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Age of the Andinna #1
The Gladiator's Downfall
Mave knows where she stands in life. She’s an Andinna. A member of the winged, horned, and tailed warrior race that the Elvasi Empire defeated in the Hundred Year War and then enslaved. She’s a slave, and has been one for a thousand years, the personal property of the Empress of the Elvasi Empire, since the end of the War. She’s a gladiator, thrown onto the sands of the Colosseum to die, though it backfired on those who wanted her dead. She’s the Champion of the Colosseum, and has been for roughly nine hundred years. All of these things have marked her as an outcast among her own people. Hated, distrusted, and despised, she knows the name of her people, but not much else. But she knows where she stands. Keeping her head down and her blades sharp has carried her this far, and she refuses to acknowledge the deepest wishes she holds in her heart. Those will only get her killed.Alone, she’s stood against everything they have ever thrown at her, refusing to give them what they want. What Mave doesn’t know is that it’s all about to change. The Gladiator’s Downfall is a 129,000+, full-length novel. Age of the Andinna is a reverse harem epic fantasy series. The female lead will collect her lovers as the series progresses.There is triggering content in this series including but not limited abuse, violence, mature language, and sexual content. It’s recommended for mature audiences.
430 pages, Paperback
First published December 14, 2018
1103 people are currently reading
6525 people want to read
About the author
Kristen Banet
27 books1,395 followersKristen Banet has a Diet Coke problem and smokes too much. She curses like a sailor (though, she used to be one, so she uses that as an excuse) and finds that many people don’t know how to handle that. She loves to read, and before finally sitting to try her hand at writing, she had your normal kind of work history. From tattoo parlors, to the U.S. Navy, and freelance illustration, she’s stumbled through her adult years and somehow, is still kicking.
She loves to read books that make people cry. She likes to write books that make people cry (and she wants to hear about it). She’s a firm believer that nothing and no one in this world is perfect, and she enjoys exploring those imperfections—trying to make the characters seem real on the page and not just in her head.
She might just be crazy, though. Her characters think so, but this can’t be confirmed.
Check out her social media to catch what's going on in the worlds inside her head. She drops teasers, new covers, and opens ARC reader slots through her Facebook group, The Banet Pride.
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/kristenbanet...
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheBa...
She loves to read books that make people cry. She likes to write books that make people cry (and she wants to hear about it). She’s a firm believer that nothing and no one in this world is perfect, and she enjoys exploring those imperfections—trying to make the characters seem real on the page and not just in her head.
She might just be crazy, though. Her characters think so, but this can’t be confirmed.
Check out her social media to catch what's going on in the worlds inside her head. She drops teasers, new covers, and opens ARC reader slots through her Facebook group, The Banet Pride.
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/kristenbanet...
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheBa...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 540 reviews
June 30, 2023
2.5 stars. I really wish I could give it more.
Age of the Andinna features one of the best female protagonists in the reverse harem genre. She’s an incredible fighter, having survived a thousand years of slavery and stood undefeated as the Champion of the gladiator arena for nine hundred years.
But she is a slave to the Elvasi people who run the fights and an outsider to her own people, the Andinna, many of whom blame her for the loss of the war that led to their race’s enslavement. This makes her uncertain, guarded, and uneducated when it comes to social and cultural matters (or anything other than stabbing people).
A nuanced, flawed, genuinely badass FMC? In a reverse harem series? Who’s not a special snowflake??? Believe it or not, they apparently exist.
This series features a slowburn romance that evolves throughout the story. Mave picks up more lovers as the series progresses, slowly and one at a time. There’s not a trace of insta-love here. (But don’t worry, you also don’t get blue-balled. There is spice even in the first installment.)
Then there’s the worldbuilding. This is one of those worlds that masquerades as sci-fi, but reading even just the first chapter will tip you off to the definite high fantasy vibes. Kristen Banet clearly put the work in to create a rich, detailed world of multiple fantasy races, fantastical beasts, complex social systems, and even several unique magic systems.
Sooooo…why only 2.5 stars?
Sadly, it’s the writing that knocked my rating down so far. It’s in desperate need of better editing—so much so that I kept catching myself editing every other sentence in my head as I was reading. That made a ~400 page book feel like a 700 page book.
At times the writing was also hopelessly clunky, as in this instance:
Or here:
Not ideal.
Moreover, the book was so wordy. It was twice as long as it needed to be, considering what the plot covered. I liked all the plot points individually, but they all got buried in endless inner dialogue and unnecessary detail and talking, talking, talking it all to death.
Sometimes two characters would have a conversation, and then in the next chapter, the entire conversation/plot point would be relayed to a third character. In detail.
Believe it or not, all your readers were there the first time!
And so, I skimmed most chapters from about 20% to about 80%. It was not a fun reading experience.
I’m still going to continue my buddy read with the RHR gang, because y’all are my peeps, and because I’m sufficiently invested in Mave’s journey. But who knows if I’ll make it any further than book 2. -_-
Age of the Andinna features one of the best female protagonists in the reverse harem genre. She’s an incredible fighter, having survived a thousand years of slavery and stood undefeated as the Champion of the gladiator arena for nine hundred years.
”I am what I make myself. I’m a warrior because I choose to survive. And they can’t take that from me. They can never take that from me.”
But she is a slave to the Elvasi people who run the fights and an outsider to her own people, the Andinna, many of whom blame her for the loss of the war that led to their race’s enslavement. This makes her uncertain, guarded, and uneducated when it comes to social and cultural matters (or anything other than stabbing people).
A nuanced, flawed, genuinely badass FMC? In a reverse harem series? Who’s not a special snowflake??? Believe it or not, they apparently exist.
This series features a slowburn romance that evolves throughout the story. Mave picks up more lovers as the series progresses, slowly and one at a time. There’s not a trace of insta-love here. (But don’t worry, you also don’t get blue-balled. There is spice even in the first installment.)
Then there’s the worldbuilding. This is one of those worlds that masquerades as sci-fi, but reading even just the first chapter will tip you off to the definite high fantasy vibes. Kristen Banet clearly put the work in to create a rich, detailed world of multiple fantasy races, fantastical beasts, complex social systems, and even several unique magic systems.
Sooooo…why only 2.5 stars?
Sadly, it’s the writing that knocked my rating down so far. It’s in desperate need of better editing—so much so that I kept catching myself editing every other sentence in my head as I was reading. That made a ~400 page book feel like a 700 page book.
At times the writing was also hopelessly clunky, as in this instance:
"She looked back up at him and a gentle kiss happened."
Or here:
”She took his cheeks and pulled him in for another kiss, one that didn’t care.”
Not ideal.
Moreover, the book was so wordy. It was twice as long as it needed to be, considering what the plot covered. I liked all the plot points individually, but they all got buried in endless inner dialogue and unnecessary detail and talking, talking, talking it all to death.
Sometimes two characters would have a conversation, and then in the next chapter, the entire conversation/plot point would be relayed to a third character. In detail.
Believe it or not, all your readers were there the first time!
And so, I skimmed most chapters from about 20% to about 80%. It was not a fun reading experience.
I’m still going to continue my buddy read with the RHR gang, because y’all are my peeps, and because I’m sufficiently invested in Mave’s journey. But who knows if I’ll make it any further than book 2. -_-
September 14, 2019
This book was recommended to me by the Reverse Harem Revolution forum here on Goodreads, and I have to admit; going in, I was a little hesitant. For one, I'm not much of a fantasy reader anymore. I used to be, but I grew bored. For another, I have read a lot of books which promised a "badass" female lead and well...long story short, they did not deliver. Moreover, a lot of romance novels which have been recommended to me have likewise not delivered what was promised; indeed, they often gave me the opposite. Since Gladiator's Downfall had all of those strikes against it, I cracked the e-cover with a serious sense of hesitancy.
Then Chapter 1 happened, and I knew I had to finish this book, possibly this series, because goddamn...Mave is a very compelling main character. Sure she's not perfect, but that's part of her charm.
What happened in Chapter 1? Well, instead the info-dumpy mess so prevalent in modern fantasy, I was dropped front and center into a gladiatorial match between two individuals our heroine knows are lovers, while a corrupt leader (her owner) tries to chat with her about how "exciting" the match is.
(She doesn't talk back, because fuck authority that's why.)
Then, she has to take her turn in the arena. She travels down, collects her weapons etc. with the basic air of "It's a typical Tuesday and I hate my job".
By this point I was already intrigued.
Then the fight happens. Our heroine takes some taunting from her opponent (who's totally pumped, yo, and seems to think this is his big shot at glooory) without much care, and after a few steel-on-steel exchanges he makes a mistake. She guts him, and while he's staring at his evacuated innards she calmly explains where he went wrong. Then she chops his head off and walks out of the arena like it ain't no thing.
My reaction after reading this:
Which leads to the big reason I kept reading Gladiator's Downfall despite several flaws which annoyed me; the main character was every inch the bad-ass the story built her up to be.
Seriously people; I am sick to death of books which promise female badassery but don't deliver. I want to grab the current pack of YA/Romance authors hawking books featuring "strong" heroines who do nothing but stamp their feet and talk smack (yet end up needing constant rescuing), haul them over to my Kindle, pry their eyelids open Clockwork Orange style, make them read this book's first chapter and bellow "THERE! SEE?? THAT'S HOW YOU ESTABLISH YOUR CHARACTER AS A BADASS!! GET IT?!?!?!"
Does this book have flaws? Yes it does, I'll get to those. Is Mave perfect? No, she's not and like I said that's part of her charm (but occasionally it isn't). Is this book a masterpiece of literature which should be studied through the ages? Probably not, but whatever...I don't care.
Where this book truly shines; whenever it is time for Mave to kick ass and take names, well...posteriors are punted and nominatives are transcribed. In other words, she actually walks the story's talk. That fact kept me reading despite several flaws - which are the reason this isn't a 5-star read for me.
1: The slog. There was a part of this book between 20 and 40 percent where I seriously considered a DNF. The narrative grew repetitive and I felt like the author was making the same points over and over again. Sure, they were good points, but "Okay, okay, I heard you the first time" was very much on my mind. Fortunately some timely plot-twists and the pacing finding a higher gear saved the day, but it was a near thing.
2: Too many words. Good gawd, the narrative was wordy. Like, every feeling a character felt had to be examined from four different directions and described in six different ways. Many times I was like "this could have been explained in 5 words, and yet you used 39". I get that in a fantasy setting the author has to both explain their world AND tell a story, but there has to be a less clunky way to do it.
3:The dialogue...Oh my, the dialogue. Probably both the weakest part of this book and my biggest annoyance. At times it was wooden. At times it took up a paragraph that was bigger than my phone's screen. At times it leered weirdly into 2010s slang (and this is a book supposedly set in a fantasy-Roman period). Only rarely did the characters talk the way people actually talk. It was irritating, and it kept jerking me out of the story.
So...why did I keep reading? Well, despite all the flaws I just mentioned there was a lot to like here beyond Mave's dual-wielding badassery.
The world was well-developed and rich, and the slow-burn romance between the two leads was at times kittens-and-puppies levels of cute. Seriously; if you don't at least "d'aww" a little the first time they kiss, you have no soul. It melted my cynical black heart a little. There might have been a bit of squee-ing.
There's also a sex scene between the two that breaks a lot of genre-romance rules (you'll know it when you get to it) that left me really liking the male lead more. Granted, he's a bit of a clueless dick at times but not N-E-A-R-L-Y to the levels one sees in traditional genre romance. In fact, he's a good match for her.
So yeah. In the end, I had a great time reading this and will be picking up the sequel because dang it, I want more Mave! Thanks to Reverse Harem Revolution for pointing me towards this book, because I did have a good time with it!
Then Chapter 1 happened, and I knew I had to finish this book, possibly this series, because goddamn...Mave is a very compelling main character. Sure she's not perfect, but that's part of her charm.
What happened in Chapter 1? Well, instead the info-dumpy mess so prevalent in modern fantasy, I was dropped front and center into a gladiatorial match between two individuals our heroine knows are lovers, while a corrupt leader (her owner) tries to chat with her about how "exciting" the match is.
(She doesn't talk back, because fuck authority that's why.)
Then, she has to take her turn in the arena. She travels down, collects her weapons etc. with the basic air of "It's a typical Tuesday and I hate my job".
By this point I was already intrigued.
Then the fight happens. Our heroine takes some taunting from her opponent (who's totally pumped, yo, and seems to think this is his big shot at glooory) without much care, and after a few steel-on-steel exchanges he makes a mistake. She guts him, and while he's staring at his evacuated innards she calmly explains where he went wrong. Then she chops his head off and walks out of the arena like it ain't no thing.
My reaction after reading this:
Which leads to the big reason I kept reading Gladiator's Downfall despite several flaws which annoyed me; the main character was every inch the bad-ass the story built her up to be.
Seriously people; I am sick to death of books which promise female badassery but don't deliver. I want to grab the current pack of YA/Romance authors hawking books featuring "strong" heroines who do nothing but stamp their feet and talk smack (yet end up needing constant rescuing), haul them over to my Kindle, pry their eyelids open Clockwork Orange style, make them read this book's first chapter and bellow "THERE! SEE?? THAT'S HOW YOU ESTABLISH YOUR CHARACTER AS A BADASS!! GET IT?!?!?!"
Does this book have flaws? Yes it does, I'll get to those. Is Mave perfect? No, she's not and like I said that's part of her charm (but occasionally it isn't). Is this book a masterpiece of literature which should be studied through the ages? Probably not, but whatever...I don't care.
Where this book truly shines; whenever it is time for Mave to kick ass and take names, well...posteriors are punted and nominatives are transcribed. In other words, she actually walks the story's talk. That fact kept me reading despite several flaws - which are the reason this isn't a 5-star read for me.
1: The slog. There was a part of this book between 20 and 40 percent where I seriously considered a DNF. The narrative grew repetitive and I felt like the author was making the same points over and over again. Sure, they were good points, but "Okay, okay, I heard you the first time" was very much on my mind. Fortunately some timely plot-twists and the pacing finding a higher gear saved the day, but it was a near thing.
2: Too many words. Good gawd, the narrative was wordy. Like, every feeling a character felt had to be examined from four different directions and described in six different ways. Many times I was like "this could have been explained in 5 words, and yet you used 39". I get that in a fantasy setting the author has to both explain their world AND tell a story, but there has to be a less clunky way to do it.
3:The dialogue...Oh my, the dialogue. Probably both the weakest part of this book and my biggest annoyance. At times it was wooden. At times it took up a paragraph that was bigger than my phone's screen. At times it leered weirdly into 2010s slang (and this is a book supposedly set in a fantasy-Roman period). Only rarely did the characters talk the way people actually talk. It was irritating, and it kept jerking me out of the story.
So...why did I keep reading? Well, despite all the flaws I just mentioned there was a lot to like here beyond Mave's dual-wielding badassery.
The world was well-developed and rich, and the slow-burn romance between the two leads was at times kittens-and-puppies levels of cute. Seriously; if you don't at least "d'aww" a little the first time they kiss, you have no soul. It melted my cynical black heart a little. There might have been a bit of squee-ing.
There's also a sex scene between the two that breaks a lot of genre-romance rules (you'll know it when you get to it) that left me really liking the male lead more. Granted, he's a bit of a clueless dick at times but not N-E-A-R-L-Y to the levels one sees in traditional genre romance. In fact, he's a good match for her.
So yeah. In the end, I had a great time reading this and will be picking up the sequel because dang it, I want more Mave! Thanks to Reverse Harem Revolution for pointing me towards this book, because I did have a good time with it!
November 11, 2023
les voy a ser sincera entre al libro pensando que era un reverse harem medio poronga simplemente para cagarme de risa un rato pero chicas... el lore, el desarrollo de personajes, el angst, el FOUND FAMILY!!!!!!!! encima es re gracioso porque es un reverse harem ergo la minita a lo largo de la saga va a tener más intereses amorosos entonces yo cada vez que hay un POV nuevo de un chabon estoy así 👀👀👀👀👀👀👀
no les voy a mentir me leí el libro porque ame la portada.... esta vez me salió bien
me re gusto, estoy hace unos días medio enferma y angustiada por la uni y este libro me devolvió un poco de ganas de vivir ahre (igual si la estoy pasando como el orto no sean como yo la universidad es una trampa)
no les voy a mentir me leí el libro porque ame la portada.... esta vez me salió bien
me re gusto, estoy hace unos días medio enferma y angustiada por la uni y este libro me devolvió un poco de ganas de vivir ahre (igual si la estoy pasando como el orto no sean como yo la universidad es una trampa)
December 17, 2018
Buddy Read with RHR
What.Just.Happened
I'll tell you what
Kristen Banet just blew all other RH out of the water with a epic fantasy masterpiece! Even if you're not a fan of RH this is still awesome! It doesn't read like a RH just an action packed dark fantasy that happens to have multiple love interests
Think female demon Spartacus
As per Banets usual MO the MC Mave is a strong female but still an abused broken character. Spending 900 years in the pits of the gladiator arena will do that to a girl .Despised by her fellow enslaved kind she has to overcome a lot of hatred from the other male gladiators.
Queue 2 new arrivals who want to treat the only female in the pits with the kindness she deserves and you have the makings of a action packed romance. It's a bit darker than Redemption Saga but nothing I couldn't handle as we didn't get present tense abuse (thank goodness) so just perfect for me get behind Mave and really empathise with her.
It took a turn I wasn't expecting after 60% but I loved the direction it did go and it's left in such a good place for sequels . I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am for the next. There is nothing I would add, nothing I would take away. It's perfect
Other reasons why this deserves all the stars
Multiple POV from the men too means we get fleshed out characters
437 pages of epic fantasy means it's substantial and you get a real feel for the world she is creating
With an expected 7 books in the series it's gonna be a hell of a ride! I'm expecting the unexpected and a lot of twists to come!
What.Just.Happened
I'll tell you what
Kristen Banet just blew all other RH out of the water with a epic fantasy masterpiece! Even if you're not a fan of RH this is still awesome! It doesn't read like a RH just an action packed dark fantasy that happens to have multiple love interests
Think female demon Spartacus
As per Banets usual MO the MC Mave is a strong female but still an abused broken character. Spending 900 years in the pits of the gladiator arena will do that to a girl .Despised by her fellow enslaved kind she has to overcome a lot of hatred from the other male gladiators.
Queue 2 new arrivals who want to treat the only female in the pits with the kindness she deserves and you have the makings of a action packed romance. It's a bit darker than Redemption Saga but nothing I couldn't handle as we didn't get present tense abuse (thank goodness) so just perfect for me get behind Mave and really empathise with her.
It took a turn I wasn't expecting after 60% but I loved the direction it did go and it's left in such a good place for sequels . I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am for the next. There is nothing I would add, nothing I would take away. It's perfect
Other reasons why this deserves all the stars
Multiple POV from the men too means we get fleshed out characters
437 pages of epic fantasy means it's substantial and you get a real feel for the world she is creating
With an expected 7 books in the series it's gonna be a hell of a ride! I'm expecting the unexpected and a lot of twists to come!
February 3, 2023
The heroine is so so awesome and I am very curious about what's going to happen to her, but I just cannot handle how awfully slow and repetitive the writing is, I have a raging headache from it. It felt like nothing happened in the span of 400 pages. All the character relationships (especially the romance) was so painfully dry, I could feel my lips cracking and taste the ashy blandness on my tongue.
All in all: This book is underwhelming, but at least the heroine was iconic
All in all: This book is underwhelming, but at least the heroine was iconic
“The Empress’ Champion. She’s undefeated. Stay away from the whore. She’s been in bed with the Elvasi since she was a babe.”
She turned back to whoever said that. She kept her face schooled through the lance of hurt and rage, and just met the dark eyes of the male, radiating the same calm she always did. She never gave them anything more. They didn’t deserve anything else from her.
Stand down. We all know who the most dominant Andinna in the pits is. Stand down, asshole, or I’ll find a way to gut you for that comment. Every one of her thoughts was a growl in her head. She wanted to bare her canines and snap at him, but in the end, she also knew she didn’t need to.
He lowered his eyes first.
“Thought so,” she said softly
January 17, 2022
Reread 17.01.2022
It was good, better than anything I’ve read lately, it has almost everything I’ll ever want from a book. It has great action, complex characters, a brilliant world built and fantastic delivery which made me want more.
The only thing that made me not love it, was the 21st-century American words and expressions which sometimes made me believe I'm reading a YA.
I’ll continue with the series.
It was good, better than anything I’ve read lately, it has almost everything I’ll ever want from a book. It has great action, complex characters, a brilliant world built and fantastic delivery which made me want more.
The only thing that made me not love it, was the 21st-century American words and expressions which sometimes made me believe I'm reading a YA.
I’ll continue with the series.
May 23, 2021
Note to self, give priority to this one.
January 5, 2022
4 to 4 1/2 stars
April 9, 2019
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
I'm so bloody happy!
You guys, we are not giving Kristen enough credit!
First, Scooby and the gang (Redemption series, feel free to read those reviews to get the Scooby ref)
Second, THISSSS.
And I'm not entirely sure when this book was published but,
OH.
It was so good.
The emotion
The hella. good. plot.
The SUPER weird names
The emotional development
I loved it. *tears of damn joy*
All the tears.
So we don't even know who is a part of the harem. It's another game of GUESS WHO.
We know Matesh is IN.
We know Luykas (seriously is it just Lucas with a Y?) is SORT OF IN.
WHO IS NEXT???
My vote is Zayden and Alchan too.
All I know is that Nevyn and Varon, my goodness. I need more of them.
Way to keep us on our toes, Kristen.
(Please don't fuck this up, I beg you)
Rooting for Brynec.
Rooting for Trevan too.
And rooting for my man Rainev. Hope he finds his love too. Since he's the little brother and all.
All I know is that I'm in love.
Mave is a badass.
And the transition from stone-faced badass to insecure freedom was BEAUTIFULLY done.
Ugh, I'm throwing all the roses and praise at this book.
Looking forward to book 2.
I'm so bloody happy!
You guys, we are not giving Kristen enough credit!
First, Scooby and the gang (Redemption series, feel free to read those reviews to get the Scooby ref)
Second, THISSSS.
And I'm not entirely sure when this book was published but,
OH.
It was so good.
The emotion
The hella. good. plot.
The SUPER weird names
The emotional development
I loved it. *tears of damn joy*
All the tears.
So we don't even know who is a part of the harem. It's another game of GUESS WHO.
We know Matesh is IN.
We know Luykas (seriously is it just Lucas with a Y?) is SORT OF IN.
WHO IS NEXT???
My vote is Zayden and Alchan too.
All I know is that Nevyn and Varon, my goodness. I need more of them.
Way to keep us on our toes, Kristen.
(Please don't fuck this up, I beg you)
Rooting for Brynec.
Rooting for Trevan too.
And rooting for my man Rainev. Hope he finds his love too. Since he's the little brother and all.
All I know is that I'm in love.
Mave is a badass.
And the transition from stone-faced badass to insecure freedom was BEAUTIFULLY done.
Ugh, I'm throwing all the roses and praise at this book.
Looking forward to book 2.
December 15, 2020
4.5 This series is AMAZING!
It's been a while since I last read such an amazing series, I'm so happy to have found it (and a bit sad it wasn't longer, like always).
It had everything: a fantastic world builder, incredible characters, really great speed, really everything I could wish for.
And everything gets better and better. I didn't feel the pages going away, and I will miss these characters a lot. I loved how you could see them grow and change with each page, each chapter, each book. It was amazing, this author managed to build complex, real individuals who you will fall for the more you read. God, I missed this!
It's definitely a series worth trying, at least. Anyone who likes Fantasy should at least try it.
It's been a while since I last read such an amazing series, I'm so happy to have found it (and a bit sad it wasn't longer, like always).
It had everything: a fantastic world builder, incredible characters, really great speed, really everything I could wish for.
And everything gets better and better. I didn't feel the pages going away, and I will miss these characters a lot. I loved how you could see them grow and change with each page, each chapter, each book. It was amazing, this author managed to build complex, real individuals who you will fall for the more you read. God, I missed this!
It's definitely a series worth trying, at least. Anyone who likes Fantasy should at least try it.
December 15, 2018
I liked the author's Wild Pride series, absolutely adore The Redemption Saga (one of the best Reverse Harem series' out there in my opinion) and I found this to.be a fantastic start to a new series that feels very different to the author's previous work.
For a start, it's dark. Maybe as dark as Sawyer's past in the Redemption Saga, but worse due to the 1000 years of abuse Maeve has had to face. When we first meet her she has become highly effective at turning everything off inside of her, apart from her desire to not give the Empress, the public and her fellow Gladiators what they want: her death.
Once Rain and Mat are introduced it is really rewarding to see her walls slowly break down, and it's heartbreaking to realise what they come to mean for her in such a short time.
The world building is clearly very complex, and we only touch on what is relevant so far to the story, so there feels like a huge amount of potential to come from this, particularly when the world widens later on in the book.
It's hard to write too much, as I don't want to give spoilers away, but Maeve's world gets totally thrown upside down about two thirds into the book, and for me this was my favourite part.
The RH is clearly slow burn, and while there is romance here, that builds at a good and believable pace, it is still unclear who will.be added to the harem, but it's fun trying to guess! I feel like we only.jistbget a chance to touch on the other characters in the last third of the book, but there's huge potential there.
In summary, this is a complex, well written, well characterised addition to the genre, very much rooted in the fantasy genre. It had just the right balance of plot and romance (the latter is definitely the sun plot) and there is huge potential for the books to come. Go and read this now!!!
For a start, it's dark. Maybe as dark as Sawyer's past in the Redemption Saga, but worse due to the 1000 years of abuse Maeve has had to face. When we first meet her she has become highly effective at turning everything off inside of her, apart from her desire to not give the Empress, the public and her fellow Gladiators what they want: her death.
Once Rain and Mat are introduced it is really rewarding to see her walls slowly break down, and it's heartbreaking to realise what they come to mean for her in such a short time.
The world building is clearly very complex, and we only touch on what is relevant so far to the story, so there feels like a huge amount of potential to come from this, particularly when the world widens later on in the book.
It's hard to write too much, as I don't want to give spoilers away, but Maeve's world gets totally thrown upside down about two thirds into the book, and for me this was my favourite part.
The RH is clearly slow burn, and while there is romance here, that builds at a good and believable pace, it is still unclear who will.be added to the harem, but it's fun trying to guess! I feel like we only.jistbget a chance to touch on the other characters in the last third of the book, but there's huge potential there.
In summary, this is a complex, well written, well characterised addition to the genre, very much rooted in the fantasy genre. It had just the right balance of plot and romance (the latter is definitely the sun plot) and there is huge potential for the books to come. Go and read this now!!!
December 23, 2018
Wow!
I am so impressed with this story. It was so much more than the average RH story. This reminds me of some great epic fantasy and I really enjoyed the start of this journey.
I already felt the Kristen Banet was upping the ante with The Redemption Saga (a favorite of mine), creating a harem with true individualism and a complex story. With Gladiator, it seems she built upon that. Mave, like Sawyer, is strong, fearless, and does what she needs to survive. She is also, vulnerable, loyal and loving. She has been truly beaten down, but not at all broken. She’s an amazing force and so easy to get behind her and root for her.
Her “harem” will be slow burn (thank you! I love a GOOD slow burn!) and obviously done well. It’s very natural and the guys are different backgrounds and I feel like only some of the males will actually be sexually involved with Mave. They are all unique and have feelings for her in different ways. Don’t let this fool you. There IS, most definitely some good romance here too.
I feel that the story and world is rich and layered. I’m looking forward to learning more Andinna history. I’m also eager to meet more characters, and visit other places in this world. I really feel like we’re just skimming the surface here.
Finally, I loved the direction this story takes RH in general. This is a story and you don’t have to be an RH fan to enjoy it. The RH aspect is woven into this fantasy seamlessly. This story is edited well, flowed well, and was written well. I can’t wait for more! Like, for REAL. I. CAN’T. WAIT! But now I have to... sigh.
I am so impressed with this story. It was so much more than the average RH story. This reminds me of some great epic fantasy and I really enjoyed the start of this journey.
I already felt the Kristen Banet was upping the ante with The Redemption Saga (a favorite of mine), creating a harem with true individualism and a complex story. With Gladiator, it seems she built upon that. Mave, like Sawyer, is strong, fearless, and does what she needs to survive. She is also, vulnerable, loyal and loving. She has been truly beaten down, but not at all broken. She’s an amazing force and so easy to get behind her and root for her.
Her “harem” will be slow burn (thank you! I love a GOOD slow burn!) and obviously done well. It’s very natural and the guys are different backgrounds and I feel like only some of the males will actually be sexually involved with Mave. They are all unique and have feelings for her in different ways. Don’t let this fool you. There IS, most definitely some good romance here too.
I feel that the story and world is rich and layered. I’m looking forward to learning more Andinna history. I’m also eager to meet more characters, and visit other places in this world. I really feel like we’re just skimming the surface here.
Finally, I loved the direction this story takes RH in general. This is a story and you don’t have to be an RH fan to enjoy it. The RH aspect is woven into this fantasy seamlessly. This story is edited well, flowed well, and was written well. I can’t wait for more! Like, for REAL. I. CAN’T. WAIT! But now I have to... sigh.
December 17, 2019
When I started this book I had a thought, if the heroine had been anything but badass I would have ballistic because this cover shows a warrior .Luckily for me it did not disappoint. I liked it. I wish the romance progressed faster though. It is RH, I don't want to have to wait several books to see each additional male. Here's to hoping the next book brings them together.
April 27, 2019
Never read this author before - gave the book a try because it was on kindle unlimited and seemed interesting enough. I felt that it was pretty good in the beginning. Mave was a strong and complex character. I enjoy Rain and Mat's relationship and how they got close with Mave and looked out for one another. It had some good action and it kept my interest in the beginning.
But as I was going along something really started to bother me a lot. The way the writing is. To me, it's very seventh grade. The character's dialogue is too over the top and extremely long. It seems as the book and story progresses and more characters are shown, we have information about the world and species that is shoved down our throats by the character's dialogue. There is no time taken to allow us to experience the world through Mave's eyes. We started in the pit, not knowing what was out there. We get out there with the character and one thing after another after another is shoved down our throats. And then after a whole unnecessary dialogue sequence, the paragraph ends with, 'He was really upset.' So you take fifteen sentences to have a character tell another character why they did something, or how something is, and then you explain to me how that character 'feels' with four elementary words found in a child's book?
And all in one page a character seems to have shifting alliances and emotions and it's very jarring. One moment Mave will be concerned and saying no to something. And then in the next, for absolutely no reason, she's suddenly 'oh, I'm excited, this could work' just to advance the plot.
For me, this did it. I couldn't stomach reading it. I skipped to where the climax was and I won't be going back to this series or the author. It's nothing really against them or her readers. I'm very impressed by the thought and length of this book. The multiple POV's didn't even bother me. But the writing style and the dialogue is what killed it all for me.
But as I was going along something really started to bother me a lot. The way the writing is. To me, it's very seventh grade. The character's dialogue is too over the top and extremely long. It seems as the book and story progresses and more characters are shown, we have information about the world and species that is shoved down our throats by the character's dialogue. There is no time taken to allow us to experience the world through Mave's eyes. We started in the pit, not knowing what was out there. We get out there with the character and one thing after another after another is shoved down our throats. And then after a whole unnecessary dialogue sequence, the paragraph ends with, 'He was really upset.' So you take fifteen sentences to have a character tell another character why they did something, or how something is, and then you explain to me how that character 'feels' with four elementary words found in a child's book?
And all in one page a character seems to have shifting alliances and emotions and it's very jarring. One moment Mave will be concerned and saying no to something. And then in the next, for absolutely no reason, she's suddenly 'oh, I'm excited, this could work' just to advance the plot.
For me, this did it. I couldn't stomach reading it. I skipped to where the climax was and I won't be going back to this series or the author. It's nothing really against them or her readers. I'm very impressed by the thought and length of this book. The multiple POV's didn't even bother me. But the writing style and the dialogue is what killed it all for me.
March 10, 2020
I absolutely love this story. It felt so real man. It’s difficult finding books like this. It doesn’t hurt too that it’s on kindle unlimited.
Mave fucking rocks! She’s the best fantasy character I’ve had the pleasure of reading about. She is strong, prickly, smart even though she is uneducated, which I can tell you doesn’t hold her back. Nothing holds her back. She is gorgeous and doesn’t take shit from anyone, not even the bitch empress.
Mave’s been a slave for a 1000 years... One. Thousand. Years. Shitttttt. And the only female in the pit with over a thousand male gladiators who wants her dead. Males of her own race. Shame on them. But of course, this doesn’t stop her. It makes her stronger. Stronger than all of them. She’s the champion!
I love that she gave Rain and Mat a chance. They complete her. I can’t say enough how great this read was. I’ve become invested in Mave’s journey and I can’t wait to read book 2.
I just want to take a moment to praise the author for work well done. I have no complaints whatsoever. Kristen Banet you are a genius.
Mave fucking rocks! She’s the best fantasy character I’ve had the pleasure of reading about. She is strong, prickly, smart even though she is uneducated, which I can tell you doesn’t hold her back. Nothing holds her back. She is gorgeous and doesn’t take shit from anyone, not even the bitch empress.
Mave’s been a slave for a 1000 years... One. Thousand. Years. Shitttttt. And the only female in the pit with over a thousand male gladiators who wants her dead. Males of her own race. Shame on them. But of course, this doesn’t stop her. It makes her stronger. Stronger than all of them. She’s the champion!
I love that she gave Rain and Mat a chance. They complete her. I can’t say enough how great this read was. I’ve become invested in Mave’s journey and I can’t wait to read book 2.
I just want to take a moment to praise the author for work well done. I have no complaints whatsoever. Kristen Banet you are a genius.
February 2, 2019
I went into this one not exactly sure what to expect. Honestly, I was surprised -- in a good way-- and was totally hooked on this book.
Most of it takes place in the gladiator keep where Mave is a slave and the Champion. She's a slave and the only female, so obviously things aren't going to be easy for her. There are many rape and abuse mentions, including attempted rape. There was one point where I thought I was going to have to stop reading -- I was so involved with the characters and having them hurt or killed would be gutting. I was able to convince myself to continue on and I'm so glad I did.
Seriously, this is a great start to a series that promises adventure, action, a badass female, slow burn romances (it is a reverse harem where not all the harem is known at the beginning), and a plot that promises to be interesting. I'm looking forward to the next book!
Most of it takes place in the gladiator keep where Mave is a slave and the Champion. She's a slave and the only female, so obviously things aren't going to be easy for her. There are many rape and abuse mentions, including attempted rape. There was one point where I thought I was going to have to stop reading -- I was so involved with the characters and having them hurt or killed would be gutting. I was able to convince myself to continue on and I'm so glad I did.
Seriously, this is a great start to a series that promises adventure, action, a badass female, slow burn romances (it is a reverse harem where not all the harem is known at the beginning), and a plot that promises to be interesting. I'm looking forward to the next book!
September 7, 2019
This book was amazing! Everyone should read it... I mean everyone who likes fantasy and even if you're not really into reverse harem, please give this story a chance. I don't really know what to say about this book except it was so damn good and I cannot wait for the next one to be in my hands! I think there are going to be 7 books so that's cool. The heroine, the plot, the romance were great and I... just need more. Also, I'm really grateful that this book is 437 pages long and not just 200 pages like some RH books!
March 8, 2020
First review:
A true fantasy that takes as long as a fantasy can take. It’s great though. At first I was bored it was so slow and not much happened but I think that was kind of the point to show us how Maves life really was how monotonous it was how trying it was how boring it was.
But the action toward the end is where it all was at, but we couldn’t understand the sheer magnitude of what happened to Mave without first knowing her history.
I hate how the male gladiators treated her. I hated how they blamed her like she was at fault, like she was culpable when they never saw anything like that. Some messed up males for sure. But I’m excited to continue with the series and see how this new life is for Mave and everyone else.
_______________________________________________________
Reread with Gotta Have Romance with a Kick March 2020.
I still echo a lot of the same sentiments that I said here. The beginning is so long in the colosseum but I also completely understand why we need those moments. We need to see how Mave is treated, how different Matesh and Rainev were compared to the enslaved Andinna. I didn’t like that the Andinna somewhat blame Mave for what happened, she was a child. She was 5 years old. I also dislike how none of her people went to rescue her, though it sounds like it was an impossible position. I like the story, I still dunno what to make of Traven and his povs. Moving onto the next with the group.
A true fantasy that takes as long as a fantasy can take. It’s great though. At first I was bored it was so slow and not much happened but I think that was kind of the point to show us how Maves life really was how monotonous it was how trying it was how boring it was.
But the action toward the end is where it all was at, but we couldn’t understand the sheer magnitude of what happened to Mave without first knowing her history.
I hate how the male gladiators treated her. I hated how they blamed her like she was at fault, like she was culpable when they never saw anything like that. Some messed up males for sure. But I’m excited to continue with the series and see how this new life is for Mave and everyone else.
_______________________________________________________
Reread with Gotta Have Romance with a Kick March 2020.
I still echo a lot of the same sentiments that I said here. The beginning is so long in the colosseum but I also completely understand why we need those moments. We need to see how Mave is treated, how different Matesh and Rainev were compared to the enslaved Andinna. I didn’t like that the Andinna somewhat blame Mave for what happened, she was a child. She was 5 years old. I also dislike how none of her people went to rescue her, though it sounds like it was an impossible position. I like the story, I still dunno what to make of Traven and his povs. Moving onto the next with the group.
March 14, 2020
bit of a warning: there are some dark themes in this book
But that being said I really enjoyed reading Mave's journey. She was a serious badass, but also a complex and well written character. Some of the scene were really gutting to read, and I liked that we got multiple POV's to get to know some of the other characters.
I look forward to reading more about the Andinna culture and getting to know who will be in her harem.
But that being said I really enjoyed reading Mave's journey. She was a serious badass, but also a complex and well written character. Some of the scene were really gutting to read, and I liked that we got multiple POV's to get to know some of the other characters.
I look forward to reading more about the Andinna culture and getting to know who will be in her harem.
July 8, 2021
This was soo good!! I wish Banet would have put a picture of Maves marking on the 2nd books cover. It would have been nice to see them. I hope Rain finds a lover in the next book who pulls him out of his rage, I love him!
March 1, 2022
At the moment this is a tricky one. So many guys but relationships unknown since its all the same Mayura. I liked Mave and how she never gave up, I liked how protective she was of the guys. A lot going on and a lot of characters to hate and a handful to love. Had that confined feeling but it wasn’t unbearable to read. The little brother stuff was sweet and Rainev was my favourite character for most of it, until Bryn. I mean come on gotta love the sympathetic assassin. I didn’t think much of Matesh and I felt sorry for Trevan. I have a theory about Luykas, Zayden is a bit weird and Alchan was an asshole. It’ll be interesting to see what happens next. Really need more Bryn. Need to see Mave learn to fly.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 18, 2019
I’m kicking myself for waiting so long to pick this book up. It’s sooo good 😊
June 14, 2023
Incredible
Re-read 14/06/2023
Re-read 14/06/2023
Want to read
February 1, 2020🎁 FREE on Amazon today (2/1/2020)! 🎁
June 14, 2019
i don't give 5 stars out easily. Books from me that get 5 stars are the type that have a bit of everything, that make me rage or tear up right along with the characters, the type that when I'm done reading the book/s I come back to the real world and remember it's the actual real world kind of stuff. I put this book off, I had downloaded it one time (I have KU) but got distracted by other books thinking "meh I doubt I will like it" but a friend recommended it when I asked for books similar to Rise of the Iliri to hold me over till I can get another book from that series, and I am so happy they did. I lost sleep..like oh just one more chapter at 2 AM and then turn around and the damn sun is coming up kind of losing sleep lol (I have a problem with putting books down haha). I can not wait until book 3. I love how Banet builds this world and builds Mave as this basically a god in her own rights as a gladiator, but that changes when she gets hit with change, you get to experience everything with her and the others because it's not just from her POV. Hell I didn't even mind that it's third person POV. I'm not going to go into much more of a review because I will end up and gush and gush and tell you all the little details.
February 1, 2020
Epic Fantasy win
Really enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series. I adore series like this and wish I had found this after being in a slump after finishing Rise of the Iliri by Auryn Hadley. It may end up being that good. Time will tell. Here's hoping!
Spoilers and speculation...
Knowing this is RH makes me anticipate how and who Mave will end up with. Things are set up for #2 with the blood bond and Luycas. And I am actually kinda hoping the guard, Trevan, also ends up with her. Maybe Zayden, Alchan, Bryn too. I guess I have to wait to find out. Just thought maybe since chapters from their POV.
Anyway, now to do the RHR buddy read or start the next book? Decisions, decisions! Ugh.
Really enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series. I adore series like this and wish I had found this after being in a slump after finishing Rise of the Iliri by Auryn Hadley. It may end up being that good. Time will tell. Here's hoping!
Spoilers and speculation...
Knowing this is RH makes me anticipate how and who Mave will end up with. Things are set up for #2 with the blood bond and Luycas. And I am actually kinda hoping the guard, Trevan, also ends up with her. Maybe Zayden, Alchan, Bryn too. I guess I have to wait to find out. Just thought maybe since chapters from their POV.
Anyway, now to do the RHR buddy read or start the next book? Decisions, decisions! Ugh.
did-not-finish
October 14, 2022DNF at 25%. It’s just sad and I don’t want to wait around for it to get better.
July 14, 2023
Just as good as the first time. 🥹
November 28, 2024
Picked up at around 60%
December 18, 2018
The Gladiator's Downfall was such a delightful surprise. Before reading TGD, I'd only had exposure to Banet's Kingson series. While I enjoyed the Kingson Pride books, there were times where I felt like the story was a little shallow, so I wasn't sure what to expect from this new series that sounded like an epic fantasy adventure.
Banet does not disappoint. At all.
The Gladiator's Downfall is rich in detail, and Banet really has strong world-building going on. She's created her own races- the Elvasi, the Andinna, and incorporated a few mythological well-knowns (chimera, gryphon). However, she's not just crafting a character that looks a little extraordinary.
She's developed a social system, a language, magical abilities/rules, and a historical background for her races. Throughout the book, we're continually learning more about the Andinna culture, and, like Mave, I was eagerly soaking up every drop of information thrown my way. Her creations are fascinating, and we only just scratch the surface of what's there to discover. Like Mave, we're starting from the very beginning, so our knowledge of the world, of the Andinna, grows along with her.
Banet's characters are as well-rounded as her world. Mave has real depth to her: an emotional backstory, a strong facade and even stronger core of feeling, wicked fighting skills, and a desperate need to be wanted, to belong to her people. I really like her because of her imperfections. She can be rash, aggressive, violent, and untrusting; she's truly a product of her environment. However, as her environment is changed, so is she. She's a dynamic character who is surely going to be amazing when she's finished.
The men are interesting as well. Matesh and Rainev are the ones we get closest to, and they both develop a palpable chemistry with Mave. I also enjoy the family bond that Banet's created between them and the rest of the Shadow Company. Her characters connect with and rely on each other, and it's delightful to see the banter, the arguments, and the support they give one another. With a strong core of men behind her, Mave is going to really take flight (hopefully literally). Banet is setting up a situation where she will not only become better because of them, but where Mave has the opportunity to leave her mark on each of the men as well, a reciprocal relationship that makes everyone into a bit of the hero.
In terms of steam, I'd say this is a slow burn. We get some teasing, we get some action, but the emphasis is definitely on the story-telling, and it shows. The s*x, when it happens, is meaningful and well-done rather than being rushed or thrown in just to keep the more eager audiences hooked.
Overall, there are just so many things done right in The Gladiator's Downfall that I just don't have the time to list them all. I'm so glad that I saw a recommendation for this book. My only regret is that I read it so soon after its publish date since it means that much longer of a wait for book two.
Banet does not disappoint. At all.
The Gladiator's Downfall is rich in detail, and Banet really has strong world-building going on. She's created her own races- the Elvasi, the Andinna, and incorporated a few mythological well-knowns (chimera, gryphon). However, she's not just crafting a character that looks a little extraordinary.
She's developed a social system, a language, magical abilities/rules, and a historical background for her races. Throughout the book, we're continually learning more about the Andinna culture, and, like Mave, I was eagerly soaking up every drop of information thrown my way. Her creations are fascinating, and we only just scratch the surface of what's there to discover. Like Mave, we're starting from the very beginning, so our knowledge of the world, of the Andinna, grows along with her.
Banet's characters are as well-rounded as her world. Mave has real depth to her: an emotional backstory, a strong facade and even stronger core of feeling, wicked fighting skills, and a desperate need to be wanted, to belong to her people. I really like her because of her imperfections. She can be rash, aggressive, violent, and untrusting; she's truly a product of her environment. However, as her environment is changed, so is she. She's a dynamic character who is surely going to be amazing when she's finished.
The men are interesting as well. Matesh and Rainev are the ones we get closest to, and they both develop a palpable chemistry with Mave. I also enjoy the family bond that Banet's created between them and the rest of the Shadow Company. Her characters connect with and rely on each other, and it's delightful to see the banter, the arguments, and the support they give one another. With a strong core of men behind her, Mave is going to really take flight (hopefully literally). Banet is setting up a situation where she will not only become better because of them, but where Mave has the opportunity to leave her mark on each of the men as well, a reciprocal relationship that makes everyone into a bit of the hero.
In terms of steam, I'd say this is a slow burn. We get some teasing, we get some action, but the emphasis is definitely on the story-telling, and it shows. The s*x, when it happens, is meaningful and well-done rather than being rushed or thrown in just to keep the more eager audiences hooked.
Overall, there are just so many things done right in The Gladiator's Downfall that I just don't have the time to list them all. I'm so glad that I saw a recommendation for this book. My only regret is that I read it so soon after its publish date since it means that much longer of a wait for book two.
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