Deborah Obida's Reviews > Legend

'Liberty is only valued when it is threatened, therefore it is the threat that highlights the value.

This book exceeded my expectations, I've had this on my tbr for years and never got around to reading it till now. Legend is a classic fantasy with a dash of modernism. There are lots of battle scenes, friendship, diversity and romance. The romance is what surprised me most, I did not see that coming, it was a soul mate kind of love. The depictions of the battle scenes were awesome.

Is my scar fading?'
Bowman peered closely at the jagged red line from brow to chin. 'You were lucky not to lose an eye,' he commented.
'Useless Nadir steel,' said Rek. 'I made a perfect block and his blasted sword snapped and lashed across my face. Good gods man, have you any idea how long I've protected my face?'
'It's too late to worry about that now,' said Bowman, grinning.
'Some people are born ugly,' said Rek. 'It's not their fault, and I for one have never held it against a man that he is ugly. But others - and I count myself among them - are born with handsome features. That is a gift which should not be lightly taken away.'
'I take it you made the perpetrator pay for his deed?'
'Naturally! And you know, I think he was smiling even as I slew him. But then he was an ugly man. I mean really ugly. It's not right.'


The world building is slightly above average, I had no issues understanding them. The writing is awesome, it's so comprehensible and fast paced. The book is written in third person multiple POV of protagonists.

The characters though lovable didn't have enough personality, most of them were one dimensional excepting Druss, he is such an awesome character. Rek is also a good character, I wish there was more pages spent developing his character, things were kind of rushed. Same goes for Virae, Orrin and the lot of others.

Druss is every man who has refused to quit; to surrender when life offered no hope; to stand aside when the alternative was to die. He is a man who has shown other men there is no such thing as guaranteed defeat. He lifts the spirit merely by being Druss, and being seen to be Druss.'

Druss is a war hero, everyone knows his story of how he held against questionable odds till reinforcement came. He is called out of retirement to remake the miracle, he is more of a legend than a man.

'Have you probed the man's mind?'
'Yes. He is a strange one. A cynic by experience, a romantic by inclination and now a hero by necessity.'

The above quote is the perfect description of Rek, he doesn't like to fight though he is good at it, he is also a bersark. I didn't like that he was used, even though it paid up in the end.

Virae is the opposite of Rek, she goes headlong into battle, she has been waiting for war all her life, when it did come she hated it. War is a terrible thing. I wish her character was more developed.

'All things that live must die,' said Vintar. 'Man alone, it seems, lives all his life in the knowledge of death. And yet there is more to life than merely waiting for death. For life to have meaning, there must be a purpose. A man must pass something on -otherwise he is useless.

The plot is actually straight forward. The people of Drenai are invaded by the Nadir king who has an army of half a million. The Drenai haven't seen war in years and have become complacent, their veterans are just 3000, they have have just 7000 recruits which consisted of farmers. The 10000 men are to hold half a million for three months before reinforcement comes. They know they have no chance but if they fail their family and their country will join the Nadir empire.