Quivering for Combat • The Valiant Blog Tour

The first thing I ever heard about The Valiant was that it was all about female gladiators - and that's all I really needed to know to convince me I needed to read it. Luckily, I had the chance to read it early! It was really enjoyable, and I'll be posting more of my thoughts in a separate post. Today, however, I have the great honor of being a part of the blog tour - and to be talking up a weapon that is put to use by one of the characters in the book. Don't forget to stick around to see all the official details on this novel, and for the chance to get your hands on a copy!

As a gal who loves being deeply immersed in fantasy, whether that involves reading, viewing or playing in them, I have always harbored a fascination for weapons and the variety of ways which they can be employed in a fight. I’m interested in everything from twin blades to maces, nunchuks to daggers, battle staves to javelins, but there’s just something about using a bow and arrow that really appeals to me.

Let’s get this out of the way: it just looks cool. I’m pretty sure that my love affair with a bow and arrow stemmed from my fascination with Legolas (Orlando Bloom's rendition of this character, that is) and how he wields the weapon in the films. But there are other strengths when it comes to the use of a bow and arrow: you maintain a certain distance from the actual melee, you can cover an impressive range (if you’re skilled and depending on the type of bow and arrow you use) and you have sharp eyesight (if you’re any good, that is). Archers also tend to be some of the first to act in battles, as they are called upon to thin out the approaching army from where they are stationed, and to be good hunters. And when faced with close combat or when you’ve run out of arrows, you can totally use your bow as a weapon to attack people or defend yourself.

Obviously, as with any weapon, there are weaknesses. Most archers are not as skilled in terms of physical combat (though they’re certainly spry), and might have some difficulty in close combat. Also, depending on what kind of bow and arrow you use, the extent of your range and the strength you’ll exert will vary. Additionally, unless you’ve got a magical quiver or are extremely resourceful, you’ll run out of arrows to use at some point.

Still, there’s something magical about a bow and arrow. It’s definitely a weapon choice that will always make me stand up and pay attention to its user… just like it did in in The Valiant. I won’t tell you who that person is, so you’ll just have to read The Valiant to find out! (Luckily, there’s a giveaway in today’s post that gives you an opportunity to snag a copy of the novel for yourself, so you might not even have to wait very long!)

photos from Pinterest / Ainwick Castle / Tumblr / IMDb / Taryn Night

I've waxed on enough about how much I love this weapon choice (but seriously - any people who feel the same way?), so I'm going to get on with letting you in on a little bit more about The Valiant, its author Lesley Livingston and how you can snag a copy of your very own!

The Valiant by Lesley Livingston
Series: The Valiant #1
Publisher: Razorbill
Publication Date: February 14, 2017
Buy the Book: Book Depository | Amazon | IndieBound | Barnes & Noble

Lost to history, the story of the female gladiator has never been told. Until now.

Fallon is the daughter of a proud Celtic king and the younger sister of the legendary warrior Sorcha. When Fallon was just a child, Sorcha was killed while defending their home from the armies of Julius Caesar. On the eve of her seventeenth birthday, Fallon is excited to follow in her sister's footsteps and earn her place in her father's war band. She never gets the chance.

Fallon is captured by ruthless brigands who sell her to an elite training school for female gladiators owned by none other than Julius Caesar himself. In a cruel twist of fate, the man who destroyed Fallon s family might be her only hope of survival. 

Now, Fallon must overcome vicious rivalries, deadly fights in and out of the arena, and perhaps the most dangerous threat of all: her irresistible feelings for Cai, a young Roman soldier and her sworn enemy.

Lesley Livingston is the author of Once Every Never, winner of the inaugural Copper Cylinder Award and shortlisted for the CLA Young Adult Book Award and the BC Stellar Book Award. She is also the author of the Wondrous Strange and Starling trilogies. She lives in Toronto.

And now, the moment you've likely been waiting for - the giveaway!  Enter for a chance to win one (1) of five (5) copies of The Valiant by Lesley Livingston (ARV: $17.99 each). NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Enter between 12:00 AM Eastern Time on February 13, 2017 and 12:00 AM on March 13, 2017. Open to residents of the fifty United States and the District of Columbia who are 13 and older. Winners will be selected at random on or about March 15, 2017. Odds of winning depend on number of eligible entries received. Void where prohibited or restricted by law.

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