Impressive, I can't believe it's the author's first book. Powerful, extremely fast moving, full of intrigue and twists, with a great, adult protagonist, a varied cast of characters, devious enemies, complex magic, smart world-building and a compelling story crafted with great prose.Janny Wurts surely fulfilled all the author promises embedded in this work and much, much more.While it’s clearly Wurts trademark style, particularly regarding the unpredictability of the plot and building of tension, Sorcerer's Legacy is very fast moving since the outset, tightly focused, and all the chapters are cliffhangers. I flew right through it. I would easily recommend it as an entry point into the author’s work, whose later books have more intricacy, with layered plots. Particularly the Wars of Light and Shadow series, which I loved, has a complex and slow burn nature better approached with some familiarity with Wurts’ rhythm and style of delivery. Before delving into it, I read To Ride Hell’s Chasm and The Master of White Storm, two very different and compelling standalones, with adult protagonists and depth, also excellent gateways to her work. Despite the time element the plot of Sorcerer’s Legacy is very linear, but again, it shows many of the things I love in Wurts books, I really enjoyed it and I liked to read light romance from this author.Sorcerer’s Legacy is a court intrigue story with a romantic bent. Not the kind of romance that just sighs and turns on what one character hangs on another; there is a strong adult female lead and a Machiavellian turn of events. The book features a very intriguing magic system and time lore, a wealthy kingdom, a prince threatened from crown succession by a most puzzling law, enemies with hidden motivations, entrenched feuds, political ambitions, assassins, corruption and lip service, powerful sorcerers and simmering menaces. Not to mention, it’s always engaging to read a story about a woman with agency, and no chick in chainmail to boot.Elienne suddenly faces the destruction of all she holds dear, her husband, her home, soon, her very life. But she refuses to let go of hope. In a dank dungeon cell, she is approached by a mysterious sorcerer who lays out the limited list of her possible futures, and with no guarantees, offers her an uncomfortable compromise to save both their life’s work.She is no hero. She is an intelligent woman with a sharp tongue and a temper to match, but also an emotionally-scarred widow, who is cast in a kingdom she knows nothing of, charged to rescue a prince she has never met, and with no visibility as to who is friend or foe. Her only weapons are last minute instructions, a magical item, her own guile and life experience. I liked that, as the story unfolds, she is suffering but strives to find strength within, to shape her destiny and to protect the legacies she is entrusted with standing on her own merits, taking her own decisions and trying to make the best of circumstances. She refuses the comfort of an easy way out but instead clings to her identity, her powerful sense of purpose, even when she is not sure of her choices, even when the weight of her burdens threatens to break her. Uprooted, lonely, remorseful to let go of her past, she runs a course contrary to all understanding for the sake of an unknown realm’s future while trying to make sense of her own. She is a fascinating character and well-rounded, a woman whose actions are governed by both complex passions and cold wit.Aware of the risks of ignorance, and the consequences of responsibility, Elienne plunges into the intricacy of Pendaire’s court intrigue armed with her wits and innocent smile, an unknown player in the unfathomable plan of a dead sorcerer, master of the secret of time, which blurs the edges of faith and duty.The chess match has started. "This time, to the bitter death, with no bowing out."
I love Janny Wurts anyway, but the premise of this book is really fun. Elienne's beloved husband has just been killed, she is less than a day pregnant with his child, and a sorceror from another land appears just as she is about to be condemned to rape and death, offering her a choice - stay here, or come with him to marry another man and claim the child as his, to save a kingdom and his life. Not only is Elienne a really fun, vibrant character, but the slow romance between her and her betrothed - Prince Darion - really works, using her grief to build the tension between them. Their enemies make sense, too, as do their allies. The prose is always engaging, and there is genuine pain and joy in the book. I only wish it wasn't a one-off novel.
What do You think about Sorcerer's Legacy (1989)?
This was a fun read & well written. It definitely deserves 4 stars but gets a fifth as it was the author's first book. I've heard that after reading it, Raymond Feist asked her to collaborate on the Empire Trilogy which takes place in the midst of his Rift War saga. Congrats on a fantastic decision, Ray! They were some of my favorite books in the series & I liked them all.The crux of the book is an ugly succession where our heroine plays a key part. She's tough, but very believable. She's feminine, but not a helpless princess. She's a real lady, in every sense of the word. Her motivations & actions were very believable. The story takes place over most of a year, but never bogs down. Lots of twists & turns as the plot unfolds, but very easy to follow.The world is a fairly 'normal' one for a sword & sorcery universe. Obvious good & bad, along with black & white magical arts. Pretty much a medieval setting; courts, kings, councils & such. Tough decisions & key events build a lot of suspense & where most books would have stopped (midway through this story) the damsel, who is in distress & durance most vile, is rescued only to find that there is still a lot more to deal with. It's a wild ride.
—Jim
Pretty good book and it read fast. It was not, however, terribly deep. You get an extremely narrow view of the world and the magic/political systems around it. The focus is strictly on the heroine thwarting the bad people and learning to love again. As such, the male love interest is kinda cardboard-y. Filled with good things, but not very stand out. I felt bad for previous spouse since a light amount of dissing went on to show that this new man was a better match anyway (though it is clear that he was a good man, just...not as). A tiny bit unfair since we all have bad qualities and maybe new love would have felt more like an individual if we saw more of his shortcomings.
—Lisa
Most readers are probably familiar with Janny Wurts’ epic fantasy series THE WARS OF LIGHT AND SHADOW or the EMPIRE trilogy she wrote with Raymond E. Feist back in the ‘80s, but Wurts also wrote a few stand-alone fantasies, two of which have just been released in audio format.Sorcerer’s Legacy, Wurts’ debut novel first published in 1981, is one of these. In some ways it feels like a 1981 high fantasy novel (e.g. the medieval setting) but, in the most important ways, it stands out. The story is about Elienne, the recently widowed and pregnant wife of the ruler of a conquered country. She’s been taken captive and awaits what’s certain to be a nasty fate when a wizard from another country saves her on the condition that she marries his endangered prince. She has no choice but to agree, of course,... Read More: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
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