Dissension
K.A. Salidas
Series: Chronicles of
the Uprising (#1)
Genre: Paranormal/Dystopian
Publisher: Rising
Sign Books LLC
Release Date: Feb 3
2014
The great cataclysm wiped almost all life from the face of
planet Earth, but tiny pockets of survivors crawled from the ashes, with only
one thought: survival, at any cost.
But not all survivors were human.
In the dark, militant society that has risen in the
aftermath, vampires, once thought to be mythical, have been assimilated and
enslaved. Used for blood sport their lives are allowed to continue only for the
entertainment of the masses. Reviled as savages, they are destined to serve out
their immortal lives in the arena, as gladiators.
And there is no greater gladiator than Mira: undefeated,
uncompromising...and seemingly unbreakable. When an escape attempt leads Mira
into the path of Lucian Stavros, the city’s Regent, her destiny is changed
forever.
Lucian, raised in a culture which both reviles and
celebrates the savagery and inhumanity of vampires, finds Mira as intriguing as
she is brash. An impulsive decision - to become Mira’s patron – changes more
than just Lucian’s perception about vampire kind. The course of his life is
altered in ways he could never have predicted – a life that is suddenly as
expendable as hers.
Can Mira prove to Lucian that all is not as it seems? Can
Lucian escape centuries of lies, bloodshed, and propaganda to see the truth? Or
will the supreme power of the human overlords destroy them both?
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First Sentence:
The roar of the crowd, all twenty-five-thousand people in attendance, rose to a thundering crescendo when Mira delivered a bone-crunching blow to her opponent's ribs.
Last Sentence:
So much was riding on this, she almost dared not hope that it truly existed.
The world building, or rather destruction of the world as we know it and rebuilding, sets this book apart from others. Katie Salidas carves out a refreshing read that satiated my vampire reading needs while putting them in a new light. It's so unsettling to imagine this world as real, but you can't help but to because of the descriptions and attention to detail.
Mira is an interesting main character. She's very tough. You can't help but root for her the entire story. Even though this book is on the short side, I feel like Salidas is able to display a lot of growth for Mira. The other characters were clearly well thought out and a mix of purely terrifying and refreshing.
My one let down with this book is that it's so short. So much more of the story is waiting to be told, but it just stops. I'm certainly anticipating the next part of Mira's journey. Because of the wide spectrum of genres, this book can be enjoyed by so many. It throws vampires in a dystopian world with a dash of gladiators for good measure.
Mira is an interesting main character. She's very tough. You can't help but root for her the entire story. Even though this book is on the short side, I feel like Salidas is able to display a lot of growth for Mira. The other characters were clearly well thought out and a mix of purely terrifying and refreshing.
My one let down with this book is that it's so short. So much more of the story is waiting to be told, but it just stops. I'm certainly anticipating the next part of Mira's journey. Because of the wide spectrum of genres, this book can be enjoyed by so many. It throws vampires in a dystopian world with a dash of gladiators for good measure.
**I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to K.A. Salidas and RBTL Book Tours.
Excerpt:
The roar of the crowd, all twenty-five-thousand people in
attendance, rose to a thundering crescendo when Mira delivered a bone-crunching
blow to her opponent’s ribs. Standing only five feet tall, she might not have
appeared a formidable warrior, but the thin, spiky-haired waif of a vampire
could hold her weight and more when put to the test. Amplified by the superb
acoustics, the sound of bones cracking echoed through the Superdome arena. The
defeated, a red-headed male vampire staggered, punch-drunk, and then dropped to
his knees. Dirt and sweat coated his face but could not mask the fear in his
icy blue eyes. His was a look Mira had seen so many times before. Her
opponent’s immortal life had finally come to an end, and he was ready to take
the final deadly blow.
Above her, Mira knew the fifty-foot mega screen showed her
hapless victim in brilliant resolution, ensuring that all who were attending,
and those watching from the comfort of their homes, could see these last
gruesome moments in crystal clear high-definition.
Mira gazed down at her opponent’s blood-soaked face. Though
he was her enemy for the moment, she did not relish having to end him. No one
should be forced into the arena and told to kill or be killed. It wasn’t right.
But it was what was demanded of her, and given the choice between her life and
someone else’s… well, there really was no choice. No matter the cost, Mira was
a survivor.
She glanced up to the large private box overlooking the
arena. A well-dressed man in deep-purple robes sat, enjoying what appeared to
be a dinner of filet mignon and roast potatoes. Even here, in the dusty arena
below, Mira’s enhanced senses picked up the tantalizing scent of very rare,
bloody steak. She could hardly believe that a human could not only watch the
murder about to take place, but also sit and eat the dead flesh of a
once-living being while doing it. From the smell of it, the poor beast was
practically still bleeding on his plate. Who was truly the more savage
creature?
Over the crowd’s roar, an announcer introduced the
well-dressed man, Lucian Stavros, Regent of the Iron Gate. Lucian gently and
purposefully slowly set down his knife and fork. He took another moment to wipe
his face clean and then smiled, acknowledging the roaring crowd.
Chants of “Death, death, death,” rang out from the throng as
a single unified demand.
The Regent listened for a moment, making a show of putting
his hands to his ears to hear screaming hoard’s request, and then held a hand
out, with his thumb pointed to the side.
As if the next moment were the most important, the
anticipating mass hushed. Eerie silence filled the arena as everyone watched
for the Regent to make his decision.
From her vantage point below, Mira saw the steely look of
determination cross the Regent’s face. If she didn’t know better, she might
have thought he took this decision seriously; but then, he was human, and they
never cared much if her kind lived or died. Lucian Stavros took a cursory
glance down at Mira. Their eyes met. It was only a brief moment, but in that
short time, Mira saw him waver.
Could it be true, she wondered, or was it just a trick of
the light? No human actually cared about the lives of vampires. The moment
faded, and the fleeting thought left.
Mira saw the Regent’s decision. He turned his thumb down.
Death!
The crowd went wild.
The last hope for her defeated opponent had vanished; Mira
had to finish him. “Sorry,” she whispered to the half-dead vampire on his knees
before her. Though her fangs tingled at the prospect of tasting his final dying
moments—her reward, if you could call it that, for living through another
battle— she did not enjoy what she was about to do. Like her, he was a slave,
forced into servitude to the humans as they saw fit. He had not asked for this,
and neither had she. But, despite what either of them wanted, it was the will
of the crowd, the humans, that had to be served.
Aiming to sever the carotid artery with her fangs, Mira dove
at her opponent’s neck. His death would be quick. At least she could afford him
that luxury.
About the Author:
Katie
Salidas is a Super Woman! Endowed with special powers and abilities, beyond
those of mortal women, She can get the munchkins off to gymnastics,
cheerleading, Girl Scouts, and swim lessons.
She can put hot food on the table for dinner while assisting with
homework, baths, and bedtime… And, she still finds the time to keep the hubby
happy (nudge nudge wink wink). She can do all of this and still have time to
write.
And if you can
believe all of those lies, there is some beautiful swamp land in Florida for
sale…
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