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Reviewed by Romuald Dzemo for Readers' Favorite
The Captive is the fourth book in the Heroes of the Empire series by Israh Azizi, but it can be read as a standalone novel. Honzio Hartinza has only one mission: root out all the traitors in the empire and rebuild. But he must first find his friend Svorgin, who has gone missing. So, leaving the empire in trusted hands, he sets sail across the dangerous Lagrima Sea to honor a promise made and free Savoria. He gets lost on an island, where he must hide his identity. When Saga Barindaughter meets a stranger on the shores of Savoria, she is unsure whether he is who he claims to be and whether he is sent by the emperor to save them. Something about him compels her to trust him, and she begins to hope. Can he really save her and her people? Meanwhile, Aria faces the most painful dilemma when a mission to reveal the queen’s betrayal presents a twist she never anticipated.
Israh Azizi has crafted a twisty tale brimming with suspense from beginning to end. The most captivating scenes are those following Honzio, who pretends to be someone he isn’t. I kept expecting him to reveal his true identity at any moment. The Captive presents rock-solid characters, from the emperor to the fighter allied with his cause. But the queen also grabbed my attention, and her quest for an ancient relic makes her even more dangerous. Aria’s journey was one of the most gripping, unwittingly fighting on the side of the enemy with some highly skilled warriors. The worldbuilding is superbly accomplished, and the power struggle in it creates ripples that move the story forward. It is a fast-paced and intricately plotted, engrossing tale.
