* Disclaimer *
Everyone is different and likes and dislikes different things. Reading is no exception. One person’s all-time favorite might seem too bland or too high stakes for another. That being said, the opinions of our judges in this contest are just that, opinions. Just because we let a book go, doesn’t mean it isn’t good. It could be your next favorite, who knows?
Now that we are in the finals, we are going to be doing full reviews for each book. The books are being reviewed in no particular order, not in order of their star rating. We are just reviewing them as we finish reading them.
If you have no idea what I’m talking about, you can learn more about the contest here.
Today we are reviewing Legacy of Brightwash, which was Becky M’s semi-finalist pick for this year’s Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off. You can watch her review here. And you can see the finalist spreadsheet here.
“Follow the law and you’ll stay safe.” But what if the law is wrong?
Tashué’s faith in the law is beginning to crack.
Three years ago, he stood by when the Authority condemned his son, Jason, to the brutality of the Rift for non-compliance. Jason refused to register as tainted, the laws had to be upheld. Tashué had never doubted his job as a Regulation Officer before, but three years of watching your son wither away can break down even the strongest convictions.
Then a dead girl washed up on the bank of the Brightwash, tattooed and mutilated. Where had she come from? Who would tattoo a child? Was it the same person who killed her?
Why was he the only one who cared?
Will Tashué be able to stand against everything he thought he believed in to get the answers he’s looking for?
Our Thoughts
Overall, our judges loved this unique dystopian setting and how the author introduces us to the world, its characters, and politics as the story unfolds. The hook did its job pulling us into the story and the characters differing motivations kept it interesting. The biggest issue we had was how the romance subplot was handled. Our judges thought it was a bit heavy-handed and made some of the characters do things that were, well, out of character. However, if you are a romance fan then this might be your next favorite read!
Amber
Brightwash is interesting but flawed. I do like how the world slowly unfolds instead of there being one big infodump at the start. I also like the main character: a cop doing his best in a dystopian world. My two biggest problems are it feels more sci-fi than fantasy, with people having powers like comic book mutants rather than wielding magic. Also, I was not a fan of the romance and how it was portrayed. It just didn’t work for me. But good setting and story!
Jennie
I really love the world and how the author shows you bits and pieces as you go along. The writing flows very naturally, the pace is good, and the characters have their own voices and motivations, making it really easy to fall into the story. However, I too was not impressed with the way the romance between the main characters played out. It was uncomfortable to read at times and some of their actions in relation to their feelings for each other just didn’t make sense to me. But this is definitely an author to watch as the overall plot and writing is very good!
Julia
I love the world and like the main character, but I didn’t like the “forbidden romance” aspect. This doesn’t make it a bad book, but it just isn’t my cup of tea. The writing is solid, the world intriguing, the characters a bit to stereotypical but good enough to hold my interest. The mystery was hooking, and I liked the different plot bits. I am just not a fan of the “I want her and she takes my breath away, but I can’t have her,” romance subplot.
Kerry
Before I read Legacy, I had read the novella Tainted, which introduced me to the world of Brightwash as well as the characters Tashué and his son Jason. (The events of the novella are touched on in Legacy.) So I was very keen to read this book. I enjoyed the murder/mystery hook at the start. I liked the descriptions of the city, its environs, its people and its politics. Characters were more than memorable; everyone was flawed in some way due to the war that had occurred some years previously. The plot did meander a bit and there were a few chapters where I think another editing would have benefited. Overall though, I really enjoyed this book.
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Our judges are Amber Freeman, Jennie Ivins, Julia Kitvaria Sarene, Kartik Narayanan, Kerry Smith, and Lynn K. If you’d like to learn more about us, including our likes and dislikes, you can read about them here.
Any queries should be directed at me, Jennie Ivins, via DM on Facebook and Twitter.
Julia Kitvaria Sarene