Heir Review (Heir, #1)

Hello, all!

I haven't been picking up a lot of YA fantasy lately, but sometimes I get a craving, and Heir by Sabaa Tahir hit the spot.

Pub Date: 10-1-24
YA - Fantasy

Aiz is an orphan from the Kegari slums. She's known hardships her entire life and longs for a time when her people will be free and safe. But when she allows her temper to flare and her quest for vengeance is compromised, Aiz finds herself locked in prison. Instead of letting that dim her fire, Aiz's wrath steadily burns into a raging inferno, aided by a shadowy figure claiming to be the holy cleric of her land, who helps Aiz escape but asks for much in return.

Sirsha is a tracker banished from her land and uses magic to find her marks. When she's given a job to track a dangerous murderer across the Martial lands, she crosses paths with Quil, crown prince of the Empire, fleeing from an attack. Despite not trusting the other, the pair reluctantly agree to work together. All Sirsha wants to do is work the job and get paid, but she soon finds her fate linked with Quil. Quil has always hesitated to take the throne, but when he faces the evil threatening his people, he knows he must push his concerns away for the greater good. Aiz, Sirsha, and Quil come from different worlds, but their journeys bring them together in a way that may have devastating consequences for all.

I was nervous when I started reading this as I haven't read Tahir's An Ember in the Ashes series, so seeing some of the characters cross over made me think there might be key elements I'd miss. While those characters did play a role, they were more secondary, so I was worried for nothing. All three of our MCs were so engaging to follow. I did enjoy Sirsha and Quil's POVs slightly more because I wasn't sure how they'd play out, and I had figured out Aiz's character arc from the jump. There's a lot of lore and political intrigue woven throughout, and I thought Tahir did a nice job making it feel seamless and not bogged down. Everything was well-paced, and I never felt bored or like the story dragged. I can't wait for the next book because I'm so invested and need to know how everything will wrap up.

Rating: 4.5/5