, that is where I stopped reading.
As hard as I tried I could not get into this novel. I kept reading and got as far as about chapter 15 or so. The chapters are not numbered so I’m not certain. Anyway, about a third of the way through. There were no glaring grammatical or plot issues. The hook for me wasn’t there.
Raymond’s debut novel, Life’s Defeat (Life’s Series Book 1), never names the protagonist. Her character is very well-developed as is the mindset of the antagonist. I’m sure Rochester’s desire is to turn her into a soldier for his side and have her go against her former team. It takes too long to get to that point. The lack of action and the prolonged torture became boring to me.
Giving Raymond the benefit of the doubt and assuming it is just me, I will give the book 3 out of 5 stars. I wish her the best of luck.
I received this book for free from the author for review consideration. This in no way affected my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
October 15, 2017
Very well done. It was dark- in a great way!
February 20, 2018
**I received a copy of this book as a gift from the author and though a review wasn’t expected in return, the story was simply to good not to share what I thought about it.**
I wasn't really sure what to expect when I started reading Life's Defeat ... I seem to be saying that a lot in the reviews that I've been doing lately. But it's true. I was asked if I'd like to read a new book from a brand new author, I was sent the blurb and since it didn't sound like anything I'd read before, of course I said that read it. I didn't know the genre. I honestly didn't know anything.
And it was wonderful. Dark and twisty, and full of turns you'd never expect. Thought provoking in a philosophical sense - because really how many times can you die before you go even just a little bit insane? There are also the questions of what happens when you die, where do you go, who or what do you see? Rebekah Raymond may not really answer these questions in her debut novel Life's Defeat but she sets out a tale that gives you a couple more ideas of what those answers may be.
I love the characters. They're dynamic and have quirks. They have fears and quiet strength. And yet at other times their strength seems to scream for acknowledgement, even as the character weeps. The heroine may go a bit mad but even then she's real, and she's someone that you feel for. Her love interest is loyal and true, and even when you want to curse him you can't help but (sort of) understand his motivation too.
You may notice that I haven’t mentioned the heroine’s name. That’s because Rebekah Raymond didn’t include it in this first book of the series. Not knowing her name didn’t detract from the story at all and in fact after finishing reading the book, I had to wonder if the anonymity wasn’t even better than if I had known the name. It really just went to prove that what happened to her, everything that she went through, it could have happened to any of them. And while she was picked for a reason, it had nothing to do with who she was, and everything to do with what they suspected she might be.
And the bad guy? The “Man with the Cigar”, Rochester... He’s so bad you can't help but be fascinated. So evil you can't help but eagerly anticipate what horrible thing he's about to do next. Then you end up learning just a little bit more here and there about him, and you can't help but wonder how he ended up where he is. What happened to make him into this twisted, evil, slimy, murdering fiend, with so little conscience, one must wonder whether he has one at all.
Life's Defeat may be a debut novel from a new author but I don't think it reads like one. So while I may not have known anything at all about this book before I read it, one thing I do know now: I can't wait to see what happens in the next book of the Life series.
This review can also be found on my blog Ups, Downs, Ins and Outs at Review of Life's Defeat
I wasn't really sure what to expect when I started reading Life's Defeat ... I seem to be saying that a lot in the reviews that I've been doing lately. But it's true. I was asked if I'd like to read a new book from a brand new author, I was sent the blurb and since it didn't sound like anything I'd read before, of course I said that read it. I didn't know the genre. I honestly didn't know anything.
And it was wonderful. Dark and twisty, and full of turns you'd never expect. Thought provoking in a philosophical sense - because really how many times can you die before you go even just a little bit insane? There are also the questions of what happens when you die, where do you go, who or what do you see? Rebekah Raymond may not really answer these questions in her debut novel Life's Defeat but she sets out a tale that gives you a couple more ideas of what those answers may be.
I love the characters. They're dynamic and have quirks. They have fears and quiet strength. And yet at other times their strength seems to scream for acknowledgement, even as the character weeps. The heroine may go a bit mad but even then she's real, and she's someone that you feel for. Her love interest is loyal and true, and even when you want to curse him you can't help but (sort of) understand his motivation too.
You may notice that I haven’t mentioned the heroine’s name. That’s because Rebekah Raymond didn’t include it in this first book of the series. Not knowing her name didn’t detract from the story at all and in fact after finishing reading the book, I had to wonder if the anonymity wasn’t even better than if I had known the name. It really just went to prove that what happened to her, everything that she went through, it could have happened to any of them. And while she was picked for a reason, it had nothing to do with who she was, and everything to do with what they suspected she might be.
And the bad guy? The “Man with the Cigar”, Rochester... He’s so bad you can't help but be fascinated. So evil you can't help but eagerly anticipate what horrible thing he's about to do next. Then you end up learning just a little bit more here and there about him, and you can't help but wonder how he ended up where he is. What happened to make him into this twisted, evil, slimy, murdering fiend, with so little conscience, one must wonder whether he has one at all.
Life's Defeat may be a debut novel from a new author but I don't think it reads like one. So while I may not have known anything at all about this book before I read it, one thing I do know now: I can't wait to see what happens in the next book of the Life series.
This review can also be found on my blog Ups, Downs, Ins and Outs at Review of Life's Defeat
March 14, 2016
Reviewed for SJ BOOK BLOG
Genre: action adventure thriller YA?
What's it about: the story is set in the future at an unknown time (it does tell you but it means working it out it's about 2100?) crime is now controlled by vigilante groups, the story follows the tale of a young girl who is a member of one of these vigilante groups who has the inability to die and the trials and tribulations this causes
You will love this story if: you like a good action book, well I say action It's hard to categorise, it's like a dark book but watered down. You will like this book if you want an unconventional but easy read that pushes the boundaries and explores new concepts and story ideas.
My favourite thing about this book: the concept. The idea and storylines where brilliant with clear concise plot points, ideas and characters. I also liked the clear easy language used however the start is confusing and it took me a few chapters to grasp what was going on. But the prologue is amazing greatly worded and grips the reader from the very start.
What could be better: I felt the book was disconnected, I never learnt the main characters name and found it difficult to bond.
The author clearly tried to push the boundaries with this book and the concepts are brilliant but I think the book played it safe and erred on the cautious side when it came to content. The story read like a dark young adult story with some adult themes.
Considering the book contains themes such as rape torture and murder it remained quite light and easy to read.
Final thoughts: the author has a lot of potential and the story in itself was good, like really good and I would definitely read more of the authors work.
Genre: action adventure thriller YA?
What's it about: the story is set in the future at an unknown time (it does tell you but it means working it out it's about 2100?) crime is now controlled by vigilante groups, the story follows the tale of a young girl who is a member of one of these vigilante groups who has the inability to die and the trials and tribulations this causes
You will love this story if: you like a good action book, well I say action It's hard to categorise, it's like a dark book but watered down. You will like this book if you want an unconventional but easy read that pushes the boundaries and explores new concepts and story ideas.
My favourite thing about this book: the concept. The idea and storylines where brilliant with clear concise plot points, ideas and characters. I also liked the clear easy language used however the start is confusing and it took me a few chapters to grasp what was going on. But the prologue is amazing greatly worded and grips the reader from the very start.
What could be better: I felt the book was disconnected, I never learnt the main characters name and found it difficult to bond.
The author clearly tried to push the boundaries with this book and the concepts are brilliant but I think the book played it safe and erred on the cautious side when it came to content. The story read like a dark young adult story with some adult themes.
Considering the book contains themes such as rape torture and murder it remained quite light and easy to read.
Final thoughts: the author has a lot of potential and the story in itself was good, like really good and I would definitely read more of the authors work.
December 3, 2015
5 out of 5 stars
Let me start by saying; I wasn't sure this would be my cup of tea (and I do like tea). I wasn't reluctant to start reading but I didn't jump into it. I started with just a chapter on day one, then another on day two. By day three, I found myself sneaking 5 minutes at every opportunity and got very frustrated if anyone interrupted my reading. I was hooked into it in every way.
The writing style was different to what I'm used to but that was definitely a good thing. It was refreshing and exciting. There was very little dialogue at all, mostly thoughts, feelings and scene setting. Speaking of which...I could really imagine everything in great detail. The scenes were set so perfectly, the images just came to me without any thought or effort on my part at all.
I really can't fault this book. I hope this author continues to write and I certainly hope to read more of her work! Congratulations on your debut Raymond!
Let me start by saying; I wasn't sure this would be my cup of tea (and I do like tea). I wasn't reluctant to start reading but I didn't jump into it. I started with just a chapter on day one, then another on day two. By day three, I found myself sneaking 5 minutes at every opportunity and got very frustrated if anyone interrupted my reading. I was hooked into it in every way.
The writing style was different to what I'm used to but that was definitely a good thing. It was refreshing and exciting. There was very little dialogue at all, mostly thoughts, feelings and scene setting. Speaking of which...I could really imagine everything in great detail. The scenes were set so perfectly, the images just came to me without any thought or effort on my part at all.
I really can't fault this book. I hope this author continues to write and I certainly hope to read more of her work! Congratulations on your debut Raymond!
April 15, 2018
I knew going into this book that there would be physical and psychological torture. I met the author in a Chapters and she said it was "more dystopia than anything else" and I love supporting local authors so I decided to give it a chance.
What I didn't expect was that the first two thirds of the book would be straight up torture porn with little introspection or anything else. Its not much of a dystopia because we know almost nothing of the world. The protagonist's "revenge" doesn't start until the last tenth of the book.
Overall I was really disappointed with the novel. The writing isn't bad, but I've never been a fan of irredeemable villains and straight up torture - I find it pointless and distasteful. If the author had gotten that bit over with in the first third and given the protagonist real agency to plan and enact her revenge for the remainder (instead of another man with inexplicable power over *letting* her go on a mission planned by someone else...ugh), this could have been a book I could get behind. As it is, I can't in good conscience recommend it.
What I didn't expect was that the first two thirds of the book would be straight up torture porn with little introspection or anything else. Its not much of a dystopia because we know almost nothing of the world. The protagonist's "revenge" doesn't start until the last tenth of the book.
Overall I was really disappointed with the novel. The writing isn't bad, but I've never been a fan of irredeemable villains and straight up torture - I find it pointless and distasteful. If the author had gotten that bit over with in the first third and given the protagonist real agency to plan and enact her revenge for the remainder (instead of another man with inexplicable power over *letting* her go on a mission planned by someone else...ugh), this could have been a book I could get behind. As it is, I can't in good conscience recommend it.
November 26, 2015
Review originally posted on Rach Lawrence Books.
*I was provided a copy of Life’s Defeat by the author in exchange for an honest review. I am not compensated for my honest opinion.*
Upon her parents’ death, a young girl is taken in by StPatrick, the headmaster of a private school. The inside of the school’s walls is all she’s ever known, so when she is recruited to become a soldier for her school at a young age, she agrees. On one particular mission, the soldier comes face to face with Rochester, whose evil knows no bounds.
The soldier gets a small taste of freedom before being sucked back into military life and ultimately captured. She learns just how different she is from others while in Rochester’s captivity, and while most would say her abilities are a blessing, she views them as a curse. Once saved by her friend and a band of soldiers from her former school, the soldier finally has a purpose in life: seeking revenge on Rochester. But in the end, that revenge could prove her ultimate demise.
Life’s Defeat is an intriguing thriller. This is the author’s first novel, and I have to say I’m impressed. This story is completely different from anything else I’ve read. To start with, we never learn the main character’s name, even though the story is told in first person point of view by her. I kept thinking I missed something, but the author purposely did not give us her name. She was a soldier, and that pretty much defined her throughout the book.
The soldier had a genetic anomaly that kept her from dying, but she was unaware of this mutation until she was captured by Rochester. One would typically think this would be a good thing, but Rochester used this against her. Not only was he searching for the secret to this mutation so he could build his own army of undefeatable soldiers, but he also tortured the soldier to her breaking point, hoping she would become part of his team. The soldier’s inner thoughts were fascinating as we watched her personality essentially split into two throughout her captivity, and to see how she processed events and reacted to them was remarkable.
The book was also unique in that it focused solely on the soldier. There was a romantic interest, a father-figure, a villain, and a few other characters who played parts in the story, but they were secondary to everything the soldier was going through. Even the villain, the mastermind behind the soldier’s torture and repeated deaths, felt like a minor character compared to the soldier’s reaction to each of the events.
Although fascinating and well-written, the story did drag in a few places. I didn’t mind the gruesome nature of the soldier’s repeated deaths—be warned if that’s not your thing—but at times I felt as if we saw too many of them and the story could have moved forward without them. There were some minor editing errors, though they didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book. There were also some inconsistencies in the timeline of when she became a soldier and rose through the ranks.
Overall, this was a wonderful debut novel, and I look forward to reading more by this author.
*I was provided a copy of Life’s Defeat by the author in exchange for an honest review. I am not compensated for my honest opinion.*
Upon her parents’ death, a young girl is taken in by StPatrick, the headmaster of a private school. The inside of the school’s walls is all she’s ever known, so when she is recruited to become a soldier for her school at a young age, she agrees. On one particular mission, the soldier comes face to face with Rochester, whose evil knows no bounds.
The soldier gets a small taste of freedom before being sucked back into military life and ultimately captured. She learns just how different she is from others while in Rochester’s captivity, and while most would say her abilities are a blessing, she views them as a curse. Once saved by her friend and a band of soldiers from her former school, the soldier finally has a purpose in life: seeking revenge on Rochester. But in the end, that revenge could prove her ultimate demise.
Life’s Defeat is an intriguing thriller. This is the author’s first novel, and I have to say I’m impressed. This story is completely different from anything else I’ve read. To start with, we never learn the main character’s name, even though the story is told in first person point of view by her. I kept thinking I missed something, but the author purposely did not give us her name. She was a soldier, and that pretty much defined her throughout the book.
The soldier had a genetic anomaly that kept her from dying, but she was unaware of this mutation until she was captured by Rochester. One would typically think this would be a good thing, but Rochester used this against her. Not only was he searching for the secret to this mutation so he could build his own army of undefeatable soldiers, but he also tortured the soldier to her breaking point, hoping she would become part of his team. The soldier’s inner thoughts were fascinating as we watched her personality essentially split into two throughout her captivity, and to see how she processed events and reacted to them was remarkable.
The book was also unique in that it focused solely on the soldier. There was a romantic interest, a father-figure, a villain, and a few other characters who played parts in the story, but they were secondary to everything the soldier was going through. Even the villain, the mastermind behind the soldier’s torture and repeated deaths, felt like a minor character compared to the soldier’s reaction to each of the events.
Although fascinating and well-written, the story did drag in a few places. I didn’t mind the gruesome nature of the soldier’s repeated deaths—be warned if that’s not your thing—but at times I felt as if we saw too many of them and the story could have moved forward without them. There were some minor editing errors, though they didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book. There were also some inconsistencies in the timeline of when she became a soldier and rose through the ranks.
Overall, this was a wonderful debut novel, and I look forward to reading more by this author.
January 11, 2016
When I first read the blurb I really wasn't sure if I would like this book at all, and in the beginning I was really unsure if I was enjoying the book. But I couldn't put it down. This book is so utterly unlike anything else I have read that it really did take me a while to realise that I wasn't just enjoying this book, I was loving it.
I got 25% of the way into this book and I realised I had no idea what the main characters name was, I wondered how it was possible that I could have missed this. So I re-read it, before realising that her name is not mentioned. Not once. And not just in the early stages in the book, but in the books entirety. She is just the soldier.
The other thing that struck me as odd, but actually became one of the things I enjoyed most about this book is the lack of dialogue. There is very little, yes she interacts with others, and yes they do speak to her and sometimes she replies, but for the most part this book is more or less one giant monologue inside the soldiers head. We deal with how she is treated, how she reacts and feels, how she overcomes everything that is placed in front of her. And it is wonderful.
I cant help but feel that Raymond has been incredibly brave with her approach to writing this novel. I cannot think of another book that I have read that has been written in this way before. It was so beautifully written, so descriptive, that even the more gruesome of scenes seems almost beautiful. This is Raymonds debut novel and not only am I keen to see how her 'Life' series progresses I am keen to read more from her.
I got 25% of the way into this book and I realised I had no idea what the main characters name was, I wondered how it was possible that I could have missed this. So I re-read it, before realising that her name is not mentioned. Not once. And not just in the early stages in the book, but in the books entirety. She is just the soldier.
The other thing that struck me as odd, but actually became one of the things I enjoyed most about this book is the lack of dialogue. There is very little, yes she interacts with others, and yes they do speak to her and sometimes she replies, but for the most part this book is more or less one giant monologue inside the soldiers head. We deal with how she is treated, how she reacts and feels, how she overcomes everything that is placed in front of her. And it is wonderful.
I cant help but feel that Raymond has been incredibly brave with her approach to writing this novel. I cannot think of another book that I have read that has been written in this way before. It was so beautifully written, so descriptive, that even the more gruesome of scenes seems almost beautiful. This is Raymonds debut novel and not only am I keen to see how her 'Life' series progresses I am keen to read more from her.
June 14, 2016
OMG! Normally this isn't the type of book I would read. I won the book in a contest and spoke with the author through private messages. And I told her I would give it a read and let her know what I thought. Well, I loved it! Very unexpected.
One.... I never realized the characters name was never told to the reader till I was done and scrambling to read part two. Read the synopsis and went, wait, I don't recognize that name and then bam, it hit me.
Two....it's pretty much from just the main characters point of view. I was so engrossed in the storyline that I didn't realize her dialogue with other characters was minimal at best.
Three.... the main character's emotions were so well written you couldn't help but feel what she feels.
I definitely recommend curling up with this book! Can't wait to dive into the next one!
One.... I never realized the characters name was never told to the reader till I was done and scrambling to read part two. Read the synopsis and went, wait, I don't recognize that name and then bam, it hit me.
Two....it's pretty much from just the main characters point of view. I was so engrossed in the storyline that I didn't realize her dialogue with other characters was minimal at best.
Three.... the main character's emotions were so well written you couldn't help but feel what she feels.
I definitely recommend curling up with this book! Can't wait to dive into the next one!
July 12, 2016
A soldier escapes the life she's been raised in for but a short time, traveling the world to broaden her mind, but she is compelled to do the right thing and return home when she hears her school is in danger. When she does, she falls into the hands of a madman and a fate she can never escape from. This book goes to some dark places but if you're brave enough to follow this soldier down such a harrowing path, you'll see what true resilience is. Perhaps my favorite aspect of this particular book in the series is how the main character's mind slowly fractures, not breaking her, but making her stronger, giving her a ferocious will to survive. The writing is engaging in first-person POV, and the world is a crisp dystopian fantasy--but similar enough to reality to really pack a punch. And the secrets layered throughout the plot keep the suspense tight and ever-building right up to the end!
December 7, 2015
‘No one ever tells you what it is like to die’. No one, except this book’s heroine whose name isn’t mentioned not even once throughout the book. How original is that! ‘Life’s Defeat’ is based on a very interesting and well thought out story. I liked the idea and characters are well developed. The action starts on the first page and doesn't let up till the last. I loved Rebekah Raymond’s writing. Her descriptions are so vivid that I felt to the core her heroine’s agony and claustrophobic sensation caused by the unknown and the numerous trials she was forced to be through. The ending left some questions unanswered but I’ll happily read ‘Life’s Hope’ Book 2 in the series hoping that answers will be provided.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 30, 2020
I was pulled in deep on this torturous journey. If you like to read dark tales - this one's for you!
A story of pain, endurance, and love that pulls the reader in. I absolutely felt as though I was there, with the main character, on her journey. As she endures both physical and mental torture, she is slowly changed forever. She sees things in herself, about herself, and others that are both horrifying and endearing.
The journey of the main character - a soldier (literally, also figuratively in many ways) - is a beautifully written story infused with emotion and self reflection.
To the very end, I was pulling at the pages wanting to know what was going to happen.
I can't wait to get my hands on book 2!
A story of pain, endurance, and love that pulls the reader in. I absolutely felt as though I was there, with the main character, on her journey. As she endures both physical and mental torture, she is slowly changed forever. She sees things in herself, about herself, and others that are both horrifying and endearing.
The journey of the main character - a soldier (literally, also figuratively in many ways) - is a beautifully written story infused with emotion and self reflection.
To the very end, I was pulling at the pages wanting to know what was going to happen.
I can't wait to get my hands on book 2!
February 29, 2016
I'm not usually one for this genre but this book really grabbed me. It is tautly written and emotionally dense with a heroine both mysterious and oddly human. The unusual fact that the soldier never has a name made her almost more relatable and made me really care about her. highly recommended although with violence warnings for younger readers.
October 18, 2015
This was not a book I was expecting. It's completely different than my normal reads but I thoroughly enjoyed it. It had twists and turns and darkness but was a beautiful read. Definitely cannot wait until the second comes out!
July 9, 2016
I just want to say WOW. I started reading this book and I was lost. I had to go back to the beginning and start over. I am really glad I did. I have never read a book like this but I'm glad I did. Give this book a try. Also reviewed by Heather Ann's Book Reviews.
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