Fantasy Buddy Reads discussion

This is a Buddy read for Legacy of Ash by Matthew Ward starting on July 9, 2024.


Happy Reading!

Thank you!

If we like this, how does this schedule sound:
1. Legacy of Ash (July 9)
2. Legacy of Steel (August 9)
3. Legacy of Light (Sept 9)

Sadly, these books aren't on Hoopla or KU or included with any subscription service or library right now, so keep an eye open for deals and at used book stores!

I actually started to read this a bit on holiday but didn't get very far, however liked the small bit I did. So I reckon I'll join this BR to read the whole thing.

Nirkatze, mate, I CANNOT be dealing with set schedules lol, especially every month, so I highly doubt I will be sticking to that!

LOL
Well, we only scheduled the first one, so we can adjust as necessary!

I'm opposite--if I don't have a schedule, I'll let things languish in limbo forever...

Phew! Ok!

Ah I see, fair enough!

I have read the new book The Darkness Before Them and I enjoyed it a lot so I definitely want to read more from the author. Putting this one on my schedule.

I'm glad to hear you enjoyed his other works, @Marie--that's been on my TBR since it came out. I'm glad folks recommended this one.... reading some earlier works before the popular ones...

Been a bit busy-biz, but I'm back! Been missing reading a good book! Gonna start this a bit early... I'm sure you guys will catch up in no time.

I'm going to be late--eye reading and still working on mid-June...

No worries Nirkatze!

I was having a little mooch to see what other BRs were up at the moment, but nothing really caught my eye, so here I am. It's fine, we'll still have a good chat about it!

If you want something irreverent and different, I'm really enjoying How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying right now... though it starts off rather shocking.

I will definitely be late too if I get to it at all as I re-read The Darkness Before Them to read the sequel that just came out. I am yet to start the sequel and don't want to mix in his other series before I am done...

Marie wrote: "I will definitely be late too if I get to it at all as I re-read The Darkness Before Them to read the sequel that just came out. I am yet to start the sequel and don't want to mix in his other seri..."

You'll have to let us know what you think! I haven't read that, but it's on my TBR... same author, after all... I think we were talking about maybe trying it out after this one...

Nirkatze wrote: "If you want something irreverent and different, I'm really enjoying How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying right now... though it starts off rather shocking."

Thanks Nirkatze, just checked it out; I dunno, I'm not really sure it's my cup of tea, I reckon it's something I'd only try if I was really desperate tbh. I just felt more like getting my teeth into a good chunky epic fantasy really.

I'm only a few chapters in and it's alright so far, struggling a bit with the who's who in relation to everyone else, cos there's been a fair chunk of explaining.

Good Chunky Epic Fantasy... hopefully this'll scratch that itch!

Other chunky epic fantasies... Stormlight Archive, Malazan, Wheel of Time, Wars of Light and Shadow, Shadows of the Apt... feeling like those things?

I've read up to Chapter 12 and haven't really been that engaged or wanting to pick it up. I've given it a good shot and come to the conclusion that it's not for me.

Beena wrote: "I've read up to Chapter 12 and haven't really been that engaged or wanting to pick it up. I've given it a good shot and come to the conclusion that it's not for me."

That's a bummer. I hope you find your epic series to scratch that itch, @Beena! I've been really satisfied with Janny Wurts's Wars of Light and Shadow recently--though it takes about a book and a half to take off, and her writing style is very densely literary.

Yeah I started that series too but sort of fell out of interest in reading it.

Tbh, I just need a really good read that also turns into a good series, my choices this year are all falling flat!

When you do find something that satisfies you please share! I would keep tossing out ideas at you but I also don't want to be pushy.

I started a bit late and have read half the book. It took a long while to really get going for me. I am going to trudge on. Problem initially are all the POV's and switching frequently. There is a character list in the book which I had to keep referring to, which has helped.

I'm starting late here too! Picked the book up yesterday--only through the first couple chapters and not sucked in yet but getting curious.

Moving slowly but enjoying it. Seems mostly solid so far, standard fantasy fare. I'm curious about the religious/magic setup and politics. I also like that so far, none of the sides are portrayed as automatically bad, and even the obvious underdogs have things that make them less than paragons. Through Chapter 18 (view spoiler)[The southerners should be the most relatable, but those we've seen have been a wishy-washy Hamlet and rebellious don't-wanna-be-mamma's-girl, combined with a group of thugs and arrogant people who don't think sharing information or following orders is necessary.

The "bad" guys so far are more interesting--the invading princess is my favorite so far--M-something--and Viktor Akadra. Probably going to be a romance between Akadra & C...

Thinking that the prophesied woman is actually the daughter C, and wondering if maybe Anastasia might be a god, not a demon--one of the beings that Princess M talked to.... taken off the board by an opponent...

I was surprised that C's fiance died... especially since I thought that little chapter of the hooded woman seeking out the Crows was for protection, not murder... but she killed her own son rather than see him marry C... And now the mom is courting Rosa? What is her endgame here? (hide spoiler)]

Up to Chapter 34 and really enjoying it... (view spoiler)[Kasamir's mom is really something else... Rather reminds me of Grandpa Red from Brent Weeks's Lightbringer series--can't remember the character's actual name, but they're both similarly arrogant, powerful, use any methods to get their way, and you can't trust a single word that comes out of their mouths because of it. It's interesting that we never get Lady K's POV exactly though, it's always from the POV of her servant Marek, who also seems to have a crush on the daughter... I wonder if eventually he will be the cause of her downfall?

I'm glad Rosa was there to save Malachai--I'm surprised she actually bought Lady K's lie about Viktor though. I hope that doesn't go too far.

It's frustrating (but in a good plot way) to see all the characters put at odds over their incompetence... or to have good intentions bite them in the behind.... especially all the folk in Southshire. Really, each of them. Looking forward to that turning around at some point--I'd rather Celenna's brother not end up on opposite sides...

I still really like Melanna's storyline, but I can't really root for her... if it's a choice between a corrupt government that treats the genders equally and an honorable one that essentially enslaves half its people by relegating them as lesser, I'll take the corrupt government... unless she takes over and makes some SERIOUS changes, I would not want to live in that country where one's only choices are religious service or property of male relatives. (hide spoiler)]

My posting never made it, strange. Finished about a week ago. Much seemed to be closed out other than several cliffhangers.
(view spoiler)[ We don't know what has happened to Celenna. Rosa we will have to see and Malachai's deal with the dark, what will happen to him. (hide spoiler)]

I have moved to the next book, which picks up a year later with many of the characters.

I finished this at the end of July, had a great big post typed up, and my computer rebooted and ate it. Took me this long to get over the despair! Or maybe that was the start of the school year. All thoughts out the window.

I enjoyed it and want to continue, but have no time right now--was anyone else planning on reading this series and in the same straights?

End thoughts--agreeing with Frank--(view spoiler)[There's a lot of things I'd like answers to, and Celenna's a big one--we don't know what happened to her between her falling into that labyrinth of darkness and accidentally waking up the old Queen, and then showing up in the nick of time on a horse. Very suspicious, and the end only makes it more so...

Then there's Viktor's turn into more darkness... The "gods" and their motivations--Ashana, the Raven, and the Queen seemingly vanquished but probably not, and of course the mysterious situation of Anastasia. I also swear I remember a scene where Lady K was caught talking aloud, maybe to her self, and said "she wouldn't like that..." as though there was someone pulling her strings--maybe a god?

I like how the book wrapped up almost everything major going on--but left so many mysteries that it's easy to see how the series would continue. (hide spoiler)]