“Light the darkness, Dragon”

Okarria has always been protected by the Heirs; three individuals with special gifts from the god Odriel that together protect their homelands. Seventeen-year-old Kaia is the latest descendent of the Dragon Heir. It is she who must stand tall and fight a necromancer who is raising an army of the undead. Together with the Shadow Heir, Klaus, and her faithful rage hound, Gus, they journey to protect Okarria before the undead consume the land. Complications arise, as the Time Heir is missing and Kaia and Klaus must work together better than ever if they are to survive without him.

This book really moves right off the bat. From the first chapters, you’re thrown in the middle of Kaia’s world as the Lost, the army of the undead attacks her home. Though young and unsure of herself, she’s armed with the power of her dragon fire. She fights them off and leaves to find her father and the Shadow Heir Klaus to fight back against the growing hordes of the Lost.

“Sometimes when I’m scared, I just tell myself that I’m brave, over and over.” She clenched her fist. “Then, I take the first step” She smiled at him. “That’s the hardest part.”

Kaia is coming into her own throughout this book, and the story has strong coming-of-age vibes. Kaia and Klaus are similar ages and without the Time Heir, lack adult figures to guide them through. The fate of Okarria rests on the strength of her dragon fire to hold off the undead, while Klaus must use his shadows and cunning to stop the necromancer. Both Kaia and Klaus are unsure of themselves, with an uncertain future thrust at them. 

Gus and Kaia’s relationship was one of my favourite parts of the book. It’s been a while since I’ve read a Fantasy with an animal sidekick, and I just loved it. Gus is tough, loyal and loving every step of the way. Any scene he was in whether it was protecting Kaia or trying to keep her dragon fire under control, he was just the best. 10/10, what a good boy.

“If you ever need a light, remember the one that burns within you that never goes out”

This book touches on the complications of family and destiny, against a backdrop of loyalty, love and sacrifice. It truly fits nicely into the Young Adult genre, and I think Kaia and Klaus are both characters that teenage and adolescent readers would enjoy and relate to.

Though I enjoyed the world building in this book, don’t read this with an expectation that Odriel’s Heirs will reinvent the Fantasy wheel. Okarria has the potential to be a far-reaching Fantasy with intricate world building. However, the level of detail is just not there. What Odriel’s Heirs is, is a highly-enjoyable Fantasy read, with enough action and adventure to keep you turning the pages.  

This was a pretty quick read for me. I really got into it as the plot unfolded. This is a Fantasy that hits in the right places. It’s an enjoyable read and I look forward to following the series.

Thanks to the author herself, Hayley Reese Chow for inviting me to read this series. If you’d like to find out about her work, you can do so here.