What do you think?
Rate this book
The Legacy Chronicles #3
Discernment
A misfit, a fugitive, and a sacred destiny. Everything changes when all three collide.
In Jiya’s world, the only choice a woman has is who she will marry. When she meets a mysterious off-worlder, she must decide how far she is willing to push the boundaries of Teraburan culture to gain her freedom, and whether that is truly what she wants.
Mahsan has never been accepted for who he is. The sole human raised on an Esarelian cruiser, his attempts to belong led only to disaster and him becoming a fugitive. When he is invited into the home of a Teraburan clan leader, he finds a place where he could finally put down roots. But his past haunts him, and he will need to make peace with it if he wants any kind of future in his new home.
Not everyone approves of Jiya and Mahsan’s friendship, and some will stop at nothing to keep them apart. As the unlikely pair discover their true calling, they will have to confront everything they thought they knew and learn to see themselves as they never have before.
In Jiya’s world, the only choice a woman has is who she will marry. When she meets a mysterious off-worlder, she must decide how far she is willing to push the boundaries of Teraburan culture to gain her freedom, and whether that is truly what she wants.
Mahsan has never been accepted for who he is. The sole human raised on an Esarelian cruiser, his attempts to belong led only to disaster and him becoming a fugitive. When he is invited into the home of a Teraburan clan leader, he finds a place where he could finally put down roots. But his past haunts him, and he will need to make peace with it if he wants any kind of future in his new home.
Not everyone approves of Jiya and Mahsan’s friendship, and some will stop at nothing to keep them apart. As the unlikely pair discover their true calling, they will have to confront everything they thought they knew and learn to see themselves as they never have before.
266 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 2, 2021
1 person is currently reading
11 people want to read
About the author
Lauren H. Salisbury
14 books62 followersLauren H Salisbury writes science fiction and fantasy stories about courage, love, and redemption. She includes all kinds of relationships in her novels but loves a good found family trope when she comes across one.
When she's not engrossed in fictional worlds, she enjoys crafting, nature, food, and sleep. She lives in Yorkshire, England with her husband and a rampant cheese plant but tries to follow the sunshine south in winter.
A one-time avid collector of physical books, she made the switch to an e-reader when she discovered they could hold far more than one large suitcase. Her only complaint about them is that they're no good for taking bookish pictures.
To find out more, go to laurenhsalisbury.com
Happy reading!
When she's not engrossed in fictional worlds, she enjoys crafting, nature, food, and sleep. She lives in Yorkshire, England with her husband and a rampant cheese plant but tries to follow the sunshine south in winter.
A one-time avid collector of physical books, she made the switch to an e-reader when she discovered they could hold far more than one large suitcase. Her only complaint about them is that they're no good for taking bookish pictures.
To find out more, go to laurenhsalisbury.com
Happy reading!
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 31, 2021
Discernment is the third book in Lauren H. Salisbury's The Legacy Chronicles. This series is a science fiction reimagining of the life of Moses from the Bible.
Discernment specifically focuses on the period of Moses's story where he flees Egypt and goes to live with the Midianites. This is his wife's story; here renamed Jiya.
I really loved this new character. Jiya is a strong independent woman stuck living in a patriarchal society that doesn't value her as a person. Time and again, people try to put her in a box, and she continually thinks her way out of it. She is the perfect match to Mahsan (the Moses stand in) as she can relate to his feelings of not belonging.
Discernment reads very much like a romance. Very clean, with very interesting sci-fi elements, and a Biblical twist, but still romance. For this reason I feel like this book stands very well on it's own.
As book three of a four book saga, I was afraid that it would suffer from middle book syndrome. Thankfully, it does not. You should of course start at the beginning with book one, Courage, but if you somehow, found yourself starting here, with book three, then rest assured, there is enough backstory that you won't be lost. The ending is also pretty nicely tied off, with a gentle, slope rather than a sudden drop off a long cliff.
The aesthetic of this particular instalment is what I would call space western. Think Firefly where old ideas meet high tech. For the most part it takes place on a cattle ranch on the planet Terabu, there is quite a bit of mechanical tech as well as space craft, but for every microchip there are just as many low tech scenes.
An all around solid instalment in an interesting series and a great book in it's own right. I'm looking forward to this fourth book to see how Salisbury handles the ten plagues.
*I was given an advanced copy of this book to review. The opinions provided here are my own honest evaluation of the provided work.*
Discernment specifically focuses on the period of Moses's story where he flees Egypt and goes to live with the Midianites. This is his wife's story; here renamed Jiya.
I really loved this new character. Jiya is a strong independent woman stuck living in a patriarchal society that doesn't value her as a person. Time and again, people try to put her in a box, and she continually thinks her way out of it. She is the perfect match to Mahsan (the Moses stand in) as she can relate to his feelings of not belonging.
Discernment reads very much like a romance. Very clean, with very interesting sci-fi elements, and a Biblical twist, but still romance. For this reason I feel like this book stands very well on it's own.
As book three of a four book saga, I was afraid that it would suffer from middle book syndrome. Thankfully, it does not. You should of course start at the beginning with book one, Courage, but if you somehow, found yourself starting here, with book three, then rest assured, there is enough backstory that you won't be lost. The ending is also pretty nicely tied off, with a gentle, slope rather than a sudden drop off a long cliff.
The aesthetic of this particular instalment is what I would call space western. Think Firefly where old ideas meet high tech. For the most part it takes place on a cattle ranch on the planet Terabu, there is quite a bit of mechanical tech as well as space craft, but for every microchip there are just as many low tech scenes.
An all around solid instalment in an interesting series and a great book in it's own right. I'm looking forward to this fourth book to see how Salisbury handles the ten plagues.
*I was given an advanced copy of this book to review. The opinions provided here are my own honest evaluation of the provided work.*
June 2, 2021
A great continuation in the Legacy Chronicles of what happened to Mahsan, the lost teenager we met in the previous novel. His journey in finding a family is both heartbreaking and heartwarming. The same applies to Jiya, a misfit woman who wants to honor her family and use her gifts at the same time. I loved getting to know them both more, especially Jiya, whose mechanical aptitude is not something I share, but my husband could relate to. I enjoyed the details of Jiya's character, like how she carries a multi-tool in her pocket, and how she just "knew" things. This shows the amazing character development that Lauren employs with each of her novels.
The plot of this novel isn't the action paced adventure some may expect with science fiction, but it moves swiftly, reading like most coming of age novels and romance books. Most of it is wrapped up at the 80% mark, but there are definitely bonuses that will keep you reading until the end. Plus, how Mahsan meets the "All-Seeing One" or God is definitely cool.
Overall, this book has me wanting to read the next to discover what happens to Mahsan and Jiya as they seek to free the slaves!
The plot of this novel isn't the action paced adventure some may expect with science fiction, but it moves swiftly, reading like most coming of age novels and romance books. Most of it is wrapped up at the 80% mark, but there are definitely bonuses that will keep you reading until the end. Plus, how Mahsan meets the "All-Seeing One" or God is definitely cool.
Overall, this book has me wanting to read the next to discover what happens to Mahsan and Jiya as they seek to free the slaves!
June 27, 2021
I just finished this book the other day. It's a new release and is inspired by Zipporah and Moses. It was a fun read. I'd read the other books, but I wasn't too engrossed in this book, and it took a while to get into it.
December 27, 2023
I don’t know why I always forget how amazing this series is. It’s definitely one of the most well-written and philosophically challenging series I have read. In Discernment, we meet characters who struggle to form a coherent view of themselves amidst cultural expectations and a deeper conviction that they are made for something more. Yet, it’s more than that – this book grapples with how we decide who and what to trust. Family? Culture? Intuition? Spiritual leaders? All of these are explored with the careful nuance of an author who knows how to tell an engaging story set in a fictional world while teasing out truths about our own world.
It’s easy to see from the beginning that our protagonist, Jiya, is going to end up married to Mahson, a secondary character we met earlier in the series and who fills the role of Moses in this fictionalized retelling of his life. However, watching the story progress is much more than waiting for the characters to sort their feelings out. We’re introduced to multiple new cultures and learn alongside Mahson how to navigate the world Jiya has always inhabited. Whether it’s entirely realistic or not, I love Jiya’s characterization. She loves her family and culture, but she doesn’t see a place for herself among them, and the way she responds to this tension is visceral and beautiful. She doesn’t want to turn everything upside down or be rebellious just for the sake of rebellion, but she is adamant that who she is cannot be confined into the role she is expected to play. She respectfully works toward the goals her family has set for her while maintaining her sense of self apart from those goals, and because of this I loved watching her interactions with those around her. They respect her because she respects her heritage and family while asserting her beliefs. Over time, her family comes to see value in the nontraditional role she ends up fulfilling. The family interactions as a whole are incredibly satisfying and refreshing.
Whether or not you know or believe in the Biblical account of Moses’ life, Discernment and the other books in the Legacy Chronicles series are just plain good stories. This series makes me reconsider my stance on science fiction; maybe I haven’t fallen out of liking it nearly as much as I thought I had. Perhaps instead I just hadn’t found the right fit of science fiction for me. I greatly enjoy Salisbury’s worldbuilding, even if the extent is a bit jarring at times. There are occasions where I struggled a bit to visualize what was being described, but this never took away from my enjoyment of the story or understanding of the plot. In fact, there were times when I got so into the story that I forgot that I already knew the framework of approximately what should happen next!
Extended version of this review originally posted on Reviews From the Stacks.
It’s easy to see from the beginning that our protagonist, Jiya, is going to end up married to Mahson, a secondary character we met earlier in the series and who fills the role of Moses in this fictionalized retelling of his life. However, watching the story progress is much more than waiting for the characters to sort their feelings out. We’re introduced to multiple new cultures and learn alongside Mahson how to navigate the world Jiya has always inhabited. Whether it’s entirely realistic or not, I love Jiya’s characterization. She loves her family and culture, but she doesn’t see a place for herself among them, and the way she responds to this tension is visceral and beautiful. She doesn’t want to turn everything upside down or be rebellious just for the sake of rebellion, but she is adamant that who she is cannot be confined into the role she is expected to play. She respectfully works toward the goals her family has set for her while maintaining her sense of self apart from those goals, and because of this I loved watching her interactions with those around her. They respect her because she respects her heritage and family while asserting her beliefs. Over time, her family comes to see value in the nontraditional role she ends up fulfilling. The family interactions as a whole are incredibly satisfying and refreshing.
Whether or not you know or believe in the Biblical account of Moses’ life, Discernment and the other books in the Legacy Chronicles series are just plain good stories. This series makes me reconsider my stance on science fiction; maybe I haven’t fallen out of liking it nearly as much as I thought I had. Perhaps instead I just hadn’t found the right fit of science fiction for me. I greatly enjoy Salisbury’s worldbuilding, even if the extent is a bit jarring at times. There are occasions where I struggled a bit to visualize what was being described, but this never took away from my enjoyment of the story or understanding of the plot. In fact, there were times when I got so into the story that I forgot that I already knew the framework of approximately what should happen next!
Extended version of this review originally posted on Reviews From the Stacks.
June 8, 2021
JIYA DOES NOT WANT TO GET MARRIED. That's it, that's the whole book.
Discernment starts with the typical "awkward girl who doesn't quite fit in" vibe. Jiya can't cook. She can't sew. She wants to watch the races, work on machines, maybe be a mechanic. But she can't. Not when her father is the Nalac-dar, leader of the clan, and has traditions and laws to uphold. And one of them is that she needs to get married and settle down pretty soon. Even though she knows there has to be something more to her life - something that matters.
But then Mahsan saves her from space pirates, and the off-worlder takes residence in her father's estate and eventually in her heart...
TBH I had a little difficulty starting this one. After the brilliant Esaralian world in Courage and Strength, you're suddenly thrown into an all-new Teraburan world with new customs and traditions and so. many. animal. names. I have to admit that I skipped some of the animal/plant descriptions, sorry.
What I especially love about this one is the nuance that Salisbury brings to Jiya's search for meaning. It's not that Jiya just wants to buck traditions for the sake of rebellion. She tries. But it's not enough. Why did the All-seeing One give her gifts and interests that don't fit any of their traditions? That refuses to conform to the mould? Did God make her wrong? Was she a mistake? Were all her dreams just that - dreams? To be simply discarded so that she can cook and clean and raise children for someone who won't appreciate her true gifts?
I think these are timely, relevant questions to be asking in this day and age - young women have many new opportunities now, but traditions (especially church ones!) are holding them to the same old expectations. How do you use your gifts if your community won't let you just because of your gender? What then, is the point of having that gift?
Obviously, since this is fiction instead of real life, it all ties in very neatly.
But it should, too, in real life.
Note: I received a digital ARC of this book from the author. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Discernment starts with the typical "awkward girl who doesn't quite fit in" vibe. Jiya can't cook. She can't sew. She wants to watch the races, work on machines, maybe be a mechanic. But she can't. Not when her father is the Nalac-dar, leader of the clan, and has traditions and laws to uphold. And one of them is that she needs to get married and settle down pretty soon. Even though she knows there has to be something more to her life - something that matters.
But then Mahsan saves her from space pirates, and the off-worlder takes residence in her father's estate and eventually in her heart...
TBH I had a little difficulty starting this one. After the brilliant Esaralian world in Courage and Strength, you're suddenly thrown into an all-new Teraburan world with new customs and traditions and so. many. animal. names. I have to admit that I skipped some of the animal/plant descriptions, sorry.
What I especially love about this one is the nuance that Salisbury brings to Jiya's search for meaning. It's not that Jiya just wants to buck traditions for the sake of rebellion. She tries. But it's not enough. Why did the All-seeing One give her gifts and interests that don't fit any of their traditions? That refuses to conform to the mould? Did God make her wrong? Was she a mistake? Were all her dreams just that - dreams? To be simply discarded so that she can cook and clean and raise children for someone who won't appreciate her true gifts?
I think these are timely, relevant questions to be asking in this day and age - young women have many new opportunities now, but traditions (especially church ones!) are holding them to the same old expectations. How do you use your gifts if your community won't let you just because of your gender? What then, is the point of having that gift?
Obviously, since this is fiction instead of real life, it all ties in very neatly.
But it should, too, in real life.
Note: I received a digital ARC of this book from the author. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
November 26, 2021
The Legacy Chronicles are an enthralling series. This Sci-Fi journey of a slave destined to liberate the oppressed, and the people who loved and protected him is both exotic and familiar, but the setting is out of this world.
Whether Lauren takes you into a high-tech society or dusty, downtrodden planets, you will discover that her Legacy Chronicles are a great place to lose yourself.
Whether Lauren takes you into a high-tech society or dusty, downtrodden planets, you will discover that her Legacy Chronicles are a great place to lose yourself.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews