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Tennessee Russo #1
Lion's Legacy
Seventeen-year-old Tennessee Russo’s life is imploding. His boyfriend has been cheating on him, and all his friends know about it. Worse, they expect him to just accept his ex’s new relationship and make nice. So when his father, a famous archaeologist and reality show celebrity whom he hasn’t seen in two years, shows up unexpectedly and offers to take him on an adventure, Tennessee only has a few
1. Stay, mope, regret it forever.
2. Go, try to reconcile with Dad, become his sidekick again.
3. Go, but make it his adventure, and Dad will be the sidekick.
The object of his father’s latest quest, the Rings of the Sacred Band of Thebes, is too enticing to say no to. Finding artifacts related to the troop of ancient Greek soldiers, composed of 150 gay couples, means navigating ruins, deciphering ancient mysteries, and maybe meeting a cute boy.
But will his dad let Tennessee do the right thing with the rings if they find them? And what is the right thing? Who does queer history belong to?
Against the backdrop of a sunlit Greek landscape, author L. C. Rosen masterfully weaves together adventure, romance, and magic in a celebration of the power of claiming your queer legacy.
1. Stay, mope, regret it forever.
2. Go, try to reconcile with Dad, become his sidekick again.
3. Go, but make it his adventure, and Dad will be the sidekick.
The object of his father’s latest quest, the Rings of the Sacred Band of Thebes, is too enticing to say no to. Finding artifacts related to the troop of ancient Greek soldiers, composed of 150 gay couples, means navigating ruins, deciphering ancient mysteries, and maybe meeting a cute boy.
But will his dad let Tennessee do the right thing with the rings if they find them? And what is the right thing? Who does queer history belong to?
Against the backdrop of a sunlit Greek landscape, author L. C. Rosen masterfully weaves together adventure, romance, and magic in a celebration of the power of claiming your queer legacy.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published May 2, 2023
39 people are currently reading
2364 people want to read
About the author
Lev A.C. Rosen
18 books1,176 followersLEV AC ROSEN sometimes is sometimes known as L.C. ROSEN. He is the author of books for all ages.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 174 reviews
May 2, 2023
From the author of Camp, Jack of Hearts, and Lavender House, a gay Indiana Jones like YA story!
When the prologue immediately draws you in, and you suddenly end up in an Indiana Jones scene (I’d like to think the River Phoenix version), and you hardly are able to breathe because the pacing is almost killing you.
Tennessee (Tenny, Ten) hasn’t seen his dad for over two years, but when Ten’s boyfriend cheats on him and his dad, a famous archeologist, suddenly shows up and offers to take Ten on an adventure like they used to do in the past, Ten decides to join his dad to Greece.
Lion’s Legacy reads like a Formula One car thundering over an ancient circuit with secret turns and bumps that make you screech out loud and wonder why you’re in that freaking car. But then you start to relax and suddenly grin like a maniac and enjoy yourself immensely.
You could read this book because of its fast pacing. Because of its action. Because of its wit. But don’t forget to peel off the layers. Because there’s also so much depth in this story. There are topics like family relationships, queer history, following your dreams, friendship. I loved Ten’s story and can’t wait for the sequel!
I received an ARC from Union Square & Co. and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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When the prologue immediately draws you in, and you suddenly end up in an Indiana Jones scene (I’d like to think the River Phoenix version), and you hardly are able to breathe because the pacing is almost killing you.
Tennessee (Tenny, Ten) hasn’t seen his dad for over two years, but when Ten’s boyfriend cheats on him and his dad, a famous archeologist, suddenly shows up and offers to take Ten on an adventure like they used to do in the past, Ten decides to join his dad to Greece.
Lion’s Legacy reads like a Formula One car thundering over an ancient circuit with secret turns and bumps that make you screech out loud and wonder why you’re in that freaking car. But then you start to relax and suddenly grin like a maniac and enjoy yourself immensely.
You could read this book because of its fast pacing. Because of its action. Because of its wit. But don’t forget to peel off the layers. Because there’s also so much depth in this story. There are topics like family relationships, queer history, following your dreams, friendship. I loved Ten’s story and can’t wait for the sequel!
I received an ARC from Union Square & Co. and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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February 5, 2023
GAY INDIANA JONES?!? YES YES YES.
Y’ALL THIS BOOK GAVE ME EVERYTHING I NEEDED AND MORE. ACTION. ADVENTURE. MAKING UP WITH A SHITTY DAD AND HIM SAYING SORRY (I wish) AND A CUTE LITTLE ROMANCE? YES PLEASE.
ALSO QUEER HISTORY!!!!! AHHHHHHH.
THIS IS THE ACTION ADVENTURE THE GAYS DESERVE
10/10 no notes.
Y’ALL THIS BOOK GAVE ME EVERYTHING I NEEDED AND MORE. ACTION. ADVENTURE. MAKING UP WITH A SHITTY DAD AND HIM SAYING SORRY (I wish) AND A CUTE LITTLE ROMANCE? YES PLEASE.
ALSO QUEER HISTORY!!!!! AHHHHHHH.
THIS IS THE ACTION ADVENTURE THE GAYS DESERVE
10/10 no notes.
August 31, 2023
I don't often pick up a book so soon after buying. Normally it goes on the shelf so I can read something that's been on my tbr for longer, as I try to not feel so guilty as my tbr continues to grow...
But something about Lion's Legacy grabbed me and I had to pick it up as soon as possible, so I did. The synopsis had me hooked and I knew I'd love this queer adventure story.
I loved the puzzles, the character dynamics between Ten and his dad, and the romance between Ten and Leo the translator. This was such a fun read and the TV show aspect was really interesting. With each book going to be the focus of a new season of the show.
I got my degree in Archaeology so I get excited whenever it's an aspect of a book. This also gave me Tomb Raider (and Indiana Jones) vibes just with a smidge less gunfights. I feel like this book and series was made for me.
There's action, adventure, and romance. What more could you want?
__
Tennessee Russo and his dad, who's a famous archaeologist, are the stars of a reality tv show where they go on adventures tracking artefacts from antiquity. It's two years since they had a big blowout and Ten left the show.
But this season the quest is to find the Rings of the Sacred Band of Thebes, a part of queer history that has Ten fully invested.
Through their complicated relationship, they have to navigate dangerous puzzles and ruthless enemies in order to discover the potentially magical rings.
But something about Lion's Legacy grabbed me and I had to pick it up as soon as possible, so I did. The synopsis had me hooked and I knew I'd love this queer adventure story.
I loved the puzzles, the character dynamics between Ten and his dad, and the romance between Ten and Leo the translator. This was such a fun read and the TV show aspect was really interesting. With each book going to be the focus of a new season of the show.
I got my degree in Archaeology so I get excited whenever it's an aspect of a book. This also gave me Tomb Raider (and Indiana Jones) vibes just with a smidge less gunfights. I feel like this book and series was made for me.
There's action, adventure, and romance. What more could you want?
__
Tennessee Russo and his dad, who's a famous archaeologist, are the stars of a reality tv show where they go on adventures tracking artefacts from antiquity. It's two years since they had a big blowout and Ten left the show.
But this season the quest is to find the Rings of the Sacred Band of Thebes, a part of queer history that has Ten fully invested.
Through their complicated relationship, they have to navigate dangerous puzzles and ruthless enemies in order to discover the potentially magical rings.
August 20, 2023
GAY 🫶🏼
April 27, 2023
First of all, I would like to thank Edelweiss and Union Square & Co. for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
ahhhhh this book was soooo much fun! Lion's Legacy was an exhilarating read, filled to the brim with Indiana Jones type adventuring, a cute romance, some pretty challenging father-son dynamics and a call out on queer erasure throughout history. Fast paced, compelling narrative made this gem a treat to devour. There were some exceptionally poignant moments during all the action, and I thought the whole of it balanced refreshingly well. Fantastic joy to read and I look forward to the next installment in the series!
ahhhhh this book was soooo much fun! Lion's Legacy was an exhilarating read, filled to the brim with Indiana Jones type adventuring, a cute romance, some pretty challenging father-son dynamics and a call out on queer erasure throughout history. Fast paced, compelling narrative made this gem a treat to devour. There were some exceptionally poignant moments during all the action, and I thought the whole of it balanced refreshingly well. Fantastic joy to read and I look forward to the next installment in the series!
February 3, 2024
4.5 stars. Containing all of the thrills and excitement of your average Indiana Jones-style adventure movie with an incredibly thoughtful and compelling gay protagonist, Lion's Legacy was an excellent start to what is sure to be an incredible YA series.
February 22, 2023
I haven't heard many people talk about this book (yet), and that needs to change, because I can promise a lot of you are going to LOVE this!
The prologue does an amazing job at setting the scene. We're immediately drawn into a wild adventure, filled with danger and magic, followed by Tennessee finding out his dad is not the good guy he thought he was. Aside from being really fun to read, this raises some moral questions right away, so that the book is off to a strong start.
And often, I feel like the prologue will be amazing and then the book itself will just collapse like a pudding right after. (That might be a Dutch saying, I don't know, but you get the gist.) In this case, the story is just as strong all the way through to the end, and I absolutely loved this adventurous novel.
It's just SUCH a fun read! I never watched Indiana Jones or anything like that, but this did give me Warehouse 13 vibes, which is one of my favourite shows ever. Honestly, I don't get why this genre isn't more popular in YA, since it's a perfect mix of contemporary, adventure, and magic.
Not only is this book an incredibly fun read, I also loved the conversation around queerness, like I've pretty much gotten used to from this author. We delve into conversations surrounding whether queer people should make ourselves palatable for straight people, the importance of making queer history known, and the necessity of queer community. So aside from having a great adventure, this book also has a lot of depth.
The prologue does an amazing job at setting the scene. We're immediately drawn into a wild adventure, filled with danger and magic, followed by Tennessee finding out his dad is not the good guy he thought he was. Aside from being really fun to read, this raises some moral questions right away, so that the book is off to a strong start.
And often, I feel like the prologue will be amazing and then the book itself will just collapse like a pudding right after. (That might be a Dutch saying, I don't know, but you get the gist.) In this case, the story is just as strong all the way through to the end, and I absolutely loved this adventurous novel.
It's just SUCH a fun read! I never watched Indiana Jones or anything like that, but this did give me Warehouse 13 vibes, which is one of my favourite shows ever. Honestly, I don't get why this genre isn't more popular in YA, since it's a perfect mix of contemporary, adventure, and magic.
Not only is this book an incredibly fun read, I also loved the conversation around queerness, like I've pretty much gotten used to from this author. We delve into conversations surrounding whether queer people should make ourselves palatable for straight people, the importance of making queer history known, and the necessity of queer community. So aside from having a great adventure, this book also has a lot of depth.
October 31, 2024
My rating: 2.5
"A Boys Own Adventure."
Correction: "A Queer Boys Own Adventure."
I'm sure I won't be the only one to compare our resourceful hero Tennessee Russo to Young Indiana Jones. Basic difference is that 17-year-old Tennessee is an out queer boy, and his quest is finding the "Rings of the Sacred Band of Thebes" -artifacts related to a troop of ancient Greek soldiers which were made up of 150 gay couples- is to prove they existed and preserve queer history from the past for future generations.
Probably a better read for a younger audience. I think the publisher listed it mainly for the age group 12-17 but that shouldn't put off more "mature" readers. I find most of these types of young adult books are more than enjoyable for all age groups.
The author has painted Ten as more than just a simple teen. He is a well-written complex character who charters his exploits as an explorer/filmmaker with his love hate relationship with his on and off father -and questionable treasure hunter- with plenty of angst. And his newfound Greek boyfriend Leo and the strong female characters help immensely to round out the book. Nice to note that Ten is a queer young man with a healthy sexual appetite (but nothing too explicit in this yarn) which is a pleasant change from the unrealistic squeaky-clean characters depicted in so many similar "young adult" novels.
Problem I found with this book is that it didn't excite me much and in parts came across a bit on the clunky side.
The author in his notes writes that he was worried the book was cinematic without being cinema-worthy. It's an interesting point. All through my reading I was picturing it as a movie as the excitement and suspense of such a search against the odds would have been much more effective in cinematic terms than via the written word. So, I'm looking forward to some sort of film version in the future.
"A Boys Own Adventure."
Correction: "A Queer Boys Own Adventure."
I'm sure I won't be the only one to compare our resourceful hero Tennessee Russo to Young Indiana Jones. Basic difference is that 17-year-old Tennessee is an out queer boy, and his quest is finding the "Rings of the Sacred Band of Thebes" -artifacts related to a troop of ancient Greek soldiers which were made up of 150 gay couples- is to prove they existed and preserve queer history from the past for future generations.
Probably a better read for a younger audience. I think the publisher listed it mainly for the age group 12-17 but that shouldn't put off more "mature" readers. I find most of these types of young adult books are more than enjoyable for all age groups.
The author has painted Ten as more than just a simple teen. He is a well-written complex character who charters his exploits as an explorer/filmmaker with his love hate relationship with his on and off father -and questionable treasure hunter- with plenty of angst. And his newfound Greek boyfriend Leo and the strong female characters help immensely to round out the book. Nice to note that Ten is a queer young man with a healthy sexual appetite (but nothing too explicit in this yarn) which is a pleasant change from the unrealistic squeaky-clean characters depicted in so many similar "young adult" novels.
Problem I found with this book is that it didn't excite me much and in parts came across a bit on the clunky side.
The author in his notes writes that he was worried the book was cinematic without being cinema-worthy. It's an interesting point. All through my reading I was picturing it as a movie as the excitement and suspense of such a search against the odds would have been much more effective in cinematic terms than via the written word. So, I'm looking forward to some sort of film version in the future.
August 14, 2023
A sincerely enjoyable 3 stars.
This fast-paced adventure was exciting and very quick to get through, with a super fun premise and touching considerations of queer history, who has "rights" to history, and artifact ethics in general. I think our main character Tennessee was a good YA lead, with vulnerability and guts in turn, and he’ll make for a great series main character (as I see this is getting a sequel!). The romance was sweet enough and the action was great to fly through. Many fun puzzles and traps! Overall, I would recommend to anyone in the mood for a light adventure.
While I loved the themes centering on queer history/community, museum repatriation, and who “gets” to house artifacts or frame history, this book was particularly ham-fisted about the approach. I don’t know if you could get five pages without having a paragraph of the main character ruminating on at least one of these issues or trying to figure out what he thinks about one or the other. I understand that putting things right out front is often helpful, especially in younger genres—and especially when the issues discussed are often brushed aside—but although I’m glad Lion’s Legacy opened up conversations I haven’t seen in YA before and refused to let them sink into obscurity, I think a lighter touch would have kept the repetition from becoming taxing or overdone. I think this was exacerbated by the fact that I’m not totally convinced that some magic bands from an ancient Greek army are a keystone of queer history—like, I don’t particularly find a connection to ancient Greek warfare in my own queerness, nor am I particularly keen to. That being said, I do think there were very moving thoughts about connection to your community and fighting not to be erased woven into the journey that are as important now as ever.
Tennessee’s relationship with his dad was a standout of the story, even if I did hope the father would fall into a trapdoor pit every now and then. I really liked how complex and gray their relationship was—it wasn’t quite resolved at the end and still doesn’t seem totally healthy, but it did seem real and raw, which I thought was a very compelling choice. I don’t think I’ve seen a parent-child relationship as complicated as this one in YA for a while.
Also, I’m just realizing this now, but what do lions have to do with anything about the Sacred Band of Thebes?
This fast-paced adventure was exciting and very quick to get through, with a super fun premise and touching considerations of queer history, who has "rights" to history, and artifact ethics in general. I think our main character Tennessee was a good YA lead, with vulnerability and guts in turn, and he’ll make for a great series main character (as I see this is getting a sequel!). The romance was sweet enough and the action was great to fly through. Many fun puzzles and traps! Overall, I would recommend to anyone in the mood for a light adventure.
While I loved the themes centering on queer history/community, museum repatriation, and who “gets” to house artifacts or frame history, this book was particularly ham-fisted about the approach. I don’t know if you could get five pages without having a paragraph of the main character ruminating on at least one of these issues or trying to figure out what he thinks about one or the other. I understand that putting things right out front is often helpful, especially in younger genres—and especially when the issues discussed are often brushed aside—but although I’m glad Lion’s Legacy opened up conversations I haven’t seen in YA before and refused to let them sink into obscurity, I think a lighter touch would have kept the repetition from becoming taxing or overdone. I think this was exacerbated by the fact that I’m not totally convinced that some magic bands from an ancient Greek army are a keystone of queer history—like, I don’t particularly find a connection to ancient Greek warfare in my own queerness, nor am I particularly keen to. That being said, I do think there were very moving thoughts about connection to your community and fighting not to be erased woven into the journey that are as important now as ever.
Tennessee’s relationship with his dad was a standout of the story, even if I did hope the father would fall into a trapdoor pit every now and then. I really liked how complex and gray their relationship was—it wasn’t quite resolved at the end and still doesn’t seem totally healthy, but it did seem real and raw, which I thought was a very compelling choice. I don’t think I’ve seen a parent-child relationship as complicated as this one in YA for a while.
Also, I’m just realizing this now, but what do lions have to do with anything about the Sacred Band of Thebes?
June 16, 2023
Think "Indiana Jones", but starring a gay teen who's thoughtful, daring, and committed to reclaiming queer history. Loads of fun, and with important message too.
May 14, 2023
*An ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
It's queer Indiana Jones... what's not to love?
Beyond that, this book brought up the very real question of who history belongs to. We're living in a thrilling time of information and intentional reflection on the past, but who gets to claim the past? Do historical artifacts belong where they're found, who they're found by, or the original owners as close as we can find them?
Along with asking some serious questions around history, this was a great adventure full of all the humor and romance and friendship that Rosen is known for and that made it all the better. I loved this!
It's queer Indiana Jones... what's not to love?
Beyond that, this book brought up the very real question of who history belongs to. We're living in a thrilling time of information and intentional reflection on the past, but who gets to claim the past? Do historical artifacts belong where they're found, who they're found by, or the original owners as close as we can find them?
Along with asking some serious questions around history, this was a great adventure full of all the humor and romance and friendship that Rosen is known for and that made it all the better. I loved this!
March 20, 2023
4.5 🌟
Gotta love stories about queer empowerment and queer history getting its time to shine
Gotta love stories about queer empowerment and queer history getting its time to shine
August 16, 2023
Sadly, I was a bit disappointed by Lion's Legacy. Pitched as a queer Indiana Jones, I was expecting Last Crusade vibes, with plenty of action and hopefully some humour. To be fair, what I got instead was what the blurb promised, in terms of a new romance and angsty parent-child estrangement. It just... wasn't what I wanted to read? Especially considering the whole concept of a young, queer, 'tombraider'-esque protagonist going on adventures... I just think that aspect of the blurb sounded so much more engaging than what actually ended up on the page. Tennessee's dad was just so, so shitty, I think he wins Worst Fictional Dad of the Year Award for me lol... so I guess I'm impressed that the author managed to write a really shitty parent who is also supportive of his son's sexuality - that's an original take, to be fair. I did like the discussions of queer history and the discussions surrounding erasure, which I think were done well. I felt like the issue of colonialism and colonising Christianity could have been leant into better (or at all), since it was often skirted around but never addressed. Maybe it's just something you can't name? but like... there's a very clear reason why queerness was accepted, even venerated, before a certain few colonising powers began expanding their empires and bringing a certain view of morality with them. I just felt like answers existed to be presented in the text, but a choice was made not to do so, so the thematic development felt lacking. The tone of the novel was also a little strange. To me it felt more like Middle Grade, but obviously you have a seventeen-year-old protagonist having behind-closed-doors sex, so it also felt more Adult than YA, so I think that tonal dissonance left me a bit confused.
May 2, 2023
I received an ARC from the Edelweiss
TW: discussions of homophobia
3.3
I think “queer Indiana Jones” is a concept that will have some people running, and possibly foaming at the mouth. I’m not really the target audience, but queer adventure novels does sound like an unfilled niche and one I was excited to explore.
There are definitely some high energy moments of derring do that I haven’t really experienced in books before, and I really enjoyed getting to delve into that kind of storytelling.
I also appreciated the general conversations of queer history and repatriation. Though it doesn’t go into those themes quite as much as I’d hoped, it was still nice to see. I could see this being a good primer for those who haven’t thought about it before.
It was overly heavy handed for my taste, however, and yet still, as I’d mentioned, quite surface level.
I was also surprised that while there was already less in depth conversation and themes there was also less “tomb raiding” than I was expecting. I did think that there would be a bit more danger than the three or so puzzles.
I also wasn’t a fan of the writing style- the lists of possible actions really took me out of the story, and Ten himself was hard to relate to.
TW: discussions of homophobia
3.3
I think “queer Indiana Jones” is a concept that will have some people running, and possibly foaming at the mouth. I’m not really the target audience, but queer adventure novels does sound like an unfilled niche and one I was excited to explore.
There are definitely some high energy moments of derring do that I haven’t really experienced in books before, and I really enjoyed getting to delve into that kind of storytelling.
I also appreciated the general conversations of queer history and repatriation. Though it doesn’t go into those themes quite as much as I’d hoped, it was still nice to see. I could see this being a good primer for those who haven’t thought about it before.
It was overly heavy handed for my taste, however, and yet still, as I’d mentioned, quite surface level.
I was also surprised that while there was already less in depth conversation and themes there was also less “tomb raiding” than I was expecting. I did think that there would be a bit more danger than the three or so puzzles.
I also wasn’t a fan of the writing style- the lists of possible actions really took me out of the story, and Ten himself was hard to relate to.
December 17, 2024
Lev A.C. Rosen delivers another unapologetically queer book in which he entertains stereotypes, roasts ignorant and malicious people and poses all the difficult questions!
Lion's Legacy follows Tennessee Russo, reuniting with his father, a famous TV archaeologist/adventurer with whom he used to spend his holidays until they had a fallout over his methods. The prize dangled over his head is too lucrative to say no: the Rings of the Sacred Band of Thebes, an Ancient Greek military unit composed exclusively by gay lovers.
In an Indiana Jones-esque journey, Ten will find a cute boy, deal with his real feelings for his father, understand that for some questions there isn't a clear "good" and "bad" answer, fight to protect the often distorted and forgotten queer history from erasure, and embark us in an adventurous reminder of gay presence all the way back to the antiquity.
An enjoyable and important book for all queer readers, the start of Ten's adventures will leave you eager for the next book of the series!
Edit: Out now!
Thank you NetGalley and Union Square Co.for the ARC!
Lion's Legacy follows Tennessee Russo, reuniting with his father, a famous TV archaeologist/adventurer with whom he used to spend his holidays until they had a fallout over his methods. The prize dangled over his head is too lucrative to say no: the Rings of the Sacred Band of Thebes, an Ancient Greek military unit composed exclusively by gay lovers.
In an Indiana Jones-esque journey, Ten will find a cute boy, deal with his real feelings for his father, understand that for some questions there isn't a clear "good" and "bad" answer, fight to protect the often distorted and forgotten queer history from erasure, and embark us in an adventurous reminder of gay presence all the way back to the antiquity.
An enjoyable and important book for all queer readers, the start of Ten's adventures will leave you eager for the next book of the series!
Edit: Out now!
Thank you NetGalley and Union Square Co.for the ARC!
August 28, 2023
The only real problem is that it needs to pick an audience. It’s aimed at older teenagers but over explains to the point that it feels as though you’re too old for it.
August 27, 2024
Fun, but can feel a bit tumblry at times.
August 28, 2023
thank you to Union Square Co. for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review!
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I came into this book, but I can say that I was definitely pleasantly surprised. L.C. Rosen has crafted a story that is equal parts queer history and exploration, familial bonds and healing, and a look at what history belongs to who. It’s pretty compulsively readable and kept me on my toes throughout, wrapping up the story nicely while also setting up a sequel that I think I might be even more excited for than this book. Definitely recommend checking this one out!
One of the most interesting threads of this book is the look at queer history and the exploration of being queer and being queer in community. There’s this initial juxtaposition of Good Queers and Bad Queers that’s ultimately turned on its head and subsequently struggled with throughout the book. The idea that being queer should be exactly the same as being allocishet is ultimately rejected, not because queer people can’t be very similar to straight people but because we also have a history and community that is completely separate and we should be allowed to celebrate. Rosen really delves into queer history in community and queerness as a connecting thread despite an incredibly vast variety of experiences. Sure, some of it may be idealistic or exaggerated, but it’s such an interesting concept to explore and there’s something comforting about that being the core of the story being told.
As far as characters and plot go, there wasn’t just this massive amount of depth, but I think in some ways that complements the deeper dive into more conceptual elements and ideas throughout the story. There’s also a very interesting conversation going on throughout the book on who history, or more specifically historical artifacts belong to. I don’t have a concrete answer for that, but I did find this element especially interesting as someone in art history who’s currently looking at the practice of decolonization within museums.
Ultimately, I think that this book has a lot of really cool elements and heartfelt love and care for queer people and the queer community. I really enjoyed the time I spent reading it and I can say that I am beyond excited to see what happens in the next book with the idea of queerness with David and Jonathan!
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I came into this book, but I can say that I was definitely pleasantly surprised. L.C. Rosen has crafted a story that is equal parts queer history and exploration, familial bonds and healing, and a look at what history belongs to who. It’s pretty compulsively readable and kept me on my toes throughout, wrapping up the story nicely while also setting up a sequel that I think I might be even more excited for than this book. Definitely recommend checking this one out!
One of the most interesting threads of this book is the look at queer history and the exploration of being queer and being queer in community. There’s this initial juxtaposition of Good Queers and Bad Queers that’s ultimately turned on its head and subsequently struggled with throughout the book. The idea that being queer should be exactly the same as being allocishet is ultimately rejected, not because queer people can’t be very similar to straight people but because we also have a history and community that is completely separate and we should be allowed to celebrate. Rosen really delves into queer history in community and queerness as a connecting thread despite an incredibly vast variety of experiences. Sure, some of it may be idealistic or exaggerated, but it’s such an interesting concept to explore and there’s something comforting about that being the core of the story being told.
As far as characters and plot go, there wasn’t just this massive amount of depth, but I think in some ways that complements the deeper dive into more conceptual elements and ideas throughout the story. There’s also a very interesting conversation going on throughout the book on who history, or more specifically historical artifacts belong to. I don’t have a concrete answer for that, but I did find this element especially interesting as someone in art history who’s currently looking at the practice of decolonization within museums.
Ultimately, I think that this book has a lot of really cool elements and heartfelt love and care for queer people and the queer community. I really enjoyed the time I spent reading it and I can say that I am beyond excited to see what happens in the next book with the idea of queerness with David and Jonathan!
April 11, 2024
This book was really really fun, a true page-turner!
When I first saw this book it was described as "Gay Indiana Jones" and I have to say that YES that is precisely what this book is.
Baby boy Tennessee is a child-reality star/Indiana Jones/Amateur archeologist who goes around the world solving mysteries and finding rare artifacts, so so far so good.
In the main adventure of this book, he is trying to prove and retrieve some ancient rings that supposedly belonged to the Sacred band of Thebes, which did exist in ancient Greece and is mainly believed that they were an army of lovers, so of course Tenny goes to Greece, meets a boy and mayhem ensues.
Tennesse is a great main character because he feels real and flawed and like a 17-year-old boy should think and act so it was very easy to believe everything that was going on.
My one and only complaint and this is really not a real complaint
Overall, I really enjoyed this and for sure will read the sequel!
When I first saw this book it was described as "Gay Indiana Jones" and I have to say that YES that is precisely what this book is.
Baby boy Tennessee is a child-reality star/Indiana Jones/Amateur archeologist who goes around the world solving mysteries and finding rare artifacts, so so far so good.
In the main adventure of this book, he is trying to prove and retrieve some ancient rings that supposedly belonged to the Sacred band of Thebes, which did exist in ancient Greece and is mainly believed that they were an army of lovers, so of course Tenny goes to Greece, meets a boy and mayhem ensues.
Tennesse is a great main character because he feels real and flawed and like a 17-year-old boy should think and act so it was very easy to believe everything that was going on.
My one and only complaint and this is really not a real complaint
Overall, I really enjoyed this and for sure will read the sequel!
May 8, 2024
I have enjoyed Lev Rosen's queer historical noir detective stories, so I was curious what he would do with a queer YA Indiana Jones-esque setup. The common thread as far as I can see between their books is a commitment to reclaiming queer history, so the thrilling adventure and artifact hunting for buried/erased queer history of the very real Sacred Band of Thebes was my favorite part. Especially the parts about the museum exhibit focusing on global/ancient queer history pre-Stonewall, and the discussion around cultural appropriation of archaeological finds by Western capitalist interests were supremely gratifying. For the due diligence done to this research and meditation on who gets to tell what history, I think I'll keep coming back to Rosen's book and any future Ten Russo works. That said, MAN, was Ten a righteous little brat for most of this! He has such an annoying boner for claiming ALL queer history as his own or some vague queer nation, while also being super judgemental about literally everyone else's lived experience, to the point that his internal turmoil was extremely repetitive and only literal magic rings forced him to learn empathy. The cast of characters, mostly the adults, were significantly more interesting to me. I'm afraid that perhaps I'm finally too old to connect with a certain brand of spiraling teenage angst being front and center in narratives. I can also recognize that this book, if it had come to me as a heavily closeted young adult, would have been transformative and made me feel less isolated. I am looking forward to the series though, and see how Ten grows as a person. There is so much here that is necessary in good YA like the complicated relationship with parents as a queer adolescent. How sometimes you have to learn to raise your own parents, while also navigating isolation even within queer found communities. And I'm excited to see how future books build on this and what other buried queer history it uncovers.
March 27, 2025
This was a really fun book. Just think of Indian Jones and making it queer with an emphasis on telling, sharing, and bringing to light the history of the queer community and how it tends to be erased. The characters are cut out of a typical Indiana Jones film and honestly, I was here for it. There was some adventure, character growth, humor, romance with a sexy Greek boy, and whatnot. I find myself wishing something like his existed sooner, for queer youth to really revel in stories that surround us and find out just how much of a community and family we have.
May 6, 2025
I received an advance copy from the publisher via Netgalley for review purposes; this in no way influences my review
Content notes:
This book is so fantastic and gives me so many feelings as a queer person. If you want a story that highlights queer history and the fact queer people have existed prior to Stonewall, as well as family and community feelings, and an adventure across Greece to find artifacts proving that queer history you absolutely need to keep this book on your radar!!
Full review closer to release.
Full review:
Gosh, gosh, gosh! This book, LC’s writing reminds me how reading a queer book by a queer author really does hit differently, in the best ways.
Tennessee Russo is a teen who’s been going on adventures with his dad to find ancient artifacts for his dad’s tv show since his bar mitzvah, but at fifteen he starts to see the way his dad sells the artifacts as unethical, which results in a fight where his dad abandons him in Japan. Two years later, Ten has just learned his boyfriend had been cheating on him and their whole friend group knew, but because they’re Good Upstanding Queers David doesn’t want Ten to cause any drama and everything to continue like it had. Ten’s response is to make out with one of the guys at the “bad” queer table and blocking David’s number. This also causes him to think more about how Good Upstanding Queers are just adhering to respectability politics and trying to be like “everyone else” maybe shouldn’t be the goal, but instead the goal should be celebrating how our queerness makes us unique and special.
When Ten gets home, he finds his dad who he hasn’t seen or heard from since Japan, and he wants to take Ten on a new adventure - to find the Sacred Band of Thebes, the (maybe magical) rings worn by the army of Thebes comprised of 150 queer couples. Tennessee is hesitant because this is a quest he’s wanted for so long, to show queer history and significance and power, especially as so much of queer history is in a constant state of being erased or straight-washed. But he’s got a lot of complicated feelings around his dad, and he’s not sure how to navigate those feelings and go on this new adventure with the hurt he still holds after being abandoned. But the allure of finding these rings, this history that is partially his own, is too great an opportunity, and he is quickly off the Greece. What follows is adventure and puzzles, but also emotional development and the ways community strengthens us.
This is truly a spectacular story and I cannot wait to read more of Tennessee Russo’s adventures. The Band of Thebes was a real army of men romantically bonded, and I love that this book helps bring that part of history more mainstream in that it is made accessible via fiction. I especially loved the discussions around queer history and how multifaceted it is, while also discussing the ways that history is often hidden or erased or ignored because to so many queerness is a new idea, so there’s no way it existed millennia ago. And yes, queerness today looks different than it would have thousands of years ago, but it looks different than it did even just five years ago because queerness is an experience, a community influenced by so many things, which is also why the language is constantly changing and shifting to be more inclusive and welcoming.
The other element of Lion’s Legacy I really enjoyed is challenging the ideas of what being a good gay person looks like. Tennessee from early on talks about feeling connected to all the queer people in The Village, from the grumpy drag queen to the butches in like for movies. But at school he’s become part of the Good Upstanding Queers by way of dating David, who always took him in nice dates and they did nice things together, but it was still assimilatory and heteronormative because the goal was to fit in, which was not was Ten was necessarily seeing from the queer people he passed on the street. Breaking up gives Ten an opportunity to explore his own queerness and what he wants that to look like for himself - including having sex with someone he’s just met and making connections and exploring his identity outside monogamy. This, I believe, is so important to see for teens because of the ways queerness is inherently vilified and sexualized without the nuance of how refusing to try fitting into heteronormative ideals is a resistance. We survive by showing queer people can be and are happy after 30, that our relationships don’t have to model husband-wife-two-point-five-kids ideal that is so often shown as the only acceptable way to be happy. And this book challenges that narrative and shows a queer teen having adventure, finding love, building community, and most importantly showing queer people have a history prior to Stonewall. I am so glad this book exists, and it gives me a lot of feelings, and I cannot wait to see what will be next for Tennessee (and what Lev AC Rosen will write next!)
Content notes:
This book is so fantastic and gives me so many feelings as a queer person. If you want a story that highlights queer history and the fact queer people have existed prior to Stonewall, as well as family and community feelings, and an adventure across Greece to find artifacts proving that queer history you absolutely need to keep this book on your radar!!
Full review closer to release.
Full review:
Gosh, gosh, gosh! This book, LC’s writing reminds me how reading a queer book by a queer author really does hit differently, in the best ways.
Tennessee Russo is a teen who’s been going on adventures with his dad to find ancient artifacts for his dad’s tv show since his bar mitzvah, but at fifteen he starts to see the way his dad sells the artifacts as unethical, which results in a fight where his dad abandons him in Japan. Two years later, Ten has just learned his boyfriend had been cheating on him and their whole friend group knew, but because they’re Good Upstanding Queers David doesn’t want Ten to cause any drama and everything to continue like it had. Ten’s response is to make out with one of the guys at the “bad” queer table and blocking David’s number. This also causes him to think more about how Good Upstanding Queers are just adhering to respectability politics and trying to be like “everyone else” maybe shouldn’t be the goal, but instead the goal should be celebrating how our queerness makes us unique and special.
When Ten gets home, he finds his dad who he hasn’t seen or heard from since Japan, and he wants to take Ten on a new adventure - to find the Sacred Band of Thebes, the (maybe magical) rings worn by the army of Thebes comprised of 150 queer couples. Tennessee is hesitant because this is a quest he’s wanted for so long, to show queer history and significance and power, especially as so much of queer history is in a constant state of being erased or straight-washed. But he’s got a lot of complicated feelings around his dad, and he’s not sure how to navigate those feelings and go on this new adventure with the hurt he still holds after being abandoned. But the allure of finding these rings, this history that is partially his own, is too great an opportunity, and he is quickly off the Greece. What follows is adventure and puzzles, but also emotional development and the ways community strengthens us.
This is truly a spectacular story and I cannot wait to read more of Tennessee Russo’s adventures. The Band of Thebes was a real army of men romantically bonded, and I love that this book helps bring that part of history more mainstream in that it is made accessible via fiction. I especially loved the discussions around queer history and how multifaceted it is, while also discussing the ways that history is often hidden or erased or ignored because to so many queerness is a new idea, so there’s no way it existed millennia ago. And yes, queerness today looks different than it would have thousands of years ago, but it looks different than it did even just five years ago because queerness is an experience, a community influenced by so many things, which is also why the language is constantly changing and shifting to be more inclusive and welcoming.
The other element of Lion’s Legacy I really enjoyed is challenging the ideas of what being a good gay person looks like. Tennessee from early on talks about feeling connected to all the queer people in The Village, from the grumpy drag queen to the butches in like for movies. But at school he’s become part of the Good Upstanding Queers by way of dating David, who always took him in nice dates and they did nice things together, but it was still assimilatory and heteronormative because the goal was to fit in, which was not was Ten was necessarily seeing from the queer people he passed on the street. Breaking up gives Ten an opportunity to explore his own queerness and what he wants that to look like for himself - including having sex with someone he’s just met and making connections and exploring his identity outside monogamy. This, I believe, is so important to see for teens because of the ways queerness is inherently vilified and sexualized without the nuance of how refusing to try fitting into heteronormative ideals is a resistance. We survive by showing queer people can be and are happy after 30, that our relationships don’t have to model husband-wife-two-point-five-kids ideal that is so often shown as the only acceptable way to be happy. And this book challenges that narrative and shows a queer teen having adventure, finding love, building community, and most importantly showing queer people have a history prior to Stonewall. I am so glad this book exists, and it gives me a lot of feelings, and I cannot wait to see what will be next for Tennessee (and what Lev AC Rosen will write next!)
April 7, 2024
Queer Indiana Jones!
I loved the story except the parent-child relationship. It was horrible. Even in the end.
I loved the story except the parent-child relationship. It was horrible. Even in the end.
November 25, 2025
beautiful
June 4, 2023
This book was like gay Indiana Jones and gay National Treasure! What fun!
May 20, 2023
2.5 Extra points for inclusion of queer history & highlighting the colonial underpinnings of museums.
I appreciate what the author is doing, but seriously it read as a VERY young YA title, way too much telling & not enough showing.
I appreciate what the author is doing, but seriously it read as a VERY young YA title, way too much telling & not enough showing.
August 14, 2023
4 stars
I love Lev A.C. Rosen’s writing a lot. His stories and his characters are always super engaging. My only - very slight - criticism of this book is it was already super gay in so many wonderful aspects that it didn’t need to keep reminding and piling on more and more gay. I don’t think I’ve ever read the word “queer” more than in this book haha. Very small quibble for sure. Can’t wait for the next book.
I love Lev A.C. Rosen’s writing a lot. His stories and his characters are always super engaging. My only - very slight - criticism of this book is it was already super gay in so many wonderful aspects that it didn’t need to keep reminding and piling on more and more gay. I don’t think I’ve ever read the word “queer” more than in this book haha. Very small quibble for sure. Can’t wait for the next book.
May 16, 2023
3/5:
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September 5, 2024
Höh, oon niin pettynyt. Tän vertaaminen Indiana Jonesiin on ehkä luovin tapa mollata Indiana Jonesia mitä oon ikinä kuullu.
Erittäin stereotyyppistä ja cliche-istä queer representaatiota. Newsflash: se että ihminen on queer ei tarkoita että kyseinen ihminen on super-ihana, cool ja kiva. Luulin että me kaikki tajuttiin tää 12-vuotiaina. Teksti on muutenkin ylitsepääsemättömän yksinkertaista, mikä saa sen tuntumaan enemmän MG- kuin YA-kirjalta. Kuitenkin jokaiseen mahdolliseen väliin on tungettu kiusallisia seksi-referenssejä, joten kirja lukee Peppi Pitkätossu Ryhtyy Strippariksi tyyliin. Eli hyvin sekaisia signaaleja, mahdollisesti koska kirjailija ei ymmärtänyt miten tärkeää kohderyhmälle sitoutuminen kirjaa kirjoittaessa on.
Päähahmo Tennessee oli raivostuttavan itsekeskeinen ja ärsyttävä, ihan niinku se fakta että jätkän nimi on Tennessee ei olis tarpeeks paha. Päähahmon isä - Henry - kuitenkin vie kirjan inhottavimman hahmon palkinnon. Miten niin sä hylkäät sun 15-vuotiaan pojan Japaniin ja oot ottamatta siihen yhteyttä kahden vuoden ajan koska se haukku sua kerran. Sitten vielä tälle äijälle annetaan vuoden-isä-palkinto sen jälkeen kun se on reilu 200-sivua käyttäytynyt lapsellisemmin kuin sen teini-ikäinen poika. Ärsyttää että kirjan alussa päätin kuvitella sen Hugh Jackmaninä enkä saanut sitä mielikuvaa missään vaiheessa pois mun päästä.
Kuitenkin annan hitaat aplodit kirjan herättämästä keskustelusta queer-historian pyyhinnästä. Tärkeä aihe, vaikka toteutus menikin päin persettä. Ymmärsin ja arvostan sitä, mitä Rosen yritti tehdä Lion's Legacyllä. Tää kirja vaan nyt sattuu olemaan roskaa.
Erittäin stereotyyppistä ja cliche-istä queer representaatiota. Newsflash: se että ihminen on queer ei tarkoita että kyseinen ihminen on super-ihana, cool ja kiva. Luulin että me kaikki tajuttiin tää 12-vuotiaina. Teksti on muutenkin ylitsepääsemättömän yksinkertaista, mikä saa sen tuntumaan enemmän MG- kuin YA-kirjalta. Kuitenkin jokaiseen mahdolliseen väliin on tungettu kiusallisia seksi-referenssejä, joten kirja lukee Peppi Pitkätossu Ryhtyy Strippariksi tyyliin. Eli hyvin sekaisia signaaleja, mahdollisesti koska kirjailija ei ymmärtänyt miten tärkeää kohderyhmälle sitoutuminen kirjaa kirjoittaessa on.
Päähahmo Tennessee oli raivostuttavan itsekeskeinen ja ärsyttävä, ihan niinku se fakta että jätkän nimi on Tennessee ei olis tarpeeks paha. Päähahmon isä - Henry - kuitenkin vie kirjan inhottavimman hahmon palkinnon. Miten niin sä hylkäät sun 15-vuotiaan pojan Japaniin ja oot ottamatta siihen yhteyttä kahden vuoden ajan koska se haukku sua kerran. Sitten vielä tälle äijälle annetaan vuoden-isä-palkinto sen jälkeen kun se on reilu 200-sivua käyttäytynyt lapsellisemmin kuin sen teini-ikäinen poika. Ärsyttää että kirjan alussa päätin kuvitella sen Hugh Jackmaninä enkä saanut sitä mielikuvaa missään vaiheessa pois mun päästä.
Kuitenkin annan hitaat aplodit kirjan herättämästä keskustelusta queer-historian pyyhinnästä. Tärkeä aihe, vaikka toteutus menikin päin persettä. Ymmärsin ja arvostan sitä, mitä Rosen yritti tehdä Lion's Legacyllä. Tää kirja vaan nyt sattuu olemaan roskaa.
December 22, 2023
I'm sputtering to try to incapsulate all of my thoughts into a coherent sentence, but let me give it a try.
LION'S LEGACY is an absolutely perfectly paced and delivered love letter to Indiana Jones, with queer and modern sensibilities on 'treasure hunting' beautifully and complexly displayed.
I cannot. I simply can't. This is such a great book. It's got so many laugh out loud moments, the adventure is gripping and fun, it's such a wonderful and attentive to its source inspiration that we've got treasure hunting rivals, puzzles to be solved on page, betrayals, and even a
And like I said, the queer history is incredible (though I did need to flip to the author's note to see if any of it was real, and yes! Parts of the story are real, which is beyond incredible to know, and to shout about!). I cannot wait to see the next book (it wasn't available for preorder when I finished reading).
Also, the sensibilities on what to do with archeological finds was so thoughtfully done. While sometimes we may be completely self-righteous in thinking blanket statements like "anything found in x place must stay with x country, or belongs to x individual", the complexities of sharing that history is so thoughtfully demonstrated in ways that makes archeology difficult. It gives the reader more to think about, and it's difficult, and portrayed as not such a black and white thing which is a relief.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENTS:
The author named the MC Tennesse as a wonderful nod to the 'using states as names' homage to Indiana Jones and Idaho was sitting right there.
LION'S LEGACY is an absolutely perfectly paced and delivered love letter to Indiana Jones, with queer and modern sensibilities on 'treasure hunting' beautifully and complexly displayed.
I cannot. I simply can't. This is such a great book. It's got so many laugh out loud moments, the adventure is gripping and fun, it's such a wonderful and attentive to its source inspiration that we've got treasure hunting rivals, puzzles to be solved on page, betrayals, and even a
And like I said, the queer history is incredible (though I did need to flip to the author's note to see if any of it was real, and yes! Parts of the story are real, which is beyond incredible to know, and to shout about!). I cannot wait to see the next book (it wasn't available for preorder when I finished reading).
Also, the sensibilities on what to do with archeological finds was so thoughtfully done. While sometimes we may be completely self-righteous in thinking blanket statements like "anything found in x place must stay with x country, or belongs to x individual", the complexities of sharing that history is so thoughtfully demonstrated in ways that makes archeology difficult. It gives the reader more to think about, and it's difficult, and portrayed as not such a black and white thing which is a relief.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENTS:
The author named the MC Tennesse as a wonderful nod to the 'using states as names' homage to Indiana Jones and Idaho was sitting right there.
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