Wednesday 19 September 2012

The Iron Legends - Julie Kagawa


The Iron Legends - Julie Kagawa

Pages: 283
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release Date: 28th August 2012
Edition: US paperback, purchased copy


If you haven’t read all four books in the series, I wouldn’t recommend reading this review as it’s full of spoilers. The same goes for the anthology itself, actually!

Enter the world of the internationally best-selling Iron Fey series.

Dangerous faeries. Heart-breaking romance. Thrilling action and limitless adventure. The world of the fey has never been so powerful. This collection included three novellas set in the world of the Iron Fey plus The Guide to the to the Iron Fey with exclusive information about Julie Kagawa’s unforgettable world of Faery.

WINTER’S PASSAGE
Never make a promise to a faery. They always come to collect. Now Meghan Chase must fulfil her promise to Prince Ash of the Winter Court and embark upon a dangerous journey into the heart of enemy territory – while being pursued by a relentless new foe and guarding her own foolish heart.

SUMMER’S CROSSING
What can turn enemies into reluctant allies? A call from the Exile Queen, Leanansidhe, ties legendary prankster to his arch enemy, Prince Ash, on a journey that made end in betrayal and will set them both on an irreversible path.

IRON PROPHECY
Before she even knew what she would become, Iron Queen Meghan Chase was warned by the oracle that her firstborn child would bring nothing but grief. And even as Meghan and Ash celebrate their long-awaited reunion, the prophecy stirs...

The Iron Fey series is one of my favourites so I knew I had to have this anthology the second I heard about it.

Winter’s Passage comes after the first book in the series and lets us know what sort of mischief and danger Meghan and Ash got into on their way to the Winter Court to fulfil Meghan’s end of the bargain. It was almost odd to be back so early on in Ash and Meghan’s relationship where they were both still unsure of each other and trying to deny their connection. It made me smile when I thought of what was to come for them. The foe that is chasing them in Winter’s Passage is also a familiar face, surprisingly so, as he doesn’t turn up in the main series until The Iron Knight, but it was good to see him again.

The second story, Summer’s Passage, takes place after The Iron Queen, just before Ash and Puck embark on their quest to get Ash a soul so he can be reunited with Meghan in the Iron Realm where she is now the Iron Queen. This story is narrated by Puck and so it was by far the funniest story out of the three and had the most brilliant Shakespearian chapter-headings. I love the dynamic between these two: they just have too much history to completely leave their friendship behind. As well as moments of comedy gold, I also got a glimpse of Puck as a centuries-old and very clever faery you isn’t always above his own nature...

Iron’s Prophecy is the final story in the anthology and took place after the final book in the series. Ash and Meghan are happily ensconced in their life together in the Iron Realm and about to journey to the Winter Court for Meghan’s first Elysium as Queen. Everything doesn’t quite go to plan and Ash, Meghan, Puck and Grim end up on a quest to make Meghan’s most difficult decision yet. I think that this was my favourite story of the three as the gang were back together for the first time in all three stories and I loved seeing more of Ash with a soul. He really is amazing; I want one. Iron’s Prophecy also sets up The Lost Prince perfectly, but I think that the actual novel will come at it from a different angle and may not arise for a while. Alternatively, there’s some serious scope for a trilogy set years in Meghan and Ash’s future after The Call of the Forgotten trilogy...

With the addition of an all-encompassing guide to everything you could possibly want to know about Julie Kagawa’s world of Faery, The Iron Legends is a must read for all fans of this fantastic series. There are also the added bonuses of drawings by Julie Kagawa herself of Grim, Ash and Puck which were absolutely adorable and each story managed to remind me subtly of what had happened prior so that I knew exactly where I was in Meghan’s story.

I relished being back in one of my favourite fictional worlds and I’m now more than ready for The Lost Prince to be released.

I bought my copy of this book from The Book Depository.

Sophie

2 comments:

  1. Love the sound of this one! I kept hearing things about Summer's/Winter's Passage and I felt a bit left out about not having read them. But will definitely have to buy this collection, if only for that last story!

    And yes! NEED The Lost Prince!

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  2. I wasn't a huge fan of the first book, but I am in love with the rest of the series, so I MUST get this! Especially because of the drawings!

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