Chima, Cinda Williams (2006). The Warrior Heir. NY: Hyperion Books for Children, 426 pages.
Jack is an ordinary teenager living an ordinary life in ordinary Ohio. Until he forgets to take his necessary-for-living medicine and realizes that, not only does he not immediately die, he’s actually become much better at soccer – and a few other things. Because Jack’s “medicine” was actually a drug intended to suppress Jack’s latent super powers and hide him from a secret society of people who want to use him as a pawn in an old and violent political game.
This book was excellent – the only thing I didn’t like was Jack. Actually, I didn’t hate him either, he’s just a sort of “everyman” character that it was hard for me to get behind (seriously, his name is “Jack” – you can’t get more everyman than that). He has a fabulous array of conflicts that work really well to enhance the suspense of the novel, but… I just couldn’t connect with him. The other characters, however, won me over immediately, from his overly charismatic aunt to his befuddled friends.
The book is also well plotted – strong action scenes work side-by-side with a complicated weave of emotional and political conflict. The history of the secret society is worked in deftly, so that you don’t feel like you’re getting smacked in the face with EXPOSITION the way you do in some fantasy novels. However, that could be because the magical society doesn’t really feature much in the book except to create narrative tension. Jack doesn’t even really experience it until the very end, and the only part he really interacts with is the Tournament o’ Death. So while the author does an excellent job of making the presence of the society felt, it doesn’t really exist other than peripherally in the narrative. And, unlike the magical otherworld that exists in many novels, this otherworld has seemingly no redeeming features. The citizens are focused on a bloodthirsty struggle for political domination, and very little else. Hopefully this will be expanded on in the sequel, The Wizard Heir.
Narratively, the book worked very well, expect for a slight lull in the middle where Jack is training. While there are some interesting character conflicts that are building at this point, it isn’t clear how important they are until the end of the novel. However, once the ending begins, the book really hits its stride. All the plot threads come together, and there are some very suspenseful moments – and a LOT of surprises. The conclusion was unexpected and perfect. I won’t give too much away, but it included a poignant and well foreshadowed deus ex machina.
If you liked this book: Why not try out the Percy Jackson series, starting with The Lightning Thief? I hesitate to call it a Harry Potter knock-off, but it really is – however, this series has it’s own merits, especially in the way it looks at those with disabilities.
