Dark Heir

Centuries ago, the forces of Light and Dark waged a devastating war, resulting in the destruction of magic. That is, until the present day. In 19th-century London, the dead villains are being reborn and reclaiming their destiny. The only hope of stopping them is the Stewards, a secret class of ancient warriors.  

At the heart of the Stewards’ forces is seventeen-year-old Will Kempen, prophesied to one day defeat the Dark King. But as Will and his allies embark on their most dangerous quest yet, Will hides a terrible secret. Will is not their destined hero. He is the Dark King reborn—a role he does not want nor claim. To stop the gathering Dark Forces, Will must travel into the underbelly of the old world. But as he unravels layers of his forgotten past, Will fears the fine line between confronting history and repeating it.  

Will is a complex, yet sympathetic protagonist. While he lies for most of the book, his deception does not necessarily make him unlikable. For one, the stakes are too high. Every time Will hints at the topic, the surrounding cast always states their intent to kill the Dark King. Secondly, Will’s end goal serves the common good. He wants to prevent anyone from accessing the Dark King’s power, even if it means limiting his own power. For example, the Dark King has an undead army buried below a mountain, and Will attempts to prevent its uprising and the conversion of more innocents. Ironically, the supposed heroes of the book, the Stewards, prevent Will from saving the day. Readers will like Will but will be frustrated by the quick, arguably irrational condemnation of his character.  

The only ally who remains loyal to Will is James St. Clair. James is the reborn version of Anharion, the Dark King’s warrior and lover. James has a complicated relationship with his past life. On one hand, James embraces it, often playing into the villain role as a survival tactic. On the other hand, deep down, James wants to be a protector, which is why he is attracted to the illusion of Will as “the chosen savior.” James believes that Will can break the cycle, when in reality, any association with Will accomplishes the opposite. Further complicating their relationship, Anharion wore the Collar, a magical artifact that reportedly gave the Dark King total control over his actions. Thus, the extent Anharion truly supported the Dark King remains unknown. Presumably, the answer will be revealed in the next book in the series.    

Violet and Cyprian are Will’s friends and allies, but their rigid worldviews create complications. Cyprian, a diligent rule follower, is repulsed by the idea of working with James and blindly adheres to the Stewards’ teachings, placing obedience and group identity above all else. Though aligned with the supposed good guys, his inflexibility borders on prejudice—particularly when he immediately turns against Will. 

Violet represents a softer version of Cyprian’s ideology. Like him, she wants to do the right thing but fails to recognize that reality doesn’t always fit neatly into the Stewards’ framework of Dark versus Light and Good versus Evil. While their hurt over Will’s lies is understandable, both characters abandon him with startling speed, arguably betraying him more severely than he ever betrayed them. This hasty rejection makes Violet and Cyprian feel one-dimensional, as though they make irrational decisions merely to generate conflict rather than acting from genuine character motivation.  

Dark Rise is told in the third person, with each chapter narrated from a different point of view. It primarily focuses on Will, who is the most interesting character to follow. Readers will enjoy the fast-paced plot and the romantic tension building between Will and James as they unravel layers of their forgotten past. While drawn to James, Will is also wary of him, afraid that pursuing a relationship will bring them closer to their past selves. However, both boys bring out the best in each other. Will brings out James’ heroic side, encouraging him to use his powers for good. James teaches Will to be less afraid of the past and question the black-and-white thinking the Stewards instilled in him.   

Dark Heir is a fascinating take on the Chosen One trope, where no character is quite what they seem. It continues building upon the mysterious past hinted at in the first book, while leaving the most significant questions unresolved, presumably until the third and final installment. For example, was the Dark Heir a world-ending villain or a victim of the Stewards’ smear campaign? Did the Collar control Anharion’s actions or did it serve some unknown secondary purpose?  

Overall, Dark Heir explores themes of indoctrination, generational burden, and systemic corruption against a fantasy backdrop. It also provides compelling characters to keep readers emotionally invested. Readers who enjoy dark fantasy will enjoy this book because it does not shy away from the complex moral consequences of a magical war, featuring deeply conflicted yet compelling characters.  

Sexual Content     

• James is attracted to Will. In one scene, James remembers “how it had felt to have all that attention focused on him, dark eyes looking down into his own, a warm hand brushing hair from his face. God, he hated when he was weak.”  
• Will is attracted to James. He frequently likens James to poetic figures, such as “a consumptive heroine from a painting, the kind that dies beautifully.”  
• While the past remains a mystery, the Dark King and Anharion are implied to have had a sexual relationship. For example, James asks Will to “take what was [the Dark King’s]. Prove you’re not afraid. . . Kiss me.” Will turns down the offer but promises to reconsider after they are out of danger.  
• In one scene, James helps Will unlock his powers. At times, the author’s word choice feels more sexual than academic. As Will describes, “James’ magic was flowing over his body in warm, slow, rippling oscillations, the gentlest pulsing. . . The hot, sweet feel of James blazed through him. . . His veins lit up with power.”  
• After Will’s identity is revealed, his friends attack him. James saves Will. Overcome with relief, Will kisses James. Will’s “hands pushed inside [James’] jacket, up and over his warm shirt. . . Will touched [James’] shivery hot skin, then pulled his cravat from his throat.” Will stops the kiss when he sees James wearing the Collar. Scared he lacked consent, Will vomits. However, some textual clues indicate that, contrary to the historian’s claims, the Collar does not strip James of autonomy. For example, after James first wears the Collar, he describes feeling “no compulsion. He felt nothing at all.”  

Violence     

• Sinclair is the main villain and wants to exploit the Dark King’s powers. To raise the Dark King’s undead army, Sinclair begins a digging expedition in the mountain where it is located. The locals dislike Sinclair’s men and kill one named Howell. As Will describes, the local “shot Howell. Howell fell to the ground.” 
• While exploring the mountain holding the Dark King’s army, Will and his friends are unexpectedly attacked by bandits. James dares the bandits to “shoot everyone,” then uses his magic to catch the bullets and send them flying “backward into the throats of the men who had fired them. The closest bandits fell, their bodies riddled with lead, their lives cut short.” James allows the remaining bandits to flee. 
• While using his powers to occupy another body, Will is recognized and stabbed. Will describes, “a rush of wet and blood as [the sword] drove him to the ground. . . the sword that was in his gut. . . he choked on blood.” Will returns to his body, and the unnamed old man he was occupying presumably dies.   
• While using his powers to possess his follower, John Sloane, Sinclair puts the Collar on James. However, the Collar does not work as Sinclair intended, allowing James to kill the body Sinclair is occupying. With a “single slash of his sword, [James] severed John Sloane’s head.”   
• When Will’s identity is exposed, Violet and Cyprian attempt to hurt him. Cyprian breaks the brand, a magical artifact that would allow Will to stop the Dark King’s army. Violet gives Visander “Ekthalion,” a powerful sword that Will once gifted her. Visander is a reborn warrior of the Light Forces. However, James helps Will escape before he can be harmed.    

Drugs and Alcohol     

• Will encourages a captain working for Sinclair to drink an entire bottle of wine. Will wants the captain to lower his guard and reveal information about Sinclair’s plans.  
• James drinks from a flask of alcohol he found in his late father’s desk. However, he does not get intoxicated. The flask’s primary purpose in the scene is to segway into a conversation about his father.  
• When Will reflects on his job as a ship hand, he remembers drinking to fit in with his coworkers. He describes his “first coughing splutter of dock gin. . . The men had laughed, slapping him on the back.”  

Language    

• Hell is used once when Will observes James overexerting his powers, and Will thinks he looks like “hell.”  
• Goddamn is used infrequently. For example, after James takes too long opening a gate, Violet shouts, “James, open the goddamned gate!”  
• Shit is used twice. For example, after James sees the Collar, he says, “Shit.”  

Supernatural    

• There is a world of magic, divided between Light and Dark Forces. Characters possess a wide range of abilities, as listed below.   
• In the previous book, Katherine – Will’s love interest and the true Chosen One – dies. In this book, Visander, a reborn warrior of the Light Forces, takes over her body. Visander awakens buried in Katherine’s grave. He narrates that he “was buried, his sounds smothered by the earth above and around him,” but after some digging, “his grasping, reaching hand broke out into space.”  
• Will develops the power to “scry.” He can temporarily inhabit other people’s bodies. For example, Will “scries” into the body of a guard holding his friend captive to free said friend.  
• The Stewards are extremely strong and fast. For example, Cyprian jumps across large distances, such as between two diverging rock planes.  
• James can move things with his mind. For example, James catches and redirects bullets.  
• There are cursed artifacts that carry spells. The Collar is supposedly cursed to make James obedient to the Dark King. Ekthalion is a powerful sword that killed the Dark King. The brand controls the Dark King’s undead army.     

Spiritual Content     

• None

by Kerry Lum