The Wizard's Heir

By: Devri Walls

Narrated by: Dan Marta

Tybolt's a Deviant, a hated race immune to direct magic in a world where Wizards ensure survival. But when he loses his entire family to a spell-made storm, he joins an elite group of Wizard hunters, organized beneath the new, non-magic-wielding king.

Now 18, he spends his days capturing Wizards. But the nights are his, reserved to feed the starving villagers of Eriroc under cover of dark. There's always more people in need than he can help, and one of these days he's going to hang for theft from the royal kitchens.

Although Tybolt and his fierce partner Auriela have imprisoned many Wizards, the one partially responsible for the storm that killed Tybolt's family is still out there: Alistair. When an old informant claims to have information regarding their elusive prey, everything changes.

In a cruel twist, Tybolt realizes he isn't who he thought he was at all. How can he save himself, the people, and those he loves while keeping his secrets safe? Can he hide his true nature and allow the corrupt king to remain on the throne?

Or will he have to unveil himself and risk possible execution to save them all?

©2015 Devri Walls (P)2016 Devri Walls

A story of accepting the truth about yourself

I have been a fan of Devri Walls' books for a while now. I have been begging and begging her to make them available in audio format. So I was THRILLED when The Wizard's Heir was ready! I downloaded it right away and immediately started listening. I have already read the book, however, listening to it in audio brought the story to a whole new level for me. Then again, that's why I love audio books (#audiobookjunkie here!)

As for the narrator.... From my understanding, this was Dan Marta's first audiobook and I thought he did a great job. I was able to distinguish each character easily. Some of the male voices were a touch feminine, which took some getting used to, but most were a great match for the character. My favorite voice, I think, was Malachai.... the skittish, clumsy, diffident, and devoted assistance. It was perfect for the character! Mr Marta read at a smooth pace, enunciated clearly, and I did not ever feel the need to rewind because I missed something. It will be fun to see him grow as a voice narrator from here!

As for the story.... well, I've already said I love Devri Walls's books. She writes beautifully. Each of her stories are fast paced, yet full of depth. She creates worlds that are easy to just dive in... you feel at home in the story from the very first chapter. The Wizard's Heir is a world of poverty and desolation, yet there is still hope. The main character, Tybolt, is kind, caring and devoted to helping others, even when society doesn't care. He sacrifices for the sake of others. And when he is confronted with some tough choices and hard-to-believe circumstances, he doesn't just turn his back. He seeks wisdom through it, and grows as a person. The other main character, Auriella, holds onto hope even after the world has crushed and continues to hurt her. She trusts few, but those she does trust, she trusts deeply.. and it's that trust that holds them together through the impossible. It's a story of utter despair being turned into hope through accepting something long since hated.

I do recommend this story for those who like a fast paced novel with a touch of fantasy. Devri describes the story as "Robin Hood meets fantasy" and I couldn't agree more. Give it a try!

loved it!

I have read a few of Devri Walls books and loved them. this one didn't disappoint.

Solid idea and performance

I really liked the idea of the story but found the writing to be at times a bit premature. I felt that if the author had spent a little more time on the laws and nature of magic in the story it would have flowed better. A little less time spent on the conflict between Tybolt and Terric which was overall too predictable.
The performance was phenomenal. I thought the giant pauses between chapters were a bit annoying but the pacing and character interpretations were wonderfully done.