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The Heir Chronicles #4
The Enchanter Heir
They called it the Thorn Hill Massacre—the brutal attack on a once-thriving Weir community. Though Jonah Kinlock lived through it, he did not emerge like the other survivors, Jonah possesses unique magical gifts that set him apart from members of the mainline guilds. At seventeen, Jonah has become the deadliest assassin in Nightshade, a global network that hunts the undead. He is being groomed to succeed Gabriel Mandrake, the sorcerer, philanthropist, and ruthless music promoter who established the Thorn Hill Foundation, the public face of Nightshade. More and more, Jonah’s at odds with Gabriel’s tactics and choice of targets. Desperate to help his dying brother Kenzie, Jonah opens doors that Gabriel prefers to keep closed.Emma Claire Greenwood grew up worlds away, raised by a grandfather who taught her music rather than magic. An unschooled wild child, she runs the streets until the night she finds her grandfather dying, gripping a note warning Emma that she might be in danger. The clue he leaves behind leads Emma into Jonah’s life—and a shared legacy of secrets and lingering questions.Was Thorn Hill really a peaceful commune? Or was it, as the Wizard Guild claims, a hotbed of underguild terrorists? The Wizards’ suspicions grow when members of the mainline guilds start turning up dead. They blame Madison Moss and the Interguild Council, threatening the fragile peace brokered at Trinity.Racing against time, Jonah and Emma work to uncover the truth about Thorn Hill, amid growing suspicion that whoever planned the Thorn Hill Massacre might strike again.
458 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2013
319 people are currently reading
17644 people want to read
About the author
Cinda Williams Chima
35 books11.6k followersNew 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.
Her Heir Chronicles series (magic comes to contemporary Ohio) comprises The Warrior Heir The Wizard Heir . The Dragon Heir The Enchanter Heir, and the Sorcerer Heir.
Chima's Seven Realms series comprises The Demon King The Exiled Queen The Gray Wolf Throne and The Crimson Crown ).
Her Shattered Realms quartet comprises Flamecaster ( 2016) Shadowcaster (2017) Stormcaster (2018) and Deathcaster (2019.)
Her newest series, Runestone Saga, marries Norse magic and mythology with swordplay (axeplay?) and romance. Children of Ragnarok was released 11.8.22, and the sequel and conclusion, Bane of Asgard, is set for release 10-22-24.It is available for preorder now.
Chima is a graduate of Case Western Reserve University and the University of Akron. Chima has been a workshop leader, panelist, and speaker at writing conferences, including the Northern Ohio SCBWI Conference, the Western Reserve Writers’ Conference, and the World Fantasy Convention. She frequently speaks to young writers and readers at schools and libraries nationwide.
Chima lives in North Carolina with her family, and is always working on her next novel.
Her Heir Chronicles series (magic comes to contemporary Ohio) comprises The Warrior Heir The Wizard Heir . The Dragon Heir The Enchanter Heir, and the Sorcerer Heir.
Chima's Seven Realms series comprises The Demon King The Exiled Queen The Gray Wolf Throne and The Crimson Crown ).
Her Shattered Realms quartet comprises Flamecaster ( 2016) Shadowcaster (2017) Stormcaster (2018) and Deathcaster (2019.)
Her newest series, Runestone Saga, marries Norse magic and mythology with swordplay (axeplay?) and romance. Children of Ragnarok was released 11.8.22, and the sequel and conclusion, Bane of Asgard, is set for release 10-22-24.It is available for preorder now.
Chima is a graduate of Case Western Reserve University and the University of Akron. Chima has been a workshop leader, panelist, and speaker at writing conferences, including the Northern Ohio SCBWI Conference, the Western Reserve Writers’ Conference, and the World Fantasy Convention. She frequently speaks to young writers and readers at schools and libraries nationwide.
Chima lives in North Carolina with her family, and is always working on her next novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 724 reviews
October 24, 2023
"I'm a Victorian Steampunk vampire."
So, finally started to see some repetition in the Heir series. However, the reason for the 3-stars is not that, but the deviation from what had been a nice medieval kind of series so far..
Review to come.
"Without further ado, Club Catastrophe welcomes Fault Tolerant!"
So, finally started to see some repetition in the Heir series. However, the reason for the 3-stars is not that, but the deviation from what had been a nice medieval kind of series so far..
Review to come.
"Without further ado, Club Catastrophe welcomes Fault Tolerant!"
May 22, 2016
Looking at some of the reviews I can see that some of my friends struggled with this new storyline, but I actually liked it better that the first three books. The characters (while sorta cliche) were written in a way that was less dry, and more interesting. At least, to me.
Alright. What's an Enchanter, you ask?
Well, they're able to make people do what they want. Everyone is drawn to them, and they can exert a great deal of influence over others.
Think: Hypnotoad...but hot!
Jonah is a childhood survivor of this famous 'magical commune massacre' that happened close to a decade before. Most of the children (and every adult) died because of...well...nobody's sure.
The other guilds think that Thorn Hill released some sort of a magical poison that backfired, and the survivors think that one of the other guilds (wizards are the prime suspect) poisoned the water supply.
Long story short, the surviving children were basically turned into magical mutants by whatever happened. Most of the mutations are pretty horrible (like being the Human Torch without the ability to say Flame Off!), and all of the mutations are pretty much slowly killing all of the children.
Jonah (originally just an Enchanter), now has all kinds of extra enhancements. Speed, strength, hearing, smell, etc..
PLUS the old cliche Death Touch.
Great for assassinations, bad for Prom Night.
Of course, this sets him up as our lonely, but stoic,virgin hero, and paves the way for his love interest, Emma.
Her origins connect in a murky/mysterious way with the Thorn Hill tragedy, but I don't wanna spoil the how/what/why.
*cough* Also, I'm not exactly sure what her real connection is, because this is one of those cliffhangery stories that leaves a lot of the mystery unsolved. So...yeah. I couldn't spoil it for you even if I wanted to.
Anyway. It looks like Emma & her origins will play a BIG role in uncovering what's really going on...in the next book. Exciting, no?!
I don't think these last two books were originally slated to be part of the Heir stories, and maybe that's why this one has such a different feel to it. Something about the way the characters were written was just less clunky, in my opinion. There's also more of a conspiracy theory air to everything that gives the plot a bit of urgency. I don't know. It's just a bit cooler, I suppose.
If you liked the first three, I say give this one a shot.
Alright. What's an Enchanter, you ask?
Well, they're able to make people do what they want. Everyone is drawn to them, and they can exert a great deal of influence over others.
Think: Hypnotoad...but hot!
Jonah is a childhood survivor of this famous 'magical commune massacre' that happened close to a decade before. Most of the children (and every adult) died because of...well...nobody's sure.
The other guilds think that Thorn Hill released some sort of a magical poison that backfired, and the survivors think that one of the other guilds (wizards are the prime suspect) poisoned the water supply.
Long story short, the surviving children were basically turned into magical mutants by whatever happened. Most of the mutations are pretty horrible (like being the Human Torch without the ability to say Flame Off!), and all of the mutations are pretty much slowly killing all of the children.
Jonah (originally just an Enchanter), now has all kinds of extra enhancements. Speed, strength, hearing, smell, etc..
PLUS the old cliche Death Touch.
Great for assassinations, bad for Prom Night.
Of course, this sets him up as our lonely, but stoic,
Her origins connect in a murky/mysterious way with the Thorn Hill tragedy, but I don't wanna spoil the how/what/why.
*cough* Also, I'm not exactly sure what her real connection is, because this is one of those cliffhangery stories that leaves a lot of the mystery unsolved. So...yeah. I couldn't spoil it for you even if I wanted to.
Anyway. It looks like Emma & her origins will play a BIG role in uncovering what's really going on...in the next book. Exciting, no?!
I don't think these last two books were originally slated to be part of the Heir stories, and maybe that's why this one has such a different feel to it. Something about the way the characters were written was just less clunky, in my opinion. There's also more of a conspiracy theory air to everything that gives the plot a bit of urgency. I don't know. It's just a bit cooler, I suppose.
If you liked the first three, I say give this one a shot.
February 17, 2015
I am usually a huge fan of Cinda Williams Chima. I LOVE the entire Heir series and was so, so excited to see this one come out. Unfortunately, I was really disappointed! I'm so sorry Ms. Chima (on the off chance you ever see this), I hate giving negative reviews, but it really wasn't up to your usual standard. I'll explain:
This story focused entirely on the romance between the two main characters. This in itself wouldn't have been a huge problem, but the TYPE of romance was VERY Twilight-esque. That is, it felt cheesy and completely unfounded. The entire thing seemed to boil down to "He's so hot, and he's brooding and mysterious, I must have him! Why can't I have him! He hates himself for some uknown reason! Sexual tension!" It was basically Bella and Edward all over again. :/
Basically, it was the kind of cheap, constantly-drooling-over-his-washboard-abs while asserting that she "wasn't usually the kind of girl who did this" teen thing I would expect from a standard YA paranormal romance. It made the characters and relationship seem really two-dimensional and shallow. There was tons of descriptions of his body and his gorgeousness and his lust-worthyness to the point where just got really annoying. The previous books, when they included romance, at least mentioned other factors that made them attracted to each other, such as humor or intelligence or myriad other things that made them legitimately interesting. Like I said, this one completely boiled down to "he's gorgeous and mysterious and exudes lust and therefore I love him!" There was nothing else. And that took up WAY too much of the story.
Way too much time was taken up drooling over the boy and his hotness and the tiny teen drama of the band they were in rather than the very, very interesting storyline. You had a really great, intriguing main plot, Ms. Chima! Why didn't you show us more of that?? Almost 500 pages and very little happened with the main story. Why end this on a cliffhanger? None of the other books did, and if you had cut out a few dozen descriptions of Jonah's glowing pects you probably could have fit an ending in.
I realize this is a teen series and therefore I'm probably biased because I'm in my 20s, but the other books in the series had a lot more substance while this one was full of fluff :( You're a fantastic author and I have so much respect for your books; I just think this particular installment didn't do you justice! I look forward to reading the next one and just hope that it blows this one out of the water.
This story focused entirely on the romance between the two main characters. This in itself wouldn't have been a huge problem, but the TYPE of romance was VERY Twilight-esque. That is, it felt cheesy and completely unfounded. The entire thing seemed to boil down to "He's so hot, and he's brooding and mysterious, I must have him! Why can't I have him! He hates himself for some uknown reason! Sexual tension!" It was basically Bella and Edward all over again. :/
Basically, it was the kind of cheap, constantly-drooling-over-his-washboard-abs while asserting that she "wasn't usually the kind of girl who did this" teen thing I would expect from a standard YA paranormal romance. It made the characters and relationship seem really two-dimensional and shallow. There was tons of descriptions of his body and his gorgeousness and his lust-worthyness to the point where just got really annoying. The previous books, when they included romance, at least mentioned other factors that made them attracted to each other, such as humor or intelligence or myriad other things that made them legitimately interesting. Like I said, this one completely boiled down to "he's gorgeous and mysterious and exudes lust and therefore I love him!" There was nothing else. And that took up WAY too much of the story.
Way too much time was taken up drooling over the boy and his hotness and the tiny teen drama of the band they were in rather than the very, very interesting storyline. You had a really great, intriguing main plot, Ms. Chima! Why didn't you show us more of that?? Almost 500 pages and very little happened with the main story. Why end this on a cliffhanger? None of the other books did, and if you had cut out a few dozen descriptions of Jonah's glowing pects you probably could have fit an ending in.
I realize this is a teen series and therefore I'm probably biased because I'm in my 20s, but the other books in the series had a lot more substance while this one was full of fluff :( You're a fantastic author and I have so much respect for your books; I just think this particular installment didn't do you justice! I look forward to reading the next one and just hope that it blows this one out of the water.
June 9, 2023
I enjoyed this book, however it was not my favorite by her.
August 10, 2015
Cinda Williams Chima is one of my absolute favorite authors, so my expectations were sky-high for this book. I reread the entire Heir trilogy before starting this so it would be fresh in my mind, and was reminded of how much I love those books, even if the ending of the Dragon Heir was a tad iffy. The Enchanter Heir is a very solid book, no question about that… but I’m afraid it’s just not quite as great as the others.
The good news is that Cinda’s writing is as riveting as ever – the book is very difficult to put down, and she has a gift for making things come alive. Even things that I have no concept of, like guitars, were vivid and interesting when described by Cinda. Also, this book is peppered with lyrics to songs the characters write, and these were very good.
Also, the idea is kind of genius: it’s essentially the X-Men, but in Cinda’s fantasy world. It makes things very interesting, since the magic guilds are already hiding from the Anaweir and have a lot of strife among them; now you throw in the mutants, who don’t really play well with anybody. The familiar themes of discrimination and isolation pop up in Gabriel Mandrake’s School for Gifted Youngsters (I don’t think that’s the actual name of the school, but that’s what it brought to mind).
But the book also tackles disability. Sure, some of the characters have awesome healing powers, or not-so-awesome deadly touch powers (think Rogue, but much deadlier), or downright depressing foreseeing-death powers. But others are disabled, having magical seizures among many other things. Cinda does not shy away from this, and she also stays away from the ablism that often plagues such stories. Jonah’s brother, Kenzie, is one of the disabled ones – but he is so much more than that. He is a tech whiz, he writes music, and has a snarky personality. In short, this is the perfect way to tackle such issues in books, and I applaud Cinda for doing so.
Now, while the world-building is impeccable as ever, the exposition of all this is not at all up to Cinda’s usual standard. Even though I knew all the guilds and stuff from the first three books inside and out, I found myself hopelessly confused for a time. In addition to the guilds, we now have these mutants – known as savants, and as labrats by those wishing to deride them. Moreover, we now also have shades: they’re ghosts, but want to possess corpses to become zombies. Apparently only the dead who were massacred at Thorn Hill become shades. Then there are the new organizations – Nightshade (savants who hunt down shades) and Black Rose (wizard assassins). Then there is new terminology thrown in – the guilds we know (the non-savant ones) are termed “mainline guilds,” which really confused me. So while I finally figured it all out, I was very fuzzy on what was what for the first half of the book.
What I give Cinda major props for is not pulling any punches – there is a LOT of death in this book. We open with a massacre, then have our protagonist commit a double murder in chapter 1 after finding an old friend dead… the stakes are very high, and Cinda gives a great sense of all these characters’ mortality.
While I assumed this would be a plus, I was actually not a fan of seeing all the previous Heir characters return. When they popped up in Wizard Heir and Dragon Heir, it was because they were relevant to the plot. Here, it’s nothing but glorified cameos, which really serve very little purpose aside from being a wink and a nudge to old readers. Also, Ellen is virtually unrecognizable – she’s turned downright unpleasant, arrogant and pushy, and I was struggling to remember why I ever liked her.
Ellen and Jack duel against Jonah together in one scene, and it takes the two of them some effort to beat him. Now, I get that Jonah is a powerful savant, etc. But doesn’t it somewhat cheapen the whole warrior thing if it takes two of them to barely beat an enchanter?
I also found myself rolling my eyes at a point in the middle, which I’ve never done during one of Cinda’s books. Let me set the scene: a strange boy wearing a mask and everything breaks into the basement where Emma is working. This boy (other protagonist Jonah) says he likes Emma’s guitar. We then get this gem:
“A fragile thread of connection shimmered between them. It was that, and his voice, more than his physical beauty, that drew her in. In fact, she couldn’t see his physical beauty, but she knew it was there under his clothes.”
Oy vey. This reads like something out of a trashy romance novel, and just serves to make Emma appear like an idiot. But then it gets much worse. Now, while Emma gets some allowance because of Jonah’s enchanter powers, this is just too moronic to justify.
The other issue with the protagonists is that they’re both loners, which makes it very difficult for the supporting cast to come alive like they did in Cinda’s other books. I still don’t have a good connection with any characters outside these two protagonists, and I’m not thrilled with Emma.
But the biggest beef I have with this book is that the ending is a nonending. The book introduces a lot of mysteries and conflicts, but at the end nothing is resolved and there have been no important steps towards resolution. Instead, a rather obvious event serves as a last-minute climax, and then we end on a cliffhanger remarkably similar to Gray Wolf Throne.
All of Cinda’s other books have a very satisfying ending to tide us over for another year, until the next book comes out. Maybe everything isn’t wrapped up in a nice little bow, but there is always a sense of having accomplished something, of ending a certain chapter in the story. Enchanter Heir never feels like more than just the intro to a large story. I personally think it will be ten times more enjoyable to read together with its sequel when that comes out, because Enchanter Heir does not really stand on its own.
So, in summary: the book is really good because Cinda Williams Chima is a fantastic writer and pulls you into the story. Those looking for an interesting fantasy read should pick it up, although I’d say it’s better to wait until the sequel is out. However, Cinda’s fans who are used to the monumental achievement that was the Seven Realms or even the fantastic original trilogy may want to keep their expectations in check for this book. While decent, in my mind it’s clearly Cinda’s weakest book to date.
The good news is that Cinda’s writing is as riveting as ever – the book is very difficult to put down, and she has a gift for making things come alive. Even things that I have no concept of, like guitars, were vivid and interesting when described by Cinda. Also, this book is peppered with lyrics to songs the characters write, and these were very good.
Also, the idea is kind of genius: it’s essentially the X-Men, but in Cinda’s fantasy world. It makes things very interesting, since the magic guilds are already hiding from the Anaweir and have a lot of strife among them; now you throw in the mutants, who don’t really play well with anybody. The familiar themes of discrimination and isolation pop up in Gabriel Mandrake’s School for Gifted Youngsters (I don’t think that’s the actual name of the school, but that’s what it brought to mind).
But the book also tackles disability. Sure, some of the characters have awesome healing powers, or not-so-awesome deadly touch powers (think Rogue, but much deadlier), or downright depressing foreseeing-death powers. But others are disabled, having magical seizures among many other things. Cinda does not shy away from this, and she also stays away from the ablism that often plagues such stories. Jonah’s brother, Kenzie, is one of the disabled ones – but he is so much more than that. He is a tech whiz, he writes music, and has a snarky personality. In short, this is the perfect way to tackle such issues in books, and I applaud Cinda for doing so.
Now, while the world-building is impeccable as ever, the exposition of all this is not at all up to Cinda’s usual standard. Even though I knew all the guilds and stuff from the first three books inside and out, I found myself hopelessly confused for a time. In addition to the guilds, we now have these mutants – known as savants, and as labrats by those wishing to deride them. Moreover, we now also have shades: they’re ghosts, but want to possess corpses to become zombies. Apparently only the dead who were massacred at Thorn Hill become shades. Then there are the new organizations – Nightshade (savants who hunt down shades) and Black Rose (wizard assassins). Then there is new terminology thrown in – the guilds we know (the non-savant ones) are termed “mainline guilds,” which really confused me. So while I finally figured it all out, I was very fuzzy on what was what for the first half of the book.
What I give Cinda major props for is not pulling any punches – there is a LOT of death in this book. We open with a massacre, then have our protagonist commit a double murder in chapter 1 after finding an old friend dead… the stakes are very high, and Cinda gives a great sense of all these characters’ mortality.
While I assumed this would be a plus, I was actually not a fan of seeing all the previous Heir characters return. When they popped up in Wizard Heir and Dragon Heir, it was because they were relevant to the plot. Here, it’s nothing but glorified cameos, which really serve very little purpose aside from being a wink and a nudge to old readers. Also, Ellen is virtually unrecognizable – she’s turned downright unpleasant, arrogant and pushy, and I was struggling to remember why I ever liked her.
Ellen and Jack duel against Jonah together in one scene, and it takes the two of them some effort to beat him. Now, I get that Jonah is a powerful savant, etc. But doesn’t it somewhat cheapen the whole warrior thing if it takes two of them to barely beat an enchanter?
I also found myself rolling my eyes at a point in the middle, which I’ve never done during one of Cinda’s books. Let me set the scene: a strange boy wearing a mask and everything breaks into the basement where Emma is working. This boy (other protagonist Jonah) says he likes Emma’s guitar. We then get this gem:
“A fragile thread of connection shimmered between them. It was that, and his voice, more than his physical beauty, that drew her in. In fact, she couldn’t see his physical beauty, but she knew it was there under his clothes.”
Oy vey. This reads like something out of a trashy romance novel, and just serves to make Emma appear like an idiot. But then it gets much worse. Now, while Emma gets some allowance because of Jonah’s enchanter powers, this is just too moronic to justify.
The other issue with the protagonists is that they’re both loners, which makes it very difficult for the supporting cast to come alive like they did in Cinda’s other books. I still don’t have a good connection with any characters outside these two protagonists, and I’m not thrilled with Emma.
But the biggest beef I have with this book is that the ending is a nonending. The book introduces a lot of mysteries and conflicts, but at the end nothing is resolved and there have been no important steps towards resolution. Instead, a rather obvious event serves as a last-minute climax, and then we end on a cliffhanger remarkably similar to Gray Wolf Throne.
All of Cinda’s other books have a very satisfying ending to tide us over for another year, until the next book comes out. Maybe everything isn’t wrapped up in a nice little bow, but there is always a sense of having accomplished something, of ending a certain chapter in the story. Enchanter Heir never feels like more than just the intro to a large story. I personally think it will be ten times more enjoyable to read together with its sequel when that comes out, because Enchanter Heir does not really stand on its own.
So, in summary: the book is really good because Cinda Williams Chima is a fantastic writer and pulls you into the story. Those looking for an interesting fantasy read should pick it up, although I’d say it’s better to wait until the sequel is out. However, Cinda’s fans who are used to the monumental achievement that was the Seven Realms or even the fantastic original trilogy may want to keep their expectations in check for this book. While decent, in my mind it’s clearly Cinda’s weakest book to date.
April 10, 2018
The storyline was much better than Dragon. (And you could totally start the series here!) Normally, I hate zombies, but these were totally unique. I loved the added worldbuilding with the Savants/labrats and the mystery of what happened at Thorn Hill.
There was definitely something up with Nightshade and Gabriel (director guy.) Why would he take Jonah, his best guy, off field work? (Luckily, the action didn't end there.)
It was nice to see Seph, Jack, and Ellen again. (Madison was there too.) The fight with the warriors was particularly awesome! I so wanted Jonah to befriend them.
I liked Jonah. The parts with his brother were particularly great! His friend Moss, admits to crushing on him and he's only nice to they guy, which says something about his character. He sure kicks butt! (He might be a bit overpowered.. He not only has the powers of an Enchanter (persuasion & feeling other's emotions) but he has enhanced strength and speed. (Probably healing too) Not to mention that his hands and lips are poison.)
The Bad:
I didn't like/ understand why Jonah's rude and disrespectful to the director, his boss/guardian. He also whines too much. So, he feels guilty about killing shades.. They are killing people! And he insists on talking the woman who tried to get him to kill kids why?!
Dispite his faults, I wish there was only one POV. I couldn't stand Emma. Like wishing for her death hated. She's supposed to be a strong character but she's just constantly mean to everyone!
Emma has lust at first sight with Jonah and we have to hear how attractive she thinks he is every time they're in a scene together. Unfortunately, he seems to like her too. (Like why?!)
Horrible Cliffhanger! Like she cut the book in half cliffhanger!
There was definitely something up with Nightshade and Gabriel (director guy.) Why would he take Jonah, his best guy, off field work? (Luckily, the action didn't end there.)
It was nice to see Seph, Jack, and Ellen again. (Madison was there too.) The fight with the warriors was particularly awesome! I so wanted Jonah to befriend them.
I liked Jonah. The parts with his brother were particularly great! His friend Moss, admits to crushing on him and he's only nice to they guy, which says something about his character. He sure kicks butt! (He might be a bit overpowered.. He not only has the powers of an Enchanter (persuasion & feeling other's emotions) but he has enhanced strength and speed. (Probably healing too) Not to mention that his hands and lips are poison.)
The Bad:
I didn't like/ understand why Jonah's rude and disrespectful to the director, his boss/guardian. He also whines too much. So, he feels guilty about killing shades.. They are killing people! And he insists on talking the woman who tried to get him to kill kids why?!
Dispite his faults, I wish there was only one POV. I couldn't stand Emma. Like wishing for her death hated. She's supposed to be a strong character but she's just constantly mean to everyone!
Emma has lust at first sight with Jonah and we have to hear how attractive she thinks he is every time they're in a scene together. Unfortunately, he seems to like her too. (Like why?!)
Horrible Cliffhanger! Like she cut the book in half cliffhanger!
March 4, 2020
This was really good but I felt like we are getting less acations as the books are going on...
1) The warrior heir 3/5
2) The wizard heir 3/5
3) The dragon heir 5/5
4) The enchanter heir 4/5
5) The sorcerer heir ??/5
1) The warrior heir 3/5
2) The wizard heir 3/5
3) The dragon heir 5/5
4) The enchanter heir 4/5
5) The sorcerer heir ??/5
October 2, 2013
There isn't a lot of good in this one, which surprised me, because I really liked all of Chima's other books. She departs from her previous style in The Enchanter Heir, though, and the novel suffers as a result.
First of all, this novel isn't self-contained. I know trilogies are all the rage, but I hate cliffhangers. I think they're lazy.
In addition to that frustrating non-ending, the writing throughout the novel is abrupt and choppy. The sentences feel awkwardly linked. Information is dispensed clumsily instead of integrated smoothly into the story's flow. I don't want to call it an info-dump, because it doesn't happen in one clump; instead, the information is lobbed into the narrative in disruptive pieces. The dialogue is good, but it's overwhelmed by the uneven exposition. Actually, most of this novel is exposition, but unlike The Demon King, I don't think that the sheer amount of pages devoted to exposition introduce a compelling world (or more precisely in this case, a compelling facet to an existing world). Most of the initial story dispenses with previous Heir characters too easily in what feels like a shoddy attempt to manufacture more story.
Disappointingly, and despite its connection to a more unique storyline, The Enchanter Heir fits in all too well with the typical teen paranormal romance crop. It isn't new or different. It shares a remarkably similar element (and its inevitable conflict) with Shatter Me. And I get bored being told how good-looking someone is so often. And how conflicted - through no fault of his own. There haven't been enough good-looking, conflicted, dangerous YA male protagonists yet? There isn't any real characterization here: there's a shoddy plot and default characters patched into it.
I remember reading that Chima got a book deal for three additional Heir novels after the publication of The Dragon Heir. The Enchanter Heir feels exactly as tacked-on as that book deal suggests.
First of all, this novel isn't self-contained. I know trilogies are all the rage, but I hate cliffhangers. I think they're lazy.
In addition to that frustrating non-ending, the writing throughout the novel is abrupt and choppy. The sentences feel awkwardly linked. Information is dispensed clumsily instead of integrated smoothly into the story's flow. I don't want to call it an info-dump, because it doesn't happen in one clump; instead, the information is lobbed into the narrative in disruptive pieces. The dialogue is good, but it's overwhelmed by the uneven exposition. Actually, most of this novel is exposition, but unlike The Demon King, I don't think that the sheer amount of pages devoted to exposition introduce a compelling world (or more precisely in this case, a compelling facet to an existing world). Most of the initial story dispenses with previous Heir characters too easily in what feels like a shoddy attempt to manufacture more story.
Disappointingly, and despite its connection to a more unique storyline, The Enchanter Heir fits in all too well with the typical teen paranormal romance crop. It isn't new or different. It shares a remarkably similar element (and its inevitable conflict) with Shatter Me. And I get bored being told how good-looking someone is so often. And how conflicted - through no fault of his own. There haven't been enough good-looking, conflicted, dangerous YA male protagonists yet? There isn't any real characterization here: there's a shoddy plot and default characters patched into it.
I remember reading that Chima got a book deal for three additional Heir novels after the publication of The Dragon Heir. The Enchanter Heir feels exactly as tacked-on as that book deal suggests.
February 3, 2016
The Thorn Hill Massacre was ten years ago. Thousands of Weir, living in a thriving community, killed by poison. Few survived and they were all children. But they did not survive unscathed. Most suffer magical health issues and disabilities. Many were also left with unique magical gifts that set them apart from the mainline guilds. Most people think it was the Wizard's guild's doing.
Now wizards are being killed. The Anchorage, a new community setup to treat and house the survivors of the Thorn Hill Massacre is being framed for it. The Wizards guild is looking for someone to blame.
In The Enchanter Heir, we're introduced to Thorn Hill survivors, Jonah Kinlock and Emma Greenwood. Jonah is an enchanter and assassin, gifted with fantastic speed and a talent with a sword. But Jonah has another gift, his touch kills. Though Emma Greenwood, a recently orphaned musician from Memphis, left Thorn Hill before the massacre. She finds herself somehow in the middle of it all even though she knows nothing about what happened.
As with all the books in The Heir Chronicles series, I got entangled in the story from the prologue and it would NOT let go. Even when I finished reading the last page, it's like okay where's the next book? The writing is excellent. Right from their introduction I found myself truly invested in the characters.
The only reasons I didn't give it five stars was the cliff-hanger ending. OMG I so hate that! Okay maybe it's a love-hate thing but still!
Now wizards are being killed. The Anchorage, a new community setup to treat and house the survivors of the Thorn Hill Massacre is being framed for it. The Wizards guild is looking for someone to blame.
In The Enchanter Heir, we're introduced to Thorn Hill survivors, Jonah Kinlock and Emma Greenwood. Jonah is an enchanter and assassin, gifted with fantastic speed and a talent with a sword. But Jonah has another gift, his touch kills. Though Emma Greenwood, a recently orphaned musician from Memphis, left Thorn Hill before the massacre. She finds herself somehow in the middle of it all even though she knows nothing about what happened.
As with all the books in The Heir Chronicles series, I got entangled in the story from the prologue and it would NOT let go. Even when I finished reading the last page, it's like okay where's the next book? The writing is excellent. Right from their introduction I found myself truly invested in the characters.
The only reasons I didn't give it five stars was the cliff-hanger ending. OMG I so hate that! Okay maybe it's a love-hate thing but still!
Want to read
February 26, 2011What? 2013????? want to read it noooooooooooooooow
December 16, 2015
Meh. Pretty standard across the board--standard characters, standard plot, plus a few head smacking moments. I'm pretty sure the line "You're not like other girls" gets an automatic one-star deduction from me. I'm probably being too harsh, but my expectations are pretty high for the author responsible for the Seven Realms Series (one of my absolute favorites!).
October 10, 2013
this is the 4th in the series and it has been a few years since she wrote the first three. I enjoyed the first three and felt like the series was done. This one was odd- except for a few crossover moments - minor moments - with characters from the other three this story never felt like a part of the overall journey. In some ways I felt like I was dropped in the middle of a conversation trying to figure out what was going on and how this fits into the first three books. To me it never did.
Also, this book didn't have a conclusion so there will be another I guess and unfortunately I never got interested enough in the Thornhill mystery nor did I care for Jonah - the main character so I probably won't be reading any more.
I would still recommend the first three and leave it there.
Also, this book didn't have a conclusion so there will be another I guess and unfortunately I never got interested enough in the Thornhill mystery nor did I care for Jonah - the main character so I probably won't be reading any more.
I would still recommend the first three and leave it there.
June 23, 2020
That was horrible. I had really high expectations after the Dragon heir, and this book was just so disappointing.
Reasons the book was so disappointing:
1) CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT?: Jonah Kinlock is a buff dude who hates himself because he thinks he's a horrible person. That about sums him up. Even better is Emma who's narrations exist mainly to explain to the readers how attractive Jonah is.
2) Nothing Actually Happened: Seriously. Nothing.
3) WHERE ARE SEPH, MADDIE, JACK, AND ELLEN?????: The characters from the previous books were just dispensed randomly in the plot. Chima made Seph, Jack, and the others seem so unimportant. The ending of the Dragon heir just left everyone so confused about how the characters would continue their lives, and in this book Chima just totally erased their roles and presence from the plot line.
AND THEN SHE DECIDED TO ADD TWO NEW MAIN ROLES (JONAH AND EMMA) WHO WERE JUST SO BORING AND CLICHE.
Reasons the book was so disappointing:
1) CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT?: Jonah Kinlock is a buff dude who hates himself because he thinks he's a horrible person. That about sums him up. Even better is Emma who's narrations exist mainly to explain to the readers how attractive Jonah is.
2) Nothing Actually Happened: Seriously. Nothing.
3) WHERE ARE SEPH, MADDIE, JACK, AND ELLEN?????: The characters from the previous books were just dispensed randomly in the plot. Chima made Seph, Jack, and the others seem so unimportant. The ending of the Dragon heir just left everyone so confused about how the characters would continue their lives, and in this book Chima just totally erased their roles and presence from the plot line.
AND THEN SHE DECIDED TO ADD TWO NEW MAIN ROLES (JONAH AND EMMA) WHO WERE JUST SO BORING AND CLICHE.
August 14, 2013
I was really excited about reading this, as I'd thought there wouldn't be anymore books in the Heir Chronicles. But..by the end I was so frustrated with this book! It wasn't that it was terribly written or anything like that. In fact, I thought it was well written, with a good pace, and I liked one of the main characters, Jonah. I wasn't such a fan of Emma--her characterization just seemed sloppy. With the other books in this series, the main characters are typically male with the occasional female viewpoint thrown in, so I don't know if that had something to do with it. I just felt like Emma at the beginning of the book was totally different from Emma at the end. She does go through a lot of stuff, but still. She goes from wild-spirit roamer to someone just looking for a home to desperately cling to.
Maybe we'll see more of the roaming spirit when the next book comes out, which brings me back to my main point of frustration. HORRIBLE ENDING! Cliffhangers are for chapter endings, not book endings!! This is seriously the worst cliffhanger ending I've ever read, and that's including the endings between the Lord of the Rings books. I felt like I was in the middle of the climax, and the author just forgot to put the last two or three chapters in. Makes me so mad! This book also reminded me of something else I've come to dislike about the series. The author always brings back some previous characters into the current books, and I've never really liked that. Mainly because I grew to love those characters, and then when they reappear they seem very flat. It's as if the author can only focus on rounding out a few characters at a time.
I suppose I should actually talk about the plot, now that I've mentioned the beginning and the end already. It was really interesting, throwing in a grittier angle to all the magic. I love the inclusion of magical mutants, though I wouldn't mind more questions answered about them before the book finished. The reader will also have to pay careful attention to pick up on some of the new lingo. Some main things to know: savant/labrat=someone poisoned at Thorn hill, mainline guild=non-poisoned members of the magical guilds, shades=spirit-type things of savants that appear after they die, and appear to want to take over human bodies. Also, savants seem to be able to attain new abilities outside of their normal base powers (sorcerer, enchanter, etc.), though they might complement what was already there. There are a couple different theories on what happened at Thorn Hill, depending on if you're asking wizards or savants. Also, savants appear to have weirstones that are slightly different from those who belong to mainline guilds.
It was generally a good book, I just really, really hope the next book continues to focus on Jonah instead of moving on to a new character.
This digital copy of The Enchanter Heir was given to me by NetGalley & Disney-Hyperion in exchange for an honest review.
Maybe we'll see more of the roaming spirit when the next book comes out, which brings me back to my main point of frustration. HORRIBLE ENDING! Cliffhangers are for chapter endings, not book endings!! This is seriously the worst cliffhanger ending I've ever read, and that's including the endings between the Lord of the Rings books. I felt like I was in the middle of the climax, and the author just forgot to put the last two or three chapters in. Makes me so mad! This book also reminded me of something else I've come to dislike about the series. The author always brings back some previous characters into the current books, and I've never really liked that. Mainly because I grew to love those characters, and then when they reappear they seem very flat. It's as if the author can only focus on rounding out a few characters at a time.
I suppose I should actually talk about the plot, now that I've mentioned the beginning and the end already. It was really interesting, throwing in a grittier angle to all the magic. I love the inclusion of magical mutants, though I wouldn't mind more questions answered about them before the book finished. The reader will also have to pay careful attention to pick up on some of the new lingo. Some main things to know: savant/labrat=someone poisoned at Thorn hill, mainline guild=non-poisoned members of the magical guilds, shades=spirit-type things of savants that appear after they die, and appear to want to take over human bodies. Also, savants seem to be able to attain new abilities outside of their normal base powers (sorcerer, enchanter, etc.), though they might complement what was already there. There are a couple different theories on what happened at Thorn Hill, depending on if you're asking wizards or savants. Also, savants appear to have weirstones that are slightly different from those who belong to mainline guilds.
It was generally a good book, I just really, really hope the next book continues to focus on Jonah instead of moving on to a new character.
This digital copy of The Enchanter Heir was given to me by NetGalley & Disney-Hyperion in exchange for an honest review.
October 5, 2013
The Enchanted Heir is by far the best book in this series. I loved the previous three books, but this novel just blew me out of the water. This installment is full of action and adventure, betrayals and alliances. The character-development is top-notch, and the world continues to grow. Chima is a fantastic author, and the writing is spectacular. This is one book you don't want to miss.
I really love Emma. She's a great character. Sometimes she comes across as a little bratty and brash, but overall, she's very likable. She is real, flawed, and full of heart. You couldn't ask for a better leading lady. Jonah is a terrific leading man, too. He's brave and will stop at nothing to uncover the truth, regardless of the consequences he may suffer after he learns it. I really respected him. Both Emma and Jonah grew throughout the novel at a believable pace. The characterization is extremely well done.
The plot is action-packed and full of adventure. I couldn't believe some of the stuff that happened! The mystery is intense and will keep you guessing until the very end. I didn't figure out a lot before I was supposed to, and I enjoyed that. The world-building is well-done, and even though Chima has already established this world, she doesn't let the reader forget where they are. The pacing is perfect, and the ending is fantastic. I can't wait for the next installment.
Overall, I'd recommend this book and series to anyone who enjoys a good fantasy novel. Give this series a try. You won't be sorry.
I really love Emma. She's a great character. Sometimes she comes across as a little bratty and brash, but overall, she's very likable. She is real, flawed, and full of heart. You couldn't ask for a better leading lady. Jonah is a terrific leading man, too. He's brave and will stop at nothing to uncover the truth, regardless of the consequences he may suffer after he learns it. I really respected him. Both Emma and Jonah grew throughout the novel at a believable pace. The characterization is extremely well done.
The plot is action-packed and full of adventure. I couldn't believe some of the stuff that happened! The mystery is intense and will keep you guessing until the very end. I didn't figure out a lot before I was supposed to, and I enjoyed that. The world-building is well-done, and even though Chima has already established this world, she doesn't let the reader forget where they are. The pacing is perfect, and the ending is fantastic. I can't wait for the next installment.
Overall, I'd recommend this book and series to anyone who enjoys a good fantasy novel. Give this series a try. You won't be sorry.
Want to read
April 20, 2013HOLY CRAP THERES A COVER AND A DESCRIPTION!
AND ITS BEING RELEASED EARLIER!
AND ITS BEING RELEASED EARLIER!
July 17, 2014
It's safe to say that I'm a fan of Cinda Williams Chima's books. I've read every book she has published to date, and I've loved all but this one. I adored the Heir Chronicles series in late elementary and early middle school, when I was that kid who read way above her level, all the time. (But what kid was ever harmed by reading above her level? Nobody. Go at those YA books, kids, and become more awesome.) More recently, I read her Seven Realms series, which I loved even more. When I heard that there were two more Heir books coming out, I was excited. And confused. It was like hearing about the fourth Pirates of the Caribbean movie. I was thrilled, because, well, PotC. I was also suspicious, though, because the trilogy had finished. Everything was wrapped up, so why were they making a fourth? I felt the same hearing about the fourth and fifth Heir books.
While The Enchanter Heir has its moments, I'm thinking that the Heir series should've stayed a trilogy. It brings back familiar characters like Jack Swift and Ellen Stephenson, Madison Moss, and others. I appreciated how easy it was to get back into this series after being away from it for so long. Most already-established characters make only minor appearances, though, and it introduces a new cast. It alternates between the points of view of Jonah and Emma, neither of whom are characters that feel three-dimensional. I kept wanting more from them, but it never came. I wanted more depth, more exploration of their characterization, more complexity, but I never got far below the surface. Their romance develops quickly and awkwardly, with little apparent chemistry. Both of them spend more time brooding and/or moping than actually doing anything, and are more reactionary than catalysts of their own story.
The plot itself takes a long time to develop. Either the entire first half is setup, or it just feels like it. I waited longer than I wanted for things to truly start happening. After that, the plot gets more interesting, but it keeps changing focus. First it's all about killing (or reaching a truce with) the undead/spirits. (Is nobody going to talk about the fact that the undead's ringleader is named Lilith?) Then it's about politics between the wizards and the underguilds. Then it's about Jonah and his band. Then it focuses on the relationship between Jonah and Emma.
Because of this, it was hard to care about the plot. It was interesting, in places, but I couldn't figure out where it was going, which made it hard to be invested. Besides, some aspects felt unnecessary, and this book could've easily been much shorter without losing anything vital. Did we really have to include so many chapters about the drama within Jonah's band? Probably not.
My review is full of criticism, but really, I didn't dislike the book. I didn't necessarily like it, as a whole--it's somewhere in the middle. Parts are genuinely interesting, but other parts just left me bored. I'm most likely being a bit harsh on it since I had such high expectations. Still, it's not a bad book, and it's always possible that my tastes have changed enough that I'd no longer love the rest of the Heir series if I reread it. If you loved the Heir Chronicles, it's worth a read, but you miss nothing, story-wise, if you stop after The Dragon Heir . Overall, my opinion balances out to three stars.
Similar Books: It's a fantasy novel set in modern times with a plot that focuses on magical politics, like the Bartimaeus series. It will appeal to fans of Chima's other series, the Seven Realms series. It also reminds me of the Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series (though I'm not really sure why).
Read more of my reviews at http://anniesepicblog.blogspot.com.
While The Enchanter Heir has its moments, I'm thinking that the Heir series should've stayed a trilogy. It brings back familiar characters like Jack Swift and Ellen Stephenson, Madison Moss, and others. I appreciated how easy it was to get back into this series after being away from it for so long. Most already-established characters make only minor appearances, though, and it introduces a new cast. It alternates between the points of view of Jonah and Emma, neither of whom are characters that feel three-dimensional. I kept wanting more from them, but it never came. I wanted more depth, more exploration of their characterization, more complexity, but I never got far below the surface. Their romance develops quickly and awkwardly, with little apparent chemistry. Both of them spend more time brooding and/or moping than actually doing anything, and are more reactionary than catalysts of their own story.
The plot itself takes a long time to develop. Either the entire first half is setup, or it just feels like it. I waited longer than I wanted for things to truly start happening. After that, the plot gets more interesting, but it keeps changing focus. First it's all about killing (or reaching a truce with) the undead/spirits. (Is nobody going to talk about the fact that the undead's ringleader is named Lilith?) Then it's about politics between the wizards and the underguilds. Then it's about Jonah and his band. Then it focuses on the relationship between Jonah and Emma.
Because of this, it was hard to care about the plot. It was interesting, in places, but I couldn't figure out where it was going, which made it hard to be invested. Besides, some aspects felt unnecessary, and this book could've easily been much shorter without losing anything vital. Did we really have to include so many chapters about the drama within Jonah's band? Probably not.
My review is full of criticism, but really, I didn't dislike the book. I didn't necessarily like it, as a whole--it's somewhere in the middle. Parts are genuinely interesting, but other parts just left me bored. I'm most likely being a bit harsh on it since I had such high expectations. Still, it's not a bad book, and it's always possible that my tastes have changed enough that I'd no longer love the rest of the Heir series if I reread it. If you loved the Heir Chronicles, it's worth a read, but you miss nothing, story-wise, if you stop after The Dragon Heir . Overall, my opinion balances out to three stars.
Similar Books: It's a fantasy novel set in modern times with a plot that focuses on magical politics, like the Bartimaeus series. It will appeal to fans of Chima's other series, the Seven Realms series. It also reminds me of the Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series (though I'm not really sure why).
Read more of my reviews at http://anniesepicblog.blogspot.com.
August 7, 2025
Bardzo mi się podoba to bezpardonowe odsuwanie poprzednich głównych bohaterów na dalszy plan w każdej kolejnej części, że zostają zdegradowani nawet do roli bohaterów epizodycznych, aby ustąpić miejsca nowym. Uważam, że to pomaga w rozbudowywaniu świata i przedstawianiu go z wielu perspektyw :))
April 9, 2023
Not a bad read at all, vetter than the ladt. Granted the last 100 pafes simewhat killed it with the pace slowing considerably down. Jonah did make very poor and impulsvie choices that he will as it seems have to answer for.
December 20, 2013
As the new shelf I made especially for the book is called: Wait, what? That is exactly how I feel about this book. The characters are interesting, the world is familiar, and I was interested to know more. The story is what's thrown me off about this book. We've got a great set up, interesting antagonists,and obvious points of conflict. So what isn't making sense about this book? It kinda goes nowhere. It's like there is a definite idea about where this book is going in the beginning, but then it gets lost. There are all of these great bits and pieces; conflicts in interest among the protagonist(s) and family/friends that I felt sure would be used to pull together an amazing climax and resolution. Instead the book's atmosphere becomes oppressive as Jonah starts to spiral within himself. I kept expecting something great, but then the number of chapters to come kept getting shorter and shorter. The end was a little out there, and the final proof this book was nothing but a prequel for the next one. It was an entire book of setting the stage. Honestly, I'm a little disappointed.
I "liked" the book for it's interesting characters and premises. Being able to return to this world was also a plus, as I've enjoyed all my other visits in previous books. The fact that little to nothing actually happens in this book is off putting. The book is part one of two (at least), and I wasn't prepared prior to reading for that to be the case. So, while I "liked" this book, by no means should this review be considered "glowing."
I "liked" the book for it's interesting characters and premises. Being able to return to this world was also a plus, as I've enjoyed all my other visits in previous books. The fact that little to nothing actually happens in this book is off putting. The book is part one of two (at least), and I wasn't prepared prior to reading for that to be the case. So, while I "liked" this book, by no means should this review be considered "glowing."
October 27, 2013
The cover of the book is beautiful. The narration style of the author in this book is as nice as her other books. However the High School Musical thing with the magical guitars is deceiving.
There are some mistakes (maybe on purpose?) like "Linda Downey stood, briefly, so she could be seen. She was small, with exquisite features and spiky black hair..." (pag 263) and then "Linda Downey drew everyone's eyes to her, like a diamond in a coal bin. She was small but finely made, with exquisite features. Her pale blond hair was threaded through with silver..." (pag 428).
There are some mistakes (maybe on purpose?) like "Linda Downey stood, briefly, so she could be seen. She was small, with exquisite features and spiky black hair..." (pag 263) and then "Linda Downey drew everyone's eyes to her, like a diamond in a coal bin. She was small but finely made, with exquisite features. Her pale blond hair was threaded through with silver..." (pag 428).
April 15, 2014
I hate to give a bad review, especially after loving the first three books in the Heir Chronicles, but this latest addition reads like bad fan fiction. I have made my peace with the author's inexplicable love for using characters' full names and her obsession with describing characters' outfits in agonizing detail, but this book was just painful from beginning to end. First: Way too much exposition about musical terms and set lists and chord changes and weaving melodies and harmonies blah blah blah. Emma and Jonah are amazing musicians, we get it. Move on. Second: Too many minor characters with nothing to do but fill up space and provide more outfits to describe. Why get attached when we'll never see them again? Third: Absolutely NOTHING happens in this book. At all. A million plot points with no forward motion. Even the "cliffhanger" ending was a whole pile of nothing. By the end, I was begging the author to kill off a main character just to make it stop. I was beyond disappointed with this installment of the Heir Chronicles after three strong predecessors. Should I hold my breath that the next one will be better?
October 16, 2021
Personally, I'm NOT into zombies, and I physically cringed at the actual "You're not like OTHER girls!" line. I was pretty happy with the end of book three, tbh, and I feel like nothing happened in this one....plus the Lillith thing felt like it was supposed to be SO important, but then it was flung to the side and barely mentioned again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 12, 2022
I’m not sure how this author was able to go so far downhill from the first book that we are now at “Hewwooo my name is Emma and I wuuuvvv Jonah hehehehehehehehehe” but she somehow managed to do it. Actually the whole series has been going downhill. The first one was great, second was decent, third was bad, and this was awful. Can’t wait for book 5 🙃 Though maybe listening to these as audiobooks is making it worse than it really is? The dude’s voice for Madison, for example, is ridiculous. Anyways plot time. They set up some cool stuff with the savants and zombie armies and the mystery lady who I can’t remember her name because she *poof* disappears from the plot a third of the way through for no reason. But then the *poof* happens and Jonah leaves his secret zombie killer society and EHEHEEHE I’M EMMMMMMAAAA I LIKE GUITAR EEEEHHHHEEEHEEE happens for the rest of the book instead of advancing the main story at all. It’s like she wrote the 4th and 5th books as one book, then split it in half and wrote “ZOMG JONAH IS HAWT” for half of each book. Because literally nothing even remotely significant happens after that point. I think that my biggest complaint really is just that the plot vanishes completely. I could handle Emma’s countless descriptions of Jonah’s “impossibly strong body” and “eyes you could drown in” and “intoxicating scent” and the rest if there was actually any plot that went along with it. It’s hard to believe the same author wrote the Seven Realm’s series since those were so good and the romance was far more manageable than whatever this was. I don’t wanna subject my myself to book 5 but I must have closure on these insignificant people that I dislike so here we gooooo.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 16, 2013
Pop culture is my native language, so let me break it down for you like this: The Enchanter Heir is basically X Men populated with Tolkienesque characters, running around playing an urban Parkour version of Clue. The plot is a multilayered political murder mystery. Everyone seems to have a different agenda and is playing their cards close to their chests. You have ambiguous villainous types, luthiers (guitar-makers, yay for learning new words,) zombie ghosts and a ninja assassin strike team operating out of a boarding school.
Doesn’t this look awesome?
You should know going in that this is a reboot of a trilogy and though it’s helpful to have read the previous books, it’s not totally necessary. Cinda Williams Chima recovers the important facts, so don’t be afraid to dive in. Unless you’re nuts about spoilers, because it will reveal how some of the plot-lines were tied up. For those of you looking for a refresher, Cinda has a pretty helpful guide to the series on her website.
Cinda has a knack for making her worlds come alive and The Enchanter Heir is no exception. The book is set in Cleveland (C-towwwn! It’s my hometown, I can say things like that) and she works the grungy, midwestern, post-industrial vibe like a native. Much of this book is set in the Flats, an area that I often refer to as a Scooby-Doo ghost town and the perfect setting for an urban fantasy. After reading this book, I could not 100% guarantee you that there aren’t secret evil-fighting commandos operating out of the area, that’s how convincing she is.
Sidebar, my personal favorite part was this quote:
In the middle of a tense scene, Cinda Williams Chima takes a moment to side swipe Cleveland drivers. Having had my blood pressure driven higher than it was ever meant to go by the East side suburb to city center commute, it tickles me that she would take the time to call that out.
Though Jonah and Emma aren’t my favorite of Cinda’s characters, they banter like champs so I’ll mostly forgive them their flaws. They’re both a bit of a conundrum. On the one hand, Emma is fantastic. She takes care of her business and runs around refusing to take BS from anyone. On the other, she’s completely in the dark on a lot of what’s going on and makes a couple of questionable moves that don’t seem in line with how she claims to operate.
Jonah’s no different. He’s a tortured hero type with the power to kill with a touch and an empath on top of that. This makes him understandably standoffish but he’s still hard to get a read on. He definitely hates his power and the fact that it doesn’t allow him to get close, but he has zero problem using it as means of extricating himself from sticky situations. He also has an annoying tendency to leap to conclusions when it comes to whodunit and it’s going to get him in serious trouble, especially when combined with his favorite problem solving method.
The only major downside to The Enchanter Heir is that it is very much a first book. All of the things are introduced, plots set in motion, epicness is set up and then BAM. OVER. It is entirely possible this wouldn’t have bothered me as much as it did if the last three pages hadn’t thrown out a terrible cliff hanger. (It’s not technically a cliffhanger, no one’s hanging from a cliff in mortal peril, but everything abruptly went to hell and it feels metaphorically cliff-like all things considered.) It left me feeling like the book was mostly foreplay with an underwhelming climax and it’s a tad frustrating when that happens, amirite?
Reading this book is kind of like watching Pirates of the Caribbean, (the first one, before they got complicated and weird) there isn’t a whole lot to it but you get swept up in the adventure before you know what’s happening and end up totally immersed and enjoying yourself.
There’s never the wrong time for a gratuitous Johnny Depp gif.
P.S. In between writing and posting this review, I got to meet Cinda. She is super nice, hilarious and generally fantastic. She says she’s sorry about the ending but never fear, she’s working on the next installment and it’ll be out Fall 2014. Also, to all the doubters, there absolutely are salt mines underneath Lake Erie. Go buy her books because I want her to keep writing forever.
This review also appears on Cuddlebuggery
Doesn’t this look awesome?
You should know going in that this is a reboot of a trilogy and though it’s helpful to have read the previous books, it’s not totally necessary. Cinda Williams Chima recovers the important facts, so don’t be afraid to dive in. Unless you’re nuts about spoilers, because it will reveal how some of the plot-lines were tied up. For those of you looking for a refresher, Cinda has a pretty helpful guide to the series on her website.
Cinda has a knack for making her worlds come alive and The Enchanter Heir is no exception. The book is set in Cleveland (C-towwwn! It’s my hometown, I can say things like that) and she works the grungy, midwestern, post-industrial vibe like a native. Much of this book is set in the Flats, an area that I often refer to as a Scooby-Doo ghost town and the perfect setting for an urban fantasy. After reading this book, I could not 100% guarantee you that there aren’t secret evil-fighting commandos operating out of the area, that’s how convincing she is.
Sidebar, my personal favorite part was this quote:
Jonah scarcely remembered the drive from Cleveland Heights to downtown…just that it seemed to take forever and cars kept getting in his way.
In the middle of a tense scene, Cinda Williams Chima takes a moment to side swipe Cleveland drivers. Having had my blood pressure driven higher than it was ever meant to go by the East side suburb to city center commute, it tickles me that she would take the time to call that out.
Though Jonah and Emma aren’t my favorite of Cinda’s characters, they banter like champs so I’ll mostly forgive them their flaws. They’re both a bit of a conundrum. On the one hand, Emma is fantastic. She takes care of her business and runs around refusing to take BS from anyone. On the other, she’s completely in the dark on a lot of what’s going on and makes a couple of questionable moves that don’t seem in line with how she claims to operate.
Jonah’s no different. He’s a tortured hero type with the power to kill with a touch and an empath on top of that. This makes him understandably standoffish but he’s still hard to get a read on. He definitely hates his power and the fact that it doesn’t allow him to get close, but he has zero problem using it as means of extricating himself from sticky situations. He also has an annoying tendency to leap to conclusions when it comes to whodunit and it’s going to get him in serious trouble, especially when combined with his favorite problem solving method.
The only major downside to The Enchanter Heir is that it is very much a first book. All of the things are introduced, plots set in motion, epicness is set up and then BAM. OVER. It is entirely possible this wouldn’t have bothered me as much as it did if the last three pages hadn’t thrown out a terrible cliff hanger. (It’s not technically a cliffhanger, no one’s hanging from a cliff in mortal peril, but everything abruptly went to hell and it feels metaphorically cliff-like all things considered.) It left me feeling like the book was mostly foreplay with an underwhelming climax and it’s a tad frustrating when that happens, amirite?
Reading this book is kind of like watching Pirates of the Caribbean, (the first one, before they got complicated and weird) there isn’t a whole lot to it but you get swept up in the adventure before you know what’s happening and end up totally immersed and enjoying yourself.
There’s never the wrong time for a gratuitous Johnny Depp gif.
P.S. In between writing and posting this review, I got to meet Cinda. She is super nice, hilarious and generally fantastic. She says she’s sorry about the ending but never fear, she’s working on the next installment and it’ll be out Fall 2014. Also, to all the doubters, there absolutely are salt mines underneath Lake Erie. Go buy her books because I want her to keep writing forever.
This review also appears on Cuddlebuggery
October 21, 2013
Ummmm…….So I have decided to rate this as if it were just the first half of a book because that is what it seems to be. This is the first half or Part I of a much larger book in my opinion.
I love the writing style of Cinda Williams Chima, this is the eighth book by her I have read. That said this was really a departure from the prior three books of this series. It would almost be an entirely new series if it didn’t still have the same rules and some characters of the first three books. Although I was a little confused as to who mainliners were, just so you know they are all the people in all the guilds you learned about in the first three books of the series.
The Enchanter Heir is a complete departure from the initial story line of Trinity. About ten years before the Dragon Heir there was a massacre that left all the inhabitants of Thorn Hill, a sorcerer commune in Brazil, either dead or a mutant of sorts. The weirstones of all the survivors have been completely changed along with their powers. Unknown is whether it was a wizard attack on the commune or if the sorcerers accidentally poisoned themselves.
Jonah, an Enchanter, is a survivor of Thorn Hill, but it came with a high price. His skin is poisonous and thus he is forced to live a mostly untouched existence. He has become an assassin trying to find the answers of Thorn Hill hoping to save his brother as well as himself from the affects of the mutations.
Emma has had a slightly wild childhood. She was hidden away with her Grandfather and new nothing of her past. With him she became engrossed in the music world and making guitars. But when he dies of mysterious circumstances she finds the father she never knew and starts learning about a world of magic she didn’t know existed.
I liked Emma right away. She is a headstrong teenager and is a little wild yes but she is feisty and stands her ground. I love that in a female character. When she meets our hero Jonah and he is less than inviting she says
You know what? You’re damn pretty until you open up your mouth. You ought to keep it shut.”
There is also a vulnerability to Emma as she, like the other orphans of Thorn Hill are mostly alone. Jonah as an assassin you would think would be hard to like, but right away you see how reluctant he is with his natural poison gift and as an empath he fells the pains of those around him. He is desperate to be accepted and loved but pushes everyone away as he knows how deadly he really is. I couldn’t help liking the kid.
--it was such a small and simple pleasure—to talk to someone who didn’t know that the thing he was best at was killing. Leaving the pool-shark girl behind was like ripping off a scab and watching himself bleed.
As Emma and Jonah get to know each other there is a definite attraction and Emma wonders why Jonah is giving mixed signals. I like the forbidden love story, I’m a sucker for those and it didn’t really overshadow the rest of the plot.
There are cameos from all of the Trinity alums and the story involves them only a little as mainliners seem to blame the Thorn Hill victims for the sudden rash of wizards being killed. Things become heated as each side blames the other.
The reason I’m saying that this is like half a book is because there really was no resolution to any of the story lines happening. At the end it still isn’t clear what happened at Thorn Hill, I know who is killing the wizards, well probably, but I have no idea why, Lilith the leader of the shades (deceased Thorn Hill spirits that take over bodies) still hasn’t given her plan, I have no idea how Emma is tied into the whole thing and then there was a cliff hanger.
This really reads more of like a part I of II. I’m not saying that is necessarily bad it just really wasn’t expected from everything else I’ve read by CWC. This was an enjoyable read, I really just wanted more resolution to…..well anything.
So I will wait until the completion of part II also known as The Sorcerer Heir (book 5) to make my official judgment on The Enchanter Heir. As for now it is 3.5 Stars
I love the writing style of Cinda Williams Chima, this is the eighth book by her I have read. That said this was really a departure from the prior three books of this series. It would almost be an entirely new series if it didn’t still have the same rules and some characters of the first three books. Although I was a little confused as to who mainliners were, just so you know they are all the people in all the guilds you learned about in the first three books of the series.
The Enchanter Heir is a complete departure from the initial story line of Trinity. About ten years before the Dragon Heir there was a massacre that left all the inhabitants of Thorn Hill, a sorcerer commune in Brazil, either dead or a mutant of sorts. The weirstones of all the survivors have been completely changed along with their powers. Unknown is whether it was a wizard attack on the commune or if the sorcerers accidentally poisoned themselves.
Jonah, an Enchanter, is a survivor of Thorn Hill, but it came with a high price. His skin is poisonous and thus he is forced to live a mostly untouched existence. He has become an assassin trying to find the answers of Thorn Hill hoping to save his brother as well as himself from the affects of the mutations.
Emma has had a slightly wild childhood. She was hidden away with her Grandfather and new nothing of her past. With him she became engrossed in the music world and making guitars. But when he dies of mysterious circumstances she finds the father she never knew and starts learning about a world of magic she didn’t know existed.
I liked Emma right away. She is a headstrong teenager and is a little wild yes but she is feisty and stands her ground. I love that in a female character. When she meets our hero Jonah and he is less than inviting she says
You know what? You’re damn pretty until you open up your mouth. You ought to keep it shut.”
There is also a vulnerability to Emma as she, like the other orphans of Thorn Hill are mostly alone. Jonah as an assassin you would think would be hard to like, but right away you see how reluctant he is with his natural poison gift and as an empath he fells the pains of those around him. He is desperate to be accepted and loved but pushes everyone away as he knows how deadly he really is. I couldn’t help liking the kid.
--it was such a small and simple pleasure—to talk to someone who didn’t know that the thing he was best at was killing. Leaving the pool-shark girl behind was like ripping off a scab and watching himself bleed.
As Emma and Jonah get to know each other there is a definite attraction and Emma wonders why Jonah is giving mixed signals. I like the forbidden love story, I’m a sucker for those and it didn’t really overshadow the rest of the plot.
There are cameos from all of the Trinity alums and the story involves them only a little as mainliners seem to blame the Thorn Hill victims for the sudden rash of wizards being killed. Things become heated as each side blames the other.
The reason I’m saying that this is like half a book is because there really was no resolution to any of the story lines happening. At the end it still isn’t clear what happened at Thorn Hill, I know who is killing the wizards, well probably, but I have no idea why, Lilith the leader of the shades (deceased Thorn Hill spirits that take over bodies) still hasn’t given her plan, I have no idea how Emma is tied into the whole thing and then there was a cliff hanger.
This really reads more of like a part I of II. I’m not saying that is necessarily bad it just really wasn’t expected from everything else I’ve read by CWC. This was an enjoyable read, I really just wanted more resolution to…..well anything.
So I will wait until the completion of part II also known as The Sorcerer Heir (book 5) to make my official judgment on The Enchanter Heir. As for now it is 3.5 Stars
November 9, 2013
I'm still a little unsure how I feel about this book. Over all it had a depressing and morbid feel to it. I didn't like it as much as I did the previous book, the dragon heir. I found myself drifting off while reading the story wondering what was happening back in trinity. I wasn't as wild about the story. It was a bit of a let down after reading the authors other books. I wasn't wild about Emma's character at all. And this series has made me hate wizards. I'm so sick of them. I hope the series ends with Madison moss sucking the magic out of every wizards weir stone. I definitely could have done without the "shades". The whole thing about them being the souls of the thorn hill victims and taking over decaying bodies just didn't do it for me. Jonah was ok. But I do get so tired of the whole "I'm madly In love with her but can't be with her because I may put her in danger." Why not just tell her the truth?? I mean she lives in the same building with you. You're in the same band and have the same friends. Like she's not going to find out?? Also I kept expecting everything to fall together with an amazing ending the the previous books. But no. Nothing and I mean nothing is solved or explained and we are left with a cliff hanger ending. And I'm not even dying to know the answers like I usually am. The book wasn't bad it just wasn't my taste.
December 30, 2013
First off, I'd like to say that I absolutely adored the first three books in this series. I didn't even mind the ending to the original trilogy. I was very much excited to jump back into this world and continue along. With that I had high hopes for this book, and although I did enjoy it, it didn't live up to the other three in the series. There was insta-love, and it did remind me of twilight in the fact that it's all about a girl who wants a boy and a boy who wants a girl but knows he can't have her blah blah blah. Also, there was no resolution. Absolutely nothing is completed in this book. It's like the last twenty-five percent of the book was just chopped off. Enough with the bad. I loved the world. I liked the new group of weir. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters back stories although none had any growth throughout the book which was weird. The old characters come back for minor, minor roles. And there was tons of action all over the place! I definitely will be reading the next one to see how things are wrapped up, but I'd advise people to hold off reading it until the last comes out. I expect it to be an immediate continuation of this one to make one complete story.
October 21, 2013
"I'll take a chance on you, if you'll take a chance on me."
The Thorn Hill massacre occurred many years ago, but the aftereffects of the tragedy still exist even to this day. Only the children survived, and the ones that did have all grown up with various gifts, different from those in their weirguilds. Powerful gifts. Dangerous gifts.
I love Cinda Williams Chima's writing, especially in this series because it is the perfect blend of urban fantasy; magical yet down to earth. This is a new storyline in this series, separate from the trilogy preceding it, although some familiar faces (including Seph, Madison, Jack, and Ellen) make their appearances as well. The two new protagonists, Emma Greenwood and Jonah Kinlock are great. They have so much hidden depth, and are just really such badass and likable characters. Especially Emma.
This is a great new book in this series and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys Ms Chima's work. I am really looking forward to the next one, especially since it ended on such a cliffhanger! :p
The Thorn Hill massacre occurred many years ago, but the aftereffects of the tragedy still exist even to this day. Only the children survived, and the ones that did have all grown up with various gifts, different from those in their weirguilds. Powerful gifts. Dangerous gifts.
I love Cinda Williams Chima's writing, especially in this series because it is the perfect blend of urban fantasy; magical yet down to earth. This is a new storyline in this series, separate from the trilogy preceding it, although some familiar faces (including Seph, Madison, Jack, and Ellen) make their appearances as well. The two new protagonists, Emma Greenwood and Jonah Kinlock are great. They have so much hidden depth, and are just really such badass and likable characters. Especially Emma.
This is a great new book in this series and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys Ms Chima's work. I am really looking forward to the next one, especially since it ended on such a cliffhanger! :p
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