Heroes of the Empire: The Cavalier by Israh Azizi
She calls the Empire home. He pledges to bring its downfall.
Death is Velamir’s close acquaintance. As a student in the Chishman academy, he cannot escape the brutal war. When he’s sent on a mission with three fellow academy cadets, Velamir returns to the Empire, the land of his birth. Calamity befalls the group as they trek through enemy territory, and Velamir learns a part of his past that makes the mission far more personal. Burdened with the deaths of the unavenged and the chance of losing his own life, Velamir must decide if revenge is worth the cost.
Natassa knows her role well: The silent and obedient girl. The one who looks away from the torture her father, the emperor, inflicts on the Empire’s inhabitants. The princess. But she’s a shackled prisoner, and somewhere under the mask is a spark of rebellion. When she learns of her father’s intention to marry her to a man she loathes, Natassa crafts a risky plan of her own—one dangerous enough to get her killed.
Two searching hearts. Two perilous paths. Velamir must find the courage to face his past and Natassa must find the strength to face herself before the war consumes them both.
Book Information:
Title: Heroes of the Empire: The Cavalier
Author: Israh Azizi
Series: Heroes of the Empire #1
Publication Date: November 22nd, 2022
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Format: eBook, Paperback, Hardcover
Purchase a copy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
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Reading playlist:
This track is titled Wilderness Travel but for me it was the perfect starting music to accompany the early chapters of the book. Heroes of the Empire: The Cavalier is a slower paced political fantasy with lots of intrigue, plenty of violence, and a complex cast of characters. It’s a thick book with multiple perspectives but it only takes a few chapters to get acclimated to the world and figures at play.
Majority of the book alternates between two main characters. Natassa is a princess, daughter of a cruel emperor and herself a prisoner in the castle walls. Her father intends to marry her off for political advantage and Natassa is all but helpless against him. Velamir, on the other hand, is a student at the Chishman academy training to be an elite soldier for the Lord Prolus. Orphaned at a young age, Velamir is eventually reunited with his adoptive father and sent on a mission to infiltrate the Empire with three of his fellow graduates.
Medieval Fantasy Tavern is the main track I listened to for majority of the book. Once the introductions were out of the way I picked something with a bit more energy. The story itself starts to pick up as Velamir and the other cadets leave the academy and prepare to embark on their mission. The group’s dynamic is complicated by past history, mistrust, and even an (unrequited) love triangle. Meanwhile, Natassa is back in the Empire quietly doing what she can to subvert her father’s will.
Towards the end of the book the action really gained speed and I switched gears to a soundtrack with a lot more excitement. This one just complements the jousting tournament perfectly and carried me through the rest of the book. Our protagonists’ stories finally converge in the last few chapters but for now we’re left with a cliffhanger until we can get our hands on book two.
About the Author:
Israh Azizi resides in the land of ten thousand lakes with her family and five cats. Since she was a little girl she has been a lover of words and fanciful tales. It was her dream to one day share a story of her own with the world. With sheer determination, lots of love, and a decent amount of caffeine, she managed to make that dream come true. Besides reading and writing, she has a dizzying number of hobbies, some of which include bossing around her younger siblings, experimenting with new baking recipes, and playing board games with her family and close friends. When life’s plot twists don’t cross her path and her fingers aren’t dancing across the keyboard building a fantastical adventure, she can usually be found in a quiet corner with a good book and a steaming cup of coffee.
International Tour-wide Instagram Giveaway
Head over to my Instagram account @christinaa.abridged to enter the tour giveaway where three lucky readers will win a paperback copy of Heroes of the Empire: The Cavalier!
Giveaway ends March 25th, 2023. Winner will be announced on @mtmctours‘ Instagram account.
Tour Schedule:
March 13
@thereaderandthechef – Bookstagram & Book Blog
@readingwithshan – Bookstagram
March 14
@rozanne_visagie – Bookstagram & Book Blog
@katie.j.reads – Bookstagram
March 15
@dreaminginpages – Bookstagram
@carleys.cornerr – Bookstagram
March 16
@paperfury – Bookstagram & Book Blog
@dhirviepages – Bookstagram & BookTok
March 17
@dupuisshowreads – Bookstagram & Book Blog
@balancing_books_and_beauties – Bookstagram & BookTok
March 18
@christinaa.abridged – Bookstagram & Book Blog
@booktreasuresau – Bookstagram & BookTok
March 19
@lenslibrary – Bookstagram & BookTok
@mrskingisreading – Bookstagram
March 20
@anabellasbooks – Bookstagram & BookTok
@these.blank.pages – Bookstagram
March 21
@bookishy – Bookstagram & BookTok
@peruseapage – Bookstagram
March 22
@mtmctours – Bookstagram & BookTok
@old.enough.for.fairy.tales – Bookstagram
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