Legacy of Kings (Blood of Gods and Royals, #1)

by Eleanor Herman

[Briana @ Pages Unbound]

I read Legacy of Kings several weeks ago, but as I sit down to write my review, I realize I remember very little about it. This haze characterizes my reading of the novel. On a technical level, it was impressive, balancing several POVs and plot lines, yet in the end little about it was striking enough to leave me with an impression–either positive or negative.

The book jacket compares Legacy of Kings to A Game of Thrones, and I’m beginning to think that’s publishing code for “This contains an enormous number of characters, most of whom are unlikable. You will read about many people, yet be invested in few.” That was my experience with with this novel, at any rate. Admittedly, Alexander isn’t a bad guy, but he’s not a great guy. I wasn’t really getting the “great hero and conqueror vibe” from him quite yet. I wasn’t getting an epic feel.

Plot-wise, I found much of the book predictable. The ending was just as I expected. I would have liked to experience a bit more excitement and suspense, particularly from a book of this length. I would also have liked to see more forward momentum into the next book, but as things are, I’m going to stop reading the series.

As a work of literature, Legacy of Kings does have a lot of things going for it: great premise, fantastic historical research, a diverse group of characters. Unfortunately, none of it really drew me in. I like books with a little more heart, that can get me invested in the characters in the stories, rather than ones that put all their energy into background and world-building.