Seek the Traitor's Son

The Burning Empire #1

by Veronica Roth, Imani Jade Powers (Narrator), Max Meyers (Narrator)

A 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. She spends her days fighting the Talusar, whose deadly Fever and mysterious gifts threaten her small country's very existence.

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 fates: 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.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Dystopia, Science Fiction, Romantasy, Adult, Fiction

20 pages, Audiobook

Expected publication May 12, 2026

About the author

Veronica Roth is the New York Times best-selling author of Seek the Traitor's Son (coming 5.12.26), 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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Reviews

[Liana Gold · Rating 5 out of 5]

Call me obsessed, but DYSTOPIAN is so back with Seek the Traitor's Son. For the fans of DUNE, I can safely say this will exceed all your expectations! Get ready for an epic world building, amazing character development and a lot of political intrigue. This world delivers everything that a die-hard sci-fi/fantasy fan expects to see in a TRUE DYSTOPIAN novel. I have no doubt this will turn into the next big screen sensation!

I really wasn't sure what I was going into, as this was my FIRST sci-fi audiobook and frankly I was a little scared starting it because I was afraid to miss any details/unable to keep up, but I was extremely pleased of how much I enjoyed the experience. In fact, I think the AMAZING narration of all the characters elevated my listening experience. I was able to immerse myself into this world so easily, I really NEED book two & honestly will probably end up doing the narration as well..its felt like I was listening to a movie play out..

Give me the tension, the destiny, the romance! THE 2000's ERA IS SOOOO BACK!
Entering a futuristic dystopian Earth, spaceships, a powerful prophecy and a slow burn romance. This will definitely hit the screens like her Divergent series.

EXPANDED REVIEW TO FOLLOW!


Narrated by: Imani Jade Powers, Max Meyers, Rebecca Soler, Steve West
Duration: 19 hours 29 minutes

Many thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio and the author, Veronica Roth for sending me an early ALC!

Publication date: May 12, 2026

[jenny reads a lot · Rating 5 out of 5]

a pathetic (complementary) broken mmc, his super power is [redacted], & he’s bisexual!? Are you kidding me?!

I fear Veronica Roth has created the perfect man.

Seek the Traitor’s Son is an excellent blend of sci-fi, dystopian, and romance. This series is epic in scope and there is still plenty to learn about the world, politics, and characters and I’m seated. Gimme the next book now please?

As book one in a series, this does a great job at establishing the world without overwhelming the reader. The beginning is a bit information heavy, but not overly so. If you’re comfortable with reading fantasy, you’ll have no issues with the world-building - but readers hoping for a world clearly future/dystopian Earth (and easier to digest) may find the set up a little overwhelming.

The MMC Theran is just… so good. Our reluctant savior FMC, Elegy?! LOVE HER. I love them together.

I went into this expecting minimal romance, I’m not actually sure why? but that was my headspace when diving in. That said I was very pleased with the romance on the whole. But, I have to agree with Mai, the build up, tension, and set up for the romance was nearly perfect but once a certain point hit, the romance went from 50% to 100% in the blink of an eye and I would have preferred to see the last 50% play out a bit more.

I’m still thinking about this book days later, craving the next book, needing to know what comes next — and desperately wanting more page time with Elegy + Theran.

Whats to love…
- Epic Series
- heavy romance side plot
- pathetic (complementary) MMC
- queer normative world
- sci-fi heavy dystopian Earth
- interesting world + magic
- political machinations


Audiobook: 4.5/5
Narrators: Imani Jade Powers (Elegy), Max Meyers (Theran), Rebecca Soler (Hela), Steve West (Before).
Length: 19 hrs 29 mins
Highly recommend the audiobook! The pacing (within each narrators section) was consistent, no excessive pausing, and the performance/inflection was spectacular across the board. Voice variation was amazing. Max Meyers is great at female voices, something not every male narrator can claim. Imani was downright spectacular. The only issue to note is that the pacing between Max Meyers sections, and the female narrator sections felt like slightly different speeds and I found myself adjusting the speed with most narrator changes. Not by a lot, and honestly if the NetGalley audio player had additional speed adjustments it’s likely I could have found a happy speed that worked for all narrators.

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Thank you Macmillan Audio & Tor for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.

[Mai ༊*·˚ · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Jess]

I 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.

[hailee · Rating 4 out of 5]

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc. all opinions are my own.

4.25***

“The human heart isn’t a drinking glass, with only so much room for love at any given time. That it’s more like the void of space, infinitely expanding and endlessly strange.”

this was the PERFECT blend of dystopian sci-fi/fantasy with a romantic subplot and i didn’t know i needed this in my life until now??

so i won’t lie: i requested this book months ago when it first appeared on netgalley, read the synopsis one, and then proceeded to forget about it. so i essentially went into this book completely blind and i’m so so glad i did because it was so much fun getting thrown into this world with zero knowledge.

the world building is very intriguing and, the more i learned, the more i found myself having to go back and correct the ways I pictured/thought of certain things (in a good way).

big big fan of elegy as our FMC. i love a strong female character who is genuinely capable and makes (relatively) rational decisions. i also felt for her so deeply because my girl had a ROUGHHH time in the beginning.

theren…THEREN!!! this man is right up my alley in terms of male book characters i tend to enjoy (see: deeply traumatized, incredibly intelligent, extremely devoted, and a gentle(ish) giant).

i am a sucker for a romantic subplot and this one was off to a fantastic start in terms of slowburn build up. the middle-ish to the end of the book slightly rushed their relationship, but i guess i can understand why and i still really enjoyed it.

i also LOVE a good prophecy plot line and this one was no exception. i really liked the discussion of fate and the choices we have in our lives and the ways the two main characters grappled with what was thrust upon them.

this would have been a five star read if it weren’t for these two things:

1. the romance needed more build up and i feel like it would have greatly benefited from being more of a slow burn
2. the pacing was kind of off at parts. i was hooked at the beginning, then it dragged a bit, then i was hooked again, then it dragged, and then i was hooked again all through the end.

nonetheless, this was SO GOOD and i am (not so) patiently waiting for the announcement of the sequel.

[Sarah (bookofsari) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seek the Traitor’s Son was such a fascinating blend of genres. Veronica Roth creates a world that feels like the perfect mix of sci-fi and fantasy, where the “magic” elements almost feel like science humanity just doesn’t fully understand yet. I loved how layered and expansive the worldbuilding was, especially the tension between the Cedrae and the Talusar and the way prophecy drives the story forward.

One of my favorite parts of this book was the characters. Elegy is an incredible FMC—she’s genuinely badass as a soldier, but she’s also dealing with complicated emotions, trauma, and responsibilities she never asked for. That balance made her feel very real. Watching her navigate the prophecy and the expectations placed on her was one of the most compelling parts of the story.

I also loved the supporting cast. Hela is funny, bold, and unapologetic, and I really enjoyed how she balanced out Elegy’s heavier storyline. And Theren’s story is absolutely heartbreaking. There’s a lot of depth to his character, and it was easy to feel for everything he’s been through.

The only reason this isn’t a five-star read for me is the romance. I genuinely loved Theren and Elegy together, and I liked how deeply Theren seems to understand her. But their relationship felt like it moved too quickly. They jump into things without really getting to know each other, and they rarely have the deep conversations I wanted to see. Much of what Elegy learns about Theren comes through his memories rather than their actual interactions.

Overall, though, this was an incredibly engaging story with strong characters, rich worldbuilding, and a compelling prophecy-driven plot. I’m very excited to see where the story goes next.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Val 𓍯ᥫ᭡.ִֶָ𓂃 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just make the movie now!!! 🤩 If you liked Dune, you’re going to like this book as well! It has an intricate plot with interesting characters. Loved it! 😍

The narrators are incredible!

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this eARC of Seek the Traitor’s Son by Veronica Roth, to be published on May 12th, 2026.

[Bre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unique can be such an overused word, but totally appropriate when describing this expansive, genre-bending, character driven story. This work of speculative fiction revolves around three people at the center of a wild prophecy. In a sort of post-apocalyptic world where Earth is not inhabited by many, humanity is divided between those who worship the Fever and those who don’t. The Fever kills half the people it infects, but grants the survivors gifts of seeing the past or future. Elegy Ahn, a former scout defending her country from the Talusar (those who worship the Fever), is summoned to receive a prophecy. Rava Vidar, the fearsome general of the Talusar, is also summoned to the prophecy. One woman will lead her nation to victory and the other will fail. Their lives are forever changed that day, and Elegy plunges into a wild fate that will bring her a new but unwanted love, a position of power she never desired, and giant tangle of mystery that could change human kind.
Ok listen. I don’t normally enjoy sci-fi. But holy cow, this story is just so dang good. The story never slows down. In fact, I’m pretty sure it raised my blood pressure because I was dying to know what would happen next. How would Elegy handle this next problem? Theren had such depth of emotion. Elegy was snarky and determined, but thoughtful in everything she did. Hela was much needed comic relief, but not an after thought- she was as much a main character as Elegy.
The world building/politics were well done. I got Dune and Star Wars vibes, but more fantasy geared.
The narrators were AMAZING! I really enjoyed the entire cast. Hela’s snark really came through, Elegy was calm and steady, and the emotion from Theren was just the pièce de résistance. I honestly think the audiobook made the book even more enjoyable.

Thank you Tor and Goodreads for the early physical copy. Thank you Macmillan Audio for the ALC.

[clicktojointhemafia · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 🌟 : ̗̀➛ sorry but did Veronica Roth put crack inside of this book?

Guys. Read this goddamn book. READ IT. It's flipping perfect on a whole other level. It's God tier. It's EVERYTHING TO ME. The amount of times I gasped in awe, swooned, got bloody flustered, cried, punched the page, slammed the book against my head is embarassingly high.

Seek The Traitor's Son follows Elegy Ahn, who is the daughter of The Sword of Cedre. 'The Sword' is essentially the ruler of Cedre. However, Elegy is what you call the 'spare' and has lived with her father her whole life, who passed years prior, and now her husband. That drastically changes when she is summoned alongside her nation's enemy- Rava Vidar of Talusar- to recieve a prophecy involving the both of them. The prophecy is that there is a storm coming and only one will win. The thing to shift the tide will be a man whom both of the girls will fall in love with. He is the key yet is will also bring death with him.


My thoughts!

Obsessed! Quite literally obsessed! I have been daydreaming the shit out of this book and all i want it the sequel. This whole world veronica has made is so flawless to me— it really felt as if the characters were controlling the plot instead of the author if that makes sense? Everyone felt so inherently real to me I just want them back :')

Elegy was such a beautiful main lead- her inner conflicts and grief genuinely was translated so well through the page. And I adore the fact that her favourite weapon was a spear. She's not your typical badass woman who's the best at everything but he still is good at her shit. I feel like she really grew into her character as the book progressed and I'm too excited to see what is in store for her!

Theren AKA my husband genuinely made my stomach sore from all the butterflies he gave me. I am so fucking in love with this man yet he's also the reason I bawled mid way through the book. Okay not directly, but his back story is soul shattering guys. The way it's told/shown to us and Elegy makes it even more impactful. This scene paired with Mack Loren's cover of Let Down was a lethal combo that literally made me erupt in tears for around 5 minutes and use too many tissues. (he's also bi y'all)

The romance. Oh my fuck. Fucking lord. Guys the romance is so elite don't even GET ME STARTEDDDDD AAAAHHHHH. Like I want to die because Theren is not real! They are not real! Veronica Roth I adore the way you write the gentle parts of intimacy holy moly. Even now as I write this, thinking about them I am just a puddle of nothing because like the author wrote it TOOOOO well. Everytime he kissed her throat, she kissed his back, he kissed her finger tips, I wanted to evaporate. This and them being a FORCE to be reckoned with when they fight together- UGH GIVE ME BOOK 2!!!!!!!!

Every single kiss had me holding my breath and heart racing omfg. GUYSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS. I'm being serious now read the damn book.

Anywho! Let's talk about this new world! Earth has 2 nations- Cedre and Talusar. They are separated and oppose eachother on the basis of a single belief: Ages ago, something called 'The Fever' landed on earth- an illness that would infect humans, cause them to die and then ressurect but with supernatural gifts. However, only half would wake, the rest would remain dead. The people of Talusar worship The Fever like a God and have a ruling where every single inhabitant must be infected with it. The people of Cedre oppose it and see it as a monstrosity.

I loved how the Veronica Roth weaved religion into this sci-fi fantasy world! I genuinely think religion in sci-fi books are so bloody elite (ahemDuneahem). I loved what we were served when it came to the Talusar & Cedre people, and genuinely would have loved to see more of their cultural/religious customs. The world building was flawless tbh. I did get a bit confused here and there but it cleared up and honestly who doesn't get confused in the first book of a fantasy series?

I loved how we got to experience the initial backstory- it always adds so much more when we actually experience it firsthand instead of flashbacks. I didn't want to stop reading- I was so addicted to Theren and Elegy. The side characters were cute too but on this read? I was all over Theren and Elegy. When I reread I will appreciate the side characters more I think because I did love Hela and Arias hehe. The glowing plant was such an interesting sub plot that I can't wait for more of in book 2.

The ending!!!! (guys this book is so aesthetic lowk) i did kind of guess 2 of the things that were revealed to us at the end which made me very excited and made me feel like a smart ass xoxo

Space travel has never felt so exciting.

One minor thing I didn't understand the purpose of was a certain character death at the start. I cannot reveal much, but I was sad because I thought she would be super exciting to get to know and I definitely am wondering how differently the book would have unravelled if she didn't die. The person who took her place in the narrative was great still, but I don't understand the purpose of killing the former when she was being developed so nicely.

Other than that I have no issues other than why the fuck Theren Forint doesn't exist.

4.5 stars


Thank you Book Break, Tor and Netgalley for the proof & e-copy, I love y'all very much for giving me the chance to read this early (Idk if I've shot myself in the foot cause it may mean I wait longer for book 2)

[Zoë · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely incredible first book in a dystopian fantasy romance duology with a unique magic system. There’s so much about this that blew me away and I found myself wanting more words at the end of each chapter, I was utterly hooked. I haven’t read a book that has wowed me this much with the world building AND character building in a long time, but this took the cake for sure.

We have a complex world with feuding people and a prophecy stating one of them is going to come out on top to keep control of their land. Even though the world and the dynamics between people are more complex, it doesn’t feel too overwhelming to understand the landscape or political scene. The magic system in this is INCREDIBLE and conveyed with just how many warring emotions surround it. I loved that we got to connect with Elegy, Theren, and Hela and the paths they’re all on separately but also together. I love the transformation we’re already getting with all of the characters. The pacing is steady and there were no slow moments in my eyes, even as we explore traumas in a sensitive way and dive from present to past to explore and figure out how the past is impacting the present and future. The romance is almost a subplot but it has a big impact in the overall storyline and I loved it!! The tension, the pull to each other, the fact that everyone notices the stolen glances, ahhh! The ending had my jaw on the floor.


I need the next book in this duology STAT.

Add this to your tbr immediately!!!

~I received a gifted ARC of this book from St Martin’s Press/Tor Books. Thank you to the publisher and to Veronica Roth! My opinions are my own and voluntarily given~

[Jaime Arkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seek the Traitor’s Son delivers what Veronica Roth does best: a character-driven story rooted in moral ambiguity, loyalty, and the long shadow of inherited choices. Rather than relying solely on action, the novel builds tension through internal conflict and difficult decisions, creating a story that feels thoughtful and emotionally grounded.

At its core, this is a novel about identity and legacy, what it means to be defined by a parent’s actions and whether it’s possible to escape that reputation. Roth explores these themes with nuance, asking hard questions about responsibility, guilt, and how much control we truly have over who we become.

The pacing is deliberate rather than fast, allowing relationships, conflicts, and ethical dilemmas to develop naturally. While the plot builds gradually, the emotional stakes remain consistent, and each decision feels purposeful. Roth excels at resisting easy answers; characters are faced with difficult choices, and the consequences feel realistic and earned.

The world-building is layered and immersive and explores political and interpersonal dynamics without becoming overwhelming for readers.

Overall, Seek the Traitor’s Son is a thoughtful and engaging read that prioritizes character and theme, and leaves a lasting impression well beyond the final page. Definitely am looking forward to book 2!

Thank you for the early copy for review

[BookishKB]

🖤 Seek the Traitor's Son

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the advanced listening copy. I’ll be sharing my full review closer to publication date.

🎧 Narration Style: Full Cast
📅 Pub Date: May 12, 2026

[millena ★ · Rating 4 out of 5]

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!!!

[Tori Wallace · Rating 3 out of 5]

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

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is like dessert. Everything that I wanted to happen, happened. Like a big chocolate cake. No think, just enjoy.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Veronica Roth returns with an ambitious adult post-apocalyptic dystopian in 𝘚𝘦𝘦𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘰𝘳'𝘴 𝘚𝘰𝘯. A guaranteed hit for science fiction and fantasy readers!

Prophecy reveals one nation will emerge victorious of two opposing ideologies, and Elegy intends for it to be hers. When her mother and husband are killed in an attack and a knight enters an oath to protect her, she must race to uncover the plot unfolding against her people - and fight a growing, and prophesized, attraction to her protector.

Roth crafts a fascinating world, commanding attention from the first page. It feels unique and masterfully planned, set in an original, futuristic world rich with political intrigue. The intricate character-driven study evokes deep, raw emotions that ground the story and forces internal reflection for the characters. This book has a lot to say!

This is a book to slowly consume, noticing every detail and contemplating the story and its elements for the best reading experience. It requires an initial investment to establish yourself and find your footing in the world. The plot and pacing is gradual and subtle, and it naturally forces readers to resist eagerness and get lost in the story. There's a slight lull in pacing at the midpoint where I wasn't as compelled to return between reading sessions, but it remained interesting enough to not be bored between the pages.

The romance is woven into the fate of the world and the plot; it's purposeful, meaningful, and engaging. Elegy and Theren's initial interactions were tender with deeper feelings dormant until they emerged rather suddenly. The pacing of their relationship could have been balanced, but I still enjoyed it nonetheless.

I'll definitely be picking up the sequel, though I'll be waiting for some time!

Thank you to Tor for the advance reading copy!

[Lara Reading Wild · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow wow wow wow wow.

Let’s get one thing out of the way before I tell you how obsessed I am with this story. For reasons passing understanding, this book is being marketed as a fantasy dystopian, but it is 100% a sci-fi. I don’t know what the publishers are thinking.

My biggest take away from this book was that it was written by a masterful writer. Veronica Roth has done an exceptional job telling this story. The narrative was propulsive and balanced the different points of view beautifully. The pacing was kinetic, yet it never felt rushed and we still had beautiful (and painful) quiet character moments. The prose was perfect for delivering the story; not overwrought but still interesting and engaging.

There was just enough closure at the end to satisfy while still leaving questions unanswered for the next book (when is that out, btw? 😅) For me, this really was the perfect reading experience. I did not want to put down this book.

Thank you Tor/Forge for an ARC to review.

[QuirkyTofurkey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will not stop screaming until I have the sequel in my hands. you will have to muzzle me



Whatever power Veronica Roth wielded over me as a young adult has clearly carried over into my slightly less young adulthood, BECAUSE WHAT WAS THAT. The threads of this story wove themselves together so fucking beautifully, and I am left simply wanting needing more.

If I know you, I will make you read this. If I don’t know you, I will get to know you and then make you read this. Everyone please read this. I am not okay.

As for the audiobook, I feel like I have ascended. Have I been infected with the fever? It felt like a full dramatization. There may not have been sound effects, but I was completely immersed by the four--FOUR!!!--narrators. I tip my metaphorical hats to you.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Veronica Roth for blessing my ears and my soul with this advanced audio copy. This review is voluntary, and all opinions are my own.

[Shannon K G · Rating 4 out of 5]

The focus on the characters and their interactions were my favorite in this book. I don't want to explain further because I dont enjoy giving spoilers and I believe it will be best consumed knowing nothing.

This a great dystopian with rich world building. The politics run deep and keep you hooked for page after page.

[Annie M.]

This 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 😁

[Amanda Blanche]

I 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.

[Brianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

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!

[Laura (crofteereader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

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}

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars Rounded Up

When I saw that Seek the Traitor’s Son was Veronica Roth’s newest dystopian novel, I had to read it - and, wow, that was such a complex, traumatic, but absolutely riveting ride! I was completely engrossed in this dystopian fantasy, as it’s unlike any I’ve ever read. I’m tempted to share details, but this is one of those stories that is better to discover on your own. However, I will say this – expect a blend of magical elements, alien influences, a deadly virus, and overall, a survival tale shaped by an obscure prophecy given to two opposing women destined to change the world.

From about 35%-60%, the narrative leans heavily into unpacking trauma. It hits like a gut punch at times, but as this is the first book to a duology, it’s clearly laying the groundwork to a huge emotional payoff. Though I suspect it’s going to continue to hurt getting there.

I appreciated the complicated nature of the romantic entanglements. Once again, I’m intentionally being vague to avoid spoilers. While the relationship is tender and compelling to watch build, I did dock half a star because it felt a little Florence Nightingale at times before finding more balance.

The dual (maybe even quad?) narration by Imani Jade Powers, Max Meyers, Rebecca Soler and Steve West truly brought life to all of the notable POV characters. Each performance was strong, adding to a deeper connection with the characters to the point of hurting at times.

And that ending…that ending. I almost regret listening to this as an ALC because now the wait for the next book is going to be even longer.

Thank you to Veronica Roth, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this ALC in exchange for providing a honest review.

[Grace -thewritebooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for an eARC in exchange for an honest review

Five star read no question about it. This book had me utterly spellbound and at the edge of my seat for the whole experience. I read the When Among Crows duology last year and was blown away by the talent in such tiny books. This was certainly not a tiny book, and instead it was able to show off Roth's talent on a universe-spanning scale. Elegy and Theren are some of the most fascinating characters I've ever had the pleasure of reading: the emotional depth and grief that this story deals with is staggering - alongside the politics plotlines inextricably merged with faith and ideas of fate and predetermined destinies. Every character in here was facing impossible choices day after day, it felt like I was holding my breath for the last 100 pages.
Apparently book 2 in this duology is in edits at the moment, when I tell you I need it YESTERDAY

[chantelle 💀 · Rating 4 out of 5]

i finished this days ago and genuinely had to take some time to gather my thoughts okay

seek the traitors son is set in what i can only describe as a sci-fi dystopian world that feels equally futuristic as it does current. spaceships, magic, romance, alien flowers, superhuman abilities and a light dusting of found family. i really enjoyed that there’s plenty world building in this book, it didn’t feel heavy but it was definitely informative without holding the readers hand throughout. the beginning is slower but i can’t stress how worth it this read is.

this world is divided with two groups of beings. the talusar, worshippers of the ‘fever’ which is capable of killing off any ordinary being whilst also being capable of turning them into a superhuman. the cedrae, the ordinary beings that have maintained their own space station that allows for everyone to be tucked away from the fever worshippers. the division plays a huge role in this book, with politics and a prophecy which places two rival women from each side of the division against each other. it’s culturally rich and detailed with conflict ongoing from the get go. both groups have their own beliefs and outlooks on the fever and the future for their world.

not often do i read a book and find that its a decent split of character driven and plot driven. i really enjoyed reading these characters, especially our fmc elegy and our mmc theren. theren is a swoon worthy bisexual superhuman knight that pines, lives to serve and of course he’s pretty god damn broken. veronica roth has done it again with producing a mmc that the people are going to absolutely adore.

i will say, i loved the development of the romance between the main characters but i also feel it went from 0 to 100 VERY suddenly. things were going smoothly then out of no where things progress. both characters have gone through their own hardships, and reading them during these sensitive moments was very sweet but i just wish we could have had more than that! the second book has to give us that, and to say i can’t wait is an understatement.

overall, seek the traitors son is an incredible read. i had such a good time experiencing this world and i can’t wait to see what happens in the next book. if you’re looking for an easy to follow yet complex and detailed dystopian x sci-fi read with romance and pining then i can’t recommend it more.

thank you so much to pan macmillan for this proof arc!! i will forever be grateful for being able to read something from an author i absolutely adored as a teen.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC provided by Tor Publishing, honest review below:

Man I really wanted to love this one - I mean it has a magical plant that transports people to a spectral garden, it’s like it was pulled from my mind! But there are a lot of moving parts and both the writing and the narrative suffers. I almost wish this was more of an epic fantasy instead of a (COVID informed) sci-fi so there was more space to expand the world and the characters. I also wished for more motivations/context for actions.

A few examples things that I didn’t fully enjoy to support my rating:

Example 1: Kesia’s character made very little sense and was extremely contradictory. She loves Talusar but was fine with having a second child with a man from another nation (a point that’s is glazed over, repeatedly, even by her second son who feels only there because we needed a pilot). She sells out her son, then helps him again (and asks for forgiveness and if not, understanding… like you crazy?), then attacks him almost immediately after? And the size of Talusar is like all of the United States yet somehow Kesia just hops around like distance isn’t an issue to be wherever the major plots shifts are happening. She just appeared too much for me, and become annoying and pathetic rather than a mystery. With that said, she is set up for major character expansion in the next book and I hope we get a broader understanding of her motivations so this perspective will shift.

Example 2: The entire breakdown of the nations and population figures didn’t track, there are two places where numbers are provided - early it is mentioned 2 million are on the space ship. Later it is mentioned the whole nation is 3 million strong. So you have a ton of people on a space ship and the one million is spaced between the Capitol (which is smack in the middle of Talusar btw) and all of Austra (which is the size of Australia). It doesn’t compute for me how that small of a number in the capitol would be tactically enough to defend it from invasion (yes, there is a rationale provided in the book, and I know it’s fantasy, but they are still humans that, in this case, can die).

Example 3: The random jaunt to Austra just because (plot items could have happened within the region already at play).

And again, bc this is the biggest thing that I wanted more of, and we had space for if we just trimmed in other areas: Isra, like we are just going to brush over his parentage?! Better be in book 2.

There were some good things too, the largest being the main character Elegy. I loved her and I felt like her grief was well represented and informed her actions. Ofc we love the alien plant I mean, who wouldn’t.
TBH, I think a highschool me would have LOVED it. Today, I just like it.

[Brielle Weber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Get in book besties, we are going to space for a sci-fi fantasy/romantasy!

I did not expect to love Seek the Traitor’s Son as much as I did (after the regrettable let down that was the end of the Divergent series by the same author), but this was book was familiar enough to Roth’s style that it was nostalgic, while also being more mature, introspective, and unique within a sea of all so similar fantasy/romantasies! It definitely has some elements of Dune, mixed with Homeland, and of course is reminiscent of Divergent.

Themes include prophecy, religious fanaticism, and high-stakes romance with alternating POVs mostly between Elegy and Theren, as well as Hella (Elegy’s sister). I definitely cared more for Elegy and Theren’s POV, but Hella was interesting reprieve.

“Perhaps the transformation forced by love is a sort of death.”

This story was rich, intense, and original with grief, trauma, and PTSD woven throughout.

✨4.5 stars rounded up. The audiobook was so so good!

Thank you NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for this audio arc. Seek the Traitor’s Son comes out May 12, 2026.

[Brigette · Rating 4 out of 5]

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!

[Jourdace · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into this with high expectations because I love Veronica Roth, and it did not disappoint. It was a solid dystopian tale with everything you would want. Interesting world building and unique magic system that was easy to follow. The sci-fi aspects blended well with the fantasy world. A fascinating story wrapped around destiny and legacy. I liked Elegy and Theren well enough, but did feel like their relationship was rushed. Hela carried the characters for me, she is an absolute gem! And although we’re meant to hate Rava, she intrigues me. I would love to know more about her backstory and get a glimpse of her POV. The narrators did a great job at keeping me locked in. I predict this book will be adapted into film. There’s a lot of potential with the story and I’m excited to see what happens next.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ALC.