School Library Journal Review
Gr 7 Up-The concluding volume (2008) in Cinda Williams Chima's trilogy that includes The Warrior Heir (2006) and The Wizard Heir (2007, all Hyperion) is a fast-paced fantasy set in today's world about a brewing war between good and evil forces. The legendary Dragonheart, a magnificent opal pulsing with enormous power, has been stolen by a teen wizard who hopes to use its power to fight against the evil that is threatening their sanctuary. The story involves many complex characters and an elaborate guild structure among the wizards. The dual story line features a struggle between the White Roses and the Red Roses and the teen's current real-life conflicts. There is enough back story presented that listeners do not have to be familiar with the previous two titles. Robert Ramirez's narration is enjoyable, except for some overly long pregnant pauses and a dreadful Southern accent for one character. This fast-paced novel will complete the trilogy for libraries that have the first two titles in their collections-Cynde Suite, Bartow County Public Library System, Cartersville, GA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Centuries of wizardly scheming, slavery and slaughter reap apocalyptic fallout in this final volume of Chima's trilogy. As the wizard Houses lay siege, magical refugees flock to the sanctuary of sleepy Trinity, Ohio, where adolescent wizards and warriors assume most of the burden of protecting the town, torn between the savage world of magic and the demands of school and family. Smuggling the immensely powerful Dragonheart talisman into Trinity triggers a cascade of heroism, intrigue, courage, deception, sacrifice and betrayal, as six increasingly desperate teenagers seek to master it before everything they love is destroyed. Heroes and villains alike are swayed by achingly human motivations into disastrous choices with devastating consequences. The graphic violence and the shifting narrative push this into YA territory, but it is anchored there by the agonizing withdrawal of adult support and the overwhelming sense that these young people are abruptly forced to take responsibility for a world they had no hand in creating. The resolution is--like the end of childhood itself--tentatively hopeful, if not triumphant. A superlative accomplishment. (Fantasy. YA) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.