Legacy of the Brightwash (Tainted Dominion #1) by Krystle Matar (Book Tour)

Rating: 10/10

Synopsis:

Follow the law and you’ll stay safe. But what if the law is wrong?

Tashué’s faith in the law is beginning to crack.

Three years ago, he stood by when the Authority condemned Jason to the brutality of the Rift for non-compliance. When Tashué’s son refused to register as tainted, the laws had to be upheld. He’d never doubted his job as a Regulation Officer before, but three years of watching your son wither away can break down even the strongest convictions.

Then a dead girl washed up on the bank of the Brightwash, tattooed and mutilated. Where had she come from? Who would tattoo a child? Was it the same person who killed her?

Why was he the only one who cared?

Will Tashué be able to stand against everything he thought he believed in to get the answers he’s looking for?

Review

Legacy of the Brightwash is a….*drumroll* masterpiece! Epic conflicts sway over the politics of an infernal racial and caste style system that plagues the world of the Brightwash. Gruesome stabbings that remind me of Carnival Row. Steaming erotic scenes that are really well written. Excellent characterisation. A novel like this takes some time to read. It is a slow read. It is a monumental bible. It is a story of lore, of tales, of missing memories. In fact I would recall this entire novel as a collection of memories from a certain viewpoint. I have read from Luke Tarzian’s interview who is an excellent blogger, that Krystal used to write erotic fanfiction. Okay that’s wonderful. Because it effectively translates into some of the best sex scenes I’ve seen in a fantasy novel. And it makes me a little envious that Tashue’s getting more action…if you know what I mean 😉

It’s a fascinating interview. Now moving onwards, this is a mess. A hot, heavy, erotic mess of a fantastic story that is set in an oppressive society. And Tashue Blackwood has to navigate the complexities of this novel. He is basically the most broken man you can ever have working under a corrupt organisation but is restricted by his ability to do anything but be a lap-dog to powerful people. The man’s a failure in many aspects. He’s done things he’s not proud off. This novel in a way for him is a central arc of his self-realisation. Perhaps to lead the people to revolt? Perhaps to confront his son Jason? To bring back his broken family? These questions will linger when you read this novel. The descriptions are on fire. The dialogue is awesome. The one thing I ship is Tashue and Stella. Those two were made for each other and have the most erotic scenes together. I am envious of Tashue. Very. Envious.

I don’t wish to spoil this novel. It is an epic book. It has multiple story arcs. Multiple spanning characters each with their own motives and agendas. Some criticism I have is that it was slow paced in some particular areas. Characters like Illea should have had more of a presence in my opinion. She is in my opinion, a Kingmaker. The Queen wasn’t shown as much as I would have liked. The Authority is a powerful organisation but it is run by people that quite frankly are stupid to base their entire ideology on the idea of race. I’d have liked to have seen two or three characters that were against this entire notion of tainted vs non-tainted. I would have liked to seen more academics protesting and debates within the Government to see this problem and debate it. Because the WHOLE idea of the tainted and the non-tainted is the crux of this novel that goes back all to Tashue Blackwood. I tell you this.

Everything that happens in this novel, everything that focuses on the memories of conflicts, that Tashue did. It all goes back to him. There are characters with greediness abound, characters that don’t care for children. The theme of parenting is strong in this novel. Very strong. I loved Stella’s daughter, Ceridwen. Something tells me she’s going to become a very strong lady one day with her own opinions and she’ll surpass both Tashue and Stella. However, I felt a overwhelming sadness for Lorne and Jason. They were great characters forcing Tashue to always confont his past. And Ishmael? The dude has more pockets in the corridors of power than he lets on. He’s like a High Elven aristocrat that is a hidden figure. I’m sure he’s very sneaky.

There are so many characters and plots I haven’t mentioned yet. All I’ll say this is a terrific novel. A fantastic read. And you’re in for a great journey.

I ship Stella and Tashue and want them to get married.

Thats it.

10/10 from me.

Here is Luke’s blog: https://luketarzian.com/2021/03/11/an-interview-krystle-matar-author-of-legacy-of-the-brightwash/