Legacy of Light (The Legacy Trilogy Book 3)

One Sentence Summary: Tressia and the Hadari Empire have settled into a tenuous peace, but the Empire is ill at ease and Tressia might just be ruled by the Dark.

Warning: Likely spoilers for Legacy of Ash and Legacy of Steel.

Overall

Legacy of Light is the final volume in the Legacy Trilogy. It neatly and beautifully wraps up all the character arcs, whether major or minor, and leaves a door open for more stories. It also wraps up the overarching story that I felt was a little buried under all the things happening through the entire second book, but it came back full force in this one. Overall, this was a very fitting end as it brought the story full circle like a hero's journey. At times it felt a little like the story was drawn out or meandering and maybe a little plot heavy, but the ending helped make up for it in a way that made me cry.

Extended Thoughts

It's been five years since the events of Legacy of Steel and the Tressian Republic and Hadari Empire hold a tenuous peace, though the Eastshires are in dispute.

In the Tressian Republic, Viktor Akadra has become the Lord Protector and rules the city with his shadow at his beck and call. But those close to him, those he calls friends, see him changing, see his shadow taking over, and see the city suffering. Josiri, his closest friend, has become complacent, but it might not be at his own doing. Altiris, lieutenant of Josiri's hearthguard has become close to Josiri, but, as a southwealder, will always feel different from the northwealders he now lives around and his youth makes him naive and trusting. With the Eastshires in jeopardy of being stolen by the Hadari, Viktor has no choice but to reclaim them, though he'll do it on his own terms and in his own way no matter how his friends try to dissuade him, risking the Light and Tressia.

In the Hadari Empire, Melanna has settled in, though her rule does not go unchallenged. Now a mother, she works tirelessly to not only secure her rule, but her daughter's. As challenge comes forth, Melanna must become warrior again with unlikely comrades by her side. But Melanna has always turned more to the gods than the Tressians ever have, and she'll need them more than ever, at a cost.

And the Raven, well, he has something to say about the havoc Tressia decides to wreck on his realm.

The Legacy Trilogy is a bloody, brutal one full of sword fights and battle and war. Sometimes it felt like the pages were dripping with blood. Considering I dislike violence, I've spent the past couple of years questioning why I even wanted to start reading this series. It's also incredibly long, with all being at or close to 800 pages. There must have been some reason for me to keep returning, and I think this final book proved to me exactly why.

After Legacy of Steel, I wasn't quite sure what the third book could offer. After all, I couldn't shake the feeling the second book had all the makings of a third book. I was afraid Legacy of Light would feel like an 800 page long epilogue. Well, at times it did. The first half was slow with no real major advancements, no big events. There was nothing that said "the story is starting now." It felt more like a series of events leading up to something, but each event died off fairly quickly. It was like a string of events and the reader was swinging from one to the next. But I had a hard time seeing where it was all going.

And then the second half hit and suddenly I didn't feel like I was reading an epilogue anymore. Legacy of Light finally became its own story. It finally closed out the major story arc that felt a little buried through the entire series. It became a true light versus dark story. It was also a fitting conclusion to all the characters. I really liked that it gave endings and beginnings to all of the major characters and even some of the more minor ones while also opening the possibility of more stories in this world.

In terms of world building, I don't feel there was really anything left to explore. Actually, it felt more narrowed than the world explored in the second book. But it still managed to make me feel fully immersed and engaged with not just the landscape but also when it came to the divine. The gods weren't quite as present, but they became more interesting and it was fascinating to get to explore the Otherworld. What I really love about this world is that it feels very familiar, but there's a touch of the exotic, and I never feel I can pin down what the Hadari Empire has been inspired by. The world building has been so consistent from book to book and it's easy to feel transported and to get lost.

What really shone in this book, though, were the characters. It felt more character-driven than the other two and I loved that it neatly closed out all of their arcs. After spending about 2370 pages with them, they felt so familiar and, as some of the arcs came to a close, I couldn't help but cry a little. I guess that happens when you spend so many pages invested in them? There are so many characters, but I love how some of the minor ones really got under my skin and became almost like beloved friends. I loved how they were all so unique with so many different things motivating them. They were all amazing, and now I find it difficult to say good bye to them.

Legacy of Light is a fitting end to the trilogy. It neatly ties up the story while also leaving a door open. I loved that reading this felt like an immersive experience and that the world pulled me in. It was, of course, bloody and deadly. There's no shortage of people dying and sacrificing themselves, but there are also quieter, beautiful moments and moments where characters are faced with the truth of themselves. In some ways it felt like an overly long epilogue, but, as long as I thought of it as a story about the characters, it felt less like one. Legacy of Light is focused on the characters and less so on the plot, creating an ending that has the potential to tug at heartstrings.

Thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for a review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

Amazing conclusion!!

Great finish to the trilogy, but if you made it through the first two you would probably expect that. Well written but I enjoyed it.

The battle between light and dark is common, but having it told with such robust characters in a fascinating and detailed setting, full of the desires and flaws that make us human (or not), is what makes this trilogy such a satisfying read that will remain in my thoughts for weeks to come. Thank you, Matthew Ward. I must say, my cats appreciated the length of the last book as it provided a warm lap for hours!

A fantastic read

... once it starts to pick up. Then it really picks up the pace and runs you to the end. Satisfying in ba much better way than G.O.T.'s (TV version) ending.

What can I say that hasn't already been said. Intrigue, battles of good, evil and the shades of gray in between, rich world building, an amazing cast of characters major and minor, laughter, tears and sleepless nights are in store for all who venture into the world of Aradane.

I can't wait to see what Matthew Ward does next.

When I first embarked on this series, I had an inkling that it might be one of those that sunk its hooks into me and made me care about every single character throughout. And I wasn't wrong on that account because having now finished the final book, I'm left feeling like I took an incredible journey with some close friends (and enemies) and the result was one of the most rewarding reading experiences I've had in quite some time.

LEGACY OF LIGHT delivers everything you could possibly want in a climactic finish to a series, and does it all with an absolutely breathtaking flourish. Where the first two entries Legacy of Ash and Legacy of Steel brilliantly presented the history, clandestine scheming and circumstances on how we ultimately got here, this book was a whirlwind ride teeming with consequential battles and risky pitfalls until the last page. And I must add that it was truly inspiring and fascinating to behold.

One of the best things that I can say about this book is that it is completely unpredictable and you will be put through the wringer emotionally with every chapter. There's nothing worse than an ending that ties everything up in a nice neat bow for the reader. I simply can't stand cookie cutter characters and endings. I need to bleed a little at the end of a series, and Matthew Ward dishes out some painful lumps and makes things what I would call less than comfortable. But I loved every beautiful minute of it and wouldn't have it any other way.

I also loved the fact that in this entire series things are never quite as they seem and characters sometimes don't behave the way you would expect. That aspect thankfully doesn't change in LEGACY OF LIGHT, in fact, Ward continued to keep me off balance until the eventual mind-blowing payoff. So what I'm saying is yeah this last book takes chances, imperils your darling characters, keeps you shrieking in fear as one dastardly act follows another, and never EVER apologizes for it. Those are the best books in my opinion.

I'll wrap things up by saying that this is a book and series that every reader who claims to enjoy epic fantasy should read for so many reasons. The magic is of the dark variety and rather excellent. Characters that you literally feel like you know and who you feel every anguish and joy of victory with. World-building that is complex, richly detailed, conveying a palpable sense of place that is both real and wondrous. And lastly, writing that is of the highest quality in the genre in the areas of dialogue and description. I can't say much more than just read it and find out what you've been missing. LEGACY OF LIGHT is a magnificent achievement that ends this series just as brilliantly as it began.