The Corean Chronicles
Legacies
One of the towering creators of contemporary fantasy fiction takes us to a new land of wonders. The Corean Chronicles begin with Legacies, a grand new fantasy novel in which L. E. Modesitt, Jr., author of the bestselling Recluce fantasy series and the popular Spellsong Cycle, opens the door into a marvelous new world.
Millennia ago, a magical disaster caused the fall of a great worldwide civilization, then end of a golden age. New civilizations have fought their way up from the ancient descruction and chaos, knowing little of the lost world that preceded them or the details of its fall. Corus today is a world of contending countries and people, and also of strange animals and supernatural creatures. It is a place of magical powers, and of a few people who are Talented enough to use them. Alucius, the hero of the story is one.
Born into a successful herder family, son of a father who was killed in action while serving in the militia, Alucius is raised on the family Nightsleep ranch by his mother and grandparents, and schooled at home. He shows very strong Talent even as a child and is warned gravely that he must never reveal this, lest he spend his life in servitude to some rich and powerful person. But as he grows to young manhood, Alucius must serve in the Militia like his father before him. When his country is invaded by the slave armies of the Matrial, immortal ruler of neighboring Madrien, Alucius is captured and enslaved.
A time of changes has come upon the world of Corus. If the evil surrounding the Matrial is not ended, those changes will not be happy ones. Gradually, Alucius realizes that he and his Talent have a central role to play.
From the ARC:
With Legacies, L. E. Modesitt, Jr. launches the Corean Chronicles and a whole new fantasy world. Corus is a world of humans, but also of strange animals and supernatural creatures. It is a world of magical powers, and of a few people who are Talented enough to use them.
Born into a successful herder family, Alucius is raised ona Nightsheep ranch by his grandparents and mother. He shows a very strong Talent as a child, and is warned gravely that he must never reveal this, lest he spend his life in servitude to some rich and powerful person.
When he grows to young manhood, the country is invaded by slave armies of the Matrial, the immortal ruler of neighboring Madrien, and Alucius is captured and enslaved. A time of change has come upon the world of Corus, and Alucius gradually realizes that he, and his Talent, have a central role to play.
Praise for Legacies
"Offers us strong characters, a brand-new world with its own subset of peoples, magical beings, and beasties."
— SFRevu.com
"L. E. Modesitt, Jr. uses his fabulous world-building skills to introduce a new fantasy world of ancient magic... Strange creatures or supernatural beasts are glimpsed but not yet explained... An intriguing study in contrasts with its elements of Talented vs. normal, female vs. male leadership, prosperity vs. poverty."
— Romantic Times BookClub Magazine
"Solidly engrossing...with a robust and consistent backdrop; a satisfyingly self-contained inagural volume that skillfully sets up the sequels."
—Kirkus Reviews