Title: Dark Legends
Author: Josh Stevens
Publisher:
AuthorHouse
ISBN: 978-1728363011
Genre: Fantasy Action & Adventure / Science Fiction
Pages: 302
Reviewed by: Anthony Avina
Pacific Book Review
The need for a hero is something many of us have held in our hearts over the years. While flocking to fictional heroes is often the way many of us find our heroes, there are many in our own world who have taken up the call to become a hero, whether they wanted to or not. As Arthur Ashe once said, “True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost.”
In author Josh Stevens’s Dark Legends, the author explores a cosmic battle of good versus evil like never before. In a world much like our own, a long and bloody history that saw a young prince possessed by a demonic evil take over his father’s kingdom, only to be slain in battle by that world’s hero takes center stage; as an ancient prophecy spoken by the evil entity predicted the end of the world at the hands of his lineage. Thousands of years later, an intergalactic republic faces a dark ascension as the last of
the evil’s lineage rises, and two friends are torn apart as the solar system the planet inhabits is destroyed. Soon a hero must seek the aid of humanity before the monster destroys the galaxy altogether.
A truly unique and interesting read, this narrative does an incredible job of escalating the tension and stakes of the novel early on in the read. The writing is great, with the mythology the author has crafted evolving from a classic fantasy-driven story of kings and princes and evil demons, into a high-octane sci-fi drama of other worlds, galactic republics and space pirates galore. Yet it is the theme of family and good versus evil that really ties the narrative together, as well as the bond between the characters, the protagonist and antagonist included. The story and mythology of this universe the author has crafted gains the reader’s attention thoroughly.
This is the perfect read for those that enjoy fantasy and sci-fi driven narratives, especially those which ingrain themes of good versus evil, heroism and storylines that employ classic “fate of the universe” elements into the narrative. As a longtime fan of this genre, it was easy to get invested in the protagonist’s and antagonist’s narratives, as their relationship over time evolves and grows out of myth and legend.
A masterful, exciting and thrilling science fiction and fantasy driven narrative, author Josh Stevens’s Dark Legends is a must-read novel and the perfect beach or summer getaway book for fans of the genres. Even pacing and a strong background give this novel a strong leg to stand on, and an action-packed finale makes this a perfect story.
