Legacy of Ash by Matthew Ward – Review

Published: April 9, 2020

Publisher: Orbit Books

Series: Legacy Trilogy #1

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 768 (Paperback)

My Rating: 3.0/5.0

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis:

In this action-packed epic fantasy debut, three heroes scarred by old hatreds must find a way to overcome their pasts if they are to have any chance of saving their crumbling Republic from complete destruction. Perfect for fans of George R. R. Martin, Brent Weeks, and Brandon Sanderson.
A shadow has fallen over the Tressian Republic.
While the armies of the Hadari Empire invade the borderlands, the Republic’s noble families plot against each other, divided by personal ambition.
But as Tressia falls, heroes rise.
Viktor Akadra is the Republic’s champion and conqueror of the rebellious south. A warrior without equal, he also hides a secret that would see him burned as a heretic.
Josiri Trelan would gladly see Viktor condemned to the flames – vengeance for a rebellion crushed and a mother slain. And while Josiri plots fresh insurrection, his sister, Calenne, is determined to escape their tarnished legacy and break the shackles of the past.
As dark days beckon, these three must overcome their differences to save the Republic. Yet decades of bad blood are not easily set aside. Victory – if it comes at all – will command a higher price than they could have imagined.

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Let me awkwardly preface this by saying I really wanted to like this book. I did. It sounded like it could be a new favorite based on the synopsis and I think for many people it is a new favorite. I, on the other hand, thought this absolutely slid by at the pace of cold molasses. This was the neverending audiobook – I think it took me 2+ weeks to finish.

Legacy of Ash begins with the treason of Katya Trelan and is a sort of preamble to the tension between characters in present day. There are SO MANY POVs in this book it was at times hard to keep track of who was who as chapters changed. It would take me a couple sentences to remember exactly which character’s eyes I was seeing through now. The most interesting were Viktor Akadra with his dark secret, Ebigail Kiridan with her scheming, and Calenne Trelan who is trying to escape her mother’s shadow. Josiri Trelan was especially tedious, with his endless whining and poor choices and though he was trying to do what he thought was right, I just couldn’t like him. So many of the characters were difficult to connect with for probably half the book. It was certainly an investment of my time.

This is a wonderfully complex book and what it lacked as far as characters (likability/connectability) it certainly made up for with so many plot threads! This had the kind of complexity I enjoy and admire. The Tressian Empire is reminiscent of Rome, with the elite making all the important decisions while the plebian governing body seems to be largely for show. They have a mighty military and Viktor Akadra is the warrior son of the Empire, having defeated Katya Trelan so many years before. He’s genuinely not a bad guy and is sticking up for the oppressed southern province that rebelled with Katya. All the while the southerners are working up the nerve to rebel again and take advantage of the chaos caused by the impending invasion by the Hidari. The politicking is remarkably shrewd and Ebigail Kiridan shines so darkly as she makes her moves. She is a cold, cold woman and I loved to hate her – she’s what Cersei Lannister aspired to be in terms of cleverness. Opposing her (sometimes unknowingly) are Rosa and Malachi (friends of Viktor’s) who are digging into certain mysteries that may be best left alone.

This was an extremely well-written book, but be prepared to make a time investment as it weighs in at nearly 800 pages. Parts felt like I trudged through them and other parts had me glued to the proverbial page. More accurately, I was zoned out chopping veggies or cleaning while I listened to the audiobook and found reasons to keep listening. This book works well as a standalone, though there will be a continuation of the series. I think I may leave off on the rest of the series, but if the reviews absolutely rave about it I may change my mind.