The Warrior Heir (The Heir Chronicles, #1)

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The Warrior Heir (The Heir Chronicles #1)

by Cinda Williams Chima (Goodreads Author)

3.99 of 5 stars 3.99 · rating details · 19,202 ratings · 1,604 reviews

One March day, Jack Swift, a high school student in a small college town, forgets to take the medicine he’s taken daily since he was an infant. There ensues a cascade of events that puts him in mortal danger.

Jack discovers he carries a secret within him that has made him a target of the ruthless wizards of the Red and White Rose. Jack is a Warrior Heir, the last of a dying...more

Kindle Edition, 436 pages

Published September 23rd 2009 by Disney Hyperion (first published April 2nd 2006)

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May 08, 2010 Meredith rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: library

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I gave it two stars based on the goodreads ranking of "it was ok." That sums Warrior Heir up well, not bad enough to recommend against it, but nothing special. This author strikes me as someone who grew up reading fantasy and became enamored with the idea of creating her own world like the great fantasy writers before her. However, this story has nothing approaching of the depth of Middle Earth, Narnia, Hogwarts, or even Sunnydale. A couple locations in Trinity, Ohio and Jack's hometown have som...more I gave it two stars based on the goodreads ranking of "it was ok." That sums Warrior Heir up well, not bad enough to recommend against it, but nothing special. This author strikes me as someone who grew up reading fantasy and became enamored with the idea of creating her own world like the great fantasy writers before her. However, this story has nothing approaching of the depth of Middle Earth, Narnia, Hogwarts, or even Sunnydale. A couple locations in Trinity, Ohio and Jack's hometown have some detail and, therefore, substance, but places like the battleground and the country of England are indistinct and have no life to them.

The characters are a bit bland, too. I was warming up to Jack midway through the book, but there's still not a lot of dimension to any of the characters. The villains are evil enough to dislike, but not evil enough to inspire much concern for their activities. The heroes have some flaws, but are still really good people in their hearts. And no one is funny enough or independently interesting enough to make up for the lot of them. Probably the most interesting is a relatively minor character, Jack's mother, and soley for the scene when she stands up to her son's brutish kidnappers in a thoroughly lawyerly fashion. But that paragraph just isn't enough to elevate the book to "good" status.

These issues could be ignored, maybe, if something else made up for it like the plot or a fascinating insight into anything about our world or really cool superpowers. Again, all of these things are too underdeveloped to carry the novel. More then once while reading the book, I realized that nothing had happened for far too long other than a laundry list of how the characters were passing the time. The only insight the book seemed to offer is that slavery is wrong in a vague sense that doesn't have to be explained because it's already accepted throughout the western world (and the book's audience base). And the powers... might be cool? Maybe if I knew more about them other than some people secretly have them. *What do they do? Wizard things! Or warrior things! You read Harry Potter right? It's like that, but without wands!* Sorry, that's how I imagine the pitch will go when the movie rights are optioned.

Also, the War of the Roses has a romantic ring, but let it go. The English did, so can the 8-14 year old girl inside all of us whose ears perked up the first time she heard that name. I know it conjures up amazing imagery without a bit of work for you, but that's the problem, isn't it? Think up your own imagery. Don't pretend this war was secretly carried on for hundreds of years after it officially ended by a sect of people who are fighting for something that has nothing to do with the actual war. I don't care if it sounds pretty, it makes no sense.

All that being said, I think the other word to sum the book up is "underdeveloped." It's some fine preliminary work, now run with it. This author needs a good editor who can push her past filler and into specificity. And who can say things like, "The War of the Roses has been done. It ended. Try again." But maybe she found one, because I hear The Warrior Heir is only worth reading as a set up for the sequel The Wizard Heir. It's on my shelf, so we'll see.(less)

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Nov 24, 2011 Becky rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-for-review

The Warrior Heir is a fantasy story which is set in the contemporary world. It is a hero’s journey tale full of adventure and mystery.

Jack is sixteen and since he had heart surgery as a child, he has been dependent on medicine to keep him alive. Jack has never forgotten to take his medicine but on the day of the soccer team tryouts, he does just that and his ordinary small town life suddenly begins to change. Jack is one of the Weirlind. He was born a wizard but his wizard’s stone was missing –...more The Warrior Heir is a fantasy story which is set in the contemporary world. It is a hero’s journey tale full of adventure and mystery.

Jack is sixteen and since he had heart surgery as a child, he has been dependent on medicine to keep him alive. Jack has never forgotten to take his medicine but on the day of the soccer team tryouts, he does just that and his ordinary small town life suddenly begins to change. Jack is one of the Weirlind. He was born a wizard but his wizard’s stone was missing – this is what enables the gifted to manifest their powers. The fierce Dr Longbranch replaced his stone but she had her own ambitions in mind. Jack is hidden in the town of Trinity until he inadvertently unleashes his magic. The power surge is detected by those who would harm him and thus he is in mortal danger. But who is after him and why is a mystery he has to discover.

This book was very much a traditional fantasy – the world of the Weirlind was reminiscent of medieval England with the addition of magic and enchantments. There were so many charming details – the clothing for example – which made the story come to life. I particularly liked the mythology and history that the author weaved into the story giving the fantasy an original twist.

However, the plot was very slow to get moving. I don’t think it was helped by an overly long prologue and the style in which the story is told. The use of description sometimes interfered with the rhythm of the dialogue. In the end I found myself skipping sentences; this was not problematic as I could still follow the story perfectly.

Jack is an everyman sort of character. There isn’t necessarily anything distinctive about him – except perhaps his kindness and self-control. I found it difficult to really care about what happened to him in the beginning. But as the story went on, I began to like him through his relationship with his two best friends. I kept reading because I wanted to know what was special about him.

I think this book will have a real appeal for boys – there are sword-fights aplenty, soccer games and loyal friendships. Come to think of it The Warrior Heir will be popular with girls too. Chima adds a feisty heroine into the mix and the sparks really fly! I think it will appeal to fans of Eragon and the myths of King Arthur. An enjoyable fantasy.(less)

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Jan 11, 2009 LastMonk rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Fantasy junkies, teens looking for an enjoyable book NOT loaded with sex and gore.

Recommended to LastMonk by: Actually, I think my mom just picked it up for me because it had

Shelves: new-favorites

The Heir Trilogy, which received great reviews, but somehow never entered the national consciousness, is Chima's first published work. Another story that really gets me excited with inventive concepts and clear imagery, these are really a great read.

The Warrior Heir is the first novel of the trio. We open on a very dramatic prologue, but let's skip that. Now, we meet Jack. (Hi, Jack!)Jack is a pretty nice guy. Good for Jack. But you know there's more than that. Turns out, our hero has some speci...more

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Sep 02, 2007 Meika rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The story itself is riveting. The pace is brisk. I read most of it in one night...and finished the rest of it in the wee hours of the morning. The characters are well developed, human complete with motivations and failings and reserves of personal strength. The world in which the story was set has a pretty sound set of rules, and the magic is very exciting.
That said, I felt like I was reading a draft version at times. The writing itself was opaque. Meaning, author-style-signature aside, the pres...more

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Feb 13, 2009 Luann rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Luann by: QueenAmidala

Shelves: 2009, fantasy, young-adult, shelf-a-thon1, gr-authors, ms-rec

This is Highlander meets Buffy, and a lot of fun! A centuries old Game is played out involving warriors, wizards, sorcerers, enchanters and soothsayers. I enjoyed this very much and look forward to reading the next two: The Wizard Heir and The Dragon Heir. I guessed several of the surprise twists long before they happened, but that didn't diminish my enjoyment of the story.

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May 08, 2013 Cayden E. is currently reading it · review of another edition

In the book The Warrior Heir There is a boy named Jack.Jack is a thirteen year old boy who thinks he is a normal kid.Until one day he finds out he is some kind of warrior.In the book right now he is going through a spasm attack and he almost kills his Aunt Linda.So the spasms have been going on for a long time and finally the Aunt does something about it.The Aunt puts Jack into a large testing tube to analyze was is going on with him.Jack feels scared and lost he feels lost because he does not r...more

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Mar 23, 2013 Liana rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Well, let's just say that this doesn't fit into the category of 'Liana's-normal-genre.' It was great and all, don't get me wrong, but I just didn't like it that much. I had this huge phase back then in which my favorite genre was Fantasy, but now I don't even know, since I'm so sick of Dystopia and I can't stand most Contemporary stories. I guess you would call me a picky reader..

Anyways, I just finished this book this morning, hence the pajama-wearing at this moment.

This is my first Cinda Will...more Well, let's just say that this doesn't fit into the category of 'Liana's-normal-genre.' It was great and all, don't get me wrong, but I just didn't like it that much. I had this huge phase back then in which my favorite genre was Fantasy, but now I don't even know, since I'm so sick of Dystopia and I can't stand most Contemporary stories. I guess you would call me a picky reader..

Anyways, I just finished this book this morning, hence the pajama-wearing at this moment.

This is my first Cinda Williams Chima book, and I think I've got the general idea of what her writing is like. And yes, I'm looking forward to reading the next book. (If you're reading this, Ivy, then hehehehehehe)

The main character. Jack. First of all, that name just makes me think of Titanic and that just makes me cry.. Okay, so if he were a girl-- let's just speculate here, so bear with me-- he would be one of those annoying female protagonists that find out something magical about themselves and are in constant denial throughout the whole entire book, despite all the evidence that comes popping up. And since Jack is a boy that discovers something magical about himself, he just reminds me of Harry Potter. There's only a small moment of denial in the beginning and then they just adapt to be warriors or wizards or whatever. I don't know why a girl is always in annoying-denial-phase throughout the whole story, while a boy is so adapting. It's getting on my nerves.. omg. Which is why I absolutely despise contemporary fantasy. (Harry Potter doesn't count because JK Rowling is typically a goddess of writing)

At first sight, I didn't think that I would ever give this book a try. But here I am, done with the book and typing a review. Maybe because it didn't look like the type of book I would like.

I'm sorry, but the romance wasn't good at all. Like many other authors, I have a feeling that CWC just added the romance in there because she could. Just a few kisses here and there, boom! Now romance readers would love it! I mean, I really appreciate the kissing scenes because they were ridiculously cute, but the book could have done well without it.

And yeah. That's that.(less)

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Jun 09, 2012 Amelia, the pragmatic idealist rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: disney-hyperion, own, 2011, ya-kids-teen, series-books, annoying-protagonist, mc-guy

Okay, this book is officially the last thing by Cinda Williams Chima that I will read.
The funny thing is, I'm not trying to sound mean or whatever (haha, like in the old days!). I just do not like her style, I guess. I really didn't like the Seven Realms books, but that was mostly because I hated the characters. Yes, "hated."

Here...there were just too many issues. Her writing style, to me, seemed very clunky and juvenile. I'm not trying to be mean - this just did not read like the work of a pro...more Okay, this book is officially the last thing by Cinda Williams Chima that I will read.
The funny thing is, I'm not trying to sound mean or whatever (haha, like in the old days!). I just do not like her style, I guess. I really didn't like the Seven Realms books, but that was mostly because I hated the characters. Yes, "hated."

Here...there were just too many issues. Her writing style, to me, seemed very clunky and juvenile. I'm not trying to be mean - this just did not read like the work of a professional writer, that's all. She always had to introduce each character by their full name, then spend 2-3 sentences giving quick bios of each character, regardless of what was happening in the present story. That was really clunky and made the overall pacing slow down...Also, I can't stand it when 3rd person books told in the perspective of a main character refer to any parent/relative by their first name. And...I'm so busy and have so many other books to read, that if I come across a random, useless party/drinking scene, I'm likely to knock off at least one star, if I don't stop reading altogether. I always maintain that it is grossly ignorant and unacceptable to ADD to the perception that all teens are stupid party-loving drunks. Um, not all of us. And finally...the story itself was clunky. Wizards, warriors, sorcerers...WTH is the difference between a wizard/enchanter/sorcerer? I must have missed the distinction, because Chima kept throwing around all three words randomly.

There were so many little issues that distracted me away from the overall story, which...wasn't all that exciting. I still don't feel like I could explain the concept of 'Weirlind' to anyone... At least the Seven Realms novels had the 'fantasy' thing going for them. The Warrior Heir just seemed too average. There wasn't anything that stuck out for me.
I can't tell you very much about the characters, or the overall story world, aside from the most basic of details. I know The Warrior Heir has gotten several awards and favorable reviews, which is a little baffling, I'm sorry to say.

So...I won't be bothering with any more of her novels. (less)

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Nov 07, 2012 Jennifer Wardrip rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: trt-posted-reviews

Reviewed by Karin Librarian for TeensReadToo.com

Jack enjoys his normal life in Trinity, Ohio. He spends time with his best friends, goes to school, and is extremely excited about soccer tryouts. Jack is very healthy, despite the thick scar that resides above his heart and the medicine he has to take every day. Life is ordinary - until he forgets to take his medicine.

Soccer tryouts are a breeze. Jack has never felt so alive, and when his nemesis, Lobeck, gets in his way, Jack slams him into the g...more

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May 21, 2010 Josh rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This wasn't the best book I've read in awhile - I didn't find myself trying to make time to finish it. However it had a good, fast paced story with enough intrigue and action to keep it interesting.

The only part that really disappointed me was the ending. You spend 400 pages slowing bringing the book to a climax, then in only a few pages you get this overly dramatic, almost unbelievable, way too happy ending. Sort of felt like a bad Disney movie at the end...

But aside from that, it was worth th...more

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Feb 28, 2009 Joey rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Jack is a normal kid, in a normal neighborhood, with normal friends. Nobody knows he's different from the others... until one day at soccer tryouts, he nearly kills another kid. Jack has an uncommon illness that only warriors of the weir have. He was implanted a warrior stone purposely. He takes his medications every morning to prevent any release of power or magic. One morning, he forgets to take it because he is in a rush to get to school. After school at soccer tryouts, he almost killed a ki...more

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Jan 25, 2009 Karin rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-for-boys, fantasy, suspense-thriller, young-adult-fiction, magic, mages-wizards, 2009-abe-lincoln-nominee, borrowed-from-the-library

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This the first book in a series by Cinda Williams Chima (the others, so far, are The Wizard Heir and The Dragon Heir). Jack is sixteen and he’s been on medication to control a “heart-problem” for all of his life. What he doesn’t know is that his heart surgery – back when he was an infant - involved the placement of a certain stone that gives him powers and a heritage, a warrior stone. Jack was supposed to be a wizard, but he was born without a stone of any kind, and since the surgery, he’s been...more This the first book in a series by Cinda Williams Chima (the others, so far, are The Wizard Heir and The Dragon Heir). Jack is sixteen and he’s been on medication to control a “heart-problem” for all of his life. What he doesn’t know is that his heart surgery – back when he was an infant - involved the placement of a certain stone that gives him powers and a heritage, a warrior stone. Jack was supposed to be a wizard, but he was born without a stone of any kind, and since the surgery, he’s been under surveillance by a wizard who plans to use him to advance her own agenda. The medication Jack’s been taking blunts his powers and renders him essentially invisible to other Weirlind (people with powers), but one day he forgets to take it. That’s the day his heritage begins to haunt him and his future rises up to meet him.

Spoilers: Jack’s part of a race of people known as the Weirlind. There are wizards, warriors, enchanters, etc. Each of them has special powers, but the wizards have the most and are in charge of everything. In order to keep them from wielding their terrible power, they invented rules for engagement, and the wizards now have to work through proxies – the warriors – in order to come to power. This has been devastating for the warriors, who are forced to be gladiators for every disagreement between wizards. There are so few warriors now, in fact, that wizards will go to extraordinary ends to capture and train the ones they find and thus maintain their eminence. Once Jack is revealed to them, the race is on – two parties of wizards want to control him and use him in their game, but Jack wants to remain a free-agent. Through the assistance of his aunt and a wizard she brings in to help train him, Jack manages to keep out of the wizard’s clutches. And then he is betrayed by his trainer, who also has an agenda (doesn’t everyone?).

Jack must be his trainer’s champion and his surprise opponent is none other than Ellen, a new girl from his school. She’s been in training all her life, and she has far more experience than Jack. Jack, however, is faster and more powerful, so in some ways they are evenly matched. Jack has no desire to kill Ellen (all fights are to the death), and when he breaks his leg in the midst of their struggle, Ellen finds she has no desire to kill Jack either. This break with tradition gives Jack’s trainer and the legions of slain warriors (who return en masse to protest the rules) the opportunity they need to alter tradition and bring some peace and justice (and a rebalance of power) to the other Weirlind. Obviously, the wizards are not going to allow this to happen without some resistance, so readers can look forward to the continuing story in the sequels.

I really liked the way Cinda Williams Chima wedded fantasy and reality together in this book. It takes place in modern times, but there are all of these secretly ancient and powerful people (similar to Harry Potter, in that there are other places/people unimagined by normal folks). Even after reading this, we really know very little about the history of the Weirlind, and I hope we learn more in the subsequent books. The characters were quite likeable, and there’s obviously a lot of plotting going on that hasn’t been fully revealed. I’m eager to see what comes next. This was a well-written and intriguing beginning.(less)

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Jan 04, 2009 Alain rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Fantasy/story lovers

Recommended to Alain by: sister

The Warrior Heir has a world that you would expect from a fantasy based book and the story is very intriguing and in a way original. The environment and characters are just standard not bad but not anything surprisingly mind blowing. Where the book takes goes down is on the story telling. It just doesn't make you want to read it all the way through. It also doesn't have much action but that just me. The story pretty much is: walk, talk, going to fight but not, more walking and talk. So if any of...more

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Nov 26, 2008 Chelsea rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: teens, someone not looking for a masterpiece

I just could NOT get into it. I ended up dropping it after only a few chapters because it seemed like your usual run-of-the-mill, fantasy-for-the-sake-of-it, cliche riddled, ultimately just bad novel. I wasn't intrigued by any of the characters, and even the events of the first few CHAPTERS were predictable. And worst of all, there was nothing to keep me hooked, nothing to hint that it might get better.

Of course, it's possible that I was just too judgmental, seeing as I was ill at the time and w...more

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Jun 05, 2013 JoLee rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013, audio, childrens-young-adult

I had heard all sorts of great things about Cinda William Chima, and I decided a while ago she would be my next night time audio author. Now that I am almost done with all of Tamora Pierce's novels (I will be finishing Melting Stones shortly and am eager for Battle Magic) I have jumped into Chima's first series. And, you guys, I am thrilled with the result.

Set in the present day in the small town of Trinity, Ohio, Jack discovers he is one of the last Warrior Heirs. The Warrior Heir is fast paced...more

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May 16, 2013 Sarah rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book introduced me to my now favorite author. What drew me in first was the cover (you know that saying don't judge a book by it's cover? Yeah it's a lie). I like swords, okay? What I found inside though amazed me. This is Cinda Willams Chima's debut novel, and she rocked it. She presents characters you cheer for, situations that eat your heart out and make you keep turning the pages. My first time reading this I was in freaking Germany on tour. But I couldn't stop reading this book (don't...more

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Feb 27, 2013 Gracia rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Awesome read! It grabbed me the second I started reading it! Was fast paced and action packed! I enjoyed the characters and the writing style was fantastic! Their were plenty of twists and turns to keep you wondering and loving it!

Negatives:
My only negative is something most of you will find a little weird, but it's what I enjoy. There was no HUGE cliff hanger at the end. It leaves something open for the series to go on but I enjoy it when I series book leaves me hanging on the edge to see what...more

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Feb 15, 2013 Maythavee rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

I had this book with me for a long time but I never picked it up till now. And that was my mistake. The Warrior Heir was a fantastic read! I really enjoyed it!

The mythology in this book about the Weirlinds, people with special abilities: warriors, wizards, enchanters, soothsayers and sorcerers are very well explained and interesting. But in The Warrior Heir, it mainly focuses on warriors. I really like that there were historical aspects as well as magical aspects. The Rose War, the Game, the dif...more I had this book with me for a long time but I never picked it up till now. And that was my mistake. The Warrior Heir was a fantastic read! I really enjoyed it!

The mythology in this book about the Weirlinds, people with special abilities: warriors, wizards, enchanters, soothsayers and sorcerers are very well explained and interesting. But in The Warrior Heir, it mainly focuses on warriors. I really like that there were historical aspects as well as magical aspects. The Rose War, the Game, the different guilds. They are all very interesting.

The characters were nicely developed and were all very interesting. I really like Jack as the main character. He is just an ordinary boy until he forgets to take his medicine that suppresses his powers as a warrior. I also like the fact that he was born a wizard but was given a warrior stone instead. This makes him torn between his heritages. His decision to enter the Games was a very brave one. He did it for his family and friends and I consider that to be very brave and honourable. As for other minor characters, I really like them! They all contributed to the main plot. My favourite minor characters would probably be Linda, Ellen, Will, Nick and Fitch. I am a little hesitated about Hastings. I didn’t like that he manipulated Jack to contribute in the Games but I liked how he trained Jack and his role towards the end.

As for the plot, I really like that was a mix historical references, magic, action (which were very well written and sometimes gory), suspense and a little bit of romance. The romance aspect of the book was not the centre of the book but it was part of the plot which I really liked. I was really surprised about Ellen’s real identity. It must have been hard for her so I’m glad that Jack and the other people took her in. Chima’s writing style has this unique flow that draws you in. I couldn’t put this book down. There were still loose ends about the other Weirlinds: wizards, enchanters, soothsayers and sorcerers which I’m very interested in. I hope that the next two books would have for information.

Overall, The Warrior Heir was an unexpected read. I didn’t think I would enjoy it this much. I look forward to reading the rest of this series and Chima’s other works as well.
(less)

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Feb 08, 2013 Sharon rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Reread, because it's been oh-too-long. :)

I so much wanted to give it five stars, but the ending was a little disappointing. I wish it hadn't been the Ancient Warriors that came and set things right by bullying the council, but instead Hastings and Jack and Ellen. I wish they had uprooted the tradition by strength of character. It was heading there, with Hastings playing his own warrior in order to overthrow it, and with Ellen knowing that Jack was a good person and choosing not to kill him, and...more

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Jan 23, 2013 Halkovic's-Classroom rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Jonathan Farnham
Period4

Book Review

My independent reading book “The Warriors Heir” by Cinda W. Chima. This book is about a 16 year old boy jack who forgets his medicine and suddenly feels stronger and more confident than ever before. And so at soccer tryouts he nearly kills another player. And before you know it after this incident he begins to learn about himself and his history, Jack is hunted down by enemies to fight in ancient tournament against his kind and wizards.

Jack is a boy in a sma...more

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Jan 21, 2013 Diego Barrenechea rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is about a boy named Jack who lives in Trinity, Ohio. Jack, due to a heart faliure as a baby, has to take medicine for his heart daily. One day, because of the busy morning, Jack forgot to take his medicine. Jack, however, was not worried about missing a day. But at soccer practice, Jack accidentaly threw a bigger player thatn him at the goal, not believing that he had done it. Soon after that, a couple of people are looking for him, asking around the town of his wereabouts. The next d...more

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Jan 14, 2013 Evan Siderits rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The book Warrior Heir is about a boy named Jack who lives a small town in Ohio called Trinity. The only thing that made him different from other high schoolers is that he takes medicine for his heart a scar above his heart. One day, he forgets to take his medicine and he feels stronger and more confident. When he tries out for the High School Soccer team he nearly kills another person. Later he finds out he is a warrior, one of the five types of Wierlind, or people with special abilities. Also,...more

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Dec 07, 2012 Agitated_alphabet rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: daydream-inducing

This is a review for not only The Warrior Heir but the trilogy as a whole.

I first stumbled upon this book in my post Percy Jackson and the Olympians daze. I had given up on finding another series that would hold my attention and capture my heart like that did. This book re-sparked my desire for day long reading sessions. I enjoyed it immensely. While a few parts were predictable to a die hard fantasy fan such as myself (it's pretty much all I read), I enjoyed the ride so much it didn't matter. T...more

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Oct 29, 2012 Hunter Bangerter added it · review of another edition

setting: the setting in the story is in a small town called trinity Ohio. they then the end go to England and then to the game arena.

description of main character: he is a protagonist person he is needed to fight and as a child was born to kill and fight but he cant and doesn't want to. he is a boy who is just as any other high school boy who hates fights and bullies and has good friends until he finds out he has special powers as a warrior.

what did you like or dislike: i really liked the book a...more

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Jun 27, 2012 Ish Healy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: blog-reviews

Author: Cinda Williams Chima
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Rating: C+

This book actually took me two tries to get through; the first time I sat down to read it I didn’t get to the second chapter before giving up. Now having actually read through the whole thing (a number of years later), I’m not entirely sure if my first impression was right or not. The world that Chima creates is an interesting one, but I couldn’t help but feel as though she was withholding information the entire time. Granted, auth...more Author: Cinda Williams Chima
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Rating: C+

This book actually took me two tries to get through; the first time I sat down to read it I didn’t get to the second chapter before giving up. Now having actually read through the whole thing (a number of years later), I’m not entirely sure if my first impression was right or not. The world that Chima creates is an interesting one, but I couldn’t help but feel as though she was withholding information the entire time. Granted, authors are always withholding information, but in The Warrior Heir it’s done in a way that’s more annoying than intriguing.

The Warrior Heir follows fifteen-year-old Jack Swift, who for much of his life appeared to be an unremarkable boy. Then one day he forgets to take his medicine and his life drastically changes; while at soccer tryouts he unleashes a power that he never knew he had, then his aunt shows up and takes him on a trip to retrieve some magic sword…. From there Jack learns that he’s a part of an underground society of magical people, the Weirland. He is a warrior, a pawn in the battle between wizards, and is expected to compete in a fight to the death with another warrior; the house to whom the warrior belongs to gets to have control over all the Weirland.

In general, I enjoyed this story. There were a lot of elements to it that I found to be really intriguing and I did really get into the characters. At the same time, I disliked the way that information was presented, and the fact that so much of it was provided in a taunting manner. I like reading works set in vastly detailed worlds, but in The Warrior Heir I couldn’t help but shake the feeling that Chima had half assed the creation of a detailed world. A lot of terminology is thrown at the readers, and it’s stated that there’s a lot of history behind the Wierland, but I found that the attempts to develop it just left me confused. This is just another one of those books that left me wanting more from it instead of more of it.

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May 20, 2012 Heather Jensen rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

THE WARRIOR HEIR

(Summary taken from Amazon)
Jack lives an unremarkable life in Trinity, Ohio. Only his daily medicine and the thick scar above his heart set him apart from other teenagers at his high school. Until one day, Jack skips his medicine and finds himself stronger, fiercer, and more confident than ever before. He feels incredible – until he nearly kills another player on the soccer field.

Soon, Jack learns the startling truth: he is Weirlind, part of a magical underground society of wiza...more

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May 08, 2012 Sam Mule rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I believe that "The Warrior Heir" deserves 3 stars based on the fact that it was good enough to keep me reading, but not good enough to really let me connect to most of the characters. It was an action novel that didn't really give you too much depth throughout the book.

To begin with, the setting of the book isn't very interesting to me. Trinity, Ohio, the location of an old struggle for warriors between the White Roses and the Red Roses. Jack, the main character, has an easy going life as a reg...more I believe that "The Warrior Heir" deserves 3 stars based on the fact that it was good enough to keep me reading, but not good enough to really let me connect to most of the characters. It was an action novel that didn't really give you too much depth throughout the book.

To begin with, the setting of the book isn't very interesting to me. Trinity, Ohio, the location of an old struggle for warriors between the White Roses and the Red Roses. Jack, the main character, has an easy going life as a regular every day teen. Typical. As the book goes on it gets a bit more interesting when Jack travels to "Raven's Ghyll", an ancient where a dragon was slain to give the wizards, warriors and all the other magical beings their powers. And that's all she gives us. I needed more information, something that made me want to be dragged into the book, but no. Everything is left on a very vague description where I end up guessing everything.

In the book, there is are many different characters introduced into the book. From Jack's principal, Leotis Penworthy to the Head of the White Roses, Jessamine Longbranch. Jack being the main character is explained in depth, which is great in my opinion. The author makes him a very likable character, someone I can connect to. Emotions play a large role in this as he allows them to take control of him many times throughout the book. For example he attacks Garrett Lobeck when he gets cornered and beaten and ends up injuring him, something that many people would understand. Other characters in the book are not well explained. Jessamine Longbranch being one of them. A villain set out to play Jack in a fight-to-the-death tournament. Okay... what else? That question hung over me while reading for almost everyone because I didn't have a clue about the history of these people.

In the end of the book, I found the conclusion very drab. A generic happily ever after similar to the one of Mocking jay, very disappointing. It explained very little in what happens after the tournament ends except for the fact that everything is normal but not really normal. To me I feel like the author rushed the ending of the book when really readers need lots of information of the ending of these characters. A little bit of a cliff hanger on what will happen to Jack for the rest of his life but it's understandable as there is a sequel to this book.

All in all the book was decent for me. I was only to connect with about 2 characters in the book which made it less interesting to me but still not too bad. The diction used in the book was written well, giving me a good image that went through my mind of what they were seeing. I would recommend this book to younger teens with lesser expectations just based on the fact that the author gives you more of an image of what is happening to the characters but not a personal connection with them.
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Apr 02, 2012 Alex Laferriere rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In The Warrior Hair, written by Cinda Chima, Jackson Swift has always had a normal life in the small college town of Trinity, Ohio. A large, star shaped scar on his forehead and daily medication was the only two things that set him apart from the other normal students. Although he was religious about taking his pills, he decides not to one day, and when a rival soccer player (Lobeck) threatens jack, jack throws him --- sending Lobeck flying across the soccer field. After Jack gets home after thi...more In The Warrior Hair, written by Cinda Chima, Jackson Swift has always had a normal life in the small college town of Trinity, Ohio. A large, star shaped scar on his forehead and daily medication was the only two things that set him apart from the other normal students. Although he was religious about taking his pills, he decides not to one day, and when a rival soccer player (Lobeck) threatens jack, jack throws him --- sending Lobeck flying across the soccer field. After Jack gets home after this weird event, his strange Aunt Linda decides to randomly take him on a genealogy trip. Jack takes his two best friends with him, expecting a fun time, but they end up finding out that Linda is being stalked by a man who wants to steal the family heirloom. Aunt Linda says its nothing, but Jack doesn’t believe her, and he agrees to find the sought-after heirloom. While digging in a cemetery, Jack uncovers a long lost sword with strange powers. After this, Jack wants to know more. He finds out he’s a Weirlind, A magical being part of an underground society of other magical beings just like him. The two feuding houses (White Rose and Red Rose) settle whose going to rule by offering two people into single combat. Unfortunately, Jack is special even by Weirlind standards, so he’s chased after by both houses. The road gets dangerous once the stakes are raised, and Jack needs to train and train in order to stay alive. Will he make it through this frantic time and become the Weirlind champion? Read The Warrior Heir, by Cinda Chima.

Many people associate fantasy fiction books to be geared for the younger group of preteen readers. But in fact this book, The Warrior Heir, is an extremely well written fantasy fiction book that would actually connect to a good number of high school readers. The problems that Jackson faces, one of which being excluded from everyone once his powers are known, is a problem that everyone has faced in their lives one way or another whether it be at high school, at a job, or on a sport team. This books message is to never give up, just as Jackson did when he trained and trained for his life and that even when things are looking bleakest; there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. Along with the fact that many high school readers can relate to some of the problems that Jackson faces in this story, it is well written also. It has a vocabulary worthy of a high school student, and the plot is one of those page-turners that make you keep reading and reading. All in all, I read this book ravenously in only about a week and I enjoyed it thoroughly.
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Jan 12, 2012 Talus rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Typical teenage life. Living in a small town, going to school, just living with mom. This is the normal scenario for young Jack Swift, He is a normal teenager who is unaware of his past until a akward confrontation between him and his childhood enemy on the soccer field during tryouts. He somehow throws him in the air and into the goal without touching him. He is baffled at first and then realizes a possible reason. His mom has been giving him heart medication for his entire life and he seemed t...more

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Nov 27, 2011 Gail rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I am a big fan of fantasy. I love it when someone has powers they didn't know they had and find that goodness overcomes bad. In this book Jack is given a warrior stone to save his life as a baby. It is implanted by a doctor who thinks she can train Jack to be the warrior to fight to the death in an orchestrated fight between the red and white roses. Jack is protected by people who care about him and he is raised in a loving environment. The other contender has not been so lucky. She was raised t...more

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Compared to the 7 Realms series (no spoilers!)	7	26	May 28, 2013 05:27pm
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The Heir Series	28	145	Jan 13, 2013 04:33pm
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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 Wizard Heir (The Heir Chronicles, #2)

The Dragon Heir (The Heir Chronicles, #3)

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“Ellen could have killed me," Jack said quietly, "but she didn't. She saved my life."
"How come?" Fitch demanded. "After all this?"
Ellen turned scarlet and stared at the ground. "Maybe none of my opponents ever gave me flowers before," she mumbled.” — 120 people liked it

“He's not lazy. He's just highly inefficient.” — 115 people liked it

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The Warrior Heir (The Heir Chronicles #1)

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