The Triumphant
The Triumphant
“She threw her hand in the air in frustration. “For the love of your own grim goddess, Fallon!” she exclaimed. “Think for a second, will you? Just one second. You already have your own war band. Those girls would die for you and – ”
“That’s the whole damned problem, Elka!” I rounded on her, anger and fear and sorrow – everything, really – crashed down on me in that moment, and hot, stinging tears sprang to my eyes. “Meriel did die. Leander died. Vorya died. Hestia died. My own sister died. All because I wanted to save Sorcha. Because I wanted to save the queen. Not our queen, as you yourself have already pointed out, but a queen nonetheless and so therefore deserving of saving. Right? Of sacrifice. Who in all the world am I to decide that one woman’s life is worth more than another’s? Several others?”
“That’s arrogant.”
“I know –”
“No.” She cut me off with the sharpness of her tone. “That’s not what I meant. What I meant was, it’s arrogant of you to think that you made the decision for us. That we didn’t all – each one of us – decide for ourselves to stay or go every time. To fight or not. To flee or not. I’ve even heard you claim responsibility for Tanis and her catastrophically bad judgment, and I, for one, would appreciate not being loaded into the same sack as that one, thanks very much.”
I stared at her, taken aback by the scolding. It was starting to sound very much like the argument I’d had with Cai back in the Tarquin necropolis. Was I really that girl? Was that who I’d become?
“You’re a noble warrior and a steady friend,” Elka continued, shaking her head. “You also think too much, second-guess yourself, and carry everyone else’s grief and guilt. Well, I’m here to tell you, Fallon ferch Virico, that we have strong enough arms and backs to carry our own. And to help you carry yours. If we decide we want to. And it is we who decide.”
She took a breath and looked at me. Her pale blue eyes held wisdom beyond her years. And compassion. But there was also a scorching honesty there. And I knew, in that moment, that how much she valued our bond – forged from everything we’d been through together – was not above how much Elka valued herself. She sighed and picked up her spear. “You didn’t load any one of us onto a boat – either time – at sword-point, Fallon. So please, stop acting like you did and try accepting the bare face of friendship with all its beauty and flaws. Or don’t. Just let me know what you decide.”
The Triumphant is the third novel of the “Valiant” series, and once again readers join Fallon and her warrior sisters on a wild adventure. Having won back the Ludus Achillea, it would seem that life for the gladiatrices should return to normal. However the assassination of Julius Caesar changes everything in the Roman world and puts Cleopatra in serious danger. Sorcha and Fallon decide to enlist the help of their warriors and escort Cleopatra out of Rome and back to her home in Alexandria. Once this is accomplished, the women could choose to stay in Egypt and enjoy a life of relative calm and luxury. But Fallon learns that Pontius Aquila and the Sons of Dis are still very much alive and active, and so she is determined to once and for all track them down and settle the score.
In The Triumphant, Fallon returns as an intrepid female protagonist who has strong beliefs and tries to do what she feels is right and justified. In this novel, much of what Fallon has always relied on has disappeared, leaving her to depend more on her own judgement and logic. Her patron, Julius Caesar, can no longer protect her. The ludus she fought for is gone – a literal “bridge” burned behind her as she flees Rome and heads to Egypt. The character of Fallon continues to grow and develop as a leader and also as a woman as her romance with Cai blossoms and deepens throughout the story. Fallon knows she must set new priorities for herself and continue to face the world rather than enjoying the life of ease offered by Cleopatra.
As always, Fallon is surrounded by a strong and supportive group. The centurions who have joined the women add interest, colour and romance to the plot. However, the themes of sisterhood and feminism are centre stage. While Fallon at times feels guilty about where she has led her warrior friends, it becomes clear to both her and to readers that these are strong and independent women who make their own choices and will, or will not, follow their leader, depending on their own judgement. Each of the women has her own abilities and skills and is a remarkable female role model in her own way.
Again, readers will absorb some ancient history as the story is sprinkled with names like Caesar, Cleopatra, Marc Antony, Ptolemy and other well-known figures. Fallon happens to have a first-hand view of Caesar’s assassination, and Livingston makes the event come alive for her readers. When the scene shifts to Egypt, readers sense a change in culture, customs and religion, made both interesting and understandable by the author. Lastly, the warriors end up in Britannia, and again readers gain a sense of yet another ancient culture.
For Fallon, the story comes full circle as she returns to the father and village she left in the first book of the series. Thus, Livingston gives her readers a satisfying ending to the trilogy. Events happen very quickly in the final pages, accentuating the adventure and excitement readers will have enjoyed throughout the trilogy. While The Triumphant could be read on its own, it makes much more sense to read the entire series. Doing so will give readers a better understanding of Fallon and her warrior sisters and the ways in which they grow and learn throughout the books.
Lesley Livingston gives her readers a sense of history, a touch of fantasy, some romance, a wild and action-packed plot and a cast of unforgettable characters in this series which will surely delight young adult readers of all genres.
Ann Ketcheson, a retired secondary school teacher-librarian and teacher of English and French, lives in Ottawa, Ontario.