Legend: Volume 1

Marie Lu

Nov 2011 · Legend Book 1 · Sold by Penguin

About this eBook

"Legend doesn't merely survive the hype, it deserves it."

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Young Elites


What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

Full of nonstop action, suspense, and romance, this novel is sure to move readers as much as it thrills.

Ratings and reviews

As an avid reader who has read a lot of books, I felt Legend was poorly written & at times predictable. The alternating viewpoints I have seen dozens of times, & done a lot better. The only motivation the one character has is for the "love" she feels for a boy after looking into his beautiful blue eyes. The two main characters are way too perfect & have no flaws that make them feel relatable. It's overall a huge drag of a book

It was short, somewhat simplistic but enjoyable. Great world, fantastic albeit sort of one dimensional characters but mostly solid storytelling. Far removed from the books I'm used to reading but I kept having reminders that this is a YA novel so it isn't meant for serious complexities. There is really no reason to not enjoy this and I'm looking forward to finishing this series! I wish this could have been an anime instead of a movie.

If you had to choose between what you knew your entire life and what you could know, the decision would take more than what June had to offer. The book ended, and I felt no rush to read Prodigy; therefore the ending was less than favorable. Predictable and yet truly heartwarming. All I could focus on was the safety and well being of the dog. Still an excellent read and an interesting setting, more detail on the exact setup of the sectors or the sector system. Characters are not as lovable as in 'Divergent'.

About the author

New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu (www.marielu.org) graduated from the University of Southern California and jumped into the video game industry, working for Disney Interactive Studios as a Flash artist. Now a full-time writer, she spends her spare time reading, drawing, playing Assassin’s Creed, and getting stuck in traffic. She lives in Los Angeles, California (see above: traffic), with one boyfriend, one Chihuahua mix, and two Pembroke Welsh corgis.