Thank you Hachette and NetGalley for the readers copy. The scream that erupted from me when I saw this was approved for me was not appropriate for the bookstore or the customers browsing nearby.
This is a half review with a caveat of the full review to come because after reading the first chapter of this book I promptly decided I needed to do a reread of the original Ember in the Ashes quartet. As I write this I’m already on book 2 and those reviews are posted.
So my half review is this:
If Sabaa Tahir has millions of fans, then I'm one of them. If Sabaa Tahir has one fan, then I'm that fan. If Sabaa Tahir has no fans, then I'm dead.
Thank you for your time.

*The Prince of Ruin* by Sabaa Tahir weaves together the gripping stories of three complex characters bound by fate, revenge, and the haunting consequences of power. Aiz, an orphan from the Kegari slums, is driven by a thirst for vengeance but finds herself trapped in a prison that fans the flames of her rage. Sirsha, a down-on-her-luck tracker banished from her tribe, takes on a dangerous job to hunt a killer, only to find herself drawn to a fugitive who complicates her mission. Finally, Quil, the reluctant crown prince, must confront the dark legacy of his bloodline and decide if he can rise above his past to save the Empire from a new, deadly threat.

Tahir masterfully intertwines their lives, exploring themes of power, love, and sacrifice. The characters are richly developed, each grappling with their own demons and destinies, while the plot builds to a breathless and heart-pounding crescendo. Fans of Tahir’s previous works will find the same sharp writing, intricate world-building, and emotional depth here. *The Prince of Ruin* is a dark, thrilling journey that will keep you on the edge of your seat—and leave you questioning what you're willing to sacrifice for the greater good.

What an incredible cast of characters! Although, what else could you expect from the Queen of YA fantasy, Sabaa Tahir.
Her renown cliff hangers continue to be a trend in this new series and while I was smart enough to wait for the entire An Ember in the Ashes series release before picking up book 1, the hype (which is well deserved) got to me I couldn't wait to dive into Heir.
I loved returning to this rich and diverse fantasy realm and while Heir can be read as it's own series, readers would be missing out on a deep history and backstory by not giving An Ember in the Ashes a chance first.
While still YA, this book would definitely be at the higher end of the range and is perfect for those looking to ease their way into more adult fantasy novels.

Thanks to @netgalley and @hachetteaus for a review copy of this book. I’ll be definitely reading the next book as like all good stories, this one is left on a cliffhanger, which of course it is! It’s a duology.

I enjoyed immersing myself in this world. I found out after I started that this one is closely tied to another series. I can say that as I haven’t read the other one, you can go into this blindly and it will still make sense. I enjoyed getting to know the characters; Aiz, Sirsha and Quil, and how they played a part in the narrative. The world was well built too which I think is a must in a fantasy book.

Synopsis:
An orphan.
An outcast.
A prince.
And a killer who will bring the empire to its knees.

A masterfully interwoven tale of the lives of three young people as they grapple with the burdens of power, the teachers of love and the devastating consequences of unchecked greed. Get read for a dark and breathless joinery that will captivate readers and that may cost these young people their lives - and their hearts. Literally.

I hope you enjoy it. Happy reading

When I tell you Sabaa is a master at worldbuilding, no one compares, and intertwining multi POVs without it getting too confusing and it was done impeccably.
I was hooked on the storyy the whole way through, I enjoyed every word and my god I need more.

I was so excited to be selected as an arc reader for this book.

Having read Tahir’s previous books, the ember quartet I was anticipating getting to read this book and I was not disappointed at all.

The world building in this book is absolutely beautiful. The connection to culture faith and legends was strong and it helped connect me to the characters in this book. I loved the story.

The main FMC was so strong willed and amazing. I just wanted to keep reading to see how she went.

The other two main characters were also quite interesting

I cannot wait to read more from this author

Please note I read the second half of this book while literally suffering from fever dreams….. So it took me a while to catch on to some pretty obvious plot points. I read the first half, caught a nasty bug that almost hospitalised me and then read the second half while on a very interesting combination of painkillers and antibiotics.


Romance
Just like in the Ember series, I wasn't a fan of the romance in this one. I love the characters individually but I never feel anything for the romance between anyone. I’m not against any of them getting together, I just don’t care?

Also **** spoiler for late in book happenings***** not a fan of when we get a Sufiyan chapter he suddenly has eyes or Ariella….. Can main characters just NOT want to be in a relationship for once? I’m not mad that this might mean the bi character is in a ‘het’ relationship eventually, I’m just mildly mad all of these characters just need to shack up with someone. end slight spoiler****

I was a fan of the ‘fake dating’ scenario though! That was a bit fun and unexpected in a fantasy novel.

Is it queer?
We got more casual mentions of a more queer society, which was lovely. One of the side characters is bi and it's just casually mentioned in regards to who she's dated previously. The main relationships seem extremely straight. The Ember series alluded to a gay character not being able to be themselves so it was nice to learn that the Empire seems to be less homophobic. During Aiz’s POV she scoffs that the Empire doesn't recognise non binary people where in her society they do.

Plot
Can’t say if it was predictable or not as I was incapacitated at the time of reading. All I can say is at the end I was predictably miffed with the author, which is what we all expect from Sabaa Tahir so, yay?

Compared to the og series
I read this book right after finishing the og series, so everything was fresh in my mind. I’m not sure how new readers will go in this world without any of the prior books as it does add a lot of context and now we have even more to learn.

Very happy with the new generation of characters and how often we got to see og characters, they didn’t take over the plot at all and let the new characters shine.

Characters
3 main POVs

Quil
Was fun, probably because if you’ve read the Ember series you know him as a baby and are fond of his aunt. Also his friends/family (Sufiyan and Arellia) are great. I love it when a main character has great friends along for the ride.

Aiz
Eh. I wanted to root for her but she kept giving me reasons to just not like her.

Sirsha
Fav main character. Clear motivations and great development. I desperately want her origin story as a standalone. Her relationship with her sister!? Hello! I need more of that thanks.

Will I be continuing the duology?
100% yes. Can’t wait for book 2

Add to my physical collection?
Definitely. This book needs to sit next to my Ember collection.

I was provided an eBook from the publisher: Hachette AU/NZ via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

A masterfully storyteller that interweaves the lives of three young people as they grapple with the burdens of power, the treachery of love and the devastating consequences of unchecked greed. A dark journey that may just cost these three young people their lives and their hearts.

You’ll find an orphan, an outcast, a prince and a killer who will bring an empire to its knees within the pages of this book. This story is explored from the three perspective of three main characters that come from very different backgrounds who provides insight into the world and different lifestyles that exist.

If you haven’t already read the existing quartet rest easy as this story is easy to follow and provides information about the world you are exploring in a nuanced and informative way. If you have then I’m sure you’re equally excited to revisit the world again.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐇𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞 𝐀𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐚 (𝐀𝐭𝐨𝐦) 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐛𝐲 𝐒𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐚 𝐓𝐚𝐡𝐢𝐫

*Thank you to NetGalley & Hachette Australia & New Zealand for providing a digital copy to review*

I knew before starting that this book is connected to An Ember in the Ashes series which I have yet to read. If you’re in the same boat you will be fine. At the start, there’s a quick explanation of the world and the different classes of people and from there, it’s easy to follow. You do get a sense of who the central characters were in the Ember series and I’m excited to go back and read those books.

Heir tells the story from the perspectives of three main characters with very different backgrounds. Seeing the world through the eyes of Aiz, Sirsha & Quil gives us a more rounded view of a place or a person and illustrates how there is more than one side to a situation.

I know some people aren’t a fan of multiple perspectives but I love it and it’s done so well in this book. When you read a story told through a certain viewpoint you almost immediately are more sympathetic to them as you see what they went through. This book takes advantage of that, having characters we’ve grown attached to do things that go against everything you thought they were.

There is some romance mixed in as well. I would describe it as forced proximity and there are also lovers to enemies in there too.

The book finished on a great cliffhanger and I can’t wait for the next book.

4.5 ⭐️

I am a sucker for flawlessly executed multi-POV storylines, especially when paired with such an intriguing plot.

Quil and Sirsha were both phenomenally written characters and I ate their chapters up like there’s no tomorrow. I admittedly struggled with Aiz’s chapters, and most times I was just begging to get back into Quil’s POV instead. However, she is undeniably a complex character and I understood what the author was trying to do with her.

All main POVs had such interesting storylines which all came together nicely, and I also thoroughly enjoyed the little crumbs we got about the side characters, mainly Sufiyan, Arelia, and Helene.

The story was action-packed, with extensive world building and character development, but there was not a point where I felt overwhelmed nor did it feel like I needed more information to understand the plot.

When I saw this book I instantly needed it and when I got it I was excited, going back into this universe following these character was amazing, once I was in I didn’t want to stop reading.

I think this is one of the best books I’ve read this year. The storyline is so intricately weaved, yet somehow so different. While it’s clear that there will be a part that the three storyline’s meet, it was written so well in that you couldn’t decipher how.

We follow Aiz, Quil and Sirsha as they navigate a path filled with betrayal, death, war, magic, and destruction. Filled with political and religious intrigue, magic, magic users, ‘holy’ spirits, cross-continent travel, forced proximity & fake engagement tropes, Heir will keep you on your toes until the very end. Full of twists and turns you don’t see coming. And that ending? I gasped. I need book 2 immediately & I am just PRAYING there is a happy ending to come.

Heir isn’t like any other fantasy book I have read before. Having just finished it, I have so many mixed emotions, it’s going to be one of those books I think about for a while!
Heir centres around three main characters, Quil, Sirsha and Aiz. Their stories are perfectly intertwined, intersecting in parts of the plot I did not expect. Not only are the main characters tasked with protecting their respective tribes and people, but they are also challenged morally and in the end we are asked, what does it mean to hold power?
This is my first Sabaa Tahir book, and it won’t be my last!
Thank you to the Author, Hachette Australia and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

This is my first book for Author Sabaa Tahir and it did not disappoint .

An orphan.
An outcast.
A prince.
And a killer who will bring an empire to its knees.

I really enjoyed this book even though I haven't read An ember in the ashes series but they have been added to my TBR .
It was a slow start for me and took me sometime to get hooked in but once i was hooked it was go go go and i wish it didn't end .
It follows 3 main Characters , with twists , romance and left me wanting book two .

Thank you Netgalley & Hachette Australia for my ARC

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced
Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0

I feel empty. This book was just that good. It was so amazing being back into the ember in the ashes universe, in my opinion you must read the quartet before read Heir. You'll be missing 4 books worth of context, worldbuilding and characters if you don't. I was soooo excited everytime my beloved characters from embers got page time in Heir!!

We follow three different POVs in heir and they way they all merge to tell the story is absolutely brilliant. Sirsha's pov was my fave.

This had everything you want in a fantasy. A beautiful complex world. Intriguing magic. Brutal fight scenes. Crazy high stakes. Beautifully flawed characters. Amazing relationships both platonic and romantic.

And that ending!!! I need the second book immediately.

Zero criticism.

W O W 🤯
This will be one of my top 10 of 2024, for SURE.
I do think the love, and understanding, of this book is heightened if you’ve read the other 4 books in this world, which are set roughly 20 years before this plot starts.
But it’s just a really good book, full stop. The pacing and how it weaves between different points of view, then brings them together in a way I did NOT see coming, is so clever. The content, as with the previous books, is bleak, violent and grim - but the characters are incredibly loveable.
The reluctant heir to a martial empire; an outcast tracker foolish and brave enough to take on a dangerous job; and an orphan so desperate to help rescue her people from unjust rule that she goes to lengths even she doesn’t understand - each of them entwine in unexpected ways.
Thank you so much NetGalley and Hachette Australia and New Zealand for the digital ARC!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Whoever says YA fantasy books are somehow 'lesser' than their adult counterparts needs to be whacked over the head with this book, and then invited to read it.
Heir is a multi-pov fantasy epic. There's a little something of everything in here: political intrigue, mystery, romance, and action aplenty.
The POV shifts every chapter, so it took me a little while to get attached to each of the characters, but I'm glad I stuck with it. Tahir has crafted excellent characters, each with their own goals, secrets and flaws. The shifting POV allows the reader to know each character intimately and adds depth to the interactions between the cast.
Some might find the villain's motivation a bit tired, but given how well it opposes the other character's goals, it worked well to provide narrative tension.
This book gave me the much-missed feeling of staying up too late because I wanted to read 'just one more chapter'. I cannot wait for the conclusion to the duology.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the arc.

Thank you Hachette and NetGalley for this ARC!

While this was released on October 1, it took me a while to get through ONLY BECAUSE I WAS SICK!

Disclaimer: did I know this was set in the same universe as her other series… nooooo 🫣 but I have been told that it’s not a spoiler and that it doesn’t matter if I haven’t read An Ember in the Ashes (but it would’ve helped).

Sabaa Tahir is out here keeping YA Fantasy afloat with this amazing writing and world omg. Heir has 3 main pov characters (with the occasional extra) all set in different parts of the world with their own struggles. The story brings them together in ways which I did not predict, and when I thought I knew the plot twist at about 48% I was proven wrong 🤷🏻‍♀️

Aiz, a girl from the slums who wants a better life for her people. Sirsha, a ‘tracker’ who uses magic to find her marks after she was banished from her home. And Quil, the crown prince of the Empire who really doesn’t want the throne and has known heartbreak and loss.

The way this book brought out so many emotions was insane. I was getting so angry and then completely understand, then heartbroken and shocked. Heir is an emotional roller coaster and I think I had forgotten to check the harness was on correctly. It was amazing, I’m going to have to read her other books just to stay in this world.

Highly recommended for anyone who is interested in:
- YA Fantasy
- Multi pov (3rd person)
- Magic
- Politics
- Betrayal
- Plot twists
- Forced proximity

Sabaa Tahir is probably the only high fantasy author I can truly enjoy, and she writes it so beautifully. I had no idea this book was set in the same world as her previous series (which I absolutely loved), so that was a wonderful surprise. It took me a little while to fully grasp the world-building and magic system, but once I did, I was hooked. The story is incredibly immersive, and I can’t wait to read the second book in the series and follow these characters further. I’d say this falls into the older young adult category. And while you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, the cover is stunning. Amazing work overall!

Este libro transcurre 20 años después de Una llama entre cenizas. Laia, Elias y Helena aparecen y son importantes para la historia.

Está narrado desde tres puntos de vista: Aiz, Sirsha y Quil.

Mi personaje favorito era aquel que resultó no ser una buena persona. Sus acciones me sorprendieron porque parecía que todo lo que hacía era realmente para ayudar, pero al final solo buscaba poder.


Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.



Spoilers:
¿Sabaa, por qué te gusta hacer sufrir a Laia y Elias? Ya han pasado por tanto y ahora con lo de Ruh, no sé como siguen adelante.