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94th out of 101 books
—
333 voters
Legacy of Kings (The Magister Trilogy #3)
"C.S. Friedman makes fantastic things-and frightening things-seem very real." -New York Times bestselling author Tad Williams.
The young peasant woman Kamala has proven strong and determined enough to claim the most powerful Magister sorcery for herself-but now the Magisters hunt her for killing one of their own. Her only hope of survival lies in the northern Protectora
...morePaperback, 464 pages
Published
December 1st 2011
by Orbit
(first published September 6th 2011)
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Legacy of Kings is the final book in C.S. Friedman’s Magister trilogy. Legacy picks up immediately following the events in “Wings of Wrath”. King Salvatore is building his army to make a final stand against the Souleaters all the while trying to come to grips with his lyr blood and how that will affect his faith. Queen Gwenifar is racing against time to train as a guardian and decipher the series of events after her sacrifice on the Throne of Tears in order to unite the lyr bloodline in her son’...more
c2011: Look away now! Not sure what is wrong with me but i found this book - boring in places!! I know - sacrilege!! I thoroughly enjoyed the first two in the series and was really looking forward to the conclusion. I found the whole Magister secret thing a bit overplayed and extended. And the more that I thought that it was boring the more guilty I was feeling. If I enjoyed the first 2 how could I not like this one?! Anyway, so it was for me. The final wrap up was a bit unsatisfying for me as w...more
It's hard to give this book four stars but I feel it deserves more than three. The plot is great and the characters interesting. On the other hand I often found myself frustrated with the pace of the book, wanting it just to be over with. And about that time something interesting would happen and I would be hooked again.
I don't think I'm being fair to Friedman with this rating. Because, I'm sure if it was another author, or another series where I didn't have such high expectations, I would have thought this was a 4 star book. It's just... well... I've come to expect such great things from her in general, and this series in particular was so strong through the first books, that I was caught off guard by the rather mundane ending. This book was a perfectly adequate fantasy novel, but had none of the spark that ma...more
In C.S. Friedman's Legacy of Kings, the conclusion to her Magister Trilogy, the Souleaters have become such a major threat that former enemies are considering becoming allies to end it. Can Salvator reconcile his Penitent faith with the people and powers he might have to work with to save the world from the Souleaters? (Also, is it possible the Souleaters are part of God's plan and he shouldn't get in their way?) Can the Magisters set aside their selfishness and all-consuming urge to protect the...more
This is the third book of a trilogy but I didn't get the impression that I'd missed out on much so either Friedman is the master of stand-alone but linked books which is possible not having read any other stuff by her, or we didn't need the previous two books. Basically this is what happens when the dragons of Pern and their riders go bad and start sucking life force out of humans in order to survive, and the plot wasn't helped much by the fact that the dragonriders were actually more sympatheti...more
*******SPOILERS********
This was a page turner, Celia's writing just flows so easily and the story gets you hooked.
The Souleaters were the stars for me in this third installment, I loved learning new things about them, especially the final flight between a female queen and a male ikati. And I knew it! there was something fishy going on with those Magisters, and to top things off, they bond with Souleaters!
A great finale and a great read. I also really liked Salvatore's character, and Ramires grew...more
This was a page turner, Celia's writing just flows so easily and the story gets you hooked.
The Souleaters were the stars for me in this third installment, I loved learning new things about them, especially the final flight between a female queen and a male ikati. And I knew it! there was something fishy going on with those Magisters, and to top things off, they bond with Souleaters!
A great finale and a great read. I also really liked Salvatore's character, and Ramires grew...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
This conclusion to the series was satisfying for me. I enjoyed the first book immensely and felt that the second, though not as enticing as the first, was a necessary and fulfilling requirement to the series. While Friedman has set the stage for many mysteries and revelations I find it hard to believe that anyone with any kind of focus on events can really feel that there are twists or surprises herein. However, the mysteries though somewhat transparent are ultimately enjoyable and they do nothi...more
I like C.S. Friedman and have enjoyed most of her books. But the Magister Trilogy was kind of disappointing. In this third book, even the editing seemed to get lazy, with almost whole sentences being repeated with half a page of each other. Rewrites of passages seem to have been poorly done.
In addition to that though, it seems like somewhere along the way this series lost direction. The story was told, but there weren't any interesting plot turns, or even particularly interesting character growt...more
In addition to that though, it seems like somewhere along the way this series lost direction. The story was told, but there weren't any interesting plot turns, or even particularly interesting character growt...more
I had actually avoided this one for awhile, because after loving the first book, and moderately enjoying the second, I'd seen too many reviews which suggested that this last book in the trilogy would be another step suckwards. But it was on the "good new reads" shelf as I walked by at the library, so I grabbed it - and so very, very glad that I did. It was the kind of compelling read that begged me to skip a night out on the town, I just had to finish the book. Satisfying all the way thru to the...more
Well I'm flummoxed as too why this third book received below average ratings, out of the three books this one was my favourite!
The plot was exciting and pacey, with chapters ending on cliff hangers that left me smiling and feeling full!
The characters really opened up, I loved the strength and honour in king salvator, the darkness but likability in coliver, the wisdom and humbleness of ramirus and the voracity and passion of Kamala. I loved the ending and how all loose ends become tied, a big pl...more
The plot was exciting and pacey, with chapters ending on cliff hangers that left me smiling and feeling full!
The characters really opened up, I loved the strength and honour in king salvator, the darkness but likability in coliver, the wisdom and humbleness of ramirus and the voracity and passion of Kamala. I loved the ending and how all loose ends become tied, a big pl...more
3.5/5 stars
The Magister Trilogy was a lot of fun to read. While I do feel that the first two books in the series were much stronger than this third book, Legacy of Kings is still a worthy, and enjoyable read. Though Legacy of Kings lacked the gray characters I enjoy so much, suffered from a rather predictable plot and some clunky writing, it still nicely (perhaps a bit too nicely to be completely believable) ties up plenty of loose ends and answered important questions. This is, by no means, Fri...more
The Magister Trilogy was a lot of fun to read. While I do feel that the first two books in the series were much stronger than this third book, Legacy of Kings is still a worthy, and enjoyable read. Though Legacy of Kings lacked the gray characters I enjoy so much, suffered from a rather predictable plot and some clunky writing, it still nicely (perhaps a bit too nicely to be completely believable) ties up plenty of loose ends and answered important questions. This is, by no means, Fri...more
A fitting end to a fantastic trilogy. Some great twists that I didn't pick, and a compulsive read. Enjoyed the strong women characters (although Gwynofer constantly deferring to Salvator was annoying). Enjoyed the ikati angle (and have read somewhere that Friedman gives a nod to the Dragonriders of Pern series as inspiration).
Overall, I enjoyed this series a lot more than the Coldfire Trilogy. The plot is more engrossing, there are less POV switches, and the writing is tighter and more controll...more
Overall, I enjoyed this series a lot more than the Coldfire Trilogy. The plot is more engrossing, there are less POV switches, and the writing is tighter and more controll...more
Legacy of Kings is something of a letdown for a series that started with so much promise. Friedman doesn't quite reach the same depths of darkness that are shown in the best of her prior work, but the background and premise are intriguing enough to be worth reading.
This third volume, as with the second, to some extent, just doesn't seem to have gotten as much authorial or editorial attention as one might hope. The copy editing is occasionally sloppy (typos, word order, punctuation), and that see...more
This third volume, as with the second, to some extent, just doesn't seem to have gotten as much authorial or editorial attention as one might hope. The copy editing is occasionally sloppy (typos, word order, punctuation), and that see...more
The final (?) in the Magister series, and it proves to be a very entertaining read! I blew through it in just a few days (and stayed up too late last night finishing it. I mean, you can't just put a book down in the middle of the big battle!) and enjoyed every second of it.
My only complaint is that it seemed to me that the big reveal was too obvious too quickly, with the other, smarter characters muddling around in the dark long after I'd figured it out.
I'm hoping for a surprise fourth book, bu...more
My only complaint is that it seemed to me that the big reveal was too obvious too quickly, with the other, smarter characters muddling around in the dark long after I'd figured it out.
I'm hoping for a surprise fourth book, bu...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
The final book in the Magister trilogy was good, but it did leave something to be desired. A large portion of the story was over very quickly ie. someone's death, and the ending was very unfinished. I don't know if the author intends to write more in this series or not but she certainly left the door wide open to do so.
Most of the loose ends were tied up. This book revealed some interesting plot points that were certainly being led up to through out the first two books. There were a few things t...more
Most of the loose ends were tied up. This book revealed some interesting plot points that were certainly being led up to through out the first two books. There were a few things t...more
C.S. Friedman writes easy-to-read, engrossing fantasy with an emphasis on character development. She also writes at a nice pace, publishing every ~1.5yrs, while still delivering rewarding reads.
Regarding the Magister and Coldfire Trilogies, I rated (not reviewed) 5 of the 6 books well ( 4+ stars), but Legacy of Kings gets only three. Here is why:
1) Character Focus: In both trilogies she has a powerful sorcerer (Tarrant or Colivar) aide other protagonists keep an imbalance of magic from ruining t...more
Regarding the Magister and Coldfire Trilogies, I rated (not reviewed) 5 of the 6 books well ( 4+ stars), but Legacy of Kings gets only three. Here is why:
1) Character Focus: In both trilogies she has a powerful sorcerer (Tarrant or Colivar) aide other protagonists keep an imbalance of magic from ruining t...more
It had been a while since I read book 2, so I had to get through a bit before it all started coming back to me. All in all, it wasn't bad. I'm planning to reread the first two books when I get some time to get a better feel for the overall arch of the book. That being said, there were somethings I found unsatisfying. I know that being a Robert Jordan fan, I should be used to the repetition of actions or phrases by characters. I suppose it mirrors real life in that people have tendencies to do th...more
A very weak ending to a trilogy that held such promise. I really enjoyed the first book when I read it over 4 years ago. However this book seemed to sideline characters I felt were central in favour of sex-as-redemption. Both aware of the difficulties that women face in patriarchal societies, while falling prey to the typical tropes of the genre. Rather than breaking new ground, this is same old same old in the fantasy stakes.
The start to this series was slow but the ending was epic. The threads of the story were tied up in a neat little package, perhaps a little too neatly. The author left plenty of wiggle room to continue however.
The world building and magic structure are what boosted this from a three to a four. I really enjoyed the final fight scene between the magisters both for the theoretical magic use/restrictions and the 'surprise'
The world building and magic structure are what boosted this from a three to a four. I really enjoyed the final fight scene between the magisters both for the theoretical magic use/restrictions and the 'surprise'
So this trilogy did not end quite as well as some works of Friedman in the past, but this book does do a good job of tying things up. We are of course left hanging a little bit, but that isn't a bad thing. The underlying story of the Magisters is still left somewhat unresolved, even though we now know far more about them than we did when the series began. Overall, I do think this series is a pretty decent read.
My real review can be found here:
http://bookswithoutanypictures.wordpr...
Right now I'm just posting a couple thoughts. I loved this trilogy, in part because of the characters' moral ambiguity. I could sympathize with the villains and get angry at the heroes, but above all else I was rooting for humanity to come out on top. "Legacy of Kings" was a fitting end to the trilogy, and I was on the edge of my seat hoping that everything would work out in the end.
http://bookswithoutanypictures.wordpr...
Right now I'm just posting a couple thoughts. I loved this trilogy, in part because of the characters' moral ambiguity. I could sympathize with the villains and get angry at the heroes, but above all else I was rooting for humanity to come out on top. "Legacy of Kings" was a fitting end to the trilogy, and I was on the edge of my seat hoping that everything would work out in the end.
Aug 21, 2011
Emma
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Adult fantasy fans
Recommended to Emma by:
Kevin
Legacy of Kings is an extremely satisfying climax to one of the most enjoyable fantasy series I've read. Mysteries that are hinted at in the earlier books become clear in Legacy of Kings, and certain characters reach their full and ridiculously awesome potential!
Read my full review at my book review blog
Read my full review at my book review blog
This book was a good conclusion to the series. There was a lot of action and the plot seemed to come together well.
Overall, I felt that this series was good but not great. The characters were likable but I had a hard time really loving them. The theme and ideas of the series were interesting and the way magic was used was also well done.
I would be willing to check out the Coldfire trilogy by this author.
Overall, I felt that this series was good but not great. The characters were likable but I had a hard time really loving them. The theme and ideas of the series were interesting and the way magic was used was also well done.
I would be willing to check out the Coldfire trilogy by this author.
I had a hard time getting into this book... it languished for a long time on my to-read list. (If I'd read the trilogy in one fell swoop I think this wouldn't have been a problem, but I read each book as it came out.)
Legacy of Kings effectively completes the story arcs that were begun in the first two books of the Magister Trilogy. The first half or so of the book was relatively slow-moving, as several new characters and places needed to be introduced, and the habits and lifestyle of the ikati a...more
Legacy of Kings effectively completes the story arcs that were begun in the first two books of the Magister Trilogy. The first half or so of the book was relatively slow-moving, as several new characters and places needed to be introduced, and the habits and lifestyle of the ikati a...more
Review is for the trilogy.
I liked the books, they were a light, fast read. I like Friedman's style and characters in general, but this series lacks the intensity and engrossing environment compared to some of her other books. The foreshadowing and character interactions are not subtle. The characters themselves are still interesting and well developed.
I liked the books, they were a light, fast read. I like Friedman's style and characters in general, but this series lacks the intensity and engrossing environment compared to some of her other books. The foreshadowing and character interactions are not subtle. The characters themselves are still interesting and well developed.
It was a great book and a very satisfying end to the series! Worth the read. Fair warning though, C.S. Friedman's books can be a bit difficult to remain in but they are more than worth the effort.
As an aside, if you are the sort of person who loves strong, intelligent characters of both sexes, this is definitely a series you'll want to try.
As an aside, if you are the sort of person who loves strong, intelligent characters of both sexes, this is definitely a series you'll want to try.
another high fantasy trilogy. not outstanding, but not bad either. probably my favorite of c.s. friedman's books. i'd put it on par with l. gilman's "vineart" trilogy and c. berg's "lighthouse" duet. darker in tone and w/ characters display interesting moral ambiguity but nowhere near as epic or gruesome as g. martin's "song of fire and ice."
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Celia S. Friedman is a science fiction and fantasy author. She has also been credited Celia S. Friedman and Celia Friedman.
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Sep 01, 2011 10:25am
I agree with you also on the magic system in this book. Love it.
Feb 02, 2012 10:27pm