Warrior of Legend (Heromaker #2)
Kendare Blake
Quill Tree Books
Published October 29, 2024
Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads
About Warrior of Legend
Reed is officially a member of the immortal order of the Aristene. She even has a new name: Machianthe. It’s everything she’s ever dreamed of—so why isn’t she happy?
Maybe it’s because every hero she helps can only find glory at the cost of their life. Or maybe it’s because she can’t stop thinking about the prince she left behind.
Now Reed looks for any opportunity to help with low-risk hero’s trials. And a princess looking for a glorious marriage? Nothing could be less dangerous. But Hestion is one of the suitors, and while Reed is occupied trying to win him back, an old danger is gaining strength.
To battle the growing threat, the Aristene must band together, but the order has never been more divided. Will Reed be able to survive this war with her chosen family and her heart intact?
My Review
Is this still the conclusion of a duology? The author’s webpage and a question answered on Goodreads state that Warrior of Legend concludes the Heromaker duology, but it doesn’t feel like a series conclusion to me. To me it reads more like a middle book in a trilogy.
At any rate, this is the second book in the Heromaker series. I wasn’t sure where the story was heading at first. The cover copy is a little vague, and it took a while for the momentum of the story to build. Somewhere around the halfway point, I felt it pick up speed, and I started to see how all the threads of the plotlines connected.
Warrior of Legend follows several different points of view. I think it’s mainly Reed, Hestion, and Lyonene, with a few scenes from other perspectives sprinkled into the narrative. The cast of characters is large, and I occasionally got some of the Aristene characters mixed up. Two women are in a romantic relationship with one another, so there’s some queer rep. I like all the major characters, though. Hestion’s reentry into the story isn’t great. I guess his behavior makes sense, but it’s a low point, for sure.
If this is a series conclusion, I think it ends in a weird place. None of the main characters’ stories are completed. The closest is Lyonene’s. She has a moment where she sees the future unfold before her and accepts what will happen. Both Reed and Hestion end the book in very unfinished states.
The books have a Greek myth type of feel. The Aristenes are an order of women warriors who help heroes achieve glory in service to their goddess. If you enjoy fantasy in that vein, these books will be worth checking out.
Content Notes
Recommended for Ages 14 up.
Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used infrequently.
Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing and references to sex. Scenes show characters in bed together but skip over the details of sexual encounters.
Spiritual Content
Reed and the other members of the Aristenes serve the goddess of glory. A prophet of all gods was murdered before the story begins. The prophet’s bones have been used to corrupt people and turn them into monsters. The Aristenes each have some magical ability. They can summon armor that appears on their bodies. They can see golden threads of glory that indicate their goddess at work. The glorious death of a hero brings strength and honor to the goddess.
Violent Content
Lots of battle scenes and descriptions of battle. In one scene, a boy kisses a girl against her will.
Drug Content
Several scenes show celebratory drinking. A few characters get drunk and say or do things they regret later. One character has a drinking problem at the start of the story.
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