Book Review: Heir by Sabaa Tahir

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

Heir by Sabaa Tahir

Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult

Series: Book 1 of Heir

Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers (October 1, 2024)

Length: 484 pages

Author Information: Website

Sabaa Tahir’s Heir is a return to the vivid but unforgiving world that she first introduced in An Ember in the Ashes, but I wouldn’t worry too much if you’re not caught up. It’s been years since I’ve read the first book myself, and I never even got a chance to complete the series, yet I had no problems jumping right back in. Taking place roughly two decades after the events of the original quartet, this opening to a new duology features a few familiar characters and settings but also introduces plenty of fresh faces and expanded lore.

This story unfolds predominantly through three main perspectives: Aiz, Sirsha, and Quil.

Aiz is a hardened young woman born in the slums of Kegari, determined to avenge her people who have long suffered under the cruel treatment of Tiral, a bloodthirsty fleet commander from the ruling class. Using her magical abilities as a windsmith, Aiz has survived countless threats to her life but is nonetheless left heartbroken and bitter when her childhood friend Cero, who has more control over his wind powers, leaves her to become a pilot. After being imprisoned by the authorities, Aiz discovers a new cause in helping other innocents who have been captured and tortured, believing that the divine Mother Div will guide her in her mission.

Sirsha is another character with magical powers and secrets aplenty. Cast out by her own people, she is a tracker who can find people and things by sensing magic—though this isn’t a skill she likes to advertise. When she is tasked to hunt down a murderer targeting children, Sirsha takes the contract thinking it would be a straightforward job.  However, as she learns more about her employer, the victims, and the killer, she begins to realize that the real cost of taking on this mission may be far higher than she expected.

Finally, there’s Quil, whose background could not be more different than the others. Chosen to be the heir of the Martial Empire by his aunt, the Empress Helena, Quil reluctantly takes on the duties required of him, even if it means being roped into an arranged marriage. But before those plans could come to fruition, the heart of the throne comes under attack by a new threat, forcing Quil and his friends to flee in order to ensure the survival of the empire.

For a character-driven novel like Heir, it comes as no surprise that one of its greatest strengths is its protagonists. As I recall, Sabaa Tahir’s characterization in An Ember in the Ashes was superb as well, and it appears her skills have only improved. Of course, like any multi-POV story I had my favorites that I liked to follow, but I think it’s fair to say each one was well written and compelling. The voices o Aiz, Sirscha, and Quil were also sufficiently different enough that they each stood out for their own reasons, making transitions between their chapters easy, painless, and so much less confusing than it could have been.

And although it’s been quite a while, I enjoyed returning to this setting which features light influences from Middle Eastern as well as Asian cultures. Heir does a good job expanding it beyond what readers have already seen, immersing us deeper into the richness of the world’s magic systems, traditions, and religions. By telling this story through the eyes of individuals from across distinct social divides, we’re also able to experience so much more, from the physical descriptions of their unique surroundings to the fascinating interactions they have with the local people and their customs.

That said, this was a relatively long book, and in terms of storytelling, pacing suffered a little from a few sluggish parts in the middle and second half—as one would probably expect from an almost 500-page novel that’s trying to constantly throw out information at you while juggling three viewpoints. It took a while for everything to come together, and you also had a few interruptions to overall flow as POVs would change in the middle of the action. Still, once the story got going, its momentum was stronger than not. Knowing that Heir is the first half of a duology also prepared me well enough for the inevitable cliffhanger, which was softened despite its suddenness, and I’m left mostly with curiosity at what will come next.

For me, Heir was ultimately an intriguing return to a familiar world, but I think readers jumping into it for the first time will also find it completely accessible. The scope of the story is big but not too daunting, characters are unique but relatable, and world-building is straightforward but also layered and substantial. It’s a must-read for fans of An Ember in the Ashes, obviously, but also a highly readable novel that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys fantasy with strong YA and adult fiction crossover appeal.