Silverlegs

Silverlegs :

This book took me a while to get into but once I was in I was truly in. I was invested in the main character and all of their battles; emotional and physical.

It’s not often that you find a book based on war and battle with a heroine. Silverlegs is strong and brave, she is fearless and capable.

Silverlegs hides in plain sight and does a fantastic job at doing so.

The training leading to war, the twists and turns of the storyline. The brutal execution of some beloved characters; this book had me turning pages faster than I initially thought it would.

This book is not my normal ‘go to’ genre and yet it captivated me.

I quite enjoyed this book! It was quite different from many books a read. It has a much darker tone to it, making it seem like a perfect fit for those who enjoy more themes of death and madness. It actually reminded me a teeny bit of Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff. While a very loose resemblance, I found the MC to be similar and strong in her own way.I did have some major issues with character development, but otherwise it was above average. We do get to learn a lot about the world though, which more than makes up for it.

An absorbing and interesting journey that follows a young girl's path towards war and violence. The premise and setting of a Roman Empire-like society was novel and though there have been multiple books about a girl fighting as a man I was really drawn by Constanter's inner strength and grit.

I found the end of the book slightly jarring regarding the outcomes of certain characters however, as a whole Monk produced engaging and well defined characters. The plot occasionally meandered however, ultimately became a very interesting, engaging read.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with the ARC. This was fantastic in my opinion! There were other people talking about the cussing in areas bothering them so if that triggers you be aware. However for me as a reader I am pretty resilient and it didn't affect my enjoyment or reading quality at all! I loved the writing, story, characters, details, all of it! Very great reading ride!

it took me a while to get fully immersed in the story but one I did I really enjoyed it. I enjoyed this take on the Roman Empire and found the characters story quite interesting.

This book sets the tone early, and it definitely establishes the main character’s place in a world that squashes weakness and is not kind to women. I found that introduction a little rough, but it got me rooting for the main character. I wasn’t expecting to get pulled into the story as much as I was, but I ended up reading it in one sitting. It is graphic and really makes you feel like no character is safe. If it was lacking anywhere it would be in the secondary character development. I wasn’t as connected to them at all. I also don’t know that I agree with the books classification, but YA is all over the place. Personally I am interested in seeing where this story goes in the future and how this world expands.

The protagonist of this Romanesque story is young but this is not a children’s book. This is a story about a young girl struggling to survive in a patriarchal society and actually proving to herself that she can achieve a freedom that she never imagined. Our heroine Constanter runs away from an abusive home only to be mistaken for a boy and conscripted to a mercenary battalion fighting in a holy war that divides the Empire. It’s harsh, brutal and above all deadly in this world Constanter finds herself. Think Gladiator, think Russell Crowe and you will understand how the politics and machinations shape so many lives. There is only one choice and that’s to survive and Constanter is without a doubt born to do that. She is quick witted, fleet of foot and has the stamina that few men can compete with. Yes she’s bloodthirsty, no she’s not as physically strong as some but her journey and victories are hard fought and oh so satisfying.
Rising up from the ashes of who she was Constanter becomes Silverlegs but she’s not alone. There are a plethora of supporting characters who appear here and notably one in particular could have if the author desired become perhaps a love interest. However I hasten to say this is not a romance, it’s quite simply a raw portrayal of a society that celebrates violence and yet ignores those they oppress at their peril. . Expect language you wouldn’t use in polite company, explicit scenes and very disturbing violence. This is both dark and celebratory and I have found a new author to follow.
This voluntary take is of a copy that I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

A Roman style setting, vicious, well written battle scenes, epic sword fights. A female mc who refuses to be used and abused. Hell yes. Fantasy has been spoiling me lately with some fantastic books and Silverlegs by Camilla Monk is another top notch read. (How badass is the title and cover by the way!!)

Constanter knows how to run. She can run for hours and after being brutally attacked by her step father she draws on this innate talent. She refuses to be his victim anymore, she runs and hides, far away from the family who want to use her and control her. Unfortunately she runs from one danger straight into another. After being mistaken for a boy she is forced to fight for Clearchos, if she loses she dies. Constanter faces each challenge head on, refusing to be cowed. With her supreme speed and savage lust for violence, she slowly says goodbye to Constanter and becomes the feared Silverlegs.

What a fucked up world! The religion of the day is slowly murdering those who worship the old gods, religion is taking over the ruling body, controlling the war. It is happily destroying everyone who doesn't conform to their views. We spend the majority of the book in a mercenary camp, so we don't get a big picture of the outside world, it's all very one sided but I feel as though this will change in book two.

The characters were so well put together. There were characters who were so fleshed out, they were practically leaping off the page, I was convinced they would be in the story for the long haul, next thing you know they are dead. No-one is safe here and I love that. It reflects war and a mercenary camp much better than if everyone had survived.
Constanter is a main character that I know a lot of my bookish friends will love. She works hard to become the badass she is, it doesn't come easy to her. But what sets her apart is her drive, she refuses to backdown. She takes her natural ability and uses it to her advantage. She is burning with rage and uses the opportunities given to her to let it out.

I loved the way Silverlegs came together. I was certain I knew exactly where it was heading only to have all of my expectations blown out of the water. I feel like this is a book where I have to be really careful what I say as I don't want to spoil anyone else's reading experience. Hence the super vague review. I don't even want to mention the supporting cast to much. The setting of this book means that women are treated very badly, they are considered the very bottom of the social ladder. It is set in a mercenary camp, during a war, it is as violent as you can get. Our main characters arc is covered in blood. There is nothing light and fluffy about it. And these are all of the reasons I loved it. The author didn't pull any punches, their was no pussy footing around the brutal realitlies, she laid it all out there for you to see. My poor heart! I cannot wait for book 2.

Holy smokes. I was not expecting to like this book, but I do. Some of the content is difficult to read due to the violence. However, when I finished the book, I was so disappointed it was over--I NEED to know how this story ends!! I'm not sure if I glossed over a few parts, but the ending really surprised me... and now I'm desperate to see how the next book plays out!

Thanks to the publisher for an ARC to read and give my honest opinion.

Loved it! Not a story for the faint of heart but a story of survival of the fittest. Constanter is a young girl trying to make her way in a world filled with war and hurt. Caught by a band of vicious men who wage war they train her to fight unbeknownst that she is a girl. She survives the only way she can...

What did I like? It’s well written and engrossing. I didn’t want to put it down once I started reading, I really liked the character Constanter and how true to character she stayed. Once she became silverlegs she became unstoppable!

Would I buy this book? Yes, I’m not sure how the author characters this book or what genre, but I was totally lost in the story. Definitely recommend for people who like fantasy and heroines who survive some horrible stuff.

Thoughts for author? I’d definitely beta read for you again. Loved the book!

This ARC was provided for review, but in no way affects the following impartial and unbiased review:
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5*
Let me just leave a simple note: F*ck yessss! This is a freaking masterpiece, I can't believe I didn't hear of it before being given an ARC. I am feeling blessed 😍
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Pros: Bloody, gory, violent and full of anger and revenge. Enthralling portrait of Ancient Rome and war life, sexism and homophobia at the time. Well-written characters, with a great female lead. Very down-to-earth, no sugarcoating. Amazing fight scenes that will take your breath away. Talks about important society issues. Romance takes a background seat in favor of character development.
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Cons: I mean, it broke my heart (aside from that, can't think of a con).
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Trigger warnings: rape scenes and sexual harassment; homophobia, gore and violence.

Okay, first of all. THE COVER. Stunning.

Camilla Monk is so gifted with her story telling. This original novel, has background similarities to Ancient Roman times, but is a completely original book. I appreciate the author creating a strong female character who uses/ channels her inner rage into becoming Silverlegs , a well-seasoned warrior beast, instead of a proper female. This was an amazing story about a female surviving and thriving in an man's world, but not in the stereotypical roles that females are presented with. There is action galore as Silverlegs becomes a quite renowned warrior. Friends and enemies are made. Respect is earned the hard way.

At a deeper level, Silverlegs is a cautionary tale about politics and religion, witnessed through the eyes of a girl who hasn't yet the intellectual tools to understand it and tries to navigate the collapse of her world as best as she can. Constanter is our guide, but unlike her, we readers do understand the big picture of the events unfolding before her eyes —meaning that Silverlegs's premise is basically a potpourri and a retelling of the collapse of the Roman empire, concomitant with its slide into the throes of religious fanaticism, and, ultimately, its descent into the dark age.

This was such a refreshing read, and to have the chance to follow Constanter throughout her journey was both insightful (as someone who hasn't read much about the Roman Empire) and offered me as a reader the chance to offer insight to Constanter's rage. This rage is both her drive and her poison throughout her saga, and, if nothing else, her internal struggle and empowerment will resonate most definitely with readers who've been down that same road, and felt the same anger at being trapped in a body someone else has broken into.

This is not a romance, it’s quite simply a raw portrayal of a society that celebrates violence and yet ignores those they oppress at their peril. Expect language you wouldn’t use in polite company, explicit scenes and very disturbing violence. This is both dark and celebratory and I have found a new author to follow.

The setting of this book means that women are treated very badly, they are considered the very bottom of the social ladder. It is set in a mercenary camp, during a war, it is as violent as you can get. Our main characters arc is covered in blood. There is nothing light and fluffy about it. And these are all of the reasons I loved it. The author didn't pull any punches, their was no pussy footing around the brutal realities, she laid it all out there for you to see.

I also want to give a huge thanks to both the author and the publisher for including trigger warnings for this book.

*TRIGGER WARNING* This book contains several scenes of sexual abuse and rape and may be disturbing to, well, everyone.

I am having a hard time writing this review. I find myself at a loss for words. The graphic and boldly accurate representation of the misogyny of the Roman era society is deeply disturbing and yet enthralling. I was enraptured by the Silverlegs character, the charade of a girl acting as a man, a gritty and hard Mulan-esque story.

Mulan, I’ll run with that comparison. Except our protagonist has run away not to protect her family, but to protect herself from them.

The girl, I'm not sure we know her real name, runs from a disgusting stepfather and his equally abusive sons, and a mother who does not protect her from their leers and touches. When her stepfather finally takes things too far one day, she bashes him in the head and finds herself hiding in a cave, contemplating her seeming love of the violence of it, and sorting through her emotions and battered heart at his assault. In the midst of her rage, she shears off all of her hair, to purge herself of the beauty that damned her.

She is found by a group of mercenaries, who believe her to be a teenage boy. They take her to their camp, where she decides to keep up the charade, and finds freedom in being a man, while being kept against her will, at least at first, as a soldier. She takes her father's name, Constanter, and finds that she is very good at violence. She moves with a grace and lethal swiftness, and the men gift her the name Silverlegs.

Her psychological battle with herself is beautifully written. I love a book that makes me look up words. A book that makes me think, along with feel. If her name is said in the book I can't remember it, I don't think it is. And that says quite a lot. She doesn't just charade as the boy. She becomes him, embraces the power and freedom that a man has versus a woman. She loses all of her identity in becoming him. There is no girl, there is just Silverlegs.

There is a deep exploration in this book of misogyny and homophobia. The Ancient Roman culture is rife with a strangely dysphoric machismo. There is a boy in the book who is raped, and while he is filled with shame, his rapist is not even laughed at for his obvious like of young boys over women. Constanter will obviously never grow a beard or fill out a man's form as she grows, so the camp leader covers it up by calling her a eunuch. There is a distinct hierarchy of manliness that has no logical sense, it goes:

-hetero man
-homosexual man who is the penetrator
-eunich
-mollis (a man who is the penetrated, whether he chooses it or not)
-woman

The plot is suspenseful. The characters are the kind I love, deeply flawed, could easily be the villain, but intriguing. This is the first book in a series, and I will most definitely be buying the rest of the series as it comes out.

Silverlegs is the first novel in the Seed of Rage series by Camilla Monk. The series is mostly fantasy, but with some darker elements woven into the mix. In short, it’s a grimdark tale. It’s perfect for fans looking for something that’ll give them chills and strong emotions.
It’s a dark and violent world that Constanter has grown up in. And it seems to only get darker with each passing day. Forced to go on the run Constanter finds herself caught up in the life of being a forced soldier – all because she dressed like a boy. Now she’s trying to find a way out of this situation, ideally with her life.
I absolutely love that Silverlegs’ description came with a trigger warning. You don’t see many novels doing that these days. I wish more would do so. Silverlegs’ warnings remind us that the novel is set in a time where homophobia and sexism were common. It also warns of sexual violence, rape, graphic violence, and more. Having read the novel, these warnings are spot on.

Warnings: Read above, the trigger warnings provided by the description were more than enough in this case.
Silverlegs lives up to the expectations set on it as a grimdark tale. It’s dark and heavy and at times ominous. But it has other elements and moments that really bring something new to the plot. Think Gladiator meets grimdark, and you’ve basically got a good feel for this novel.
Constanter’s life has been a tough one. I’ll admit the flashbacks to her past – and the reason she ran – were a little rough for me. Even with the warning that was given. But it was well written, and it made me feel so much sympathy for her character – while also hoping she gets a chance for a better future.
Of course, this is a grimdark tale, so nothing is ever that easy. Constanter instead finds herself in a life shockingly similar to that of a Gladiator. Forced to be a soldier, to train and fight to the death. Here she is in a world where everyone thinks she’s a man – and she’d prefer it that way.
This novel did a good job of showing the biases and dangers of the time. This novel covers everything from homophobia and misogyny to the very dangerous and fatal consequences of those beliefs. And let’s not ignore the impact of religion. How many battles have been waged because of differing beliefs? The war in Sivlerlegs is just another tally on the scale.
Silverlegs is a dark tale, but still an interesting one worth reading. I absolutely adore that they gave readers a warning to the darker content inside (I would not have wanted to be blindsided by some of it). But that’s obviously not the only thing I loved about this book. Really, I loved Constanter and her drive to live and make something for herself.

Let me start by mentioning that I am a Fantasy/PNR lover and literally search out new books and authors to keep up with my past time. So when I came across this book on NetGalley, I jumped at the opportunity to read it, and I wasn't disappointed.

Constanter is a young girl living in a "all man" world so to speak. You know, women are better off in the kitchen and used as whores type of world. So when she runs away from home after being assaulted by a family member, returning wasn't an option. Especially after she found a dead soldiers armor and dressed herself in it.

Now that she's wearing the armor and searching for a way to survive, she's kidnapped by mercenaries and thrown in to yet another world. A world she either acts like a boy to survive, or admit her true nature and risk her life as whore. Which one would you choose? I don't blame her one bit.

But something happened while she was "acting" like a boy. She became more. She starting enjoying the bleed shed and the way her rage freed her. So the "acting" continued. But how long can she keep up the act?

This has so many layers of stories and conquests. There are many characters that worm their way in to your heart so much that you'll continue to feel their story even when this one is over.

The author did a great job creating a world that mixes medieval times with a little fantasy. All in all, this was great and I can't wait to see Constanter do her thing!!!

I enjoyed this one. Silverlegs drew me right in. One of my favorite things was the writing style. I haven't read anything by this author before and now I want to. I've been reading some lighter books, and as a mood reader, this was what I needed to refresh before diving back into some more high fantasy. Besides the excellent atmosphere, I was enthralled by the character building for Constanter from beginning to end. This is a dark, violent and unfair book, which fits with the time period it's based off of. Excited for the next one!

Esta reseña es de un ARC que conseguí via NetGalley, así que se lo agradezco a la editorial, a la autora y al propio NetGalley. La verdad es que lo primero que me llamó la atención fue la portada, así como la idea de una fantasía inspirada en el imperio romano (echo de menos a las Furias de Butcher) y quería ver qué me traía este libro. Como sabréis, me gusta más bien poco el grimdark, sobre todo si es sangriento o especialmente feo en sus ideas. Así que cuando empecé a leer y lo primero que me encuentro es que está huyendo de su padrastro que iba a violarla pues no me dio muy buena espina. Sin embargo, el libro se redime y, aunque muestra un lado especialmente feo de la sociedad, como es un ejército de mercenarios en una guerra civil, no se ceba en exceso con la oscuridad.

Uno de los momentos más complicados es ver que sigue empleándose la violencia sexual para generar reacciones potentes en los personajes. No es algo que agradezca en las novelas que leo, y, en esta en particular, ya os aviso que hay dos instancias diferentes, si bien en ningún momento se ceba con la descripción del momento en sí (ya que en ambas llegamos a toro pasado). Hay un detalle interesante y es que, en este caso, en vez de emplearse el sufrimiento del personaje femenino para hacer avanzar la plotline del personaje masculino, como suele pasar, nos encontramos con una inversión. Es interesante cómo evolucionan todos los personajes a través del dolor principalmente, y lo poco que emplea los momentos dulces para hacerlos crecer. Por otro lado, los personajes sufren y ven el mundo de una forma desapasionada, buscando la supervivencia y cebar a la bestia que llevan dentro. Es interesante porque muestra de forma convincente los pensamientos y el sufrimiento que lleva parejo el ser capaz de causar daño a otros seres humanos.

La historia en sí es bastante sencilla: la chica consigue huir de su casa, la confunden con un chico y tiene que mantener esa fachada para no ser empleada como parte del prostíbulo (hay un punto interesante porque es la única mercenaria de todo el ejército, el resto de mujeres son todas débiles y parte del campamento "sumisa"). A pesar de lo cual, la que la descubre dice que no es la primera que ve que hace eso, ni la primera guerrera que conoce. Sin embargo, se ve cómo la autora también da valor y fuerza a esa forma de supervivencia. En este caso, podemos ver cómo lo que más critica la autora con su novela son tanto el fanatismo religioso como lo que el ansia de poder hace a la gente. El giro final me lo esperaba básicamente desde la mitad del libro, así que no me ha sorprendido demasiado, pero está muy bien construido para que lo veas venir y esperes que no se cumpla.

En definitiva, se trata de un libro interesante, que, aunque a mí no me ha gustado especialmente por la cantidad de sangre y vísceras, creo que consigue transmitir esa sensación de momento violento y sin verdadero futuro que debían sentir los mercenarios. Tiene también ciertos detalles interesantes en la nota de la autora al final que equilibran y dan un cierto marco a lo que sucede en la novela.

This was a lot more grimdark than I was expecting! Though not technically grimdark by strictest definition, the story was gritty, replete with violence and hard hitting. It fulfilled the same needs as Grimdark, if you like, and I loved every second of it. Constanter is a young girl struggling to assert agency over her own life in a Romanesque, patriarchal society. She is mistaken for a boy and conscripted for a bloody war. Really that’s all you need to know going in. Don’t expect YA themes because the protagonist is young or because this is a female author (yeah I see you fantasy readers who do this all the time and wrongly) this is very definitely not YA. Constanter’s character arc is intense and compelling. The world building is good and the story is gripping. Can’t wait for the next book.

I opened the first pages of SILVERLEGS with high expectations. I was not disappointed. I would like to take a moment to quote a passage from the acknowledgments of Camilla's Monk Acknowledgements.

"Next, and oddly enough, I do want to thank the twelve publishing houses who turned down SILVERLEGS..."

Yes, I read the acknowledgments too. Lol. Thank you, Camilla Monk for perusing the route of publishing after these idiots turned down your lush, dark, novel. This just goes to show the reading and writing community that the publishing industry doesn't always know what the market needs. I am a huge fan and can't wait to see the squeal come out. Camilla Monk rocked this novel.

So take that twelve publishing house idiots.

Okay, back to the review. I didn't want to stop when the story kicked off. The pace, internal thought process, determination, rage, revenge, the screwed up situation she finds herself and relies on to not be seen as a feeble girl during this time is simply fantastic.

Now some people will be like 'feeble girl'. That's right I said it. The time frame in which SILVERLEGS takes place is when women are undervalued, seen as mere pleasure objects, and not held in high regard. May some be respected if they do more, yes, but this isn't always the case.

If it came between the male and female, the woman was expendable.

This novel has so much graphic detail, it hits on trigger warning topics (homophobia, misogynistic, rape, violence) and it leaves no doubt in my mind of what harsh conditions await a woman/a Mollis/or commoner of this time. Honestly, this is probably why I loved the story even more given the accurate nature to which these characters were forced to survive. Take off those rose-tinted glasses. Life isn't pretty, the world harbors harsh realities in the dark, and Camilla Monk has tapped into that harsh world in the depiction of her novel.

I loved every part I read in SILVERLEGS and was captivated with the guts of the novel as I was with the cover. I rated SILVERLEGS 5/5 STARS. Thank you, Camilla Monk for writing such a standout novel. I can't wait to read the rest in the series. I'm truly an avid fan.

I received an ARC of SILVERLEGS by Camilla Monk in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of the review.

Let’s be honest here. If it was great or sucked I have no problem writing it out.

Want to see the fabulous Cover Critique of SILVERLEGS? Head on over to the Mother Cover Lover website www.jenarcollins.com