A gay aspiring archeologist teen pairs up with his estranged father to hunt down a piece of queer history in this action-packed, empowering adventure.
Seventeen-year-old Tennessee "Tenny" Russo hasn't seen or spoken to his reality TV star/archeologist father, Henry, in the two years since their last dig, when they argued about who should have ownership of the artifacts they discover. Tenny believes they should remain in their native country, while his dad is adamant they should go to the highest bidder. But when Henry shows up with a proposal for a new adventure in Greece, searching for the potentially magical rings of the Sacred Band of Thebes--"an army of three-hundred men, one-hundred-and-fifty queer couples that formed around 379 BCE"--Tenny agrees. Finding the rings won't be an easy task, though: hidden temples, traps, and puzzles await them, as well as a paramilitary group that wants to use the rings to make super-soldiers.
Lion's Legacy by L.C. Rosen (Camp) is a heart-pumping adventure filled with tributes to queer history and community as well as thoughtful discussions about the ethics of archeology ("How can people get money if you keep stealing what should be theirs from them?"). This series opener is reminiscent of an Indiana Jones caper, with its near-death escapes, almost impossible puzzles, and dangerous bad guys. Rosen elevates his version with deft discussions about straight-washing, and encourages LGBTQ+ people to "take back our history" and "control the story." Rosen delivers a mesmerizing mix of adrenaline-inducing escapades and queer legacy. --Lana Barnes, freelance reviewer and proofreader