The Dragon Heir (The Heir Chronicles, #3)

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The Dragon Heir (The Heir Chronicles #3)

by Cinda Williams Chima (Goodreads Author)

4.14 of 5 stars 4.14 · rating details · 12,175 ratings · 676 reviews

The covenant that was meant to keep the wizard wars at bay has been stolen, and the sanctuary of Trinity must prepare for attack. Seph monitors the Weirwalls, while Jack and Ellen train their army of ghosts to face an onslaught of wizards. Even Anaweir Will and Fitch are setting traps around the town's perimeter. To Jason Haley, it feels as though everyone but him has a ro...more

Hardcover, 499 pages

Published August 12th 2008 by Disney-Hyperion

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Apr 28, 2009 Teri rated it 3 of 5 stars

I just can't rate this book as highly as the first 2 which is a bummer as it's the conclusion. The two main characters were soooooo whiny I felt like I was reading Harry Potter #5. Then it seemed like the author had to go somewhere so she just tied up the end real quick. . . "and he died and she lived and the other two lived happily ever after, the end"

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Nov 09, 2008 Afton Nelson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

A great finish to the "Heir" Trilogy. I had a few issues with some of the characters in the story.

SPOILERS***

Linda and Leander's brief stint in this book was annoying. Why couldn't they come back and help in the battle? Bring a few weapons from the castle's stash? Could they buy a cell phone and call to check in? The Trinity Weir people were in desperate need all the while Linda and Leander hang out in a castle and have basically no part in this book.

I was confused about the dragon/lady. Was s...more

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Jan 22, 2011 Wealhtheow rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, ya

Magic is real, and the people who use it are dicks.

Wizards have been engaged in a bloody battle for supremacy for generations, and they don't care who they destroy in the process. In The Warrior Heir, young Jack finds out that he has magic and that the wizards plan to use him as a pawn in their latest scheme. With help from the few wizard rebels, he manages to badly damage the wizards' power over the other magic guilds. In the second book, The Wizard Heir, the growing band of rebels continue th...more Magic is real, and the people who use it are dicks.

Wizards have been engaged in a bloody battle for supremacy for generations, and they don't care who they destroy in the process. In The Warrior Heir, young Jack finds out that he has magic and that the wizards plan to use him as a pawn in their latest scheme. With help from the few wizard rebels, he manages to badly damage the wizards' power over the other magic guilds. In the second book, The Wizard Heir, the growing band of rebels continue their fight to create an egalitarian magic society while keeping the non-magic users safe. But in The Dragon Heir the wizards forge an uneasy alliance amongst themselves, and their combined power may be enough to destroy the haven of Trinity and all who have worked so hard to create it. The rebels' only chance to survive is to harness the power of the Dragon Stone. But the secrets of how to use the stone have been lost for centuries, and they're running out of time...

Sounds awesome, right? After all this build up, The Dragon Heir should be the apex of excitement and epic adventure! And yet--it's actually kinda boring. There are so many characters, and they all get more than their fair share of inner monologues about their personal problems. Even though this is the final battle, Chima introduces all manner of extraneous characters and extra plot points, then forgets about half of them. It's an unfocused mess of a book, and the climax is an unsatisfying deus-ex-machina.

The world building is subpar (I'm still bothered by the fact that we never see any hint that there's a broader world out there--it's all either western Europe or America. If both sides are in such dire straits, how come they never thought of seeking out help elsewhere?) and the plot is inconsistent. Chima isn't great at creating novel, memorable characters, either--I literally could not remember which male teen was which. That said, when Chima focuses on Seph, Jack or Madison, the story comes alive. And Chima is one of the few ya novelists who doesn't do gender essentialism. I loved that the male and female warriors are described using the same language (none of that half-hearted bullshit about how the dude is so strong and brawny and the lady is "lithe" or "slender"--they both hack people to death with swords and have got the incredible fore-arms to prove it). The characters have a wide range of motivations, abilities, and goals, irrespective of gender. It's sad how excited I am to find a fantasy book without that set of stereotypes.

Overall, I'd recommend this series, but with the caveat that the last book doesn't live up to what came before it.(less)

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Aug 15, 2008 Denae rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-present-day

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Mar 30, 2009 Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, 2009, fantasy

The final book in the excellent ‘Heir’ trilogy wraps up the conflict centered on the talented youths Jack, Ellen, Jason, Seph, and Madison. The war between the different factions of wizards has come to a head and the discovery of a powerful weapon, the Dragonheart, has each side fighting for its control. I think this volume even edged out ‘Warrior Heir’ for my favorite of the three – this one was so much more developed and the characters matured in many ways.

One thing that really bugged me was...more

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Mar 06, 2009 Abigail rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009

So now its come to the last book.... Jeez this series went by way too fast! But now I'm happy to finally be writing this review to close the door to this wonderful trilogy. To say the least I was not disappointed by this last book.
I liked the narrative of Madison I felt like she was a respectable person who puts everyone before herself. She was so strong and I loved her attitude and her Southern roots.
It took me awhile to really grow fond of Jason. At first I felt like he didn't have the right i...more

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Jan 26, 2009 Celines rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: free-time

Independent reading project

The Dragon Heir

In The Warrior Heir trilogy written by Cinda Williams China the lives of Jack Swift, Seph McCauley, Madison Moss and Jason Haley are connected through life events that were struck in motion the day Jack realized he was a warrior. The 5 magical guilds were sorcerers, seers, warriors, enchanters and wizards. They were all gifted people who were born with Weirstones, a crystalline source of power that sits behind the heart.

In the beginning of the trilogy J...more Independent reading project

The Dragon Heir

In The Warrior Heir trilogy written by Cinda Williams China the lives of Jack Swift, Seph McCauley, Madison Moss and Jason Haley are connected through life events that were struck in motion the day Jack realized he was a warrior. The 5 magical guilds were sorcerers, seers, warriors, enchanters and wizards. They were all gifted people who were born with Weirstones, a crystalline source of power that sits behind the heart.

In the beginning of the trilogy Jack is thrown into the magical world where he is forced to train for battle against the girl he loves. The wizard world dominated against the other guilds and made them do their biting. For centuries, power had been allocated between two houses of wizards (the white and red roses), through a series of tournaments. The wizard house that won the tournament won the ruling of the weir-the other magical guilds- until the next tournament was held. The wizards used warriors to fight their tournaments and the day Jack was used for the tournament, the tradition was broken and new rules were created.

In The Dragon Heir the new rules of the magical world needed to be implemented and the task to enforce them seemed to land on Jack, Seph, Jason and Madison. The readers are taken on a wild journey to understand love, independence, freedom and the depths to which someone will go for the person they love. The fight against the wizard oppression towards the non-wizard guilds is put the test as the war begins.

This epic tale will keep readers glued to the book, gripping the pages and turning them with an addiction unknown to most non-book lovers. I recommend this book for all teens that love magic and romance. This story is also good for young adults who enjoy the escape of a great book. Don’t read this book if you don’t have time because once you read it you can’t stop.

You start the trilogy from the first book The Warrior Heir, then The Wizard Heir and finally The Dragon Heir. By the time you reach The Dragon Heir the book is so addicting pealing your eyes off the book becomes a struggle. I recommend this novel because not only will it be rewarding but also introduces you to the world of guilds.

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Jan 25, 2009 Karin rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, mages-wizards, magic, young-adult-fiction, suspense-thriller, borrowed-from-the-library

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Things have come to a head between the wizards and the other Weir (those who have the Weirstones that give them special powers). In the previous installment/novel, The Wizard Heir, the Weir attempted to draft a new Covenant, but the peace process was a mockery, and the Covenant was stolen. In an effort to discover its whereabouts, Jason, a young, *good* wizard sneaks into Raven’s Ghyll. He doesn’t find the Covenant, but he does find the Dragonheart – an opal and a source of great power- as well...more Things have come to a head between the wizards and the other Weir (those who have the Weirstones that give them special powers). In the previous installment/novel, The Wizard Heir, the Weir attempted to draft a new Covenant, but the peace process was a mockery, and the Covenant was stolen. In an effort to discover its whereabouts, Jason, a young, *good* wizard sneaks into Raven’s Ghyll. He doesn’t find the Covenant, but he does find the Dragonheart – an opal and a source of great power- as well as some other magical items. He brings these back to Trinity, OH, where a sanctuary for other Weir has been set up, in the hopes that they will aid them in the battle that is to come. And come it does. Despite the efforts of all the Weir in Trinity, they are not powerful enough to hold back the invading wizards, who want the Dragonheart more than anything. Jack, Ellen, Jason, and Seph hold them back as long as they can. It’s Madison (as foreshadowed in the previous novel) who has the power to control the Dragonheart and turn the tide for the other Weir.

I was not as happy with this book as with its predecessors. It was predictable in a lot of ways, and seemed to have a lot of restless, but unnecessary plot devices. Madison actually takes the stone into her, absorbs it, if you will, so now she’s technically Weir, too, because she also has a stone embedded inside of her. She’s the heir to an ancient dragon legacy. I thought the Weir won a bit too easily (Madison certainly scares the wizards off when she takes away the powers of two – Geoffrie Wylie and Jessamine Longbranch) in the end, and the last few pages are a summary of what takes place after the battle. It’s never really clear why two major players – Seph’s parents – don’t focus their efforts on Trinity rather than Raven’s Ghyll, as all the forces massed against them are in Ohio. They’re sorely needed. This wasn’t as tightly written as the previous books and once again we’re left with an ending that foretells yet another installment. I’m worried that it will just rehash these same events and the same, constant, war between the wizards and the other Weir, or infighting among the wizards. I was hoping that Chima would explain more about Madison’s mysterious powers and that someone would think to teach her how to use them – her training would have been much more interesting to me. It seems like once a power or a spell or a magical device is introduced, it’s then used ad nauseum, and the browbeating just makes it less imaginative/inventive somehow. It took me a couple weeks to read this (as opposed to a couple days with the others). I’m not particularly thrilled about a sequel.(less)

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Mar 14, 2013 Alex Marriner rated it 5 of 5 stars

I really enjoy this book even though i am only part of the way into the book. I really liked how the book started and it gave the reader good background information before starting into content of the book. I feel that by doing this a reader who hasn't read the first two would be able to pick this up and read it without a problem. Now I don't know who your favorite character is but mine is definitely Jason. From what i have read it seems like he will be one of the most influential characters in...more

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Feb 15, 2013 Maythavee rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really wanted to give The Dragon Heir 5 stars but there were several things that bugged me so it lost a star.

The main characters of The Dragon Heir are Jason Harley and Madison Moss. In the previous book, The Wizard Heir, I really like the both of them. However, when Jason became the main narrator, I didn’t like him as much as before. His desire to be known and his rebellious behavior became really annoying. I do feel bad for him at the end. Even though he was annoying, he didn’t deserve that...more I really wanted to give The Dragon Heir 5 stars but there were several things that bugged me so it lost a star.

The main characters of The Dragon Heir are Jason Harley and Madison Moss. In the previous book, The Wizard Heir, I really like the both of them. However, when Jason became the main narrator, I didn’t like him as much as before. His desire to be known and his rebellious behavior became really annoying. I do feel bad for him at the end. Even though he was annoying, he didn’t deserve that fate. As for Madison, I really like her. It was refreshing to read about how Madison did not want to be a part of any magical guilds. It was also nice to know more of her back-story and about her family. Her little sister, Grace, and little brother, JR, are so cute. Her connection with the Dragonheart is also well written.

Just like The Wizard Heir, characters from the previous books also played important roles in The Dragon Heir. Jack Swift and Ellen Stephenson are still my favourite characters from the entire series. They both have funny lines that made me laugh out loud. Other characters such as: Seph, Will, Fitch, Leesha, Nick, Barber, D’Orsay also return.

As for the plot, it was well-paced, the actions scenes were awesome as always but I did have a problem with the ending. The ending was abrupt and too simple. There wasn’t an explanation for what had happened, just a sentence or two about the characters and how they are coping with the end of the siege. Another thing that I didn’t like was the lack of Leander and Linda. They appear at the beginning then they go off to capture Dragon’s Ghyll castle. I mean, seriously, these two kick ass but they weren’t even there for Trinity siege. Also I didn’t like Seph’s character in this book. He was so emo and isn’t himself at all.

Overall, The Dragon Heir was a great read but the ending was disappointing. I heard that Chima is going to write two more books for The Heir series so I look forward to reading those. I hope that they would explain more of the ending.
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Nov 19, 2012 andrew rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Dragon Heir
Cinda Williams Chima
pg1~499
11/19/12

Now that there are 2 more guilds, including The Dragon has joined the war between Red Rose and White Rose, Jason has decided to spy the new guild led by D'Orsay. He slept through Raven's Ghyll, which is D'Orsay's headquarter and found a mysterious cave full of old treasures. While looking around, Jason found the dragonheart; a weirstone that can either save the world from guild war or destroy the world with its powerful magic. As soon as Jason t...more

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Nov 02, 2012 07amberp added it

Issue: A battle is going on between 3 wizzard groups and a young woman named Madison is caught inbetween it.
Setting: modern time in old fashioned towns and a battle field: the setting contributes to the story because it gives of a certain feeling and it make you able to imagine the plot better.
Main characters: Madison: young woman who is in love with Seph:Seph: A wizard with light hair and greenish eyes:D'orsay: An older evil wizard atempting to kill off other groups of wizards.
The only thing i...more

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Sep 11, 2012 Heather Constantino rated it 4 of 5 stars

Last of the series, Dragon Heir reaches it's dramatic conclusion. All the characters we met in the previous two books are welcomed back. Trinity becomes the final battle ground for power over the guilds. Jason is itching to be a player worth something. Wanting to do good and be recognized for his importance. After uncovering the Dragonheart he sets forth a set of events that brings the magical guilds to an epic battle. Madison Moss, after events at Second Sister in the previous book, just wants...more

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Jul 23, 2012 Bookninja4 rated it 4 of 5 stars

Wow.
I waited a really long time to read this after I finished the other two.
It was okay, there's not much to say. The two main characters were alright but I found myself praying that someone else would be in the lime light, especially Leesha and Jack. I know.
Jack was honestly so good in this book. I loved his proggression from pacifist to warrior because it made me so sad.
Seph became a sort of druggy. Soooo yeah.
His parents, even Linda who was clearly te rebellions leader, had a lovely slumbe...more

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May 12, 2012 05chrise rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Dragon Heir
If your sister and brother were held captive, and if you didn’t do what the kidnapper said, then your brother and sister would be killed, what would you do? I often wondered what I would do in this situation as I read the last book in the Heir trilogy, The Dragon Heir. The book takes place in a small town called Trinity, Ohio, which is right next to Lake Erie, or so they said. It was actually a book that I never thought that I would ever read, because the first book, The Warrior...more The Dragon Heir
If your sister and brother were held captive, and if you didn’t do what the kidnapper said, then your brother and sister would be killed, what would you do? I often wondered what I would do in this situation as I read the last book in the Heir trilogy, The Dragon Heir. The book takes place in a small town called Trinity, Ohio, which is right next to Lake Erie, or so they said. It was actually a book that I never thought that I would ever read, because the first book, The Warrior Heir, was a really strange book. I am glad, though, that I read it because it had some of the most suspenseful moments that I could actually put myself into, unlike many books now-a-days. It was a book that actually sounded like normal people that just had really bad things happen to them. I really liked this about this book, and so I really think that most young adults, or even older, should read this amazing book of action, magic, and suspense.
The trouble all starts when Jason, one of the wizards from Trinity, finds a huge cavern full of magical weapons. This is good and bad because now they have more protection from the evil wizards, but that also makes the wizards want to come and kill them even more! Then, to complicate it even more, wizards are taking captive any relative of the defenders of Trinity so that they will surrender the most powerful sefa (or powerful stone) to them.
This complicating process makes the end really hard to guess, so that was one really good thing that I liked about this book (unlike the book I am reading now). The plot got so complicated several times that I would have to mentally think, “Wait, I thought this person had a deal with that person!”. So even though it was confusing a little bit right there, I really thought that this book was a really good end to the Heir Chronicles. Let me just tell you, if you read all of the books, the ending to this book, the Dragon Heir, will be a really good ending.
I think that one of the main themes of this book is “Those who defy the powerful will be punished”. If you read this book, the ending will especially prove that this theme is so true. I think that my favorite part is when one of the cruelest wizards is beat by a little girl. I just wanted to yell as loud as I could, “TAKE THAT YOU EVIL MAN!”, because that guy was really cruel, selfish, rude, and prideful.
All-in-all, I think that this book was a really good book and I think that if you haven’t read The Warrior, Wizard, or Dragon Heir books, you should. It will surprise you in so many ways, and you can also see how another author thinks that wizards get their magic. If you are a young adult or older, I think that you should read this one-of-a-kind book!
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Apr 03, 2012 Tiffany rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, modern-fantasy

I don't really lnow what I was hoping for in the last installment of this trilogy, but what I got was the same, same, same (not a bad thing). A teensy prologue that I to skim through (I'm not a big fan of prologues) followed by a couple hundred pages of people waiting around for something to happen, which builds into a giant, amazing, epic scene that leaves me breathless and makes me forget about the not-so-exciting start of the book. Unless you really have a pet peeve for slow beginnings, this...more

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Mar 11, 2012 Primadonna rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

I am in love with Jack Swift. He is a warrior/wizard, true and loyal. The second book about Seph, a powerful young wizard, well, I can't say that I am crazy about him. He's cool, but that's that. The third book tells us more about Jason Haley, a wizard who is more skilled in glamors and ancient arts, and also Madison Moss. Madison Moss is something else entirely, but she plays a crucial role in this book.

The problem is, I do not like Madison Moss.

I kinda dislike her since Book 2. I think she is...more

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Mar 01, 2012 Joey rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Dragon Heir by Cinda Williams Chima. Part #3 of The Warrior Heir trilogy.
The Dragon Heir is so far the best of the three books that I have read. This book is very compelling; the book starts off at a slow start but gets very interesting after just a few pages in.
I will first begin with the characters; the characters are well thought through and are very detailed with personality. The characters are believe able with some of their stories on how they were raised and their past.
I thought this...more

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Jan 31, 2012 Kelly rated it 2 of 5 stars

I was very disappointed in this book and the author. Ms. Chima made it feel like she had a very tight deadline that she needed to make and so she didn't spend the time or the effort on this book that she spent on the previous two. I had high hopes for her trilogy but this last book ruined it.

SPOILERS AHEAD....

Firstly, the two main characters were not very lovable this time around. Madison's entire storyline seemed fairly pointless. All of the drama and the tension was set up because Madison was...more I was very disappointed in this book and the author. Ms. Chima made it feel like she had a very tight deadline that she needed to make and so she didn't spend the time or the effort on this book that she spent on the previous two. I had high hopes for her trilogy but this last book ruined it.

SPOILERS AHEAD....

Firstly, the two main characters were not very lovable this time around. Madison's entire storyline seemed fairly pointless. All of the drama and the tension was set up because Madison was acting like an idiot and for no other reason. She spends far too long with her family back home and I felt like I was waiting for her to return to Trinity the entire time and it wasn't until the last few pages that anything actually happened. Madison's storyline felt like it was there just to increase the length of the story. She was whiney and all it would have taken was a little bit of truthfulness on her part and all her problems would have been fine. Finally, in the end when Madison becomes the Dragon, it's just too easy. There could have been more tension and a better climax but instead she becomes the dragon, turns wizards into normal humans and even cures Seph of his addiction, all in just a few short paragraphs. It was too easy and it felt forced, like the author had run out of ideas and just needed to put something down on the page.

Jason, was another disappointment. He was an annoying character who seemed to always be trying to cause trouble and do whatever he wanted to do. For the first half of the book I couldn't stand him at all. Then, finally he seemed to turn over a new leaf after spending time with Madison and all of a sudden I was interested in Jason again. He was snarky and he was willing to put a lot on the line to do what needed to be done. Jason seemed to finally be an interesting character and then Ms, Chima killed him off. I really couldn't find a reason for his death. It didn't seem to add to the story or to really illustrate the horribleness that is war. Instead it felt like the author didn't know what to do with Jason and so she killed him. I would have liked to see some sort of redemption or really any other option. The death didn't seem to fit and I felt that I had wasted my time reading about the main character Jason only to have him die suddenly, unexpectedly, and purposelessly.

Another major issue was Linda and Leander. Did the author run out of ideas for them? Why would, supposedly loving parents and the leaders of the rebellion leave the last major stronghold for the resistance and then run off to Raven's Ghyll? Did they use the horde to help their friends and family? No. Did they stop the Roses from taking on Trinity by keeping them occupied at Raven's Ghyll? No. Was there any purpose whatsoever? Not that I could see. Linda and Leander disappeared and left children to defend for themselves and when they realized that none of the Roses were attacking them, they didn't think that they should go back to help their friends at all. It felt like the author wanted to kids to shine and so needed some type of excuse to push the parents away. It was poorly done and left me shaking my head.

Seph, was another problem. I thought it was interesting that she made him hooked on Flame. It made sense and it made for some decent tension in the story. However, he is easily cured and nothing ever comes from his addiction. He's healed, it's all over and he lives happily ever after with Madison the most powerful wizard/dragon. Too easy. If the author wanted to delve into the character and the stress and pressure he was under then she shouldn't have solved the issue so easily.

Finally, the last few pages were extremely disappointing. The author's quick wrap up of everything that would happen in the future appeared to be a convenient way for her to avoid telling the story.

The first two books were great. I enjoyed them. The characters were entertaining and the story was suspenseful. This last book did not even feel like it was written by the same author. It was one of the most disappointing series endings that I have yet read. I know that the author is now stating a 4th book will appear but after the disaster that was this book, I don't know if I will continue reading. (less)

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Dec 15, 2011 Chase2 rated it 5 of 5 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed the book The Dragon Heir. In fact, I greatly enjoyed the entire heir series. It had all elements that a good book requires. It had comedy, romance, action, comedy, great amount of details, and more. The main characters are all in thier seventeens and eighteens and so they are all very relatable. The book is filled to the brimm with action and mystery. With warring wizards, warriors, enchanters and more, this books great details make the battles and action very real. The myst...more

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Aug 08, 2011 Isaac Hamlet rated it 4 of 5 stars

Almost gave this one a 3 even though it's the best in the series. I cannot stress with these books how GREAT the story and concept are but how flat the characters are. While reading this book I looked at lines of dialouge and switched them between characters and put that character in that senario and it still fit. Also it was this book that really told me about the personalities of the character, it was news to me when the author blatantly wrote what kind of person they were because(with the exc...more Almost gave this one a 3 even though it's the best in the series. I cannot stress with these books how GREAT the story and concept are but how flat the characters are. While reading this book I looked at lines of dialouge and switched them between characters and put that character in that senario and it still fit. Also it was this book that really told me about the personalities of the character, it was news to me when the author blatantly wrote what kind of person they were because(with the exception of Jason) I could not infer what the characters were like. THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN THREE BOOKS INTO A SERIES!
On the brighter side I did find more characters with more dimentions that the pervious books and there were some brilliantly written lines. I found I actually cared about the characters here and becuase of that I finished this book in about three days, the fastest I've ever read one of these books.
But for all its improvements there were a few more problems. THe romances were as forced as EVER (I began to wonder what reason Jack and Ellen had to date other than the fact that they were both warriors.) There was another romance that I found ESPECIALLY forced but I won't say who it i nvolved because of spoilers. But the worst part of the book was the abrupt ending. It seems like the author was done and didn't want to show what happened to all the characters. On top of that there was a character who I had no idea had died for sure until ten pages from the end even though I saw their death. Also there were inconsistencies. How is the ghost army able to attack people outside of the boundry spell that hastings used in the first? If too many ghosts die why cant they summon more? surely there have been more than 200 warriors. And why don't the wizards attack just use ranged attack against the warriors? Why don't the bad guys take the same stuff seph takes to make them stronger?
All in all though I actually enjoyed the book. If you read the first two I think you should read this. Despite its inconsistancies and little nusences it's enjoyable. SO I'd say pick it up from the library if you can.(less)

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Jul 04, 2011 Shannon rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: youngadult

The Dragon Heir was a strong finish to the story begun with The Warrior Heir and continued in The Wizard Heir. All of the characters from both previous books find resolution here, one way or the other. There's double-crossing galore, redemption for some characters and not-so-gentle resolution for others.

The Dragon Heir begins with the wizard world in turmoil. The events that ended The Wizard Heir are recent and the old powers are struggling to deal with the rebels who want to find a new path for...more

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Feb 20, 2011 Allen rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book is a fantastic end to the heir trilogy, a refreshing series of steampunk novels with a deep and engaging storyline. the world has a underground society of magically talented individuals. These individuals are organized into five seperate "guilds" each with it's own abilities and specialties. there are sorcerors, masters of magical items, Enchanters, masters of magical intrigue, Seers, masters of divination, Warriors, masters of combat, and Wizards, masters of all magics and rulers over...more

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Dec 03, 2009 Nathan rated it 2 of 5 stars

A bit of a letdown to an otherwise decent series. By this point nearly all the characters seem to be roughly the same. You could describe them all as moody, rebellious, sarcastic, and a bit of an outcast. None of them are very likable this way either, and you don't really get pulled in rooting for them.

The grand war that occurs is somewhat silly too, you have a couple hundred wizards fighting half a dozen people and the author attempts to describe it in ways that sound like a massive fight with...more

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Nov 02, 2012 Tanya rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

The first two books were beautifully written, and the third tied up the series pretty well. Dragon Heir was the kind of book that has a sense of finality to it, and until now, I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. From time to time, I'd think about the ending and wonder what I could have change, then decide how Cinda Williams Chima wrote it wonderfully that nothing really needs to be changed in the plot.

In terms of the characters, however, I guess there could be improvement. Madi's...more

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Sep 17, 2009 Trina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Awesome conclusion to this series, which should be better known, in my opinion. Chima continues all of the action, while the relationships between the characters I grew to love (and hate) continued to develop, although the absence of Hastings and Linda Downey for nearly the entire story was disappointing. I was completely surprised by the death near the end of the battle, which is a credit to the truth in her writing, even in this fictional world. She even managed to do something very difficult,...more

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Jan 11, 2009 LastMonk rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Good grief, stop asking me! I recommend it to anyone who wants to finish the stinkin' series!

Recommended to LastMonk by: *sigh* Nobody, it's the third book!

Shelves: new-favorites

Alright. Here we are. I assume that if you've gotten this far, you've read and enjoyed the previous two. Good for you. We finally have something in common. I feel like I know you already, nameless reader.

The Dragon Heir is the third and final installment of the Heir Trilogy. (For those among you who do not understand the meaning of the word "trilogy" means.) I really have mixed feelings about this one--hence the four-star rating.

The book starts strong, and moves along nicely, weaving together se...more

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Apr 26, 2013 Lauren rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

When reading a book series, it's important to understand the fallacy of relying on ratings for any book but the first. Only dedicated fans will continue to read, thus driving up the rating well beyond what the general public would actually rate it. This doesn't necessarily deter me from starting (or finishing) a series. In fact, there can be pleasant surprises (such as the Dresden Files). However, this series falls into the fallacy category.

The Heir Chronicles leaves so much to be desired that...more

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Jun 13, 2011 Deena rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: bosler, fantasy-paranormal, ya

Overall, this series improved as it went along - but I have to confess that since it had been a while since I read the second one, it took me a few chapters to catch up with who everyone is (perhaps because we have a Jason and a Jack, and because Maddie's background was 99% new in this book). Ms. Chima's other series still has an edge over this one, with me, but this was fun.

Memorable lines:
"Jack couldn't help thinking there was a reason why the classical heroes didn't have lawyers for mothers."...more

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Oct 13, 2012 Jessie rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is that series that even though every book is in the perspective of another character you still have to go back and read the book before if you have had some space between the two. I tried not going back with the second book, my head was spinning with trying to remember all the history the entire time. I HAD to go back.
But these books are wonderful and individual, very memorable (nothing to say about how much character history there is in this book that you just can't remember it all.)
This...more

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topics	posts	views	last activity
official book review is really bad	3	9	May 16, 2013 07:28pm
Language Arts 7 R...: reading log	2	3	Oct 14, 2012 02:45am
The Heir Series	2	26	May 26, 2011 06:55pm
So I went to get this book	3	55	Aug 14, 2008 03:23pm

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About Cinda Williams Chima

New York Times bestselling author Cinda Williams Chima comes from a long line of fortune-tellers, musicians and spinners of tales. She began writing romance novels in middle school, which were often confiscated by her teachers.

The Warrior Heir was named to Voya’s Best Science Fiction and Fantasy 2005-2006, is a 2006 Booksense Summer Reading Pick, was named to the 2007-2008 Lone Star Reading List,...more

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Books by Cinda Williams Chima

The Warrior Heir (The Heir Chronicles, #1)

The Wizard Heir (The Heir Chronicles, #2)

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“Falling in love was like falling off a cliff. It felt pretty much like flying until you hit the ground.” — 81 people liked it

“Fitch is on his way. He's coming after he blows up some wizards.” — 44 people liked it

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The Dragon Heir (The Heir Chronicles #3)

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