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Legend #1-3
Legend Trilogy Boxed Set
The complete collection of Marie Lu's bestselling Legend trilogy: Legend, Prodigy, and Champion. Additional bonus material also included: Marie Lu’s Life Before Legend, original short stories offering a sneak peek at the lives of Day and June before they met.
1088 pages, Hardcover
First published November 29, 2011
247 people are currently reading
4153 people want to read
About the author
Marie Lu
53 books136k followersHi there! I'm an author of mostly sci-fi/fantasy YA novels, like Legend, Warcross, The Young Elites, Skyhunter, and Stars & Smoke. My adult fantasy debut, Red City, releases this October 14, 2025.
I graduated from the University of Southern California and currently live in LA with my family. Before becoming a full-time writer, I was an Art Director at a video game company. Now I spend most of my time writing, trying to keep my plants alive, and getting stuck in traffic. I feel very honored that I get to tell you stories, and my deepest wish is always that my books can offer you some joy, solace, entertainment, and/or escape. With all my heart, thank you for reading.
I graduated from the University of Southern California and currently live in LA with my family. Before becoming a full-time writer, I was an Art Director at a video game company. Now I spend most of my time writing, trying to keep my plants alive, and getting stuck in traffic. I feel very honored that I get to tell you stories, and my deepest wish is always that my books can offer you some joy, solace, entertainment, and/or escape. With all my heart, thank you for reading.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 166 reviews
June 20, 2021
• Book #0.5 - Life Before Legend - 4 ⭐️
“I have a mother, an older brother, and a younger brother. All of them think I’m dead. Republic doctors sliced open my knee while experimenting on my body. I was shipped to them after failing my Trial, and they’d left me for dead in a hospital basement. I stumbled around, bleeding, for weeks afterward. I always travel alone, because if the Republic ever finds me, they’ll snuff me out like a candle. I keep my head turned away as the memories fill me up and threaten to burst out of my chest. So many stories to tell.”
- Day (Daniel Altan Wing)
“The school doesn’t fit me—nothing ever does. I can’t even carry on a normal conversation with my classmates for longer than thirty seconds, because what in the world do we have in common? I’m not interested in what they have to say, and half of them don’t even understand the things I want to talk about.”
I’m not normal, I see things that other people don’t see. I’m not in the same league. There’s something wrong with me.”
- June Iparis
——
• Book #1 - Legend - 4.5 ⭐️
“Maybe she’s thinking about me. I wish she were here. Somehow I always feel better with her. It’s as if she can completely sympathize with my thoughts and help me channel them away, and I can always take comfort in her lovely face.
Her face might give me courage, too. I’ve had trouble building up my courage.”
- Day (Daniel Altan Wing)
“It’s strange being here with you. I hardly know you. But . . . sometimes it feels like we’re the same person born into two different worlds.”
- June Iparis
——
• Book #2 - Prodigy - 4 ⭐️
“The Colonies will be the new United States. Can it really be possible that after all these years of war, it might finally come to an end? I try to imagine a world without the Republic—without the Elector, the Trials, the plagues. The Colonies as the victor. Man, too good to be true. And with the Elector’s potential assassination, this might all come true even sooner.”
- Day (Daniel Altan Wing)
“I need to let him go.
(...)
Don’t go, I plead wordlessly. But I can taste the good-bye on his lips, and now I can no longer hold back my tears. He’s trembling. His face is wet. I hang on to him like he’ll disappear if I let go, like I’ll be left alone in this dark room, standing in the empty air. Day, the boy from the streets with nothing except the clothes on his back and the earnestness in his eyes, owns my heart.
He is beauty, inside and out.
He is the silver lining in a world of darkness.
He is my light.”
- June Iparis
——
• Book #3 - Champion - 5 ⭐️
“Without emotion, what’s the point of being human?”
- Day (Daniel Altan Wing)
“No matter what happens in the future, no matter where our paths take us, this moment will be ours.”
- June Iparis
“I have a mother, an older brother, and a younger brother. All of them think I’m dead. Republic doctors sliced open my knee while experimenting on my body. I was shipped to them after failing my Trial, and they’d left me for dead in a hospital basement. I stumbled around, bleeding, for weeks afterward. I always travel alone, because if the Republic ever finds me, they’ll snuff me out like a candle. I keep my head turned away as the memories fill me up and threaten to burst out of my chest. So many stories to tell.”
- Day (Daniel Altan Wing)
“The school doesn’t fit me—nothing ever does. I can’t even carry on a normal conversation with my classmates for longer than thirty seconds, because what in the world do we have in common? I’m not interested in what they have to say, and half of them don’t even understand the things I want to talk about.”
I’m not normal, I see things that other people don’t see. I’m not in the same league. There’s something wrong with me.”
- June Iparis
——
• Book #1 - Legend - 4.5 ⭐️
“Maybe she’s thinking about me. I wish she were here. Somehow I always feel better with her. It’s as if she can completely sympathize with my thoughts and help me channel them away, and I can always take comfort in her lovely face.
Her face might give me courage, too. I’ve had trouble building up my courage.”
- Day (Daniel Altan Wing)
“It’s strange being here with you. I hardly know you. But . . . sometimes it feels like we’re the same person born into two different worlds.”
- June Iparis
——
• Book #2 - Prodigy - 4 ⭐️
“The Colonies will be the new United States. Can it really be possible that after all these years of war, it might finally come to an end? I try to imagine a world without the Republic—without the Elector, the Trials, the plagues. The Colonies as the victor. Man, too good to be true. And with the Elector’s potential assassination, this might all come true even sooner.”
- Day (Daniel Altan Wing)
“I need to let him go.
(...)
Don’t go, I plead wordlessly. But I can taste the good-bye on his lips, and now I can no longer hold back my tears. He’s trembling. His face is wet. I hang on to him like he’ll disappear if I let go, like I’ll be left alone in this dark room, standing in the empty air. Day, the boy from the streets with nothing except the clothes on his back and the earnestness in his eyes, owns my heart.
He is beauty, inside and out.
He is the silver lining in a world of darkness.
He is my light.”
- June Iparis
——
• Book #3 - Champion - 5 ⭐️
“Without emotion, what’s the point of being human?”
- Day (Daniel Altan Wing)
“No matter what happens in the future, no matter where our paths take us, this moment will be ours.”
- June Iparis
October 29, 2016
Fantastic series!!! All time favorite!!!
December 25, 2017
Den Hype kann ich nicht ganz nachvollziehen, für mich hat es sich an vielen Stellen ganz schön gezogen, dafür konnte das Ende nochmal mit einigen Überraschungen aufwarten. 3,5⭐️
April 2, 2016
3.5 stars. A bit juvenile, like a sort of Hunger Games for teens (oh wait, isn't that for young adults too?). Oh, who cares, I liked both works and this one in book form, so I enjoyed it better. Straightforward, with a few twists, and entertaining. Satisfying ending.
"I’m telling you, Day—all it takes is one generation to brainwash a population and convince them that reality doesn’t exist.”
"I’m telling you, Day—all it takes is one generation to brainwash a population and convince them that reality doesn’t exist.”
April 2, 2014
This triology as a whole was amazingly written and everything comes together. I read all three books in 2 days.
****SOMEWHAT OF A SPOILER IS PRESENT BUT I TRIED NOT TO****
In the first book Legend you get to meet the Characters June and Day, Marie Lu did an amazing job of creating these characters and you can actually picture them. Throughout this book June and Day both lose people they love but they also find new people to love. There is action and adventure and WTF moments. June is a go getter bad ass chick, she's smart and dangerous. She'll do everything in her power to get what she wants, she's in the rich part of town were the "republic" is. While Day is a "runner" or a thief basically who just steals to help his family. He's outgoing and cares about everyone he comes in contact with.
In the second book Prodigy you get to meet some new dangerous characters who are trying to take over the government, June and Day have a falling out and it was so rollercoaster esk I loved it. There was no putting this book down. People die and this plague is getting out of control.
In the Third and final book Champion you find out what the plague is and where it's coming from, exactly who started it. You get to a point where you cry I cried so hard, but in the end it is honestly a great ending for these heart wrenching books. I honestly want another book just to see where June and Day are today.
****SOMEWHAT OF A SPOILER IS PRESENT BUT I TRIED NOT TO****
In the first book Legend you get to meet the Characters June and Day, Marie Lu did an amazing job of creating these characters and you can actually picture them. Throughout this book June and Day both lose people they love but they also find new people to love. There is action and adventure and WTF moments. June is a go getter bad ass chick, she's smart and dangerous. She'll do everything in her power to get what she wants, she's in the rich part of town were the "republic" is. While Day is a "runner" or a thief basically who just steals to help his family. He's outgoing and cares about everyone he comes in contact with.
In the second book Prodigy you get to meet some new dangerous characters who are trying to take over the government, June and Day have a falling out and it was so rollercoaster esk I loved it. There was no putting this book down. People die and this plague is getting out of control.
In the Third and final book Champion you find out what the plague is and where it's coming from, exactly who started it. You get to a point where you cry I cried so hard, but in the end it is honestly a great ending for these heart wrenching books. I honestly want another book just to see where June and Day are today.
April 20, 2022
Vote: 3,75
Class: L-B1 (FP) *
(a Science Fiction Dystopian Trilogy)
I've recently read "The Hunger Games" and, after that, the "Divergent Trilogy" and enjoyed them much (well, they do have some flaws, but what doesn't?). I've decided to try this series after some hesitation and I found it to have more flaws than those. The final book of the series is actually better than the previous ones and you can see how the author is more... mature.
The setting (3,15) is a dystopian futuristic US (during a war between the "Republic" and the "Colonies", after some catastrophic event, due to climate changes) and very little effort is spent on world building (not very convincing, too shallow and... very thin).
The characters (3,50) are very disappointing and in the beginning, and then grow more convincing in the final book, perhaps because I was already accustomed to their... ludicrousness (big smile): Day & June; a ten year old Jason Borne rebel and a nine year old brilliant military trained detective! Really, sometimes they're almost ok, and they certainly feel more real in the end.
The story (3,50) is certainly fast paced and captivating, even if sometimes not very convincing and with some scenes too "Die Hard" looking; the dreadful (to me!) romance acquires more depth in the end (well, more... than nothing!).
The writing (3,25) is too... immature, even conceding it's told first person by two fifteen years old.
All in all I didn't dis-like this series and I found the ending actually better (certainly more likable) than in "The Hunger Games" and in the "Divergent Trilogy". However 'm not going to recommend it.
* there is a characters we discover is homosexual and I don't think it was a really significant characterization; it almost feels like the author is trying to win sympathies by being "politically correct". I also think some things are best left out in a book written for very young readers. There are also some other moral views that I don't agree with.
Class: L-B1 (FP) *
(a Science Fiction Dystopian Trilogy)
I've recently read "The Hunger Games" and, after that, the "Divergent Trilogy" and enjoyed them much (well, they do have some flaws, but what doesn't?). I've decided to try this series after some hesitation and I found it to have more flaws than those. The final book of the series is actually better than the previous ones and you can see how the author is more... mature.
The setting (3,15) is a dystopian futuristic US (during a war between the "Republic" and the "Colonies", after some catastrophic event, due to climate changes) and very little effort is spent on world building (not very convincing, too shallow and... very thin).
The characters (3,50) are very disappointing and in the beginning, and then grow more convincing in the final book, perhaps because I was already accustomed to their... ludicrousness (big smile): Day & June; a ten year old Jason Borne rebel and a nine year old brilliant military trained detective! Really, sometimes they're almost ok, and they certainly feel more real in the end.
The story (3,50) is certainly fast paced and captivating, even if sometimes not very convincing and with some scenes too "Die Hard" looking; the dreadful (to me!) romance acquires more depth in the end (well, more... than nothing!).
The writing (3,25) is too... immature, even conceding it's told first person by two fifteen years old.
All in all I didn't dis-like this series and I found the ending actually better (certainly more likable) than in "The Hunger Games" and in the "Divergent Trilogy". However 'm not going to recommend it.
* there is a characters we discover is homosexual and I don't think it was a really significant characterization; it almost feels like the author is trying to win sympathies by being "politically correct". I also think some things are best left out in a book written for very young readers. There are also some other moral views that I don't agree with.
June 4, 2016
Don’t get me wrong, this is a decent series – it simply isn’t the shining example of dystopian story telling that the raving reviews had me believing.
The trilogy follows the usual format for young adult dystopian tales, offering very little by way of surprises. This, however, is partly due to the fact that I have read far too many books in the genre along with having read a lot of dystopian tales that belong in the adult category. Due to this, it is now hard for such stories to really stand out.
Despite this, it was a fun trilogy to follow. It’s short and keeps you engaged throughout. A nice simple read, that I’m sure many others will find more enjoyable than I did.
The trilogy follows the usual format for young adult dystopian tales, offering very little by way of surprises. This, however, is partly due to the fact that I have read far too many books in the genre along with having read a lot of dystopian tales that belong in the adult category. Due to this, it is now hard for such stories to really stand out.
Despite this, it was a fun trilogy to follow. It’s short and keeps you engaged throughout. A nice simple read, that I’m sure many others will find more enjoyable than I did.
September 24, 2014
I found this trilogy a bit tiring but I think it may be just that I have reached my saturation limit of teen dystopian romance so I was more critical of it. The book switches back and forth between the girl’s and boy’s perspective but the two characters didn’t have strong enough voices for this to be successful for me. I also had a hard time accepting that such young people would be put in such positions of power. Perhaps if she had made the characters even a few years older I would have found it less annoying. Finally the third book had so much sketchy science and so many clichés, story contrivances that stretched all credibility, and one-dimensional characterizations that it had me rolling my eyes through most of it.
November 19, 2015
Wow! Just wow! This book series was an intense emotional roller coaster. Love, pain, war, loss, love again, twists and turns. But it was by far the 3rd book that left me in awe. It made me laugh and cry and cry some more! Would 100% recommend it to anyone who loves trilogies and dystopias. p.s. the second book was not that good in my opinion but you need it for certain things that are in the third book. It also explains more about why they are split up.
October 28, 2016
ONE OF THE BEST SERIES EVER! Ever! Ever!
Action packed? Check. Love story? Check. Suspense? Check.
Instead of writing a diary on how awesome this series was I will simply say that everyone should give it a try. Everyone! I loved it beyond words.
Action packed? Check. Love story? Check. Suspense? Check.
Instead of writing a diary on how awesome this series was I will simply say that everyone should give it a try. Everyone! I loved it beyond words.
March 26, 2024
Would have been a solid 5 star series, unfortunately authors push homosexual propaganda into our children’s books, what a shame. I wish they’d keep adult content to adult books. Other than that, it was an amazing story.
March 6, 2020
Great dystopian series
This is a fantastic dystopian series and I love the completely different views between day and June. You can't help but fall in love with them both
This is a fantastic dystopian series and I love the completely different views between day and June. You can't help but fall in love with them both
November 22, 2017
Breve commento a cura del nostro improvvisato recensore Gatto :D
http://piumaecalamaio.blogspot.it/201...
http://piumaecalamaio.blogspot.it/201...
April 28, 2015
*Warning: mild spoilers ahead*
So, this trilogy starts with Legend. In this book, June Iparis, the Republic's only prodigy, losses her one and only brother, Metias,--her only family left. It was suspected that Day, the Republic's most wanted criminal, is the reason behind the death of June's brother. June decides that she wants to find Day by herself and do justice BUT things do not always go the way they're planned. And from there follows the two remaining books which are Prodigy and Champion.
Prodigy is more of about the war between the Colonies and the Republic (US was split) and the revolution. The "world" was explained better and the characters are more developed. This book is my favorite because it made me so emotional and anxious for idk how much. For me, this book is where the characters are at their best.
Champion has more of the romance aspect though not betraying the wars, the government, and the issues of the Republic and of course, the book still carries action. The characters are more emotional here and I understand them even more. This book made me feel different kinds of emotions from anger, joy, sadness and so on.
I am a big fan of dystopian novels and these books are probably my most favorite.
I love this trilogy so so much, I can't move on. The action, bittersweet romance, UGH EVERYTHING. The plot, writing style ugh... I was sucked in from 0-100 real quick. The characters are fantastic and Marie Lu just makes them more badass and more charming. Even if they are those kinds of characters, I saw their weaknesses and vulnerability and I got carried away and emotional as well.
Oh my god, Day. He is so-- I can't even explain. He is so goddy amazing and I love reading his POVs. He's got that boyish charm always. At first, I wasn't a fan of "bad boys" so I was kind of skeptical about Day and the romance but it turns out that he is far from the stereotypical "bad boy". He is honest, caring, and really genuine. And June, she is my favorite female character probably of all time (so far). She is equally as badass as day; she isn't a "good girl". She is known as troublemaker when she was a student BUT then, she is the Republic's prodigy. What can you say about that?
The endings of those three books are spot on for me. Legend? I love it, made me want more. Prodigy? It crushed me. I was screaming in front of my mom and she thought I'd gotten crazy (which was partly true). And Champion? Oh my god, it left me helpless and hopeful at the same time. I had to read fanfiction to satisfy my needs and feelings.
The books explore quite a handful of topics and issues the world has been experiencing. There is a lot of government and political stuff involved but it won't bore you. The trilogy is pretty much action-packed and the characters are superb. Also, there are SO MANY turns and unexpected plot twists that left me on the edge on my seat.
So if you're deciding whether to read or not to read this trilogy, you should because it's worth it. This is so much more than a YA dystopian trilogy. It really is amazing.
So, this trilogy starts with Legend. In this book, June Iparis, the Republic's only prodigy, losses her one and only brother, Metias,--her only family left. It was suspected that Day, the Republic's most wanted criminal, is the reason behind the death of June's brother. June decides that she wants to find Day by herself and do justice BUT things do not always go the way they're planned. And from there follows the two remaining books which are Prodigy and Champion.
Prodigy is more of about the war between the Colonies and the Republic (US was split) and the revolution. The "world" was explained better and the characters are more developed. This book is my favorite because it made me so emotional and anxious for idk how much. For me, this book is where the characters are at their best.
Champion has more of the romance aspect though not betraying the wars, the government, and the issues of the Republic and of course, the book still carries action. The characters are more emotional here and I understand them even more. This book made me feel different kinds of emotions from anger, joy, sadness and so on.
I am a big fan of dystopian novels and these books are probably my most favorite.
I love this trilogy so so much, I can't move on. The action, bittersweet romance, UGH EVERYTHING. The plot, writing style ugh... I was sucked in from 0-100 real quick. The characters are fantastic and Marie Lu just makes them more badass and more charming. Even if they are those kinds of characters, I saw their weaknesses and vulnerability and I got carried away and emotional as well.
Oh my god, Day. He is so-- I can't even explain. He is so goddy amazing and I love reading his POVs. He's got that boyish charm always. At first, I wasn't a fan of "bad boys" so I was kind of skeptical about Day and the romance but it turns out that he is far from the stereotypical "bad boy". He is honest, caring, and really genuine. And June, she is my favorite female character probably of all time (so far). She is equally as badass as day; she isn't a "good girl". She is known as troublemaker when she was a student BUT then, she is the Republic's prodigy. What can you say about that?
The endings of those three books are spot on for me. Legend? I love it, made me want more. Prodigy? It crushed me. I was screaming in front of my mom and she thought I'd gotten crazy (which was partly true). And Champion? Oh my god, it left me helpless and hopeful at the same time. I had to read fanfiction to satisfy my needs and feelings.
The books explore quite a handful of topics and issues the world has been experiencing. There is a lot of government and political stuff involved but it won't bore you. The trilogy is pretty much action-packed and the characters are superb. Also, there are SO MANY turns and unexpected plot twists that left me on the edge on my seat.
So if you're deciding whether to read or not to read this trilogy, you should because it's worth it. This is so much more than a YA dystopian trilogy. It really is amazing.
November 20, 2018
Marie Lu is a gifted writer, very dedicated to creating a world that is plausible with all of the diversity and melting pot that is currently happening around us. I have enjoyed her work after being introduced to it by my local librarian. This series is no exception--- where the characters clearly have racial differences and clear culture (so the characters are not- of color in name only) where this book misses being a 4 or 5 star for me--- the lead woman character June, goes from very interesting in book 1, to sort of an ALWAYS RIGHT, never held accountable for her actions character in book 2 and 3. And worse, they use another wonderful woman character who rightfully points some things out to her close friend the male lead and she is positioned just as a jealous woman instead of... a very good friend with some rightful concerns. The lead man Day/Daniel in book 1 goes from compelling to rather senselessly in love with June who's actions DIRECTLY led to some very awful lifelong consequences
January 3, 2015
“Each day means a new twenty-four hours. Each day means everything's possible again. You live in the moment, you die in the moment, you take it all one day at a time.”
This was an excellent series. I picked up the first book not knowing what to expect, but I ended up loving it. As I continued reading I was afraid that the next two books in the Legend Trilogy wouldn't be as good as the first one. I was wrong. Each book seemed to get better and better as Day and June developed and changed into life-like people. Their struggles and mistakes pulled you into the story and made this a book that I had trouble putting down.
This series was thrilling, fast, romantic, sad, funny, and action-packed. It was also unpredictable and kept me second guessing myself until the end. Wonderful!
Here are some quotes that I liked:
“Where I come from, we're more about efficiency," he replies. "A knife like this'll skewer food, smear butter, and slit throats all at the same time.”
“He loves you, really he does. He'd love you even if it destroyed him. He matches you.”
“The Republic is weak and broken." I narrow my eyes. "But it is still your country. Fight for it. This is your home, not theirs.”
This was an excellent series. I picked up the first book not knowing what to expect, but I ended up loving it. As I continued reading I was afraid that the next two books in the Legend Trilogy wouldn't be as good as the first one. I was wrong. Each book seemed to get better and better as Day and June developed and changed into life-like people. Their struggles and mistakes pulled you into the story and made this a book that I had trouble putting down.
This series was thrilling, fast, romantic, sad, funny, and action-packed. It was also unpredictable and kept me second guessing myself until the end. Wonderful!
Here are some quotes that I liked:
“Where I come from, we're more about efficiency," he replies. "A knife like this'll skewer food, smear butter, and slit throats all at the same time.”
“He loves you, really he does. He'd love you even if it destroyed him. He matches you.”
“The Republic is weak and broken." I narrow my eyes. "But it is still your country. Fight for it. This is your home, not theirs.”
April 9, 2014
I was slightly hesitant to read this saga, after the let down in the Divergent saga ending. But, I went with it, and wasn't disappointed. Though there were a few times I found that I'd get lost in what I was reading, I enjoyed the descriptiveness that Marie Lu brought to her books. I liked that there was such emotional stress between June and Day... and seeing how it was all a huge manipulation from those who were in charge. I was a little worried as I neared the end of the final book, Champion, but was left feeling hope for the characters.
December 11, 2014
This series was a solid YA dystopian series. I don't think its on the same level as Maze Runner or Hunger Games but its still worth a read. The books improve as they go with the the final book of the trilogy being the best. Solid characters and the plot/action is very fast paced. I would have liked more depth to the world and story but still recommend to those who like the genre. Probably a 3.5 but I always round up in my rating system.
March 1, 2015
Dystopian is my absolute weakness, but this series tops the list as my favorite by far! Marie Lu is a literary genius. Her characters, her world, her plot.. Everything is just phenomenal! If you haven't read this series, stop what you're doing and read it right now! I cannot praise these books enough!
December 28, 2021
Loved first book with its strange set up, plot, characters, genre of book, romance 👏🥰
Second book not that good was meh- like
Third book also meh-like but ending/epilogue was amazing. Just wished the series was bit more focused on dystopian time period and thought of better plot concerning it as went along series.
But nonetheless loved this series a lot and enjoyed it a lot ❤️
Second book not that good was meh- like
Third book also meh-like but ending/epilogue was amazing. Just wished the series was bit more focused on dystopian time period and thought of better plot concerning it as went along series.
But nonetheless loved this series a lot and enjoyed it a lot ❤️
March 19, 2014
If you love hunger games, divergent, and eve trilogy. You better read this. There's quote from the Catching Fire "Remember who your enemy is" on the Prodigy. Legend it's slow at the first part but so fasttt in the end. Worth to read.
May 1, 2016
Overall I liked reading these books. The plotline is great and the characters are amazing. I have to admit I was a bigger fan of Day than June. Now to all who haven´t read this yet ....a spoiler..they are both main characters :D It´s a great distopian read !
March 28, 2014
Good series even better with the short story. A very good and emotional ending.
July 1, 2015
Una trilogía bastante recomendada.
Puntuación a toda la trilogía : 4.5/5
Puntuación a toda la trilogía : 4.5/5
May 5, 2014
I enjoyed this trilogy much more that the Divergent books.
January 20, 2015
Smartly written and has a great pace to it.. has a good mix of action and ideas.
A whole lot more guy friendly than similar stuff like Twilight and Divergent.
A whole lot more guy friendly than similar stuff like Twilight and Divergent.
February 8, 2015
I loved the characters and world building in this series. The third book kind of jumped the shark for me with the romance between June and Day, but overall I enjoyed the story.
July 7, 2020
Check out my reviews on each individual book on their main pages!
April 2, 2024
June really irks me in so many ways but Day has my heart…. june never deserved day all i gotta say. she’s all talk no action. but good dystopian fs
August 14, 2016
Disclaimer: This review is long. As in, the 2,000 words kind of long. You have been warned. Also, the following review is technically a “joint review” of all three books in the Legend trilogy, so I'll post it here and under the boxed set.
First off, I’m really not a fan of a lot of books in the YA genre. Especially, especially, especially the dystopian subgenre. I’ve read The Hunger Games, Divergent, Delirium, Variant (the first one), Ashfall, and Maze Runner trilogies, as well as the Gone series by Michael Grant. If the 54 Animorphs books count, then there's that, too. Out of those, only The Hunger Games, Ashfall, and the Gone series were worth it. (Animorphs, too.) The Divergent and Delirium trilogies were some of the worst books I’d ever read, particularly Delirium, which is odd considering that Lauren Oliver’s “Before I Fall” was an amazing book on so many levels. But, for the most part, the YA dystopian subgenre falls flat.
So enter Legend.
I started the first book last year, and then gave up before Day and June met and set it aside for many months. Then, a good friend who’s a critic dilettante of the dystopian subgenre sent me a letter (yes, some people actually still use snail mail) with a list of book recommendations—The Book Thief, The Phantom Tollbooth, Enclave, etc. And then. .there was “Legend.” Had it been anyone else, I would’ve turned down the recommendation, but this was an exception, so on February 14th, I pulled out my copy and, somewhat grudgingly, got back into it.
I finished the first book that same day. I started “Prodigy” on the 15th, finished it the next day, and devoured “Champion” in less than 36 hours. All I can say now is “Wow.”
Really, where do I begin? There’s an amazing, intricate plot that, while loosely based on the “revolution-rises-up-against-tyrannical/diabolical-government/scheme” plot found in most books of its kind, creates something organic and original, complete with a very real cast of characters that aren’t difficult to empathize with—not sympathize, mind you, but empathize; there is a difference. So let’s start off by briefly looking at the characters.
We’re first introduced to Day with the sentence “My mother thinks I’m dead.” Thus enters Daniel Alton Wing, a 15-year old revolutionary who’s ostensibly failed the Trials and now lives on the streets, focused solely on destroying the Republic. His hatred towards the government that ruined his family’s lives, killing his older brother, mother, and father, and then throwing him out on the street and experimenting on both him and Eden, is so powerful that it’s his main driving force throughout the trilogy. Up to the very end, the memory of what the Republic has done continues to influence him and affects June. Day’s a fiercely protective teenager who’s got a way with girls—though none are like June, as he reflects on in the final book—but he’s also quite arrogant. While some might say it’s more an attitude of bitterness he’s fostering, I say it’s arrogance: the way he calls the Senators and other higher-ups “trots” and his constant attitude that blinds him to seeing clearly is nothing short of arrogance, not unlike the Republic officials. I like this because it’s made clear that it’s not the “rich” or the “poor” that have attitude problems; instead, we all are arrogant. However, Day is a very believable, layered character that has his share of weaknesses—and man, they’re weaknesses. That said, I much preferred June, which is not the author’s fault in any way whatsoever. I merely found June more likable and I was rooting for her throughout the series.
So let’s move on to June Iparis, Republic Prodigy. While I had trouble getting used to June at first (more on that later), it didn’t take long for me to rapidly get won over by her. Her internal struggles as she wavered between her lifelong loyalty to the Republic and the new evidence she unearthed, her relationship with Day and Metias, and then Anden, (I’ll get to Metias shortly), and her general badassery and ultra-alertness was absolutely wonderful. I found myself looking forward to reading the June sections far more than Day’s, probably because June had this well-rounded view of the Republic and the struggles between the various entities. She somehow managed to remain level-headed, logical, and empathetic throughout the entire series, all while never losing her uncanny ability to absorb in the minutest of details, and for that, she won my heart. If I had any doubts in the first book, she made up for it in the end, with so many raw scenes so real and vivid I could clearly see an all-too-real picture in my mind. Moments include when Thomas revealed the truth about what happened on the night of Metias’s death (more about Thomas in a bit, as with Metias) and after Commander Jameson shot Day and June thought he was going to die. Oh. My. Goodness. Even though the trilogy is set in a future dissimilar from our current society, there were many relatable moments that I was able to connect with that made June this amazing character.
Now, for Metias. For a character that dies at the start of the first book, I was impressed at how his legacy and essence was carried out throughout the rest of the series—and not just trite flashbacks, but something seemingly more tangible than that, letting us get to know this character who was dead and gone. His relationship with Thomas was one of the best subthemes (if I can use that term) of the series, and I was glad that we got closure and that night didn’t go down with only Thomas and Metias. While I’m not opposed to deliberately ambiguous novels, there are times where I feel like I just have to know, such as with this. And when Thomas stabbed Metias. .wow. This leads directly into some of the moral issues in the series, which will be my next point.
Any good novel doesn’t just set down an obvious good guy vs. the clearly bad guy. That’s for mythology and bad soap operas. And in the Legend trilogy, more often than not, it’s not made clear—ever—what’s right and what’s wrong. (Though, it’s always nice to have evil personified in at least one character, like Commander Jameson. I mean, wow. Can you say chilling, much? Her cold, unbreakable demeanor. .even up to when she died. Impressive. But on to the moral issues.) Was Thomas justified in killing Metias? Probably not, but his undying, almost fanatical devotion to the Republic at least explained why he did what he did. No character made me feel more conflicted than Thomas, because he didn’t try to actively excuse what he did, at least not until the end. But even then, although June never explicitly forgave him, he still gave up his life for the Republic, remaining loyal to the end. If there was such a thing as faith, Thomas exemplified it in a way that’s not often depicted in literature. And while he probably could have run away with Metias—for God’s sake, Metias bloody loved Thomas—it’s at the least understandable why he did what he did. His loyalty was to the Republic, and yet he honored Metias’s selfless last wish: to not hurt June. And for that, he earned my respect.
Of course, the Metias/Thomas plot wasn’t the only moral dilemma at all. I’m clearly not going to cover them all, but one of the most striking ones was whether or not it was right to potentially kill Eden in order to save the lives of all the Republic’s citizens. Yes, it would seem that avoiding a major war was a good enough reason to experiment on Eden. .but was it really? After everything the Republic had done to Day, did it make sense to put him through more torture again and possibly kill his only remaining immediate family member? Anden had good reason to want Eden; it wasn’t as if he was being completely selfish—but he was. Day had good reason to want Eden to stay safe; it wasn’t as if he was being completely selfish either—but he was. And that was what made them human.
One final aspect I’d like to look at in regards to the plot is the struggle portrayed in the three books. In many dystopian novels, it’s the resistance vs. a tyrannical/diabolical power figure. While not always a government, there’s almost always a group body that’s putting the protagonist and his/her cohorts through hell. While the Legend trilogy has this a tyrannical government. .what makes it different is that ultimately it’s not Day, June, and the rebels vs. the Republic. By the end, the Republic must join together and fight the Colonies in an attempt to unify everyone. I cannot express how pleased I was to see this development in the final book of the trilogy. Kudos to the author.
And now, finally, I’ll briefly look at the style the book was written in. I was somewhat hoping that we’d have a YA dystopian novel that’s not in the 1st person and/or present tense, but it delivered. The sense of immediacy and the unmistakable personal feel worked out much better than in some novels. (Let’s not talk about how horrible the alternating POVs in Allegiant was—all right, actually, let’s. Tobias sounded exactly like Tris, so if I left off in the middle of a chapter, I’d pick it up and not be able to tell who was narrating. NO. NO. If you’re going to do it, do it right. Please.) While Day and June sounded somewhat similar in the first book, their voices grew distinct and more unique as Ms. Lu got into her character’s heads, I believe.
For a good part of the first book, I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to like Day and that this book would read very much like the abominable “Delirium” series. Frankly, I can’t place a finger on it, but there’s just a style of writing that’s found in Veronica Roth, Lauren Oliver, and—for a short while—even Maria Lu’s works. They’re all in the first person present, and each features a female protagonist that somehow has this annoying style that makes me grit my teeth. I’m not sure how to explain it, but it reads very clean, very artificial and perfect. I find it more so in Delirium than Divergent, but it’s in all of them, and it’s very annoying. Fortunately, June’s voice took a turn for the better as the series progressed—though there was one chapter in one of the books (I think it’s the second) when the author went overboard with June’s observations. The amount of parentheses used hurt my eyes. That aside, what helped keep Day and June separate was the fact that Day was more likely to use words like “gonna” and “wanna” as well as street slang (“trot” and “goddy.”) However, I feel like, for being a street boy, Day’s language was too refined at times. Sure, he scored 1500 on the Trials, but I doubt he’d be as literate as the author made him out to be at times. But, besides a few minor qualms, I found the two voices to be distinct enough so that I wouldn’t have an Allegiant repeat.
And now I come to the close of my lengthy review. We’ve got an intricate, complex plot. Layered, 3D characters. Powerful prose. Great action. Amazing covers (at least the last two books; Legend’s cover was very dull, but the others are some of my favorite book covers). What’s not to enjoy? Yes, there were a few issues I had with the book—but then again, when don’t I?) I’m going to give the first book 4/5, and the other two 5/5, which, for me, is very rare. (If there had been a 10-star rating system, the first book would’ve gotten 8.5/10, and the other two 9/10). Only Gatsby, Alaska Young, and Nick and Amy Dunne have so far been able to climb so high, so it’s time to add two new characters to such a level. Because honestly, I was impressed. Really, really impressed. And that’s saying a lot coming from the teenager who despises a good chunk of YA literature.
Ms. Lu, +1,000,000.
First off, I’m really not a fan of a lot of books in the YA genre. Especially, especially, especially the dystopian subgenre. I’ve read The Hunger Games, Divergent, Delirium, Variant (the first one), Ashfall, and Maze Runner trilogies, as well as the Gone series by Michael Grant. If the 54 Animorphs books count, then there's that, too. Out of those, only The Hunger Games, Ashfall, and the Gone series were worth it. (Animorphs, too.) The Divergent and Delirium trilogies were some of the worst books I’d ever read, particularly Delirium, which is odd considering that Lauren Oliver’s “Before I Fall” was an amazing book on so many levels. But, for the most part, the YA dystopian subgenre falls flat.
So enter Legend.
I started the first book last year, and then gave up before Day and June met and set it aside for many months. Then, a good friend who’s a critic dilettante of the dystopian subgenre sent me a letter (yes, some people actually still use snail mail) with a list of book recommendations—The Book Thief, The Phantom Tollbooth, Enclave, etc. And then. .there was “Legend.” Had it been anyone else, I would’ve turned down the recommendation, but this was an exception, so on February 14th, I pulled out my copy and, somewhat grudgingly, got back into it.
I finished the first book that same day. I started “Prodigy” on the 15th, finished it the next day, and devoured “Champion” in less than 36 hours. All I can say now is “Wow.”
Really, where do I begin? There’s an amazing, intricate plot that, while loosely based on the “revolution-rises-up-against-tyrannical/diabolical-government/scheme” plot found in most books of its kind, creates something organic and original, complete with a very real cast of characters that aren’t difficult to empathize with—not sympathize, mind you, but empathize; there is a difference. So let’s start off by briefly looking at the characters.
We’re first introduced to Day with the sentence “My mother thinks I’m dead.” Thus enters Daniel Alton Wing, a 15-year old revolutionary who’s ostensibly failed the Trials and now lives on the streets, focused solely on destroying the Republic. His hatred towards the government that ruined his family’s lives, killing his older brother, mother, and father, and then throwing him out on the street and experimenting on both him and Eden, is so powerful that it’s his main driving force throughout the trilogy. Up to the very end, the memory of what the Republic has done continues to influence him and affects June. Day’s a fiercely protective teenager who’s got a way with girls—though none are like June, as he reflects on in the final book—but he’s also quite arrogant. While some might say it’s more an attitude of bitterness he’s fostering, I say it’s arrogance: the way he calls the Senators and other higher-ups “trots” and his constant attitude that blinds him to seeing clearly is nothing short of arrogance, not unlike the Republic officials. I like this because it’s made clear that it’s not the “rich” or the “poor” that have attitude problems; instead, we all are arrogant. However, Day is a very believable, layered character that has his share of weaknesses—and man, they’re weaknesses. That said, I much preferred June, which is not the author’s fault in any way whatsoever. I merely found June more likable and I was rooting for her throughout the series.
So let’s move on to June Iparis, Republic Prodigy. While I had trouble getting used to June at first (more on that later), it didn’t take long for me to rapidly get won over by her. Her internal struggles as she wavered between her lifelong loyalty to the Republic and the new evidence she unearthed, her relationship with Day and Metias, and then Anden, (I’ll get to Metias shortly), and her general badassery and ultra-alertness was absolutely wonderful. I found myself looking forward to reading the June sections far more than Day’s, probably because June had this well-rounded view of the Republic and the struggles between the various entities. She somehow managed to remain level-headed, logical, and empathetic throughout the entire series, all while never losing her uncanny ability to absorb in the minutest of details, and for that, she won my heart. If I had any doubts in the first book, she made up for it in the end, with so many raw scenes so real and vivid I could clearly see an all-too-real picture in my mind. Moments include when Thomas revealed the truth about what happened on the night of Metias’s death (more about Thomas in a bit, as with Metias) and after Commander Jameson shot Day and June thought he was going to die. Oh. My. Goodness. Even though the trilogy is set in a future dissimilar from our current society, there were many relatable moments that I was able to connect with that made June this amazing character.
Now, for Metias. For a character that dies at the start of the first book, I was impressed at how his legacy and essence was carried out throughout the rest of the series—and not just trite flashbacks, but something seemingly more tangible than that, letting us get to know this character who was dead and gone. His relationship with Thomas was one of the best subthemes (if I can use that term) of the series, and I was glad that we got closure and that night didn’t go down with only Thomas and Metias. While I’m not opposed to deliberately ambiguous novels, there are times where I feel like I just have to know, such as with this. And when Thomas stabbed Metias. .wow. This leads directly into some of the moral issues in the series, which will be my next point.
Any good novel doesn’t just set down an obvious good guy vs. the clearly bad guy. That’s for mythology and bad soap operas. And in the Legend trilogy, more often than not, it’s not made clear—ever—what’s right and what’s wrong. (Though, it’s always nice to have evil personified in at least one character, like Commander Jameson. I mean, wow. Can you say chilling, much? Her cold, unbreakable demeanor. .even up to when she died. Impressive. But on to the moral issues.) Was Thomas justified in killing Metias? Probably not, but his undying, almost fanatical devotion to the Republic at least explained why he did what he did. No character made me feel more conflicted than Thomas, because he didn’t try to actively excuse what he did, at least not until the end. But even then, although June never explicitly forgave him, he still gave up his life for the Republic, remaining loyal to the end. If there was such a thing as faith, Thomas exemplified it in a way that’s not often depicted in literature. And while he probably could have run away with Metias—for God’s sake, Metias bloody loved Thomas—it’s at the least understandable why he did what he did. His loyalty was to the Republic, and yet he honored Metias’s selfless last wish: to not hurt June. And for that, he earned my respect.
Of course, the Metias/Thomas plot wasn’t the only moral dilemma at all. I’m clearly not going to cover them all, but one of the most striking ones was whether or not it was right to potentially kill Eden in order to save the lives of all the Republic’s citizens. Yes, it would seem that avoiding a major war was a good enough reason to experiment on Eden. .but was it really? After everything the Republic had done to Day, did it make sense to put him through more torture again and possibly kill his only remaining immediate family member? Anden had good reason to want Eden; it wasn’t as if he was being completely selfish—but he was. Day had good reason to want Eden to stay safe; it wasn’t as if he was being completely selfish either—but he was. And that was what made them human.
One final aspect I’d like to look at in regards to the plot is the struggle portrayed in the three books. In many dystopian novels, it’s the resistance vs. a tyrannical/diabolical power figure. While not always a government, there’s almost always a group body that’s putting the protagonist and his/her cohorts through hell. While the Legend trilogy has this a tyrannical government. .what makes it different is that ultimately it’s not Day, June, and the rebels vs. the Republic. By the end, the Republic must join together and fight the Colonies in an attempt to unify everyone. I cannot express how pleased I was to see this development in the final book of the trilogy. Kudos to the author.
And now, finally, I’ll briefly look at the style the book was written in. I was somewhat hoping that we’d have a YA dystopian novel that’s not in the 1st person and/or present tense, but it delivered. The sense of immediacy and the unmistakable personal feel worked out much better than in some novels. (Let’s not talk about how horrible the alternating POVs in Allegiant was—all right, actually, let’s. Tobias sounded exactly like Tris, so if I left off in the middle of a chapter, I’d pick it up and not be able to tell who was narrating. NO. NO. If you’re going to do it, do it right. Please.) While Day and June sounded somewhat similar in the first book, their voices grew distinct and more unique as Ms. Lu got into her character’s heads, I believe.
For a good part of the first book, I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to like Day and that this book would read very much like the abominable “Delirium” series. Frankly, I can’t place a finger on it, but there’s just a style of writing that’s found in Veronica Roth, Lauren Oliver, and—for a short while—even Maria Lu’s works. They’re all in the first person present, and each features a female protagonist that somehow has this annoying style that makes me grit my teeth. I’m not sure how to explain it, but it reads very clean, very artificial and perfect. I find it more so in Delirium than Divergent, but it’s in all of them, and it’s very annoying. Fortunately, June’s voice took a turn for the better as the series progressed—though there was one chapter in one of the books (I think it’s the second) when the author went overboard with June’s observations. The amount of parentheses used hurt my eyes. That aside, what helped keep Day and June separate was the fact that Day was more likely to use words like “gonna” and “wanna” as well as street slang (“trot” and “goddy.”) However, I feel like, for being a street boy, Day’s language was too refined at times. Sure, he scored 1500 on the Trials, but I doubt he’d be as literate as the author made him out to be at times. But, besides a few minor qualms, I found the two voices to be distinct enough so that I wouldn’t have an Allegiant repeat.
And now I come to the close of my lengthy review. We’ve got an intricate, complex plot. Layered, 3D characters. Powerful prose. Great action. Amazing covers (at least the last two books; Legend’s cover was very dull, but the others are some of my favorite book covers). What’s not to enjoy? Yes, there were a few issues I had with the book—but then again, when don’t I?) I’m going to give the first book 4/5, and the other two 5/5, which, for me, is very rare. (If there had been a 10-star rating system, the first book would’ve gotten 8.5/10, and the other two 9/10). Only Gatsby, Alaska Young, and Nick and Amy Dunne have so far been able to climb so high, so it’s time to add two new characters to such a level. Because honestly, I was impressed. Really, really impressed. And that’s saying a lot coming from the teenager who despises a good chunk of YA literature.
Ms. Lu, +1,000,000.
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