Book Review: The Warlord (Rise of the Warlords) by Gena Showalter

The Warlord is the first book in the Rise of the Warlords series by Gena Showalter, which is set in the same world as the Lords of the Underworld series (with some character carry over). Newcomers will be able to enjoy the read, but longtime fans of Showalter will enjoy seeming some past favorites pop up.

For centuries, Taliyah Skyhawk has prepared to become Harpy General, leader of the deadliest female army in existence. One of the requirements? Remain a virgin. But, for a chance to save her people, she must wed the fearless leader of the Astra Planeta, Alaroc Phaethon. The time has come for Roc to sacrifice another virgin bride to his god. There has never been a woman alluring enough to tempt him from his path. No warrioress powerful enough to overcome his incredible strength. No enchantress desirable enough to make him burn beyond reason. Until now. With the clock ticking, war between husband and wife ignites. Except Taliyah never expected the merciless king to challenge the future she once envisioned. She certainly never anticipated the thrill of their battles turning into games. The problem is, only one spouse can survive.

The Warlord is a solid paranormal romance. I liked returning to the world created by Showalter- it has been awhile since I read the her work. I enjoyed the characters and the mixture of witty banter, heat, and trying to find a solution for the problems at hand. I think it was all woven together very well. There are secrets about heritage, powers, and how things could play out. There is a great set up for the books to follow, and part of that is how well done the secondary characters were fleshed out- and the larger story arch was introduced. I am very interested to see how the Astra move forward- and how the crazy extended family might play a role in the future. I also like that we get the voices of both Roc and Taliyah, so we know the plans and emotions behind the choices made.  The only problem I found will hopefully be fixed in formatting of the final version, because in the ARC I had there was no break of differentiation between the two points of view. One sentence would be Taliyah, the next Roc, and sometimes it took me a moment to catch up with the change.

The Warlord is a must read for fans of the author. Newcomers might not enjoy it as much, but the mixture of snark, heat, and danger is nearly perfect.