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em_err's review
2.0
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
DNF. This book was a snooze fest. Terrible writing, almost dialogue between characters, and no introduction.
DNF. This book was a snooze fest. Terrible writing, almost dialogue between characters, and no introduction.
maitaylor01's review
4.0
I’ll let you into a secret – when I first signed up to join the blog tour for Legacy of Light, I hadn’t realised how short it was. I am used to epic fantasy novels of four or five hundred pages, and I will admit that when I saw the page count for this book, I was a little dubious. I mean, how could the depth of world building and character development that I so love about the fantasy genre be squeezed into such a small package? Well, I don’t know how, but C.D. Tavenor has managed to do just that.
Despite its diminutive size in comparison to other books in the genre, Legacy of Light tells the story of three generations of one family in such a way that I was instantly invested in each of the characters, and felt that I was right there with them as they fought for their very survival. Tavenor’s descriptions of the landscape and towns the characters inhabit was so vivid that I found myself completely absorbed in the world.
Honestly, as a writer, I am a little in awe of what C.D. Tavenor has created in this book. We have three strong characters, each of whom could easily have held my attention for an entire novel, living in a complex world, which again would have captivated me for an entire trilogy, all packed into one relatively short book, and yet it doesn’t feel like anything is missing, and nothing is rushed or skimmed over. That, to me, is a real skill.
They say great things come in small packages, and that is certainly true of Legacy of Light. If you are a novice fantasy reader, or want to give it a try but have always found the enormous texts a bit daunting, this is the perfect book to introduce you to what, in my opinion, is a wonderful genre for pure escapism.
Despite its diminutive size in comparison to other books in the genre, Legacy of Light tells the story of three generations of one family in such a way that I was instantly invested in each of the characters, and felt that I was right there with them as they fought for their very survival. Tavenor’s descriptions of the landscape and towns the characters inhabit was so vivid that I found myself completely absorbed in the world.
Honestly, as a writer, I am a little in awe of what C.D. Tavenor has created in this book. We have three strong characters, each of whom could easily have held my attention for an entire novel, living in a complex world, which again would have captivated me for an entire trilogy, all packed into one relatively short book, and yet it doesn’t feel like anything is missing, and nothing is rushed or skimmed over. That, to me, is a real skill.
They say great things come in small packages, and that is certainly true of Legacy of Light. If you are a novice fantasy reader, or want to give it a try but have always found the enormous texts a bit daunting, this is the perfect book to introduce you to what, in my opinion, is a wonderful genre for pure escapism.
tessa_talks_books's review
4.0
Favorite character: River
I can’t describe him better than Elmo did towards the end of the novella: “I step in front of him, looking into his eyes. ‘River, you know you’re the real hero of this story. I’ll sing your praises for all time, to my children, their children, all future generations will know you were the thunder needed to bring an end to the misery at the Gates of Vicor.’ “
What I Liked:
One of the reasons that I love fantasy novels is because they often have a big, meaningful message, and Legacy of Light did not disappoint in this regard. It is a complete story that is plot-driven and carries a big message within its small novella format. The importance of accepting differences, respecting each other, and living in peace are themes explored throughout the story, creating depth and breadth I have rarely seen in novellas.
The world creation is detailed, yet maintains a simplicity that is easy to visualize. It is an excellent base of reference for understanding a world that is much different than our own. I even feel like I have a good understanding of the socio-political systems at work and the historical events that led to those systems.
What I Wish:
The dialogue was noticeably forced and awkward at times. There is not a lot of dialogue, so the impact on the story is minimal. But, if that dialogue read more natural, it would have made the story an over-the-top read.
To Read or Not to Read
If you love epic fantasy, this is a novella you will want to read. It packs a big punch in a little package.
I was provided with an advanced copy of the book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I can’t describe him better than Elmo did towards the end of the novella: “I step in front of him, looking into his eyes. ‘River, you know you’re the real hero of this story. I’ll sing your praises for all time, to my children, their children, all future generations will know you were the thunder needed to bring an end to the misery at the Gates of Vicor.’ “
What I Liked:
One of the reasons that I love fantasy novels is because they often have a big, meaningful message, and Legacy of Light did not disappoint in this regard. It is a complete story that is plot-driven and carries a big message within its small novella format. The importance of accepting differences, respecting each other, and living in peace are themes explored throughout the story, creating depth and breadth I have rarely seen in novellas.
The world creation is detailed, yet maintains a simplicity that is easy to visualize. It is an excellent base of reference for understanding a world that is much different than our own. I even feel like I have a good understanding of the socio-political systems at work and the historical events that led to those systems.
What I Wish:
The dialogue was noticeably forced and awkward at times. There is not a lot of dialogue, so the impact on the story is minimal. But, if that dialogue read more natural, it would have made the story an over-the-top read.
To Read or Not to Read
If you love epic fantasy, this is a novella you will want to read. It packs a big punch in a little package.
I was provided with an advanced copy of the book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
marjories's review
4.0
Set on an alien world possessing both magic and legacy technology, this is the story of three generations of a family fulfilling a prophesy to bring their people out of oppression.
Much of the book uses language reminiscent of something biblical. The way the language changed through the sections of the story made it feel as if a much larger passage of time passed than what was indicated by the text. It is a very fast moving story with the political machinations implied rather than explored.
A plot driven story that often introduced characters, creatures, devices, etc without really exploring them beyond their immediate function in the story. In the end it was a satisfying story of redemption that left many questions about the world and characters unanswered. Perhaps that was intentional as well, as the storyteller often does not know why things are, only what happened or what the story is that has been passed down.
Much of the book uses language reminiscent of something biblical. The way the language changed through the sections of the story made it feel as if a much larger passage of time passed than what was indicated by the text. It is a very fast moving story with the political machinations implied rather than explored.
A plot driven story that often introduced characters, creatures, devices, etc without really exploring them beyond their immediate function in the story. In the end it was a satisfying story of redemption that left many questions about the world and characters unanswered. Perhaps that was intentional as well, as the storyteller often does not know why things are, only what happened or what the story is that has been passed down.
bookishigbogirl's review
4.0
Almost didn't get to finish because I was quite bored at the beginning but I liked the story, I enjoyed the multiple POVs and I think it's quite promising.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
sometimesleelynnreads's review
4.0
Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources, Netgalley, and Two Doctors Media Collaborative, LLC for this free copy. All quotes in this review are taken from the Advanced Reader Copy and may change in final publication.
So this is actually three novellas together in one story, which I think is pretty cool. I like when authors put them together when they can, although I don’t know how much work goes into republishing or anything like that so thank you for going the extra steps.
This is another book that uses multiple character POVs, which can either make or break a book for me. If it’s done wrong, or if there’s a character that gets more page time than another one (and I like the one that DOESN’T get to show up more), then I feel less inclined to enjoy it. However, I feel like having the multiple POVs worked in Tavenor’s favor for this novel. I also like that each POV pretty much represents a different generation of the people of the light, because for me, I like seeing how someone’s viewpoint changes based on where they fall in the timeline of events. Think about certain fantasy novels that you’ve read, and think about how different it would be if it was told from someone in the future, or the past.
I mean, I do that sometimes, and there’s a whole different story involved with new hardships or new villains, and there’s so much to build off of that. Prequels, sequels, the like. I like that this concept seemed to be combined in the novel by putting the three novels back to back like that.
Some other reviews that I’ve seen have said that they have a problem with the pacing, which I could agree with. There were times where I felt like it was moving a little bit too fast, but when you have a shorter amount of space to tell a story, I could see why some authors would try to cram as much information as they can into it. I’m curious to see if there will be more stories within this world, and I think that there is much more to learn from The People of the Light, and their fight with the Holy Empire.
Does anyone else get religious intonations from this novel? Maybe a little bit on my end. If that’s not your bag, then I’d skip it, but it’s not preachy or anything, so that may help in your decision.
So this is actually three novellas together in one story, which I think is pretty cool. I like when authors put them together when they can, although I don’t know how much work goes into republishing or anything like that so thank you for going the extra steps.
This is another book that uses multiple character POVs, which can either make or break a book for me. If it’s done wrong, or if there’s a character that gets more page time than another one (and I like the one that DOESN’T get to show up more), then I feel less inclined to enjoy it. However, I feel like having the multiple POVs worked in Tavenor’s favor for this novel. I also like that each POV pretty much represents a different generation of the people of the light, because for me, I like seeing how someone’s viewpoint changes based on where they fall in the timeline of events. Think about certain fantasy novels that you’ve read, and think about how different it would be if it was told from someone in the future, or the past.
I mean, I do that sometimes, and there’s a whole different story involved with new hardships or new villains, and there’s so much to build off of that. Prequels, sequels, the like. I like that this concept seemed to be combined in the novel by putting the three novels back to back like that.
Some other reviews that I’ve seen have said that they have a problem with the pacing, which I could agree with. There were times where I felt like it was moving a little bit too fast, but when you have a shorter amount of space to tell a story, I could see why some authors would try to cram as much information as they can into it. I’m curious to see if there will be more stories within this world, and I think that there is much more to learn from The People of the Light, and their fight with the Holy Empire.
Does anyone else get religious intonations from this novel? Maybe a little bit on my end. If that’s not your bag, then I’d skip it, but it’s not preachy or anything, so that may help in your decision.