The Warrior Heir

Title: The Warrior Heir
Author: Cinda Williams Chima

What it's about: Jack Swift thinks he's a normal high school student living in Trinity, Ohio. One day, he forgets to take his heart medicine and accidentally blows a rival across the soccer field. It comes out that Jack is actually one of the Weir, a member of the five hidden magic guilds. Jack is a warrior, though he was born a wizard, and in the present day, warriors are very valuable. So begins Jack's training and the struggle to stay alive amidst the machinations of the two controlling houses of wizards.

What I thought: Well, first off, Jack's a pretty likable protagonist. His reaction to the strange situations he finds himself in is what any normal person's would be: scared, angry, but with a touch of "okay, this is kinda cool." The supporting characters are all very well-written, with nicely defined personalities, and they all serve purposes in the book. The whole magic system is laid out well, and you're not likely to get confused too much while reading it. Doesn't read too much like an info-dump, either; there are a couple points where you could think that, but for the most part, the necessary background info is integrated nicely into the text. This wasn't my first time reading this book, but I seem to remember puzzling out the twist at the end before it occurred. However, it's not blatantly obvious, so if you do figure it out, you won't feel let down about it.

Overall: This is fun and entertaining urban fantasy with a good mix of sword and sorcery stuff. The narrative is fresh and fun, making this a relatively quick and enjoyable read.