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Stuart Rudge

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Rise of a Champion (Legend of the Cid Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Stuart Rudge (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.4 226 ratings

Book 1 of 5: Legend of the Cid

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Antonio Perez is the son of a knight and a returning war hero, yet he loathes the idea of following in his father’s footsteps. But when his father is executed for alleged treason against Fernando, King of Leon-Castile, he launches a desperate bid to save his life and clear his name. Antonio soon learns that the world is much crueller and darker than he ever could have imagined.

Bereft of hope and condemned to slavery for his sins, he finds himself in the household of a young knight named Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar, a man destined for greatness. Together, they must face their demons and put an end to the man responsible for the downfall of the fathers; known as Azarola, renowned for his fox like cunning and malice, and one of the most powerful lords of Leon.

Rise of a Champion is the epic beginning to the Legend of the Cid.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08742YDMZ
Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 27, 2020
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 1336 KB
Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 280 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #1,057,727 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #4,714 in War & Military Action Fiction (Kindle Store)
- #7,051 in War & Military Action Fiction (Books)
- #33,650 in Historical Fiction (Kindle Store)

Customer Reviews:
4.4 226 ratings

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Stuart Rudge

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Stuart Rudge was born and raised in Middlesbrough, where he still lives. His love of history came from his father and uncle, both avid readers of history, and his love of table top war gaming and strategy video games. He studied Ancient History and Archaeology at Newcastle University, and has spent his fair share of time in muddy trenches, digging up treasure at Bamburgh Castle.

He has worked in the retail sector and volunteered in museums, before working in York Minster, which he considered the perfect office. His love of writing blossomed within the historic walls, and he knew there were stories within which had to be told. Despite a move in to the shipping and logistics sector (a far cry to what he hoped to ever do), his love of writing has only grown stronger.

Rise of a Champion is the first piece of work he has dared to share with the world. Before that came a novel about the Roman Republic and a Viking-themed fantasy series (which will likely never see the light of day, but served as good practise). He hopes to establish himself as a household name in the mound of Bernard Cornwell, Giles Kristian, Ben Kane and Matthew Harffy, amongst a host of his favourite writers.

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4.4 out of 5

226 global ratings

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hopper

Great series

Reviewed in the United States on November 14, 2021

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I found this author on history quill, this is a great author, I completely enjoyed this book . The main character is a young boy trying to make his way through hardship

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Mercedes Rochelle

At first, a most unlikely hero

Reviewed in the United States on January 5, 2021

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As expected from the title of this book, we see a young and untried Antonio Perez, son of a man who was betrayed, arrested, and hung as a traitor. Not a very auspicious start for a champion! At first, Antonio seems an unlikely hero; he is scrawny, he hates his sword training, he is not particularly courageous, and he is lost—in more ways than one. His older brother Inigo, vicious and skillful, takes charge and leads him and his cousin on an ill-fated journey to avenge their father and uncle. All goes very badly and Antonio finds himself the unwilling participant of a confrontation-turned-slaughter on the Camino de Santiago:

"Inigo looked at me with eyes full of pain and offered a sad smile. ‘Forgive me, brother. Forgive me for everything.’
He closed his eyes and tilted his head back, before he whispered to the sky. ‘Forgive me, father.’
Rodrigo’s blade sliced across Inigo’s throat and sent a shower of blood spurting on to the ground. My brother choked for a moment before his body went limp and fell to the floor, lifeless.
And I was alone."

Rodrigo takes Antonio as a slave, and the boy’s prospects go from bad to worse. He is left with the burning desire to avenge his father’s death, though first he must survive a brutal introduction to his new circumstances. Surprisingly, he discovers hidden strengths and resilience and even finds he can defend himself if necessary. It’s a long haul to acceptance, but once he realizes he does not need to hide his true identity, matters take on a whole new turn. He leaves his miserable boyhood behind and emerges as a worthy warrior. At the same time, the opportunity for revenge comes tantalizingly close. But he still has a long way to go. This book gives us a long and slow character development; at first it seems impossible that this wretch will become the famous El Cid. It remains to be seen how this vengeful youth will turn into a great hero.

I will say, this book is in need of a good proofreader; if this bothers you, it might diminish your enjoyment.

One person found this helpful

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nathan

Great novel

Reviewed in the United States on August 23, 2020

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A great read! What can be mistaken for a slow start turns into the foundation of a great novel! An interesting book covering a subject not often written in English. Highly recommended for those interested in the times of El Cid

One person found this helpful

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Paul Bennett

A Great Beginning

Reviewed in the United States on May 15, 2020

BLURB

Antonio Perez is the son of a knight and a returning war hero, yet he loathes the idea of following in his father’s footsteps. But when his father is executed for alleged treason against Fernando, King of Leon-Castile, he launches a desperate bid to save his life and clear his name. Antonio soon learns that the world is much crueller and darker than he ever could have imagined.

Bereft of hope and condemned to slavery for his sins, he finds himself in the household of a young knight named Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar, a man destined for greatness. Together, they must face their demons and put an end to the man responsible for the downfall of the fathers; known as Azarola, renowned for his fox like cunning and malice, and one of the most powerful lords of Leon.

Rise of a Champion is the epic beginning to the Legend of the Cid.

REVIEW

It seems that no matter how many historical fiction books I read, there are always historical events, locales, and personalities that I know little or nothing about. Sometimes these events, important though they are, become overshadowed by concurrent events in other parts of the globe. Rise of a Champion is the first book in a series about Antonio Perez, El Cid...undoubtedly an important person in an important time in what is now Spain. It is a rousing tale of his early life; the tortuous road he takes to salvage his family's honor. The author has done his homework and has created a very entertaining tale of the clash of Moor versus Christian. The characters are well developed, fitting into the time, place and cultures of the era. I had very little knowledge of this period even though I have read many books that take place at the same time - an example of the overshadowing effect - the year Rise of a Champion ends is 1064 - lots of stuff going on in Normandy and Britain right about then. 😊 But, it is good to branch out, to learn about, and be entertained by history no matter the time or place. I am looking forward to following the rest of El Cid's tale. 4⭐⭐⭐⭐

One person found this helpful

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Charlotte Jennings

Can't wait for more!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 6, 2020

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Needed something to keep me entertained for a few days during lockdown, this book did not disappoint!
I'm normally more of a murder mystery person, so this wasn't my usual genre, but as the author is local to my area I bought the Kindle version to show my support.

The beginning is very descriptive, so much so I considered putting it down, like I had done with so many books before this. But, in lockdown, I had nothing better to do so I persevered, and I was rewarded for doing so. There were a number of twists, with the story not playing out as I had thought it would, and I was hooked enough to be reading into the early hours of the morning on more than one occasion. I know nothing of medieval Spain but Antonio's character development was fascinating, and the way the book was written made you feel like you were going into battle with him!

The only problem with discovering the series so early on is having to wait for the next book! I will definitely be pre-ordering when book 2 becomes available.

One person found this helpful

Nightwatch Publishing

A recommended read. Five Stars.

Reviewed in Australia on October 18, 2020

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An enjoyable read. The first book in a promising new series, regarding the story of El Cid, the famous historical military leader and national hero from Spain. The first book is of the quality of The Saxon Stories (The Last Kingdom) by Bernard Cornwell. The story tells of El Cid's youth and start to his famous path. There is plenty of action, twists, and changes of fortune which keep the story and main character engaging to the end. The quality of the historical detail and knowledge is as good as any. A recommended read. Five Stars.

David Baird

Antonio is in for a rough ride! Gripping!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 6, 2020

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Antonio is book smart.. he’s not like his father, a war hero, and he’s got very little common with his brother too. Little does he know his life is soon to change and his strengths and weaknesses will be put to the test.

For Antonio life is simple.. he loves to learn and only has eyes for 2 things.. books and Jimena, the daughter of a local count.

Things are not meant to be easy for Antonio and he is to be separated from the girl he yearns for.. he’s going to learn to be a fighter one way or another if his dad has anything to say about it!

Things don’t quite go to plan.

Tragedy soon strikes a heavy blow when Antonio’s father is executed for treason! A crime he did not commit.. but what can Antonio do about it? He’s got to save his own neck first as the men charged with the execution want him too!

From there his life hits a downward spiral. He survives with this brother and cousin at his side but they are very much chalk and cheese.. Inigo his brother is mean and controlling and they are soon involved in events Antonio will live to regret.

I’m not going to spoil what happens but as the synopsis suggests Antonio soon ends in the household of Rodrigo, a fair but harsh man when needed. This relationship sees Antonio grow from a boy into a man.. a man Antonio never thought he would be.. A man his father would be proud to see.

War is brewing and with this comes the chance to exact revenge on the person Antonio believes is responsible for his fathers death.. Azarola.. it’s not going to be easy though.

What I really enjoyed with this tale more than anything was the mix of detail and plot.. the fight scenes were immense and heart stoppingly gripping..not only did you get an overall picture of events of the period the tale is set but you get to see it from Antonio’s eyes, blinkered at times.. with sight only for Azarola.. but can that hatred and lust be tamed? It’s a great balance of history and the authors creative skills allowing him to stamp his mark on the world.

I also really enjoyed that we get to meet Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar, who will become known as El Cid, through the eyes of Antonio. I’ll be the first to admit I’ve heard the name.. and heard of the movie from the 60s but that’s as far as my knowledge goes. I love when an author can help introduce me to real history while writing their tale..Not only do a get a wonderful book to read but afterward I find myself doing my own research.. reading more..and now I can’t wait to get to grips with book 2 in the series!

I love history but largely my knowledge is what I learned at school… so very little since there’s so much out there to learn.. teachers can’t possibly share it all. I really do believe tales this this have a big part to play in keeping history alive. Loved it!

One person found this helpful

MR R G LOGAN

great storytelling

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 2, 2022

Verified Purchase

Fantastic story, well written, punctuation is not correct on kindle, but easy enough to read.
Greet characters in a very interesting place and time :)
Well done to the author. I look forward to book 2

Barbara Cambridge

Terrific story

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 23, 2022

Verified Purchase

Stuart has a terrific story of a period of rapid and violent change. His knowledge of the period and place is extensive and his description of early medieval life and warfare is intensely realistic, and the story fair gallops along. Why have I only given 4 stars? I feel his English teacher would be horrified at the sometimes atrocious grammar and spelling. The story was otherwise so good that I could mostly overlook this, but any future books would benefit from a group of (literate) beta readers.

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