The Gladiator and the Guard (Krillonian Chronicles, Book 2)

De: Annie Douglass Lima

Narrado por: Joseph Baltz

A false accusation. An unjust verdict. A sentence worse than death.

Enslaved teen martial artist Bensin is just one victory away from freedom—or one mistake away from disaster. But when a bitter rival frames him for a crime he didn’t commit, his fate is sealed with ruthless efficiency: a lifetime as a gladiator, forced to fight and bleed to entertain a bloodthirsty audience.

Every day pushes Bensin to his limits as he struggles to survive in an environment designed to break him. The brutal system strips men of their identity, but Bensin refuses to be just another pawn in its deadly game. Defiance, however, comes at a high price. When he infuriates the authorities with his choices, he knows he will face a violent death. Can Bensin stand against the cruelty of the arena system and seize his freedom before that system crushes him?

Grab your copy of The Gladiator and the Guard now and dive into a pulse-pounding adventure perfect for fans of The Hunger Games, Karate Kid, and Gladiator!

©2016 Annie Douglass Lima (P)2025 Annie Douglass Lima

A slave gladiators life.

An excellent nail biting read/listen. I learned about a slave gladiator's life. I loved Bensin. What a brave soul.

I received an Audible version of this book from the author through Story Origin. The narrators voice took some getting use to. But, I did, and really enjoyed this 16 hour listen. I highly recommend. 5+ stars for the story. 4+ stars for the narration.

The Gladiator and the guard

An action packed sports and rescue story and he was rescued just in time before he was to have to if hit to stay alive as his top boss wanted his dead. Read it to find out just how it all came about.

4.5/5 Stars YA Action/Dystopia

Summary:
Bensin gets accused of a crime he didn't commit. He's sentenced to death in the arena and winds up as a gladiator. Meanwhile, Coach and Bensin's sister are trying desperately to find a way to free him before it's too late.

Additional Comments:
- 4/5 Stars Main Characters: Bensin goes through a brief time of being a complete jerk, but he thankfully gets over that. Ellie’s cute, but in audio it’s just painful. That’s not the narrator’s fault. He does whiny girl well, but oy, still painful. Coach Stein’s a hapless but nice guy. These are all characters you can root for.
- Plot 4.5/5 Stars: It’s a very long book, but there’s excellent flow to what happens. There’s also good balance between the two stories: Ellie/Coach and Bensin.
- Performance 4/5 Stars: Joseph Baltz does a lovely job with distinguishing the characters. There were some annoying parts where he tries to convey speaking while somebody is chewing. I get that, and he does it well. Still doesn’t make those parts less annoying.
- World Building 5/5 Stars: The Krillonian Empire isn’t exactly one you’d like to live in, but it’s well described and very interesting.
- 4/5 Stars Cover and Title Fit: very well.
- 3/5 Stars Sense of Closure: You do get the sense that this ch closes, but there’s clearly a third book. It’s not exactly the sort of series you’d be okay to read out of order.
- 2/5 Stars Preview: This is probably just a pet peeve of mine. I find previews of future audiobooks terribly annoying, especially if the audiobook isn’t ready yet.

Conclusion:
A very, very, very long but good entry in an excellent series.

*I received a free copy of the audio. I have freely chosen to review. All thoughts are my own.

Freedom comes with haunting sacrifices

Received as an audio review copy from the author, this is an honest review. Narrated once again by Joseph Baltz, whose gorgeous and chilling performance of the second book of his trilogy makes the story's all the more haunting and memorable. On the cusp of earning his own freedom, Bensin ponders what his future could hold with one path could be a professional fighter; but after he is brutally assaulted, Bensin's future is altered forever. Falsely accused of trying to murder in the same assault of his tournament rival; Bensin is sent to die in Red Arena, against the fierce gladiators he once admired. Bensin's coach, sister and friends are deeply shattered by the outcome and are left emotionally reeling of a future without Bensin. Harrowingly switching back and forth, we witness the darkly ruthlessness and abuse Bensin and his fellow gladiators endure; with Bensin struggling to figure out what kind of fighter does he wanted to become. Can he still be a kind person when the system keeps beating you down? What happens to Ellie and Bensin's former coach is so poignant and realistic you feel their sadness, trauma and determination to find a way to rescue Bensin... no matter the cost or sacrifice its calls upon to make. This already beautiful series gets hellishly gritty and dark that has you looking at this world in a fresh and difficult way, highly recommended.

The Adventure Continues

I was entertained by book two. I was kept on the edge of my seat, as I followed Bensin's story from being falsely accused to being dragged into a gladiator's arena. I experienced the ups and downs as Bensin's family tried to find ways to rescue him from his situation. As the story progressed, I grew to like the characters more; however, I also felt anger that a man who knew slavery was wrong, wrestled with his conscious, and yet, he never freed Bensin. I thought Joseph Baltz's narration was fine, but there were times when his voice for Bensin's sister, especially when she was crying, which I found irritating. I was given a copy of the audiobook. I volunteered, without financial gain, to post this review which included my honest opinions regarding this story.