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Legacy of Blood: Sons of the Flame
Crown Prince Ronan has grown up in the shadow of a dragon-bound hero — his father, the man who saved a kingdom. But greatness isn't inherited. It must be earned.
When Ronan is denied the sacred honor of bonding with a dragon — a mark that once crowned his father a prophet — he defies that judgment. He steals a dragon's egg and flees across the sea, chasing his own legend and forsaking the legacy he was born into.
Alone and untested, Ronan must survive a world that no longer bows to his bloodline. But destiny doesn't favor the bold — it favors the worthy. And Ronan is about to learn what worth truly costs.
Legacy of Blood marks the beginning of a powerful new arc in the Sons of the Flame series, perfect for readers who love emotional fantasy, sacred dragons, and heroes who break before they rise.
When Ronan is denied the sacred honor of bonding with a dragon — a mark that once crowned his father a prophet — he defies that judgment. He steals a dragon's egg and flees across the sea, chasing his own legend and forsaking the legacy he was born into.
Alone and untested, Ronan must survive a world that no longer bows to his bloodline. But destiny doesn't favor the bold — it favors the worthy. And Ronan is about to learn what worth truly costs.
Legacy of Blood marks the beginning of a powerful new arc in the Sons of the Flame series, perfect for readers who love emotional fantasy, sacred dragons, and heroes who break before they rise.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 1, 2025
About the author
Jessica Barberi
9 books29 followersJessica Barberi is a seasoned novelist, mother, and IT professional who discovered her passion for writing while searching for meaningful stories to share with her children.
As a lifelong lover of fantasy lands and adventure, she set out to create worlds that are both transportive and relatable, weaving tales that show readers a path forward in the face of adversity.
The "Fires of an Empire" saga was born from Jessica's desire to craft stories that would captivate her son and introduce him to the kind of heroes she longed to see more of in fiction.
With richly imagined worlds and themes of perseverance, personal growth, and the triumph of light over darkness, her novels are a testament to her belief in the power of storytelling to inspire and empower.
When not writing or working, Jessica can often be found exploring the great outdoors with her family, seeking new adventures and inspiration in the natural beauty of her home near the Great Lakes.
Having completed five novels exploring the world of Perinthia, Jessica continues to expand her unique vision through her writing, bringing new depth and excitement to her carefully crafted fantasy world.
As a lifelong lover of fantasy lands and adventure, she set out to create worlds that are both transportive and relatable, weaving tales that show readers a path forward in the face of adversity.
The "Fires of an Empire" saga was born from Jessica's desire to craft stories that would captivate her son and introduce him to the kind of heroes she longed to see more of in fiction.
With richly imagined worlds and themes of perseverance, personal growth, and the triumph of light over darkness, her novels are a testament to her belief in the power of storytelling to inspire and empower.
When not writing or working, Jessica can often be found exploring the great outdoors with her family, seeking new adventures and inspiration in the natural beauty of her home near the Great Lakes.
Having completed five novels exploring the world of Perinthia, Jessica continues to expand her unique vision through her writing, bringing new depth and excitement to her carefully crafted fantasy world.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 13, 2025
There are a few things that pleasantly surprised me about this book:
Seeing as this is a passing of the torch affair, whence a new arc starts for the younger generation in this Saga, I was worried over the lack of context (haven't read the previous books yet). No worries, Jessica was careful about establishing certain facts that allowed me to enjoy this rather contained story in scope, for me to enjoy it to the fullest. This was smart. All decisions when it comes to narrative structure here serve the purpose for anyone catching this in media res. You will want to read the rest, that's pretty much a given.
Women writing men is something that often concerns me, particularly now, as a lot of these writers don't seem to understand what makes them tick and only make this worse, with often cynical, dismissive, weak caricatures of men's true nature and personality archetypes. With Ronan and Finn, this is totally redeemed, in my eyes. We all know men like this, in their sharp contrasts in pursuits and values, what drives them, their pains and troubles. Putting these two together, should elicit reflection for men. What is hubris? What sort of price comes with this? Does regret put things in perspective for someone with such afflictions in character? What does kindness among brothers of the road (and sea) look like? This was a beautiful narrative exercise, written by someone who understands and loves men in equal measure.
This is my first exposure to Jessica's writing and I came out impressed with her calculatedly punctual choices for descriptive detail. The pacing benefits greatly from this. The world is interesting within the genre it seeks to interpret, with a substantial amount of grounding, namely with how dragons functionally integrate with humans. This was an impressive affair and made me think of stuff like Panzer Dragoon and how riders merge instincts with the mythical beasts in order to ride them like experts. You get to see this bloom at the very origin point, so in terms of world building, this is evidently key to the entire Saga. I'm not sure if this will be revisited in other books, but if it's only mentioned in passing, well, here you get the full scope of how these relationships begin, which makes this an essential read for this universe.
I will be reading the rest of this series, for how human it feels, primarily. This isn't readily found in a lot of fantasy stories that either veer too much into world building; or overcompensate with action spectacle to make it "cool". There is depth here, in such a contained road trip story that ensures that however the scope expands in other arcs of this bigger narrative, you will be served a strong connection to the characters - this is evidently a standard for her writing.
Read it first or follow the intended chronology before you get to it. But you have to, it is absolutely worth it.
Seeing as this is a passing of the torch affair, whence a new arc starts for the younger generation in this Saga, I was worried over the lack of context (haven't read the previous books yet). No worries, Jessica was careful about establishing certain facts that allowed me to enjoy this rather contained story in scope, for me to enjoy it to the fullest. This was smart. All decisions when it comes to narrative structure here serve the purpose for anyone catching this in media res. You will want to read the rest, that's pretty much a given.
Women writing men is something that often concerns me, particularly now, as a lot of these writers don't seem to understand what makes them tick and only make this worse, with often cynical, dismissive, weak caricatures of men's true nature and personality archetypes. With Ronan and Finn, this is totally redeemed, in my eyes. We all know men like this, in their sharp contrasts in pursuits and values, what drives them, their pains and troubles. Putting these two together, should elicit reflection for men. What is hubris? What sort of price comes with this? Does regret put things in perspective for someone with such afflictions in character? What does kindness among brothers of the road (and sea) look like? This was a beautiful narrative exercise, written by someone who understands and loves men in equal measure.
This is my first exposure to Jessica's writing and I came out impressed with her calculatedly punctual choices for descriptive detail. The pacing benefits greatly from this. The world is interesting within the genre it seeks to interpret, with a substantial amount of grounding, namely with how dragons functionally integrate with humans. This was an impressive affair and made me think of stuff like Panzer Dragoon and how riders merge instincts with the mythical beasts in order to ride them like experts. You get to see this bloom at the very origin point, so in terms of world building, this is evidently key to the entire Saga. I'm not sure if this will be revisited in other books, but if it's only mentioned in passing, well, here you get the full scope of how these relationships begin, which makes this an essential read for this universe.
I will be reading the rest of this series, for how human it feels, primarily. This isn't readily found in a lot of fantasy stories that either veer too much into world building; or overcompensate with action spectacle to make it "cool". There is depth here, in such a contained road trip story that ensures that however the scope expands in other arcs of this bigger narrative, you will be served a strong connection to the characters - this is evidently a standard for her writing.
Read it first or follow the intended chronology before you get to it. But you have to, it is absolutely worth it.
June 5, 2025
I was very excited about this release, and I finished this one pretty quick, but I needed to take a few days to just think about it and feel, because boy oh boy did I feel things.
It all started with frustration. Ronan starts the story as an arrogant petulant teenager who I wanted to jump through the pages and slap. I so feel his parents here!! I was yelling at him and throwing my head back in frustration at many points.
It was wonderful to spend some time with the former heroes from the previous book series and see them now as leaders, teachers and parents. Their struggles feel so real to anyone who has ever had to deal with a mouthy child.
Despite my strong distaste for Ronan’s actions and choices, there was something about the way he was crafted and presented which made me feel more like his parent where I wanted him to do better, be better and succeed, rather than just go jump off a cliff while on fire!
I could not believe myself when I was genuinely rooting for this idiot to get across the mountains!
At that point the story shifts and rather than family drama we move on to a buddy adventure tale with the introduction of Finn, and I have to say it, I loved the youthful goodness of Dahee in the original series, but Finn is just next level in being someone to love, root for and really connect with.
I would say that is what this story did exceptionally well. You may get REALLY mad at Ronan, and not like him much at all, but the people around him that support him and break up the POV, you are certainly going to be rooting for them.
At the end of the day this is a coming of age story. Ronan is desperate for his own legend, for love, and connection, and a path to heroics, not villainy. The story unfolds as if it is a map for how he will get there.
It is messy and painful. It explores themes of grief, failure and redemption. It had a bittersweet end that felt just right for me, and I am not kidding when I say it has really stuck with me in a big way.
The world got bigger as did the cast of dragons. It sets up the struggles for this next generation well. No epic battles here, no evil empire or really even a bad guy, but the stakes still feel high. Slow-burn for sure, so maybe not your story if you want pulse pounding action, or external enemies. This one is all about the enemy within!
I don’t think you need to have read the prior books to enjoy this one, it stands well alone, but I am glad I did because it certainly felt like a rich expansion Bravo! I am ready for the sequel.
It all started with frustration. Ronan starts the story as an arrogant petulant teenager who I wanted to jump through the pages and slap. I so feel his parents here!! I was yelling at him and throwing my head back in frustration at many points.
It was wonderful to spend some time with the former heroes from the previous book series and see them now as leaders, teachers and parents. Their struggles feel so real to anyone who has ever had to deal with a mouthy child.
Despite my strong distaste for Ronan’s actions and choices, there was something about the way he was crafted and presented which made me feel more like his parent where I wanted him to do better, be better and succeed, rather than just go jump off a cliff while on fire!
I could not believe myself when I was genuinely rooting for this idiot to get across the mountains!
At that point the story shifts and rather than family drama we move on to a buddy adventure tale with the introduction of Finn, and I have to say it, I loved the youthful goodness of Dahee in the original series, but Finn is just next level in being someone to love, root for and really connect with.
I would say that is what this story did exceptionally well. You may get REALLY mad at Ronan, and not like him much at all, but the people around him that support him and break up the POV, you are certainly going to be rooting for them.
At the end of the day this is a coming of age story. Ronan is desperate for his own legend, for love, and connection, and a path to heroics, not villainy. The story unfolds as if it is a map for how he will get there.
It is messy and painful. It explores themes of grief, failure and redemption. It had a bittersweet end that felt just right for me, and I am not kidding when I say it has really stuck with me in a big way.
The world got bigger as did the cast of dragons. It sets up the struggles for this next generation well. No epic battles here, no evil empire or really even a bad guy, but the stakes still feel high. Slow-burn for sure, so maybe not your story if you want pulse pounding action, or external enemies. This one is all about the enemy within!
I don’t think you need to have read the prior books to enjoy this one, it stands well alone, but I am glad I did because it certainly felt like a rich expansion Bravo! I am ready for the sequel.
June 5, 2025
While this is a continuation from her previous series, Barberi has done a great job in creating a stand-alone book that any reader can pick up and enjoy. This book matches much of the style and interactions that I have come to expect from her work, and creates a pleasant read that flows with the ease of a season author.
While dragons make up a central theme in this book, this particular book is more centered around the emotional and relational changes that occur in the person of the teenage protagonist. While I am one to read with little attachment to the characters, I did find myself actively chastising certain actions, and rationalizing others as though I might be able to enter the story and aid in sorting out various contentions and disagreements. To me this is indicative of a well-told story, where I see young minds acting in a extemporaneous and often illogical or emotionally driven fashion that can be so infuriating to a parent.
As with her previous books, it is not like the typical romantasy drivel that plagues the bookstore shelves today. I feel the utilization and interaction with the dragons refreshingly natural and the story doesn't stoop to vulgarities and promiscuous scenes to attract the reader. But likewise, it doesn't rise to the level of epic battle sequences and empire-level stakes of warring parties, rather we see the actions of youthful ignorance and the consequences it brings, where one person's actions create a ripple effect and not everything ties up nicely at the final curtain.
I'm generally one to see the shocks and twists a number of chapters in advance, and I'm delighted to announce that Barberi got me with this one. If you know you know, and I can always respect an author who is able to make emotionally strong shifts in the story with dramatic understatement. There are few stories that come to mind that rival the deftness by which Barberi handles the key moments in this particular novel.
While this story certainly does lay the groundwork for future process, I did feel the ending was rather unsatisfying. For me, the ending was better than Spirit of Steel, and understanding how the author prefers to close out a story, I was a little more prepared for how this particular novel ended. Having read all of her currently available work, this is right at the top of what one might expect from the pen of Barberi, enjoyable, engaging and satisfying enough to make me look forward to the next instalment.
While dragons make up a central theme in this book, this particular book is more centered around the emotional and relational changes that occur in the person of the teenage protagonist. While I am one to read with little attachment to the characters, I did find myself actively chastising certain actions, and rationalizing others as though I might be able to enter the story and aid in sorting out various contentions and disagreements. To me this is indicative of a well-told story, where I see young minds acting in a extemporaneous and often illogical or emotionally driven fashion that can be so infuriating to a parent.
As with her previous books, it is not like the typical romantasy drivel that plagues the bookstore shelves today. I feel the utilization and interaction with the dragons refreshingly natural and the story doesn't stoop to vulgarities and promiscuous scenes to attract the reader. But likewise, it doesn't rise to the level of epic battle sequences and empire-level stakes of warring parties, rather we see the actions of youthful ignorance and the consequences it brings, where one person's actions create a ripple effect and not everything ties up nicely at the final curtain.
I'm generally one to see the shocks and twists a number of chapters in advance, and I'm delighted to announce that Barberi got me with this one. If you know you know, and I can always respect an author who is able to make emotionally strong shifts in the story with dramatic understatement. There are few stories that come to mind that rival the deftness by which Barberi handles the key moments in this particular novel.
While this story certainly does lay the groundwork for future process, I did feel the ending was rather unsatisfying. For me, the ending was better than Spirit of Steel, and understanding how the author prefers to close out a story, I was a little more prepared for how this particular novel ended. Having read all of her currently available work, this is right at the top of what one might expect from the pen of Barberi, enjoyable, engaging and satisfying enough to make me look forward to the next instalment.
June 1, 2025
Legacy of Blood is easily one of the best books I’ve read, and I’m now a lifelong fan. At its core is Ronan—a character so deeply flawed, angry, and self-destructive that I wasn’t sure I could ever root for him. I kept waiting for some dark, grim backstory to justify his behavior. And while he does have his reasons, they’re not easy to excuse. They feel more like the twisted logic of an angry teenager stuck in a loop of bitterness and refusing to see the good in the world. Barberi absolutely nails that mindset of messy, raw, and painfully real.
The worldbuilding is immersive and dangerous, and every step Ronan takes pulls you deeper into it. Then there’s Finn who is Ronan’s total opposite. He’s easygoing, lighthearted, and just an all-around good person. Their dynamic is perfection. The contrast adds both levity and tension, and you can’t help but care for them both deeply.
I also loved the way dragons are handled in this story. It doesn’t feel gimmicky or over the top. Instead, it’s natural, like obviously there are dragons here. They’re woven into the plot in a way that felt meaningful.
There were twists that caught me off guard and revelations that genuinely made me sad, but in the best kind of way. I couldn’t put it down. I had to know how it ended.
Five stars from me, without a doubt. I can’t wait to read more from Jessica Barberi.
The worldbuilding is immersive and dangerous, and every step Ronan takes pulls you deeper into it. Then there’s Finn who is Ronan’s total opposite. He’s easygoing, lighthearted, and just an all-around good person. Their dynamic is perfection. The contrast adds both levity and tension, and you can’t help but care for them both deeply.
I also loved the way dragons are handled in this story. It doesn’t feel gimmicky or over the top. Instead, it’s natural, like obviously there are dragons here. They’re woven into the plot in a way that felt meaningful.
There were twists that caught me off guard and revelations that genuinely made me sad, but in the best kind of way. I couldn’t put it down. I had to know how it ended.
Five stars from me, without a doubt. I can’t wait to read more from Jessica Barberi.
August 6, 2026
This one hurt.
It has been years since a book winded me this hard. Well-earned gut punch, and for that (and how the aftermath is handled with care) it's an easy 5 stars.
The book has its rough edges and a flatter prose than I'd have liked, but it makes up for it with emotion and fantastic character work.
One of the top "dragon-bound" books I've read. Well done.
It has been years since a book winded me this hard. Well-earned gut punch, and for that (and how the aftermath is handled with care) it's an easy 5 stars.
The book has its rough edges and a flatter prose than I'd have liked, but it makes up for it with emotion and fantastic character work.
One of the top "dragon-bound" books I've read. Well done.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews