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.

4.5 stars
The fact that this is a debut novel absolutely blows my mind. A Song of Legends Lost is a truly gripping and immersive epic fantasy that I could not put down. It was so well written, and Ayinde's world building was fantastic. I loved learning more about the different clans and what makes them unique, from the way they spoke or dressed. I also found the techwork side of things really fascinating.

I was worried at the beginning that I would struggle with the amount of characters in this book, especially because this is multi-POV but each character had their own unique voice and I liked that at the beginning of each part, it listed what characters that section of the book was focusing on. I very quickly found myself rooting for a lot of these main characters, especially Temi and Elari. Both are extremely strong female characters who are doing what they can to protect the ones they love. I honestly can't wait to see what happens next with all of these characters in the next book.

Honestly, this was a fantastic fantasy book. With amazing characters and world-building, this book needs to be on every fantasy lovers radar!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A Song of Legends Lost marks the beginning of an exciting new epic fantasy series, blending traditional fantasy with a unique sci-fi twist on the magic system. The book introduces a complex world through multiple points of view, allowing readers to gradually immerse themselves in its rich history and intricate magic system. While it took some time to fully grasp all the details, the payoff is worth it as the various plot threads and characters begin to converge.

The story explores themes of revenge, war, oppression, and rebellion, set against a fantastical backdrop that keeps you engaged from start to finish. Throughout the book, I found myself captivated by the world, and there are plenty of questions left unanswered, which I’m eager to see explored in the upcoming instalments.

One character, in particular, stood out to me—her story is both intriguing and layered, and I’m excited to see her arc unfold further in book two, especially as more of her past is revealed.

While A Song of Legends Lost can feel slow at times with much of the focus on developing the worldbuilding which is inspired by multiple pre-colonial cultures, the technology-driven magic system adds a fascinating twist to the fantasy genre. Some chapters truly hooked me, leaving me eager to see where the series goes next.

In conclusion, this book offers a promising start to a new fantasy saga. I’m looking forward to watching the characters and story evolve in the next books of the series.

Thank you to Orbit and Netgalley for this early copy for review.

A superb fantasy action adventure that will have you on the edge of the seat right from page one. A must read that is highly recommended.

The first book in an epic fantasy series, this multiple POV story is told in a world where only descendants of the 9 lords are believed to be able to invoke their ancestors to fight in battle. Yet when a young woman from the slums, Temi, accidentally invokes a powerful spirit, it becomes obvious that everything is not as it seems.

There are mysterious greybloods (which appear to be part human/part tech), a hierarchy of monks who covet techwork relics and seek to prevent others from accessing them or speaking in the Forbidden Tongue, and a wide cast of intriguing characters.

This was a hard one to rate because I did find that it took me a little while to really get gripped by the story but, by the end, I was fully invested and I’m really excited to see where this series go. The world was so vast and unique, and this book doesn’t pull any punches, so don’t go in expecting an easy ride! But one of the reasons this was a 4⭐️ and not a 5⭐️ is that some of these dramatic events happened too early on (either in the story and/or the relationship) for me to feel too much emotional impact. And, although I usually love a multiple POV story, I did find it a little challenging early on to keep track of who’s who. That being said, I love how we just got thrown straight into this world, and I would definitely recommend it to those who love epic fantasy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC of this book.

A SONG OF LEGENDS LOST is the start of an epic series that had a cool world but didn't work for me thanks to the unconnected POVs.

I liked the world of this book. It's a science fantasy than leans more on the fantasy side than sci-fi. People - supposedly only nobles, but that is challenged pretty early on - can channel their ancestors, bringing their avatars (for want of a better word) into a fight. It leads to some pretty epic battle scenes as you can imagine. I was glad of the cover for helping me imagine what it all looked like.

But there is also a sci-fi element from the advanced technology remnants scattered across the world that is supposedly dangerous. The longer we spent with characters interacting with it, the more techy it felt (vs mystical objects, which was my initial impression.) I quite liked the slow slide from magic to tech with these objects as it felt like a slow slide into science fantasy. I don't always like science fantasies, but this route made it work for me.

However, this book fell into the category of "unconnected POVs" which is a narrative style I do not like. There are five POVs and it takes a while for some of them to link up - and some do not link up at all. But this wasn't what I found hardest about the POVs structure - it was the way they were introduced and then fell out of the story.

We start with just two (who never link up) but at the end of part one, the POV all the marketing is focused around (Temi) drops out of the story entirely for three hundred pages. Jinao is the only POV to be found throughout the book. Mostly, POVs are added and remain, but one (Elari) gets added and then drops out for the final act.

I just found it so hard to care about the characters when they kept dropping in and out. To me, a character dropping out meant they had little relevance to the story, so why should I care when they returned?

M.H. Ayinde bursts onto the fantasy scene with her debut published novel A Song of Legends Lost, the first in her series The Invoker Trilogy.
Set in the Nine Lands, tradition and technology are at war. The story is a combination of different points of views from different individuals from opposing backgrounds. Firstly, there is Temi, a young girl, who after finding her family killed after a smuggling operation gone wrong finds herself imbued with powers forbidden to a person of her class. Jinao is the youngest son of a rich family. In an attempt to gain the powers of an invoker, a way of bringing the power of his dead ancestors to the living world he stows away on a campaign to fight Greybloods, a technologically advanced race that threatens the Nine Lands. Elari is the captain in the army of Clan Itahua who discovers that her missing husband has returned from the dead. Runt is a young pot worker who finds herself the guardian of a mysterious power and works for a local crime family. And finally, there is Boleo, a monk who protects the people from the technological artefacts of a lost world.
Ayinde weaves these differing storylines together to form a propulsive narrative that is vast and wide in its scope. However, be warned! Ayinde does not hold the hands of the reader, and the story relies on the ability of the reader to keep track of and maintain the various plot lines in their consciousness, which at times, some may find overwhelming.
The world building in the book is vast and complex and as the reader follows the different POV’s. She builds a vivid world that draws the reader in, but without overwhelming the reader with massive chunks of exposition. Underlying the fantasy elements of the story, there is a world that hints of an ancient history that relied on technology which has led to the dystopian world that we see now.
Coupled with this, there is an intriguing magic system which relies on the use of the spirits of ancestors, who bond with the host and imbue them with both strength and power.
A Song of Legends Lost gracefully melds science fiction and fantasy to build a complex, layered fantasy set in a rich African world that will keep readers engrossed.

Thank you NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for the ARC. DNF @ 28%.

I don't think this was necessarily bad, but I was so disinterested in the magic system and the POVs that weren't Temi. I'm not motivated to slug it out to see if it gets better for me when SO little has me hooked; not the politics nor the the worldbuilding. Feels like this is a case of "unique novel that's just not for me".

Start of a fantasy series. I thought I would love this, but it didn’t work for me. This is just my point of view, I’m sure others will love it. First I liked the setting and culture. I liked the tech that was part of the story. Of the characters I liked Temí the most as I could follow what she was involved in, and her motivations. But there was much that frustrated me. The author has obviously got big plans for an epic fantasy series, Game of Thrones like. The first pages, many pages, of this book are character outlines and grouping links. Knowing nothing of the story at that point I was a bit overwhelmed. I ignored it and started reading, and I did finish. Getting to the end I decided that there is a lot going on, yet at the same time not much - as the overriding actions and motivations are not clear. So many plot lines, but in this first book it isn’t clear why or where the story is going. A third of this book is about one character, who has been given a quest, yet on nearly completing it they are removed. Maybe they will be back in later books in the series. As I said I liked the tech, but again it’s unexplained as to where it came from, and why the language is forbidden and by who? Or how some characters are fluent in it. So I guess what I’m saying is I have too many unanswered questions to be satisfied. Thank you to Little Brown Book Group UK and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

Such a strong debut! I really enjoyed this. It’s an epic tale about ancestral magic, what isn’t there to love?! A thoroughly thought out world paints a beautiful background for this intricate and realistic fantasy story. A true epic fantasy, with court schemes, battles and magic!

Whilst the writing style flowed nicely, I couldn't engage with the plot and found my attention wandering often. Unfortunately this book isn't for me but I'm sure there are plenty of others who will enjoy it

This was an extremely well written science-fantasy book, more on the fantasy side. It is, however, a bit confusing with all of the different strands being woven together. It does come together, but as with most ambitious projects, you do have to stick with it.

When I first saw the cast of characters at the start of the book, my first thought was that this was going to be complicated. And it was, but not nearly as much as I thought it would be. Ayinde introduces the characters gradually. There are many different POVs that give you an overall sense of the different factions in the story. I felt drawn more to some characters than others, as is usual with these types of books/series.

The worldbuilding is the strongest element of this, in my opinion. It is a very rich blend of magic and technology, colonisation, politics, betrayal, honour, and survival. I love the named Greybloods, especially the Bairneater, and I can't wait to learn more about them. I also love the mashup of cultures. There's a heady mix of African and Asian cultures, and at times, some of the words also seem like a mix of Latin American languages (Aztec, Mayan, or Incan). It creates a rich environment that immerses the reader.

At times, the pacing slowed down a bit, but it's still a very strong debut. I look forward to the next one.

4.25 stars

I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and honestly review an advanced reader’s copy of this book.

I will admit, I was maybe not completely in the right brain space for this! So before you head into this; be prepared for a *lot* of characters, and maybe a little slower of a pace.
The ancestral magic and the ancient technology is very interesting, this was probably my favourite element, and every time we stopped to explore it more, I felt truly engaged.
There are several plot lines, and I really loved seeming them connect together near the end - no spoilers but some of the twists were quite satisfying!

Any lover of epic fantasy should try this!

Thank you, NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book could’ve been amazing. The setting was interesting - it seemed like a mixture of the usual medieval fantasy setting with swords and horses, although not as Eurocentric, and a sci-fi world with robots and technology.
But while this combination could’ve been something great, it mainly was confusing. Nothing really got explained and everything was way too confusing for that. I still managed to somehow keep up with the story, but it was very frustrating. Yes, it’s always good if you get thrown right into the story, but not if you drown from too much happening and not enough information. Especially Fantasy lives off world building. And the world building in this book was simply lacking.
I have no idea what everything looks like. Is it a hot climate? Are there plants? What’s the weather like? What do the people look like, their cities, what’s their culture? For some reason I imagined a very barren place - might be because it got described like that and while I forgot the descriptions, it got ingrained in my mind. Or it might be because there were no descriptions at all, so my mind built up the closest it had to “no descriptions”, which is literally just - nothing there to see, must be barren. I honestly couldn’t say.

As for the greybloods - they exist and they do things. What exactly is bad about them? Why are they evil? Why should I care about anything happening at all?
The other characters also just weren’t it. There are multiple main characters, we get multiple POVs. And I couldn’t tell them apart. I just finished the book and I already forgot half the names. I don’t know what they did, why they were important, or even just who they actually were.
The only character that kept my interest until the end was Jinao. He was interesting. Unfortunately, he also wasn’t exactly well written. When I found out after the first few chapters that he was supposed to be 28, I was simply flabbergasted. I honestly would’ve thought until then that he was 14. Maybe (!) 16 as the absolute oldest. But an actual adult? No way. He did not behave like an adult.

I already mentioned multiple times that I had no idea what was going on or why I should care about anything. The plot was simply all over the place. All the characters were doing different things and I couldn’t keep up with who was doing what and why and how everything was connected.
If this hadn’t been an ARC, I would’ve dnf’ed this book after the first 20%. And I never dnf books.

I’m very sorry, but this book really wasn’t it. I couldn’t get into it at all, I was confused all the time and it simply bored me. Maybe that’s on me - there are plenty of good reviews who seemed to have no trouble keeping up and really enjoyed this. But In my opinion this book needs a healthy amount of editing.

A Song of Legends Lost by M.H. Ayinde is such a good book. Loved the characters, loved the story, loved the storyline. Loved everything! 5 stars is less than what I wanted to give! I wanted to guve 10 stars!

I loved this!! I need to re-read this as soon as possible. This book was everything you want to read and more.

Unfortunately I ended up DNFing this book fairly early on. I don't know if or was me not being in the mood for it, or whether it was the book itself. I just found that start of it very dense with a lot of worldbuilding information, and I found it a little overwhelming. However, the premise still intrigues me so I may return to the story when I'm more in the mood for it!

DNF @35%.

This was a weird one, there was too little world-building, and also too much? It almost felt like the parts we got had no context, so I struggled to place them in the world? The characters also seemed significantly younger than their ages, in fact some the writing, especially dialogue, felt overly juvenile. I think if you're willing to stick with this it is a story that will probably get better as it goes along, I just really struggled to get into the world and really understand the magic system/world building.