HEIR

Esme Lonsdale, Vidish Athavale, and Rachel Petladwala bring palpable chemistry to the complex relationships in this epic fantasy. Something is afoot in the empire as three young people walk toward their destinies: Aiz communes with a holy spirit to get power to avenge her oppressed people, Prince Quil must soon step into a leadership role, and tracker Sirsha gets wrapped up with Quil as she hunts a murderer. The three journeys intertwine as a violent darkness takes hold--and the narrators' performances express the tension perfectly. While Petladwala's Sirsha and Lonsdale's Aiz are portrayed as powerful, complex women, Athavale's Quil helps bridge the multiple timelines. Together--with Joe Pitts and Marco Young as two supporting characters--the narrators start this duology off with a bang. A.A.H. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2024]