Odriel’s Heirs, the first in a high fantasy series by Hayley Reese Chow, is an exciting YA adventure with a rich world and history. In the distant past, a demon named Nifras invaded the southern portion of the country with his hordes of the undead. The god Odriel gifted three heroes with special abilities to combat the demon: one defender produces fire, one melts in the shadows, and the final heals the other two. The trio pushed back Nifras and saved everyone, and their gifts were passed down through the generations in case the demon ever returned.
This backstory sets up the novel. Kaia Dashul, a descendant of the dragon fire warrior and Klaus, a descendant of the shadow-based fighter are two of the heirs. This time, though, the threat is not from Nifras only, but a necromage named Ariston who has been raising the dead to fight the demon. Ariston can’t control his horde, and they’ve been running rampant all over the land. Meanwhile, there are rumors that Nifras himself is gathering his forces in the south.
Kaia must first find her father and Klaus as well as the fate of Jago the healer heir. With her trusty ragehound Gus at her side, she sets out to her father’s last known location which begins an epic adventure of zombies and madmen, self-confidence and loss, and romance too.
At first, Odriel’s Heirs seems like dozens of other fantasy books. The familiar beats of the hero’s journey are all there. What sets it apart is the deep characterization of Kaia and Klaus and the engaging prose. Hayley Reese Chow is a superb writer who is able to transport a reader to an unfamiliar world yet connect it to experiences and emotions of the everyday. This allows readers to be swept up in an epic tale they could never experience yet also identify with the events occurring. As an example, Kaia’s dog Gus speaks to her in her mind and serves a function of controlling her power. Any dog owner easily recognizes scenes where Gus and Kaia interact and yet no one has ever heard a dog’s voice. Wise narrative choices like including Gus populate the unfamiliar with the familiar, urging the reader to turn just one more page.
The prose moves along despite the world’s special names for its creatures and locations. Yet the plot turns surprisingly dark at certain points in the story. Not grimdark but relatable as every battle has a cost, and every wrong choice has a consequence. And though it is part of a series, this reviewer appreciated that the novel is self-contained and does not abruptly end. The only minor quibble is the changing of names of everything. Sometimes ordinary creatures may have a special talent that gives it a new name, drawing attention to the word itself (e.g. Gus is a ragehound, not a hound). Yet this is only noticeable as the novel starts and improves as the narrative advances.
Odriel’s Heirs is an exciting, adventure-filled, epic fantasy with rich archetypes and a detailed world to discover. Kaia Dashul’s story of necromancers and devils is a must-read for all who love sword and sorcery fantasy.
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0838R4DTB
