Heirs to Flame

Alipin Trilogy #3

by Joel Donato Ching Jacob

Liksi, Tuan, and Gilas’s efforts to retrieve the enslaved youths of Kabuyaw are coming to fruition, but they have attracted the attention of the Maginoo who send powerful forces to maintain the systems that ensure that the alipin remain enslaved. The Maginoo will do what it must to maintain the status quo, whatever the cost, but can Liksi do the same?

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

244 pages, Paperback

Published March 25, 2025

About the author

Joel Donato Jacob, aka Cupkeyk, is a member of Linangan ng Imahen, Retorika at Anyo, the Philippines’ longest standing literary organisation. He hikes up at least one mountain a month and plays role-playing games or board games with friends weekly. He is an advocate of reproductive health, ethical veganism and fitness.

Reviews

[Sijan · Rating 3 out of 5]

okay, just finished it and my thoughts aren't organized but here they are before i forget them HAHA.

habang patapos ako i was like, dang it no gilas × tuan endgame, but then there was pagtuang at the end, who i hoped is the returned gilas's full kapre form bc i want tuan to be happy and in love.

love the trio, grabe this trilogy!!! i want more books like this that center on Philippine mythology, history, and fantasy.

in terms of writing there are confusing narrative choices that i had to double triple read again, idk if it's the writing or is it me as a reader but yeah.

overall still loved it, but could be better i guess in terms of writing. 3 stars!!! ❤️

[readiculously_ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This trilogy doesn’t hold your hand—it grabs you by the collar and throws you into pre-colonial Philippines, raw and untamed. A land where spirits roam the forests, where honor binds rulers and bondsmen, and where survival is paid for in sweat, silence, and sacrifice. It’s not just a setting—it’s a reclamation.

Ma’i lives and breathes. Its magic isn’t borrowed from Western tropes—it’s rooted in the soil, the sea, and the sky of our ancestors. Mambabarangs, tikbalangs, and curses that crawl on six legs aren’t exotic add-ons—they’re part of the world’s natural rhythm. Our folklore doesn’t just decorate the pages—it shapes the very bones of the story.

Social class, power, and resistance beat at the heart of the tale. From datus to alipin, the old systems are laid bare—not romanticized, but fully felt. And it stings, because those same systems, those same divides between the powerful and powerless, still echo in the world we live in today. The book doesn’t let you forget that.

The relationships here are messy, real, and unbreakable. Loyalty isn’t cheap—it’s earned through blood, through broken promises, through battles that scar both body and heart. And the women? They don’t stand in the background. Characters like Liksi and Banig-banig shatter the idea that strength wears only one face. They lead, they bleed, they rise.

Culture and fantasy are woven seamlessly. The food—rich with smoke, salt, and spice—makes you hungry. The poetry reads like spells. Even the names hide meanings that whisper deeper truths. And if the Filipino terms are unfamiliar, don’t worry—the dictionary at the back is a guide, not a crutch. You’ll come out knowing more than when you started.

What makes this trilogy unforgettable isn’t just its worldbuilding or mythology—it’s what it dares to say. It reflects the unfinished story of a people still wrestling with identity, justice, and memory. It doesn’t just entertain—it reminds.

[April Marcelino · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thrilling last book for the series. I just wish there's more role for the Gods and Goddess in the story. I felt like whats the point of talking to them if nothing was done in the story but based from the conversation there's an anticipation of something happening.

But overall not bad. I just wish Tuan's character was maintained until the end.

[Maj · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐. 5