The Ancient Legacy

This third installment of the series has less of the politics that put some readers off when they read the second book. Although the first book is my favorite, the series doesn't disappoint. The Ancient Legacy brings back more of the fighting sequences and history that were present in the Fifth Ring. The interesting thing about these books is that there is no really strong protagonist. Instead, the author has created a coterie of equally developed characters that tend to share the lime-light. The sword fighting scenes are still very strong.

THE ANCIENT LEGACY is Mitchell Graham's swan song for the trilogy of The Fifth Ring. It's a magnificient work, masterfully put together. I agree with the reviewer who said, Graham must be laughing his head off at those who were quick to call it a LOTR or Eye of the World clone. It's not. The Fifth Ring is nothing like the other two. It's a seamless blend of fantasy and science fiction that comes down more heavily on the fantasy side. I could be wrong, but I'm willing to bet this book and the others will be with us for many, many years. There's no question in my mind that it has all the makings of a classic. The characters are excellently put together and they'll stay with you long after you've turned the last page. I particularly liked the way the author handled the question of the Orlocks. To be sure, THE ANCIENT LEGACY is very much Mathew's story. He's older, more mature, perhaps a bit more cynical, now that he's grown to manhood. The action/fight scenes aboard the Daedalus are first rate and the final battle is handled beautifully. This one takes top honors.

I love fantasy and SF and have been reading both personall and professionally for many (too many) years. This book was the perfect blend of both generes, seamless in the writer's ability to weave them together. I've followed THE FIFTH RING series wiht interest since it came out and it is definitely at the top of my list. As an editor I see dozzens of books coming across my desk every week. Take my word for it this one is something special. I recently read another piece where the reviewer said, "author Graham is probably laughing his head off at the knee-jerk reaction a few online posts made to Tolkien and Jordan." Both are incredible authors, to be sure, but this particular trilogy is so far afield, from the others comparisons are meaningless. THE ANCIENT LEGACY winds everything up nicely and it does it in a big, sprawling way. My sincere hope is that Mitchell Graham will be with us for many years to come. You'll do yourself a grave injustice if you don't pick up all three books and dive right into them. The story will stay with you for the rest of your life.

This book was a great read, as were both of author Mitchell Graham's other books. It continues the story begun in THE FIFTH RING and brings the trilogy to a conclusion. It's always a little sad to me when a fine story like this comes to an end. You want more and the characters feel like old friends. To the world Mathew Lewin is dead. Four years earlier he lost the famous rose gold ring, but now an opportunity has arisen to force him out of hiding. It places him on a collision course with Teanna d'Elso and the Orlock nation and the fate of the world hangs in the balance. The writing is uniformly excellent. Without question this is a book you can get lost in at bedtime, on the subway, or sitting on a beach somewhere. What more can you ask from a novel? The pacing is wonderful and the plot moves along well dragging the reader with it. Underlying all the action and harrowing escapes are the questions of whether Mathew and Lara will be reunited; Father Thomas will find Ceta; Gawl will be freed from his prison; and how the mysterious Teanna d'Elso will react when her own kingdom is attacked by the Orlocks. Yes, they're back, along with a door with no lock set into the face of a sheer cliff. And behind it . . . Sorry, I don't want to spoil this for you. Hands down, The Ancient Legacy is a winner. My recommendation is to start with book one and work your way through to end. You won't be sorry you did.

I have been tremendously impressed with Mitchell Graham's writing ever since I read THE FIFTH RING. Legacy is the conclusion to this very popular trilogy and it did not disappoint in any way. The wonderful relationships between the characters are still there as is the humor and the soaring battles. A number of ongoing mysteries have run through the books and those questions are finally answered here. I won't be a spoiler and reveal them, but the answer to who and what the Orlocks are will bowl you over. I particularly enjoyed seeing Mathew Lewin as a young man. When the book opens is is 24 years old and to the world he had been dead for four years. He is not only older, but wiser and more self-confident than in previous offereings though the same nagging insecurities and self-doubt still plague him. Two other questions left open until this most recent edition are Father Thomas's background and Mat's relationship with Lara. Readers will not be disappointed. All of this is fun stuff and I would have to say that Graham is easily equal to any fantasy writer working today or in the past. He is simply top notch. The Ancient Legacy keeps you turning pages. I was sad to see it end. Hopefully Graham reads these reviews and will give us more of the world he had so meticulously created. He certainly left to door open to do so. For anyone looking for a cracking good story and high adventure at its best. So press that button and order a copy now or run down to your nearest store and pick one up. This was my Christmas present to myself and a good one it was.