Queen of Empire (The Relic Trilogy, #1)

by HR Moore

Previously published as Legacy of the Mind by HR Moore.

PERFECT FOR FANS OF JENNIFER L ARMENTROUT AND SARAH J MAAS.

Anita has never been ordinary; she’s stuck out like a sore thumb her entire life. Not only can she see the energy of others, a rare skill, but she’s won every physical challenge she’s ever entered. So when the powerful, good looking Descendants, Marcus and Alexander, mysteriously arrive in Empire, her difference attracts and keeps their attention.

Once in Empire, the sudden death of ruling Body Descendant, Christiana, sets in motion a number of events; a quest for the treacherous Austin to find the girl Christiana had been looking for; a challenge where Anita stands out more vibrantly than ever before; a perilous dip in the world’s energy; and a dangerous belief among the people that they will never truly be free.

Powerful factions form within the ruling elite, and when a trusted friend and mentor reaches out to ask for Anita’s help, she has to make a choice: help her friend and betray the one she loves, or do nothing and watch the people starve.

• ISBN13: 9781838171506
• Publish Date: 26 November 2020 (first published August 2013)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: GB
• Imprint: Harriet Moore
• Format: Paperback
• Pages: 326
• Language: English

Reviews

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What attracted me first to Legacy of the Mind was its cover and the promise of a good fantasy story. The plot is centered around energy and three ways of living or thinking: Mind, Body and Spirit. Every human being has an affinity for one of them above all others, but most have a combination of all three. Their balance shapes the energy of the world and keeps the Gods at peace.

Anita is a strong Body type and has won every challenge in her city of Empire. She works with the study of energy and has also a great affinity to Spirit and can do things others can’t. Unfortunately, this calls attention to herself in a world that can be dangerous to powerful people. She’s loyal, spirited, stubborn, unpredictable, and a born athlete.

Marcus is the son of Austin, the current Mind Descendant and he’s being shaped after his father’s image of what a ruler should be. He’s fun, sexy, manipulative, possessive and jealous.

Alexander is the newly crowned Spirit Descendant and he’s a lot more mellow that Marcus. He’s also more mature and levelheaded and thinks this through before acting.

For some unexplained reason, Anita’s energy has an affinity to both Marcus and Alexander’s and she explores her feelings for both of them. Now, it’s not a love triangle per se since she doesn’t quite act upon her feelings and confusion, which I really appreciate. I won’t tell you who she ends up with since I don’t want to spoil it for you!

I also enjoyed other characters, like Anita’s friends Cleo and Bas, and her grandmother. The plot itself is a mix of romance, mystery, political machinations with a healthy dose of intrigue.

The world building was a bit chaotic and confusing. I thought it was a fantasy, but for the most part it read almost as a contemporary. The language felt that way and there was a mix of new concepts, like “energy cars” , but then there were also rock bands and stilettos. The ending was sort of a cliffhanger, which is a pet peeve of mine.

Overall, Legacy of the Mind is a a good start of the series. It is a story full of mystery, discovery, secrets, love and the quest to shape a better world.