Shadow Heir (Dark Swan, #4)

by Richelle Mead

New York Times bestselling author Richelle Mead returns to the Otherworld, a mystic land inextricably linked to our own - and balanced precariously on one woman's desperate courage...

Shaman-for-hire Eugenie Markham strives to keep the mortal realm safe from trespassing entities. But as the Thorn Land's prophecy-haunted queen, there's no refuge for her and her soon-to-be-born children when a mysterious blight begins to devastate the Otherworld...

The spell-driven source of the blight isn't the only challenge to Eugenie's instincts. Fairy king Dorian is sacrificing everything to help, but Eugenie can't trust the synergy drawing them back together. The uneasy truce between her and her shape shifter ex-lover Kiyo is endangered by secrets he can't - or won't - reveal. And as a formidable force rises to also threaten the human world, Eugenie must use her own cursed fate as a weapon - and risk the ultimate sacrifice...

• ISBN13: 9781420111804
• Publish Date: 1 January 2012 (first published 1 January 2011)
• Publish Status: Out of Stock
• Out of Print: 1 September 2021
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Zebra Books
• Format: Paperback (UK Trade)
• Pages: 400
• Language: English

Reviews

[Cocktails and Books]

I have mixed feelings about the final, yes final, book in the Eugenie Markham Dark Swan series. I was compelled to read the Dark Series after starting the Vampire Academy books and wanted to devour anything that was Richelle Mead. I loved insomniac Eugenie as she struggled with the knowledge that she was a somewhat evil Fairy King's daughter and that she will fulfill a prophecy that would change not only the Otherworld, but the human world as well. She fought off otherworldly creatures as they tried (mostly unsuccessfully) to wreck havoc in our world, while dealing with the repercussions (mainly inheriting 2 Fairy Kingdoms) of her jaunts into the Otherworld. In addition, she tried her damn hardest to make sure that no unwanted pregnancy came from her relationships with Dorian or Kiyo, her shapeshifting ex-boyfriend. She's determined to set her own course, prophesy be damned.

In this final installment, Eugenie is still smack dab in the middle of Gentry politics and determined to find a safe place to stay until she gives birth to the prophesied evil spawn (her son Issac, as well as his twin sister, Ivy). Eugenie makes a decision she thinks she must, but I was left wondering if that decision was truly for the best. Sure, she was able to receive the human medical care that was needed for both herself and the babies, but living her life constantly looking over her shoulder really didn't give her anymore sense of peace than living at either hers or Dorian's kingdoms.

Of course, Eugenie can't give birth to her babies and then live a life of serenity. Soon after their birth, she's forced to return to the Otherworld to help rid a magically blight that has infected the majority of the Otherworld. She had Dorian at her side, but she's also forced to have Kiyo assisting them. While the groups journey to ridding the blight is intriguing and entertaining, what I enjoyed the most of this part of the story is Eugenie's understanding of her relationship with Dorian. Yes he manipulated her. Yes he lied to her and used her. But Dorian is always at Eugenie's back, no matter what. He's proved this to her time and time again, but it took this journey for her to finally see what I had personally be hoping for her to realize...Dorian was her better half.

I would have been ok with the story ending here, with the blight resolved and Eugenie and Dorian getting their HEA. But the ending took a strange turn, finding out Eugenie father, the Shadow King, had actually had heirs other than Eugenie and her sister, therefore absolving Eugenie's children from being said prophetic evil spawns. And I won't even get started on the revelation that Kiyo decides to share with Eugenie. That little speech had me rolling my eyes and thankful that Kiyo was a fictional character, otherwise great acts of violence would have ensued.

Despite the ending, I enjoyed the last book in the series. I almost wish there would be a fifth book or perhaps a novella, which could tie up some of the looser plot points from this one (meaning what happens with the babies and Eugenie and Dorian, but I can live with how things ended.

[Linda]

Yes!!!!!

"What wouldn't I do for you?" was the best phrase of the book, repeated several times by Dorian to Eugenie :) And I was right!! Dorian is the twins father!!! I'm so happy about that :) It started out pretty slow, but it built up very nicely. Eugenie had to hide for the last few months of her pregnancy, in order to keep herself and the twins alive. Kiyo continued to be a real asshat, and I can't believe I actually liked him in the first book. I wish someone would just kill him off already!

While Eugenie was away in the normal world, bad things happened in Otherworld, and as soon as she came back, she had to make things right, with Dorian's help of course. Even Kiyo showed up, and most of the people on the rescue Otherworld party wanted only to kill him. It's too bad none of them ended up doing it.

We got some extremely interesting background on Volusian, and it made him a lot easier to understand. Eugenie continued to be strong, thinking of everybody else's safety before her own. I loved how hers and Jasmine's relationship developed, they are real sisters now, and they finally love each other. Jasmine has grown a lot, and that was really good to see.

There were some truly amazing fight scenes, both with and without magic, and a really heartwrenching death. Maiwenn and Kiyo are on top of my 'Eugenie needs to kill' list, and I doubt anything will ever happen to take them off it.

Excellent book, I feel very satisfied, although I wish it was longer... that's always the problem with a great book, though.

[Angie]

I went into this very excited and eager to know what happens with Eugenie's prophetic pregnancy as well as with Dorian. It started off a bit slow while Eug figures out how to handle the pregnancy and the birth. Then the birth happens! How does the Otherworld react? Well, let's just say they have more immediate concerns than a possible prophecy coming into action. Of course this new concern requires Eugenie's attention, and she can't take the babies with her.

While I know it was a tough decision for her to leave her twins so suddenly, I also felt like she was pretty detached from then. Sure she said she loved them and misses them and wants the best for them, but that's all it was, saying. I didn't feel any sense of her love for them, but oh well, I was more interested in what was happening in the Otherworld anyway.

Dorian is wonderful as always, and I just wanted to slap Eugenie and tell her to open her eyes and fall into his arms! I really loved the "dryad" scene, and was hoping for more, but it was still an aww moment. And then there's a scene where he and Eugenie are passing notes like teenagers, except that they were using Volusian as a messenger:

"I beg you this: do no make me keeping passing these adolescent sentiments back and forth all night."

Oh, Volusian! And no that quote does not imply that Dorian and Eugenie are back together, or does it? Why are they using Volusian as a middleman then? You'll just have to read and find out!

Kiyo, Kiyo, Kiyo. I am so glad he didn't show up until half way in. I seriously cannot stand that man! After the events of Iron Crowned he simply cannot be redeemed. I wanted Dorian to just run his sword through him and let that be that, but of course that would be too easy. Just, aaahh at him! I don't understand how he can be so cold and heartless. Some of his actions in this were nobel, but once his part was done, he went back to the same old, jerk faced Kiyo set to kill his own children. It takes an amazing author to create a character that evokes so much emotion in me, even if it's negative!

This review seems very vague, but I don't want to spoil anything! There's a great twist of course, since this is the end of the series. Unfortunately, I figured it out in Chapter 1, so it was pretty anti-climatic for me. But I was still interested in how exactly it would play out. And then there was another twist that made me squeal in joy! Then Eugenie made another HORRIBLE decision, pissed me off, and the series ended. WTF?! I am so mad her I can't even explain.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.