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As I’ve mentioned more than a few times here lately, I’ve made it a goal to finish as many trilogies/series as possible in 2022.

But there was one book that stood out a bit more than the others for me. One that I approached with a curious mixture of excitement & an almost melancholy kind of vibe…because I didn’t want it to end.

That was the LEGACY OF LIGHT by Matthew Ward, which I started to read as kind of a birthday treat to myself, and also as something of a crutch to help me get through a very difficult month. It took me a bit longer than I would have liked to read this, but on my last day of reading it I managed to get through almost 200 pages and then just sort of…sat there.

Stunned. Amazed. Kind of broken? It was over. I was saying goodbye to a group of characters that I came to love as much as any fictional characters I’ve ever known.

And while I tend to be cautious with sweeping, declarative statements, I was just sitting there thinking…THE LEGACY TRILOGY is my favorite fantasy trilogy I’ve read.

Like, ever.

I try to stay clear of comparing any one thing to another, and truthfully, this trilogy has never felt similar to anything I’ve read or watched before. But I couldn’t help but see some parallels to REVENGE OF THE SITH in this third & final book. Viktor’s storyline felt eerily reminiscent of Anakin Skywalker’s to me, with both characters so utterly consumed by a fear of losing those they love.

This story picks up quite a few years after LEGACY OF STEEL, and the weight of time & grief has impacted Viktor greatly. And while Viktor has always been the darkly brooding type, this is…not the same person we met back in LEGACY OF ASH. This is very much a person who feels more & more isolated, and far less likely to listen to anyone who cares enough to try and reach him.

It’s honestly hard to watch. Especially because he’s still such a magnetic personality. And so people are still drawn to him, even as his behavior gets a bit erratic. And possibly even dangerous.

Meanwhile, Josiri and Melanna struggle to maintain the fragile peace that’s been established between the Tressian Republic and the Hadari Empire. They have both turned into very strong leaders over the course of this trilogy…Josiri has done so rather reluctantly & out of necessity, whereas Melanna has kind of been on this path from the beginning of the trilogy.

These two are thoughtful & compassionate, and here at the end of this epic trilogy, it’s easy to see Josiri & Melanna as almost two halves of the beating heart of this story. On opposite sides, but not so terribly different. And much more committed than any of their predecessors at working towards real, sustainable peace between their nations.

Watching characters like Sidara & Altiris take on bigger & bigger roles as the trilogy moved on was really special. All I can do is hope someday we get more stories set in this world, and I’d like to imagine someone like Sidara at the center of one. Throughout these books, she grew tremendously, both as a person and as a wielder of the light.

And one more time, before I wrap this rather vague review up: Rosa Orova. Fucking hell. Her role in this one is…quite a bit different than the previous two books, but no less emotionally impactful. I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to articulate exactly why I’m so drawn to this character in particular, but she is without hesitation one of my very favorite characters ever. And the love story between her and her wife, Sevaka, is just so perfectly nuanced. This balance between the tenderness and ferocity of these two women just captivated me so completely.

I’m out of superlatives. This trilogy has meant the fucking world to me, and I honestly don’t know that I’ve ever enjoyed my time in a fantasy world as much as this one. These books have such a perfect blend of light & dark, and action & character development. The growth of these characters from the beginning of LEGACY OF ASH to the end of LEGACY OF LIGHT is just so authentic & I adored so many of them.

There were times where I allowed myself to be somewhat intimidated by the length of these books (all around 800 pages or so), but it was so easy to get lost in this world. THE LEGACY TRILOGY has left such a lasting impression on me…I’ve already read LEGACY OF ASH twice (once via audio), and have every intention of reading them all again (and again).

What a total fucking masterpiece this trilogy is.

Oof.

Massive thanks to Orbit for sending me all three of these incredible books over the last few years!!