The Defiant Heir

By: Melissa Caruso

Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld

A spellbinding fantasy trilogy for fans of The Queen of the Tearlingand The Red Queen, where the political scion Amalia and her bound fire warlock Zaira undertake diplomacy and espionage to prevent a war.

Across the border, the Witch Lords of Vaskandar are preparing for war. But before an invasion can begin, the seventeen Witch Lords must convene at a rare gathering to decide a course of action. Lady Amalia Cornaro knows that this Conclave might be her only chance to smother the growing flames of war, and she is prepared to make any sacrifice if it means saving Raverra from destruction.

Amalia and her bound fire warlock, Zaira, must go behind enemy lines, using every ounce of wit and cunning they have, to sway Vaskandar from war.

If they fail, it will all come down to swords and fire.

"Charming, intelligent, fast-moving, beautifully atmospheric. I couldn't put it down." -- Genevieve Cogman, author of The Invisible Library

"The best kind of fantasy." -- Rosalyn Eves, author of Blood Rose Rebellion

The Defiant Heir is the second novel in a spellbinding new fantasy series.

Critic reviews

"Takes the series to the next level in every way.... I absolutely loved The Defiant Heir. It's extraordinarily fun with wonderful characters and intriguing mysteries.... I can hardly contain my excitement for the third installment."—Fantasy Book Cafe on The Defiant Heir

"An entirely new level of awesome.... Absolutely addictive."—Powder & Page on The Defiant Heir

"An inspiration for geeks everywhere.... Satisfyingly action-packed and bittersweet."—Kirkus on The Defiant Heir

"I love this book and series. It is a refreshing and lively fantasy that has characters that I just can't get enough of.... Highly recommend!"—The Speculative Herald on The Defiant Heir

"A joy to read.... Melissa Caruso is well on her way to making a very big splash in the fantasy genre, and I can't wait for the third book to get here."—Bibliosanctum on The Defiant Heir

"Everything I hoped for and much more.... Beautifully crafted.... Pick up this fantastic series now."—Girls in Capes on The Defiant Heir

"A fast moving and frequently fun story that gives readers a lot to chew on."—RT Book Reviews on The Defiant Heir (4 stars)

"The Tethered Mage is a riveting read, with delicious intrigue, captivating characters, and a brilliant magic system. I loved it from start to finish!"—Sarah Beth Durst, author of The Queen of Blood, on The Tethered Mage

"Charming, intelligent, fast-moving, beautifully atmospheric, with a heroine and other characters whom I really liked as people. (I overstayed my lunch break in order to finish it.) I would love to read more set in this world."—Genevieve Cogman, author of The Invisible Library, on The Tethered Mage

"Intricate and enticing as silk brocade. Caruso's heroine is a strong, intelligent young woman in a beguiling, beautifully evoked Renaissance world of high politics, courtly intrigue, love and loyalty - and fire warlocks."—Anna Smith Spark, author of The Court of Broken Knives, on The Tethered Mage

"Engaging and entertaining with intrigue, a good pace, and strong characters. Zaira and Amalia are bright, bold heroes in a smartly constructed world."—James Islington, author of The Shadow of What Was Lost, on The Tethered Mage

"One of the best first novels in a brand new high fantasy series that I've read in ages.... If you're hungry for a new fantasy series with awesome, nuanced characters, powerful worldbuilding, and solid writing - look no further. The Tethered Mage is the book you need right now. Absolutely recommended."—Book Smugglers on The Tethered Mage

"Breathtaking... Worth every moment and every page, and should make anyone paying attention excited about what Caruso will write next."—BookPage on The Tethered Mage

Great fantastic amazing

I thought the first one was good! This has even more adventure and wit combined with suspense and love. I need the third book on audible!!!!

I love this series.

I can't wait to what happens in the next book. The only draw back is the triangle love situation. I kind of find that over done in a lot of these types of books. Otherwise I recommend this book.

Amalia's Continued Growth

amalia's is still the star, with zaiera and Verde continue to help and push her, and give solace. but the new players, like the crowlord, love that man as much as Amalia. some returning characters don't get their comeuppance, but there's a third book! the story flowed logically, never rushing or stalling for something that wasn't for the plot or character's sakes. on to the next

A new Author to follow!

I am eagerly awaiting the next book. With a new writer, new to me, you can really tell if the second book was as much of a hit as the first book. I picked this series up by happenstance, and I am so glad I did. I love fantasy, and I love engaging worlds. Melissa has written a book that has engaging characters, deep plot, and deep background. You can feel the wheels turning behind the scene which makes it lots of fun to guess as to what is to happen next. Her Narrator is very gifted as well, each character has their own voice, which makes the entire series so enhanced. Truly I love this book and series!

I finished this in 2 days

A unique and epic tale full of politics and magic. This is one of my favorite trilogies to date and I haven’t even finished it!
As always the narrator really makes this worth the listen. I wish every book was narrated by Saskia Maarleveld!

Better than the first!

Intrigue, romance, and magic. What else could you ask for? I love the development of all of the characters and the introduction of new ones.

#3 NOT ON AUDIBLE

I was really disappointed to find our that #3 was only in print.

Other than that, I loved it and thought it was even better than the 1st.

Best Author!!

I found this author on Twitter ~ where she discusses best corsets for fighting, favorite weapons, and tea! Because of her dedication & outlandish hobbies.. her books feel more *real* than most. I so easily get lost in them ^.^ When I sent off on my honeymoon, I took this series on my plane ride! I truly love her work!!!

Great story in this trilogy!!!

Excellent writing, story that keeps drawing you in and wondering what will happen next!! Love this trilogy!!!

I couldn't follow this story line at all...

it was difficult to follow...I won't read another book written by this author . I was disappointed