REVIEW: Heir

By Denise @ Life With No Plot on October 7, 2024 • ( 2 )

About the Book

Title: Heir

Author: Sabaa Tahir

Series: Heir #1

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 484

Release Date: October 1, 2024

Edition Read: NetGalley ARC

Dates Read: July 1-12, 2024

Blurb: An orphan.
An outcast.
A prince.

And a killer who will bring an empire to its knees.

Growing up in the Kegari slums, AIZ has seen her share of suffering. An old tragedy fuels her need for vengeance, but it is love of her people that propels her. Until one hotheaded mistake lands her in an inescapable prison, where the embers of her wrath ignite.

Banished from her people for an unforgivable crime, SIRSHA is a down-on-her-luck tracker who uses magic to trace her marks. Destitute, she agrees to hunt down a killer who has murdered children across the Martial Empire. All she has to do is carry out the job and get paid. But when a chance encounter leads to an unexpected attraction, Sirsha learns her mission might cost her far more than she’s willing to give up.

QUIL is the crown prince of the Empire and nephew of a venerated empress, but he’s loath to take the throne when his aunt steps down. As the son of a reviled emperor, he, better than anyone, understands that power corrupts. When a vicious new enemy threatens the survival of the Empire, Quil must ask himself if he can rise above his tragic lineage and be the heir his people need.

Beloved storyteller Sabaa Tahir interweaves the lives of three young people as they grapple with power, treachery, love, and the devastating consequences of unchecked greed, on a journey that may cost them their lives―and their hearts. Literally.

Review

I was so excited to get this book from NetGalley and I’ve waited months to talk about it. To say it was good is a huge understatement. I loved this book so much!

You all know that I enjoyed An Ember in the Ashes. This book is set in the same world and we do encounter some of the main characters briefly (Laia, Elias, Helene), this could very easily be read as a standalone. Except that it’s the beginning of a duology in which I need the second book NOW.

I absolutely loved our three main characters, but I mostly loved the two female leads. Don’t get me wrong, Quil was a wonderful character as well and I really enjoyed how he had such an inner conflict as to his status and place in the power structure of this realm. But Aiz and Sirsha – I do love some kick ass heroines, especially morally gray ones. We first meet Aiz when she is literally trying to kill someone! Yes, he deserves it, but still! I also really loved Sirsha’s backstory and her amazing tracker abilities. Her growing relationship with Quil was also very sweet, as neither one of them are particularly good at trusting people.

It was just so nice to sink back into this world again. Sabaa Tahir is an amazing writer and her world building, magic, characterizations, etc. are always so brilliant. This is a duology, according to GoodReads, but there is currently no information about a second book and when it might be released. Which is sad, because the ending of this one felt very ambiguous and I really need to know more.

GoodReads rating: 5 stars