Book Review: Legacy

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Legacy     Amazon US HC Amazon Canada HC
Joel Rosenberg
Class/Genre:   Fantasy
Series: Guardians of the Flame # 11
Baen, Jun 2004, $25.00

“The Heir Apparent”. The wizard brought role playing college students Karl, Andrea and five other Earthlings through the Gate Between Worlds. Over time Karl became the Emperor and he and his beloved Andrea had a child Jason while the magnificent seven fought against slavery. The dwarves, elves, humans, and the dragon Ellegon mentor Jason until Ahrmin the Master Slaver apparently kills Karl. Living in the shadows of his heroic parents has inadvertently overwhelmed his self esteem and now he failed in his first battle. To prove his worthiness he believes he must kill his dad’s enemy.

“The Warrior Lives”. With Karl declared officially dead, Jason takes over throne, but has doubts he can come close to matching the legacy of his renowned father. Still he leads the inner circle of warriors and Ellegon to battle the deadly Slavers Guild. However, he learns that an enigmatic message has been placed on the enemy’s dead. Could his father be alive as the note states: “The Warrior Lives!" Jason needs to know the truth.

GUARDIANS OF THE FLAME: LEGACY is the delightful combining of two 1980s epic fantasies that hold up quite well and seem to belong together in one longer saga though both tales can stand alone. The book is a coming of age chronicle starring a delightful hero filled with reservation and uncertainty about living up to the legends of his illustrious parents (kind of like the son of Michael Jordan playing basketball). Though similar in many ways to other epic fantasy tales, Legacy is a fabulous reading experience as the next generation struggles with living up to the bar set by his incredible parents.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner