Legacy of a King
Legacy of a King is an intriguing, immersive love story set in magical and medieval times.
Charlene Sponsel’s Legacy of a King is a spellbinding tale of medieval life, love, and politics with magic woven in throughout.
Lili is used to living simply, particularly since she lost her mother and her father lost his fortune in the Elderman’s War. The circumstances of her world considered, her beauty and kind soul may be the key to a better life.
Lili lives in a time that regards marrying well to be a girl’s greatest possible accomplishment. As such, she is expected to marry up to save her family. But the prospects available to her are not ones that will make her happy. Life is further complicated when she falls for Cam, the youngest son of the king to whom she is betrothed. Her respect for the previous queen makes the betrothal all the more difficult.
Intrigue runs high. Lili looks to confide in someone, anyone, who might make her more comfortable in her new life without risking betrayal. Others view and use her as a pawn, without regard to what she might want for herself.
Lili is a consistently conflicted character who is engrossingly developed. She is always worried about what is best for those she cares about. Cam is a refreshing and sympathetic love interest. His past is well explored, and he has a depth of personality. He develops in an empathetic and realistic way, growth that is documented well in the span of the story. Other characters are similarly complex even within their supporting roles.
The novel’s play on the theme of star-crossed lovers works well, and Cam and Lili’s relationship is excellently paced. Theirs is less a love-at-first-sight connection than it is a bond that develops over time, complicated by the attachments that both of them feel to other people. Nothing is easy for them, though the complications of their relationship never read as overdone.
Medieval society is aptly drawn and embellished with elements of the mystical. A character’s betrothed is more often referred to as a “mate,” which creates an interesting relationship dynamic. Looks are also not traditional for the characters; hair and skin are often depicted with more unusual colors than those normally found in nature.
The story moves at a quick, fluid pace across its nineteen years. These years are tracked via chapter titles, without which the timeline would be confusing. Each event leads naturally into another.
Legacy of a King is an intriguing, immersive love story set in a world much like our medieval one, with revitalized aspects that give it a touch of the magical.
Reviewed by
Hannah Hohman
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
