Jon Monson has crafted a story and characters in The Final Heir that are captivating, compelling, complex, and action-packed.

What I look for most in a book is great character development and The Final Heir most definitely delivers.

The main protagonists of this novel are a girl named Zahara and a boy named Ekarath. Both are in their late teens and both are training to be of service to their people; she aa a Mage, and he as a Hundiin - an elite group of bodyguards whose mission is to protect the Heir of Segova.
Their training is interrupted, however when The Usurper and his armies attack unexpectedly. Even this main antagonist is an extremely interesting, complex character.
Though very different, The Usurper is a villain of similar caliber as Darth Vader and The Dark Knight's Joker.

Without giving too much away, I will say that within the first few chapters of The Final Heir the reader is enthralled by and emotionally involved in these characters and their story.
This, along with expertly crafted action scenes, makes the reader want to keep reading as each chapter concludes and leaves you anxiously wanting to dive into book two so you can see how the story progresses.

"The Final Heir" by Jon Monson presents an intriguing fantasy world filled with rich lore and imaginative elements. Monson's world-building shines, creating a captivating backdrop that draws readers in. The intricate plot, complete with twists and turns, offers moments of suspense and surprise. However, the pacing can be uneven, with occasional lulls that may test reader patience. The characters are diverse and multifaceted, each bringing a unique perspective to the story. Yet, certain character arcs could benefit from more depth and exploration.

While the ending satisfies, some threads might leave readers craving further resolution. In conclusion, "The Final Heir" showcases Jon Monson's creativity and storytelling ability, making it a recommended read for fantasy enthusiasts, albeit with a few areas that could be polished to enhance the overall experience.

The Final Heir by Jon Monson

324 Pages
Publisher: The Book Whisper
Release Date: January 10, 2022

Fiction, Sci Fi, Fantasy, Teens, Young Adult, Dystopian

The war has been raging for decades and one by one Mazhun, the Usurpur or the Savior of Man, depending on who you ask, has killed the Heirs. He rides Aiya, his griffin into Atsada and without a fight, kills Lord Dimitri, the last Heir. With all the Heirs dead, he returns to Talas, the capital of Einar and declares victory. Is final act against the Creators will be destroying the Shajarat, the magical tree.

Lord Dimitri told Ekarath and Zahara that Zahara was his successor. When Atsada is attacked, they flee the city in search of Farban, the Hermit. They are attacked by Lord Pavel, an officer under Mazhun. A fight ensues and when it is over, it is apparent the true Heir is Ekarath. Trained as a soldier without magical training, he must find a way to defeat Mazhun and the Eternal Blade to free the people of Einar.

This is the first book in a trilogy. The book had a fast pace, the characters were somewhat developed, and it was written in the third person point of view. I am sure as the story continues more information about the characters will be revealed. This was a solid fantasy story. It kept me interested and engaged until I finished it.

Initially, I didn’t get very invested in the MC’s lives. Ekarath and Zahara are a couple of trainees ( she as a mage, he as guard), who get caught up in an adventure trying to save the world from the Usurper. After a slow start to the book, there are some twists and turns, some surprises amongst the action.
Eventually, throughout the story, I began to care more about the 2 MC, mostly because of their friendship that isn’t thrown into the immediate romance-zone. ( appreciate that )
The Villain, Mahzun, is so well written, he is almost likeable, for a baddie.

I expect there to be a sequel to this book, and I look forward to what will happen next.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

A very unusual premise. I'm not sure if there were books before this one, but I did feel like I was missing part of the picture at the beginning and had to exert a bit of effort to read. Well-executed characters and several interesting twists.

I definitely enjoyed reading it, but I was also glad to be finished it. It wasnt bad. The world itself was interesting, I enjoyed the magic system and the characters were strong and complex.

I really enjoyed the first chapters as we get to see Zahara and Mahzun before the battles begin, training, playing, and causing a bit of mischief. The descriptions bring the city and the forest to life, letting the imagination take root and the world build. It's not over-burdened with descriptions or info dumps, and that makes it pretty smooth reading.

3.5 stars! I would love to see more books done in this world and reading more from this author!

Thanks, Netgalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review. This book was well enjoyed. I believe the author has done an amazing job creating an interesting storyline and engaging world. The overall themes and messages were well written. The Final Heir is an imaginative and compelling YA Fantasy read. We follow three main characters Zahara, Ekarath and Mahzun. 17-year-old Zahara is training to become a mage. Ekarath is training to become a specialize soldier known as Hundiin who is supposed to protect Lord Dimitri, the last remaining Heir.
Honestly, this was not a bad read. Again. the world was well-built and developed, and the pacing was easy to follow.

There are 7 heirdoms each headed by an heir. The heirs have a lot of power but take a bit of a hands off approach to governing. The self appointed savior of man has been fighting a war to rid the world of the heirs.

This book is interesting in that it shows both sides of the conflict. “The Savior of Man” (Mahzun) is not a good man. He’s the cause of many deaths but believes in his cause. He really thinks he’s freeing people and there are some people that he has helped. He is also willing to sacrifice himself for his cause.

Zahara and Ekarath are trying to fight against Mahzun. They both have lost people to the war and hate Mahzun. Ekarath is given the power of an heir but doesn’t know how to use it. Zahara was supposed to be the heir and now just wants to be important. They are the obvious heroes of the book, but is their cause just? Is it ok for them to lead people into another possible war? There are a lot of interesting ethical questions raised in this one.

The Final Heir is an imaginative and compelling YA Fantasy read. While it started off slow, it finished strong. I loved ALL the characters, even the evil one and could actually see where the Usurper was coming from. You almost have to wonder ... is he really all that evil 😂

I loved the relationship and dynamic between Zahara and Ekarath. It's complex at times, but their friendship is strong and it's what I loved most about this one.

Overall, a solid YA Fantasy and one I recommend. I sincerely appreciate the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions expressed herein are my own.

A story meant for a teenage audience that enjoys magic sci-fi, friendship, and finding your place in the world.

I myself am a fan of all things magic and the fact that this story focused on a friendship instead of trying to make it a romantic relationship. That’s another reason I think it’s good for teens. Adults will enjoy it too.

I enjoyed this book ngl , the pacing of the story was good , it was really easy to read too!
the main characters Zahara , Mahzun and Ekarath were the people that tied the story together

here’s a lil blurb on what’s happening :
17-year-old Zahara is formally training to become a mage. Ekarath is a young man who is training to become a specialize soldier known as Hundiin who is supposed to protect Lord Dimitri, the last remaining Heir. Mahzun, aka the Usurper, has been fighting for the past 10 years to rid the world of the remaining Heirs.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Final Heir was a great fantasy filled with adventure and magic; loads of world building which I love. But something was missing. I just can’t put my finger on it.

I completely enjoyed the book. The drama that unfolded, slightly miffed at the cliffhanger at the end (hopefully there’s a second book in the works to clear that up). But otherwise a pretty solid read.

3 stars

I apologize but I was not able to finish this book. I was in a different headspace at the time of requesting / recieving this book and the time I got it.

I was really interested in the book and I wasn't let down. The world was incredible and the magical aspect was done really well. Ekarath and Zahara's friendship was wonderful to read and loved their interactions. I really liked Jon Monson's writing style and will be reading more.

I really enjoyed this fast-paced fun fantasy novel. There was great character development for Zahara and her friends and allies as well as The Usurper, who at times almost seems morally gray instead of totally evil. I'm looking forward to reading the next in the series!

I clicked on this title out of curiosity and I didn't mean to download it. So I literally stumbled on this book by accident... I'm always a sucker for epic fantasies, along with villains, heirs, and characters perceived to be useless.

I think overall the author has a great premise and the story shows some promise. However, the book could require a bit more editing as the language is pretty wordy and seems convoluted. I didn't realize the author didn't traditionally publish, as the cover and map looks on par with those in traditionally-published fantasies.

A book that rides in the middle.

I was enjoying the read but I also enjoyed when I was finally done.

Slow paced and challenging at times but the adventure made up for it. The world building is done beautifully and I think I liked the world more than the characters traveling it.

A fantasy novel whose Villain barely seems like a villain. And half way through the book, I wasn't sure if I even cared about the characters.

I came into this book with solid expectations and they were delivered. Normally I become more invested in the characters rather than the plot, but this case was the exact opposite. The world-building was fantastic and the plot was well-paced and kept me hooked the whole read. I found the main characters a little bit underwhelming, as I was expecting more from them, but the secondary characters had interesting plotlines. I look forward to read more of this world, as I feel like it is a good start to something great. Thank you Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book!

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a good book. It was nicely paced, with good forward momentum. I enjoyed the world building and the connection between the characters. It was was packed with action, and I really enjoyed the journey. A young mage and soldier stand together to save the Destroyer of Worlds.

If this becomes part of a longer series, I look forward to revisiting the world again.