Fighting for love, honor, and freedom on the galaxy’s lawless outer rim…When Earth space marine Harper Adams finds herself abducted by alien slavers off a space station, her life turns into a battle for survival. Dumped into an arena on a desert planet on the outer rim, she finds herself face to face with a big, tattooed alien gladiator…the champion of the Kor Magna Arena.A former prince … Arena.
A former prince abandoned to the arena as a teen, Raiden Tiago has long ago earned his freedom. Now he rules the arena, but he doesn’t fight for the glory, but instead for his own dark purpose–revenge against the Thraxian aliens who destroyed his planet. Then his existence is rocked by one small, fierce female fighter from an unknown planet called Earth.
Harper is determined to find a way home, but when she spots her best friend in the arena–a slave of the evil Thraxian aliens–she’ll do anything to save her friend…even join forces with the tough, alpha male who sets her body on fire. But as Harper and Raiden step foot onto the blood-soaked sands of the arena, Harper worries that Raiden has his own dangerous agenda…
Note to readers: This sci fi romance contains a lot of action (think wild gladiatorial fights and daring rescues), tough gladiators (the warriors of the House of Galen) and a steamy romance (between a fierce space marine and a gritty, alpha male gladiator). So if you like it fast, and gritty, and sexy, this is for you!
Includes a preview of Galactic Gladiators #2, Warrior.
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Q & A with the Author
Q – How would you describe the Galactic Gladiators series?
A – Gladiators in space! The desert planet of Carthago is home to the Kor Magna Arena: it’s a mix of low and high tech. Think the Colosseum of Ancient Rome with a touch of professional sports and a side of Las Vegas glitz and temptation. You’ll see a lot of action-packed romance as women abducted from Earth clash with tough, gritty gladiators fighting for love, honor, and freedom.
Q – Why did you want to write the series?
A – It’s no secret that I love action, adventure and romance. And I love science fiction romance and all the endless possibilities. Raiden, the gladiator hero of Gladiator, stormed into my head and wanted his story told. I saw this big, tough man covered in tattoos facing off with an equally tough female space marine from Earth. That’s where it all began, and since then the planet of Carthago, the intrigues of the Kor Magna Arena, and an amazing band of gladiators came to life.
Q – What order should I read the books in?
A – All the Galactic Gladiator books will be stand-alone romances centered on the Kor Magna Arena, rescuing abducted humans, and making a life far from home. Here’s the order I suggest:
– Gladiator
– Warrior
– Hero
– Protector
– Champion
More gladiators coming soon!
About Anna: I’m passionate about all things action romance. I love stories that combine the thrill of falling in love with the excitement of action, danger and adventure. I write about people overcoming unbeatable odds and achieving seemingly impossible goals. I like to believe it’s possible for all of us to do the same.
The Galactic Gladiators Science Fiction Romance Series:
– Science Fiction Romance
– Action Adventure Romance
– Space Opera
– Futuristic Romance
– Fantasy Romance
– Military Romance
– Paranormal Romance
more
Gladiator is book one in the Galactic Gladiators series by Anna Hackett.
Hackett is an amazing science fiction romance author. I feel in love with this series and devoured it one book after another. Gladiator surprised and captivated me.
House of Galen is the home of the biggest and baddest gladiators.
Harper is kick-ass heroine. A force to be reckoned with. Her ship is attacked and she finds herself in-slaved to a cruel race and she is soon thrown into the gladiator arena where she rises to the top; gaining the attention of the reining champion of the House of Galen, Raiden.
Raiden is the reining champion of the arena. He’s alpha, demanding, and bad ass. I liked him and his alpha-ness. He soon finds himself captivated by this small human who can fight and survive in the arena and learns fast that he likes having her close in and off the arena field.
Their romance was a lot of fun. It worked. Both had to learn to give and take, to be partners together, and that they both needed something in life and that something was found in each other. I enjoyed the idea of a big tough gladiator being struck almost dumb by the much smaller women. It’s an appealing storyline.
Gladiator is a slow start, but once we get on the Gladiator plant things pick up and move fast. House of Galen isn’t what it seams and we learn that they are trying to help those that don’t belong in the arena. As things move along and start to ramp up in the story we get loads of action, fight scenes, and romance. The author takes her time introducing the characters, world, and what is to come. I loved meeting all the Gladiators of House of Galen and some of the other houses.
Gladiator is a fabulous start to the series. I was mesmerized and couldn’t stop reading.
Rated: 4 Stars
I highly recommend this series
When Space Marine Harper Adams is abducted by alien slavers she is determined to free herself. Instead she finds herself battling in a gladiator arena and fighting her feelings for the star alien gladiator.
This was a fun and quick read filled with aliens, battles, and killer animals. We are quickly introduced to this gladiator world and the Kor Magna arena. I know Hackett will continue to develop the world as the series goes on so this doesn’t really bother me. Also since this is a short book, the romance is fast and intense, which I love.
I loved Harper. She was a dangerous and kick-ass heroine. She never backs down and won’t give up without a fight. She is the perfect partner for the best gladiator on the planet. As you can imagine, Raiden is a demanding alpha male who is deadly. He is instantly attracted to the small human who can kick some major ass, which is a perfect storyline for me.
“She would be a warrior queen, who would stand by his side, no matter what.”
This is a complex and deadly world filled with aliens, gladiators and danger. I found all the House of Galen gladiators to be very interesting and unique. We only get a brief intro into a few of the humans but I know they are going to be great characters as well. This was just a great start to the series, and I can’t wait to jump into the next book.
Surviving an alien abduction is hard. You have to be strong, and not fall to insanity. You have to know how to fight.
THE BLURB
Harper Adams is abducted from the space station that she lives and works in. She’s forced into slavery. Her life becomes a battle for survival, literally. She’s to be a gladiator.
Raiden Tiago has fought for years, having long since earned his freedom. Now he rules the arena as the best fighter ever seen. He doesn’t fight for glory, but for his own purposes – revenge against the Thraxian aliens that destroyed his planet. His world is rocked when he sees the small Earthling Harper.
Harper soon learns she’ll have to fight for more than just her life. She was separated from her friends, and she now knows they are also fighting in the gladiator arenas. Can she save them? And what about the tough, alpha male Raiden that sets her body on fire?
Fighting for love, honor, and freedom on the galaxy’s lawless outer rim…
TONE OF THE BOOK
Gladiator is a somewhat positive book focused on adventure rather than drama. Harper is a strong-willed heroine and doesn’t get bogged down in her own emotions, nor does Anna Hackett write overly long and depressing scenes.
SENSITIVE TOPICS
Gladiator is aimed at mature readers:
There are a number of sexual scenes between characters.
The novel begins fairly quickly with an abduction scene. There are also a couple scenes where death occurs. Despite this, the overall novel is fairly light hearted and doesn’t focus much on negative or sensitive topics.
SERIES SYNOPSIS
Gladiator is the first book in a currently 12 book series known as Galactic Gladiators.
Each book in the series is approximately 200 pages, so it’s slightly shorter than your average romance novel. It will finish fast, but most likely because the story is such a fun read.
Each novel in the series focuses on a different set of characters and their romantic relationships. Gladiator does not have a cliffhanger for the romantic couple; it ends in a happy ever after. However the plot of the world continues.
REVIEW
Gladiator is slow to start. Whilst there is a lot of action and adventure in the first half of the book, I found myself not really connecting with the characters until 50% of the way through. From that point the pacing and character growth picks up rapidly, and I was suddenly hooked.
Anna Hackett excels in writing fast action scenes that drives the story forward with tension and adventure.
The characters are interesting and despite their alpha-tough appearances, they are friendly and invite the reader to want to get to know them. The dynamics between their relationships will prove to be a fun read.
FINAL WORD
Gladiator is an adventure novel you’re likely to love. It’s a quick read, filled with fast-paced action.
Excellent first book in the Galactic Gladiators series. I love all the characters and the storyline is very original. I’m looking forward to reading more books in this series.
I decided to read Gladiator by Anna Hackett for the Alien Avenue block for the Romanceopoly Challenge, and I’m glad I did because I found a new author and series to add to my auto-buy list. First off, I haven’t read much Science Fiction Romance, but I’m going to remedy that by reading more of it in 2020. (Not this year since I already have a mass pile of books to read this year.)
I enjoyed Gladiator by Anna Hackett because it reminded me of Star Wars and Gladiator. Star Wars + Gladiator = Action-packed Science Fiction Romance that will have you on the edge of your seat and needing a cold shower.
The female protagonist Harper Adams is a human who has been abducted and sold by Alien Slavers. The Alien that ends up buying her is Galen, and his slaves are Gladiators. He forces her to become one, but that’s no issue for her since she proved herself in the beginning that she can fight and is not a female to mess with due to her attitude and strength. His gladiators though are not enslaved, and she comes across a very sexy, strong alien gladiator named Raiden Tiago. He’s a former prince for his planet that was destroyed by Thraxian aliens. He wants to avenge his family and planet from what happens to them, which is why he’s one of the mighty Gladiators for House of Galen. He gets a chance to take his revenge out on Thraxian aliens. He meets Harper, and she shows him that revenge is not always the answer. He ends up helping her when she finds out one of her friends is a slave for the Thraxian aliens.
Both Harper and Raiden may be from different planets, but they’re perfect for each other. Harper changes Raiden in the book, but not at first. He’s a stubborn, sexy, alpha alien who usually gets his way with other females. Harper doesn’t make it easy for him because she doesn’t want to be another female he has been within his life.
I loved the story that Anna Hackett created for Gladiator, and I loved the steaminess in the book too. Yes, there was some serious steaminess between Harper and Raiden. I loved how she reacted to Raiden when she first saw him not wearing anything. I also loved how Raiden responded to how Harper was in bed with him. It was steamy even for him.
If you are a fan of Sci-Fi Romance, then I would recommend this book. I’m going to check out the rest of the series because I want to know who each Gladiator hooks up within their books. I’m glad I found a new author and thanks to Romanceopoly for given me the chance to find Anna Beckett.
Story Rating: 4-star rating
Steaminess Rating: 4-star rating
Standalone or part of series: Part of series, but each follows a new couple.
Do I recommend this book? Yes.
Will I read other books from the author? Yes.
Tropes/Elements: Action-packed (Gladiator fighting); Aliens
Hero: Alien; Gladiator; Alpha; Sexy
Heroine: Human; Kick-Butt; Forced into being a Gladiator
Great paranormal romance book. This story gives you action ( a lot of it) and steamy romance. It was a very enjoyable read.
The story line sucked me in. Heroine gets kidnapped and forced to fight in an alien Romanesque arena? Sign me up. My only major con was that the aliens were too human for me. There were no major language or cultural misunderstandings. Is that a bad thing? There weren’t any moments of excessive angst and that causes me disappointment? Sounds like a personal problem…
Anna Hackett has done it again! Yet another fantastic series that I’m speeding through! These ladies are as tough as their male counterparts and it’s facinating to watch them grow together!
I loved getting lost in this book. Anna Hackett takes you on a real life journey in every book she writes. I literally felt like I was on this foreign planet with them. And let me tell you, Ms. Hackett knows how to create a strong alpha male that is sexy as hell and makes you want him all for yourself! I thought army men were sexy..well they got NOTHING on gladiators!!!
Another fantastic new series to love!!! I mean Gladiators in Space!! How else could I feed my ancient history/sci fi loving nerdiness?!?!?!
Earth has only just started to explore at the closest planets. Harper has nothing left on Earth and she decides to feed her adventurous soul by working at a Space Station. She has a few friends on the station and she is happy enough with her life. But when a sporadic wormhole opens up and the station is attacked, she finds herself scooped up as a slave and sucked back through the wormhole.
She soon learns she’s about 200yrs from home and the planet she has been dumped on thrives on slavery and gladiatorial matches. She soon learns that there are some bright spots, such as the tall, brooding and down right lethal Raiden. He may be a slave but he still manages to wield power over her.
Kor Magna became Raidens prison/new home when his planet was exterminated by the same race that kidnapped Harper. House of Galen hides many secrets and not everything appears as it actually is. Raiden and his fellow gladiators seem more like family than competitors.
I get that Harper is a trained Marine and has a leg up against most others who were dropped into the arena but I just think she should have struggled more against more battle hardened and let’s face it other worldly fighting techniques. But otherwise this was absolutely smashing read. Harper and Raiden sizzle and the camaraderie he and the others in House of Galen share is fantastically well written. I loved the little vignettes of possible future books/characters to be discovered and that Harper may not be as alone in her human-ness as she thought!