Phantom's Legacy by Lucilla Epps Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Phantom's Legacy
Book Review: A Touching "Legacy"...
Summary: 5 Stars
I found this to be one of the best of the current crop of "Phantom" sequels; it covers the life of Erik, the 'Phantom' as he escapes the chaos of the Great Disaster and seeks fulfillment and peace in his troubled life.
This is NOT a "bodice-ripper"! Lucilla Epps has taken the story of Erik and tastefully written him as a real man, with strengths and faults, humor and sadness. I really enjoyed the roles of Madame and Meg Giry in the continuing tale, and even Carlotta has a part (though NOT the lead...). A real surprise is the resolution of the rivalry between Raoul and Erik--but I give too much away...
Play a concerto, light some candles, pour a glass of wine, and immerse yourself in this excellent first novel--I don't think you'll be disappointed!
Bevan Auby
Book Review: A eloquent addition to the Phantom's story
Summary: 5 Stars
I'll admit it. The only thing I know about the Phantom is from what I caught from one time that I watched the movie over at a friend's house. Well, I guess thats until I finished this book. I like the addition to the story, that was seemingly missing from the musical. But what I really liked about the book was that it didnt lose those people who are not obsessed with the Phantom, Christine, and Meg. I think there was such development in this book that I personally believed was lacking from the movie! A good read for rainy weather, or a great beach read! This would be great if adapted into a screen version.Book Review: Avoid This If You're a Phantom Fan
Summary: 1 Stars
Boring. Very boring. Starts out simplistic and stays that way. The reader is presented with a gutless, totally emasculated Phantom. Gone is the dark assassin, the mysterious musical genius, the note-writing prankster, the romantic ventriloquist. Once again, women lead Erik around by his nose, and this time it's Meg and a stolen daughter. Even Gerard Butler would cringe at this one. And I was anxious to read this novel, as the author has written some very unkind remarks about other Phantom novelists. I thought: surely this will be a masterpiece of plot and insightful character portrayal. Not. The story skims the surface of life, with the Phantom doing this and the Phantom's associates doing that. As in a diary, no one character has more than one dimension at any time.
The occasional convoluted sentence and odd punctuation, the obvious crush on a feminized version of Butler, didn't bother this reader as much as the constant inconsistencies - "a careworn face that exudes kindness." Picture that if you can, (it boggles the mind.) Are the eyes exuding kindness? The mouth? Descriptive dilemmas aside, add that there is no evolution of any character's soul through the experience of pain, no mental accounting. At one point, Erik says, "I have never intentionally hurt a woman and would not start now." So, what were the torrents of demands issued through the theater walls by the Angel of Music to Christine? Daily, the angel commanded her to practice her voice lessons, be earnestly faithful, and never leave the theater! The horrific revelation of the monster's face did not cause even a minor moment of alarm in Christine? To say nothing of the experience of actually being abducted and dragged into the caverns? All these momentous life-changing events are whitewashed away by the author. Erik doesn't hurt women, right.
He uses them. The strongest scene in the book occurs in the first chapters. Just as he leaves the burning theater of the 2004 movie, the insipid Phantom unabashedly picks up an infant birthed in the street, one still lying in its birth liquids. Incredibly, without so much as a look around for its mother (who could be suffering ten yards away), and without a care towards disease, this suddenly feminized male takes the blood soaked child and claims it as his own - as a means to effect an escape from Paris.
Ok, so the Phantom has no moral conscience to speak of...good point there, but then what was the decision to live out his adult life as a virgin all about? Is this story a moral platitude to Catholic fifth graders? If so, it fails because he stole a baby! This is so typical, once again the double message about morality. "Do as I say, not as I do." No wonder children's ethics are conflicted (and the author freely admits that she writes this for young readers.) If she's going to critique other novelists, she might start with her own work and tidy up. Perhaps, by at least admitting that it takes money, time, and effort to publish a book. Since she went through the process herself, good manners would dictate that she (at minimum) applaud that feat in others.
Book Review: Big Disappointment
Summary: 1 Stars
Look elsewhere for a Phantom continuation story. This book is poorly written and goes on way to long. Not a satisfying story.Book Review: Dreadful
Summary: 1 Stars
I started out reading this book with high hopes that were soon dashed with the events that hurtled too rapidly on. Ms. Epps may criticize some novels that span only a few years but I have read much richer and engrossing tales that span a mere ten years in 1,000 pages. It is not the length of the novel however that makes the book. It is content and this book is sorely lacking in that content which in my opinion makes a good novel. It is too fast, does not contain enough dialogue, and seemed to serve only the purpose of rushing us past the 45 years between the opera house burning and Raoul visiting Christine's grave. By at the end of the novel you really don't care by that point what the heck happened...you just want to wade out of the melodrama that is this book. I really cannot recommend this book to anyone.