This was definitely an exciting and new epic fantasy. I loved the way science and magic were combined in this, and I found the world so compelling and interesting. I definitely look forward to seeing where things go next!

🔥 𝔸 𝕊𝕠𝕟𝕘 𝕠𝕗 𝕃𝕖𝕘𝕖𝕟𝕕𝕤 𝕃𝕠𝕤𝕥 🔥

In the Nine Lands, where magic and machinery collide, only nobles can summon the spirits of their ancestors to fight in battle. But when Temi, a commoner from the slums, accidentally invokes a powerful spirit, she uncovers a force that could end a centuries-long war—or unleash something far worse. As ancient legends resurface and kingdoms vie for control, buried secrets begin to stir, and not everything that can be invoked is an ancestor. Some spirits are older, darker, and more dangerous than anyone dares to imagine.

It took me a few chapters to get fully invested, but once I was in, I didn’t want to leave this world. A Song of Legends Lost is an epic fantasy full of action, political maneuvering, and a deeply thought-out system of both magic and technology. I especially loved the world building—the story draws clear inspiration from African, South American, and other pre-colonial histories and mythologies that created a world that feels both fresh and familiar.

There’s no shortage of action or political intrigue, but what really stood out to me was the depth of the characters. Told through multiple viewpoints, the cast is complex, the stakes are high, and the character growth is real. Everyone is carrying something heavy, and watching those layers unravel was so satisfying. I truly appreciated that no one is painted as fully heroic or villainous—each character is doing what they can to survive and protect their people, which makes their choices hit even harder.

There’s more telling than showing in the prose, which might not work for every reader, but it didn’t take away from the emotional weight for me. If anything, it gave the story a mythic, oral-tradition feel that fit the themes perfectly. I closed the final chapter with more questions than answers—and I’m already counting down the days until book two. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Pub Date: June 3, 2025

Thank you Saga Press for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

Extremely impressed by this debut novel. Is it fantasy? Is it Science fiction? A combination of both? The story is very different from most genre fiction, but the world featured here is complex and full of political intrigue, which is refreshing compared to many simplistic sword and sorcery narratives that are so common in the fantasy genre. Already waiting for book 2!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this eARC with me!

First and foremost - amazing world building and magic system in this one. I felt transported into this story, with rich and immersive descriptions. This book is Multi-POV, and I think it really helped break up the story and assisted with its pacing. That said, I felt myself hoping to stay within the POV of some characters more than others. Also, because there are so many POVs, there are a lot of different plot lines laced throughout the story. This can be a bit jarring in the first half of the book, but I think they are all woven together pretty well by the end.

Lovers of epic fantasy will be pleased with the attention to detail and complex story telling. I will definitely be continuing this series.

A Song of Legends Lost was such a great debut epic fantasy. It had everything I would want - intertwined POVs that are not obvious until the end, a strong and unique magic system, and a diverse set of characters. I also appreciated that this story had zero romance, as it is certainly not needed.

The 5 POVs were all well done and I never felt irritated or lost when storylines were switched. I can see where others will not enjoy that, but I thought it worked here. I also thought the world building was awesome. The world that Ayinde created was very lush and fresh. The idea of ancestral magic is what interested me and it delivered! This is definitely one that makes you pay attention and is not a "quick and easy" read.

The only reason I didn't rate this 5 stars is because there was a few instances I had to go back and re-read something to fully catch what was happening. However, that is probably a me problem. There's a lot happening here!

I think those who like epic fantasy will certainly enjoy this one! I'm really excited to continue on in the series.

Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

VERY ambitious and quite dramatically written. so many characters, a very cool system of magic, and some great plot points and plot twists! 5 stars. tysm for the arc!

The world, magic, characters are all interesting and unique with sci-fi elements to the magic and also summoning ancestors to fight your battles like monsters in FFX.

The cast and Lore is *HUGE*. Bookmark the dossier at the front, it's extremely helpful! I loved that for each POV you cheer for them and also gasp as they make questionable choices. There is no single hero here and it was fun to watch their developments unfold. Also loved that it was a queer normative world!

The pacing was a little hard to get into at the start. Theres a lot of information, backgrounds, and character motives that wanted to be established. It felt like a checklist at some points, and I wanted more time with the characters to discover things.

The pacing picked up at the middle as POVs begin crossing and stories interacting--the quick pace works well here with the heightened action and suspense. Plot twists were clever and unexpected.

This book felt like it was setting the board for Book Two with all the players and factions, magic and history. So if you love character development, you'll like this one. Definitely looking forward to the second book!

Everyone knows that only those of noble blood can invoke the ancestors, can call their spirits back to the mortal plane to fight in the wars against the greybloods. Or at least, that's what everyone thinks. But when a young woman in the slums summons a spirit, it sets off a chain reaction of events that will shift the Nine Lands forever. As families fight to determine the fate of the kingdom, one little detail slips through the cracks: not every spirit summoned is an ancestor.

A Song of Legends Lost is a truly unique science-fantasy story that will engross you as it keeps you guessing. It will be tempting for many of you to start this story and within a few chapters proclaim, "I know what's going on!" I certainly did that and I'm here to assure you that, like me, you will be wrong. This blend of magic and technology still has me (pleasantly) confused as to how it all ties together, as we only get a peek behind the curtain by the end of this first book.

The story immediately jumps into some bad situations with multiple characters, plunging you into the middle of things as you meet them. While a few POV characters stay the length of the book, some only stick around for chunks at a time, with the cast of POV characters changing as the story switches from Part 2 to Part 3, etc. This gives us a fairly wide view of the events that are playing out across the kingdom. The author does a good job overall of investing you in the characters, but given how much you jump around, I did occasionally find myself emotionally distanced from some characters more than others.

This is also a story that is working on two levels. On the surface you have the very real, sometimes deadly, political posturing between the monarchy, the powerful religious monks, and the noble families. But there is also a whole second layer of characters pulling strings for completely different reasons. To most, this is about protecting their power and protecting the Nine Lands from the dangerous graybloods. But to others, these power struggles are masking a completely different game. We don't know fully what's going on by the end of things, just that we are still in the dark about quite a lot.

That's where this story may be a bit frustrating for some. We only have a tantalizing glimpse of what's truly going on, with much mystery still to be unpacked in the subsequent sequels. Personally, there is plenty of adventure and growth to be found just in this book alone, but I did plead a little bit at the end to please give me just a liiiittle more detail of what's really going on? Please?

But in the end, that's while I'll be back for the sequel to A Song of Legends Lost. The author is clearly just getting started and I am ready to go along for the ride (especially after one especially juicy POV in the epilogue). If you're looking for something fresh and original to dive into, I wholly recommend checking out this story.

While the story of this one seemed really appealing to me, I have recently learned that I like a lot more romance in my books than this provides. That's a me thing and doesn't have anything to do with the actual book. I hope this one gets lots of love from people who aren't super into romance and that it does really well. It just wasnt for me personally.

Thank you to Saga Press Books for the advanced copy!

A Song of Legends Lost is truly an epic story on so many levels. Following a diverse cast of characters, M.H. Ayinde set the foundation for an epic and brutal series to come. An ambitious debut that hit the mark on so many levels but is also not without its faults.

The central enemy are known as Greybloods: creatures created by and then wiped out the species known as the Scathed. When Greyblood attacks continue to increase, King Ahiki calls for a draft to take back what the Greybloods have taken. The story then follows a large cast of characters as some fight, some follow mysterious quests, and some discover that their history is not all that it seems.

The story is broken down into four parts, where new characters are slowly introduced. It felt like Game of Thrones, in the sense that you see these spread out characters, who are all on their own journeys. Eventually, storylines cross and missing pieces finally fall into place, making for an interesting read and for jaw-dropping “wtf” moments.
Following a range of characters, I found that I loved some povs more than others but found my favorites. There’s a huge range of characters, each with their own strengths. You’ve got Jinao: a highblooded warrior who chases after a powerful and mysterious Greyblood who killed his mother. And then you have lowblooded nobodies like Runt, who is simply trying to save her brother and make a living in the slums.

The world building is intense in the beginning, and I found myself feeling lost at several points due to the influx of information. I definitely recommend consulting the glossary of sorts that is in the front of the book, as it names houses and their significance. I found myself forgetting who certain people were at various points simply because we have so many characters within these multiple povs—some of which, you don’t hear from again until several parts later. That being said, once the story progresses, I found myself fully immersed in the world.

The magic system was done so well, and I am sure many of my questions will be answered later on in the next book. Following a system where individuals call their ancestors, in what felt similar to The Poppy War’s Patheon, our characters can invoke. When invoking, ancestors come into the human realm and fight in tandem with their descendant.

The pacing was ok, a little slow at points, but things really picked up at the 60 percent mark, which might be too far in for some readers. That being said though, if you can push through then it will be worth it! I’m definitely looking forward to seeing where this series goes next. I have a lot of questions! It’s such a complex world, and those epilogues have me questioning everything.

This book quickly went from a burgeoning interest to a blinding obsession. The way Ayinde blends technology, African mythology, family expectation, societal pressures, obedience to the gods, and class dynamics is amazing. The beginning battles felt reminiscent of those in Rage of Dragons, but this story definitely stands on its own and makes a statement that is unique and lasting. I suppose it’s too soon to expect book 2?! I can’t wait to dive back in!

Was a fun fantasy with a lot of potential. Unfortunately it was just too long for me and that makes me not want to continue the series.

This was such an interesting debut fantasy novel! 4.5 stars!

Thank you to Netgalley for this advance copy.

This is a fascinating fantasy that has roots in indigenous cultures with a magic system based on an ancestral connection. This is many layered with a large cast of characters. The world building is fascinating and this is an exciting start to a series.

The cast of characters are large and I did get stalled a bit in the middle of the book when a bunch of new characters were introduced (with multiple POV) but the action is so constant that I got sucked back in. I still would love to know where this story is going and the story is so much larger than it seems in the beginning.

Great debut and a very unique story and magic system. This is not like anything else I have read and that is wonderful to see!

This book is a captivating and immersive read from start to finish. The writing is engaging, the pacing well-balanced, and the characters are richly developed with relatable emotions and motivations. The story unfolds in a way that keeps the reader hooked, offering just the right mix of tension, heart, and thought-provoking themes.

I LOVED this book. It is such a unique and interesting break from what epic fantasy typically is. I wasn’t expecting the sci-fi elements and found myself loving them. Like many other epic fantasies, the beginning felt slow as this expansive world and its characters were being introduced, but unfortunately that’s just the price you have to pay for the genre. Once you get into past part two, it really picks up and I kept finding myself really annoyed I had to put the book down.

There is a MASSIVE cast of characters all with their own stories that seem unrelated, but end up interweaving as the novel goes on. Again, problem normal in epic fantasy, but I did find it hard to keep track of non-pov characters because there ended up being so many of them. The pov characters were all so distinct, interesting, and unique from one another I never had a problem keeping them straight. There were favorites (❤️ Runt, Temi, and Jinao my loves ❤️) but I didn’t feel like I was suffering through any POVs to get to others.

I also love the world and the systems Ayinde came up with for it. I feel like it takes typical fantasy elements and really made them her own. Again, I think the way technology was used is just super cool. You can tell she put a lot of effort into really building the world, the invoker system, the greybloods, etc and I am super excited to have more of my questions about it all answered in the next book.

What I will say and what I think is dragging this down: if you are not an epic fantasy person, or if you’re not going into this knowing it’s an epic fantasy, I completely understand being overwhelming.

This is a SUPER ambitious book and I am a little obsessed with it now.

A Song of Legends Lost instantly transported me into a world of ancient powers, fierce battles, and secrets that had me hooked from page one.

A multi-POV, immersive and action-packed story about lost civilizations, ancestral and technological magic.

The story starts in the Nine Lands, where only people of noble blood can summon the spirit of their ancestors to fight. We’re introduced to a few characters that follow their own journey and start uncovering secrets about the ancestor realm, humanity’s forgotten history and their enemy, that shatters their whole world.

Each character is unique with very different backgrounds, difficulties and ambitions. All their journeys feel so urgent and important that you can’t help but root for them.

There are many stakes throughout the book. Penance, revenge, safety, power, truth - everyone seeks something. But it all ties together so well at the end, it’s exquisite.

Beyond the battles and the magic, I enjoyed the story’s depiction of the power of family, friendship and our bond with the ones who came before us.

Genre and Setting
An epic fantasy with sci-fi elements set in a world based on multiple pre-colonial cultures.

Writing Style and Pacing
Fast paced with multiple POVs. It will make you turn pages so fast!
The writing style is delicious. I loved how the author revealed details at the perfect moments, just enough to make things clear but also just enough to still keep guessing until the end.

Who would enjoy this book
* Someone who loved Between Earth and Sky trilogy by Rebecca Roanhorse (me!)
* Someone who watched Shaman King as a kid and loved the whole spirit summoning and fighting thing (it’s me again!)
* But also anyone who enjoys a good adventure

*I received the ARC of this book on Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

I give this read 4.5 stars. The middle was very slow but in an intentional way. The Author built an amazing world and I can tell pulled inspo from a few precolonial cultures. Also a lot of Queer representation. Plot twists were executed well and honestly feel this is a perfect book one that could set the scene for a 5 star trilogy.

#NetGalleyArcReview

See my Linked video for full review

This trilogy is going to be a BANGER!!! I loved this so much! From the different POVs in each chapter to understanding and learning the lore and world building Ayinde does not fuck around <3 I am invested and now need the other two books asap!

For all my Final Fantasy girlies this is a must read! I don't want to spoil too much but the way characters can manifest ancient beings to help fight was a true chefs kiss (plot twist to come) ! And do not worry! Although I would label this as a high epic fantasy we are given an index in the beginning that you can reference if you are confused with the vast characters we are introduced to! This truly kept me at the edge of my seat with all the twist and turns Ayinde pulled us through!

I can not wait to learn more about Jinao and Temi's characters. These two were my main girlies I was rooting for and what can I say..... that final act of A Song of Legends Lost..... left me in a reading slump for days !!!! Thank you so much Ayinde for such a bad ass fantasy book I think we all need!

#BADASSAUTHOR #AYINDEFORLIFE

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for giving me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book had a lot of fun and interesting ideas, but I was overwhelmed by the amount of POV characters and situations. Just as I was starting to understand one character it would switch and then it could be several chapters before I got back to that character again. This book has a lot of set up that will probably pay off in the next book, but in here it just felt like extra padding. Jinao's story in particular felt like a bunch of random side quests until he ended up meeting up with someone else's story again.

I am curious as to where this story will go and hopefully all of the set up ends up paying off down the road.

“Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me an advanced ecopy in exchange for an honest review. Wow! For a debut high fantasy novel, I am super impressed. This story has such unique elements to it. I love the blend of sci-fi mixed with the fantasy. The world-building is incredible, and I didn't feel at all like I couldn't follow along. I enjoyed the multiple POVs and really loved Jinao and Temi's characters. I am so invested in knowing what happens to them now! I loved how the dots all started to connect towards the end, and there were several genuinely surprising aha moments. The only problem is that I now need book two, and I know it will be some time before I get it :) Bravo to M.H. Ayinde for making me as invested in a story and characters as I was with N.K. Jemisin's Broken Earth Trilogy.”