#zacharias marcus livius aquillus farrar

[jessread-s]

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review

✩🗻🪶Review:

A captivating spin-off that will make your heart pound. 

“Heir” follows Aiz (an orphan), Sirsha (an outcast), and Quil (a prince) as they grapple with the burdens of power, the treachery of love, the devastating consequences of greed, and a killer who will bring the empire to its knees. 

I loved everything about this book, which is not surprising seeing that the “An Ember in the Ashes” quartet is one of my favorite series of all time! “Heir” takes place in the same world, but 20 years later, and follows the next generation of Tahir’s most beloved characters. It warmed my heart to be able to catch up with Helene, Elias, and Laia after so long (even though their happily ever afters were tampered with by Tahir) and see new dynamics form between them and Aiz, Sirsha, and Quil. 

The characters are the driving force of this story. Aiz, Sirsha, and Quil are three-dimensional, contending with complex inner conflicts. Aiz is devoted to her faith and her people, but she lets power corrupt her humanity. After being banished from her tribe, Sirsha struggles with trusting others, something she must face head on when she discovers that she alone cannot hunt down the killer who has murdered children across the Empire. Born to a Plebeian and an Illustrian, brought into the world by a Scholar, and raised among the Tribes, Quil feels as if he belongs nowhere. What’s more, he’s loathe to inherit the throne in fear of becoming his father (the most hated emperor in the history of his people). 

I particularly enjoyed reading from Sirsha and Quil’s point-of-view because of the relationship that developed between them when fate crossed their paths. While not the focus of the book, the subtle romance made my heart flutter!

The alternating perspectives allow the reader to explore the Empire alongside the characters. Tahir builds off the fictional world she established in the “An Ember in the Ashes” quartet by seamlessly introducing new cultures, religions, peoples, and magic systems. The dual timelines also add an element of intrigue. As with her other books, Tahir doesn’t reveal all her cards at once, slowly relinquishing information the further we get into the story until the part each character plays in the larger narrative becomes clear. I’m on the edge of my seat as I wait for book 2!

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[mercerislandbooks]

Book Notes: Heir

I read Sabaa Tahir’s Ember Quartet long enough ago that only the first one, An Ember in the Ashes, was out — and then had to wait, not so patiently, for each subsequent installment. With nods to the days of the Roman Empire, An Ember in the Ashes features a brutal military school (sans dragons) that might feel familiar for Fourth Wing fans and is loaded with subterfuge, betrayal, and romantic tension. As the series spun on, I was impressed with way Sabaa Tahir expanded her reach and wove together all her characters. She continually deepened their motivations and surprised me with twist after turn. The final book culminated with an epic battle and a bittersweet yet satisfying ending.

When I heard that Sabaa Tahir had a new book on the horizon, I didn't know it would be returning to the world of the Ember Quartet. Heir opens in an entirely different location, the isolated and impoverished country of Kegar, and is action-packed from the start. I finished the first chapter and reluctantly turned to the next (since she left her first character, Aiz, in quite the tight spot), encountering a new POV. As soon as I saw his name — Zacharias Marcus Livius Aquillus Farrar, Quil for short — I knew I was back in the Martial Empire.

Heir is told from three POV’s. Aiz, an orphan from the lowest rung of Kegar society, with nothing to lose. Quil, the reluctant and ambivalent heir to the Martial throne. And Sirsha, an exile from her native country, a tracker for hire that just wants to make enough money to leave her nomadic existence behind and settle somewhere warm. Sirsha’s hunt for a killer puts her on a collision course with Quil, who is searching for answers after the Kegar launch a surprise attack on the Martial Empire, with more devastating effect than anyone thought was possible. And Aiz — well, I’ll let the reader discover her story for themselves.

Beyond the high-stakes action and potentially world-ending ramifications, Sabaa Tahir’s books are just FUN to read. Her characters share great banter in the midst of running for their lives and trying to find a heart-destroying demon. She employs some tropes that I recognized from my romance reading that made me grin when she walked characters right into them. And her plot twists are wonderfully and surprisingly complicated. As I noted in my reading journal after finishing Heir, she leaves her characters in quite a pickle. I’m so curious to find out what she has planned for them in the second book of this duology.

We still have signed copies available, so stop by and pick up your copy today!

— Lori

[aeitascholardom]

🚨 Reaper Spoilers 🚨

Helene: this babe is just like a son to me.

Baby Zacharias: “hah 💕💘💖💗💓💞💝💕💘💖💗💓💞💝💕💘💖💗💓💞💝💕💘💖💗💓💞💝💕💘💖💗💓💞💝💕💘💖💗💓💞💝💕💘💖💗💓💞💝💕💘💖💗💓💞💝💕💘💖💗💓💞💝💕💘💖💗💓💞💝

Helene: how the bleeding skies did you just pronounce that?

[elias-veturius-laia-of-serra]

AEITA Fancast

Helene Aquilla: Ari Fournier

“I will not marry. I will bear no children. For if I am Empress, then the Empire is my husband and my wife. My mother and my father. My brother and my sister. And I name Zacharias Marcus Livius Aquillus Farrar my sole heir.”