Mat Ward

4.25⭐

Well-built magic system. Political intrigue. Good character work and morally grey characters.

I should preface this review by saying I am writing it more than a month after I had finished the book, so I might forget to mention some things, yet it also showed me that this book passed the test of time, and as I was reading my notes, I remembered the book with great fondness.

Welcome to Khalad. A kingdom where the rich build on top of the old buildings creating cities with great spires show more that tower over the shadowy slums. A kingdom taxed down to the last penny by the noble houses. A kingdom where you cannot escape your debts even in death.

Kat might have once lived where the sun shines, but now she is just another thief of the Undertown. What sets her apart from the others is her ability that allows her to tamper with all soul-powered devices. Her abilities are key in a big heist that would clear her family's debt and set her up for life.

The first thing that really stood out for me in this book is its soul-based magic system. It is used in different ways, yet also manages to stay cohesive. It is simple to grasp the basics, but it leaves room for more complexity. I think the book also did a good job of introducing it, as well as the rest of the lore, bit by bit without causing confusion or resorting to info dumping.

The setting is also quite well worked out. We have interesting cities where the slum building might actually be an old mansion or a prison that just got buried beneath the newer layers. The atmosphere of the world is quite bleak, especially when we learn that it's all surrounded by the Veil that consumes anything living it touches and all that keeps it away are sacred fires. The religion is a bit confusing which is definitely done on purpose. On one hand, we have a two-faced goddess of justice and mercy, and on the other, an immortal king. There were even some small things that made the setting more unique and the world more alive, such as the widely spread usage of sign language. The only thing I really missed when it came to the setting and lore was a map.

We are introduced to a wide plethora of characters, with neither of them being white or black. Kat might be our hero, yet while she draws the line earlier than some others, she still does some morally questionable things in the name of survival and revenge. I enjoyed the moral conversation as there were characters with different views and motives. One of my favorite characters was Rîma. Without spoiling anything, I can only say she has a very interesting personality and code of honor. She reminded me of a certain archetype of an anime character, in a good way.

In the other camp, we observe the political intrigue among the noble houses through the eyes of Castellan Ihsan Damant. While I was initially less interested in his part of the story, it definitely also had some strong characters and, in the end, it pleasantly surprised me.

All that being said, this book might not be for everyone, as it is quite slow-paced and probably longer than necessary. It also had some moments where the writing was a bit weaker. Despite that, I personally enjoyed it and can't wait for the sequels.

I received an ARC for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. show less

War is coming to the Tessian Republic, and so starts a mortal and divine battle.

After reading the second book in the Legacy Trilogy, I’m still not sure why I’m drawn to these books. I did enjoy the first book, Legacy of Ash, so I suppose being offered the second book made me feel like I ought to read it. I hadn’t gone back to at least look through the first book, nor did I look back at my review, but Legacy of Steel nicely caught me up and threw a dark blanket over the week and half it show more took me to read this over 700 page novel that practically dripped with blood. Considering I strongly dislike bloodshed, I’m surprised I keep reading this trilogy, but then I got back into the character’s lives and remembered I desperately want to know what happens to them.

The Plot: Bloodthirsty
Legacy of Steel picks up about a year after the events of Legacy of Ash. Changes have come to the Tressian Republic and they are yet to come to the Hadar Empire as they crown a female heir for the first time. With Kai Saran seeking to leave a powerful legacy for his daughter Melanna, their goddess Ashana bestows her blessings on their invasion of the Tressian Republic, lending her power to them.

As battle unknowingly begins on the far reaches of the Republic, the other end, in the city, also sees it’s own battle. The Crowmarket is rising as it now has a sympathetic ear on the Council. But Josiri Trelan is fighting hard to save his people, the southwealders, from the clutches of the Crowmarket, which have kidnapped them for nefarious purposes. As the Crowmarket and Josiri clash, the Tressian Republic finds itself fighting the Hadari at one end and the Crowmarket at the other.

And then the gods become involved, making deals with mortals while twisting their promises to suit their own needs and wants.

Legacy of Steel is a story of war, both divine and mortal. It’s bloody, violent, and bloodthirsty. It’s out to claim blood and flesh, and does so unapologetically. There are losses that cut deep into the characters, the Tressian Republic, and the Hadari Empire. And yet it doesn’t stop. As soon as the killing started, I started questioning why I’ve chosen to go forward with this trilogy, but there’s something riveting about the story. I loved the overlay of the gods becoming involved, of making bargains and being petty. There were so many surprises, so many turns, that I simply couldn’t stop reading. Once I could get past all the bloodshed, all the battles, I could see the characters I had grown to like in the first book dealing with their own demons, their own paths, and found myself thirsty for more.

There’s a lot going on in this book, but it felt a little more straightforward and less complex than the first book. I think it had to do with the fact I’m more familiar with the writing, world, and characters. But it really is all just about the battles. The Hadari are trying to take over the Tressian Republic and the Tressian Republic is just trying to defend themselves. And the gods are having their own fun. I do worry a little about what the last book in the trilogy will hold and where the overarching story is going. The first book set up the events in the second book, which went a lot differently than I expected. This second book provided the battles I would have expected at the end of the series. So, now I’m wondering what could possibly be coming in the third book.

The Characters: Driven by Their Demons
Legacy of Steel presents a lot of characters. There are a lot of major characters, and a lot of minor characters who get their own perspectives squeezed in. It’s reminiscent of The Wheel of Time with the vast number of characters and minor characters getting their own say. But it also makes the story richer and gives the reader a view of events from various points of view. It was a little hard to tell which characters to pay more attention to since I was never really sure if one of the side characters would become a major player. In the end, they all did play their own role.

At times, it was difficult to keep track of all the characters and where, exactly, they were. The major characters all had their own unique traits, their own ways of speech and behaving, that helped set them apart. Most of them were seen in the first book, so it was easy to pick them out and see how they had changed and what was now driving them. They all had their own demons that wouldn’t let up, and just added to the story.

In the first book, I wasn’t thrilled that some of the characters felt a little one note. I don’t feel I had that problem in this book. I felt there was something a little deeper to all of them, that more heavily weighed on their shoulders. I also really enjoyed the light (and I do mean light) touches of romance. They’re untraditional and touched something in my heart. One of them sliced through me and even left me heartbroken.

The Setting: Expanded with More Gods
The world was exactly as I remembered it, and then it spread it’s wings. While much of the first book focused on one area, this book opened it up. The reader is taken on a journey across the Tressian Republic and into the Hadari Empire and the land of the Thrakkians. While they all kind of blended together in my mind, there are differences in their customs and how they are run that set them apart. More of the world is seen and explored, and all of it supported the story.

I also loved the inclusion of all the gods. More of the world is introduced through them, which hints at a deeper level of world building that added a nice touch of the divine to the mortal struggles. Each god was different and interesting, though the reader only really gets to know Ashana, the Raven, and Jack O’ Fellhallow. Through them we also get to wander Otherworld and Fellhallow, which lent eerie and dark overtones to the already dark and bloody story.

Legacy of Steel did a lovely job of building up on the world. It adds new layers that create a richer tapestry for the story to unfold on. It makes it feel like a real, breathing world, but also hints at more left to be explored.


Overall: A Story of Intricate Battles
I loved that everything in Legacy of Steel followed directly from the events of the first book. I thought everything initially presented was followed through, every detail remembered and added where appropriate. I wasn’t a big fan of all the battles and blood and gore, but can’t say it wasn’t action-packed and wasn’t intricately planned and plotted out. This proved to be yet another serious, dense addition to the trilogy with a lot going on, though it never felt too overwhelming. It’s character-driven in some of the best ways. There’s a lot of heartbreak, a lot of losses, but also the most tender scene yet. Since it felt like this book contained all the big, bloody battles usually seen at the end of series, I’m very curious about what lies ahead in the last book.

Thank you to Angela Man at Orbit for a review copy. All opinions expressed are my own. show less

Coming in at 800 pages, Legacy of Ash by Matthew Ward is admittedly a chunkster by any definition. However, don't let its size intimidate you. Between the pages lies a great fantasy novel that has a little bit of everything. And what a novel it is!

Politics, revenge, intrigue, magic, war, family legacy, religion, and romance are just a few of the topics to great you as you sink into the story. The world-building is natural and fluid with just enough exposition to help you understand the show more situation without boring you with mundane details. Character development is not as robust as one might expect in such a large novel, but Legacy of Ash is mostly an action-driven novel, rendering the need for fully-fleshed characters somewhat moot.

This is not to say that the characters are flat and unsympathetic because they are anything but. It is easy to sympathize with Viktor, a boy thrust into a role he doesn't want and forever must wear its mantle no matter how much it differs from his true persona. Calenne appears to be a spoiled princess tainted by the legacy of her birth mother, someone she doesn't know and for whom she has no respect or love. Yet, her understanding of that legacy leads her to grow into someone almost unrecognizable from the self-absorbed princess we first meet. Then there is Josiri. He is, by far, the weakest of the main characters in both personality, gumption, and development. While Viktor and Calenne adapt and grow in each new situation, Josiri does not. He eventually redeems himself as the novel reaches its climax, but his scenes are painful in their repetitiveness. Still, given that this is the first book in a trilogy, there is a lot of room for more growth for all of them, which is always a good thing.

As one would expect with a novel this long, it is a story told on a grand scale. The story occurs all over the fictional land and involves several different countries, unfamiliar gods, an unusual political hierarchy, and too many characters to name. However, Mr. Ward does an excellent job of creating clarity where confusion might reign. As with the world-building, he provides just enough narrative to allow the reader to imagine what is occurring no matter how unfamiliar the scene may be.

While it does not have the depth of character building one might normally see in such a long novel, Legacy of Ash remains a great example of what one can accomplish with words. The strong action scenes alone make for great reading. Better yet, he left the story at a place where you want more but without an infuriating cliffhanger. The fantasy elements are also tame by comparison to some other novels, making this a perfect starter novel for anyone who may want to dip their toes into the world of fantasy. Given that this is Mr. Ward's debut novel, Legacy of Ash is an impressive piece of fiction, and I am looking forward to continuing the series. show less

The Darkness Before Them is a fantastic start to Ward’s new trilogy. While it wasn’t quite what I expected after loving his Legacy trilogy, it shows a great deal of promise and just as much of a twisting story as I suppose I should come to expect from him. Whenever I think I know where a story is going, Ward always twists things around so I never know what, exactly, to expect. Whenever I think I know what to expect in the next book, I’m inevitably proven wrong. So I can’t wait to see show more how the rest of this trilogy unfolds. Kat, Damant, and Vallant were all fantastic to get to know, and so many of the other characters were just wonderful. I loved the focus on family and friendship over romance, and I really look forward to understanding more of this world. show less