R. H. Russell

Venture is a bonded servant who sees his only way to have a chance at a better life is to be a professional fighter. Unfortunately, the world in which he lives doesn't allow bonded servants to fight, but that doesn't stop Venture's master, Grant Fieldstone, who is much more progressive than most, from enrolling him in a gym and basically sponsoring him. Grant's daughter, Jade, is Venture's best friend, and when they develop feelings for each other, that makes Venture even more determined to succeed in the fighting world so he can make something of himself and be worthy of Jade.

This is a story about a young man who is always getting in trouble, who grows up over the course of the book. I enjoyed the world building and character development, but would have liked to read more about the society in which Venture and Jade lived. The book kind of meandered along until the latter half when the action picked up with Venture learning to fight, but it didn't bog the story down.

All in all, I enjoyed this book and look forward to continuing with the series.

4/5 stars.… (mehr)

Venture Untamed by RH Russell
Melissa Cushing's review
Mar 07, 2014

4 of 5 stars
Read on March 07, 2014

I give this book 3 1/2 stars. This is a great book for sure. R.H. Russell's writing was beautifully done and impeccably edited as well! I loved Venture and Jade's characters for sure because the author did a fabulous job developing them and I rooted for them the entire time, but I never felt truly satisfied with their love story. This book is written in a time and place of Crested's (rulers and the highest class of their lands)& Bonded Servants who are basically the lowest of their class. They are treated like dirt on a regular basis and have no choice but to accept this. Venture is lucky enough to be a Bonded servant to Grant Fieldstone, who is by far a step above all other wealthy citizens from their town, and is a wealthy man who has a heart and shows this by treating his Bonded Servants with common decency and respect. He almost was a surrogate parent to Venture, because he had lost both his Father and Mother before the story begins. I also need to state that I tried so hard to get caught up in the love story between Grant Fieldstone's daughter Jade and Venture Delving's character.... but things moved so slowly that I never really, truly felt the connection between the two. It felt more like 2 best friends more than a romantic chemistry. I loved the devotion and toughness of Venture's character.... he was such a champion in my eyes without actually being one (as of yet)... and was tough as nails and headstrong and you had to love that with him being a Bonded Servant and coming from such an insecure upbringing. He still seems to rise above the others. He is by far my favorite character out of this story and I will be reading book 2 for sure. I was able to read a sneak peek for Book 2 and LOVED what I read! It seems to move along from the beginning quite nicely and I HAVE to know what will be in store for Venture Delving and Jades characters.I hope Jade Fieldstone surprises me and wins me over in book 2! Great for lovers of Dystopian and Young Adult genres.

Here is the synopsis from Goodreads for this book.... Check it out!

Venture Delving is a bonded servant, a member of the lowest class in the world. Already fatherless, when he loses his mother, he veers from energetic to out of control. But when Venture's rage saves the life of Jade, his best friend and his master's daughter, Venture finds himself in the last place he ever expected—a center renowned for training young boys to be professional fighters.

When Venture realizes he's fallen in love with Jade, he knows that the only way he'll ever have her, the only way he'll ever be free to live the life he's meant to live, is to defy convention, common sense, the trust of those he cares about most—and sometimes the law—and become the best fighter in the world, the Champion of All Richland. Venture must battle not only rival fighters, but the ghosts of his past and the members of a privileged warrior class who stand between him and his dream.… (mehr)

NOTE: I received a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. Thanks!

After I finished reading this book, I sat down at the computer and contacted the author. Here's what I said:

I know it's been awhile since you've published the books about Venture Delving, but I just finished reading the first one (got it via Netgalley) and I found it quite impossible to put down. If I had to compare it to any other series, I'd gladly say Harry Potter and I won't be kidding.

You'd probably think I was exaggerating, but gosh, I was not! Venture Untamed has every single trait that a book lover wants to read about. It's got adventure, it's got romance, it's got action. It's got passion, hatred, anger. It's got devotion, uncertainty and humiliation. I'm telling you, this is a book (and author) of many talents.

So, the world of Venture Untamed is kind of like ours, only several centuries back when there were carriages and people rode horses to get from one place to another. When there were bonded servants. It's a fantasy world though, not a historical time from our world. It doesn't have magic in the convenient meaning we've all adopted or anything paranormal at all.

Yet, I could almost taste the 'magic' of life in the air. The 'magic' of the value of one's existence. The 'magic' of love and friendship and free-given bondage. I don't even know how to describe it but it grabbed me, you know? It was like a magnet pulling me in.

If you're wondering, Venture is the main male character. He starts off as an angsty boy who can't help but get in trouble. All the time. Worse though is that he's a bonded servant in a world where those like him are treated like scum. As if their life didn't matter. Try imagining holding your anger when mistreated. Try imagining holding onto your honor, to your faith, to your desire to keep your loved ones safe.

When I think of Venture, especially in this first book, I envision the broken boy, all alone, left with no parents to take care of him. I also see his courage to grow up and be a man of honor. I see his strength and determination. I also see his forbidden affection for Jade, his best friend and daughter to his master. You see how complicated this gets? It spins out of control later, but I'm not taking this review there.

Jade Fieldstone was an impressive girl. She was not girly. She wanted to learn how to fight. She wanted to be independent. And she sure didn't want to be pampered by any boy. Which is why Jade frustrated and angry with Venture on many occasions when his thick head forgot she wasn't a weak girl in need of protecting. She was smart and I really liked that about her. Her quick wit brought Venture where he belonged - to the fighters' arena.

Gosh, you have no idea how much fighting helped Venture with his anger and other issues. I'm quite sure without the mat he'd have drowned in his anger and frustration. He felt out of his element everywhere else, but on the mat he was king. Sure, he made mistakes, he lost fights, he wasn't by any means perfect. But he had passion not only to win, but to win with honor.

I'm sure that Venture Delving will capture your heart too, as long as you give him a chance.… (mehr)