The Sydney Taylor Shmooze

Lion's Legacy by L.C. Rosen Union Square & Co., 2023 Category: Young Adult Reviewer: Heidi Rabinowitz Buy at Bookshop.org Tennessee Russo is a young adventurer, sharing Indiana Jones style quests with his archaeologist father and filming their expeditions for a reality show. When he realizes that his dad's methods are not entirely ethical, the pair argue and Ten goes to live with his mom. Two years later, dad returns and convinces Ten to join him in a quest for the legendary (fictional) Rings of the (real) Sacred Band of Thebes, an ancient Greek army made up of pairs of male lovers. Proudly gay Ten is eager to reclaim queer history and share it with the world. Dad, Ten, and translator/love interest Leo face danger and magic in their search for the Rings, and mend family hurts along the way. L.C. Rosen states in an opening author's note that his purpose is to challenge the erasure of queer history that happens so often. He successfully achieves that goal, with a highly e