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Dacian Legends #1
BORN IN VENGEANCE
Legend has it … centuries after Spartacus another hero is born—Ilias, the bastard son of King Decebalus. Thirsty for revenge and eager to unshackle the Roman oppression, Ilias' obsession to fulfill his oath has no bounds, even if that means kidnapping Nerva, the beloved daughter of Emperor Traianus. What he doesn't know is his own heart threatens to betray his conscience. What will prevail: his mind or his heart?
136 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 24, 2012
1 person is currently reading
708 people want to read
About the author
Camelia Miron Skiba
6 books199 followersEver since I began writing and publishing books I've been on the run, always trying to write the next page, the next chapter, the next book. Every story was another journey, another discovery of what I could do and another evolution. All these years my motto was it doesn't matter who I am or where I come from, but what I leave behind is. I thought I have it all figured out.
Socrates, one of the biggest philosophers to ever grace humanity once said, "I am talking a crock of s***." I had no idea this expression dated hundreds of years ago and belongs to him, but who am I to argue with him? Needless to say, after some soul searching I realized my motto was a . . . pot of smelly stuff. I had a meltdown because, if you think about it, why would what I leave behind matter more than who I am here and now in this very moment? How will I ever know if what I left behind mattered with no way of seeing it? How am I gonna enjoy it? Think Socrates; does he know how much he touched humankind? Does he know people still remember him centuries later? And if he knows, does it make a difference?
I'm not sure. Frankly I doubt with all my heart it makes any difference to him. He's gone, like I'll be gone one day and instead of beating myself up to leave something behind me, I'm going to learn how to live here, now and totally enjoy it. No more worrying about tomorrow, but live today. No more five-year plans, but rather let the sun soak my skin, the air fill my lungs and the grass touch my feet. After all, I only live once.
Please visit my web page at http://authorcameliamironskiba.com/
Socrates, one of the biggest philosophers to ever grace humanity once said, "I am talking a crock of s***." I had no idea this expression dated hundreds of years ago and belongs to him, but who am I to argue with him? Needless to say, after some soul searching I realized my motto was a . . . pot of smelly stuff. I had a meltdown because, if you think about it, why would what I leave behind matter more than who I am here and now in this very moment? How will I ever know if what I left behind mattered with no way of seeing it? How am I gonna enjoy it? Think Socrates; does he know how much he touched humankind? Does he know people still remember him centuries later? And if he knows, does it make a difference?
I'm not sure. Frankly I doubt with all my heart it makes any difference to him. He's gone, like I'll be gone one day and instead of beating myself up to leave something behind me, I'm going to learn how to live here, now and totally enjoy it. No more worrying about tomorrow, but live today. No more five-year plans, but rather let the sun soak my skin, the air fill my lungs and the grass touch my feet. After all, I only live once.
Please visit my web page at http://authorcameliamironskiba.com/
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
June 23, 2013
Initially published on my blog http://shadowspastmystery.blogspot.ro/
BORN IN VENGEANCE is a story of ancient times, revenge and love. The story of how the people living in present day Romania was born. I read it in a go. I simply couldn't put it down. Ilias is a strong leader who stands up for what he believes in. He's been planning on revenge, for over a decade, against Rome for destroying his family, and kingdom. The time has come and there is nothing to stop him from following the course he has set. The story, told from Ilias POV lets us get closer to his thoughts and doubts and feelings.
Nerva is a strong heroine too. Traianus's relative, with her flaring temper and lovely face, will prove a more dangerous enemy to Ilias than the Roman soldiers. Will he manage to keep his word towards his followers and destroy the conquerors or will he be an easy prey for another enemy, close at hand, his budding feelings of love for Nerva?
My conclusion: Gripping. Fast paced. Cami Miron Skiba has offered the readers a quick and entertaining read and I am definitely looking forward to the next book in the series. I highly recommend it to those who love a historical/light romance story, and give it 5 (five) stars.
BORN IN VENGEANCE is a story of ancient times, revenge and love. The story of how the people living in present day Romania was born. I read it in a go. I simply couldn't put it down. Ilias is a strong leader who stands up for what he believes in. He's been planning on revenge, for over a decade, against Rome for destroying his family, and kingdom. The time has come and there is nothing to stop him from following the course he has set. The story, told from Ilias POV lets us get closer to his thoughts and doubts and feelings.
Nerva is a strong heroine too. Traianus's relative, with her flaring temper and lovely face, will prove a more dangerous enemy to Ilias than the Roman soldiers. Will he manage to keep his word towards his followers and destroy the conquerors or will he be an easy prey for another enemy, close at hand, his budding feelings of love for Nerva?
My conclusion: Gripping. Fast paced. Cami Miron Skiba has offered the readers a quick and entertaining read and I am definitely looking forward to the next book in the series. I highly recommend it to those who love a historical/light romance story, and give it 5 (five) stars.
November 21, 2013
Rating: 4 stars - Loved It
I am a huge Spartacus TV show fan and love the Roman Times but yet to find a novel with this genre that catches my attention until I was here-before you came (Dacian Legends, #1) by Camelia Miron Skiba. She is truly a master story teller with a beautiful writing voice.
Vengeance.
That’s what I live for, the only reason I survived.
I will not rest. I will not give up. For ten years I built an army, my army to take back my land, reclaim my birthright to the Dacian Kingdom as the only survivor of King Decebalus. I’ve learned, trained, fed my hate, waiting for the right moment to strike.
The moment has come.
I was here-before you came is Ilias story on how he wants vengeance to take back his land that was rightfully his. I loved how it is in his POV. His POV fit perfect with this genre and it is his story. For a small novella, the descriptions are well done with kick butt action scenes, scenery and all inner actions with the characters, I felt like I was there in this amazing world Camelia Miron Skiba has built. I would love to see this come on TV as I found my self feeling like I was watching an episode. I loved that Ilias was not sure if he was taking the right course of action with kidnapping Nerva.
I loved Nerva strong will, feisty character. Loved her more when she had no problem going head to head with Ilias and letting him know how she felt about him kidnapping her. She is not your damsel in distress heroine, she can hold her own.
Ilias story is a keeper for me to re-read over and over again. If you are a huge Spartacus fan or love the Roman Times I recommend Ilias story. Even if not into this genre and looking for a beautiful written quick novel, I would still highly recommend. Camelia has a new fan and I look forward to checking out more of her novels.
The ending for sure left me wanting more. I look forward to seeing how Dacian Legends series plays out and what Camelia has in store for her fans with Zyraxes story next in Born In Sin (Dacian Legends, #2).
Originally posted at Wickedly Delicious Book Blog
I am a huge Spartacus TV show fan and love the Roman Times but yet to find a novel with this genre that catches my attention until I was here-before you came (Dacian Legends, #1) by Camelia Miron Skiba. She is truly a master story teller with a beautiful writing voice.
Vengeance.
That’s what I live for, the only reason I survived.
I will not rest. I will not give up. For ten years I built an army, my army to take back my land, reclaim my birthright to the Dacian Kingdom as the only survivor of King Decebalus. I’ve learned, trained, fed my hate, waiting for the right moment to strike.
The moment has come.
I was here-before you came is Ilias story on how he wants vengeance to take back his land that was rightfully his. I loved how it is in his POV. His POV fit perfect with this genre and it is his story. For a small novella, the descriptions are well done with kick butt action scenes, scenery and all inner actions with the characters, I felt like I was there in this amazing world Camelia Miron Skiba has built. I would love to see this come on TV as I found my self feeling like I was watching an episode. I loved that Ilias was not sure if he was taking the right course of action with kidnapping Nerva.
I loved Nerva strong will, feisty character. Loved her more when she had no problem going head to head with Ilias and letting him know how she felt about him kidnapping her. She is not your damsel in distress heroine, she can hold her own.
Ilias story is a keeper for me to re-read over and over again. If you are a huge Spartacus fan or love the Roman Times I recommend Ilias story. Even if not into this genre and looking for a beautiful written quick novel, I would still highly recommend. Camelia has a new fan and I look forward to checking out more of her novels.
The ending for sure left me wanting more. I look forward to seeing how Dacian Legends series plays out and what Camelia has in store for her fans with Zyraxes story next in Born In Sin (Dacian Legends, #2).
Originally posted at Wickedly Delicious Book Blog
May 20, 2013
3 1/2 stars...
I'd like to thank the author for allowing me a copy of this short story in exchange for an honest review.
I'd like to start out by saying that this is a great premise for a story. A man swears vengeance on his enemy, and kidnaps his daughter, only to have the whole plan backfire on him when he falls in love with her. The story itself was well-written, the plot moved along as it should. The story ended well.
Yes, I know you feel it...the looming "but"....
But....I felt nothing for the two main characters' budding relationship. There was more emotional tension in a possible uprising in one of the later scenes, than what I felt between these two. And I still don't know what Ilias looks like. I have deduced that he must have blond hair, because at one point, it was noted that all typical Dacians have blond hair, but I read the story through twice just to see if perhaps I had skipped over it by accident.
However...I have noticed that this story has been expanded with further details, so I'm hoping that all of these missing details have been added into the later edition.
I'd like to thank the author for allowing me a copy of this short story in exchange for an honest review.
I'd like to start out by saying that this is a great premise for a story. A man swears vengeance on his enemy, and kidnaps his daughter, only to have the whole plan backfire on him when he falls in love with her. The story itself was well-written, the plot moved along as it should. The story ended well.
Yes, I know you feel it...the looming "but"....
But....I felt nothing for the two main characters' budding relationship. There was more emotional tension in a possible uprising in one of the later scenes, than what I felt between these two. And I still don't know what Ilias looks like. I have deduced that he must have blond hair, because at one point, it was noted that all typical Dacians have blond hair, but I read the story through twice just to see if perhaps I had skipped over it by accident.
However...I have noticed that this story has been expanded with further details, so I'm hoping that all of these missing details have been added into the later edition.
March 31, 2014
If you like me love history, foreign places and rebellious heroes then Born In Vengeance is the book for you. Set in ancient Dacia, the land of Romania today, Born In Vengeance is the story of Ilias, the bastard son of King Decebalus fighting to free his land and people from the Roman oppression.
In doing so he plans to kidnap Nerva, Emperor Traianus’s illegitimate daughter. His scheme is planned to a tee; what he didn’t plan was to fall in love with Nerva. Their relationship starts on the wrong foot, but as time goes by their grown love is obvious, not forced but rather natural.
I really liked how the author weaved real history into this fictional story. Emperor Traianus was one of the most famous emperors in Roman history. I look forward to reading the next novel in the series, Born In Sin.
In doing so he plans to kidnap Nerva, Emperor Traianus’s illegitimate daughter. His scheme is planned to a tee; what he didn’t plan was to fall in love with Nerva. Their relationship starts on the wrong foot, but as time goes by their grown love is obvious, not forced but rather natural.
I really liked how the author weaved real history into this fictional story. Emperor Traianus was one of the most famous emperors in Roman history. I look forward to reading the next novel in the series, Born In Sin.
March 28, 2014
Give me a new Spartacus and I’m lost.
Born In Vengeance is an incredible story of a nation I’ve never heard of, a hero whose mind want revenge but heart wants love. And not just any kind of love, but from his enemy’s daughter.
I don’t think I’ve read a romance from the hero’s POV until Born In Vengeance. I’m not complaining I’m just saying that it’s so well done I couldn’t believe the author is actually a woman. The way she captures a man’s mind, always in control, always focused on details that matter really make Ilias stand out.
I was really disappointed when it ended, too soon for me. But at least there is one more book in the Dacian Legends out, Born In Sin, which is already on my kindle ready to be read. Review to follow.
Born In Vengeance is an incredible story of a nation I’ve never heard of, a hero whose mind want revenge but heart wants love. And not just any kind of love, but from his enemy’s daughter.
I don’t think I’ve read a romance from the hero’s POV until Born In Vengeance. I’m not complaining I’m just saying that it’s so well done I couldn’t believe the author is actually a woman. The way she captures a man’s mind, always in control, always focused on details that matter really make Ilias stand out.
I was really disappointed when it ended, too soon for me. But at least there is one more book in the Dacian Legends out, Born In Sin, which is already on my kindle ready to be read. Review to follow.
March 28, 2014
Why do amazing stories end up too soon? You get hooked by a hero that falls for no one else but the daughter of his worse enemy; you fall in love with the secondary characters which are outlaws thirsty to take back what was theirs for centuries; you hold your breath seeing the plot developing and coming together until the final battle and . . . the end.
Born In Vengeance is a remarkable tease leaving the reader with nothing more but a great deal of impatience until the next novel and a soft spot for fearless warriors.
Born In Vengeance is a remarkable tease leaving the reader with nothing more but a great deal of impatience until the next novel and a soft spot for fearless warriors.
April 16, 2013
Two of my favourite genres to read (and review) are high fantasy and historical fiction. This novella is the love child born of a union between those two genres, and it was AMAZING. I've loved reading about the Romans and Saxons since I was a little girl, and this was a blast from the past. Let's get to my review then, shall we?
The Good:
The hero - Don't judge me okay? Ilias was the embodiment of my kryptonite. Incredibly intelligent, exquisitely handsome and wonderfully flawed, Ilias had all of the characteristics I value in my tortured heroes. He showed us that lines aren't always as clear cut as they first seem to be. Though he tried to be the hardened leader his lot in life required him to be, he was still a big softie on the inside, and that just made me love him all the more. His tender heart is what makes him a great leader, and I can't wait to see more of that emerge in the future books. He is one of those characters that worms his way into your heart, and no matter how you try, you can't seem to get rid of him. And if you're honest with yourself, you don't want to.
The non-romantic plot - The action plotline was SOLID. Raping and pillaging was common in those days, and Cami's novel takes us back to a time where brutality between enemies was expected, but the aftermath never thought of. She gives us insight into the fallout after such an incident and the trauma such violence causes upon the victims, who were often young. One of the reasons I love medieval fiction is that it reminds us while we have come far in terms of technological advancement, we still haven't lost the violent tendencies cultivated by our forefathers. This especially true in light of what happened yesterday in Boston. If anything, technology has made us more brutal. Medieval fiction like Cami's work shows us that we are no better than the people who slaughtered and humiliated young Ilias's family. I loved that this aspect was so strong. It sets the stage for the novels to come.
The narration - This novella was about Ilias, so it was a great decision on Cami's part to tell the story from his head, as opposed to from Nerva's perspective or in third person. As I've said, some of the most successful books give insight into the hero's psyche, and I loved that I could experience the entire novel with Ilias, as opposed to just observing him. It allowed me to develop more of a connection to him. When I can't empathize with a character, their decisions seem stupid, and I find myself disliking the book. However, when I bond with a character, they could do the most asinine, idiotic things in the world, and I would still find a way to excuse the mistake. This is why empathy is crucial when creating characters, and Cami does this flawlessly. Hats off!
The Bad:
I think it's pretty much evident from the above that I loved this book to pieces. I wish it were longer, but this is a novella, so the length was standard. Also, I may berate heroines now and again (okay maybe 95% of the time) but I actually kind of missed seeing glimpses into her head. I think whole effect of the characters would be better, if it was a 60-40 split between the male and female perspectives (60% going to the hero, of course). The main point of this long-winded review is that this book was AMAZEBEANS, and everyone needs to read it.
My Verdict? 5-stars, and those of you who have followed my reviews and ratings on goodreads KNOW how rare that is of late. Read it, rate it, tell your friends to read it, because it's one of the best non-modern novels I've read as of late.
Also, keep an eye out for more about this AMAZING author, because I will be doing some coolbeans things on the blog.
Orchita
Book reviewer/blogger
All Aboard the Book Blog
Blog Address: http://happy-in-between.blogspot.ca/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/OrchitaAtAll...
Facebook Profile: https://www.facebook.com/orchita.rahm...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/roarchita/
Happy reading!
The Good:
The hero - Don't judge me okay? Ilias was the embodiment of my kryptonite. Incredibly intelligent, exquisitely handsome and wonderfully flawed, Ilias had all of the characteristics I value in my tortured heroes. He showed us that lines aren't always as clear cut as they first seem to be. Though he tried to be the hardened leader his lot in life required him to be, he was still a big softie on the inside, and that just made me love him all the more. His tender heart is what makes him a great leader, and I can't wait to see more of that emerge in the future books. He is one of those characters that worms his way into your heart, and no matter how you try, you can't seem to get rid of him. And if you're honest with yourself, you don't want to.
The non-romantic plot - The action plotline was SOLID. Raping and pillaging was common in those days, and Cami's novel takes us back to a time where brutality between enemies was expected, but the aftermath never thought of. She gives us insight into the fallout after such an incident and the trauma such violence causes upon the victims, who were often young. One of the reasons I love medieval fiction is that it reminds us while we have come far in terms of technological advancement, we still haven't lost the violent tendencies cultivated by our forefathers. This especially true in light of what happened yesterday in Boston. If anything, technology has made us more brutal. Medieval fiction like Cami's work shows us that we are no better than the people who slaughtered and humiliated young Ilias's family. I loved that this aspect was so strong. It sets the stage for the novels to come.
The narration - This novella was about Ilias, so it was a great decision on Cami's part to tell the story from his head, as opposed to from Nerva's perspective or in third person. As I've said, some of the most successful books give insight into the hero's psyche, and I loved that I could experience the entire novel with Ilias, as opposed to just observing him. It allowed me to develop more of a connection to him. When I can't empathize with a character, their decisions seem stupid, and I find myself disliking the book. However, when I bond with a character, they could do the most asinine, idiotic things in the world, and I would still find a way to excuse the mistake. This is why empathy is crucial when creating characters, and Cami does this flawlessly. Hats off!
The Bad:
I think it's pretty much evident from the above that I loved this book to pieces. I wish it were longer, but this is a novella, so the length was standard. Also, I may berate heroines now and again (okay maybe 95% of the time) but I actually kind of missed seeing glimpses into her head. I think whole effect of the characters would be better, if it was a 60-40 split between the male and female perspectives (60% going to the hero, of course). The main point of this long-winded review is that this book was AMAZEBEANS, and everyone needs to read it.
My Verdict? 5-stars, and those of you who have followed my reviews and ratings on goodreads KNOW how rare that is of late. Read it, rate it, tell your friends to read it, because it's one of the best non-modern novels I've read as of late.
Also, keep an eye out for more about this AMAZING author, because I will be doing some coolbeans things on the blog.
Orchita
Book reviewer/blogger
All Aboard the Book Blog
Blog Address: http://happy-in-between.blogspot.ca/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/OrchitaAtAll...
Facebook Profile: https://www.facebook.com/orchita.rahm...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/roarchita/
Happy reading!
June 18, 2013
Ilias, son of Decebelus, King of the Dacians, has sworn vengeance against the Romans. It was the Romans that attacked and destroyed his home, his lands. It was Romans that killed his mother, his sister, and his father. Ilias, and his brothers in arms, swore that one day they'd exact their revenge and take back what is rightfully theirs. That day has finally come.
However, Ilias didn't consider the effect Nerva might have on him. Nerva, the daughter of his sworn enemy and the central piece in his plot for revenge, doesn't elicit the hate Ilias thought she would. Rather, she elicits the need to protect and that threatens all the carefully laid plans.
Born in Vengeance is an extremely engaging novella, despite its length. Y'all know I usually take issue with novellas as I always feel deprived of character development. However, Born in Vengeance gave me just enough of a taste to want more. I enjoyed the historical aspect quite a lot. Now whether or not it's historically accurate outside of Dacians and Romans having really existed, I'm not sure. But it feels historically accurate.
I also liked the love versus logic element as well. I think the internal battle Ilias waged was realistic, especially for a warrior. He fought to do right by his family, his people but also by Nerva. It is a strong leader who can stand up for what he believes in and sway his people to follow him.
Ilias and Nerva, as well as Zyraxes, Ursus, Bastisza, Galtys, are well developed, I felt the closeness these characters had cultivated and understood the turmoil caused by all the events in the story. Ms. Skiba allows us to see enough of their personalities to become invested in what happens to them. I really like that Nerva is a strong heroine. She doesn't back down in the face of danger. That, along with the realistic portrayal of battle during this time, kept me turning the pages. I'm anxious to read the complete Dacian Legends series.
However, Ilias didn't consider the effect Nerva might have on him. Nerva, the daughter of his sworn enemy and the central piece in his plot for revenge, doesn't elicit the hate Ilias thought she would. Rather, she elicits the need to protect and that threatens all the carefully laid plans.
Born in Vengeance is an extremely engaging novella, despite its length. Y'all know I usually take issue with novellas as I always feel deprived of character development. However, Born in Vengeance gave me just enough of a taste to want more. I enjoyed the historical aspect quite a lot. Now whether or not it's historically accurate outside of Dacians and Romans having really existed, I'm not sure. But it feels historically accurate.
I also liked the love versus logic element as well. I think the internal battle Ilias waged was realistic, especially for a warrior. He fought to do right by his family, his people but also by Nerva. It is a strong leader who can stand up for what he believes in and sway his people to follow him.
Ilias and Nerva, as well as Zyraxes, Ursus, Bastisza, Galtys, are well developed, I felt the closeness these characters had cultivated and understood the turmoil caused by all the events in the story. Ms. Skiba allows us to see enough of their personalities to become invested in what happens to them. I really like that Nerva is a strong heroine. She doesn't back down in the face of danger. That, along with the realistic portrayal of battle during this time, kept me turning the pages. I'm anxious to read the complete Dacian Legends series.
April 18, 2013
This novella introduces us to Ilias, the son of King Decebalus of Dacian.
"Dacians lived, worked and died for the rich land between the Danube and the Carpathian Mountains".
Ilias watched his sister and mother murdered by the conquering Romans. They burned his home and surrounding properties to the ground , and rather than being taken prisoner the King killed himself with his own dagger. Ilias vows revenge. He forms an army, trains them, gathers weapons for the sole purpose of exacting revenge on his hated enemy the Emporer Traianus. His plan was to sneak into the fortress in the middle of the night, killing all he encountered, leaving Traianus alive, but capturing his beloved daughter. The plan works very well, but the kidnapped daughter, Nerva, does not go easily.
This novel is filled with history, war, bloodshed and hatred. But, a love story blooms in it's pages. A woman of strength and character Verna will have none of the Dacians plans for her future. Ilias is so amazed at her beauty and strength he risks his life and his army to save her life.
I enjoyed this story of warriors and kings . There are a lot of difficult names to master, and occasionally some language that is questionable for the time frame, but all in all an entertaining read. I would recommend this novel to readers who enjoy historical fiction of the Middle Ages. This is a prequel to the next novel by this author Born in Sin ( Zyraxes Story).
"Dacians lived, worked and died for the rich land between the Danube and the Carpathian Mountains".
Ilias watched his sister and mother murdered by the conquering Romans. They burned his home and surrounding properties to the ground , and rather than being taken prisoner the King killed himself with his own dagger. Ilias vows revenge. He forms an army, trains them, gathers weapons for the sole purpose of exacting revenge on his hated enemy the Emporer Traianus. His plan was to sneak into the fortress in the middle of the night, killing all he encountered, leaving Traianus alive, but capturing his beloved daughter. The plan works very well, but the kidnapped daughter, Nerva, does not go easily.
This novel is filled with history, war, bloodshed and hatred. But, a love story blooms in it's pages. A woman of strength and character Verna will have none of the Dacians plans for her future. Ilias is so amazed at her beauty and strength he risks his life and his army to save her life.
I enjoyed this story of warriors and kings . There are a lot of difficult names to master, and occasionally some language that is questionable for the time frame, but all in all an entertaining read. I would recommend this novel to readers who enjoy historical fiction of the Middle Ages. This is a prequel to the next novel by this author Born in Sin ( Zyraxes Story).
June 1, 2013
When I first picked up this book I had no idea what it was about. Sure I had read the Summary, but I didn't know what to expect. The story is about King Decebalus's bastard son. The premise for the story was good, and the story itself is well written. The plot moves along quickly and as you would expect it to.
Character creation was okay. I have to say that I just didn't "feel" the relationship between the two main characters. But since this is more of a historical book than a true romance I can overlook that aspect. The author did stick to the time period, and it was fun to read about ancient Rome and all the fighting for revenge purposes.
There is quite a bit of violence in this story. War, Bloodshed, Hatred all abound. There is the love story aspect of it, which does tone down some of the violence in the book. And I can say I like strong female characters and Camelia Skiba does not disappoint me in her choice of the strong female she has created.
I happen to love reading books with a historical flair to them. More so if the author stays true to the period in which she/he is writing and Camelia Skiba did a wonderful job of staying in that time period. Romans and Saxons and battles of the time period. Not for the faint of heart but it is definately a book to add to your TBR pile.
Details/Disclaimer: Review copy was provided to me in exchange for a fair and honest review. The free book held no determination on my personal review.
Character creation was okay. I have to say that I just didn't "feel" the relationship between the two main characters. But since this is more of a historical book than a true romance I can overlook that aspect. The author did stick to the time period, and it was fun to read about ancient Rome and all the fighting for revenge purposes.
There is quite a bit of violence in this story. War, Bloodshed, Hatred all abound. There is the love story aspect of it, which does tone down some of the violence in the book. And I can say I like strong female characters and Camelia Skiba does not disappoint me in her choice of the strong female she has created.
I happen to love reading books with a historical flair to them. More so if the author stays true to the period in which she/he is writing and Camelia Skiba did a wonderful job of staying in that time period. Romans and Saxons and battles of the time period. Not for the faint of heart but it is definately a book to add to your TBR pile.
Details/Disclaimer: Review copy was provided to me in exchange for a fair and honest review. The free book held no determination on my personal review.
May 18, 2013
I had the opportunity to read this story when it was previously published as I Was Here—Before You Came and I loved reading it again after it re-released with the new title. I will say, although the plot did not change there are more details that were added to the characters story line. I truly enjoyed how well Ms. Skiba is able to keep the reader’s interest by telling this story from the hero’s POV along with keeping the details within the era of when this takes place.
Ilias is the illegitimate son and only heir of King Decebalus. He has been set on revenge for over a decade, but now the time has come and there is nothing that will stop him from following the course he has set. Not even the beautiful Nerva will get in his way of taking back the lands for his people that were stolen so long ago.
Nerva is the niece of the one man Ilias has hated and sworn to destroy since he was a child. She has a secret that she thinks no one else knows about, or so she thought. But when she finds out that Ilias knows and is using her as the biggest part of his revenge she is determined to fight him every step of the way.
Now, that they are forced to spend time together does their hatred for one another grow, or does that time cause them to see each other differently?
Ilias is the illegitimate son and only heir of King Decebalus. He has been set on revenge for over a decade, but now the time has come and there is nothing that will stop him from following the course he has set. Not even the beautiful Nerva will get in his way of taking back the lands for his people that were stolen so long ago.
Nerva is the niece of the one man Ilias has hated and sworn to destroy since he was a child. She has a secret that she thinks no one else knows about, or so she thought. But when she finds out that Ilias knows and is using her as the biggest part of his revenge she is determined to fight him every step of the way.
Now, that they are forced to spend time together does their hatred for one another grow, or does that time cause them to see each other differently?
November 26, 2014
I was gifted a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Ilias is the illegitimate son of Decebelus, King of the Dacians. As a small child he saw his entire family massacred and his people forced into slavery by the Romans. Vowing to have his revenge on the people responsible for his kingdoms downfall he does everything to accomplish his goal of ensuring his people's continued survival and freedom. Even if it means kidnapping his enemies daughter. Ilias has watched Nerva grow from a child to a beautiful woman. He knows what his duty is. His plan to kidnap Nerva and kill her in front of her father backfires when he finds himself caring about her wellbeing. When he saves her life everything changes.
I really liked that this was not your typical story. Nerva and Ilias were enemies from the word go. Yet watching Ilias with his people and the fact that he saved her life changed Nerva's view of him. I enjoyed the historical aspect of it as well as the honor and determination Ilias felt towards his people took precedence over the romance between the main characters.
Even though it was a relatively short read I didn't fell shorted. The story flowed well from start to finish. And I loved the ending.
Ilias is the illegitimate son of Decebelus, King of the Dacians. As a small child he saw his entire family massacred and his people forced into slavery by the Romans. Vowing to have his revenge on the people responsible for his kingdoms downfall he does everything to accomplish his goal of ensuring his people's continued survival and freedom. Even if it means kidnapping his enemies daughter. Ilias has watched Nerva grow from a child to a beautiful woman. He knows what his duty is. His plan to kidnap Nerva and kill her in front of her father backfires when he finds himself caring about her wellbeing. When he saves her life everything changes.
I really liked that this was not your typical story. Nerva and Ilias were enemies from the word go. Yet watching Ilias with his people and the fact that he saved her life changed Nerva's view of him. I enjoyed the historical aspect of it as well as the honor and determination Ilias felt towards his people took precedence over the romance between the main characters.
Even though it was a relatively short read I didn't fell shorted. The story flowed well from start to finish. And I loved the ending.
June 10, 2015
I really enjoyed reading this book. It was written really well for being a novella. There was a lot of detail put into the surroundings and the characters and I felt like the action scenes were written really well.
I enjoyed that this story came from the POV of Ilias. There are so many books written from the female POV that it is refreshing to see things from the male POV. I find it wickedly hilarious that he kidnaps this female only to have it backfire on him! HA! That will show you!!
I think Nerva is a very strong character. She balances Ilias out I think. Even though she is kind of the damsel in distress but yet she has a heroin attitude. She is a fiesty character and has no problem telling Ilias how she feels.
I am a huge fan of this book. I actually read the book twice because I felt each time I read it, I noticed different things I didn't notice before. I have become a fan and am looking forward to reading more of her books. I am not usually a Roman Times book fan but this book surprised me.
I give this book a solid 4 stars. I would highly reccomend this book and can't wait to start reading book 2.
I enjoyed that this story came from the POV of Ilias. There are so many books written from the female POV that it is refreshing to see things from the male POV. I find it wickedly hilarious that he kidnaps this female only to have it backfire on him! HA! That will show you!!
I think Nerva is a very strong character. She balances Ilias out I think. Even though she is kind of the damsel in distress but yet she has a heroin attitude. She is a fiesty character and has no problem telling Ilias how she feels.
I am a huge fan of this book. I actually read the book twice because I felt each time I read it, I noticed different things I didn't notice before. I have become a fan and am looking forward to reading more of her books. I am not usually a Roman Times book fan but this book surprised me.
I give this book a solid 4 stars. I would highly reccomend this book and can't wait to start reading book 2.
May 14, 2013
This book was full of everything a bad enemy that Illias' has wanted dead after the death of his father, mother and sister. A beautiful princess kidnapped in the dead of night, by Illias and his men. Hoping that kidnapping her would get Emperor Traianus's attention to finish what was started long ago.
What Illias didn't count on was developing feelings for a Roman Princess or what she would feel the same way. When the Emporer finally decides to deal with Illias instead of a messenger he sends himself to broker a deal with Illias for a temporary truce long enough to defeat the Saxon. What an incredible novella definitely had all the great makings of a full size book with half the pages. I really enjoyed learning about the various characters introduced and what happened to get them where they were. What a gripping first in a new series!
What Illias didn't count on was developing feelings for a Roman Princess or what she would feel the same way. When the Emporer finally decides to deal with Illias instead of a messenger he sends himself to broker a deal with Illias for a temporary truce long enough to defeat the Saxon. What an incredible novella definitely had all the great makings of a full size book with half the pages. I really enjoyed learning about the various characters introduced and what happened to get them where they were. What a gripping first in a new series!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 2, 2014
Man, was I in for a big surprise when I started Born In Vengeance. A romance written from the hero’s perspective? I’m pretty sure there are no such books on my shelves.
I love Ilias and his outcasts. As fearless as they are in the saddle when it comes to matters of the heart they all lack experience, instinct and sensitivity and who doesn’t want a hero that needs guidance or saving?
I liked Nerva. She was a heroine perfect for Ilias because she stood up for herself, forcing Ilias to change his mind and eventually to lose his heart to her.
The sneak peek into the next novel in the series placed at the end of Born In Vengeance makes up for the novel’s length which is more a novella than a novel. I would've liked it a little longer...
I love Ilias and his outcasts. As fearless as they are in the saddle when it comes to matters of the heart they all lack experience, instinct and sensitivity and who doesn’t want a hero that needs guidance or saving?
I liked Nerva. She was a heroine perfect for Ilias because she stood up for herself, forcing Ilias to change his mind and eventually to lose his heart to her.
The sneak peek into the next novel in the series placed at the end of Born In Vengeance makes up for the novel’s length which is more a novella than a novel. I would've liked it a little longer...
October 18, 2014
This was my first time reading Camelia Miron Skiba. I loved her writing style and how she was able to create full characters and a historically accurate world in a short story. Ilias seeks vengeance on the man who killed his father by kidnapping his niece. He is captivated by Nerva's beauty and Ilias internal struggle begins. Will he stick with his plan for vengeance or follow his heart? I can't wait to read the next book, Born in Sin!!!
July 14, 2013
This is a short historical story set in the land which became Romania. It tells of the Dacian empire and Ilias,the son of the King, seeking revenge on the Romans for killing his family and taking over their land. Revenge, romance and an ending which will lead in to the next book.
June 22, 2015
Very beautifully written! The story was smart and sweet. I enjoy strong female characters and this book was top notch. I love the way the author crafted each word together, creating a well-written story. This book is a must read for anyone who is look for a good, quick love story!
June 15, 2013
Review coming...
June 4, 2013
A story set in the days of the Romans, this the story of the Dacian people and their thirst for revenge.
The Romans were the only group who ever bested the Dacians; as is the custom, they killed the king and took over their lands. The son of the late king, Ilius, has been waiting for the right time to exact his revenge on the emperor who now lives where his father’s castle once stood. Ten years after his father’s death, Ilius is ready to kidnap the daughter of the emperor, defeat his army and then return the land to the Dacian people.
What he didn’t plan on was falling in love with Nerva. Can he retain the respect of his friends, help his people or will he have to be a traitor to his own feelings?
This is a short story that was later turned into a novel called Born in Vengeance. While the sparse, spare style of writing was perfectly suited to a warrior, a man who expresses himself better on the battlefield than with words, the misspellings and misuse of words caused me to want to fall on my sword. First, though, let’s talk about the story.
The history of Ilius’ father’s death and the loss of the Dacian lands is told at the beginning. OK, that’s pretty exciting and a great setup for revenge, return of power, and some kick-ass fighting. Then the daughter of the emperor is kidnapped by Ilius, and she is not happy too about it. Great! Now the foundation is laid for a love/hate relationship as well as conflict between Ilius and his men/people. However, after that, it just sort of fizzles out. Nerva is in love, forgetting anything about her anger with the Dacians; the emperor wants to team up with the Dacians to fight someone else; and then they all hold hands and sing (say it with me) Kumbaya.
What? There sure was a lot of prep - for what? So I had to plod through all of those names for nothing?
I am going to admit something. A story can really put me off if it has a lot of weird names in it. I tend to skim over them and don’t read them correctly, so I don’t really know what the character’s name is. Unless it is a really good book, I get annoyed. Sorry. So, here we are. The author has to use certain kinds of names, of course - it’s a historical book, so to be real, that’s what needs to be done. I still don’t know any of their names other than Ilius (which you don’t even know until page four) and Nerva. The rest will henceforth be remembered as Tyrannosaurus, Baptist, Viper and Bear. Obviously this is my problem, not the author's, but I did wonder if anyone else has this affliction.
As for my issue with grammar, I am not one of those people who can look past it. I’m sorry, but there it is. “Wolfs” instead of “wolves;” “laying” instead of “lying;” “winching” instead of “wincing.” Then there were some odd usages: “a sprint in his step;” “my temper roofing up there with the blazes of the burning fortress;” “My arm irons around her small middle too hard.”
Now, while I did think the style of writing was well-suited to the narrator, it was definitely at odds with all of the contractions present. So the “mayhaps”-es, calling someone a brute, and the references to gods looked strange next to the more modern-day language of “they’re,” “can’t” and “ain’t.” Maybe it is just me, but “they are,” “cannot” (and never “ain’t”) seem to be more befitting to the time, especially since such an obvious effort was made to sound “old-fashioned.”
Bottom Line: This book has the bones for a good story, but it needed more. Maybe that’s why it was fleshed out into a full novel. As it is, there’s not enough here to satisfy.
I Was There - Before You Came by Camelia Miron Skiba was published August 24, 2012. A free copy of this book was given to Ink and Page in return for an honest review. Big thanks to the Author.
Rating: 2.5
Genre: Adult Fiction Historical Romance Series
The Romans were the only group who ever bested the Dacians; as is the custom, they killed the king and took over their lands. The son of the late king, Ilius, has been waiting for the right time to exact his revenge on the emperor who now lives where his father’s castle once stood. Ten years after his father’s death, Ilius is ready to kidnap the daughter of the emperor, defeat his army and then return the land to the Dacian people.
What he didn’t plan on was falling in love with Nerva. Can he retain the respect of his friends, help his people or will he have to be a traitor to his own feelings?
This is a short story that was later turned into a novel called Born in Vengeance. While the sparse, spare style of writing was perfectly suited to a warrior, a man who expresses himself better on the battlefield than with words, the misspellings and misuse of words caused me to want to fall on my sword. First, though, let’s talk about the story.
The history of Ilius’ father’s death and the loss of the Dacian lands is told at the beginning. OK, that’s pretty exciting and a great setup for revenge, return of power, and some kick-ass fighting. Then the daughter of the emperor is kidnapped by Ilius, and she is not happy too about it. Great! Now the foundation is laid for a love/hate relationship as well as conflict between Ilius and his men/people. However, after that, it just sort of fizzles out. Nerva is in love, forgetting anything about her anger with the Dacians; the emperor wants to team up with the Dacians to fight someone else; and then they all hold hands and sing (say it with me) Kumbaya.
What? There sure was a lot of prep - for what? So I had to plod through all of those names for nothing?
I am going to admit something. A story can really put me off if it has a lot of weird names in it. I tend to skim over them and don’t read them correctly, so I don’t really know what the character’s name is. Unless it is a really good book, I get annoyed. Sorry. So, here we are. The author has to use certain kinds of names, of course - it’s a historical book, so to be real, that’s what needs to be done. I still don’t know any of their names other than Ilius (which you don’t even know until page four) and Nerva. The rest will henceforth be remembered as Tyrannosaurus, Baptist, Viper and Bear. Obviously this is my problem, not the author's, but I did wonder if anyone else has this affliction.
As for my issue with grammar, I am not one of those people who can look past it. I’m sorry, but there it is. “Wolfs” instead of “wolves;” “laying” instead of “lying;” “winching” instead of “wincing.” Then there were some odd usages: “a sprint in his step;” “my temper roofing up there with the blazes of the burning fortress;” “My arm irons around her small middle too hard.”
Now, while I did think the style of writing was well-suited to the narrator, it was definitely at odds with all of the contractions present. So the “mayhaps”-es, calling someone a brute, and the references to gods looked strange next to the more modern-day language of “they’re,” “can’t” and “ain’t.” Maybe it is just me, but “they are,” “cannot” (and never “ain’t”) seem to be more befitting to the time, especially since such an obvious effort was made to sound “old-fashioned.”
Bottom Line: This book has the bones for a good story, but it needed more. Maybe that’s why it was fleshed out into a full novel. As it is, there’s not enough here to satisfy.
I Was There - Before You Came by Camelia Miron Skiba was published August 24, 2012. A free copy of this book was given to Ink and Page in return for an honest review. Big thanks to the Author.
Rating: 2.5
Genre: Adult Fiction Historical Romance Series
June 6, 2014
Ilias, son of Decebelus, King of the Dacians, has sworn vengeance against the Romans. The Romans destroyed his home, his lands and his family. Now he lives only for revenge and avenging his family. However, when that day finally comes he comes face to face with Nerve, the Kings daughter. Having stolen her to bring the King to his knees he never expected she may be everything he wants. Now all Ilias wants is to protect her, but in doing so he will be going against everything he wanted and the wishes of his brothers.
While the writing in this story was really fantastic and fluent I have a hard time getting into this story. I couldn’t connect with any of the characters very well and I’m not sure why. They all just seemed the same and dull to me. The plot while original didn’t pull me in or keep me wanting to turn the page. This book just wasn’t for me.
I had a couple more issues with this book and that was how after Ilias kidnapped, threatened, and then almost got Nerva killed she falls for him out of nowhere and asks him to have sex with her. That made literally no sense to me. I mean he saved her life but, that was only after he put her in danger in the first place.
Then Ilias who yeah throughout the story thought Nerva was beautiful beyond belief fell for her too out of nowhere. The whole first part of the book talks about how he can’t wait to kill her and how annoying and spoiled she is. Then the minute she becomes sick it’s “oh I love her, I can’t let her die, I’m going to not fight because I love her.” Where in the world did that come from? Was it just attraction?
All in all an interesting plot, with some great writing from the talented Camelia Skriba but this story just wasn’t for me.
Thank you Camelia Skiba for the reviewers copy.
Teaser:
My epistle must be in Traianus' hands by now. I wish I could see his face, waking up to his family’s and disciples’ screams, desperate to find out Nerva's gone.
There will be no betrothal.
If he wants her back, he must fight my army. He must remember where my father died. I know that place like the back of my hand. It’s the place he’ll reunite with Nerva. The sorrow and pain he feels now will be nothing compared with what he’ll feel then. I will make sure of that.
While the writing in this story was really fantastic and fluent I have a hard time getting into this story. I couldn’t connect with any of the characters very well and I’m not sure why. They all just seemed the same and dull to me. The plot while original didn’t pull me in or keep me wanting to turn the page. This book just wasn’t for me.
I had a couple more issues with this book and that was how after Ilias kidnapped, threatened, and then almost got Nerva killed she falls for him out of nowhere and asks him to have sex with her. That made literally no sense to me. I mean he saved her life but, that was only after he put her in danger in the first place.
Then Ilias who yeah throughout the story thought Nerva was beautiful beyond belief fell for her too out of nowhere. The whole first part of the book talks about how he can’t wait to kill her and how annoying and spoiled she is. Then the minute she becomes sick it’s “oh I love her, I can’t let her die, I’m going to not fight because I love her.” Where in the world did that come from? Was it just attraction?
All in all an interesting plot, with some great writing from the talented Camelia Skriba but this story just wasn’t for me.
Thank you Camelia Skiba for the reviewers copy.
Teaser:
My epistle must be in Traianus' hands by now. I wish I could see his face, waking up to his family’s and disciples’ screams, desperate to find out Nerva's gone.
There will be no betrothal.
If he wants her back, he must fight my army. He must remember where my father died. I know that place like the back of my hand. It’s the place he’ll reunite with Nerva. The sorrow and pain he feels now will be nothing compared with what he’ll feel then. I will make sure of that.
July 17, 2014
Well alright. I'm a historian and my concentration is around the Balkan area, namely Romania. That's why I am always excited to see work that is related to Romanian culture.
To be frank, I really like the style. Simple, precise, and the prose displays a good voice for a man from the ancient times. Characters... hm. I am a stickler for character complexity. I am pleased that Ilias witholds that famous Dacian honor, and that this love story starts up rough--but this is where it hits the dead end.
Ilias, the protagonist, is swayed by his emotions, which, in retrospect, annoyed me a lot. I only give it such a low rating because I was not satisfied with how things were aligned, how 'easily' things were done and how quickly things progressed.
It can be argued that love was rushed back during that period. Though I feel as if it reached to an undeserving ending. In other words, I don't think consequences were severe enough at all. It could be because I completed the Game of Thrones series before this, so there's my bias. However, this is a very easy read, and it is great material for a history buff.
Of course, there is a part two, so this is just my two cents. I look forward to reading the second part, and hopefully it'll tie up all of those loose ends.
To be frank, I really like the style. Simple, precise, and the prose displays a good voice for a man from the ancient times. Characters... hm. I am a stickler for character complexity. I am pleased that Ilias witholds that famous Dacian honor, and that this love story starts up rough--but this is where it hits the dead end.
Ilias, the protagonist, is swayed by his emotions, which, in retrospect, annoyed me a lot. I only give it such a low rating because I was not satisfied with how things were aligned, how 'easily' things were done and how quickly things progressed.
It can be argued that love was rushed back during that period. Though I feel as if it reached to an undeserving ending. In other words, I don't think consequences were severe enough at all. It could be because I completed the Game of Thrones series before this, so there's my bias. However, this is a very easy read, and it is great material for a history buff.
Of course, there is a part two, so this is just my two cents. I look forward to reading the second part, and hopefully it'll tie up all of those loose ends.
December 11, 2018
When I started this book I really had no idea what to expect. It is a novella that is about Ilias the bastard son of king Decebalus. He is out for revenge agents Rome for destroying his family, and kingdom. He ends up kidnapping the Roman king's daughter, but things get a little bit crazy once they have her traveling with him. You get to see Ilias realize that maybe he's not doing the right thing, and he starts to have feelings for the king's daughter Nerva. I enjoyed this short story a lot. It was very different reading about Rome, and fighting for revenge. I also liked the ending a great deal. I love how Nerva wasn't afraid to stand up for herself, and to fight for what she wanted, Ilias. And I like how you get to see Ilias deciding what should be the right course of action even though some of his closest friends do not agree with him. I will be reading the next book in this series because I am intrigued by this series so far. But it isn't something I would call good yet, it just in the margin of okay. Hopefully it gets better, so I will continue reading this series to find out.
July 4, 2013
64 pages
Born in Vengeance is told completely from the lead male’s POV which is unfortunate because the opportunity to feel an emotional connection to the heroine and to understand her actions is lost.
At last and after ten long years of waiting Ilias, the bastard son of King Decebalus kidnaps Nerva, the daughter of his hated enemy King Traianus, to draw him out and to kill him for past unforgiveable deeds.
Ilias is soon to realise that revenge has its own bittersweet taste.
I downloaded this from the romance genre so it was with this mindset I went in expecting a romance with history as its backdrop but in fact it was the other way round.
The names were a bit difficult to get my tongue round and it needs proofreading but overall not bad for a very short read.
February 25, 2015
Starts a little erratically, but moves along well enough to keep you reading.
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