Official Review: Land of Kings by Virginia Weldon

[LinaMueller]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Land of Kings" by Virginia Weldon.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Land of Kings (The Britannia Chronicles Book 2) by Virginia Weldon is a historical fiction book that takes place at the time of the Roman Empire. And what a remarkable book. Few authors have the knack for creating an epic storyline that blends action, romance, psychological immersion, revenge, and religion into one single book.

Regan is the son of a leader of a "barbarian" tribe of the British Isles, who becomes a slave after a military defeat. As a slave, he is forced to go to Rome, where he becomes a legendary gladiator. Not unlucky enough to face a rogue emperor like Commodus, he ends up meeting a Roman friend named Valerius and earns his freedom.

The problem is that he spent more than a decade in the Eternal City. That's why he has to look for his wife Cara and an unknown son. Most fascinating of all is that countless things are happening at once: tribal wars, riots against Rome, fleeing slaves, and even love triangles.

There is no romantic or stereotypical description of how the native peoples of Britannia were good and innocent and how the Romans were evil imperialists. Boudicca, queen of the Iceni, goes crazy and organizes an army that annihilates older adults and children of British cities just because they had made a peace deal with the Romans. Valerius, by contrast, is a Roman who has been converted to Christianity and, in many cases, puts himself at risk to help his friend Regan. That was what I liked the most about the book.

The author seems to know a lot about human psychology. It was brilliant how she approached the internal conflict between Regan's artistic self with the warrior and assassin he had to become because he was the only son of a military leader and had to become a gladiator after being enslaved by the Romans. The character Cara is also psychologically complex. Unlike a stereotypical maiden who would die dreaming of her distant knight, she almost marries Urtec after experiencing terrible situations.

After finishing this epic work of story fiction, it became clear that I could not give it less than 4 out of 4 stars. It is a masterpiece that mixes fiction with real historical facts. There is a lot of action, conflict, betrayal, and romance. The book is so good that it is difficult to point out a single flaw. The way the author described the main character's psychological conflicts was brilliant. I found seven grammatical errors (mainly comma misuse), but nothing serious considering that the book is over 300 pages long. I recommend this book to anyone who likes historical fiction. This book is a hidden masterpiece that could quickly become a Hollywood movie.

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Land of Kings
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[Kanda_theGreat]

I love Romanian tales especially those laden with controversies surrounding revenge and love.
Thank you for the review.

[Stephanie Elizabeth]

Because of your wonderful review, I can definitely envision this book being made into a movie. Well done!

[LauraLeeWasHere]

This may well be one of the best reviews I've encountered here at OBC.

You went through each element of what makes this a great book one by one in an easy-going and relaxed manner. Yet, not for one moment did I doubt your enthusiasm for the story or your admiration for the author.
In fact, the first thing I did was check to see if you had reviewed the first book in this series. Even though you haven't yet, based solely on your review I scooted over to Amazon and purchased the book through Kindle.

I am definitely looking forward to reading more of your reviews in the future. For some reason, I equate it to being barefoot in my apartment. I have made myself comfortable but still capable of getting things done.

Sincerely, Laura-Lee

[Dragonsend]

Your enthusiasm and professionalism are awesome! Cant wait to read this!

[Ellylion]

Amazing review! Sounds like a book really worth checking out with a very interesting historical background. Thank you!

[Erin Painter Baker]

Definitely sounds like a good book. Your review makes me want to find the first book in the series and read both of them.

[LinaMueller]

I love Romanian tales especially those laden with controversies surrounding revenge and love.
Thank you for the review.

I love it too. To be honest, I didn't know much about Boudicca's history. She is one of the characters that make the story very interesting. Thanks for passing by, Kanda_theGreat.

[LinaMueller]

Because of your wonderful review, I can definitely envision this book being made into a movie. Well done!

It would be a great movie. There is no question about it. Thanks for passing by, Stephanie Elizabeth. I always like your feedback.

[LinaMueller]

This may well be one of the best reviews I've encountered here at OBC.

You went through each element of what makes this a great book one by one in an easy-going and relaxed manner. Yet, not for one moment did I doubt your enthusiasm for the story or your admiration for the author.
In fact, the first thing I did was check to see if you had reviewed the first book in this series. Even though you haven't yet, based solely on your review I scooted over to Amazon and purchased the book through Kindle.

I am definitely looking forward to reading more of your reviews in the future. For some reason, I equate it to being barefoot in my apartment. I have made myself comfortable but still capable of getting things done.

Sincerely, Laura-Lee

That’s very kind. I cannot thank you enough for your kind words. You simply made my day.

[LinaMueller]

Your enthusiasm and professionalism are awesome! Cant wait to read this!

I'm sure you will like it. Thanks for passing by, Dragonsend. I appreciate it.

[LinaMueller]

Amazing review! Sounds like a book really worth checking out with a very interesting historical background. Thank you!

It's a great book. Even if you haven't read the first you can enjoy this one. Thanks for passing by, Ellylion.

[LinaMueller]

Definitely sounds like a good book. Your review makes me want to find the first book in the series and read both of them.

I missed you, my friend. It is always good to read your posts. Thanks for passing by.

[Aniza Butt]

Sounds amazing. I would love to give it a try. Thanks for making it fascinating for me through your review ☺

[LinaMueller]

Sounds amazing. I would love to give it a try. Thanks for making it fascinating for me through your review ☺

Much obliged. I really appreciate your post, Aniza Butt.