Legacy of Kings by Eleanor Herman / Book Review

By: Elanor Herman
Published by: Harlequin Teen
Released on: August 18th, 2015
Series: Blood of Gods and Royals, Book #1
Purchase from: The Publisher | Amazon | B&N
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Rating: 5 stars - I loved it!
Source: arc from publisher / purchased book

Imagine a time when the gods turn a blind eye to the agony of men, when the last of the hellions roam the plains, and evil stirs beyond the edges of the map. A time when cities burn, and in their ashes, empires rise. 

Alexander, Macedon's sixteen-year-old heir, is on the brink of discovering his fated role in conquering the known world, but finds himself drawn to a newcomer… 

Katerina must navigate the dark secrets of court life while keeping hidden her own mission: kill the queen. But she doesn't account for her first love… 

Jacob will go to unthinkable lengths to win Katerina, even if it means having to compete with Hephaestion, a murderer sheltered by the prince.  

And far across the sea, Zofia, a Persian princess and Alexander's unmet betrothed, wants to alter her destiny by seeking the famed and deadly Spirit Eaters. 

Weaving fantasy with the shocking details of real history, New York Times bestselling author of Sex with Kings Eleanor Herman reimagines the greatest emperor the world has ever known, Alexander the Great, in the first book of the Blood of Gods and Royals series.

A thrilling start to an epic fantasy! This book has all the right elements; history, magic, mythology, romance, mystery, action, and betrayal. I couldn't put this book down. I loved it's mesmerizing world building, intriguing characters, and captivating story. This is an epic fantasy I enjoyed getting swept away in.

This story has a stellar cast of characters, that I really enjoyed getting to know. I really liked Alexander. I love the character he grows into. He wasn't what I was excepting, at all. Jacob is a character I immediately liked, but over the course of the story he changes in ways that really surprised me. Thankfully I liked Alexander much more than him. Heph is a character I really went back and forth on. In the end I'm torn on wanting to love him, and feel sorry for him. Then there's Zo. This girl makes some choices I don't fault her for making, but I'm left with concern for her future. 

Kat is a character I loved from the get go. She has unwavering strength and the courage that I really admired. She's what fueled this story line. I wanted to know what it was that she was trying to uncover. The magic, deception, and mystery that make up her back story, entwine her life with that of another. I loved the shocking twist she discovers at the end of the book. I love that this story is told from each of the character's points of views. It was flawless.

I love that this is a story about a young Alexander The Great. Not only was it fascinating getting a to read a story about this young historical figure, the history of the story in and of itself was mesmerizing. Herman is a master story teller, and historian. Her setting, and world building felt like a character in and of itself. I loved feeling like I was literally thrown back into time, while reading this book. This world is brutal, beautiful, and cunning. 

This book has everything I love in a well written fantasy. There's intrigue, romance, friendships that I simply adored, action, magic and so much more. I love how Herman effortlessly merges together fiction and nonfiction into this story. Her use of magic felt very natural in this story. A Legacy of Kings is a book I didn't want to end. I loved all this book gave me, and I'm eager to find out what happens in the next book. This book has set the bar high in what's to be a thrilling new series. Just be warned, once you start it, you'll quickly find yourself swept into a story you'll wish didn't have to end.