Legacy of Ash: 1 (Legacy Trilogy)

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Feel free to invite some friends to join our Round Table community!http://www.goodreads.com/group/invite_members/26989-goodreads-authors-readers A key turned. The door opened. Elda Savka stood on the threshold, her face sagging with relief. “My lady. When the rider came from Zanya, I feared the worst.” About the plot: Legacy of Steel takes place about a year after happenings in the first book. The whole novel is mostly a battlefield between Hadari Empire and Tressiea but it is not for a moment boring. There's also another threat for a Republic and it comes in a form of Crowmarket who is as deathly as foreign Empire. In Legacy of Steel no one is safe. Not everyone of our beloved characters came out of this alive. And as in a story is a lot of epic battles, many great last stands and sometimes casual deaths - there's a lot to be afraid of. Honestly, I was sad even for deaths of people that were barely on screen. To give a brief outline of the book is something of a challenge, as the narrative slowly builds up to become quite complex, but here I go anyway. The Tressian Republic strive to conquer their neighbouring lands; in the south a Phoenix has arisen to lead the people of the Southshires towards a battle for freedom. However, when the Phoenix is slain, hope dies with her, and all that’s left is a legacy of failure. We then move forward to fifteen years later, and the Prince of Hadari plots to set his army upon the lands of the Tressian Republic to further his rule and secure his seat on the Emperor’s throne. His eye is set upon the land of the Southshires, to the town of Eskavord. Josiri, and Calenne, the children of the infamous Phoenix, imprisoned within the walls of Branghall castle, must find a way to continue their mother’s quest for freedom and liberate the people of Eskavord, not only against the oncoming Hadari, but also breaking free from the Republic. With Josiri riddled with self doubt, and his sister Calenne desperate to rid herself of her mother’s memory, the task is not easy. Can Viktor, a soldier of the Republic, amend for his past deeds and offer salvation to the doomed Southshires? Can old wounds be buried and new alliances formed? This, folks, is our tale.

Despite wanting nothing more than to return to the Southshires and find Calenne, Josiri found himself drawn into the fight. Eventually, Viktor’s allies overthrew and killed Ebigail, only to receive warning that the Southshires were sliding into disaster. Again the claymore blurred to parry. The longsword’s tip scraped past the larger blade, ripping into Akadra’s cheek. He twisted away with a roar of pain. Katya rode on past Josiri. Steel clashed, once, twice, and then the last wayfarer was gone. His body tipped over the low stone parapet and into the rushing waters below. I think one thing Ward does really well is create a nice balance between high intensity action-heavy moments and those that are more about developing the plot, characters, political tensions, and world-building. Much like the first book, there are a lot of high action events and they do go on for quite a large amount of time sometimes, but they also are written in such a way that there is constant intrigue and scene changes to keep things interesting and worthwhile to read. I sometimes feel tempted to compare certain books that I loved to others that I have loved in the past. I am going to refrain from that here because while I get a lot of the same feels with this series as some other legendary series in the genre, I don't think it's fair to Matthew Ward to even hint that this series doesn't stand on its own as an original epic fantasy of colossal proportions.A clarion sounded, its brash notes cleaving through the clamour of the storm. An icy hand closed around Katya’s heart. She’d run out of time. Again, I have so many tabs in the book, so many favourite scenes. Matthew Ward's prose is so masterful, his scenes inspire such deep emotion in me... Following suit of other books released of late, Legacy of Ash is told from multiple points of view. This is a technique that tends to be hit or miss with readers. In this case, it allows Ward to provide perspective about individual characters allowing the reader to glean the best insight about each character. The further into the book you read, you see how different characters are interconnected through their pasts and the changing perspective really helps the connection breadcrumbs come to the surface. Viktor Akadra.” Katya made no attempt to hide her bitterness. “Did your father not tell you? I do not recognise the Council’s authority.” The plotting was top notch, and Ward develops his characters in sync with the story and the events unfolding. It was particularly intriguing to know the affairs of the Crowmarket, which had an integral part in shaping the events. The part which I loved the most was about the gods who are meddling in the affairs of the mortals. The war between Tressia and Hadari is the chessboard upon which the gods move their pieces, and it was interesting to know their perspective. It added a sort of Homeric flair to the epic narrative.

Overall, my final thoughts are that the Legacy series is outstanding, phenomenal, brilliant, I could go on and on with praise. This review could've been even longer but I don't want to bore you with my excitement 😂. All I can say is that this series has everything you'd want in a fantasy series. I can't wait to read the third book and definitely have s feeling it's gonna blow me away. I'm also so glad this is the first book I have read and reviewed in 2021😊 The Tyrant Queen’s reign is done, but vigilance remains. For just as the shadows are strongest on the brightest of days, we are never more imperiled than when we think ourselves safe.” The cool thing about this book and series is that you are dealing with conflict among human combatants, but throw in the amazing twist that gods are also meddling in these affairs and it really puts the fantastic in this fantasy series. That's really where this book shines and gives an added dimension and depth that book one hinted at so tantalizingly. You just know that a titanic struggle is taking place and Ward reveals what is going on behind the scenes beautifully but never outright tells you how it will play out. That I'm sure is where the final book in this series will take us and if LEGACY OF STEEL is any indication of what we have in store for the finale, then the next year is going to be painful to have to sit and wait through for that concluding resolution. Matthew Ward also further develops many characters from major characters in the previous novel, to the side characters. For example, Malachi's daughter Sidara, and the Crowmarkets assassin Apara both shine so much and have character arcs that really shows the brilliance of Matthew Ward's storytelling. I feel Sidara for sure will shine even further in the third book, especially due to her power with the light. We also have side characters such as Seveka who blew me away with how strong of a character she was! During the first major battle Seveka steals the show as she must lead the front against the Hadari Empire. I loved her relationship with Rosa as they bring out the best in each other. Rosa is the definition of a lioness and is definitely deserved of being the Champion of Tressia. She never gives up even when the odds are against her. She fell silent as a girl appeared at the head of the staircase, her sapphire eyes alive with suspicion. Barely six years old, and she had the wit to know something was amiss. “Elda, what’s happening?”

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Eskavord’s gate guard scattered without challenge. Had they recognised her, or simply fled the naked steel in her hand? Katya didn’t care. The way was open. The world was really well built and easy to imagine, but this story was very character-driven in my opinion. It has tons of really well written characters in it. I really liked Calenne as a character, because even though she has pretty much been held prisoner her entire life, she still doesn’t let a paltry detail like that stop her from doing her very best to achieve her goal. Her goal of course being to get the hell out of her prison and escaping the name of Trelan and all the awful legacy that the name entails. So, Book 2 focuses on a few things; The Hadari and Melanna’s right to the throne, the Hadari’s war with Tressia, Tressia’s council conflict and the Crowmarket, and finally the God’s and Goddessess meddling – in between these larger issues we also have characters personal issues and obstacles that we see faced. Kai’s chief representative in the days leading to invasion was his daughter, Melanna Saranal. She dreamed of following in her father’s footsteps and becoming the first Empress, but Hadari tradition forbade women the right to bear swords, and thus the right to rule.

Calenne descended the stairs, expression still heavy with distrust. Katya stooped to embrace her daughter. She hoped Calenne’s thin body stiffened at the cold and wet, and not revulsion for a woman she barely knew. From the first, Katya had thought it necessary to send Calenne away, to live shielded from the Council’s sight. So many years lost. All for nothing.The Legacy Trilogy is an ambitious one, to say the least. Legacy of Ash, book #1, was a hefty debut from Matthew Ward, and I was impressed to see how strongly this sequel, Legacy of Steel, held up to the epic story and world of the first book. No, not that. Katya was free of that delusion. It had cost too many lives, but she was free of it. She was not the Phoenix whose fires would cleanse the Southshires. She’d believed – Lumestra, how she’d believed – but belief alone did not change the world. Only deeds did that, and hers had fallen short. Reading one of my most anticipated releases of the year while in a reading slump wasn't easy but I thoroughly enjoyed this book anyway.