The acclaimed, epic, and spellbinding fantasy by Hugo Award-winning author Matt Wallace, about a utopian city with a dark secret…and the underdogs who will expose it, or die trying. They call them Savages. Brutal. Efficient. Expendable. The empire relies on them. The Savages are the greatest weapon they ever developed. Culled from the streets of their cities, they take the ones no one will … take the ones no one will miss and throw them, by the thousands, at the empire’s enemies. If they live, they fight again. If they die, there are always more to take their place.
Evie is not a Savage. She’s a warrior with a mission: to find the man she once loved, the man who holds the key to exposing the secret of the Savage Legion and ending the mass conscription of the empire’s poor and wretched.
But to find him, she must become one of them, to be marked in her blood, to fight in their wars, and to find her purpose. Evie will die a Savage if she has to, but not before showing the world who she really is and what the Savage Legion can really do.
This remarkable and captivating fantasy will take you on a journey into the heart of brutal battles, dire situations, and odds that seem too high to overcome.
more
Savage Legion
Savage Rebellion #1
By: Matt Wallace
Narrated by: Lameece Issaq
This is an epic adventure with three strong women characters, each with a different strength. One is a warrior that is pretending to be just a common street person that got caught up with everyone else that is used as battle fodder. She is to save a guy she knows and once loved but know is married to someone very important. Someone she promised to return him to. The other woman is disabled. She lives by her brains and wit.
All three are important in this story and I can’t wait for the next book. There is a lot of violence, gore, corruption, cruelty, and injustice. I think these women hold the key to change.
I had a bit of trouble getting started in the book but then it just opened up and flew! I felt like I was there at times. I was anger, mad, sad, and worried. There is enough suspense to keep me up tight for sure!
The narrator was really good! No complaints there.
I knew I was going to like it but I never expected to get sucked into it. I could not put this book down. I usually don’t read books like this but I definitely want to now.
From the moment I saw the cover I was interested. I’ve always found that covers give insight to the book. This book cover was very interesting and im glad I read this book.
I love how this book switches between three different perspectives. The three main women all have different lives that help establish the story and develop the plot. It was a very wnjoyable read and I cant wait to read more by this author. I definitely recommend this book!
The country of Crache is, on one side of the coin, a successful and productive society. Flip the coin and there is rot, corruption and cruelty. Groups of people called Gens exist like specialized businesses to produce goods or provide services essential to Crache’s function. When Lexi’s husband Brio vanishes, and the government tries to shut down their Gen, she must stand up for her Gen and search for her husband. Evie is tasked with finding Brio and infiltrates an involuntarily conscripted army, the Savage Legion, sourced from the poorest most downtrodden citizens. Dyeawan, a brilliant disabled girl, arrested for begging, is pulled from a squalid dungeon to join the Planning Cadre, the brains behind Crache.
Savage Legion is skillfully crafted, well-written and has great world-building. The characters are complex and grow throughout the story. There are non-binary, queer and differently-abled characters. I really enjoyed and appreciated this book. It says so much about society and the treatment of those who are considered “lesser”. Savage Lesion is a must read for the issues it raises and for sheer entertainment value. The sequel cannot come soon enough.
Crache is an empire that, with the help of numerous Gens, appears to work towards the betterment of everyone, holding dear the idea that wealth and power should not be inherited. Crache also holds an awful secret, one that seems to contradict the entire belief system upon which Crache is built. It appears as though people from the Bottoms, an area populated by the poorest and most destitute residents of Capitol City in Crache, are disappearing, never to be seen again. Rumor has it Crache is using the Bottoms and its residents to man the Savage Legion. The Savage Legion happens to be one of Crache’s best weapons against its enemies, comprised of criminals and killers; throw enough bodies, also known as Savages, at your enemy and some of them will die, and if anything happens to the Savages, well, you can just get more. Evie is a new member of the Savage Legion, but she is not a Savage, she is a tough warrior sent to find one man, a man who holds the key to the truth about the Savage Legion, the only man who can help the citizens of the Bottoms.
Savage Legion is an action-packed page-turner that makes me unhappy that I need to wait for the next novel in the trilogy to find out more about the characters and about what will happen in Crache. The action of the novel is seen through the eyes of multiple characters, giving detailed glimpses into their lives and their motivations. I adore the characters; their strength, their courage, and the sacrifices they make for what is right and good. I also absolutely love the fact that this is a novel full of strong female characters and that these women, using their various strengths, make massive waves within the status quo of Crache. There are so many unique characters–my personal favorite is Taru, an Undeclared retainer–and they make for an enjoyable novel. Wallace’s descriptions of the fight scenes are solid; they aren’t overly graphic, but the descriptive language paints a clear picture of the events, especially the fight scenes. Along with some remarkable characters and descriptions, there are many relevant themes and pertinent messages in Savage Legion, such as the power of money and status, what desperation can lead to, and the strength of many against their oppressors. I can’t wait to further explore these topics as the trilogy continues, and I’m excited to see what becomes of the characters as well.
I highly recommend The Savage Legion by Matt Wallace; between the characters, the action and the narrative itself, The Savage Legion was a wild adventure. Thank you to Matt Wallace, Saga Press, and BookishFirst for sending me a finished copy of The Savage Legion, given in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The world building was amazing and complex this book is very well written. The female characters could use some deeper development but the book is still excellent. However, the development of the female characters would really enhance this book by making it easier to connect and become invested in them. The flow of the story is excellent and kept my attention from start to finish. I definitely recommend this one.
I received this book from NetGalley and Gallery Books for an honest review.
#SavageLegion
#NetGalley