The Wizard Heir
Author: Cinda Williams Chima
Series: The Heir Chronicles (#2)
Publisher: Hyperion
How Received: bought
Sixteen-year-old Seph McCauley has spent the past three years getting kicked out of one exclusive private school after another. And it's not his attitude that's the problem. It's the trail of magical accidents--lately, disasters--that follow in his wake. Seph is a wizard, orphaned and untrained--and his powers are escalating out of control.
After causing a tragic fire at an after-hours party, Seph is sent to the Havens, a secluded boys' school on the coast of Maine. At first, it seems like the answer to his prayers. Gregory Leicester, the headmaster, promises to train Seph in magic and initiate him into his mysterious order of wizards. But Seph's enthusiasm dampens when he learns that training comes at a steep cost, and that Leicester plans to use his students' powers to serve his own dangerous agenda.
In this companion novel to the exciting fantasy The Warrior Heir, everyone's got a secret to keep: Jason Haley, a fellow student who's been warned to keep away from Seph; the enchanter Linda Downey, who knew his parents; the rogue wizard Leander Hastings, and the warriors Jack Swift and Ellen Stephenson. This wizard war is one that Seph may not have the strength to survive.
When people think of 'sequels', we think of a continuation of the book previous with the same characters and a certain amount of time passed. However, that isn't so in The Wizard Heir.
The Wizard Heir takes place a month or so after The Warrior Heir, and it follows a young wizard by the name of Joseph (aka Seph) McCauley. He's an orphan who's got some good looks, hits it off with girls, and tends to bring trouble wherever he goes.
After a nasty accident in Canada, he's shipped off to a 'special' all-boy school in Maine, called the Havens. It's run by a man (and wizard) named Gregory Leicester. He has a set of kids called Alumni, and the rest of the students are just...well, students. Seph starts out at a menial level of interest for the Alumni and Leicester, and then later becomes their main focal point.
During Seph's hard times, we're introduced to a new wizard, Jason. He's powerful. He's smart. And he's ambitious. He's almost like Seph's saving grace.
Together, they work to get free from the prison that is the Havens until one dies...or so we think.
Doesn't that sound like a good plot? There is a lot more to it, but given the basics of it, I loved it.I mean, who doesn't LOVE a good plot? If you don't, then you wouldn't like this book. Because it's plot is large with a fantastic cast of characters, like Seph. Seph is AWESOME. I like seeing the world as his shadow. He provides a fresh insight into Chima's world.
What did I disliked about it?
Jack and Ellen weren't portrayed the same as they were in the previous book. They were COMPLETELY different from the way they were in The Warrior Heir. It might be because that's what Seph thinks/sees of them, but I didn't care for it. Plus, this book has WAY too many typos, grammatical errors, and missing words for a finished, published book. I thought I was reading an ARC.
What I liked about it?
Seph was a strong main character, and easy to relate to. I liked him very much. The plot was good, not nearly as powerful as the first one I think, but still good. Aunt Linda, Nick, and Hastings were spot on from the previous story and I actually liked them both better. The ending to the book was very interesting, though parts were predictable. But I'm still astounded by the intricate finish on the story. I loved it.
Would I recommend this book? Oh yeah. But only if the person has read the first one. (This is the type of series you can jump in anywhere, but someone might not appreciate this book without reading the fantastic first book.) Chima pulled off another great story, and I can't wait to read the last installment, The Dragon's Heir.
