Empire's Heir

Empire's Legacy #6

by Marian L. Thorpe

2022 Eric Hoffer Award Category Finalist

Some games are played for mortal stakes.

Gwenna, heir to Ésparias, is summoned by the Empress of Casil to compete for the hand of her son. Offered power and influence far beyond what her own small land can give her, Gwenna’s strategy seems clear – except she loves someone else.

Nineteen years earlier, the Empress outplayed Cillian in diplomacy and intrigue. Alone, his only living daughter has little chance to counter the Empress's experience and skill. Aging and torn by grief and worry, Cillian insists on accompanying Gwenna to Casil.

Risking a charge of treason, faced with a choice he does not want to make, Cillian must convince Gwenna her future is more important than his – while Gwenna plans her moves to keep her father safe. Both are playing a dangerous game. Which one will concede – or sacrifice?

444 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 30, 2021

About the author

My books are historical fiction of an imagined world, one that is close to Britain, Northern Europe, and Rome, but isn't any of them. A world where a society evolved differently after the Eastern Empire left, where one young fisherwoman answers her leader's call to defend her country, beginning a journey into uncharted territory, in an Empire on the edge of history.

After two careers as a research scientist and an educator, I decided it was time to do what I'd always really wanted, and be a writer. As well as my novels, I've published short stories and poetry. My life-long interest in Roman and post-Roman European history provided the inspiration for my books, while my other interests in landscape archaeology and birding provide background.

Reviews

[Bjørn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I have beta-read this book and received the final version for free. This review is as unbiased as it can be.

On book six in a series, I don't think I have to warn you not to expect action-filled non-stop bloodshed extravaganza. Heir, however, is even more static – on the surface – than the previous books. Even the characters are aware of that, stuck in the walls of the world that would be ancient Rome if not for the fact that it isn't. '“The city,” I said, turning back to the view. “The palace. Walls and more walls.”' Those walls were built to keep the ugly danger outside, leaving only the pretty, perfumed danger.

Cillian, always so slappable stoic, to the point of seeming unrealistic, makes a surprisingly compelling narrator. (To be honest, I was concerned about this aspect.) Under that unemotional, if cracking, facade hides a man afraid that he will never grow to become who he decided he should be – one who is so confused by emotions he tries to express them by quoting philosophers he wants to follow so badly… 'My father says Druise is a better stoic than he,' says Cillian's daughter, Gwenna, and she's right. Druise is who he is, while a lot of Cillian's pain comes from not being who he wants to be. So, like so many parents, he moves his ambition to his daughter. Is it going to work? The answer is simple: this is Gwenna's book.

How much agency can an 18-year-old woman have when she is summoned to join the parade of potential brides for the Empress' son, Alekos? Quite a lot, it turns out. She still has a lot to learn, same as Alekos – it's a book about passing of time and passing of the torch. The Empress and Cillian have decades of history together… but it might turn out not to be enough to keep him safe. Gwenna decides that she's going to sacrifice her own happiness if it helps her father, while her father decides he's going to sacrifice himself if that helps Gwenna, because they are related after all. If either of them succeeds, is that a victory?

And then there's love. Which is something that doesn't go well with diplomacy and politics. And…there's being an eighteen-year old young woman who might have received training more than adequate, but hasn't seen all that much before. :)

It's not a book you can skim. Every sentence can be as dangerous as the shadows glued to the palace walls. Where many writers hit you in the feels with a sledgehammer, Ms Thorpe uses a pin. I read an earlier version and I was already struck by the feeling that I am watching the inside of a Swiss watch, where everything is detailed, polished, golden… just right. The final version somehow refined it further. Empire's Heir is not a STOP sign – it's an engraving inside a ring, where both the ring and the engraving carry a hidden message.

It's a book about age. Cillian and Lena – and, well, everyone else – age. "If I left you, Cillian, it would be to learn to live without you," Lena says, and as brutal and cold as this seems to be, she's right. People don't always die heroic deaths on the battlefield. Sometimes they just get sick, frail, old. And as a reader I don't want to be faced with this truth. I don't have Lena's or Cillian's courage. It's just one example of how gently Ms Thorpe can force me to put the book away and reach for a handkerchief.

A word about worldbuilding. Ms Thorpe has always excelled in it, from her debut Empire's Daughter, and since then she's had years to further hone the skill. Heir is more than cinematic – I smell the surroundings, hear the fabrics rustle, I hear the voices (rarely raised – whispers are more threatening). The languages, countries, habits, clothes, dishes served combine into a world that is much more than a map.

I could go on, but not without spoilers. Well. I'm only going to say one thing. This plot twist you really won't see coming. And, just like that, I now have two candidates for book of the year, where until now there was only one.

PS. Pay attention to the poem randomly tacked at the end. Because Ms Thorpe doesn't randomly tack things at the end.

[Liis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here we are, at book number 6 of the Empire’s Legacy series. Wow. Just wow. I have been with these books since the series started and it is with my hand on my heart that I can honestly say- this series is simply consistently amazing from start up to this point and I have zero things I dislike, a thousands things I love; and as a reader who loves political intrigue and freshness and compelling characters – it just doesn’t get any better than that! It’s the absolute, ultimate alternative history/cal fiction.

Book #6. Naturally I can’t be telling you about things that might spoiler the previous books for you. I am bloody sad I can’t because yet again Marian managed to get my heart racing, my palms sweating and my anxiety (at all the possibilities) all time high. The absolute paradox here though is, that, Marian doesn’t add twists for shock factor, she doesn’t make her characters jump at each others’ throats just to keep the drama levels topped up. Your beloved characters are beloved and they are true to themselves. And THAT is a wicked skill! Yes, of course, there are twists in the story – of course there are some crafty characters who would want to see the main character(s) fall, but it’s never executed with over the top, from left field shockers. It’s all solid, logical progression of a story and it works miracles! Truly, this type of writing and execution is unlike anything I have ever experienced before.

Whilst in this title the focus is on Gwenna, I love how Cillian, Lena, Druise and Sorley are even now paramount to the story. There are of course more characters – more, way more – I mean, Empress and he son, am I right? – and to make all of these pieces fit together in the storyboard with an overarching political intrigue is no small task. Marian has, of course, built up her characters over the course of the preceding books. For me, reading about these characters, it’s like meeting up with old friends. I simply know them; I simply know what to expect from them…. No, sorry, let me rephrase; I know I can trust them, but I don’t know what to expect from them and they surprise me in positive ways everytime I meet them in one of these books. A long time may have passed since I last had the pleasure of their company but I had no issue at all in recognizing them the minute their name appeared in front of my eyes.

Gwenna – well, you can just tell by her character that she is the daughter of Cillian and Lena. She has had the luck to keep her free will in personal matters, whilst harvesting a wealth of strategic knowledge from her father and inheriting a respectable dose of loyalty from her mother. It was incredibly interesting to see her find her feet because going from humble Ésparias to the amazing Casil is like going from student to professional in international matters, no training wheels.

Lena and Cillian, throughout having to make sure they do right by Gwenna (as well as their son Colm), are dealing with a tremendous loss of their own. The whole family is. However, from the perspectives of Lena and Cillian especially, this brings a whole new layer to the book, a side plot if you will, and whilst the intrigue around Gwenna was brimming with excitement, Lena and Cillian’s story in this book was, again, the one thing that was keeping me solid at the egde of my seat. And, even though it is a heartbreaking addition to the story, Marian deals with the difficult subject, like always, with grace, respect and common sense.

Aside from the world-changing political intrigue, and the numerous internal conflicts our characters battle, it also needs to be mentioned, that LGBT representation is present and has always been throughout the books. It’s such a normal part of the whole world and story that you can’t imagine it being any other way. If you’re looking for steamy romps, however, you won’t get it in these books. You get hints of intimacy which feel somehow more significant.

So, without giving anything more away… this is what you get! Mind-blowingly incredible world building, exceptionally formed characters, solid, consistent and progressive plots. I dread the day Marian will be finished writing in this series, because it will leave a black hole in literature, a spot honourably reserved for just this particular story!

[Mary Yarde · Rating 5 out of 5]

“As an adult, as the heir, you can choose to agree with my thinking, or not. If you decide not, you will have information that could destroy many people. An extraordinary power, Gwenna, and one that will affect not just others’ lives, but yours. I will ask a promise of you, a vow, when you are adult, that you will never use what you learn to hurt anyone.”

It would not take much for Ésparias, Varsland and Linrathe to once again rage war on each other, and that was the last thing that Gwenna wanted. All the sacrifice, all the suffering that her family had gone through would be for nought. But it was a difficult balance to keep the alliance together, for each eyed what the other had hungrily. Gwenna knew that for the alliance to work, then they would need trade deals and treaties. And if all else failed, a marriage to unite the kingdoms may save them all from a bloody conflict—although it would not be possible for Gwenna to wed a prince of Varsland and Linrathe at the same time. It would be a difficult decision, but Gwenna is determined that what happened in her parent’s lifetime will not happen again. She wants peace, and she is determined to do everything within her power to keep the kingdoms from each other’s throats.

Marian L Thorpe has done it again. She has given her readers another enthralling instalment of the Empire’s Legacy series. Empire’s Heir (Empire’s Legacy, Book 6) was everything I had hoped it would be and then some.

With a realistic historical fantasy backdrop and a narrative that entices, enchants and enthrals, Empire’s Heir has an awful lot to recommend it. There is an authenticity to the atmospheric backdrop which makes the world that Thorpe has created come to life. This vividness, this sense of realism, draws the reader into the story. The writing is phenomenal and the story shines with its own light of brilliance. This novel is next to impossible to put down. This is the kind of book that one would happily forgo sleep to finish.

There are so many wonderful characters in this series, but this story is told through the narrative of two of them - a father and his daughter. I thought this gave the story a depth that there just would not have been if it had been told from a single perspective.

Gwenna was a character that really came into her own in this novel. Her extensive education and the steady guidance and influence of her parents and Lord Sorley meant that, despite her age, she is a confident negotiator and has a keen understanding of trade and how it works, and more importantly, how it can work well so everyone’s interests and concerns are addressed. She understands tariffs and economics, and how to negotiate complicated trade details. Her extensive knowledge holds her in good stead and means that she comes as, not just an equal, but someone with authority to the table.

Gwenna’s relationship with Lynthe is thwart with difficulties and obstacles to overcome. In one way, their relationship mirrors that of Gwenna’s father and Lord Sorley. And like her father, Gwenna must weigh up all the options. Peace was only achievable after a long and bloody campaign, but now peace is once again hanging in the balance. Gwenna is duty-bound to marry with the hope of keeping the alliance together. There is no room for love between Gwenna and Lynthe in such a politically unstable world. But the irony of this is that the Empire's Legacy series is, when it comes down to it, a desperate and unforgettable sweeping love story. Gwenna has grown up in a home where there is a collective and very passionate love shared between four people. This love has, in a way, made Gwenna wary. Also, and despite how she may feel and what her heart truly wants, Gwenna must look at the bigger picture. The Empress is powerful and has the means to condemn to death those who she might consider traitorous. There is, therefore, an uncomfortable undercurrent that runs through this novel, that the Empress will, if she is displeased, release her fury, and that is something that Gwenna can not allow to happen. Gwenna is therefore trapped, and the city's high defence walls begin to take on a more significant and sinister role. Whatever she decides, someone, somewhere, is going to suffer the consequences of her actions. I thought Gwenna’s depiction was utterly sublime. Her character drove this story forward.

Although many of the actions and decisions throughout this novel are male-dominated, the women in this story can also wield a great deal of power and influence. Gwenna knows that to be an empress and to be respected and treated with the same reverence an emperor would receive, would be an uphill battle. The easy option would be to forget her own wishes, and marry a prince, although that too would have implications on the peace between the nations. However, Lena reminds her daughter that she must take into consideration her own feelings and she must do what is right for her.

Lena is a very strong woman and has been throughout this series. And although in this novel Lena has suffered, as they all have, a terrible loss, there is still that sharpened edge of determination to make sure that her daughter understands exactly what is at stake. I adored Lena from Book 1 and I continued to love her in this novel.

Although this book could stand on its own, I would think you would be giving the story a grave disservice if you did not start with Book 1. This is the kind of series that deserves not only a place on your bookshelf, but also your heart. It is an impressively dramatic series and one that I cannot praise enough.

I Highly Recommend.

Review by Mary Anne Yarde
The Coffee Pot Book Club

[S. Bavey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had been considering reading this series for a while, so when I was offered the chance to review Empire’s Heir as a standalone for Black Coffee Book Tours, I leapt at the chance – thank you to the author and to Black Coffee Book Tours for having me along!

Owing to the fact that this is the sixth book in a series there are many well-established characters who are already mired in the history of the Empire, but who I had to play catch up to figure out all of the ins and outs of their relationships – and believe me there are a lot of ins and outs and complicated relationships! Polyamorous relationships are the norm in this story which feels like it is set in Ancient Rome, but isn’t. It is set in a fantasy world ruled by an Empress. Political machinations are key to the story. And baths. As in Ancient Rome, a lot of baths are taken.

Luckily the author provides a “Story So Far” catch-up guide on her website which I found very useful. There is also a glossary of foreign terms included, which are often used as terms of endearment throughout the story.

There are two main ‘point of view‘ characters telling the story from first person perspective, Princess Gwenna, and her father, Prince Cillian, who take it in turns, chapter by chapter to take the reins. They are both well-educated, complex characters and I enjoyed the loving relationship between father and daughter. She was always looking to ensure he was comfortable and had everything he needed. He was protective of her and the potential match between her and Alekos, the son of the Empress, who we do not meet until halfway into the story. Cillian wanted Gwenna to be happy above all else. The secondary characters are equally complex, in terms of their relationships, familial roles and positions within the hierarchy and politics of the empire. They all (except one) have in common their love for Cillian, who seems to provoke strong emotions in all who meet him.

We join this powerful family soon after the unthinkable has happened – the youngest child died recently and everyone is in mourning.

Eighteen year old Gwenna is the heir to the leader, or Princip, of Ésparias, and is set to travel with her parents to Casil, the seat of the Empress, to be presented among a number of other young women of note as a possible bride for Alekos and to be present for his investiture. This involves an arduous sea voyage during which she explores her relationship with soldier, Lynthe, and thinks she has fallen in love with her. Gwenna is a wonderfully layered character, very intelligent and well trained in diplomacy by her father, yet still able to defend herself with a throwing knife when the need arises and full of love for her family and partner Lynthe.

Her parents have informed her that the marriage must be her choice and that she should not undertake it lightly through a sense of duty to her country. Years before the Empress Eudekia was thwarted in her desire to marry Cillian due to his love for Lena – so now she is determined to obtain his daughter as her son’s wife. She also suspects treachery on his part. Cillian is half-expecting to be arrested for treason on arrival, despite his continuing friendly correspondence for many years with the Empress, so the stakes are particularly high. Cillian is also a great character, aging and in need of massage and drugs to keep his courtly façade in place, in private and in his point of view chapters we learn exactly how he feels towards the other characters and the situation in which they have found themselves. An extremely skilled diplomat he has to come up with a solution that will stop the war that is brewing in the East from happening while also juggling the likelihood of his own arrest for treason and trying to keep his daughter’s wishes with regards marriage to the fore. Every word spoken within this book is very carefully chosen – there is no room for idle chit-chat.

“Love and loyalty, conflicting…

How did you decide which one to choose? How did you sort them out, separate them?”

There is not a lot of action in this novel, barely any fights or deaths, but whenever there is an action scene it is both well-paced and well-choreographed. Don’t get me wrong, however – there may not be action in every chapter, but there is an awful lot going on. The many layers of intrigue, relationships and politics are meticulously hinted at with more than a few surprises and twists along the way. The game of “xache” is often referred to throughout the book – a game of strategy – and it is clearly a metaphor for the strategic game-playing that is happening between the different factions on the political level:

“Some games are played for mortal stakes.”

The world in which this book takes place is artfully described and due to the author’s descriptive skills it is very easy to visualise the many different locations of the story, the grand city of Casil, home to Empress Eudekia and her son Alekos taking the centre stage for the second half of the book:

“Buildings—mostly warehouses, Sorley told me—gleamed in the sunshine, and gulls wheeled and cried above the dozens of ships moored along the docks. The water, within the long arms of the sea walls, was still, but the docks were not. Men loaded and unloaded ships, transferring amphorae and barrels to carts and smaller vessels. Shouts blended with the lowing of oxen and the jangle of rigging in the breeze.”

This story deserves your concentration when you read it – many things are touched on rather than fully explained and you will enjoy it all the better for giving it your full attention! It was a highly enjoyable read and I aim to go back and start the series from Book 1 at some point.

[The Page Ladies Book Club · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the sixth book for the Empire's Legacy series and so far each book has been a fantastic read and this book is no different! I have come to really enjoy all of the characters! Each of them has grown and changed throughout the series!
The writing is fantastic! The world that Marian Thorpe has created is amazing! I love the balance that Thorpe has created between the realistic feel and the fantasy and adventure! Absolutely amazing series!

[Susan Hancock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you, Marian L Thorpe, for an advance draft of Empire’s Heir: I’m pleased to say that I found it as compelling and unputdownable as earlier books in the ‘Empire’ series. I have already pre-ordered a copy of my own to keep and to re-read – I know I shall want to.

I particularly like the alternating narrative between daughter and father, so essential to knowing the progress of each through the intricacies of the political and personal demands that need to be negotiated. With the faintly terse short paragraphs, it is almost like a xache game, with each making their own moves. Being a party to their individual feelings about the successes and failures along the way accentuates not only their struggles, but the ways in which Gwenna matures (not a straight line) and the way Cillian, in danger of losing those he loves, fully engages with the priorities in his life—such a ferociously intelligent man, but so self-destructively reserved in the handling of both his own emotions and those of his loved ones. At times I feel that his voice is subdued by the dialogue surrounding him (giving subtle emphasis to his lack of ease, lack of confidence, in knowing what to say or do with those he holds dear.) The poignant loss of Lianë is so sensitively explored too, through the thoughts, memories and feelings of (in particular) Colm, Lena and Cillian.

Thorpe’s characters have become very ‘real’ to me over the course of the books thus far, so much so that they have gained a kind of life of their own—or perhaps it is the world in which they live which has taken hold. With that in mind, it was good to be left with thoughts of possible futures, I won’t elucidate, in order to avoid spoilers, suffice to say I really liked the end chapters.

What can I say? I loved the book, love the people, and will read and re-read multiple times. Many thanks to the author for bringing them to life.

[Nerissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first page I opened, I thought- a step back and into the past, Shakespeare maybe! But then I continued reading and I was captivated. I couldn’t put the book down in-between work and chores, and then I slept like the dead when I was done. I almost forgot to post my review of the book.
5 stars because of how uniquely different this novel was written. I didn’t read the books that came before, however, the writer has made sure that the reader understands the story line and can keep up this Kate in the game. It is a story filled with lust for power and a need to save the important things in one’s life, especially after losing something else that was precious. After all that is the world of politics. You may feel grief and sadness, and joy, even though the book does not have that surprising twisting and turning that others do.
I love that the narrators are between Gwenna and Cillian - Daughter and Father. It makes you get attached to the story as the feelings of both these characters are portrayed flawlessly.
P.S. Now I want to read the books that came before!

[Julie Porter · Rating 2 out of 5]

Spoilers: I absolutely hate reading a book in the middle of a series when I am unfamiliar with the previous volumes. It's not just a matter of getting confused by the plot or not understanding the characters or their motivation. It's also that doing so makes me feel like an intruder. I feel like I'm butting into the middle of a conversation. The characters are all looking at me as though I don't know what I'm talking about and saying things like "This is an AB conversation so C your way out."


I don't blame the authors when that happens or even those who send the books to me. When I am able to, I usually try to compromise with the authors or providers by reading the series in its proper order and reviewing each volume so I have some information about where this plot is going and what happened previously. When that doesn't happen, I try my best with what information that I am given.


To her credit Marion L. Thorpe makes it easy for her Empire's Legacy novels. If you have to read a later one, as I did with her latest Empire's Heir, she offers a link that provides a synopsis of each previous volume to update the Reader on the story so far.

Online synopses work to an extent. You learn about important events. You learn who is allied with who, who were lovers before, and who became enemies. In a series like Empire's Legacy which seems to rely on ever changing romantic relationships to carry on most of the plots, that is very important.

However online synopsis only goes so far. You read about what the characters did but don't fully know them or care about what they did. It's not the same as experiencing the journey with them. Without that vicarious thrill, you can't be an observer. You are an outsider locked out of the loop and the story.


I don't blame Thorpe for these problems with her book. It's not her fault. It's my own ignorance for not following the power plays between who becomes the heir to Esparias or the importance when Gwenna, the adult daughter of Senior Prince Cilia and Major Lena of the Esperian Army is chosen as heir over Faolyn the son of Talyn, the General of the Esperian Army.

I understand the conflict between arranging Gwenna's potential marriage to Alekos, Prince of Casil over her personal feelings in her relationship with Lianthe, Lieutenant of the Esperian Army and Faolyn's sister. However, I don't get why this particular union is important over any other.

Speaking of relationships, It's my problem not Thorpe's that I practically need a flow chart to recognize the relationships in the series. That Cilia and Lena appear to be happily married but they just lost a daughter, Liane leaving them with Gwenna and a son, Colm. The parents also had or continue to have same sex relationships.

Lena had a former lover, Maya and their relationship carried through the first few books of the series. Cilia had been involved with Sorley and even though he married Lena, Sorley still serves as a bard and advisor to Cilia. To add to this drama, after Cilia's marriage, Sorley obtained another lover, Druisius who also serves as Cilian's bodyguard and Captain of Esperian Army.

It's my fault that I didn't read the previous books in the series and got lost in the plot developments in this book.


I do however blame Thorpe for the problems that can be found in this volume. Even without the benefit of reading the previous books, I can tell that this is a lackluster volume in the series which mostly has a lot of talking about of events, a lot of summary of what happened before, and manufactured emotional tension to move the thin plot forward as Readers who had followed the series waits for the better stuff in the series. Not every volume in a series can be a winner and I found this to be the potential weak one in this series.


But here is also the thing. If I were to even judge this book as a stand alone book (which admittedly is hard to do), I still would have problems with it. It's just not that good. It's slow paced, plods on for too long, plot points get repeated, and after awhile it gets tedious and boring.

I don't expect a Historical Fiction or Epic Fantasy to be filled with nonstop bloody action or magical characters around every corner, but I do expect something to happen. I expect some important stakes about why these power struggles are important, some suspense, maybe yes something Historic, Epic, and Fantastic.


For example, say what you will about the quality of the series, especially the final season, of Game of Thrones but they got those large aspects right. They had personal conflicts and power struggles but there was always the realization that Westeros was the largest stake. There was tension that spilled out and affected everyone. There was also the threat of the White Walkers and the questionable motives of many of the higher ups who vied with each other. The overall emotions was no matter who "won" the Game of Thrones, no one from the highest lord to the lowest slaves's lives were ever going to be the same again. Many would die, many would grieve, many lands would be destroyed, borders would shift, and the world would be forever rocked and may continue to be so for a long time afterwards, no matter how much they try to heal.


That is what Historical Fiction and Epic Fantasy does. It often reminds the Reader that among the romantic and personal, something larger is going on.

With this book, what I got was a Soap Opera with Swords.


There is some great characterization especially regarding Liane's death. It's moving to read Lena and Cillian grieving for her. Even though it's a fictional kingdom, it mirrors a time period when child death was all too common. In some countries, children weren't even named until their first birthdays because parents didn't want to get too emotionally attached if they died. It's actually heartbreaking and anguishing to read about Liane's parent's grief and while they clearly love and care for each other, her death fractures their close but strained marriage.


There are some sweet moments between Cilia and Sorley and Gwenna and Lianthe. It's truly moving that Gwenna has to decide between choosing what the kingdom wants, to marry Alekos and produce heirs and what she wants to continue her relationship with Lianthe. It's also clear that Cilia chose the political over the personal and while he loves Lena, it's apparent that he misses what he had with Sorley and doesn't want his daughter to go through what he did. Still be makes some power grabs that Gwenna, Lena, and Sorley question and could be detrimental to his family anyway.


However the deep emotion felt by the characters is neutered by the tediousness of the plot. The plot points get repeated ad nauseam. Conversations were similar and characters kept talking about the same things over and over. It got to a point where I was uncertain whether I was rereading the same chapter or an entirely new one. I would have reread previous chapters to make sure but the slow pacing made doing that a chore so I didn't bother.


It's a sad state of affairs when the most exciting events that occur are when one character slips on the floor towards the beginning and an assassination attempt is easily thwarted towards the end. The middle is just endless talking and repeating the same things.

I don't expect an exciting battle or blood and guts to spill throughout the book. That would be just as tedious and plotless. But I do expect something interesting to happen to further the plot, something larger than the endless diatribes over the various love shapes.


Speaking of love shapes, there is another concern in this book. While the series' setting is based on European history, it is set in a fictional world. A fictional world that is free of Abrahamaic religious influences, influences that state that force LGBT rights and relationships in hiding. It's a fictional world that can make up it's own rules and morals and doesn't have centuries of brainwashing that tell the people that being gay or trans is wrong.



So why does the central government and standards in the Empire's Legacy series look so disdainfully on same sex relationships in the first place? Why do characters like Maya, Sorley, and Lianthe have to play the roles of side lovers while Lena, Cilian, and Gwenna have to settle into conventional heterosexual marriages? While the characters keep repeating that they don't "have" to be married, the fact that they are suggests that there is pressure for straight marriages, even continuing arranging them for political purposes.


In the introduction Thorpe stated that Esperian culture is based on ancient cultures like the Romans and Celts. But here's the thing: heterosexual marriages were not required across the board with them either. The Greeks were noteworthy for allowing same sex unions. Alexander the Great's advisor, Hephaestus, was also his life partner and for all intents and purposes, his husband. The Roman Empire was famous for its leaders carrying on various affairs.

While yes I know a possibility is to allow for procreation,to keep family lines going, and the Imperial line to continue. But in the latter, that is definitely not true because in Esperias, ruling heirs are clearly selected and are not inherited titles. As for family lines, there are ways to get around that as many cultures have shown such as fostering.


Celtic and Native American social structures for example often encouraged fostering. There are many stories where a foster child rose up and fought on the side of their adopted family over their birth one. In Native American families' cases that even included white children that were adopted or married into the tribe defending their adopted home against white authority figures who challenged them.

There is no real reason that Sorley and Cilian couldn't be a couple with Gwenna as their foster daughter or even in an arrangement between them and Lena and Maya. The only reason that doesn't happen in these books seems to create dramatic tension in a world where that tension isn't necessary.


I want to like Empire's Heir, I really do. It has all of the things that I would usually like: a historical setting, fantasy and high adventure, strong female leads, struggles in marginalization, and parallels between the real and fictional world. But the execution leaves a lot to be desired.

[A Night Bird]

Note: This review contains spoilers for other books in the Empire’s Legacy series.

I have a feeling my whole “rating” thing is falling to pieces, for which I apologize! Each of the Empire novels by Marian feel very different, while at the same time being similar in other ways, and this is one I don’t think I am likely to forget in a long time. It did not lend itself to provoking the same kind of personal thoughts and questioning for me that Empire’s Bard did, but I enjoyed it no less thoroughly.

Empire’s Heir is dual PoV, written through the eyes of Gwenna, and her father Cillian. I’ve been really interested in Cillian for a long time, so it is nice to get some of his perspective. Family and relationship struggles, grief, and duty/responsibility are all themes that rear their heads, in this story about Cillian and Lena’s family and the challenges they face.

Something I really enjoyed is the way those interpersonal conflicts are raw. Cillian loves Lena dearly, and she loves him, but there are things between them, things Cillian has done that could drive them apart, as well as issues and needs that Lena has. It’s a story of a family with issues any family might have, and also issues most families might not (or are they human issues, everyone experiences to a greater or less degree, in more or less obvious ways?). Of oaths sworn, and what it means to keep them before those you love. Of responsibility and duty, and what you believe to be your responsibility, and what is not. Of human fears and concerns and responses, Lena’s belief that the goddess to whom she prayed for victory in a battle is responsible for the death of her youngest child, and the different responses of everyone in their family to grief. How, in their different responses to grief, they sometimes hurt each other very badly without meaning to, and try to comfort each other.

Of how people grow and change, and what once was stable may not be permanent, and a new stability has to be found.

I enjoyed the treatment of relational issues that don’t have an easy solution, and the anguish that causes among people who are trying to love each other. How other people are hurt when those they love have problems with each other, and what it requires to work through those problems in a way that’s loving. The journey of two people discovering what love is, and what the nature of the relationship and love between them is.

And perhaps my favourite thing about the book was the dynamic between Gwenna and Cillian and the Empress (and her son). Cillian has sworn to Lena that he will not let their children becomes pieces in the game of empire, and they had impressed upon Gwenna that she is to marry because she wants to, for love. She is not to consider herself bound to marry someone she does not want to for the sake of empires. That is not her duty. But with the Empress, Eudekia (I can say I did not like the Empress – this is cruel!) leading her to believe that her father will be killed if she does not marry her son – who she finds to be a fine intellectual partner, but whom she does not love, while she may love someone else, who most certainly does love her – Gwenna is prepared to make that choice. And she follows in her father’s footsteps of lying to those around her, at least in the sense of withholding salient truths, not willing to burden them with her choice. So it takes a while for Cillian to figure out what is going on.

Here is a piece of the exchange between them:

“Not then, and not now. I promise you that, mo nihéan. But I am guilty of more than one betrayal; you know that. Why would another shock you so much?”

“Because . . . ” She took a breath. “Because you love Mathàir. And Sorley. And they love you. But you were trying to save their lives, so would it have been wrong?”

“No. It would not have been.” I watched confusion cloud her face. “Sometimes sacrifice is called for, Gwenna. Sometimes so is betrayal. But not this time.” I held out an arm. She slipped off her chair to sit on the floor beside me like her mother did, leaning against me. “I am nearly an old man, and you are very young. Do not marry the Prince for this reason. Do not give up love to possibly gain me a few more years of life.” I stroked her hair. “That is not your responsibility.”

She looked up at me, no tears blurring her vision. “But I would know what I had done, if I ignored the threat to you. How would I live with the guilt?”

Not, I hoped, as I had in the years after betraying Linrathe for Sorley, growing bitter and cynical, hating myself and the men that had forced my choice. “I have told you what I think you should do. If there is a sacrifice to be made, let it be mine.”

She twisted away from my hand, knelt. Our eyes were level. “No,” she said, her voice as sharp and hard as a blade. “I will hear no talk of lives sacrificed. I will decide by weighing what could happen, calculating risk and reward for the greatest good. To take the long view, as the Principe I may be one day must. It is what you taught me, is it not?”

One of the things I really liked about this book was Lena and Cillian’s focus on Gwenna’s freedom to love who she wishes. This is a series that definitely has a bit to do with duty, but that is something that is so refreshing to see, that emphasis on freedom and love. I don’t think this is a series or a book that strives to provide answers to all questions, only to show possibilities and provoke thought. And I liked that that emphasis on freedom and love is shown in this book, since it is something I rarely see, and it provides a balancing view, a balancing thought to be considered, against the expediency shown in some other places throughout the series.

Something else that deserves a moment is the treatment of trust and secrets and love in a relationship. One of the ways that Cillian contributes to the problems in his relationship with Lena that almost – apparently – drive them apart is all the secrets he has kept, to protect her from the charge of treason he fears faces him. I’m not sure if I should give away the whole “plot” but the places of secrets and trust in a relationship, and burdens freely shared for love, or divisions drawn between people when protection becomes more important than closeness, is a theme explored.

Cillian’s flaws and personal thoughts are something I enjoyed seeing. What follows is going to be as rambling and apparently disconnected as usual! He’s crippled because of injuries in a previous war (even though he didn’t fight), and that … situation … is in the background of everything that pertains to him: in the background, I say, because it’s not made a big deal of, except for when it is a big deal, but it’s quietly, unobtrusively there, except in the ways that it is obtrusive. A part I noticed is when he thinks that he’s thought he reconciled himself to certain limitations and failings, as part of living with his injury, but he realized that acceptance may have … limits he had not considered before.

And there’s the way that he thinks through his own motivations: Does his own personal desire not to be charged with treason have something to do with some of the choices he makes in negotiations with the Empress? Or is he making sure Gwenna has choices, letting her have the choice to marry the Prince if that is what she and he both want? Or a little bit of both?

This is a story about what it means to try to love. Established love in families between people who’ve been together for decades, and new love that’s just discovering what it is, and old love that’s still discovering what it is. Freedom and trust and secrets and choices. Accept what fate brings, or fight for what you desire? And a child growing up, to make her own choices.

It also has political intrigue too, of course, but to me that’s not the focus, but the setting for the story.

I can definitely say I loved this one! I wish I could write a fuller review for it, but I’m not sure how much that helps people, and I do have to balance my time and attention with different things.

Full review here: https://enthralledbylove.com/2022/12/...

[Karen Heenan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been a fan of Marian Thorpe's Empire series since the first book, Empire's Daughter, and I have been waiting almost as long for a story told in Cillian's point of view. Cillian is well-read, intelligent, a diplomat - and almost completely incapable of expressing his feelings to those he loves. His part of the book is masterfully written, as we are able to sense, and finally understand, all the things he is unable to say.

It was a bonus to get not only Cillian (the past), but Gwenna, his daughter (the future), as the other half of the tale is told from her point of view. This allows for an exploration of a father/daughter relationship that manages to be both raw and delicate.

Cillian, aging, grieving, his health no longer strong, nevertheless escorts his 18-year-old daughter to Casil, a Rome-like city in Thorpe's alternate European world. He is there to protect her, while Gwenna takes it upon herself to protect her father. Each is willing to sacrifice to save the other.

Many familiar characters from the series are present - and welcome additions to the story - but it is the new characters who push this new generation forward: Lynthe, whom Gwenna loves; Alekos, whom she might marry to save her father; the parade of young women brought to Casil to compete to be Alekos's bride, and the next Empress.

Empire's Heir, for all its suspense, is not a loud or action-packed book in the traditional sense. Much happens, but the bulk of the action takes place within the stifling walls of the palace, where few can be trusted and no one is quite what they seem.

Themes of trust, familial love, and sacrifice abound. Witnessing the passing of the torch from father to daughter brings the reader an almost physical pain.

As always, Thorpe's writing is beautiful - strong in the details of landscape both physical and political, delicate in the handling of strong emotion, and cunning in how stealthily details of the plot are seeded throughout. This is a long book, but it reads like a much shorter one. There is a constant thread of tension running through the book, and a twist at the end that  only the most clairvoyant reader will see coming.

[D.K. Marley · Rating 5 out of 5]

“But only my father held every thread in the warp and woof of the carefully woven alliances. Everyone else saw only parts of the fabric of his plans. Everyone else except me. I was both heir to Ésparias, and heir to my father’s sedition.”

You can’t get much better than opening a blurb with this line: “Some games are played for mortal stakes.” Just that one line pulls you into the story in an instant. The games of life, the games people play, one against another, and the actual ‘xache’ played between players, all woven together to create this story.

This book is a stand-alone, but also a continuation of the saga of the Empire’s Legacy series. Having never read the first books in the story, I thought I needed to catch up to the story in order to enjoy what was happening but that ended up not being the case. Ms Thorpe did a great job in providing just enough details of the previous books to allow a reader to read this and enjoy the story without feeling lost.

“You are a symbol, my father had said, a reminder that Ésparias is more than a province of Casil; that we have a history of our own.”

Gwenna, the beautiful and spirited heir to the Ésparias throne, is summoned before the Empress of Casil. Her son needs a wife and Gwenna is just one of many women paraded in front of him while negotiations wrangle back and forth, and lives and nations are kept in the balance while choices are made. This is how marriage alliances are made in this era, they are not one of love but of land and power – political manuevering – and Gwenna is forced to decide between her own heart and an alliance which might save her own father, Cillian.

“...if no is your answer, then say it. Marriage is not easy, and when politics and intrigue are part of it, which they would be, married to the Emperor of the East, it is all the much harder. Without a true connection, without complete trust, it would be unthinkable.”

Each chapter is skilfully presented as a back and forth between daughter and father, a window into their feelings and soul, and you come to understand their relationship plus how past dealings shadow over the present. The Empress is winning the game, outplaying Cillian nineteen years earlier (in the previous books) in diplomacy and intrigue; but Cillian teaches his daughter the moves to make to counter her when he accompanies her to Casil.

A accusation of treason is played as stakes in this game of politics – all against Cillian, who must then convince Gwenna that her future is more important that his life. Yet, Gwenna proves herself a power in her own right, a skilled game-player, as she moves to protect him while playing a very dangerous game which includes the Empress’s own son, Alekos.

There is a sense of atmospheric authenticity to the way Ms Thorpe writes and her world-building skills are incredible and vivid. While you understand this story hovers somewhere between the history of Britain and Rome, you emerge from the story believing in the history told of this alternate world of Thorpe’s imagination.

This book is the passing of the torch, the past folding into the future, and the relationships which mold a child into the strong, resilient, and brave young woman destined to be a powerful ruler. While she clings to the person she truly loves, Lynthe, she is willing to sacrifice everything for her father... but in a clever move she finds a way to have both... but only if she is not discovered in the process.

Cillian, this intelligent diplomat suffering from physical and emotional pains, has difficulty in expressing himself to those he loves, especially his wife, Lena, but his reliance on others in his life comes forth throughout the story. The grief Lena and Cillian share over the death of their youngest child, Liane, resonates like a thread throughout the storyline; and you come to understand on a very deep and personal level the underlying reasons for his distance, as well as his relationship with the Empress.

“My own scars-both sets-were only outward manifestations of inner wounds. We all had them, visible and invisible. Lena’s only deepened my love for her. … I thought about how scarred we both were by life, and how one night could not repair that. Or even many. How life was not that simple.”

While not terribly action-filled, the battles raging are not on the battlefields but are played out in the hearts and within the walls of the Empress’s palace, and I sometimes felt as if I was reading a side story to “Game of Thrones”. Trust, intrigue, lust, betrayal, power, sacrifice, grief, family, friends, and lovers – all wrapped up in this beautifully written story where the ending will come as a surprise and a twist – and where thoughts and passions are unveiled while submerged within the waters of the Roman-like baths.

Ms Thorpe takes you by the hand and leads you through this game with terrific skill, although at times, I must say, I felt a little uncomfortable, which I guess is a good thing for a writer to invoke in a reader. I’m sure plenty of people felt uncomfortable at times with George R. R. Martin’s story, so this one is no different in that level of storytelling. All in all, I enjoyed the ebb and flow of the writing, and completely sucked in by Ms Thorpe’s world-building skill which, by that alone, engenders a five-star rating.

This book is given a five-star rating and a “Highly Recommended” award from The Historical Fiction Company.

[Julie Barham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intense, moving and deeply personal, this novel set on the edge of history is a picture of an unconventional family under various threats is an engaging read. A political thriller of sorts, this is a novel which features a subtle and intelligent story of a group of people who are playing for high stakes - their lives and the survival of their country in the face of a powerful ruling Empire. The talented author continues a saga in a created world which draws inspiration and historical veracity from Roman history with other elements added. This book is the second in a second trilogy of an Empire where women are frequently warriors, politicians and in the case of one of the main characters here, diplomats. Gwenna is a young woman who is the acknowledged heir to the land of Esperias, and it is largely her story which dominates this novel which I believe can be read as a standalone and indeed taster for the other novels. Certainly most of the challenges she faces in this novel are new and must be worked at independently of what has gone before; her parents have their own stories but this is Gwenna’s story. While her father Cillian is present, her mother Lena is coping with a tragic loss and her fears for the future, taking some refuge in the military role which she is uniquely qualified for given her stormy past.

This is a novel told through the perspectives of Gwenna and Cillian as they make choices and take actions that may have implications for thousands of people as well as themselves. The inherent tension kept me reading, the world creation is superbly consistent, and yet it is the humanity of the narrative which maintains interest. Thorpe is a skilful creator of characters and settings in the little details, the small points that reveal immense research into the sources which construct an Empire on the edge of history, and I was accordingly so pleased to have the opportunity to read and review this deeply satisfying book.

As the book opens Gwenna is negotiating a trade deal with the ruler of a neighbouring state. It concerns wool as befits a largely agricultural state, but it also reveals the sophistication of the society in which Gwenna and her family live and act. Gwenna acquits herself well, despite the fact that both sides are dealing with personal griefs that will echo throughout the book. She also reveals that she has been invited to the investiture of the new Emperor of the East who was assuming his role from the abdication of his mother who had been the effective ruler of the Empire. Gwenna has been invited specifically in her role as heir to the leadership of Esparius, but also as a potential bride for this new young Emperor. There turns out to be competition for the role, other young women whose backgrounds also represent political implications as well as their own personality, and Gwenna must make fine judgements of her wishes amid huge tensions. The other point of view narrator of the story is Cillian, her father, whose own history with the Empress is complex, and together with Lena, has made decisions that have affected his own position as well as nominating his eldest child for a role that she was given as a baby. He is determined to accompany her to Casil, even though he knows that he risks his own life in several ways; as a sick man who needs constant medical attention, but also as a potential traitor who has walked a tightrope of diplomacy for decades.

This is a vivid story of family, friends, and others whose lives are being decided by a complex set of circumstances frequently beyond their control. Though in a unique setting, their actions, reactions and emotions are common to people throughout history and everywhere. I recommend this novel as an engaging continuation of a well established story, but also a tension filled narrative of a group of people negotiating a complex situation in its own right.

[Carly Rheilan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like everything that we experience, this book is part of a wider picture. The art of the author is to take this segment of time, shape it as a thing unto itself, and yet at the same time allow it to play a meaningful part in the wider whole. Isn’t that what we are all constantly trying to do with our lives?

Marian Thorpe does this well.

We are introduced to Gwenna, a well schooled and mature eighteen year old. a princess who is heir to a principality that itself is part of a wider empire. Opposite her is her father, the now ailing Princip, along with her mother (both queen and warrior), her brother (who would rather study diligently as a doctor than be a pampered prince), and a lattice work of other characters whose relationships to father, daughter and each other are precisely and delicately drawn.

Her father is coming to the end of his reign. Gwenna must protect him – for she clearly loves him and he faces political threats as well as failing health – but also prepare for his inevitable death and the challenges that this will bring. In the precarious balance of power across the wider empire, she will need to exercise great diplomacy. As a woman, she will have to face distrust from others whose culture expects a man in her role. And as a young woman she needs to choose her future partner - carefully, balancing emotion and strategic interests, the personal and the political. The book traces this complex, precarious dynamic as she travels with her family and their retinue to the dangerous capital city of the empire, where the empress's son may – or may not – be Gwenna's successful suitor. Gwenna’s lover, Lynthe, a princess in her own right but also Gwenna’s bodyguard, is travelling with them. Her claim on Gwenna is tentative and untested, and her fierce loyalty is very poignant.

The world building is historically informed, and within its wider framework the “special” cultural qualities of Ésparias are elegantly set out. It is done so thorough-goingly however, that I felt it was occasionally at risk of slipping into self parody. So Gwenna AND her father AND her mother AND most of the significant characters in the story have same sex lovers and are only doing heterosexuality for the sake of succession? Yes, I get it, and it’s fine and inclusive, but all of them? Similarly, I liked the emphasis on their deep and loving family ties, their courtly, cultured and civilised interests, their benign and dignified outlook, their very delicate approach to the inequalities of class and rank on which their postition depends…. but I found these virtues a little relentless, like one of those Christmas round robins where one learns that Natasha has qualified as a barrister and Inigo has secured his PhD in Mandarin, and Claire and Martin are going to Africa to do VSO together, and one ends up almost hoping that when one turns the page the difficult middle child will have just been done for dope dealing… . Do these people never unwind? Do they never bitch or bicker or banter a little, or get a bit sweaty without taking an elegant bath, or make a selfish wrong decision or otherwise let themselves down? It’s very very courtly.

These are small and small-minded criticisms however, and I probably shouldn’t disgrace myself by harbouring them. Virtue is all too rare in the novels that I read, and, to be fair, it’s actually quite refreshing. The characters are deeper no doubt than their manners, anyway, and if I really feel the need for a bit more conflict I can allow myself an unseemly speculation as to what jealous bodyguard Lynthe might do to her privileged rival prince Alekos…. In the next book maybe….

[Helen Hollick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the sixth book in the Empire's Legacy series, and by now these characters (I've read all the books) feel very familiar to me. Marian Thorpe has invented a complete world, drawing on extensive research of ancient civilisations, so that we have languages that are based on Old Norse, societies that are based on Roman history, etc, but she brings all those elements together and creates something entirely new, but which also feels like real, ancient history. After having read the five preceding books it was, for me, a little like picking up a book set, say, in Tudor England, in the way that the backdrop, the languages, the geography, all feel completely real and recognisable. Just as we can all imagine ourselves in the court of Henry VIII, so I can now just as easily imagine myself within the walls of Casil, or at Linrathe.

Does this mean that you can't read this book as a standalone? Absolutely not. The author helpfully gives a round-up of the story so far, explains the languages and everything else you need to know, and Empire's Heir has a solid, satisfying ending, with all threads neatly tied.
Gwenna has grown up a great deal, and is one of the narrators of the story (the other being her father, Cillian). This isn't really historical fantasy, it's just set in an alternate world, and the characters are all very real, and very human. The plot is full of twists and turns, there is intrigue especially, and incredibly clever politics. There is high drama, plenty of jeopardy, and yet this, like all the previous books, is character driven. The relationship between Gwenna's parents, the relationship between Sorley and Druise, and how the four interact, would not be so affecting were the characters not so beautifully drawn and developed. In this story, with Druise back where he grew up, another element - that of his old family life - is introduced. I won't say any more, for risk of spoilers.

I liked the device whereby Gwenna and her father take turns with the chapters, so the point of view switches with alternate chapters. And so we see the story from the father's eyes, and the daughter's eyes.

Honestly, I think this book has it all: tight plotting, strong characters, action, danger, drama, and pathos.

Another great offering from a skilful hand.

Originally Reviewed for Discovering Diamonds

[Amisha Bahl Chawla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Choices.
Choices matter.
"Choices had consequences"
But what if your 'choices' were in name only and you were just "pieces in a game."
Would life have a purpose?
Would you be able to regain control and become master of your own life, your own destiny?

Empire’s Heir by Marian L Thorpe throws open the debate of how people around us like to 'rule' our lives and ultimately for our own happiness we need to gain control of our narrative.

The sixth in the Empires Legacy series, this book can surprisingly be read as a stand-alone too (I did), all thanks to the author putting up a detailed précis of the books on her website. Fair warning though, you will want to pick up all the books in the series after this.

Empire’s Heir continues the story of Lena and Cillian by focusing on their daughter Gwenna, the heir to the throne of Ésparias. The Empress of Casil’s invitation to Gwenna to compete to be a prospective bride for her son and soon to be Emperor, Alekos, sends everyone in Gwenna’s family into a tizzy.

Can they refuse the match?
Is it in the best interest of their kingdom to accept the proposal?
What happens if they refuse?
And perhaps the most important one...
Does Gwenna actually have a choice in this matter?
Or does she go on to...
"Accept what fate brings you"

A fast paced and jam packed book which even though it is historical fiction reads a lot like a political thriller. Can't wait to find out what happens next in this epic adventure. Espionage, murder and strategy this book has it all. Perfect for fans of the Game of Thrones, this one has all the classic scheming and manoeuvres of an excellent game of chess or Xache (the political strategy game that is played in the book)

What stood out was Marian’s exceptional world building and detailed research into the history of those times. Truly a must read it will make for a great TV series too.

So glad I got this RC it was an exhilarating read that lead to a lot of in-depth questioning as well. Hope you liked my fair and honest review.

Happy Reading:)

[Isobel Blackthorn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This literary and thoughtful work explores how conflicting loyalties, duties and desires can fracture lives. Everyone in the book has made decisions – or must make them – which cut across their own self-interest and limit their freedoms. Do they regret this? The book does not answer the question, but it is clear throughout the narrative that this is a world where the individual is less important than the family, and immediate personal wishes are to be subsumed to the long term future of the family and the state.

Gwenna, a princess and heir to a royal domain, is called upon to find a suitable partner to carry on the lineage and protect her family from political pressure. Never mind that her heart is elsewhere, with her female bodyguard. Both of her parents were called upon to make similar decisions, and they did. It turned out more or less well for them, so why not for her? The alternative lives which they might have lived, with lovers they freely chose – those are dreams, nothing, forgotten. Can Gwenna not do the same, to protect her safety, to protect her family, to protect her little kingdom?

We are thrown into the middle of the story – this is the sixth book of a series – but the author is at pains to clarify the back story and to paint a picture of the kingdom (cultured, liberal, artistic, diverse, within a wider empire that is very different). She wants the reader to know that Gwenna’s safety, her family and her kingdom are all “good things” and worth protecting. Under the solemn and slow moving narrative, the book is full of urgent questions for our time.

[Angel (Bookn.All.Night) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Rounded to 3

Empire's Heir is book 6 in the Empire's Legacy series. It's said it can be read standalone and the author provides a link to a summary of the previous installments. I have not read this series before and was a tad leery about it being book 6, but the standalone statement had me curious as I do enjoy this time period. However, I don't believe this is good as a standalone and shouldn't be read by itself.

This is a very slow, very detailed segment and I was constantly lost as to what was happening. It wasn't that the writing is bad or anything like that. While reading, I could tell there was a lot of backstory that went along with the grief, the relationships and the current situation that I didn't have. It definitely made for a struggle to finish.

That being said, after reading this I am curious as to what came before and of the events that brought the cast of characters (of which there are many) to the point they are at. I enjoyed this author's writing and may have to go back and start from the beginning. This would have been much more enjoyable had I read the prior books in the series.

I sincerely appreciate the publisher and Blackthorn and Black Coffee Book Tours for providing me with a review copy. All opinions expressed herein are mine and mine alone.

[Maria Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 6th book in Marian L Thorpe's series - this is so well written there would not be much difficulty in reading this as a stand alone, but I recommend going back to read the previous books first.

Wow. What an amazing read - the beautiful descriptions, worldbuilding and excellent character development will be of no surprise to regular readers of this series. The chapters are short and electrically charged, alternating between Cillian and Gwenna's points of view like xache (chess) pieces.

Gwenna, her father Cillian and the family are summoned to Casil with Gwenna as a potential bride for the Empress' son. The political scene is far from peaceful, leading the characters to watch their backs at every step. All the while they remain on their guard, the family are also processing grief and loss. Above all, even as Gwenna considers marrying, there's an even greater love she is desperate to protect. If you're looking for a superbly written alternate historical thriller, then this is the book for you - but maybe read the others first!

[Eileen Hammond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intrigue, treachery, and love

You know that feeling when you are getting to the end of the book, and you want to slow down because you’ll miss the characters too much? That’s what happened to me. I was only halfway done when I started dreading the fact that it was going to end. But, I couldn’t put the book down. I had to know what happened. It’s that good.

Even though it had been a while since I read the previous book in the series, I was right back in Ms. Thorpe’s well-researched world with Cillian, Lena, and Gwenna. Gwenna has turned 18 and must travel to Casil for the emperor’s investiture and to be examined as his potential bride, along with other princesses from other lands.

Needless to say a change in power provides opportunity, and some will stop at nothing to assure themselves the desired outcome.

No battlefield fighting in this one, but the xache being played with grave stakes makes this book a terrific read. Highly recommend.

[Amys Bookshelf Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Great Read

What a great fantastical story in Empire’s Heir by Marian Thorpe. This is the first of Thorpe's stories that I've read and I really enjoyed it. It has a lot of layers to the plot, and is very interesting take on fantasy and history, and how it all comes together. Thorpe is a wonderful writer, and brings the story to life. The base of the story is loyalty and family, and it brings in the fantastical and magical air of this world. The heir to Ésparias, Gwenna, is an intriguing character, and she wants to gain what is hers, but what she wants and what she feels forced to do is something that brings the reader in. The characters had a lot of depth, and were very realistic. It is a very well-written plot, and I enjoyed it. This author is a great storyteller. This story was very unpredictable. Empire’s Heir is a definite recommendation by Amy's Bookshelf Reviews. I read this book to give my unbiased and honest review.

[S Bodier · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 6th book in a series. I enjoyed it as a stand alone and now I’m curious about the other 5 books, so I will probably read them as well.

[Lynn McLachlan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The EMPIRE LIVES ON

Another excellent chapter in the Empire story line. It is captivating from beginning to end, and hopefully the legacy will continue on with many more chapters in the next in the series.