Legacy of Ash (Legacy Trilogy, #1) by Matthew Ward

Dec 06, 2019 Petrik rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: arcs-and-review-copies

Achievement unlocked: This is the 100th ARC/Review Copy I’ve read and reviewed!

Review Copy provided by the publisher—Orbit—in exchange for an honest review.

Legacy of Ash is an epic fantasy debut aptly designed for well-seasoned epic fantasy readers, and I wouldn’t recommend newcomers to the genre starting to start their epic fantasy adventure here.

We all know how it goes; if it’s an epic fantasy debut, the particular book will immediately be advertised as A Song of Ice and Fire or Game of Th ...more

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Aug 09, 2019 James Islington rated it it was amazing

I enjoyed this! LEGACY OF ASH is another debut coming out this year that’s certainly worth a look if you’re into slightly more historical-feeling epic fantasy. It’s an interesting mix – it was pitched to me as A GAME OF THRONES meets Bernard Cromwell, and I don’t think that’s too far off the mark. It has great worldbuilding, and a big cast that allows the story to stay detail-oriented while maintaining quite a wide scope. There’s plenty of politics and backstabbing and generally terrible people I enjoyed this! LEGACY OF ASH is another debut coming out this year that’s certainly worth a look if you’re into slightly more historical-feeling epic fantasy. It’s an interesting mix – it was pitched to me as A GAME OF THRONES meets Bernard Cromwell, and I don’t think that’s too far off the mark. It has great worldbuilding, and a big cast that allows the story to stay detail-oriented while maintaining quite a wide scope. There’s plenty of politics and backstabbing and generally terrible people to hate – and also good people having to face hard choices, and sometimes making mistakes as a result.

Despite the GoT comparison, one of the first things I noticed was that LEGACY OF ASH doesn’t go near the more explicit material in George RR Martin’s series. If you would have otherwise enjoyed Game of Thrones, but were put off by its fairly liberal use of sex and swearing, this book could well be perfect for you.

I should also mention that to begin with, I wasn’t sure that LEGACY OF ASH was going to grab me – not because it’s poorly written (the writing's great) and not because it takes a while to get into the plot (it doesn’t) - but simply because there are a lot of different point-of-view characters, and the story starts switching between them quite quickly from the get-go. That’s actually going to be a positive for a lot of people, and of course there’s the one rather popular series I've already mentioned that does exactly this. But I wanted to note it for other readers like me, who generally find this format a little harder to get into. Both to forewarn them that it’s written in this style, and to assure them that I enjoyed it anyway.

Once I got my head around the setting and the relationships of the characters to one another, though, the story really did draw me in. It’s quite a big book - my preview copy had to be split across two separate volumes! – but it moves at a solid clip. There are some nice twists, and both the plot and the development of the characters often moved in directions I wasn’t necessarily expecting. I very much liked the ending, too, which is always important.

All in all, an absorbing read! ...more

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Nov 17, 2019 Nils | nilsreviewsit rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

‘[[Much can change in time,]] said Anastacia. [[Truth becomes hope, and hope becomes legend. What was wild becomes settled, and fear lives on as prejudice. People remember where history forgets.]]’
~
Legacy of Ash is the first instalment in the aptly titled Legacy Trilogy by Matthew Ward. This book is a tome to say the least, rounding up at 764 pages, this is one hell of an ambitious epic fantasy and one that completely enchanted me.

To give a brief outline of what the book is about is somewhat of ‘[[Much can change in time,]] said Anastacia. [[Truth becomes hope, and hope becomes legend. What was wild becomes settled, and fear lives on as prejudice. People remember where history forgets.]]’
~
Legacy of Ash is the first instalment in the aptly titled Legacy Trilogy by Matthew Ward. This book is a tome to say the least, rounding up at 764 pages, this is one hell of an ambitious epic fantasy and one that completely enchanted me.

To give a brief outline of what the book is about is somewhat 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.

I’ll start by saying, Legacy of Ash, is the very embodiment of an epic fantasy. There is a quest for freedom, there are legendary knights, characters who can wield magic, ethereal beings, and there is the age old war between light and dark, although this book does give a somewhat fresh perspective on that! I know this book has been compared to Game of Thrones (*ahem*, what fantasy book hasn’t these days?) but I find this misleading. This is not a dark and gritty book, and if I had to compare it to any other series, I would say it’s more akin to The Faithful and the Fallen by John Gwynne.

Through the beginning chapters the novel boldly introduces an immense amount of characters. Ward throws the reader right into the middle of events, with minimal backstory or world building, and it is left to us to slowly piece the puzzle together as we read on. Now normally I’d find this quite jarring, but that was not the case here. Ward’s writing style, his skill in creating likeable characters, his ability to keep you intrigued, was something that reeled me in and had me hooked. I particularly loved that there were multiple plots set up, as the depth of the story continuously impressed me.

I think it’s noteworthy to mention that we do switch POV between characters a lot, often in the same chapter, but these switches were separated by paragraphs so it never became confusing. However, if you’re inclined to be put off by this, I urge you not to, because I felt there was a fundamental purpose to this style. Each character is interconnected one way or another with each other’s narratives, for good or ill they impact each other’s lives, and therefore Ward deliberately positions each point of view to give the reader the best insight. There are many schemes, lies, misconceptions, and drama, OH THE DRAMA! I was utterly enthralled by it all. It felt like a show I was watching unfold, and I couldn’t help but feel caught in it. That’s when you know you’re reading a good book, right? When you suspend reality, and can’t help but feel apart of the story... it’s the best! But anyway, to further my point this is a big novel, and therefore Ward uses that expanse to flesh out the characters in fairly short scenes, and skilfully build upon their narratives. I would say that the first half of the book is a character driven story, one that explores the tenuous bonds between family, friends, and delves into the nature of legacies, and of forgiveness.

So, which characters did I like the best? How long have you got?! There are a lot to mention, so I’ll do my best to keep it short(ish). Josiri, was a character that often wallowed in self pity and bitterness, which made him infuriating to begin with, but as he became stronger, and was able to overcome his narrow mindedness, I began to adore him. His sister, Calenne, in her desperation to step out from behind her mother’s shadow any way she could, did come across as selfish, but you understand her reasons behind it, and I grew to really root for her. Now, Viktor Akadra was one I immediately LOVED. I mean Viktor had heart, he genuinely cared for others, and his only goal was to make amends for his past; but Viktor had a shadow... and I’ll leave it to you find out exactly what that shadow could do!

Other honourable mentions were; Anastacia, who held so much magical power, she was just plain awesome. Then there was Melanna, the prince of Hadari’s daughter, who wanted nothing more than to become a warrior to fight beside her father, even though tradition dictated women could not partake in warfare. Oh and my favourite duo were Kurkas and Revekeh; these two made the most unlikeliest friendship, but somehow they were both perfect for each other, and their banter together was the absolute best!! Lastly, I’ll mention Ebigail, one of the main villains of the story, and she was the most villainiest of villains indeed! Jeez, she was ruthless; the way she could manipulate situations to ensure her dominance and power, was both maddening but also well played! It’s a cliche, but I loved to hate her.
~
‘Viktor didn’t cheer the death. Eyes stinging with sweat, he saved every breath for the strength it lent weary arms and a flagging heart. There was only the press of bodies. The dead and the dying trampled underfoot. And the determination to outlast the foe.’
~
Now, as I mentioned before the first half of Legacy of Ash is character driven, but after that point, my god there is one hell of a lot of tumult! Ward delivers some absolutely incredible action scenes, that made my battle loving, stabby stabby heart so happy! What I was most impressed by was the way Ward set up the characters like pieces on a chess board. He built the tension, the atmosphere, by strategically placing characters in various parts of the battlefield to ensure the reader gets a fully rounded perspective of the fighting from all sides, even the enemies line. A lot of fantasy books lately have opted to keep the magical/fantastical elements low key, whereas Ward goes all out and incorporates some awesome magical beings and creatures. Personally I appreciated this so much, because the fantastical is an element that is a huge part of the fantasy genre, the possibilities are endless, so why not celebrate that?! In Legacy of Ash, Ward created magical amulets which allowed magical and non magical users to control Simarka’s, which were mechanical lions, and kraikons, which were mechanical giants. From the Hadari side we had grunda’s which were like mechanical rhino’s that charged their foe. We also had a goddess’ sword, dark magic, and a highly powered mystical malevolent being! Folks, this book was so freaking epic, oh and the ending, the very last page, left me SHOOK!

So there you have it, Legacy of Ash was a book that was simply right up my street. It felt like an old school fantasy, with characters that appeared real, and world building that revels in the fantastical. If this appeals to you, then what are you waiting for? Go grab a copy.

ARC provided by Orbit in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for this amazing copy! Legacy of Ash is out now! ...more

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Dec 29, 2019 Dave rated it it was amazing

Shelves: netgalley-books, fantasy-all, fantasy-epic-fantasy-high, read-have

Fantasy doesn't get any more legendary or epic than Ward's "Legacy of Ash." You want ancient kingdoms doing battle. You got it. You want heroes and heroines in rebellion against the boot of the oppressors. Here it is. You want magical powers so dark, so mysterious, so twisted. You can barely comprehend its limits. You found it.

The payoff in terms of a satisfying epic adventure is magnificent. However, patience must be counseled on the treacherous journey. The cinder block, referred to as a novel Fantasy doesn't get any more legendary or epic than Ward's "Legacy of Ash." You want ancient kingdoms doing battle. You got it. You want heroes and heroines in rebellion against the boot of the oppressors. Here it is. You want magical powers so dark, so mysterious, so twisted. You can barely comprehend its limits. You found it.

The payoff in terms of a satisfying epic adventure is magnificent. However, patience must be counseled on the treacherous journey. The cinder block, referred to as a novel, is near eight hundred pages. And it is filled with so many characters and subplots and twists that it's hard to keep the players straight without a scorecard. Think of it as the lengthy setup on the chessboard before all the action starts. Bear with it because it will all make sense eventually and you'll be thunderstruck at how quickly the pages turn and how little sleep you'll get.

In terms of worldbuilding, Legacy of Ash dies a great job without ever fully spelling out the past histories of either the Republic or the Empire or the rebellious provinces. Even more mysterious is all the magic, both dark and light magic, and how fully the purveyors of magic are twisted and bent to the darkness. Who controls whom and how ancient are the powers? And who are the crows and crowmarket?

And the Kraikens are among the most mysterious things in the novel, man-made behemoths or siege engines imbued with magic. They seem in some sense out of place here.

The characters are not only numerous, but are complex, with ever changing motives and loyalties. Don't think you know how all the forces are arrayed and to whom loyalty is owed on the everchanging chessboard. Here, pretty much all the main characters are classic flawed heroes who are blinded by grudges, by the burdens of the past, by hubris, and by delving deep into forces they cannot begin to comprehend.

Viktor is of course the invincible warrior, but he slew the Phoenix, the hope of the South, and it's a burden he can never relinquish. He is also far more than the classic swordsman as he bears more than just guilt but a shadow that threatens to envelop him.

Josiri and Calenne are no less complex, mere children in the opening prologue and forever haunted by their mother's legacy. Can they live up to Katya's legend or are they imprisoned by it and unable to break free. Will they mature enough to become the leaders their people need them to be? ...more

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Jan 01, 2020 Lisa rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

My thanks to Orbit Books, Netgalley and the Author Matthew Ward.
I have a love for Epic Fantasy and Grimdark. Because I love it so hard, I don't read too much of it, and when I do I'm exceedingly picky! This was Epic Fantasy at its finest. I'm truly amazed by now much I loved this first book. It had a large cast of characters, but not so many that you end up wondering who is who. I loved the characters, "mostly." I especially loved the magics? Both dark and light, and am looking forward to seeing ...more

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Dec 29, 2019 Nick Borrelli rated it it was amazing

LEGACY OF ASH begins in the middle of a hotbed of action and events that have already taken place to set up the current situation. The Tressian Republic has accomplished much and acquired a good amount of territory leading up to this point. However, they are threatened on their southeastern border by the upstart Hadari Empire. The Hadari have been waiting patiently for the opportune time to strike and by all reasoning, this seems to be that time.

Situated between the warring Tressians and Hadari LEGACY OF ASH begins in the middle of a hotbed of action and events that have already taken place to set up the current situation. The Tressian Republic has accomplished much and acquired a good amount of territory leading up to this point. However, they are threatened on their southeastern border by the upstart Hadari Empire. The Hadari have been waiting patiently for the opportune time to strike and by all reasoning, this seems to be that time.

Situated between the warring Tressians and Hadari are the people of the Southshires. The inhabitants of this land at one time attempted to rise up against the Tressians and were eventually thwarted by the Black Knight Viktor Akadra and the army of the Republic. Now the Southshires finds itself a protectorate of sorts of Tressia, albeit one of convenience. The Tressians need the Southshires for its abundance of resources, but they ignore this territory for the most part until they need to replenish their stocks. Then and only then are they deemed important enough to broker with.

Crown Prince Saran of the Hadari, along with his daughter Melanna, believe that they have the key to overthrowing their hated enemy once and for all. They will use the pent up resentment and bitterness of the Southshires in an attempt to forge a military alliance that will make them all but unbeatable. But the Tressians are racing to make an alliance of their own. For they know that if the Tressian champion Akadra can sway Duke Josiri and his sister Calenne to align with the Republic, Hadari will be doomed to failure. The race is on to bolster each side as a war to end all wars seems more than imminent. Distrust and hatred die hard as years of neglect and oppression of the Southshires may ultimately come back to bite The Republic.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I will freely admit that I like huge books. I mean, the more pages the better as far as I'm concerned. With that being said, I also realize that many authors cannot pull off a door stopper of a book without having some significant periods of inactivity and stagnation. Well, not so in the case of Matthew Ward and LEGACY OF ASH. This is a meaty epic fantasy book that never wavers or slows down for a minute. The amount of action, intrigue, and battle depictions packed into this one book would fill the majority of fantasy trilogies. Great news to be sure as this means we have so much more yet to experience from this series.

LEGACY OF ASH contained so many emotional moments for me. Mostly in the sections that dealt with the Southshires and their dilemma of being caught up in an incredibly difficult choice. On the one hand they finally would like to throw off the shackles of their rulers the Tressians, yet they also know that the invading army of the Hadari are pouring through the mountain pass and will most likely tear a bloody path through their own lands on the way to their final destination. Josiri in particular is conflicted by his absolute hatred of Viktor Akadra, who committed a past atrocity that is difficult for Josiri to forgive easily. Yet he may find himslef having to work with Viktor if a semblance of peace is to be attained.

This is one heck of a fantasy book but it is also an illustration of struggling to overcome past enmities and prejudices, not only of the oppressed but of the oppressor. Can you truly trust someone who once did something so horrible that it left you a broken shell of who you once were and devastated your entire family and people? I found so much more to enjoy about this book than I expected to going in. The characters are wonderfully complex and all of them are fighting an inner battle to change something within themselves. The thing that I especially like about these characters is that none of them are simple black and white, but just varying shades of grey. There is a degree of good and bad in each and every one and their motivations are not always clear at first glance.

I was going to compare LEGACY OF ASH to another series that I truly love, but in the end, I don't think it's fair to do so. I say that because this is a monumental fantasy achievement all its own in my opinion that needs to be taken as such. I will say that if you like your fantasies epic, filled with treachery/backstabbing, infused with a ton of brutal battle scenes, and with characters that you immediately feel a connection to, then LEGACY OF ASH is the book you should be reading. It will leave you stunned and wanting much, much more after turning the last page. That's hard to say with an 800 page book, but it was most certainly the case for me. Can't wait for the second installment in the Legacy Trilogy! ...more

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Dec 31, 2019 Lisa rated it it was amazing

Shelves: net-galley

My thanks to Orbit Books, Netgalley and the Author Matthew Ward. I have a love for Epic Fantasy and Grimdark. Because I love it so hard, I don't read too much of it, and when I do I'm exceedingly picky! This was Epic Fantasy at its finest. I'm truly amazed by now much I loved this first book. It had a large cast of characters, but not so many that you end up wondering who is who. I loved the characters, "mostly." I especially loved the magics? Both dark and light, and am looking forward to seein ...more

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Nov 03, 2019 Hiu Gregg rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arcs

It feels like a long time since I’ve last read a big, chunky epic fantasy book set in a pseudo-European medieval setting. Which is wild, when you think about it, seeing as these types of books are still so often the most recommended.

But reading Legacy of Ash managed to stir up a little bit of nostalgia in me. It was a similar sort of feeling to that of eating a really good meal that reminds me of your parent’s cooking. The restaurant might use fresher ingredients than you would have found at hom It feels like a long time since I’ve last read a big, chunky epic fantasy book set in a pseudo-European medieval setting. Which is wild, when you think about it, seeing as these types of books are still so often the most recommended.

But reading Legacy of Ash managed to stir up a little bit of nostalgia in me. It was a similar sort of feeling to that of eating a really good meal that reminds me of your parent’s cooking. The restaurant might use fresher ingredients than you would have found at home — and if you’re honest with yourself, it might even be a little tastier — but there’s enough of a similarity there to tug at these memories without overpowering the joy of a new experience.

I’ll admit, I was a little unsure of the book at first. My stamina for large epic fantasy novels isn’t what it used to be, and it probably didn’t help that I came into this off the back of a book that pushed 1000 pages. This isn’t to say that there’s anything “wrong” with the opening. It’s just that there are quite a large number of point-of-view characters, most of which are cycled through right from the get-go. It took me some time to build up some familiarity with the cast and the wider world, but from there… it was plain sailing.

The story starts with a prologue which, in a break from tradition, isn’t a confusing mix of made up fantasy words that have little bearing on the actual book. Instead, we’re shown the end result of a failed rebellion set 15 years before the events of the story. We follow the revolution’s leader — the Phoenix — as she confronts the death of her cause. In turn, she is confronted by a young knight named Victor Akadra, who is wrapped in writhing shadows of forbidden magic.

Fast forward fifteen years, and Viktor is one of our main characters. There’s also Josiri and Calenne, children of the Phoenix and figurehead rulers of the loathed southern portion of the Tressian Republic. Tensions are still high after the Phoenix rebellion, and so these siblings are confined to their ancestral home. The North loves nothing more than to interfere in the political landscape of the south, but they may have to put their schemes and animosity behind them to deal with the threat of the invading Hadari Empire.

This touches on something that I loved about this book: all of these factions… all of these schemes… we get to see it all. There’s at least one POV character on every side, allowing us to see every conflict from all angles. It scratched an itch that I genuinely don’t think I’ve satisfied since A Song of Ice and Fire. Which sounds like damningly high praise, but in terms of the political maneuverings and machinations it genuinely does have a similar feel — although it’s not as over the top with the violence and sex.

This type of complexity necessitates a slower pace, which some readers might not enjoy, but which I loved. Those throwaway comments in one part of the world which have game-changing implications for characters in another? That is my jam. Inject it straight into my veins.

And then there’s the magic. Oh, there’s the magic. There are assassins that fly through the air in a cloud of clawing and pecking black birds. There are lion-shaped golems built for war. There are gods of sunlight and moonlight. Magical swords and ethereal antlered beings. And then there’s Viktor’s shadow…

And all of this feels understated. All of this seems to fit into the world. Right up until it doesn’t.

Admittedly, there are a couple of major magical events towards the end of the book which, for me, seemed to progress a little too quickly. I wish there had been a little more of a build up for those, but this is just a minor quibble.

Taken as a whole, Legacy of Ash is an incredibly impressive piece of fantasy fiction. It has clear prose, characters that feel real and flawed, and a well-constructed world brimming with imagination. It may seem familiar when viewed from a big-picture perspective, but when you look closer, you can see the originality in the brush-strokes. It’s maybe not a book for those looking for something groundbreaking and unique, but fans of traditional European-inspired epic fantasy should find a whole lot to like here.

I loved it. ...more

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Feb 19, 2020 Esme rated it really liked it

This was epic in the true sense of the word. Just because a book is long doesn’t necessarily mean it will use a wide-angle lens to view the world. There can be extremely lengthy books with a very narrow scope. This is a book that tried to show you every angle possible. Each character had their own schemes, plots, motivations, background, and reasons to get behind one leader or another. Sometimes their loyalties weren’t as strong as they appeared to be, not even amongst family members. All of tha ...more

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Nov 20, 2019 FanFiAddict rated it it was amazing

Thanks to Hachette Audio, Libro.fm, the author, and the narrator for an advance listening copy of Legacy of Ash (Legacy Trilogy #1) in exchange for an honest review. Receiving this ALC did not influence my thoughts or opinions on the novel.

George R. R. Who? A sprawling epic filled with multi-dimensional characters, political intrigue, intense magic, and large-scale battles, Legacy of Ash is sure to be at the top of many “Best of” lists in 2020. A perfect blend of Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire Thanks to Hachette Audio, Libro.fm, the author, and the narrator for an advance listening copy of Legacy of Ash (Legacy Trilogy #1) in exchange for an honest review. Receiving this ALC did not influence my thoughts or opinions on the novel.

George R. R. Who? A sprawling epic filled with multi-dimensional characters, political intrigue, intense magic, and large-scale battles, Legacy of Ash is sure to be at the top of many “Best of” lists in 2020. A perfect blend of Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire and Bernard Cornwell’s The Last Kingdom. If you enjoy epic fantasy in any capacity whatsoever, make sure this one is on your wish-list.

Now, before you ask, Legacy definitely deserves a 5-star rating, but I had to dock it down to a 4.5+ due to a few things at the beginning and throughout the novel. First off, while I can recommend the audiobook as Suzannah Hampton does a phenomenal job with the narration (even with a heavy dose of male characters), you may be better off grabbing a physical or digital copy and reading along (if you can afford to do so). Main reasons I say that are thus (and they are actually the same issues I had when first attempting Adrian Selby’s Snakewood): there is a large cast of characters given to you in a short period of time AND you are thrust directly into the action from the get-go. Names alone, at least for me, need time to gel before I can really get rolling in a novel. With the way this book consistently ramps up in pace, it can become a chore remembering who is whose daughter, son, mother, father, etc. when you do not have a list handy. The action thrusting wasn’t a huge deal, honestly, but I did need to give myself a couple of run-throughs with the prequel chapter as I may have just not been in the right mindset.

Having said all of that, every single character that Ward has written into this hefty tome has significant importance to how the story plays out. Much like GOT, even the minor characters deal a hand or two into the game in order to shake things up a bit. While we play around in the POVs of several major players, I did feel that we could have been given more insight into their true thoughts and motivations; but when you are at such a rigid pace for 784 pages, I can see why that may have taken a back seat (at least for part 1 of a trilogy).

What really shines in this novel, aside from the political machinations and characters, is the magic system. Giant war golems, assassins disguised as massive tangles of blackbirds, goddesses of the sun and moon, etc. Magic is used heavily throughout the story and every bit is bigger and more explosive than the last. There is also one VERY important magical aspect that I’ll let you see for yourself.

I urge you not to hesitate giving Legacy of Ash a go. I know that large tomes, especially debuts, can be a little harrowing, but I waited on Brian Lee Durfee’s The Forgetting Moon for what seemed like forever and loved the heck out of it. Sometimes, all it takes is a recommendation from one person you trust and you’ll be glad you joined the bandwagon. Also, if you wanted to read A Song of Ice and Fire, but didn’t care for all of the explicit material, Legacy of Ash is a no-brainer. ...more

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Mar 26, 2020 Nadine rated it liked it

Shelves: arcs

DNF @ 52%

Legacy of Ash is an epic fantasy telling the story of multiple characters in a vast world. Such a vague description that can describe just about any fantasy novel on the market, right? If you were to ask me what Legacy of Ash is about, that’s the only description I would be able to give you. Though I didn’t finish the novel, you would think after reading half the novel I’d be able to give a better description, but no.

I had a hard time getting into the novel. There are a lot of characte ...more

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Apr 06, 2020 Mogsy (MMOGC) rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: arcs-and-galleys, audiobook, fantasy, epic, review-copy

3 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2020/05/03/...

Reading-wise, this has been a month of ups and downs, with plenty of surprises but also some disappointments. Then there are books like Legacy of Ash by Matthew Ward which fell somewhere in the middle, making it a tough one to rate. You know how it is with epic fantasies—especially debuts. Often they are highly ambitious, full-hearted, and brimming with potential, but at the same time, you just can’t but feel there’s somet 3 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2020/05/03/...

Reading-wise, this has been a month of ups and downs, with plenty of surprises but also some disappointments. Then there are books like Legacy of Ash by Matthew Ward which fell somewhere in the middle, making it a tough one to rate. You know how it is with epic fantasies—especially debuts. Often they are highly ambitious, full-hearted, and brimming with potential, but at the same time, you just can’t but feel there’s something holding them back. Sometimes it’s easy to put your finger on why exactly, but other times the problem is harder to spot because it may be a combination of little things compounded. I suspect this might be the case here, for while I was unable to find any major fault with this novel, I never really found myself hooked by it either.

Of course, the story’s scope may be a factor. Boiling it all down into a couple paragraphs for this review is going to be tough, but for context, the main conflict at the heart of Legacy of Ash is a rivalry between two factions. On one side of this dispute is the Tressian Republic and its champion Victor Akadra, trying his best to keep the peace within his realm, and on the other side is the Southshires, represented by Josiri and his younger sister Calenne. As the last two remaining heirs of Phoenix, who headed the insurrection against Tressia fifteen years ago, the siblings are political figureheads of a sort, doing their best to keep their heads down while trying to honor their mother’s memory and cause. But Josiri isn’t sure how long he can keep toeing the line as he comes under more and more pressure to rise up against the true authority in the south, held by the very man who killed his mother and crushed her rebellion.

However, few are aware just how tenuous Viktor’s position truly is. Although he is hailed as a hero, he harbors a dark secret, and knows how quickly the tides would turn against him if it is discovered. He is also a warrior and not a diplomat, the council’s politicking often leaving him out of his depth. Meanwhile, a new threat looms on the horizon in the form of an invading army from the Hadari Empire. Beset with enemies within and without, the Tressian Republic will need every single one of its defenders, even if it means old foes will need to set aside generations of animosity and hatred to work together.

Putting it that way, the premise behind Legacy of Ash seems pretty straightforward—even simple, almost. In reality though, many more characters and minor plot arcs are threaded through this main framework, fleshing out the novel. We’re offered a glimpse into every part of the world and a voice for each side of the conflict, thanks to the sheer number of characters and their perspectives. Here, Ward’s extensive background as a world designer and architect of tabletop games makes itself obvious; you can feel his passion for world-building and character and story development behind every detail and plot point. As a lover of RPGs, I definitely appreciated his effort to put together this robust setting and craft a sense of place right down to the smallest detail.

Still, what works for a tabletop campaign might not be ideal when it comes to an epic fantasy novel. You want to provide all the right elements in the right amounts without overwhelming the reader, and finding that balance can be tricky. If your story is going to be told through multiple POVs, for example, you’ll also need to develop each one fully so that their personalities resonate, and on this point, Legacy of Ash suffers a bit. Simply put, I felt myself inundated with POVs from the get-go, and they just kept coming. While following along wasn’t a problem—I’ve had enough experience with this genre—I found myself struggling to care about or feel invested in any of these characters. To be fair, I think effort was clearly made to balance page time and attention between all of them, but it wasn’t enough. There was no emotional attachment, interest in their relationships or concern over the outcome of their fates. As characters are what usually motivates me to keep reading, perhaps it’s no surprise that some parts presented a struggle.

Legacy of Ash left feeling torn as a result. After all, the technical aspects are strong, including the skill of the writing, tightness in the plotting and details of the world-building. What it lacked though, was something that’s maybe more personal, which left me feeling cold and neither here nor there, unable to tell if I truly enjoyed myself or not. That said, I do place high importance on characters, and when I can’t get into them, that tends to impact my experience heavily. My opinion is in the minority here though, with plenty of others having loved this book, so don’t let my review sway you from checking it out if you’re looking to try a new epic fantasy and the synopsis intrigues you. Despite the flaws I found it, it’s a decent and well-written debut that would appeal to the right audience. ...more

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Jan 15, 2020 Fares added it

DNFed @ 59%
Might get back to this in the future, it's an investment that costs time and effort and I can't afford that atm. ...more

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Jan 26, 2020 Andi added it · review of another edition

Shelves: gave-up-on, on-kindle

DNF @ 15% into the book.

I actually have been reading this one on the side. It was available on Amazon but I was cleared to read it as an ARC.

Gosh.

It has characters and it has a dense story. However, after 15% cleared in the book I have no idea what the hell is going on. I don't care about anybody, I cannot connect to any one. I just don't know who or what I am following.

The prologue was interesting and I thought that the brother and sister whose mother was slain is who we would be following? Not ...more

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Nov 06, 2019 Liviu rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2019_release_read, read_2019, genre-fantasy

I really liked the writing in this one and some of the characters were interesting, but the world-building felt constricted and there was way too much magic or maybe better put, magical, all-powerful beings for my taste. Still, a strong narrative kept me turning the pages somewhat to my surprise and I definitely plan to keep an eye for the next book if only to see where it goes as the ending is quite interesting.

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Apr 09, 2020 KitKat The #BookNerd KBbookreviews rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

4.75 Stars

Legacy Of Ash, by Matthew Ward is an extraordinary and epic fantasy, it is vast, complex and glorious. I positively adored this book, it truly reached the epic complexity so many fantasies aim for.

Synopsis: The Tressian Republic is falling, a shadow looms over it. In the aftermath of a failed rebellion and on the brink of a war with the Hadari, the leaders meant to represent justice and democracy are at war with eachother. As they fight among themselves with poisonous words and deadly ...more

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Nov 13, 2020 S A M | The Book in Hand rated it it was amazing

Shelves: audiobooks, high-fantasy

I picked Legacy of Ash up in a Kindle deal but I pretty much listened to it all via audiobook after listening to a sample of Hampton's lovely narration.

Here are a few things you can expect from Legacy of Ash :

A BIG book that is huge in scope;
An incredible start (I think it’s my favourite prologue EVER);
An EPIC and masterfully complex plot;
Warring peoples with a history riddled with injustice and oppression; and
An incredible world with even better characters.

A little bit about the narration…

This ...more

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Mar 14, 2020 Traveling Cloak rated it really liked it

Legacy of Ash is the epitome of epic fantasy. Told from multiple perspectives, the story is complex, the world building rich and steeped in a deep history. It has magic, and deities, and a whole lot of intrigue. As a reader, one cannot ask for much more out of an epic fantasy novel. This is true epic fantasy down to the core.

That is not to say it is familiar in any way; in fact, the opposite is true. Legacy of Ash is one of the most unique stories I have ever read. And it is action-packed. As I Legacy of Ash is the epitome of epic fantasy. Told from multiple perspectives, the story is complex, the world building rich and steeped in a deep history. It has magic, and deities, and a whole lot of intrigue. As a reader, one cannot ask for much more out of an epic fantasy novel. This is true epic fantasy down to the core.

That is not to say it is familiar in any way; in fact, the opposite is true. Legacy of Ash is one of the most unique stories I have ever read. And it is action-packed. As I was reading it, I had a picture in my mind of a world where war is constantly being fought. The Tressian Empire is a powder-keg, waiting to explode at the next spark. Matthew Ward delivers on that, sparking this story early and often. It is non-stop action from cover to cover, so much so that at times I could see my reading speed up, and I found myself flying through parts of the book.

There are A LOT of characters to follow, and, depending on your viewpoint, brings both positive and negative impacts to the story. For me, this is mostly a positive – if done right. The story is told from so many different perspectives the reader does not have the time to get bored with one character, as it is constantly switching before one has time to get comfortable. And that is a good way to put it: I never felt “comfortable” in this story. I mean that in a good way. I was constantly on the edge of my seat, be it due to the different perspectives, the pace of the writing, the tension and intrigue, or even the characters’ storylines themselves. Reading this book, I was constantly leaning forward, breathing fast, heart thumping a mile-a-minute… wondering how it is all going to end.

Someone asked me who my favorite character was, and it was definitely Viktor. His story arc is so deep and dark; there is a ton of mystery there. And he leads much of the action, as so much of the story revolves around his decision-making. He is also the proverbial Vegeta of this book: bad guy or good guy? Hero or villian? I spent a lot of headspace reading this story wondering what Viktor’s true intent was. You will have to read to find out how that turns out, but the point is I was never comfortable with him, in a good way. In a story full of tension and intrigue that leads to so much action, Viktor is the dynamo that connects many of those dots.

For me, the one drawback to the way the characters were written was that it felt to me as though the author was trying to give equal face time to all of the characters, and I am not sure that worked as well as hoped. There are characters that just are not as interesting or as impactful, and I would have preferred to explore some of the more “main” characters a little more in depth. Every single character is important to the story, but I could have done with glimpses of some and more background and storytelling for others. Calenne, for example, would be one character whose story I would like to have explored more deeply.

Overall, Legacy of Ash is a really good book. It is epic fantasy at its highest, and I found it quite difficult to put down. I recommend for all fantasy readers everywhere. ...more

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Sep 05, 2020 Izzie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: arcs, epic-fantasy, ebooks

This was a solid first book in a trilogy which left me interested to read more. While the pacing could, in my opinion, be a little meandering at times, it was more than made up by strong characterisations and worldbuilding.

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Nov 16, 2019 Mark rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Now some of you know that my love affair with Epic Fantasy has taken a knock over the last couple of years. I’ve started too many books with high expectations only to find that unoriginal and repetitive plots, silly names, major coincidences just for the sake of plot and just bad characterisations and worse dialogue have killed them dead for me. Usually by the halfway point, I’ve reluctantly given up. It still pains me to type that I’ve abandoned way more than I’ve finished, much as I hate to do ...more

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Nov 25, 2019 Vigasia rated it it was amazing

I think this book deserves a lot more attention. It is a huge volume, true, but while I had a great year in books, this one definitely gets in top ten.

Legacy of Ash is a story with a well-constructed worldbuilding and a large cast of characters. I know that this may discourage many people to read this book but I tell you, it's worth it. First of all, unlike many so big books, when there are many PoV's - here characters are so clear that it's hard to get lost in who is who. There aren't difficult ...more

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Jul 17, 2019 Will.J.R. Gwynne marked it as to-read

Well this is quite an epic cover! Looking forward to it being released in November.

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Jan 11, 2020 daisy rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy

I haven't written a proper review in over a year lmao, so pls bear with me :" )

Just a little note: I've started using the CAWPILE rating system and spreadsheet so kindly provided by The Book Roast in this video. Though I usually make up my own reading stats spreadsheet every year, the rating system in this one had me intrigued and I wanted to give it a go. So far it's been very helpful! Would recommend.

CAWPILE rating: 8/10.
STAR rating: ★★★★✰

REVIEW: I didn't have that many expectations for Legacy ...more

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Jan 17, 2020 Jordan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, 2020

*4.5

I really wasn't sure what to expect from Legacy of Ash--an epic fantasy debut that's nearly 800 pages is no joke--and although it took a little while to get fully acquainted with the world, once I was hooked I didn't want to stop reading it. This is a perfect example of modern epic fantasy in my opinion: it has some classic fantasy vibes and general ideas, but it's incredibly innovative and has some really exciting characters and storylines.

Legacy of Ash has a wide cast of characters and PO *4.5

I really wasn't sure what to expect from Legacy of Ash--an epic fantasy debut that's nearly 800 pages is no joke--and although it took a little while to get fully acquainted with the world, once I was hooked I didn't want to stop reading it. This is a perfect example of modern epic fantasy in my opinion: it has some classic fantasy vibes and general ideas, but it's incredibly innovative and has some really exciting characters and storylines.

Legacy of Ash has a wide cast of characters and POVs that jump around a decent bit. The main focuses are Viktor, Josiri, Calenne, Melnna, and possibly a few more that I'm overlooking. I was a bit intimidated at first by all of the different character viewpoints, but as I started to get more into the story I found myself being able to more easily distinguish between each character and become more invested in their storylines. It did take a while to get to this point, as there are so many names and details to remember, but it was worth it for me personally once I got to that point. I think one of my favorite things about this book is that we get to see POVs from almost all sides (though it is a bit lacking in viewpoints from the more 'regular' classes of people), so we get a good understanding for the motivations behind the battles and discord, as well as an ability to become invested in both sides for various reasons--and maybe lost some support for certain sides!

Without getting into too many unneeded details for a review, Legacy of Ash centers around the Tressia, the Southerners, and the Hadari. The Tresia and Southerners have a long history of hatred between one another, and then the Hadari are essentially a third external threat that is threatening to attack the other two. We get to see characters from all three sides, which I appreciate, and I love how Ward made each section so well-developed that you can mostly understand motivations from all sides. By the end of the book I had really grown to be invested in the lives of most of the characters and it has made me really curious to find out what's going to be next, especially after the epic events of this book.

Ward's world-building was vast and exceptionally well-done. There's plenty of myth and history to give this world background and grounding, as well as current tensions and conflicts to keep the story going. I'm not sure that I fully understood how the magic system worked, but I was immersed in it nonetheless and am curious to see how it continues to develop. If you like your epic fantasy filled with politics and conflicts of all types, then you will have a great time with this book because it is overflowing with political intrigue and some captivating conflicts between characters and territories. There are also some truly epic battle scenes that were far extremely compelling and really added to the impact of other story events.

Ward has a very clear prose style that makes this book easy to fall into, though I will say that there was still something just a little bit rough around the edges about the writing. There were occasional places where dialogue or description felt awkward, but over 800 pages those ended up being less noticeable than they would've been in another book. That being said, since this is an epic fantasy debut it definitely just feels like Ward is figuring out his voice and I have the highest of hopes for the sequel.

Overall, I've given Legacy of Ash four stars! I look forward to seeing what Ward will bring next to this series. ...more

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Jul 29, 2020 WS_BOOKCLUB rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest opinion. This is available now.

I’ve seen recommendations for Legacy of Ash everywhere and I am delighted to report that this book lives up to the hype. It’s a vast, complicated fantasy, the kind that sucks you in and keeps you interested. It has been compared to Game of Thrones (let’s be honest; hasn’t pretty much every new fantasy book been by now?) and I am not a huge fan of the comparison, simply because Legacy o ...more

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Feb 06, 2020 Sam rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy, read-2020

I'm bad at writing reviews but I'll try to give this one a shot. I think my 3 star review is a bit misleading and maybe I should bump it up to 4 stars. Just give me half stars already GR!

My biggest problem with this book is that I feel like it's 1 1/2 stories crammed into one book. There's a solid wrap up ending but then the book continues on, shifts the main location, and quickly runs through another plot. I just felt like either this plot should have more strongly wove through the whole book s ...more

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Jun 19, 2020 Cori McCarthy rated it it was amazing

This book took me awhile, but it was so worth it! This is such an epic read full of magic, mystery, amazing cast of characters, and such a beautiful world. I cannot say enough good things about this book, and I highly suggest to anyone and everyone to read this book! If I had to compare this book to another, I would definitely say “Kingdom of Ash” by Sarah J Maas. They both had epic final battle scenes, characters struggling to survive, and just amazing scenes crafted by these authors. It is suc ...more

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Apr 16, 2020 Lashaan Balasingam (Bookidote) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, read-in-2020

You can find my review on my blog by clicking here.

Fantasy worlds aren’t meant to be familiar. They aren’t supposed to feel accessible. They should feel fresh, enthralling, memorable. They should be eye-opening, filled with thrill and threat, seductively seducing yet dangerously destructive. To be thrown into a fantasy world is to be ready to take on a universe that is beyond our own understanding, to allow ourselves to learn, to indulge the impossible, and to seek comfort in intangible values,

You can find my review on my blog by clicking here.

Fantasy worlds aren’t meant to be familiar. They aren’t supposed to feel accessible. They should feel fresh, enthralling, memorable. They should be eye-opening, filled with thrill and threat, seductively seducing yet dangerously destructive. To be thrown into a fantasy world is to be ready to take on a universe that is beyond our own understanding, to allow ourselves to learn, to indulge the impossible, and to seek comfort in intangible values, morals, and pleas. But one thing’s for sure, there are only a few authors who are able to capture the extensiveness of such worlds, who are able to bring them to life through words. In his brand-new epic fantasy trilogy, author Matthew Ward presents vast lands and grand empires on the verge of going to war as history, revolution, and power grudgingly come together in the first book of the Legacy Trilogy.

What is Legacy of Ash about? Fifteen years following a failed plot for revolution from a little region of Eskavord, the Tressian Republic finds itself at a loss of avenues to explore in hopes to defend themselves against the invading armies of the Hadari Empire. In the middle of this conflict, the people of Southshire remain inconsolable but their state of fragility invites questions of an alliance if they are to survive the impending onslaught on the horizon. Following three key figures in this epic clash of empires, the story evolves into warfare that goes beyond the wisdom of politics. First comes Viktor Akadra, champion of the Tressian Council and leader of the Republic’s army, whose motivations and actions leave him flirting with good and evil. Then comes Josiri Trelan, son of the leader of the failed revolution, now a political prisoner who seeks revenge against the actions of the Tressian Republic’s greatest warrior. Finally comes Calenne Trelan, sister to Josiri, who wishes to rid herself of the burden left by her mother, whatever the costs.

Imbued in impressive mythology enshrining mysterious deities and fascinating magic lore that comes with their passage, the story revels in its epic scope and promises a monumental vision for the Legacy Trilogy brought forth by author Matthew Ward. Void of assistance beyond a map and a dramatis personae, the clash of empires illustrated through this tome is a phenomenal spectacle where history and politics do not remain in the backdrop but are celebrated in their union from the beginning to the end. It would be a mistake to claim that the worldbuilding is absent when it serves as the very foundation of this story to build up the Empire and the Republic in their growth towards war. What author Matthew Ward thus accomplishes in this enormous feat is to paint a world defined not only by the actions of past generations but the ability of individuals to overcome their own shadows and rise from the ashes of past mistakes.

In the optic of building this be-all and end-all universe that would serve as the driving force of the narrative, there is a hauntingly gargantuan number of characters deployed into the world and bringing the necessary, but sometimes quite intimidating, shift in perception, through multiple points of view, to capture the complexity of this war through various angles. Nonetheless, the reader’s desire to invest in an expansive world will be their ultimate reward, notably when the story finally grounds itself in its vision and delves further into friendship, deception, betrayal, and intrigue. If the overlapping magical elements, especially seen amidst the epic and detailed battle scenes, aren’t convincing enough, leave it to the character development to seduce you through their plight.

Legacy of Ash is an impressive, refreshing, and epic fantasy tale built around politics, magic, and history.

Thank you to Orbit for sending me a copy for review!

Yours truly,

Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: https://bookidote.com/ ...more

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May 04, 2020 Kristen rated it it was amazing

Shelves: audiobooks

This and more reviews at superstardrifter.com!~

You would think that a book this long would have some boring bits, but no, this one was quite packed with action, magic, and political intrigue from start to finish. I started this 28 hour long beast one day and finished it in just short of four days, which is… really quickly, for me.

This is the story of the Tressian Republic. There are two factions who have been warring nearly constantly for the last fifteen years or so. Josiri Trelan is the son an This and more reviews at superstardrifter.com!~

You would think that a book this long would have some boring bits, but no, this one was quite packed with action, magic, and political intrigue from start to finish. I started this 28 hour long beast one day and finished it in just short of four days, which is… really quickly, for me.

This is the story of the Tressian Republic. There are two factions who have been warring nearly constantly for the last fifteen years or so. Josiri Trelan is the son and heir of the former leader of the Republic, a woman who was branded a traitor and killed by Viktor Akadra. Josiri and his sister Calenne have been more or less held prisoner since that time.

When an army from the Hadari Empire comes marching in, both of the faction will need to put over a decade of bad blood behind and unite to fight them off.

We see this story through several points of view, not just that of Viktor, Josiri, and Calenne, though those seem to be the more important of them. The author did a good job making each of these points of view clear, so I never found it confusing, exactly, though I will admit that with so many characters to recall, it did take me a few hours to really feel comfortable with remembering who everyone was. It doesn’t help that several of the characters are known by different names, or by surname or given name, depending on who they are speaking to, or where they are.

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.

I also really liked Viktor. He is the Republic’s champion, and is very well respected but he hides a secret that would see him hanged if anyone knew about it. Seeing from his own point of view was really excellent as well, because you can see how much he grew over the course of the book. Anastasia, Malachi, Rosa, and Melanna were also fantastic characters.

And, this one had that one character that is just so sinister, you can’t help but love to hate her. Ebigail Kiridin, I am looking at you, lady.

Susanna Hampton nailed the narration here. I loved her narration of a few other books, and so I was excited when I saw that she narrated this one as well. She made each character their own, making it a bit easier for me to retain who was who in the long run. Each person from a different faction or a different part of the world had different accents, and I really enjoyed it. Very well done.

All told, I enjoyed my time with Legacy of Ash! It was a fantastic debut that started a fantastic story that I am excited to continue! ...more

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May 26, 2020 The Coycaterpillar Reads rated it really liked it

Massive thanks to Orbit books for my review copy of Legacy of Ash. I’m a complete junkie for all things dark fantasy and grimdark and this lit a fire within my core in which every page I raced through kept stoking. The first book in the series, aptly named Legacy. This is a serious Tome sitting at 800 pages. It felt like I had the fantasy bible in my hands, every page sucked me in and enraptured my imagination. An extremely imaginative and ambitious debut with a whole new magic system, ancient k Massive thanks to Orbit books for my review copy of Legacy of Ash. I’m a complete junkie for all things dark fantasy and grimdark and this lit a fire within my core in which every page I raced through kept stoking. The first book in the series, aptly named Legacy. This is a serious Tome sitting at 800 pages. It felt like I had the fantasy bible in my hands, every page sucked me in and enraptured my imagination. An extremely imaginative and ambitious debut with a whole new magic system, ancient kingdoms locking swords and world building so intricate and memorable that its imprint left a tattoo on the brain.

Penning a review for Legacy of Ash is no easy feat but I hope that I can impart some justice to it. The characterisation and the narrative is extremely complex and I would say it is comparable to a rubix cube – its easy to connect the dots when you know the system you are working with.

The Tressian Republic is still striving to conquer its neighbouring lands. We are given a robust and necessary prologue and it sets up the backstory beautifully. The people of the Southshires are given a beacon of hope – a phoenix that brings a desire to fight for freedom, a desire to find inner strength and a will to fight for what is theirs. Unfortunately, that desire is short lived. The hope dies with the Phoenix. The legacy dies and all that is left in its wake is ash. Fast forward fifteen years and The Tressians want to further their hold and their power. Caleen and Josiri are the surviving children of The Phoenix. They make a solemn promise to each other and their long dead mother to continue her vision and to make her legacy their own. They are currently imprisoned Branghall Castle. Can they find the means and the will to liberate the people of the Southshires? The impact of the curse of the human condition is clear to see in Matthew Wards characterisation of Caleen and Josiri. The self-doubt, the painful memories, and past regrets fester wounds.

Massive books float my boat. The story is given the opportunity to dive to the deepest depths. Books like Legacy of Ash is a tome and a half. The amount of work that must have gone into this must be akin to having a baby, it is their baby. This is the very embodiment of epic fantasy. This has been likened to A Game of Thrones but that is categorically unfair. This is a masterpiece in its own right.

Legacy of Ash is audacious, and a magnificent piece of penmanship set over sprawling worlds. Matthew Ward has taken every little thing you thought you knew about epic fantasy and tore it into tiny shreds. His reincarnation is entirely fresh and addicting. ...more

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