Member Review
Review by
Maggie L, Media/Journalist
If you’re looking for a friends-to-lovers-to-enemies-to-star-crossed-lovers or looking to fill the void left by Finn and Poe not becoming a canon Star Wars ship — read this book.
Much like its predecessor Bonds of Brass, Oaths of Legacy is a wildly thrilling and fast-paced sci-fi adventure, and equal parts a heart-wrenching romance torn asunder by bloodrights and galactic war. Emily Skrutskie writes tremendously fun action sequences,
The best part of Emily Skrutskie’s writing is that she’s deliriously good at world-building, but character development never suffers under the weight of the storytelling. She interweaves Gal and Ettian’s growth, all the while exploring the world around them and how it directly impacts their potential to grow.
While Bonds of Brass presented the world to us through Ettian’s eyes, now we get to see the complicated mire of emotions that Gal feels for his friend-turned-captor from his point of view. Some of this requires readers to suspend their preconceived notions of what a political captive might endure because Gal is largely allowed to have free reign wherever Ettian and his empire take him. Gal is on the bridge during major battles, boozing it up at events, and wandering around without much supervision. This is a necessity in order to drive the story forward from his point of view, but from a political and militaristic viewpoint — it makes no sense. At all. However, it's easy to overlook because it leads to such fun scenes.
Wen was a fun character in Bonds of Brass, but now in Oaths of Legacy, she takes control of her own destiny — for the most part. Wen finds herself an unwitting pawn in everyone’s games: Gal uses her to make Ettian’s life more complicated, Ettian uses her as a trusted ally, and the military turns her into their very own weapon. It’s complicated, it’s messy, but ultimately Wen is a driving force in the plot, leading me to believe she might take more of a center stage in the culmination of the trilogy. She goes through huge character evolution, mostly “off-page,” which leads me to believe that we might catch up with her point of view and see how becoming the Flame Knight has impacted her.
Speaking of Wen, in hindsight, I am deeply confused by other reviewers who indicated that there was a love triangle between Gal, Ettian, and Wen. It’s quite clear that whatever jealousy Gal feels towards Wen is not romantically fueled, but envy tied to Wen’s friendship occupying the place his friendship once held with Ettian. Unless I am grossly misunderstanding the words on the page, Ettian is into Gal, not Wen. All of the romance scenes are reserved for the stolen moments between the two young men as they struggle against the decisions of others that are made for their lives.
Emily Skrutskie has created a vivid world within The Bloodright Trilogy; one filled with personal turmoil under the weight of the oppressive bonds of duty, the demands of a galaxy at war, and the agony of star-crossed love. The fast-paced battles among the stars are just as compelling as the quiet moments of longing and personal growth.
The final act of Oaths of Legacy sets up the last book of the trilogy and I am not okay. Skrutskie, I’m begging you, give Gal and Ettian the happily ever after they deserve.
Much like its predecessor Bonds of Brass, Oaths of Legacy is a wildly thrilling and fast-paced sci-fi adventure, and equal parts a heart-wrenching romance torn asunder by bloodrights and galactic war. Emily Skrutskie writes tremendously fun action sequences,
The best part of Emily Skrutskie’s writing is that she’s deliriously good at world-building, but character development never suffers under the weight of the storytelling. She interweaves Gal and Ettian’s growth, all the while exploring the world around them and how it directly impacts their potential to grow.
While Bonds of Brass presented the world to us through Ettian’s eyes, now we get to see the complicated mire of emotions that Gal feels for his friend-turned-captor from his point of view. Some of this requires readers to suspend their preconceived notions of what a political captive might endure because Gal is largely allowed to have free reign wherever Ettian and his empire take him. Gal is on the bridge during major battles, boozing it up at events, and wandering around without much supervision. This is a necessity in order to drive the story forward from his point of view, but from a political and militaristic viewpoint — it makes no sense. At all. However, it's easy to overlook because it leads to such fun scenes.
Wen was a fun character in Bonds of Brass, but now in Oaths of Legacy, she takes control of her own destiny — for the most part. Wen finds herself an unwitting pawn in everyone’s games: Gal uses her to make Ettian’s life more complicated, Ettian uses her as a trusted ally, and the military turns her into their very own weapon. It’s complicated, it’s messy, but ultimately Wen is a driving force in the plot, leading me to believe she might take more of a center stage in the culmination of the trilogy. She goes through huge character evolution, mostly “off-page,” which leads me to believe that we might catch up with her point of view and see how becoming the Flame Knight has impacted her.
Speaking of Wen, in hindsight, I am deeply confused by other reviewers who indicated that there was a love triangle between Gal, Ettian, and Wen. It’s quite clear that whatever jealousy Gal feels towards Wen is not romantically fueled, but envy tied to Wen’s friendship occupying the place his friendship once held with Ettian. Unless I am grossly misunderstanding the words on the page, Ettian is into Gal, not Wen. All of the romance scenes are reserved for the stolen moments between the two young men as they struggle against the decisions of others that are made for their lives.
Emily Skrutskie has created a vivid world within The Bloodright Trilogy; one filled with personal turmoil under the weight of the oppressive bonds of duty, the demands of a galaxy at war, and the agony of star-crossed love. The fast-paced battles among the stars are just as compelling as the quiet moments of longing and personal growth.
The final act of Oaths of Legacy sets up the last book of the trilogy and I am not okay. Skrutskie, I’m begging you, give Gal and Ettian the happily ever after they deserve.
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