A review by allingoodtime
Angie's Gladiator by Ruby Dixon

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I’m sure I’m not the only one who has been curious about Angie since she came out of stasis on the Ice Planet. The story of her pregnancy and who/what her child ended up being was not what I expected, but I was satisfied with the explanation. The real story here, in my mind, is the story of Vordis and his struggles with being a clone, a slave, and a warrior. There is so much that has been embedded in his psyche from years of being told what to do and when to do it, how to feel, and how to act. It’s no wonder he, and his clone/brother Thrand, have a hard time figuring things out when it comes to their individuality and what that individuality means for their relationship to each other.

Don’t get me wrong, this story is a romance between Angie and Vordis. He is infatuated with her but doesn’t see that she is also smitten with him. The chip on his shoulder from all the years of being interchangeable with his clone has put his self-worth in the gutter so he often thinks he is insulting Angie when his personality comes through in his time with her. Vordis is so thoughtful and sweet, it’s no wonder Angie falls for him.

I love the constant world-building that is going on in this series. You can see threads of stories already read that overlap, as well as the beginnings of other stories yet to be told. 
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