The Warrior Heir
by Cinda Williams Chima
This story takes place in Trinity, Ohio and a few places throughout Europe. Jack Swift is the main character who is told to take a special medicine everyday to control a heart condition. One day during the beginning of school Jack forgets to take his medicine and the school bully, Garret Lobeck, is somehow during the soccer tryouts thrown into the net. This leads to a series of events where Jack figures out that the medicine is really to control power he was born with and that he is a warrior heir. He also learns that he was born a wizard but his stone was not inside him so a doctor implanted a warrior stone on purpose. Jack's friends Will Childers and Harmon Fitch start to suspect something when Jack uses his powers in front of them. Aunt Linda reveals to Jack that there are Wizards after him because a tournament that is held between two warriors until one or the other is killed. These warriors usually fight for either the White Rose or the Red Rose which are the two wizard groups. It is the other sides' job to try and hunt down the other team's warrior and kill him/her before the match so that the other side has to forfeit. Jack's aunt believes that in order for Jack to remain safe he must be trained to control his powers. Jack later on discovers that his trainer is none other than the assistant principal of his school, Lee Hastings. After months of training Jack is taken to Europe where the tournament is being held. There are many unexpected events that take place in this story which made it better to read.
I recommend this book to grades 8 - 12 because there is some violence. I also recommend it to people who enjoy fantasies or supernatural stuff.
Review by Holly Braybon