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4.06 AVERAGE
4.06 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It has taken a few days for me to come to figure out my thoughts on this book, but I think I can conclusively say that M. H. Ayinde is a strong new voice to keep an eye on in the fantasy genre.
The world "A Song for Legends Lost" is intricately detailed, displaying a depth of world-building in so many different facets of the story. From page one, Ayinde introduces a social hierarchy among the world's population, a division between the royal clan, the rest of the ruling clans, and the common people. Each chapter is an immersive dive into how the world works; from the Chained Man's influence on Temi as she rushes to create technological votives for an oppressive gang to Jinao's quest for self-redemption, not only does each chapter reveal more about the characters, they also answer questions about how the world works.
But at the same time, with all these conflicting factions, as well as a concerted effort to manufacture a queer-normative world inspired by pre-colonial West African/Filipino/Indian societies PLUS a melding of fantasy elements with sci-fi technological elements, the story quite often feels overly saturated with content and ideas. The writing doesn't delineate information that is pertinent to the story, as opposed to information that is an extraneous addition for added flavor, leaving readers scrambling to keep up with the character story as well as the world's various moving parts. With the story utilizing the "throw readers into a world and allow them to figure out the pieces" trope and adding another layer of distortion, I (and many other readers, gauging from the reviews l've seen on Storygraph) are left grasping at straws until Part 3 of the story.
As someone who has read the entire length of Wheel of Time twice, I am no stranger to extremely substantial world-building, but with this book, there are so many moments where it feels like the story is attempting to tackle too many things all at once. The first book, especially in a trilogy, is (usually) meant to establish the fantasy world, allowing readers to get settled into a new magic system, a new political system, a new technological system. And the way "A Song of Legends Lost" pushes every bit of this world-building to the forefront of each chapter is a disservice to the story as a whole and greatly weakens the writing.
With that caveat, I do think the plot a whole still offers an incredible story. Ayinde's style of character writing allows for a full spectrum of morality, never painting a character as a hero nor a villain. Each and every character's motivations and their decision processes were backed by a full understanding of their back story, allowing for nuance in their stories. As their perspectives began to blend together, it was fascinating to watch the story paint a character as an antagonist in one perspective, then immediately offer their own perspective as a different angle on the conflict.
With that caveat, I do think the plot a whole still offers an incredible story. Ayinde's style of character writing allows for a full spectrum of morality, never painting a character as a hero nor a villain. Each and every character's motivations and their decision processes were backed by a full understanding of their back story, allowing for nuance in their stories. As their perspectives began to blend together, it was fascinating to watch the story paint a character as an antagonist in one perspective, then immediately offer their own perspective as a different angle on the conflict.
Barring the fact that this book has an insanely gigantic buy-in that forces readers into a state of information overload, I do find that overall this is still a fantasy that feels leagues above the rest of it's contemporaries. The world-building is vast and expansive, the characters are easy to empathize with, and the story offers the cult classic dichotomy between the powerful ruling class and the common people. This is a book that demands to be re-read multiple times, allowing for a new experience upon each subsequent read; it is not a story that I would necessarily recommend for those new to fantasy, but definitely worth the journey especially for fantasy veterans.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A high fantasy epic that contains ancient gods, long-term wars, and rebellion.
Book Stats:
📖: 592 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Orbit
Format: Physical ARC
Series: Book 1 of The Invoker Trilogy
Themes:
🎵 : Rebellion and War
🎵: Having faith in yourself
Representation:
🥀: Multiple pre-colonial cultures
🥀: Black cast
Tropes:
💗: Crime families
💗: Technology as magic
💗: Queer normative world
🥵: Spice: 🚫
Potential Triggers: **check authors page/socials for full list.
Short Synopsis:
A generations long war of being fought and a final stand is being made. Ancestral gods may be summoned to intervene. But will they create more chaos than help?!
General Thoughts:
This is a high fantasy epic that has cinematic battle scenes and ancient gods. Despite having a high number of POVs (5) it managed to be refreshing and easy to follow. Ancient monsters and creative plot twists kept be engaged despite dragging a tag in the middle for me.
The characters really shined for me in this novel. They all felt relatable and easy to root for. Temi was a personal favorite as she felt very layered and personable. I enjoyed her particular storyline the most.
The battle scenes were movie quality and action packed. I enjoyed glee they lasted more than a few paragraphs and made the reader feel like they were watching everything unfold.
Overall, I enjoyed this first installment and can't wait for the next release.
Disclaimer: I read this book via physical ARC from orbit. All opinions are my own. This is my honest and voluntary review.
Book Stats:
📖: 592 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Orbit
Format: Physical ARC
Series: Book 1 of The Invoker Trilogy
Themes:
🎵 : Rebellion and War
🎵: Having faith in yourself
Representation:
🥀: Multiple pre-colonial cultures
🥀: Black cast
Tropes:
💗: Crime families
💗: Technology as magic
💗: Queer normative world
🥵: Spice: 🚫
Potential Triggers: **check authors page/socials for full list.
Short Synopsis:
A generations long war of being fought and a final stand is being made. Ancestral gods may be summoned to intervene. But will they create more chaos than help?!
General Thoughts:
This is a high fantasy epic that has cinematic battle scenes and ancient gods. Despite having a high number of POVs (5) it managed to be refreshing and easy to follow. Ancient monsters and creative plot twists kept be engaged despite dragging a tag in the middle for me.
The characters really shined for me in this novel. They all felt relatable and easy to root for. Temi was a personal favorite as she felt very layered and personable. I enjoyed her particular storyline the most.
The battle scenes were movie quality and action packed. I enjoyed glee they lasted more than a few paragraphs and made the reader feel like they were watching everything unfold.
Overall, I enjoyed this first installment and can't wait for the next release.
Disclaimer: I read this book via physical ARC from orbit. All opinions are my own. This is my honest and voluntary review.
If you’re looking for an epic fantasy that dares to be different, this debut offers a rich and thoughtful take on the genre. A Song of Legends Lost blends ancestral magic, fractured politics, and the remnants of a fallen world into something bold, ambitious, and emotionally resonant.
The story centers on Temi, a girl gifted with the ability to call upon an ancestral spirit in battle. Her powers are both awe-inspiring and intimate, setting the tone for a world shaped by history and memory. The magic system is one of the book’s strongest elements, rooted in ancestral legacy and spiritual strength. It feels weighty, lived-in, and powerful without needing flash or spectacle.
Ayinde’s worldbuilding is deep, textured, and unapologetically complex. The influence of African folklore and post-apocalyptic tech weaves together into a setting that feels fresh and meaningful. The political tensions between city-states and the ancient powers at play create a layered conflict that asks you to pay close attention.
There are multiple POVs and time shifts, and while this structure adds scope and nuance, it can also pull you away from the character you’re most emotionally invested in. Temi’s arc, in particular, takes a back seat midway through, and that shift frustrated me a little because I wanted to more focus on her journey. The pacing dips in spots too, especially when the story zooms out to show the broader world.
But what Ayinde builds here is impressive. It is not just an introduction to a world or characters. It feels like the beginning of something significant. This is the kind of book that rewards attention and reflection.
It is not a fast read, but it is a rewarding one. If you enjoy character-driven fantasy with rich lore, ancestral guardian spirits, complex power struggles, and a touch of sci-fi remnants, this is worth adding to your shelf.
The story centers on Temi, a girl gifted with the ability to call upon an ancestral spirit in battle. Her powers are both awe-inspiring and intimate, setting the tone for a world shaped by history and memory. The magic system is one of the book’s strongest elements, rooted in ancestral legacy and spiritual strength. It feels weighty, lived-in, and powerful without needing flash or spectacle.
Ayinde’s worldbuilding is deep, textured, and unapologetically complex. The influence of African folklore and post-apocalyptic tech weaves together into a setting that feels fresh and meaningful. The political tensions between city-states and the ancient powers at play create a layered conflict that asks you to pay close attention.
There are multiple POVs and time shifts, and while this structure adds scope and nuance, it can also pull you away from the character you’re most emotionally invested in. Temi’s arc, in particular, takes a back seat midway through, and that shift frustrated me a little because I wanted to more focus on her journey. The pacing dips in spots too, especially when the story zooms out to show the broader world.
But what Ayinde builds here is impressive. It is not just an introduction to a world or characters. It feels like the beginning of something significant. This is the kind of book that rewards attention and reflection.
It is not a fast read, but it is a rewarding one. If you enjoy character-driven fantasy with rich lore, ancestral guardian spirits, complex power struggles, and a touch of sci-fi remnants, this is worth adding to your shelf.
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Solid debut from this author, and a new fantasy trilogy that has great potential.
While I wouldn't say there's anything spectacular here, it is refreshingly different in many ways from other contemporary high fantasy. Foremost is the setting- it takes place in a world that draws heavily from African imagery, with some aspects of Indian/ Middle Eastern/ Mesoamerican culture sprinkled in. It's an idealized version of all of them, but not so much that it loses believeability. The different clans all seem to have a rich history, unique identities, and their own methods of operating. This brings me to probably the most interesting aspect- the magic system. The idea of "invoking" spirits for assistance isn't exactly new. Neither is having them take on corporeal form, but it fits nicely into the cultural landscape here. The part that is somewhat novel is the way in which the clans connect to and use their magic. This varies greatly depending upon the clans' own traditions, competency, and often-imperfect/ limited understanding of "invoking" or technology.
The story flows pretty well, despite the changing perspectives. While the main character focus changes as the book progresses, the various storylines intesect neatly and drive a pretty tight overall narrative. Only criticism is that the author did occasionally fall into the trap of telling us where the story was headed. Not sure why, when she was doing excellent job of allowing the characters to "show" the reader where it was going. It doesn't happen often enough to ruin things, but sometimes left me trudging ahead, waiting for the characters to catch up to what we, the readers, already know about the plot. Some great twists and direction changes made up for it though.
Characters are mostly solid. Each of them have stories that make sense. They have flaws, skills and limitations, and none of them are invulnerable- even if they think they are. Some are more interesting than others, and get more development in this book, but there is plenty of room left for the others if this is to be a trilogy.
Minor gripe is the (occasional) use of "neo-pronouns." It's confusing to the reader, and while it doesn't happen enough to detract from the story, it ultimately doesn't contribute anything to it either. There are characters that are clearly gay, but nobody in the book seems to pay it any mind, so why bother? [Other than to collect a certain tag maybe?] Usually the alternative pronouns are applied to minor characters. Many of them barely have a name, let alone an impact, so again "why?" It doesn't ruin the book, but it did bring my brain to a halt during some otherwise well-done action sequences. Oh, and when I had to figure out if "Zee" was a proper noun. *Spoiler- it is. You're welcome.
Overall, an enjoyable read, with great potential and setup for coming books. When the next installment arrives, I will be sure to check it out.
While I wouldn't say there's anything spectacular here, it is refreshingly different in many ways from other contemporary high fantasy. Foremost is the setting- it takes place in a world that draws heavily from African imagery, with some aspects of Indian/ Middle Eastern/ Mesoamerican culture sprinkled in. It's an idealized version of all of them, but not so much that it loses believeability. The different clans all seem to have a rich history, unique identities, and their own methods of operating. This brings me to probably the most interesting aspect- the magic system. The idea of "invoking" spirits for assistance isn't exactly new. Neither is having them take on corporeal form, but it fits nicely into the cultural landscape here. The part that is somewhat novel is the way in which the clans connect to and use their magic. This varies greatly depending upon the clans' own traditions, competency, and often-imperfect/ limited understanding of "invoking" or technology.
The story flows pretty well, despite the changing perspectives. While the main character focus changes as the book progresses, the various storylines intesect neatly and drive a pretty tight overall narrative. Only criticism is that the author did occasionally fall into the trap of telling us where the story was headed. Not sure why, when she was doing excellent job of allowing the characters to "show" the reader where it was going. It doesn't happen often enough to ruin things, but sometimes left me trudging ahead, waiting for the characters to catch up to what we, the readers, already know about the plot. Some great twists and direction changes made up for it though.
Characters are mostly solid. Each of them have stories that make sense. They have flaws, skills and limitations, and none of them are invulnerable- even if they think they are. Some are more interesting than others, and get more development in this book, but there is plenty of room left for the others if this is to be a trilogy.
Minor gripe is the (occasional) use of "neo-pronouns." It's confusing to the reader, and while it doesn't happen enough to detract from the story, it ultimately doesn't contribute anything to it either. There are characters that are clearly gay, but nobody in the book seems to pay it any mind, so why bother? [Other than to collect a certain tag maybe?] Usually the alternative pronouns are applied to minor characters. Many of them barely have a name, let alone an impact, so again "why?" It doesn't ruin the book, but it did bring my brain to a halt during some otherwise well-done action sequences. Oh, and when I had to figure out if "Zee" was a proper noun. *Spoiler- it is. You're welcome.
Overall, an enjoyable read, with great potential and setup for coming books. When the next installment arrives, I will be sure to check it out.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
This was a fantastic start to a new fantasy trilogy. I’m definitely into continuing to see how this world expands. It was a really cool magic system and I enjoyed the characters. I’m intrigued to see where this plot is going because everything is a mess and the war about to come will be intense.