11 exciting new SFF releases that will blow you away in March
By Lacy Baugher
The Electric Heir – Victoria Lee
The second installment in Victoria Lee’s “Feverwake Trilogy,” The Electric Heir picks up six months after the events of The Fever King. Lehrer is now chancellor. Atlantians refugees are pouring into Carolinia. Everything seems as though it should be fine. But it’s not.
Six months ago, Noam Alvaro helped overthrow the government. But now finally remembers the truth Lehrer forced him to forget. And it’s that Lehrer is the one who brought all of this about, that he’s responsible for the magical plague that ravaged the country. Lehrer, the same man who is his friend, mentor and lover, at the moment. Noam wants to use his position at Lehrer’s side to resist from within, but Dara – who is, surprise, not dead, just without his witchy powers – has other ideas about what fighting back might mean.
The Electric Heir is a much darker novel than its predecessor. Fair warning: It touches on issues like grooming, attempted rape, alcoholism, gaslighting and trauma. But it’s also a story of survival, and the incredible strength it takes to face down an abuser, in whatever form they come in.
The official synopsis has lots of detail about the plot itself.
"Six months after Noam Álvaro helped overthrow the despotic government of Carolinia, the Atlantians have gained citizenship, and Lehrer is chancellor. But despite Lehrer’s image as a progressive humanitarian leader, Noam has finally remembered the truth that Lehrer forced him to forget—that Lehrer is responsible for the deadly magic infection that ravaged Carolinia. Now that Noam remembers the full extent of Lehrer’s crimes, he’s determined to use his influence with Lehrer to bring him down for good. If Lehrer realizes Noam has evaded his control—and that Noam is plotting against him—Noam’s dead. So he must keep playing the role of Lehrer’s protégé until he can steal enough vaccine to stop the virus. Meanwhile Dara Shirazi returns to Carolinia, his magic stripped by the same vaccine that saved his life. But Dara’s attempts to ally himself with Noam prove that their methods for defeating Lehrer are violently misaligned. Dara fears Noam has only gotten himself more deeply entangled in Lehrer’s web. Sooner or later, playing double agent might cost Noam his life."
The Electric Heir is available on March 17.
In praise of the refreshingly dark heroine of The Shadows Between Us. dark. Next
What are you planning on adding to your TBR pile this March? Let us know in the comments!