Legacy

The 39 Clues: Rapid Fire #1

by Clifford Riley

Time is running out for Grace Cahill as she struggles to make the most important choice of her a decision that will shape the future of the Cahill family . . . and the world at large. After spending centuries lurking the shadows, the Cahills' enemy - the Vespers - are planning an attack, and sending Amy and Dan on a dangerous hunt for The 39 Clues might be the only way to stop them.

Genres: Mystery, Adventure, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Fiction, Fantasy, Childrens

24 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 25, 2011

Reviews

[Charissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding. That's the best word to describe this short story! It is so amazing and I love how Clifford Riley wrote the suspense/thrilling scenes! And it's surprising to know that before Grace died, Amy and Dan already collided with the Vespers and almost had a near-death experience thanks to them. It's a sad thing to read a story where Grace is still alive and will spend her last Christmas with Amy and Dan. Grace did the right thing, to live her last six months to fullest.

[Steven R. McEvoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eight Months Before The Clue Hunt

I love the original 39 Clues books, and have on my short list to read the second series The Cahills vs. Vespers, but this short series released between December 25th and December 31st 2011 really caught my attention. 7 Days 7 Short Stories each give us part of a clue and more background information on some of the characters from the books. If the other 6 are as good as this one, they will be more than worth the price of $0.99 each.

This short story starts on Christmas Eve, the year before the hunt for the 39 Clues begins. We find out that Grace knew she was dying and that she was aware of the Vespers' history. We also meet Dan and Amy and get some more insight into their character. The short story has a fast pace and before you know it you are done. And even though it fills in more pieces of the overall story arc, it leaves you wanting to know more. I am glad I picked up the eBook and if you like the other books, I guarantee that you will be also.

Read the review and with links to other reviews of books in the 39 Clues series on my blog Book Reviews and More.

[Lila · Rating 5 out of 5]

How it all began

I can't believe it was never mention in the earlier books that Amy and Dan were almost kidnapped by the Vespers! Makes more sense why Grace organized the Clue hunt. I really wish we had more stories with Grace alive and well.

[Jovy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm so glad to finally meet "the Grace Cahill"! I can almost forget the "Day of Doom" disappointment... The Amy and Dan I know are back!!!

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good...but a bit short.

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

***NOTE MY REVIEWS OFTEN CONTAIN SPOILERS***


Grace Cahill has just learned that she is dying and she must decide if she’ll let the secrets of The 39 Clues and the Vespers die with her. All she wants is to keep her grandchildren safe and they might be safer never knowing the true Cahill family legacy. But when Amy and Dan are chased by masked men talking about a “Vespa”, she learns her decision might have been wrong. Can two children escape a criminal organization of which they know nothing about?

I really enjoyed this Cahill short story, the main reason I didn’t give it a five stars is it breaks with The 39 Clues tradition and offers nothing other than who wrote The Nutcracker in educational value. In 30 pages Riley manages to offer an exciting story, insight into key 39 clues characters, the set up for the original series and key setup for the Cahills vs. Vespers series. That is definitely impressive. Like all 39 Clues stories this is a well written fast paced third person story.

Oddly, considering the length, Riley offers excellent character development in his novella. Granted the set up for the characters has already been made. You aren’t going to read Rapid Fire if you haven’t read The 39 Clues so you already know Grace, Amy and Dan, but Riley still manages to suck you in and make you see Grace’s strength and feel her anguish and pain. He lets you experience Amy and Dan’s insecurities and how they deal with them and shows off some of the strengths that aid them in the clue hunt.

Overall for a quick read it’s a great addition to the 39 Clues franchise.

[Marcia Adversalo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't sure exactly what I was in for with this series. A new author on a series that I like makes me nervous. However, this is definitely in the spirit of the original series. I liked getting so more information about the Cahills and the interactions between Grace, Amy, and Dan. It gives background which makes the decisions that were made in the original series makes sense. It also explains how everything came together to make the first book in the 39 Clues series start off like it did. Very short and quick read. I really didn't want it to stop when it did, even though I knew what was coming next.

[Bechai Jalea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this, and I believe, like the other 39 cluse series that I've read, I will like to succeeding books as well. I love that this series fills in the other details that are left vague in the others. The focus now is on the Vipers and how the Vipers come into picture during the clue hunt.

Already excited on the succeeding books.

[Kryssy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This happens before the original series and it sets up for the second series. This is also read like an individual series. We’re introduced to everyone pretty well and the clue hunt. We’re told who grace is to many people, and Amy and dan’s story. We even get to see their quirks. The only detail not mentioned is dan’s photographic memory.

For what it is, i think this did a great job at introducing the series for people who started with the novella and sill offered a great time

- Grace gets the news she is terminally ill. Worries about having amy and dan prepped
- Quick summary of her daughter dying, the clues, and the vespers
- Amy and dan are waiting for phone call from grace
- Beatrice didn’t even live with them? I thought she was just out somewhere all the time
- Run to the park where they get attacked with chloroform
- Hide in a dumpster
- Vespers! Even before the Clue hunt!
- Called 911 but hung up… This won’t end well…
- Bottle rockets and sharp turns to lose the kidnappers
- Grace finally called
- Spend Christmas with Grace while she secretly gets things in line for the hunt
- Contacts astrid roosenbloom

[Lara Vehar · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one is a mini prequel series - we are introduced to Grace here and we meet her when she is told that she doesn't have much time left to live. She isn't sure if she wants to set up and begin the clue hunt or not - and we then follow Amy and Dan as they get attacked and chased by Vespers. The book ends with Grace deciding that she should proceed with the hunt for 39 clues anyways because Vespers are indeed back. It's a pretty short story but it's still action packed and fast paced.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love these books.

Love these books. This is the first in a mini series involving the cahills. This was a quick read with it being only 24 pages.I love how you.get to see what happened.to the grandma. I'm typing this on my tablet so can't fix my mistakes.(Sorry!) Can't wait to read the rest of the series.

[Sheryl Hart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I literally just read this on Scribd and I actually enjoyed it. It's been a while since I read the other series though. I also enjoyed our charachters introductions. I also realize that cancer is an awful thing. I like how Amy is very into books and how Dan's living his live. The asthma part hit home because I know someone with it.

[Sabrina Roy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The only part that makes me think is if they heard the word Vespers here and had bad guys attack them before why did they seem so innocent in book one of the 39 clues? I know this was written after but lil things that bug me. It was nice to get more of Grace though.

[Mella · Rating 2 out of 5]

Short read featuring the reason behind Grace's decision to enact the Clue Hunt. I enjoyed Amy and Dan in action, but the rest was pretty average. Not long enough to rate better.

[Jessie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set a few months before the clue hunt. Not really a necessary addition to the series, but it does provide some insight into Grace's preparation.

[Estela Corrêa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dá para perceber muito como é gritante o desenvolvimento da Amy e do Dan ao longo dos livros lendo esse conto, eles eram tão nenéns no começo. Gostei de saber mais sobre o pontapé inicial para o começo de tudo.

[Chalinviri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Los Vespers saliendo desde antes de la búsqueda de las 39 pistas...

Que regalo navideño fue ese?!!!

[Gayle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grace

Nice side story. It was great reading a bit of Graces thoughts on the clue hunt. Good luck to the Cahills

[Pooj · Rating 3 out of 5]

i'm confused on the purpose of this series but i liked the pre-book one plot

[Whit · Rating 3 out of 5]

Closer to 3.5 stars

[Abigail McKenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

wait why did this low-key slap, ok pop off clifford riley

[Marco]

These are all kind of just summaries of the previous series.

[bella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Legacy is the first book in a series of seven short stories set in the world of the 39 Clues books.

Legacy is set six months before the first 39 Clues book and sees Grace Cahill receive the news that she has cancer. She sets in motion the plans to have the Cahill children hunt for the clues, and sees Dan and Amy meet the Vespers for the very first time.

I've only read two of the 39 Clues books so far but I'm really enjoying the story. It was great to read the back story to what happened before 39 Clues and even though this was a rather short story (only 23 pages) it was a good read, and I will definitely be reading more of the short stories.

[Yukiraking · Rating 4 out of 5]

2013: 3 stars

2020: I gave this three stars last time, but it was better than that--or it was this time to me anyway. I enjoyed the innocent confusion about the Vespas that Dan and Amy had, and how their lives pre-39 clues seemed so much simpler. I also enjoyed Grace's point of view. She gets some stories when she's young, but this was the first time I think when she's old, and has already become the formidable woman that everyone seemed scared to go up against. It was just nice seeing her before her death, as Amy and Dan knew her. She's such a huge presence in the series, even though she's not actually ever there.

[Leon]

I think this short story branch off was a good idea, and pulled off something unique. They books skip throughout the timeline events of the other books, and let you in on what else was going on while you were hearing about the fire in Grace's mansion, or what was going on before the first book. They provide a unique perspective besides Amy's or Dan's and you get to understand some of the characters and events better. The short stories also hint at who may appear later on in the main series, and it would be cool if other books did this to provide further insight on the events.

[Percyjfan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Way too short...:(

Doesn't quite make sense with the original story and you can go without reading it. I don't know if you can do it for the others. ( Side Note/Warning: if buying for Kindle, the only option I saw was One Click, and it may not charge to the card you want; that's what happened to me. Does anyone know where you can buy it normally?)

[Zaira's Bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome! This book is held back before the clue hunt, when Grace is first making the decision to hold the hunt. Obviously, it's written in Grace's POV but also Amy and Dan's. Really well written and hilarious!

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found these great short stories that each give a little background info to the 39 Clues series while searching for new books to add to my "To Read" list yesterday. They are super short, but interesting.

[Kimberley Ang · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting!! The inside story of The Legacy is about 8 months before the Clue Hunt. During Christmas when Grace found out the first time she has cancer. Reading this story made me understand even better of why it happen and how about the first book of the 39 Clues.

[Nickie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I discovered this mini series to late into the Vesper spinoff. These seven books should probably be read after the first one in that series where the history of the Cahills and rivals are introduced. That would make this mini series less predictable and more suspenseful.