A review by annazapalac
The Valiant by Lesley Livingston

3.0

2.5 ⭐ So much was going on in this book and yet it all felt like exposition. Any plot progression went from A to Z with nothing in between. I swear Fallon and Cai had like three impersonal conversations before they decided they had a relationship worth risking their livelihoods for. And halfway into the book, Fallon was suddenly considered the best, most promising gladiatrix Rome had ever seen, but all we actually saw of her made her seem incredibly ordinary. Basically the plot had the depth of a glass of water and the character development was a pile of saltine crumbs swept under the couch. Despite all that, it wasn't painful to read. The writing was passable. At times I was invested in what was happening. But it gave off self-published vibes and I don't plan to continue the series.