Legacy Lost (Of Poseidon #0.5) by Anna Banks - Ashley's Review

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Title: Legacy Lost
Author: Anna Banks
Year Published: 2012

Synopsis: He is a mer-prince, she is the mermaid princess that his family orders him to marry so that their kingdoms unite. Grom dreads this arrangement, until he meets Nalia — both beautiful and smart, she's everything he ever wanted. But just when their connection grows deeper, tragedy strikes.

Legacy Lost is a prequel story to Anna Banks' debut novel, Of Poseidon.

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Review: As I was reading Of Poseidon, I kept finding myself wondering about Nalia. What was she like before the mines? What was her and Grom's relationship like? Were they friends from childhood? How did Grom survive the mines when Nalia didn't? And then I discovered this short story, and I was so excited that I might get the answers to most, or all, of my questions! 

I really enjoyed getting to know Nalia and Grom, and seeing more of the Syrena world. Since most of Of Poseidon takes place among the humans, we only get small glimpses into the world of the Syrena. In this story though, we get to see much more of the politics and why they act the way they do. Even though it's a short story, the world building is actually really great and answered questions I didn't even know I had. 

It was also really interesting to see what Nalia was like. She definitely reminds me of someone else, and I think reading Of Poseidon first made this story that much better. Grom also reminds me a lot of Galen, and it's really neat to see what he was like before the tragedy and before his two younger siblings came around. He's definitely a totally different person, and I wish he still had some of that spunk. Or at least showed it a little more.

Although this can definitely be read before, as a prequel and a glimpse into the world, reading it after Of Poseidon gives more depth to both stories. If you've read and enjoyed any of the books in the Of Poseidon series, I highly recommend this story! If you haven't started the series yet, this could definitely be a good place to get your feet wet. There's love and loss and a fantasy world. Plus, you can read it free online (at the Tor.com link above)! A 4/5 on this little story! 

--Ashley