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Review: "Tricent Commissioning," by Alyson Santos

  • Writer: Tesrin Afzal
    Tesrin Afzal
  • Mar 17, 2016
  • 4 min read

Courageous warriors fighting against vicious & powerful senate 10 gazillion stars Holy Batman in Gotham! What did I just read? To say my little geeky heart is ecstatic at this moment would be a freaking understatement. Alyson Santos has blown me away with her debut novel. Tricent Commissioning is a story of great intrigue revolving around Rome’s greatest Emperor. It takes us on a journey of intense emotion with a heartless senate in cahoots with their sadistic puppets, waiting to wreak havoc on innocent lives. The one thing standing in the way of utter annihilation of Rome is the few brave and courageous warriors. Warriors that have endured pain beyond comprehension, these brave souls will sacrifice everything to ensure that Rome stands not in the hands of a dictator hell bent on power. Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a slave? What it’s like to be the Emperor’s most fierce general? Do you ever wonder what goes in the minds of legionnaires who have been forced to leave the army in disgrace? How the daughter of an elite Senator feels when she sees atrocities unfolding in front of her eyes? We get an intimate and up close and personal look into the lives of the elites and privileged as well as the discarded and forgottens. Tricent Commissioning clearly depicts the hungry beast that power is and how it can corrupts the mind. How easily and without conscience the Senate can take advantage of the innocents as well as the helpless. From chapter one until the end, I was on a ride that not only gave me an insight into the lives of the long forgotten heroes and villains but it gave me an experience that will forever leave its presence in my heart. The story starts off with Jason, the slave, the gladiator, the one person in this story that literally shattered my heart with his every step into the story. To say his story was the hardest and most painful to read would be an understatement. How can a person live when his every movement can lead to beatings, rape, degradation and even death? As I said power corrupts, power feeds, power seduces. It devours everything around it until nothing is left but a shell of a once beautiful existence. You would do anything to impress a man of power and slay the innocent. The unprotected.

From Jason, we move on to Tacitus and Argus. *sigh* They were both in the Emperors elite legion but were forced to leave it. Tacitus lost more than Argus, and when the truth behind the dishonorably discharge was revealed, my heart yet again bled for the young warrior. He had lost everything dear to him because of a power hungry monster who was yet again wreaking havoc in the lives of foreigners and happily spreading lies. Then we meet, Mallia, the young, impressionable at times but incredibly compassionate daughter of Senator Lucius Justus. Due to her father’s power she is very close to the Emperor’s niece and hence finds herself in the midst of the secret surrounding Tricent. I loved her courage and the kindness she showed to the less fortunate. When Severus, who happens to by my other true love, comes forward with the plan to help keep Rome safe from the clutches of the evil Senate (not all Senate members were evil just the majority), and explained how the whole thing will play out. My heart bleed and whooped at the same time. He had brought together a group of people who had a lot to lose yet they were the best of the best, they were the only salvation for Rome. They each had to be the other’s stone, they each had to shoulder each other’s burden, they each had to wipe the blood off and make sure no one gave up. And then came Severus, a true hero and mentor. A brave soldier who was putting everything in line and his words. Oh evil spawns of Satan in hell! His words at every stage as I read on made me feel. I felt the strike of each word because they were true. They were real and those words was the sole reason for Tricent Commissioning. There were moments in this book when I wanted to gut the evil ones. So much hatred, so much greed for power, so much cruelty. A word to the wise, there will be moments in this story when you will want to dive inside with a gladius and shove the blade into the dark hearts of each evil spirit. The horror that unfolds will make you want to go and save these precious few who are doing everything in their power to keep us safe. As the story progressed, one broken soul felt a spark of light called hope. Another felt their heart break into pieces as they watched a statue come alive and then go dead. Another felt a ray of sunlight in the shape of a tiny inferno called Seia. Another felt himself fall irrevocably in love with an innocent elite. And another watched while his secret warriors waged their battles against evil that was common in Rome.

Alyson Santos has left me feeling a whole gamut of emotions. She has ripped my thoughts apart, pulled my conscience out into the open to face the evil that was circling Rome. I’ve read many books in my life, but I have never called anyone my No. 1 author, haven’t placed any book as my no. 1 book, and haven’t loved characters whom I have placed on my no. 1 list. Yet I cannot but give that title to this young and new author. Thank you from the bottom of a geek’s heart, you’ve given her an awe-inspiring experience. I thank you for Rus, Jase, Taci, Argo and Lia! I cannot wait to read more of her work. She’s totally captured my heart and I am glad that she’s taken it hostage.

 
 
 

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