A Song of Legends Lost

A SONG OF REBELLION. A SONG OF WAR. A SONG OF LEGENDS LOST.

In the Nine Lands, only those of noble blood can summon the spirits of their ancestors to fight in battle. But when Temi, a commoner from the slums, accidentally invokes a powerful spirit, she finds it could hold the key to ending a centuries-long war.

But not everything that can be invoked is an ancestor. And some of the spirits that can be drawn from the ancestral realm are more dangerous than anyone can imagine.

A relentlessly gripping tale of revenge and rebellion, A Song of Legends Lost is an unmissable debut from a major new voice in epic fantasy, perfect for fans of John Gwynne, Anthony Ryan and Evan Winter

Review

A Song of Legends Lost is a relentlessly gripping, glorious epic fantasy - the exhilarating must-read fantasy debut of 2025 -- Tasha Suri, author of THE JASMINE THRONE

A truly excellent debut, with a genuinely fascinating magic system, engaging characters and deep worldbuilding. A fantastic read -- James Islington, author of THE SHADOW OF WHAT WAS LOST

A Song of Legends Lost is stunning and vividly told, an incredible blend of tech and magic in a world where the characters are rediscovering the truth. It is impossible not to be swept away, to yearn as hard as the characters do, to feel both dread and joy as the events unfold. Ayinde is a master storyteller, and readers are in good hands from the very first pages to the very last -- Andrea Stewart, SUNDAY TIMES bestselling author of THE BONE SHARD DAUGHTER

An epic tale of conflict, betrayal, and intrigue . . . M. H. Ayinde weaves a rich and engrossing story through a unique and fascinating world -- Anthony Ryan, author of BLOOD SONG

Every now and then I read a book that reminds me why I fell in love with fantasy. A Song of Legends Lost is such a book! Ayinde has crafted a masterpiece bursting with imagination, feeling, and just sheer awesomeness. I had a ton of fun reading this and I know readers will too -- Tobi Ogundiran, Locus Award nominated author of JACKAL, JACKAL

A sprawling tale brimming with mysteries that elide the tantalizing truth of its fantastic world . . . M. H. Ayinde's debut promises grand revelations, cutthroat intrigue and desperate conflict, all in service of an ending fated tobe as satisfying and definitive as the pressing in place of the final piece of an elaborate puzzle -- Evan Winter, author of THE RAGE OF DRAGONS

Intricate and imaginative, A Song of Legends Lost is a masterpiece of storytelling, where every secret begets a deeper, more pressing mystery. Ayinde's world is both ancient and new, satisfying but moreish, poisonous yet oh so delicious - a book fulfilling wishes you never knew you'd made -- Devin Madson, author of WE RIDE THE STORM

M.H. Ayinde has layered a cast of instantly-compelling characters and a gripping plot over a setting that blends fantasy and sci-fi in fascinating ways -- Nicholas Eames, author of KINGS OF THE WYLD

About the Author

M. H. Ayinde was born in London's East End. Her short fiction has been published in FIYAH Literary Magazine, Omenana, Beneath Ceaseless Skies and elsewhere, and she was the 2021 winner of the Future Worlds Prize. She is a runner, a lapsed martial artist and a screen time enthusiast. Modupe lives in London with three generations of her family and their Studio Ghibli obsession.