Title: Leon the Warrior Dog: Book 1
Author: C.Y. Sansum
Publisher: AuthorHouseUK
ISBN: 978-1665595513
Pages: 146
Genre: Genre Fiction
Reviewed by: Anthony Avina

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The impact faith can have not only on individuals, but on entire nations, is truly astounding. To delve back into the pages of history and see how faith has led nations into wars, into isolation, and into the dark ages themselves. To see how different religions and faiths have come and gone within the span of an entire empire is truly astounding to witness and watch unfold. One of the best and most prime examples of this faith change is the Holy Roman Empire, who once held their own gods and slowly but surely adopted Christianity into their lives.

In author C.Y. Sansum’s Leon the Warrior Dog: Book 1, the author explores a period of this great religious change within the Roman Empire and how this impacted the battle between Rome and the Goths. The story follows a young man named Beat, and his large Anatolian Shepherd Dog named Leon. A Shepherd himself, the young man joins the Roman army with promises of becoming a centurion, and goes on a mission with Leon as Rome is attacked by The Goths, forcing him and Leon to attempt to save Rome itself.

This is a shorter yet powerful read. The author perfectly captured the historical nature of the era with well-rounded character growth and visceral imagery that set the tone of the historical fiction novel immediately. The use of historical figures and groups as the wars fought between the Roman Empire and the Germanic Tribes of that era really elevated Beat and Leon’s stories, as it led into their evolution as characters over time. The inclusion of other tribes as well and the shaky alliances that were built during that era was fun to watch unfold, especially the introduction of Sky, a warrior princess readers will find becomes crucial to Beat’s story.

The book is the perfect read for those who enjoy historical fiction, in particular those with a religious undercurrent and a burst of action and adventure mixed in for good measure. As a fan of history, I was enthralled with the author’s choice of setting and found the exploration of the battle between the Goths and the Roman Empire to be fascinating to read. The atmosphere was electric and alive in the author’s style of writing, and really drew the reader in.

A spectacular, entertaining, and awe-inspiring read, author C.Y. Sansum’s Leon the Warrior Dog: Book 1 is a must-read historical fiction book. The examination of a classic hero’s journey and the great twist of highlighting animal companions to heroes and warriors during historical moments was an inspired choice by the author, and the final chapters leave enough room for more exploration of this time period and these heroes in future books.