A Song of Legends Lost was completely enthralling! From the very first chapter I was completely lost in the story in the story and the many different characters were were introduced to! I loved how diverse the range of points of views were, from Nobility all the way down to a commoner. I really enjoyed how the strong weaved in and out of the different characters perspectives, giving us a glimpse into their own view but also how the other characters viewed and interacted with each other.

I found the entire premise for the story quite refreshing, Nobility calling on their ancestors for help was a breath of fresh air in the Fantasy world.

The world building was intense in the very best way! This really was the EPIC FANTASY adventure that I have been craving. A debut novel and first in a series - well done!!! I can't wait to see how this story continues!! I loved it!

Complex, dark and without romance : that's what I expect from epic fantasy and A Song of Legends Lost delivered. No heavy romance subplot or plot, a rich, complex and very interesting worldbuilding, strong, diverse and interesting cast of outsiders and castaways.

Some things weren't perfect, pacing might be too slow at the start, leaving the reader wondering where it's all going, and the POV weren't equally present or interesting throughout the book

But all in all, a very strong début that leaves you hungry for more in this series and puts M H Ayinde on my radar.

(4.5/5)

This book has truly surprised me in the best possible way.

If you took the African history and culture, as well as the futuristic technology of Black Panther but put it in a Game of Thrones type setting then you would get A Song of Legends Lost.

There are a lot of characters, families and POVs to follow; and each POV reveals a little more about the overarching story.

So many characters have their own motivations, their own plots unraveling, and I could not put this down.

There are multiple plot threads that are all interesting - I didn't find myself bored with one POV or waiting for a particular one to come up again (which Game of Thrones has a problem with LOL).

Honestly the epilogues (yes, plural) sealed the 5 star deal for me. Only 3 days for me to start and finish this 640 page book, I do think!

ARC provided by the publisher—Orbit—in exchange for an honest review.

A Song of Legends Lost is a Final Fantasy X inspired debut with magic summons reminiscent of Spirit Shaman King or Stand from Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure.

Since I saw the beautiful cover art by Richard Anderson, I was instantly hooked on checking out A Song of Legends Lost by M.H. Ayinde. This interest was multiplied after hearing that this is an epic fantasy debut novel. As we all know, an epic fantasy debut without heavy romance elements is rare now in the traditionally published fantasy market. The massive success of Fourth Wing has pretty much changed the trajectory and focus of most traditional publishers to search for more romantasy success. This is totally understandable. It is where the money is. And it is very likely that a debut like A Song of Legends Lost, a fantasy debut with pretty much zero romance, won’t reach the success many romantasy books do these days. However, I do sincerely hope this book earns enough sales for it to continue. And for more traditional publishers to publish more debuts like this again. As far as my reading taste goes, A Song of Legends Lost is the kind of epic fantasy debut I like to read, and I wish there was more of it like it was before.

The story in A Song of Legends Lost takes place in the Nine Lands, where only those of noble blood can summon the spirits of their ancestors to fight in battle. But when Temi, a commoner from the slums, accidentally invokes a powerful spirit, she finds it could hold the key to ending a centuries-long war. But as always, not everything that can be invoked is an ancestor. And some of the spirits that can be drawn from the ancestral realm are more dangerous than anyone can imagine. From this official blurb, it is easy to conclude that Temi is the main character of A Song of Legends Lost. While it is true she is one of my favorite POV characters to read in the book, she is not the only main character.

Told from five main POV characters, Temi is one of the main characters, but she does not dominate the narrative. Not at all. This is a story about family, vengeance, cultures, classes, identity, and heritage. Noble versus commoners, and also survival. Ayinde uses five integral main characters of different identities, personalities, and heritage to explore these themes deeply. Temi, Jinao, Boleo, Elari, and Runt. These are the five main characters of A Song of Legends Lost, and this book is undoubtedly a slow-burn character-driven epic fantasy novel. I enjoyed reading every perspective, but even though Jinao has the most pages, Temi and Runt were the most compelling of the characters, in my opinion. Additionally, there were multiple clans and several key supporting characters. Readers who do not like reading epic fantasy with a relatively large cast of characters with zero romance might be turned off by A Song of Legends Lost, but it was the other way around for me.

This, however, brings me to my next point. If there is one thing that did not click with me as much as I hoped, it was the story structure. Readers are put into Temi and Jinao's perspective for the entirety of Part 1. About 130 pages long. After this, for roughly 300 pages long, Temi did not have another POV chapter. She became almost non-existent in the storyline for a long time, and I wish we could've gotten more of her in Part 2 and Part 3 of the novel, even just a little bit. This is not to say Jinao, Boleo, and Elari's stories were uninteresting. And thankfully, the big focus on them did influence the events of the last sections of A Song of Legends Lost. But for my enjoyment, I would have enjoyed seeing the chapters being spread out more evenly. That said, this is a minor issue in the grander scheme of things.

Speaking of my enjoyment of the novel, the coolest aspect of A Song of Legends Lost was the battle, summons, and the world. Each clan has its own Ancestor and sacred weapon. Two examples. Clan Adatali has the Eight Sacred Blades, and Clan Mizito has the Staff ‘Stillness’. The actions, especially when the characters summon their respective Ancestors, were exciting. Look at the badass cover art. It is exactly like that. Think of it like how Yuna from Final Fantasy X summon her Aeon to fight for her in battle. Or like how the Spirits in Shaman King and the Stand in Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure work. Everything contributed to an unputdownable climax sequence where hell broke loose.

One last thing I can definitely tell you what to expect from A Song of Legends Lost is scope. There is no doubt this is a sprawling epic fantasy with intricate world-building. It is set in a non-Western inspired world, and there were clear inspirations from Yoruba culture and, as I said earlier, Final Fantasy X in the world-building. Ancient civilizations, mysterious technologies, and glyphs, to name a few. These are evident elements in A Song of Legends Lost, and you will read the characters explore ruins to find the secret behind them. I liked learning about the history of the world. And I look forward to finding out how everything will unravel in the sequel.

A Song of Legends Lost is great epic fantasy debut. It is Final Fantasy X meets Shaman King. I am grateful epic fantasy debuts like this are still being published by traditional publishers. For a while now, my only options for epic fantasy books were limited to established authors or indie fantasy books. And they were undoubtedly amazing. However, it feels refreshing to have more epic fantasy options again. It also feels nostalgic to see an epic fantasy debut in this vein being traditionally published again. An author pouring their dream and every part of their soul into their first publication is always something I like to witness, and I am glad the Song of Legends Lost is sung. It is not lost. It is heard. And may it continue to be invoked.

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This was a very interesting read and I didn’t want to put the book down. The characters within this book was very intriguing and want through many challenges. I completely enjoyed the writing style can the fact this book has multiple pov. The storyline developed very cleverly. And with how the book ended I already want to see what happens in the next book.

Unfortunately this is a DNF at 46% for me.

I’ve been trying to get through this for two weeks and a book of this size would normally only take me 3 evenings.

It hasn’t managed to keep my attention. I haven’t connected to or even liked any of the characters. I think there’s too many POVs and named characters to follow. I can’t figure out where the plot is going which at nearly half way through, I feel like it should be pretty clear. Sometimes I felt like whole sentences were in a different language.

I’m rating it two stars because I do like the magic system and the unique world that’s being built but the story is lacking.

This book was SENSATIONAL, fast paced and dare I say it stress inducing in the best way.

There was no info dumping, praise be, I loved that the world building and lore developed along with the story, it made it so much easier to fall into the story and get invested in what was happening and boy do I have the heart rate data to prove how invested I was! What helped with this was that the pacing was perfect, there where no lulls in the narrative it was pure action from start to finish.

I went in apprehensive about the vast amount of POV's but they have turned out to be the highlight of the entire book! I was attached to every single POV, although, Uncle Baleo, not you acting like a spoiled child because they didn't trust you with their plan!

Speaking of characters, I REALLY WISHED THAT THEY LISTENED TO THEIR YOUNGER ONES AND ANCESTORS A BIT MORE !! If they are telling you to go/ hide MY FRIEND you better be listening because it never ends well when you don't !

I support Runt, Temi, and Leyla's rights and wrongs.

The ending has so many layers, I cannot wait for the rest of the trilogy.

A SONG OF LEGENDS LOST is an exciting, exhilarating debut fantasy for everyone who likes magic blended with politics and violence and societal nuance! I really enjoyed this beast of a book and managed to smash through it in a few days. It has a great cast of characters, each with their own wounds and wants, and worldbuilding that is teeming with intrigue! I will definitely pick up the next book from Ayinde.

The first thing that struck me about this book was the detailed clan lineages, societal structure, and clear, highly developed world building. The story follows seven key characters with a chapter rotating for each and tying the storylines together. Each of the characters has a compelling story and although their paths are very different you can foresee a convergence.
We are introduced to the kingdom of the Nine Lands where there are Highblood and Lowblood clans, which creates an instant hierarchy. Only members of a Highblood clans can invoke the ancestors, whose spirits return to fight in battle against the Greyblood monsters who are intent on wiping out the human race. We also learn of the Scathed an ancient people, long since disappeared, who left behind relics which are magical in nature. As is soon apparent is that the relics are pieces of technology and the forbidden language used to activate them is tech speak, and reflects the thought that significantly advanced technology can be viewed as magic. In this world only monks and nuns are authorised to use tech and speak the forbidden language, however all is not as it seems.
Temi is a lowblood who's family run a bakery but also adapt tech votives to clean water - however when tragedy strikes Temi is cursed with an unwanted guest in her head - an ancestor, something she should not have access to. This sets her on a path of change and self discovery.
Jinao is of a highblood clan but has reached his early twenties without being chosen to Invoke an ancestor. Determined to be seen by his family as something other than a drunken, useless, soulbarren son he disguises himself and heads into battle. There he attacks a named greyblood the Bairneater who has just killed his mother, this culminates in his being chosen to invoke his ancestor Mizito and sets him on a quest to kill the Bairneater.
As the story progresses more is revealed about the Scathed, the technology that is now viewed as magic and the ancestral planes - all of which are not quite what they seem to be. This is a complex but engrossing epic fantasy, with a fresh magic system and compelling story line. This is well worth reading and I would recommend.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for access to this ARC, all views are my own.

3.75 ⭐️ I absolutely loved this world and the power of invoking the spirits of ancestors for strength and power. It has a huge cast with POVs switching every chapter. I found it difficult to grasp who everyone was and where they were throughout the first half of the book (reason for my rating) but once I felt caught up I was fully immersed. The characters were engaging; all complex and nuanced due to the stories they've been told their whole lives and the classes they grew up. It has great plot twists and kept me on my toes.

I'm really looking forward to continuing this series.

Thank you to Orbit for approving the arc.

Through the lens of six characters, Ayinde introduces a unique fantasy world influenced by African mythology and video games like Final Fantasy, Horizon Zero Dawn and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild/Tears of the Kingdom.

In A Song of Legends Lost we follow a vibrant and diverse cast of characters—their many allies and foes—as they are faced with personal and political challenges that may leave them with more questions than answers. Ayinde is a master worldbuilder, creating a sprawling world that this book only just dips its toes into. The inclusion of politics, mythology, lost civilisations, ancient forbidden technology and cultural structures all combine to weave an ambitious first look into the kingdom of Nine Lands and beyond.

Throughout Ayinde deftly reveals clues to the mystery that is A Song of Legends Lost, written with powerful descriptions and captivating tension as well as a good dose of charming wit. Ayinde showcases genius development with each character as they are faced with what will be their parts to play in this slowly unraveling intricate plot. The differences in each character allow her to create distinct voices that take the reader through a range of backgrounds, ages and relationships with the vast list of side characters.

As each story connects to one another, you can’t help but read just a bit quicker, turn the page that much faster, in anticipation of what will happen next.

A Song of Legends Lost is an expansive world with a scope that will only grow with each book in this trilogy.

This book had literally everything I love in epic fantasy. Expansive world building? A well-built magic system? Political intrigue? Intriguing characters? You’ve got everything you want and some more in A Song of Legends Lost. The story does not miss a beat starting right from the prologue, and it only keeps on building the pace from there.

There are about five POVs in this book, and Ayinde does a great job at keeping you invested in each of their stories, and ultimately does a brilliant job at intertwining their narratives near the end. I also really appreciated the brevity in perspectives we were offered, with some being highblood invokers and others lowbloods living in the city slums. Ayinde also does a great job at developing her magic system—why centres around invokers of nine families being able to summon their ancestors—and how this system serves in the greater social hierarchy of her world. Crucial details about the world—which is littered with the tech of a long dead civilisation—are revealed just at the right moment, and Ayinde makes sure not to overstep in explaining these details to the reader. Whilst the material is all on the page, you’re left to puzzle together how it fits in the larger narrative, which is something I really love in a novel. This is honestly a really stunning debut, and my jaw was constantly dropped as I read it. I won’t say more, because I think this is a book best experienced for yourself, but make sure to grab a copy when it comes out because it’s certainly not a fantasy to miss.

4.5 stars
A Song of Legends Lost is an epic fantasy that immerses you in a world of vibrant cultures, mythical creatures, and a deep, mysterious history.
The book follows the journey of its five protagonists as they navigate complex political landscapes, unravel ancient secrets, and confront their destinies in a world on the brink of collapse.
One of the strongest elements of this novel is the world-building. And it is vast! The Nine Lands feel alive with history, myth, and cultural richness. From the intricate magic system of ‘techwork’ to the richly detailed concept of invoking ancestors to assist in battles, you’re drawn into a world where every corner holds untold stories. The author has an undeniable talent for painting vivid imagery and I can’t believe this is a debut novel.
The characters are another highlight. They feel fully realised, each with their own motivations, strengths, and flaws. Their growth throughout the novel is satisfying, particularly the way their personal struggles are interwoven with the larger narrative of the world's fate. I particularly loved Father Boleo who is guiltless in his ruthlessness! The relationships are grounded in genuine emotion, making you care deeply about the characters’ journeys.
That said, the pacing can be slow at times, especially in the middle of the novel but this is to be expected of such an epic fantasy.
Overall, this is a captivating read that successfully balances personal stakes with a grand, sweeping narrative. I need book two right now!

A Song of Legends Lost is a wonderful tome to pick up if you like your fantasy novels expansive and detailed in their world-building. There is an awful lot going on in this novel, with the blurb giving only a tiny sample of the events of the story. I’ve seen comparisons drawn to the works of George R.R. Martin and Anthony Ryan, and on the scope and scale of the world, I absolutely see why.

This book makes excellent use of its huge world with the range of characters it uses to tell the story. We get main characters from the palaces and the slums of the world, and all are used to explore the geography, politics and history of the world. It was great to see the mechanics of invoking ancestors, the internal politics of the rival clans and the history of the nation’s common enemy the Greybloods explored from many angles. I’ll admit that I found the cast list a little too extensive for my taste - the opening list of personnel and clan details is way too much of an information overload for the start, but became increasingly useful as a reference as the story progressed.

One thing I loved about the plot of this novel is it shook off the inevitability of all the main characters being drawn together at the end. You follow a range of different perspectives through the book, all on their own journeys of discovery in some way; several of these paths intersect, but similar to the Song of Ice and Fire series, there’s absolutely no guarantee they’ll all meet eventually. This is a truly expansive world! Many threads are tied up by the end of the book, but there’s still a lot of unanswered questions, leading me to think a sequel will surely be on the way in the future.

I see Rich Anderson cover, I am interested. :)

In ambitious and sprawling epic fantasy debut, M. H. Ayinde has given us a world that has a hint of Horizon Zero Dawn. A postapocalyptic world where humans are fighting against monsters called greybloods that are a kind of humanoid amalgams of robotic and organic matter. Greybloods are the product of technically advanced society and to humans a coveted "techwork" is like a magic, something only religious faction should examine and destroy. This is not spelled out, but it is very clear considering that monks and nuns are trained to use a "Forbidden Tongue" which may sound like gibberish to characters in the novel, but it's pretty clear to reader. I always liked a setting where due to some major event society regress to clan-like, a tribal hunter/gatherer existence and how it adapts to new reality.
The world also may appeal to fans of The Rage of Dragons due to African influences of various clans of Nine Lands and their ability to invoke. In RoD it's dragons, and in this book it's their famous ancestors. Legendary Ahiki has unified lands and together with his eight warlords he conquered the enemy. Only the ancestors of Ahiki and those warlords: Mizito, Itahua, Adatali, etc. can invoke the spirits of their ancestors from the other realm to fight. The cover depicts how fearsome they look and just how venerated they are in the kingdom. It makes for fun epic, over the top, flashy battles and it reads like Ayinde had a fun writing them.
And then I would say there is also a touch of GoT/Dune in it with various players pulling the strings and having their own agenda. The epilogue particularly gave me that vibe.

The story opes with Kingdom of Nine Lands is in turmoil. On the southern edges of the Kingdom, clan Mizito is barely holding the ongoing hordes of greybloods emerging from river Ae. Their leader, warlord Sulin has fallen and one of her children, Jinao is soul-barren- he doesn't have the ability to summon upon his ancestor to help his siblings in their war. But the rare intelligent dangerous greyblood is intent on facing only Jinao or else.
In Adataliland, famous warlord Daloya lays incapacitated but his loyal servant, father Boleo will fulfill his task of finding the ultimate weapon that will help them liberate the kingdom.
King Jakhenaten II Ahiki, High Warlord of the Invoker Clans declared the country wide conscription- every household must provide two members for marching on Feverlands.
And on the docks of Lordsgrave, the cesspit of the Nine Lands, Temi, a local girl from the family of bakers has defied everything that was known about invokers.

A rather simple magical premise was easy to digest and get on board with. First part of the novel set the story up and the world-building really well with smaller cast of characters I got interested in. But the more the story expanded and political machinations took place it got a bit meandering and it didn't go in particularly interesting direction. The whole story relied too much on the "forget everything you just learned about how this world works because it's not true" shtick in a sense that it was used repeatedly and I would shrug.
Also, I feel like a Ayinde wanted to highlight a theme of colonization through invoking and gatekeeping system of religious control, but didn't quite succeed. We just don't get enough of a cultural identity of the lands or each of the clan for it to work. I know that first book carries a burden of introducing the magic system, so perhaps Ahiki's propaganda/ history is written by winners idea can come through better in the next book.
The story is broken in four parts and each of them is told alternatively in several point of view chapters. Some characters are more prominent, like Jinao whose point of view is present in all four parts while others like Temi or Runt are absent in large chunk of the novel and this was one of the main reasons for my rating. Temi and Runt are poor girls, nobody of importance in Nine Lands, but they each have their own personal fight just trying to stay alive. Lordsgrave is very much run by moblike families with their own turfs and Temi and Runt both catch the bad end of that deal. It's somewhat existential struggle on a more personal level and more relatable than anything Jinao, Boleo and Elari are going through. Temi was my absolute favorite and she was the reason I got hooked on the story which is why I felt a bit cheated considering that we are left in the dark about her future after the first part of the novel and got back only in culmination. I always liked multiple pov in epic fantasy because it shows that things rarely happen in vacuum, so to let her marinate for bigger part of the novel made it seem to me like Temi's story was put on hold because other things we need to know about are supposed to happen. And honestly, whatever Boleo, Elari and Jinao were going through-and their events were on Kingdom large, life altering scale- I would just shrug because Temi's story was still the most interesting to me.

All in all: intriguing debut and easy to get into, but not really able to hold my interest. It was more a plot-focused novel where I think it would benefit of being more character-focused, no matter how large the cast of characters is. But, there is a lot of potential and I will read the next book in the series because Ahiki seem to be formidable antagonists. :)

Thank you @netgalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review

Bit of a mixed one. I loved the premise of this, however I can’t lie straight of the bat I was overwhelmed just with the character glossary, there was a little voice in my head saying ‘ohhh you f****ed up’ that being said I decided to go in with an open mind and honestly I found this quite enjoyable. I believe it has the potential to be an amazing series and I will be interested to see what happens next. However there were times this felt like a lot for me personally with the different character POV’s and information to keep track of. I think if you’re a fan of epic fantasy this could definitely be a favourite for you

In the Nine Lands, only those of noble blood can summon the spirits of their ancestors to fight in battle. But when Temi, a commoner from the slums, accidentally invokes a powerful spirit, she finds it could hold the key to ending a centuries-long war. But not everything that can be invoked is an ancestor. And some of the spirits that can be drawn from the ancestral realm are more dangerous than anyone can imagine.
~~~~~
We get several POVs here, which I enjoy as we get the story from different angles and opinions! I definitely had a favourite and I hope we see more of them in future novels!
And alongside them is a huge cast of characters and clans and histories. All adding to some very epic world building. The scale of the world and history being built here is very ambitious and I'm impressed it was done so well.
It's definitely not a read to undertake lightly, with so many characters and the fast pace it requires one to really pay attention, but I loved that. I was able to thoroughly get lost in the book and there were definitely some unexpected story arcs throughout that kept me turning the pages to find the answers!
The magic system here was also constructed, utilising bringing spirits of ancestors back to fight on their behalf, I immediately understood the concept and feel it was employed really well!

Overall a fantastic start to what I'm sure will be a phenomenal series, and definitely a creative, African inspired world you can sink your teeth into

Let me tell you about A Song of Legends Lost - it's set in these Nine Lands where noble folks can actually summon their ancestors' spirits to fight alongside them. They need this power to battle these nasty creatures called greybloods that keep invading. Here's the thing though - a young girl named Temi, who's a lowblood (not supposed to have these powers), can somehow invoke spirits too. And as everyone digs deeper into their past, all the "truths" they thought they knew start falling apart.

I've got to say, for a debut novel, this novel is impressively crafted. There's a lot going on - multiple viewpoints and a ton of information to wrap your head around. This isn't your casual fantasy read for a lazy weekend, there is no romance whatsoever as well, but if you're into rich, complex high fantasy that makes you think? Yeah, this is definitely for you.

Ayinde knocked it out of the park with the worldbuilding. The whole "techwork" aspect is unlike anything I've read before. Thank goodness there's a breakdown of the different clans at the beginning - I found myself flipping back to that reference more than once while getting my bearings.

The Nine Lands also feel genuinely lived-in. The clan distinctions are fascinating - characters can actually tell where someone's from just by how they look, dress, and talk, which I thought was pretty cool.

There's also a pretty large cast of characters for a first book in a series, which sometimes made it tough to keep track of everyone's storylines. That said, Temi really grabbed me - there's something about her character that just clicks.

Overall, A Song of Legends Lost isn't a breezy read, but it's damn rewarding if you put in the time. For a first-time author, this is exceptional work. I'm already looking forward to whatever Ayinde cooks up next.

Thank you so much to Orbit Books for gifting me an a stunning review copy with beautiful sprayed edges.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. - Freya, arc & monthly book box pick reviewer

A Song of Legends Lost is a great epic fantasy novel, with immense and lush worldbuilding, varying characters with some interesting character arcs, and a plot with many twists.

We have many POVs. In Part One, we have Temi and Jinao, who ultimately were my favourite ones. Temi is a poor young woman who struggles to survive and protect her family from some criminals that her brother messed up with. Jinao is the black sheep in his powerful family because he hasn't being able to summon his ancestor. I liked them a lot, and they stood out to me, perhaps because their storyline appealed to me much more than the others.

In Part Two, we have Boleo, Jinao, and Elari. Boleo is a priest tasked of some clandestine activities that if the Garden and royal family were to discover, they would have some quite gruesome consequences. I liked Boleo a lot. He is knowledgeable and capable and loyal. He has some great attributes that appeal to me a lot, so I looked forward to his pov. I enjoyed how he saw the world, what he valued, and what he couldn't value less haha. Elari is one pov I struggled with, and to be honest, I don't know if I was generally confused about her and didn't get it, or if my brain had maxed out with number of povs. My usual limit is 2 or 3 povs, and Elari is the fourth pov we meet. I like her loyalty, the respect she evokes, and that she is quite adjustable and can improvise fast and well. But there were things that happened too suddenly as well as decisions and descriptions that I didn't get.

In Part Three, we have Runt, Elari, Boleo, and Jinao. Runt is the last new pov we meet, and I struggled here, too. I think I was just overwhelmed at this point, and I wanted to return to Jinao and Temi. Runt is definitely likeable, though. She wants to save her brother, find treatment for him, but like Temi, she is also very poor. She has something in her possession, from her father, something precious. She has guts and grit!

In Part Four, we have Boleo, Runt, Jinao, and Temi. Here I just got so happy we returned to Jinao and Temi!! Poor Jinao, the struggles and plot twists he got to experience! And Temi's chapter, oh my goodness, my mouth dropped and my eyes were about to leave my head.

In Epilogues, we have Lucy, Sister Poju, and Lyela. Lucy and Lyela's povs gave some BIG TWISTS, answered some questions, and evoked some more. It was all very intriguing and my mouth was permanently open at this point!

The worldbuilding was amazing! We have technology-based magic that is supposed to be illegal but shouldn't be. We have many characters evoking the spirits of their ancestors, and that was SO COOL to read. Every character and family and clan had their own backstory and motives and aspirations. The environment was fully described, but not too much, either. I really loved and admire the worldbuilding!

The plot is weaved through a million threads of history, lies, ambitions, clans, and magic, and I was so intrigued by it all. I loved the twists, and what the author wished to express.

There is no romance plotline, and I didn't miss it all. I mostly want some romance in my books, but in this one, I didn't feel its absence. I had A LOT to think about and keep in my head, I didn't have time or braincells to miss anything. But like I said, this book has five main povs, and three is my personal limit, so I struggled to retain details about two povs; hence, 4 stars. It's my personal preference, though, and it doesn't necessarily speak to the book itself, just my brain capacity lmao.

I WILL BE READING THE ENTIRE SERIES! I loved the worldbuilding, and I loved Jinao and Temi!

This book is the May monthly pick for a monthly book box company and it has a Goldsboro edition, too. I think both designs will turn out to be stunning, but I won't be getting a physical edition. The book is quite long, and since I just don't have the space, I have to be really picky.

This book is great for people who love epic fantasy, intricate magic systems, twisty plots, as well as for people who do not need or want romance in their books.

"A Song of Legends Lost" was a really good read: an interesting cast of characters, a fast moving plot, and a fresh feeling magic system. I'm interested to see where this leads in the next part of the series.