Review - The Dragon Heir (The Heir Chronicles #3) by Cinda Williams Chima

Title: The Dragon Heir

Author: Cinda Williams Chima

Series: 3rd (The Warrior Heir, The Wizard Heir)

Pages: 499

Published: August 12th 2008 by Disney-Hyperion 

ISBN: 9781423110705

Source: Library

Description: The covenant that was meant to keep the wizard wars at bay has been stolen, and the sanctuary of Trinity must prepare for attack. Seph monitors the Weirwalls, while Jack and Ellen train their army of ghosts to face an onslaught of wizards. Even Anaweir Will and Fitch are setting traps around the town's perimeter. To Jason Haley, it feels as though everyone but him has a role to play. Then he finds a powerful talisman - a huge opal called the Dragonheart - buried in a cave. When its power washes over him, he knows he's destined for a greater purpose than anyone ever imagined. Madison Moss can hears the seductive call of the Dragonhear also, but she has other things on her mind. Maddie's been leaking dark magic ever since absorbing the blow that was meant to kill her boyfriend, Seph. If anyone finds out, she'll be banished from the sanctuary - and Seph - forever. Meanwhile, Trinity's enemies mean to win the war with the help of the Dragonheart, and they know that Madison Moss is the only one who can get it for them. Moral compasses spin out of control as a final battle storms through a town that was meant to be a refuge. With so much to lose, what will Jason and Maddie be willing to fight for - and what will they sacrifice? It's everyone for himself in this thrilling conclusion to the Heir trilogy. 

I Give This ...

I'm so glad the I discovered that my library had this available for audio download.  I don't think I would have ever finished this series if it wasn't for that.  I would have missed out on a great read!

I think when you have a fantasy series like this you need a good mix of characters.  You really get that here.  There are those you like more than others.  For me that character is Madison Moss.  We learned a lot about her in the last book.  By taking her home for most of this book, we learn an entirely different side to Madison.  I completely pegged her role in this book, but I was a little surprised at how she got there.  I knew she was powerful, but her powers are subtle and completely different than those we have previously learned about.

I was a little disappointed in Seth this time around.  But, I don't think it was entirely his fault.  The safety of the town was placed to entirely on his shoulders.  Hastings and Linda just decided to take over D'Orsay's castle.  Their actions seemed to childish and left Seth is a horrible position.  Yes, there were other adults to help Seth out.  But, he's the type of person to take on to much.  He's been on his own for so long that he's not going to ask for help.   

There was definitely a lot of set up to this book.  It felt like a game of chess were all the characters have to be moved into just the right position for checkmate.  And just when you think the other player might when is when you see your opening.   There's so many things going on and people manipulating each other that I was unsure if this would even remotely work out for the "good guys." There's losses of course, with so much at stake how could their not be.  I kind of felt that these losses didn't get the recognition they deserved!

I enjoyed the ending, but listening to this on tape I seriously wondered if it was going to wrap up in the tracks I left.  I wonder if I would have felt the same physically reading it.  It was one of those books that all of sudden it was over.  I kind of felt like it needed an epilogue or something.  5 years later I know there is a 4th book in the series.  But, I'm not sure how much it's going to address the questions I would like answers to.