Gladiatrix – Rhonda Roberts
HarperCollins, 2009
592 pages
RRPS: AU$20.99
ISBN: 9780732288556

Reviewed by Liz Grzyb

The first novel in the Timestalker series by Rhonda Roberts, Gladiatrix, is an intriguing and fast-paced novel that stands alone very well. It tells the story of Kannon, an Australian girl who has recently lost her foster mother, fighting to find out the truth about her birth. Kannon then discovers evidence to prove she is the daughter of the US Time Warden, Victoria Dupree, jut as Victoria goes missing on a mission to Ancient Rome. After uncovering a plot to kill Victoria, Kannon decides to follow her.

Kannon finds out that Victoria was posing as a gladiatrix in order to infiltrate the Isis cult, and takes her place. Luckily Kannon’s foster mother trained her in Japanese martial arts, so it wasn’t too difficult a masquerade to begin with. However, the corruption seems to be more widespread than she thought.

Gladiatrix is an entertaining and interesting contrast, set partially in Australia and mostly in Ancient Rome. The time-travel aspect of the story, one I usually find tedious, seemed fresh in this story, probably due to the resonant characterisation of Kannon and the vivid construction of the settings. The near-future world where the story initially takes place has only the occasional alteration, such as time travel. The Roman world also seems pretty plausible.

Kannon is an interesting and likeable heroine, and I’m definitely looking forward to Hoodwink, the next in the series.