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Seek the Traitor’s Son
Not yet published
Expected 12 May 26A new epic romantic, dystopian fantasy begins in Seek the Traitor's Son, from #1 New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth
Elegy Ahn did not ask for destiny to find her.
She is happy with her life as a soldier, defending her small country from the Talusar, a powerful nation who worships a deadly Fever. A fever that blesses half of its victims with mysterious gifts.
But then she’s summoned to hear a prophecy–her, and the most ruthless of Talusar generals, Rava Vidar. Brought face to face, they learn that one of them will lead their people to victory over the other…but they don’t know which. And at the center of both of their a man. A man that, Elegy is told, she will fall in love with.
In just one day, Elegy’s old life–her job, her purpose, and her future–is over. She and Rava are destined to collide, with the fate of their nations hanging in the balance. And when they do, only one will be left standing.
Elegy intends to make sure it’s her.
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Elegy Ahn did not ask for destiny to find her.
She is happy with her life as a soldier, defending her small country from the Talusar, a powerful nation who worships a deadly Fever. A fever that blesses half of its victims with mysterious gifts.
But then she’s summoned to hear a prophecy–her, and the most ruthless of Talusar generals, Rava Vidar. Brought face to face, they learn that one of them will lead their people to victory over the other…but they don’t know which. And at the center of both of their a man. A man that, Elegy is told, she will fall in love with.
In just one day, Elegy’s old life–her job, her purpose, and her future–is over. She and Rava are destined to collide, with the fate of their nations hanging in the balance. And when they do, only one will be left standing.
Elegy intends to make sure it’s her.
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Kindle Edition
Expected publication May 12, 2026
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10801 people want to read
About the author
Veronica Roth
75 books463k followersVeronica Roth is the New York Times best-selling author of When Among Crows, Arch-Conspirator, Poster Girl, Chosen Ones, the Carve the Mark series, and the Divergent series. She lives in Chicago, Illinois with her husband and dog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
December 10, 2025
4.5 ★— I am in awe of this story in a lot of ways, because wow, this feels every bit as expansive, ambitious, and exciting as the author set it out to be. It doesn’t handhold, starting out without explaining much as it tells the story of multiple characters we slowly get to know.
Taking place in a futuristic, dystopian Earth where division has taken hold, Earth is split between the Talusar, people who worship a deadly fever and live in their own powerful territory, and the Cedrae, a significantly smaller nation that survives through superior technology and has expanded into a space station colony. The two groups sit in a constant, simmering conflict that shapes everything around them. And this story manages to showcase a fascinating world, giving a lot of nuance to these two groups and their beliefs, as I found myself trying to absorb every cultural detail I could as a reader.
The three main characters of the story are Elegy Ahn, the woman given a prophecy to lead the Cedrae into a brighter future she’s not ready to be the face of, Theren, a man forced into a knighthood under her that he doesn’t want, and Hela, Elegy’s sister, who’s pulled into all of this through her.
Roth does a good job of introducing them and building their arcs, and as the story spans years, there’s a lot of change we get to see these characters go through.
The politics and broader plot of it all truly take center stage here, while the romance mostly remains a slow-simmering subplot, which I thoroughly enjoyed! I could feel Roth slowly laying the seeds for Elegy’s and Theren’s connection, and I thought the buildup was handled extremely well. But a bit past the halfway point, I felt like that gradual tension was practically bulldozed aside to bring them together much faster than I thought made sense for both of them.
There was this beautiful sensitivity, gentleness, and curiosity that shone through their initial interactions, and I felt like this subtlety was lost quickly in order to resolve their relationship, when it really didn’t need to be. Sometimes there’s beauty in letting things simmer and build, and I really think the way their relationship was ultimately handled cost me a lot of enjoyment I’d had up to that point.
This truly is my only critique, and it stands out only because of how much I enjoyed everything else in this story and how entranced I was by the rest.
I’ve always wanted more worldbuilding-heavy sci-fi that includes romance subplots, and this book, with its dystopian world and rich sci-fi elements, is perfect for those of us who secretly wanted Dune to have a little more romance.
____________
Thank you to Tor Books for the ARC.
Taking place in a futuristic, dystopian Earth where division has taken hold, Earth is split between the Talusar, people who worship a deadly fever and live in their own powerful territory, and the Cedrae, a significantly smaller nation that survives through superior technology and has expanded into a space station colony. The two groups sit in a constant, simmering conflict that shapes everything around them. And this story manages to showcase a fascinating world, giving a lot of nuance to these two groups and their beliefs, as I found myself trying to absorb every cultural detail I could as a reader.
The three main characters of the story are Elegy Ahn, the woman given a prophecy to lead the Cedrae into a brighter future she’s not ready to be the face of, Theren, a man forced into a knighthood under her that he doesn’t want, and Hela, Elegy’s sister, who’s pulled into all of this through her.
Roth does a good job of introducing them and building their arcs, and as the story spans years, there’s a lot of change we get to see these characters go through.
The politics and broader plot of it all truly take center stage here, while the romance mostly remains a slow-simmering subplot, which I thoroughly enjoyed! I could feel Roth slowly laying the seeds for Elegy’s and Theren’s connection, and I thought the buildup was handled extremely well. But a bit past the halfway point, I felt like that gradual tension was practically bulldozed aside to bring them together much faster than I thought made sense for both of them.
There was this beautiful sensitivity, gentleness, and curiosity that shone through their initial interactions, and I felt like this subtlety was lost quickly in order to resolve their relationship, when it really didn’t need to be. Sometimes there’s beauty in letting things simmer and build, and I really think the way their relationship was ultimately handled cost me a lot of enjoyment I’d had up to that point.
This truly is my only critique, and it stands out only because of how much I enjoyed everything else in this story and how entranced I was by the rest.
I’ve always wanted more worldbuilding-heavy sci-fi that includes romance subplots, and this book, with its dystopian world and rich sci-fi elements, is perfect for those of us who secretly wanted Dune to have a little more romance.
____________
Thank you to Tor Books for the ARC.
September 18, 2025
A brand new dystopian fantasy from Veronica Roth, it even has Traitor in the title and I’m absolutely over the moon excited for it!! I’M SO READY!!
Want to read
October 17, 2025TOR MY BELOVEDS THANK YOU FOR THE ARC I LOVE YOU
Want to read
September 28, 2025I sincerely hope that this is NOT exactly what it says on the tin because putting a man as the focal point of a prophecy about two strong, independent, self-sufficient women in 2025 is...certainly a choice.
December 14, 2025
4.25 ⭐️ it wasn’t 5 stars only bc it took me a bit to really connect with the story and the characters but once it clicked i genuinely couldn’t stop reading. my favorite kind of books lately have been fantasies with a strong plot, a romance as a subplot that’s actually fun to read and complex relationships/characters, this one checked all those boxes. i just wish there had been a conclusion to one specific thing in this first book considering how long it is but i get why it was saved for the next one. i’m really excited for the sequel!!!
December 8, 2025
This book is like dessert. Everything that I wanted to happen, happened. Like a big chocolate cake. No think, just enjoy.
Read
November 16, 2025I was very lucky to receive this book as an ARC. Sadly I won’t rate it as I’m going to be DNF’ing it at 228 pages in. I think that this will be an immersive fantasy book for some readers, just not for me. And I hate to DNF - but I’ve spent the last four days trying to push through. And I’m just not feeling it. Not really connected to the characters, all the details in the writing style, that describe the environment but not the characters. How complicated the world building is, how slow the pace is. Just not my preferred kind of read.
This book is about 2 warring people - the Talusar and the Cedre. They live on a futuristic planet earth mostly being invaded by the Talusar and their “Fever” that kills everyone, but brings back half of them with special powers. The Cedre want to avoid this, therefore they isolate and even created a space station as to not get infected. Where one people sees it as a God, the other sees it as a curse. Elegy is the second daughter of the Sword of Cedre, a fierce warrior who holds a high position for their people as a protector. As Elegy is not the heir, she was raised by her father and then became a soldier, met her future husband and lives a more simple life. Until one day, she is called to present herself at the sacred temple where the monks there have a prophecy that she will be the saviour or doom or her people in their war against the Talusar. Now she is to before the Hope of Cedre. We pivot then to the view from the Cedre station where a Talusar exiles son Theren is about to follow in servitude and become a Knight to the hope of Cedre. All first born children of exiled Talusar children are promised to servitude as a show of loyalty. So at a ceremony on earth, he finds himself promising his life to the Hope of Cedre, Elegy. But then everything goes up in flames. Betrayal, political intrigue, grief and loss - the worlds of all those involved change forever. I won’t go much more into it as we get into spoiler territory.
This book is about 2 warring people - the Talusar and the Cedre. They live on a futuristic planet earth mostly being invaded by the Talusar and their “Fever” that kills everyone, but brings back half of them with special powers. The Cedre want to avoid this, therefore they isolate and even created a space station as to not get infected. Where one people sees it as a God, the other sees it as a curse. Elegy is the second daughter of the Sword of Cedre, a fierce warrior who holds a high position for their people as a protector. As Elegy is not the heir, she was raised by her father and then became a soldier, met her future husband and lives a more simple life. Until one day, she is called to present herself at the sacred temple where the monks there have a prophecy that she will be the saviour or doom or her people in their war against the Talusar. Now she is to before the Hope of Cedre. We pivot then to the view from the Cedre station where a Talusar exiles son Theren is about to follow in servitude and become a Knight to the hope of Cedre. All first born children of exiled Talusar children are promised to servitude as a show of loyalty. So at a ceremony on earth, he finds himself promising his life to the Hope of Cedre, Elegy. But then everything goes up in flames. Betrayal, political intrigue, grief and loss - the worlds of all those involved change forever. I won’t go much more into it as we get into spoiler territory.
December 27, 2025
I think this has to be a series because we were left with too many unanswered questions and dangling threads. There doesn’t appear to be a sequel listed yet, even as a placeholder, but I don’t think Veronica Roth would leave us hanging like that. Right?
This was very much a COVID book and honestly I’m here for it. We got to see kind of a different spin on nationalism, religious extremism, budding fascism, and an epidemic. There’s a lot of complex themes interwoven beneath the surface as many of our characters come from such different backgrounds with frayed and knotty family ties.
Pacing wise, it felt a little inconsistent. I think the characters (particularly Elegy, Theren, and Hela, our POV trio) really had a lot of insightful additions to the plot, the worldbuilding, and the character development (of themself and others). But sometimes it felt like the plot kind of took a backseat to Elegy and Theren gazing longingly at each other and Elegy feeling guilty about it. Probably my own personal impatience with romance-forward storytelling. But in the last 25% I was flying through it.
This one also had less of a poetic bent to it than I’ve come to expect from Roth’s books. The prose didn’t feel as tight and deliberate as usual, to the point where I almost forgot I was reading a Roth book - simply because it FELT different at the sentence level. Not necessarily a bad thing, but it felt weird to me.
But like I said, there’d better be a second book. She can’t just be leaving us there.
{Thank you Tor Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review; all thoughts are my own}
This was very much a COVID book and honestly I’m here for it. We got to see kind of a different spin on nationalism, religious extremism, budding fascism, and an epidemic. There’s a lot of complex themes interwoven beneath the surface as many of our characters come from such different backgrounds with frayed and knotty family ties.
Pacing wise, it felt a little inconsistent. I think the characters (particularly Elegy, Theren, and Hela, our POV trio) really had a lot of insightful additions to the plot, the worldbuilding, and the character development (of themself and others). But sometimes it felt like the plot kind of took a backseat to Elegy and Theren gazing longingly at each other and Elegy feeling guilty about it. Probably my own personal impatience with romance-forward storytelling. But in the last 25% I was flying through it.
This one also had less of a poetic bent to it than I’ve come to expect from Roth’s books. The prose didn’t feel as tight and deliberate as usual, to the point where I almost forgot I was reading a Roth book - simply because it FELT different at the sentence level. Not necessarily a bad thing, but it felt weird to me.
But like I said, there’d better be a second book. She can’t just be leaving us there.
{Thank you Tor Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review; all thoughts are my own}
Read
December 27, 2025This was solid and epic, and I kept returning to it even thought sci-fi is not my genre of choice. The world building is very fleshed out, and is introduced indirectly, which is smart but occasionally confusing. I struggled at first to grasp ~when~ we were: spaceships, knights, and thrift stores, etc. I look forward to seeing the map bc boy would that have helped (although Losan=Los Angeles and Austra=Australia, yes???)
Now to the characters. They acted like normal people—with cowardice, PTSD, avoidance, etc.—and that was very refreshing. That said, I didn’t buy the romance, however YA it was. They simply have not spent enough time together. I look forward to #2!
Thank you Tor/Forge for the galley— my teen self is screaming 😁
Now to the characters. They acted like normal people—with cowardice, PTSD, avoidance, etc.—and that was very refreshing. That said, I didn’t buy the romance, however YA it was. They simply have not spent enough time together. I look forward to #2!
Thank you Tor/Forge for the galley— my teen self is screaming 😁
December 23, 2025
Struggling between 3 and 4 stars…. I did enjoy it but it started to drag for me at the end, and the characters never developed as much as I wanted. I was told a lot about them but rarely shown anything??
It was also in my opinion, always a little too confusing/hard to follow which prevented me from ever settling fully into the story
It was also in my opinion, always a little too confusing/hard to follow which prevented me from ever settling fully into the story
October 16, 2025
I was lucky enough to snag an uncorrected arc from comic con this past weekend and boy let me tell you this book was absolutely phenomenal. The world building was epic and I picked a mix between Star Wars, dune and the 100. I loved the character development with both the man female characters and male character as well as the side characters. This book had so much depth to it and the concept of the fever believers compared to the non fever believers was very unique. I loved the entanglement of a potential “alien” species and this was teased out nicely with a LOT of content that can be explored and played around with in the next book (not sure how many books there will be) especially the plant and what that actually means. I think the prophecy was done in a thoughtful way where even I was trying to guess the interpretation. I also loved how you can identify everyone’s emotions throughout the book and really tell someone’s true intentions. I cannot wait to read the final book coming out summer 2026! This was an epic, fantastical and unique read that really blew me away!
November 25, 2025
I love everything that Veronica Roth has been doing post-Divergent and here is another great example. Set in a future world, a fever kills half the people it infects. There are those who are just trying to survive and others who worship the fever as a god. The book starts with a prophecy, which propels our main characters forward.
Here is another example that Roth has been doing - mentioning past events but not focused on it. You know these characters have full lives that we slowly learn.
Elegy is our main character followed by Theren. Their lives are interwoven and it’s intriguing seeing them come together. Near the end there is a twist which leads Elegy to an inevitable choice. Not completely unexpected but I still loved where it went and ended on a cliffhanger. I am very invested in this world and can’t wait for the next one!
Here is another example that Roth has been doing - mentioning past events but not focused on it. You know these characters have full lives that we slowly learn.
Elegy is our main character followed by Theren. Their lives are interwoven and it’s intriguing seeing them come together. Near the end there is a twist which leads Elegy to an inevitable choice. Not completely unexpected but I still loved where it went and ended on a cliffhanger. I am very invested in this world and can’t wait for the next one!
November 2, 2025
"Seek the Traitor's Son" is my first book by Veronica Roth. I can see where the praise for her comes from, but I don't know if her books or the dystopian genre in general are for me.
This is definitely the first in a series, so there is a lot of set up world-building. It was done very well and I felt immersed in the conflict between the two factions - Cedre and Talusar. There are still a million questions that need to be explored but I was not left wanting with what we were given.
Elegy and Rava seemed to be billed as our main character but there is hardly any time spent directly with Rava. Theren and Hela really take the other main character spots. For me, Hela was the breakout star. The romance seemed unnecessary and the book would have faired better without it.
Individually the plot and character are interesting but I didn't like how it came together. The middle part of the story had a lot of past exposition that really took me out of the action along with the fast acting romance it seemed a bit messy. I'll pick up the next book to see where the story takes us as the set up for that was wild!
Rated 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC ebook.
This is definitely the first in a series, so there is a lot of set up world-building. It was done very well and I felt immersed in the conflict between the two factions - Cedre and Talusar. There are still a million questions that need to be explored but I was not left wanting with what we were given.
Elegy and Rava seemed to be billed as our main character but there is hardly any time spent directly with Rava. Theren and Hela really take the other main character spots. For me, Hela was the breakout star. The romance seemed unnecessary and the book would have faired better without it.
Individually the plot and character are interesting but I didn't like how it came together. The middle part of the story had a lot of past exposition that really took me out of the action along with the fast acting romance it seemed a bit messy. I'll pick up the next book to see where the story takes us as the set up for that was wild!
Rated 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC ebook.
December 20, 2025
Man I really wanted to love this one - I mean it has a magical plant that transports people to a spectral garden, right up my ally! But there are a lot of moving parts and both the writing and the narrative suffers. I almost wish this was an epic fantasy so there was more space to expand the world and the characters and provide more motivations and context for actions. Like Kesia’s character, for instance, made very little sense and was extremely contradictory. The entire breakdown of the nations and population figures didn’t track, the random jaunt to Austra just because (plot items could have happened within the region already at play). Isra, like we are just going to brush over his parentage?
There were some good things too and I’ll probably expand on this later but just felt very meh to me.
There were some good things too and I’ll probably expand on this later but just felt very meh to me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 15, 2025
I've always loved Veronica Roth books and this one is no exception. I got more and more into it as the book went on... which is always the way I like it. By the end I didn't want it to end and I'm already ready for the next one. World building, science, war, and strong female characters.
Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for the ARC.
Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan (Tor) for the opportunity of reading this ARC! All opinions are my own.
Firstly, I would like to say I’m a huge fan of the Divergent series, and I dived into this new book of Veronica Roth’s with both excitement and nervousness. I wondered if I would like something of hers as much as I loved Divergent, and I took a leap of faith — Roth didn’t disappoint at all. In fact, this book emphasises how much she grew as an author and I can’t but be filled with feelings of satisfaction. Witnessing a writer’s growth is indeed a gift.
“Seek the Traitor’s Son” is the first book of a scifi series which focuses on not only a prophecy’s fulfilment, but also on the deeper political intricacies of inter-planetary and inter-dimensional politics. The universe building and lore of this book has drawn clear inspiration from Dune, Star Wars, Star Trek, Foundation and other famous space series, and Roth’s own twist to the basics of scifi literature definitely sets it apart from the others, giving it a recognisable complexity. This could very well be the next big space series. I genuinely feel that any Frank Herbert enthusiast would very much enjoy the universe of “Seek the Traitor’s Son”.
The book starts with a bang — showing us in what manner the universe itself exists. The exposition is done masterfully, at every point in the book the universe-building being perfectly blended with the lore, the plot, the character development and the little bits of mystery that are sprinkled here and there, of past, future and present. Great work to both Roth and her editor!
The prose is perfectly suited for the scifi genre, direct yet descriptive where needed — which is great, considering the fact that this first novel is a political action thriller, despite setting a proper basis for the universe building. The politics are both simple and complex — the division between the two societies is simple, yet their interactions complex and full of attacks and treasons.
Moving on to the true stars, the characters are easily liked or disliked, and throughout the novel they are all given several layers of depth. Even the characters whom I very much disliked (they were written so well, I couldn’t help myself) had elements and scenes which showed their complexity, the inner workings of their minds. The three main points of view, Elegy, Theren and Hela all grow more and more entertaining as each chapter passes by. Hela’s point of view felt disconnected from the others at the beginning, but it clicks very well soon enough, and her devotion and love as a sister to Elegy always filled my heart with warmth. Though not related by blood, it is one of the most (if not the most) endearing sisters relationships I’ve read this year.
Elegy and Theren both have traumatic events happening to them, so their psyche can be somewhat dark at times; however, the prose makes it bearable — as readers we feel their pain without getting lost in the tragedy of it all. Their character arcs are quite well done — for one it is acceptance of one’s fate, no matter how cruel and painful it may be, and for the other the realisation that one of life’s gifts is the responsibility of loving another. Which is genuinely a great feat considering Theren has gone through an excruciatingly horrible betrayal.
The love story is one of mutual healing. Like a soft flame at the start, burning more and more passionately, ending up in an affirmation of loyalty, of an intimacy so private and delicate, one can only hope it will be eternal.
Ultimately, all I can say without spoiling too much is that this is a great first novel of a hopefully longer series, and the cliffhanger at the end is more than enough to motivate me to pick up the next book the second I have the chance to. If you are a Dune fan and enjoy complex universe building with a touch of prophecies and politics, reading this is a must. If you like healing love stories like ACOTAR, this is a must.
Firstly, I would like to say I’m a huge fan of the Divergent series, and I dived into this new book of Veronica Roth’s with both excitement and nervousness. I wondered if I would like something of hers as much as I loved Divergent, and I took a leap of faith — Roth didn’t disappoint at all. In fact, this book emphasises how much she grew as an author and I can’t but be filled with feelings of satisfaction. Witnessing a writer’s growth is indeed a gift.
“Seek the Traitor’s Son” is the first book of a scifi series which focuses on not only a prophecy’s fulfilment, but also on the deeper political intricacies of inter-planetary and inter-dimensional politics. The universe building and lore of this book has drawn clear inspiration from Dune, Star Wars, Star Trek, Foundation and other famous space series, and Roth’s own twist to the basics of scifi literature definitely sets it apart from the others, giving it a recognisable complexity. This could very well be the next big space series. I genuinely feel that any Frank Herbert enthusiast would very much enjoy the universe of “Seek the Traitor’s Son”.
The book starts with a bang — showing us in what manner the universe itself exists. The exposition is done masterfully, at every point in the book the universe-building being perfectly blended with the lore, the plot, the character development and the little bits of mystery that are sprinkled here and there, of past, future and present. Great work to both Roth and her editor!
The prose is perfectly suited for the scifi genre, direct yet descriptive where needed — which is great, considering the fact that this first novel is a political action thriller, despite setting a proper basis for the universe building. The politics are both simple and complex — the division between the two societies is simple, yet their interactions complex and full of attacks and treasons.
Moving on to the true stars, the characters are easily liked or disliked, and throughout the novel they are all given several layers of depth. Even the characters whom I very much disliked (they were written so well, I couldn’t help myself) had elements and scenes which showed their complexity, the inner workings of their minds. The three main points of view, Elegy, Theren and Hela all grow more and more entertaining as each chapter passes by. Hela’s point of view felt disconnected from the others at the beginning, but it clicks very well soon enough, and her devotion and love as a sister to Elegy always filled my heart with warmth. Though not related by blood, it is one of the most (if not the most) endearing sisters relationships I’ve read this year.
Elegy and Theren both have traumatic events happening to them, so their psyche can be somewhat dark at times; however, the prose makes it bearable — as readers we feel their pain without getting lost in the tragedy of it all. Their character arcs are quite well done — for one it is acceptance of one’s fate, no matter how cruel and painful it may be, and for the other the realisation that one of life’s gifts is the responsibility of loving another. Which is genuinely a great feat considering Theren has gone through an excruciatingly horrible betrayal.
The love story is one of mutual healing. Like a soft flame at the start, burning more and more passionately, ending up in an affirmation of loyalty, of an intimacy so private and delicate, one can only hope it will be eternal.
Ultimately, all I can say without spoiling too much is that this is a great first novel of a hopefully longer series, and the cliffhanger at the end is more than enough to motivate me to pick up the next book the second I have the chance to. If you are a Dune fan and enjoy complex universe building with a touch of prophecies and politics, reading this is a must. If you like healing love stories like ACOTAR, this is a must.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.5/5 Rounded to 5 because no half stars.
As a fan of Veronica Roth’s writing and storytelling, this was another read that did not disappoint. From the very beginning, this story completely pulled me in. I am not exaggerating when I say I was finishing this book at a music festival because every chapter ended with me needing to know what would happen next.
The worldbuilding is outstanding, and the author takes the time to properly develop both the FMC and MMC, giving their character arcs real depth. Their motivations and moral frameworks are thoughtfully explored, which made their choices feel believable and earned. While the story is undeniably unique, it also feels familiar and welcoming in the best way. Despite being a dystopian sci fi novel set in the future, the writing is clear, accessible, and easy to digest.
This book delivers a great balance of elements. There is sharp and funny banter between characters, vivid worldbuilding that makes scenes leap off the page, political intrigue that adds tension, and well paced action throughout. The romance is present but never overwhelms the plot, which I appreciated, and having an FMC who is not a child was incredibly refreshing.
Overall, this was an engaging and addictive read that kept my attention from start to finish. I am extremely excited to continue this series and see where the story goes next.
**Thank you Netgally and the publisher for an advance copy for an honest review. All opinions are my own**
As a fan of Veronica Roth’s writing and storytelling, this was another read that did not disappoint. From the very beginning, this story completely pulled me in. I am not exaggerating when I say I was finishing this book at a music festival because every chapter ended with me needing to know what would happen next.
The worldbuilding is outstanding, and the author takes the time to properly develop both the FMC and MMC, giving their character arcs real depth. Their motivations and moral frameworks are thoughtfully explored, which made their choices feel believable and earned. While the story is undeniably unique, it also feels familiar and welcoming in the best way. Despite being a dystopian sci fi novel set in the future, the writing is clear, accessible, and easy to digest.
This book delivers a great balance of elements. There is sharp and funny banter between characters, vivid worldbuilding that makes scenes leap off the page, political intrigue that adds tension, and well paced action throughout. The romance is present but never overwhelms the plot, which I appreciated, and having an FMC who is not a child was incredibly refreshing.
Overall, this was an engaging and addictive read that kept my attention from start to finish. I am extremely excited to continue this series and see where the story goes next.
**Thank you Netgally and the publisher for an advance copy for an honest review. All opinions are my own**
October 23, 2025
Ok so I loved the Divergent series and was excited to see a new series from Ms. Roth. I was able to win this book in the Goodreads giveaways and started it immediately! It did not disappoint! The beginning, like most fantasies, is a lot of world building and takes a little time to get through but stick with it cuz it goes quick after the first 100 pages!! The story line is great with some twist and turns at the end that I didn’t see coming and I’m so excited to see where this goes. Bad thing about getting this book 7 months early is now I have to wait extra long for the second book.
***“The last person who touched me,” she says, breathless, “was him.” He runs his calloused fingers along her jaw and behind her ear, tenderly. “The last person who touched me was her,” he replies. Elegy pauses for a moment as the weight of those twin statements settles between them. Sometimes she forgets that she’s not the only one that brings grief here. He does, too, though different kind.***
This scene snuck up on me and made me cry! It was just raw and tender! 🥺
***“The last person who touched me,” she says, breathless, “was him.” He runs his calloused fingers along her jaw and behind her ear, tenderly. “The last person who touched me was her,” he replies. Elegy pauses for a moment as the weight of those twin statements settles between them. Sometimes she forgets that she’s not the only one that brings grief here. He does, too, though different kind.***
This scene snuck up on me and made me cry! It was just raw and tender! 🥺
November 15, 2025
SO glad I had the opportunity to read an ARC of Seek the Traitor’s Son by Veronica Roth due to be released in Spring 2026. Thank you to TOR Publishing and Goodreads for the early copy.
Seek the Traitor's Son is the first in a duology. I highly recommend getting excited for this new novel by Veronica Roth of Divergent fame.
The backdrop for this sci-fi romantasy is a dystopia caused by a deadly fever and opposing views on how it should be managed. The people of Cedre want to be free of the fever so have chosen to quarantine. They reject the idea of it being mandatory. The people of Talusar worship the fever and relish the talents that result for those who survive it.
The cast of Characters include Elegy Ahn, second daughter of The Sword of Cedre, Rava Vidar, daughter of Ileth Vidar, and Theren Forint, first son of Kesia Forint. One of these two young women will lead their people to victory over the other and determine the fate of humankind. Theren is key to their destiny.
Seek the Traitor's Son is well-written and compelling. For fans of Veronica Roth, this is definitely one to look forward to.
Seek the Traitor's Son is the first in a duology. I highly recommend getting excited for this new novel by Veronica Roth of Divergent fame.
The backdrop for this sci-fi romantasy is a dystopia caused by a deadly fever and opposing views on how it should be managed. The people of Cedre want to be free of the fever so have chosen to quarantine. They reject the idea of it being mandatory. The people of Talusar worship the fever and relish the talents that result for those who survive it.
The cast of Characters include Elegy Ahn, second daughter of The Sword of Cedre, Rava Vidar, daughter of Ileth Vidar, and Theren Forint, first son of Kesia Forint. One of these two young women will lead their people to victory over the other and determine the fate of humankind. Theren is key to their destiny.
Seek the Traitor's Son is well-written and compelling. For fans of Veronica Roth, this is definitely one to look forward to.
December 7, 2025
Holy crap, I won an ARC of Veronica Roth’s new book!
This book was the hybrid futuristic sci-fi/ medieval fantasy I didn’t know I needed. It basically shoves you in the passenger seat and slams on the gas and doesn’t let up for the whole book. This is a chonky dense book that normally isn’t my thing, but this world intrigued me and I stuck it out even though it took me a bit to get through. Also, there is obviously going to be another book because the story does not wrap up in this one (which I’m now regretting the ARC because it’s going to be so long until I find out the ending). Overall I really enjoyed this book and the world building and character development were excellent. The characters don’t make tons of stupid decisions and I enjoyed the growth of the two mains we follow most. I see the potential for growth in other characters so the next book has something to work with as well. If you want to get sucked into this crazy world I recommend it but be warned it’s a lot to take in.
This book was the hybrid futuristic sci-fi/ medieval fantasy I didn’t know I needed. It basically shoves you in the passenger seat and slams on the gas and doesn’t let up for the whole book. This is a chonky dense book that normally isn’t my thing, but this world intrigued me and I stuck it out even though it took me a bit to get through. Also, there is obviously going to be another book because the story does not wrap up in this one (which I’m now regretting the ARC because it’s going to be so long until I find out the ending). Overall I really enjoyed this book and the world building and character development were excellent. The characters don’t make tons of stupid decisions and I enjoyed the growth of the two mains we follow most. I see the potential for growth in other characters so the next book has something to work with as well. If you want to get sucked into this crazy world I recommend it but be warned it’s a lot to take in.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I received an advanced copy from the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review.
This was SPECTACULAR!!!! I absolutely LOVED this from the very beginning! This novel was back on par with her Divergent/Carve the Mark/Chosen Ones novels. I have read almost every book this author has written and since The Chosen Ones (amazing), I have been a bit let down. Oh my goodness, Veronica Roth got back together with her writing muse because this was absolutely fabulous!
From the very beginning I was hooked with reading this novel, however, as it went along and so many more gorgeous things were being discovered I thought....oh this is not going to be a stand alone. It is not. However, only a duology! Woo! Bad news....I NEED this second book NOW! This was truly amazing with everything. The characters, the world, the stories all uniquely diverging, just everything. I am so excited for this novel to come out and if you are a fantasy/sci fi/dystopian fan PICK THIS UP IMMEDIATELY!!!! I truly just want the second one right away!
This was SPECTACULAR!!!! I absolutely LOVED this from the very beginning! This novel was back on par with her Divergent/Carve the Mark/Chosen Ones novels. I have read almost every book this author has written and since The Chosen Ones (amazing), I have been a bit let down. Oh my goodness, Veronica Roth got back together with her writing muse because this was absolutely fabulous!
From the very beginning I was hooked with reading this novel, however, as it went along and so many more gorgeous things were being discovered I thought....oh this is not going to be a stand alone. It is not. However, only a duology! Woo! Bad news....I NEED this second book NOW! This was truly amazing with everything. The characters, the world, the stories all uniquely diverging, just everything. I am so excited for this novel to come out and if you are a fantasy/sci fi/dystopian fan PICK THIS UP IMMEDIATELY!!!! I truly just want the second one right away!
November 16, 2025
Picked up an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) of this at NYCC in October, was not disapointed.
I think this book is technically in the realm of ScienceFiction, but it certainly has a significant fantasy feel to it. I think the idea is that it takes place so far in the future that it feels like fantasy to us.
It felt long, I think it Veronica Roth stated that it was her longest book to date, but it was very well written. The romance is well done, and both feels like a subplot and a key element to the story. I think this book could easily appeal to lovers of dystopian science fiction, fantasy, and romance. This is the first in a series, I'm guessing a duology, but perhaps more.
I like this sort of story, where the romance is a big element, but you don't have all the relationship drama that goes with a typical romance book, which is why I wouldn't call this book a romance.
I look forward to the next book in this series.
I think this book is technically in the realm of ScienceFiction, but it certainly has a significant fantasy feel to it. I think the idea is that it takes place so far in the future that it feels like fantasy to us.
It felt long, I think it Veronica Roth stated that it was her longest book to date, but it was very well written. The romance is well done, and both feels like a subplot and a key element to the story. I think this book could easily appeal to lovers of dystopian science fiction, fantasy, and romance. This is the first in a series, I'm guessing a duology, but perhaps more.
I like this sort of story, where the romance is a big element, but you don't have all the relationship drama that goes with a typical romance book, which is why I wouldn't call this book a romance.
I look forward to the next book in this series.
November 12, 2025
I received an ARC copy from Tor Books. This reviews is NOT sponsored by the author or publisher!
SPOILER FREE
I was pleasantly surprised by this book! In the past I HAVNT been impressed with Veronica Roths books.
When I got this book I didn’t have high hopes and honestly put off reading it. But once I started it holy MOLY it was actually really good!
There were aspects I didn’t care for but that is going to happen in any book.
The main thing I liked were the interactions between Elegy and Theren for the first half of the book. Beyond that it got a bit repetitive and forced.
But overall the story was really good and the world was built incredibly well!
@nevreadsbooks on all platforms.
SPOILER FREE
I was pleasantly surprised by this book! In the past I HAVNT been impressed with Veronica Roths books.
When I got this book I didn’t have high hopes and honestly put off reading it. But once I started it holy MOLY it was actually really good!
There were aspects I didn’t care for but that is going to happen in any book.
The main thing I liked were the interactions between Elegy and Theren for the first half of the book. Beyond that it got a bit repetitive and forced.
But overall the story was really good and the world was built incredibly well!
@nevreadsbooks on all platforms.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
Veronica Roth is back big time! I can’t even begin to convey how thought provoking and fun this book was. Veronica Roth creates such richly layered characters and worlds, she’s truly a master of her craft. My imagination ran rampant reading this book. Not only are relationships of family, friendship, and duty significant to this story, but so is romantic love. Roth tells a love story that is stained with complicated emotions, but sincere devotion and tenderness. I am devastated about choices made in the end, but we will see where Roth’s story takes us. I would also like to formally request more Hela please.
December 14, 2025
I’m so glad I decided to give Veronica Roth another chance last year. I’m not sure if this is sci-fi or dystopian or what exactly but it was great. From the characters to the premise to the world building, this had it all. I can’t wait for the second book! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy.
November 2, 2025
The writing and world building is incredible this has to be one of my favorite books I have read in a minute and even better that it’s my first ARC I have ever gotten I can’t wait for it to come out in may and talk about it with friends
November 20, 2025
I didn't realize this book was a romantasy going in and truly wish it had not been. The world is well built and the characters interesting, but I'm so tired of yearning. There's more to life than romance - especially in a world where a disease can kill you and bring you back with special powers.
December 7, 2025
⭐️3.5 rounded up to 4
A powerful story of betrayal and trust through the lens of prophecies. So beautifully detail-focused. Would recommend to any sci-fi/fantasy readers.
I received this book for free as part of Goodread’s giveaways.
A powerful story of betrayal and trust through the lens of prophecies. So beautifully detail-focused. Would recommend to any sci-fi/fantasy readers.
I received this book for free as part of Goodread’s giveaways.
Want to read
September 26, 2025Loving the synopsis for this and can't wait for May 2026
October 20, 2025
Thank you to Tor for the ARC, I can’t wait to dive into this new adventure. Review to follow.
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