The Tyrant's Heir

Desertera #3

by Kate M. Colby

Should a king inspire love or fear? Lionel receives neither… and it could cost him everything.

Lionel Monashe isn’t ready to be king. After ordering his father’s execution and taking the throne, he struggles to reconcile his royal duties with his compassionate nature. His insecurity and inconsistent ruling lead prominent subjects to challenge his authority.

His main adversary is a self-proclaimed prophet, whose religious zealotry launches the kingdom into economic crisis and civil unrest. When Lionel attempts to make peace, he sparks even more discord and ignites the greatest tragedy in Desertera’s history.

Blame for the disaster falls on Lionel, and his enemies take full advantage. Lionel must determine who he can trust before he loses his title… and possibly his life.

Will Lionel save his crown? Or will his enemies gain control of the kingdom? Buy The Tyrant’s Heir today to find out.

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The third novel in the Desertera series, The Tyrant’s Heir portrays a desperate power struggle in an equally desperate dystopian world. This political thriller will keep readers guessing until the end.

Other books in the Desertera series:
The Cogsmith’s Daughter (Desertera #1)
The Courtesan’s Avenger (Desertera #2)

303 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 8, 2017

About the author

Kate M. Colby writes paranormal fantasy novels that feature female antiheroes, dark magic, seductive monsters, and spooky locales. She has also written a steampunk fantasy series and occasionally dabbles in creative nonfiction and poetry.

Kate is currently pursuing a Master of Liberal Arts in Creative Writing and Literature at Harvard Extension School. She has won local awards for her short fiction, and her first novel, The Cogsmith's Daughter, has been taught in college courses.

When not writing or studying, Kate enjoys traveling, wine tasting, playing video games, and giving amateur tarot readings. She lives in the United States with her husband and their feline familiars.

Reviews

[Nina Arce · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Tyrant's Heir is the third instalment in the Desertera series, which began with The Cogsmith's Daughter and later continued with The Courtesan's Avenger. It's an excellent series, and I definitely recommend reading the two previous titles—they're some of my favourite reads from the past years, and the events that took place within them significantly affect the plot in this book, too.

Now, I should state that I received an advance review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review (full disclosure is important, and all that).

With that aside, allow me to begin by saying that I continue to be impressed with the intricacy of Kate M. Colby's work. There are so many threads to this story, and they all come together much like a luxurious fabric you can't tear your eyes away from—weaving together themes of redemption, politics, romance and deceit. Whereas before we have followed some of the common (although no less charming!) citizens of Desertera, in The Tyrant's Heir we we learn more about what it takes to rule the kingdom—from the inside. I hadn't particularly cared for Lionel—the new king of Desertera and main character of this book—while reading previous books, honestly finding him a little uninteresting at times. I'm happy to say that first impression turned out to be VERY wrong! In this book, we meet a young man who struggles with finding his own way of ruling, with not wanting to become like his father (at the same time facing the guilt over having executed him), and who is trying to court the common woman he loves while facing the judgment of his people and closest advisers alike. Lionel is a king with a conscience, at the same time wonderfully sassy and weighing his words on a carefully balanced scale. His exchanges with others show off the different sides of his own character—I particularly enjoyed seeing how different Lionel was with the Bishop, Lord Varick, Rykart and Aya. At the same time, all of these sides came together in a multi-faceted, very interesting whole. By the end of this book, this character I'd originally had so many doubts about has become my new favourite from the Desertera series.

Set in a wonderfully well crafted steampunk dystopian future/fantasy setting, any Desertera story is sure to feature layers of detailed world-building. The same is true in The Tyrant's Heir, and I enjoyed learning more particularly about the castle (so many exciting rooms and hidden passages in that place!) and the formerly less seen outer parts of the kingdom. We get a lot of Bowtown—and trust me when I say there is a lot of action and colourful characters to be seen there! There are also glimpses of new, previously unexplored parts of the ship Queen Hildegard, which I'm very much looking forward to hear more about in future Desertera books.

I was a bit thrown off (and out of my pleasant suspension of disbelief) by one characters/features of the aforementioned world-building, though. This is totally me nitpicking and may very well not bother anyone who doesn't have a medical education themselves, so if you're unlikely to care about such things just ignore the rest of this paragraph: the thing was, I found the doctor's character and practice inconsistent. Admittedly, it's a bit difficult to assess what the people of Desertera should know about medicine given the fantasy/steampunk setting—but in my opinion, that would merit either using approximately modern knowledge of physiological phenomena, reverting to somewhere 1800-ish, or doing something in between but attributing losses of information to the passage of time (which would totally make sense for Desertera, honestly, given that's what happened with a lot of technology—it's just never stated whether that happened for medicine). It's only by the end of the book that the doctor admits the patient's symptoms were "odd for the flu," which I agree with—but how she didn't already think that to begin with is beyond me. It's not that the presented explanation is entirely impossible, but it's
far-fetched (compared to the actual cause of the symptoms, which I won't spoil but really should have been one of the first things on that woman's mind), and it annoyed me that the doctor completely dismissed pneumonia when she didn't properly listen to the lungs (it's not fluids one would want to exclude, but infectious infiltrates—and those result in different sounds) and did not pause to wonder where the blood would be coming from, if the sickness was "not in the lungs" (it could theoretically have been something bleeding in the stomach that the patient then vomited up, aspirated into his lungs, and then coughed up again, for example). Once again, this is totally nitpicking on my part and could possibly be explained by assuming a different level of knowledge about physiology in Desertera, but it seemed odd that it wasn't internally consistent nor externally seemed to reflect today's state or a roughly 1800s European time frame. For a time I thought it was intentional and that the doctor was in on some sort of scheme, which would also have made sense—but when not I have to seriously question whether that woman should be allowed to keep her position. I'm worried for the health and well-being of the people of Desertera, here! That said, it wouldn't significantly affect the story even if this aspect of the book had worked, but it would have kept it from being a potential distraction to (medically over-educated) readers.

Okay, haha, moving on from the ranting, allow me to conclude by saying that at the end of the day, I really liked The Tyrant's Heir. The Desertera series is only getting better by the book—which is saying something given that I'm, well, picky (as evidenced) and have rated all the books highly from the start. Kate M. Colby has added to her delightful gallery of characters and elaborated on already intriguing settings, providing a story that truly entertains and continues to promise future excellent storytelling. Sign me up for Desertera #4 in 2018!

[Kara Jorgensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

TL;DR: The Tyrant’s Heir is a nice follow-up to the Desertera where we find Lionel grows a backbone and takes on a saboteur to secure his kingdom.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review, but I also bought a copy as I am a fan of Kate’s work and believe in supporting authors I believe in.

The Tyrant’s Heir is the third book in the Desertera series, which takes place in a barren kingdom situated around a beached ship where the hierarchy rules and intrigue lurks down every hall. Lionel Monashe is the new king to the throne but ruling becomes a problem when with every decision, he fears his tyrant father’s old ways and indecision and hesitation becomes the rule of law. When a self-proclaimed prophet disrupts the social and economic order, Lionel finds his moral compass aligns not with the nobles but with the religious zealot. Unfortunately, not everyone in Desertera is thrilled at a change in the old order and some would rather see the kingdom under their control.

In this installment, we see many old faces, including Lord Collingwood, Aya Cogsmith, and of course, Mr. Farmer the prophet. Best of all, we get to see Lionel, not as the flirtatious prince but as a man struggling to be king against the legacy of his treacherous father. Through his struggles, we see a much deeper man than what appears on the surface, who has his own emotional and psychological complexes despite his privileged upbringing.

What I love about Kate M. Colby’s series is how each book links into each other so smoothly with one mystery being solved while flowing into another, and The Tyrant’s Heir leaves us with fantastic mysteries to look forward to in 2018 (why is it so far away?!). As always, the world of Desertera reveals new places to explore and new technology to dissect. My only quibbles with The Tyrant’s Heir are personal and stylistic. At times, I wish there was more description and the writing at the beginning of the novel felt stilted, but this disappears about halfway through. I also wish there was more of the prophet in the second half of the novel after the big spectacle scene.

Overall, The Tyrant’s Heir is a fantastic addition to the Desertera series, and if you want to see more of Aya and Lionel’s budding relationship or if you want to see what the Benevolent Queen has in store for Desertera, check it out and pick it up today.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

The third installment in the Desertera series gives readers a front row seat to the struggles Willem/King Lionel is facing trying to rule Desertera with justice and compassion. He is constantly met with opposition and doubt; chief among his critics is himself. To complicate matters further, the prophet’s effect on the people has incited violence and distrust throughout the kingdom leading to unspeakable tragedy.


I love the varying points of view between books; I feel like we are with every character at the perfect time in the series, and Colby has managed to maintain multiple strong and interesting characters in one series who do not clash with one another. Colby also continues to grow as a writer and this third book is the perfect example of that. This book left me guessing until the end but yet the ending wasn’t out of left field; the clues were there just expertly hidden. I loved reading this book and I cannot wait to read the fourth book and see if we get some answers about this mysterious key!

[Whitney McGruder · Rating 5 out of 5]

What did I not enjoy? I must start with the adorable romance between Lionel and Aya. Colby has mastered the art of creating the most feminist #relationshipgoals pairing I’ve seen in a long time. She does this with a string of little scenes and exchanges that are sweet and realistic—well, as realistic as you can get with a king and a cogsmith. For example, Lionel is in the library looking for clues when he finds a book that makes him smile because he knows that Aya would appreciate it. Here he is up to his eyeballs in stress and intrigue and he’s thinking of how this book would make Aya happy. It’s not pivotal to the plot, so you almost miss it.

Forget Joker and Harley Quinn, friends. Lionel and Aya are true #relationshipgoals in the way they natural express their love and respect for each other.

There are other aspects of the novel that were wonderful. Colby’s little clever jabs had me chuckling out loud, her world building continues to blossom, and her storytelling skills had you guessing and re-guessing who Lionel’s true adversary could be.

Also, there were parts that really got me in the feels and left a remarkable impression on me. There are multiple instances where Lionel allows himself to be extremely vulnerable to his friends and his subjects—he’s open about his anxieties, frustration, and fears. He’s a gotta-do-it-all kind of guy: he wants to fix all the messes his father created and he fails, of course.

In many ways, I related too deeply with his aspirations. I also want to do it all and fix it all, and Colby puts the words in characters’ mouths that stunned me. If you’re a go-getter Millennial, you might find a lesson or two in here that are expertly laid out that doesn’t sound like a lecture or a sermon. I’d share some of those messages, but I’ll let you read the book for yourself to find out.

It’s been a long time since I’ve put off my usual bedtime to plow through hundreds of pages. Reading The Tyrant’s Heir was an enjoyable and thrilling ride—the stakes were high and I had to know how things would work out for Lionel in the end.

There were also some mysteries from the second novel, The Courtesan’s Avenger, that are answered. Colby does a great job of linking each novel together to keep you updated on how all the events tie together, rather than sharing three separate adventures.

Of course, the series is far from over. These mysterious cogs begin to accumulate and the teasing only escalates. Colby’s next novel will hopefully shed some light on what these unique cogs belong to and how they connect to Desertera’s mysterious past.

[Helen Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

**very mild spoilers**

The third instalment of Kate M Colby’s Desertera series is told from the point of view of Lionel, son and heir to the late King Archon. Newly crowned King, Lionel is coming to terms with the responsibilities and frustrations of his role, trying to balance his desire to be nothing like his father with the need to govern his realm. He’s also juggling his desire for Aya Cogsmith, a commoner frowned upon by the nobles.

But there are darker forces at work, with others striving for the throne and seeking to undermine the young king. With an unsolved murder, a crazed prophet and a population on the verge of revolt, Lionel is challenged at every level and must use all his skills to navigate his monarchy and safeguard his throne, as well as his romance.

One thing I always wonder when I read this series is – What lies beyond? Desertera is a city built around a marooned steamship in a desert, a world Colby has imagined very well. However, what lies beyond its borders? Sand and more sand? Or are there other cities? I would love to see Colby explore this at some point, although that’s probably a bit greedy of me, as she has already conjured a most satisfying world.

Overall, The Tyrant’s Heir is a strong third instalment in the series – looking forward to book four!

[Randal Benlon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very interesting way to write that really holds your interest. Each of 3 novels has a different main character who you already have been introduced in the first book. You become involved in the story very quickly because you know the character and want to get to know them better. The book is well written and goes in just enough detail to keep your interest and will not let you put it down.

[Jacqueline Mudge-Cooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story, even if I took my time on it. Mostly because I was not ready to leave Desertera yet. This one had more political intrigue than the first two books. Possibly because were are we have Lionel as the main character this time. I can't think of more to say. Am going to be embracing series hangover.

[Laura Kehoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun addition to the Deserta series! I loved seeing the characters’ growth and getting a deeper look into the mind of Lionel. I’m excited to see where the story goes from here!

[Jonas Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Each book brings new life and light to the mysteries of this desert kingdom. I loved seeing not only the progression of characters, but the tying up of some previous unsolved questions as well as the promise of finding out what the illusive vortric cogs are needed for.

Colby's writing is subtle, colorful and constantly engaging. She has a gift for bringing words to creation and I can't wait for more from her.

[lynx · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Tyrant's Heir

Man this book (and the others in this series) is so good.
The characters and settings are so detailed. The plot is a good pace and leaves you wanting to read more.