by Rebecca Yarros
Published
November 7, 2023
Pages
895 pages
Language
English
Publisher
Entangled: Red Tower Books
Kindle
$14.99
Hardcover
$17.48
Audiobook
$0.00
Audio CD
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Discover the instant #1 New York Times bestseller! TV series now in development at MGM Amazon Studios with Michael B. Jordan’s Outlier Society.
Accolades for Fourth Wing Amazon Best Books of the Year, #4 • Apple Best Books of the Year 2023 • Barnes & Noble Best Fantasy Book of 2023 ( Fourth Wing and Iron Flame ) • NPR “Books We Love” 2023 • Audible Best Books of 2023 • Hudson Book of the Year • Google Play Best Books of 2023 • Indigo Best Books of 2023 • Waterstones Book of the Year finalist • Goodreads Choice Award, semi-finalist • Newsweek Staffers’ Favorite Books of 2023 • Paste Magazine's Best Books of 2023 “The first year is when some of us lose our lives. The second year is when the rest of us lose our humanity.” —Xaden Riorson Everyone expected Violet Sorrengail to die during her first year at Basgiath War College—Violet included. But Threshing was only the first impossible test meant to weed out the weak-willed, the unworthy, and the unlucky.
Now the real training begins, and Violet’s already wondering how she’ll get through. It’s not just that it’s grueling and maliciously brutal, or even that it’s designed to stretch the riders’ capacity for pain beyond endurance. It’s the new vice commandant, who’s made it his personal mission to teach Violet exactly how powerless she is–unless she betrays the man she loves.
Although Violet’s body might be weaker and frailer than everyone else’s, she still has her wits—and a will of iron. And leadership is forgetting the most important lesson Basgiath has taught her: Dragon riders make their own rules . But a determination to survive won’t be enough this year.
Because Violet knows the real secret hidden for centuries at Basgiath War College—and nothing, not even dragon fire, may be enough to save them in the end. The Empyrean series is best enjoyed in order. Reading Order: Book #1 Fourth Wing Book #2 Iron Flame
In the riveting sequel Iron Flame, the world of Empyrean crackles with tension and allure. This captivating continuation of the journey delves deeper into the entwined fates of its compelling characters, challenging their resilience and determination. As the flames of destiny burn brighter, hidden truths and dark secrets are revealed, unraveling in unexpected ways.
Readers will be drawn into a world teetering on the edge of transformation, where every choice impacts a tapestry of power, loyalty, and the inevitability of change.
Characters navigate an intricate web of alliances and betrayals glimmering with unexpected twists. Themes of resilience and destiny underscore the characters' journey through uncertain paths. The story paints a vivid tapestry of intertwining fates and magical intrigue.
As the Empyrean universe expands Iron Flame draws readers into a world where every flame harbors a secret. Navigating the ever-volatile alliances the characters must confront lurking shadows and blazing challenges each revealing deeper truths and unprecedented power. Through intricate plots their destinies weaver closer not only to victory but existential revelation.
With loyalty tested at every turn the stakes in Iron Flame climb higher threatening to engulf everything in its fiery path. The protagonists are thrust into situations that compel them to question not only their beliefs but also the foundations of the realm they seek to protect. Ambitions clash amidst the blaze.
The narrative richness is heightened as each twist ignites new arcs within the tumultuous world. Readers are drawn into a tale where every character's decision triggers ripples spanning across realms binding them unwittingly to a shared fate. This unpredictability keeps readers thoroughly engaged.
Ultimately power shifts and alliances ignite unexpected outcomes. Through vividly depicted landscapes and deeply woven relationships Iron Flame captivates its audience with relentless momentum forging a thrilling narrative where each ember is a harbinger of a choice that could change everything. Transformations in belief or alliances carry an enduring impact on the unfolding saga.
Iron Flame's masterful storytelling captivates with seamless interweaving of destiny choice and consequence Each character's arc adds layers to the riveting fantasy landscape captivating readers from start to finish The world-building shines with vivid imagery and compelling lore immersing readers in a realm where every detail is meticulously crafted creating an enchanting backdrop to the high-stakes drama Complex characters and intricate plot twists intertwine with powerful themes making Iron Flame a standout addition to the Empyrean series Its exploration of light and shadow enriches the fantasy narrative.
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Based on 193558 ratings
11/13 FULL REVIEW: I don't even know where to begin. That ending has left me reeling. And I thought I knew what was coming because some *lovely* person on Goodreads thought to retaliate against the author by dropping a major spoiler with no warning to people like me, who were aimlessly scrolling, so for me to still be shocked and surprised is saying something. And just word to the wise: Be careful out there, folks! There are spoilers everywhere. 😒 Anywhoo...that's my rant. Now back to my review! Look, there's no surprise Fourth Wing and Rebecca Yarros has taking the book world by storm these past few months and I am LOVING it, okay? This love/ obsession/ hype is giving me all the nostaglia and throwing me back to my Harry Potter days twenty-six (🤯‼️) years ago. With me trying to get my hands on the physical books, the fandom going crazy over the series, the midnight release parties, and all the conversations spurred between readers and friends, it has been amazing to watch and to be apart of, and I am in love with the Fourth Wing Era we are in right now. There was something ✨️magical✨️ about my reading experience with Fourth Wing earlier this year. It was a combination of right book at the right time and it had me hooked. I was excited to get my hands on the sequel, but went into the book nervous it wouldn't hold a candle to the first one and I would be left disappointed because of my high expectations. Sadly, this book didn't give me that all consuming, unputdownable feeling I had with FW for the first 25% of the book and that is where my 4 star rating comes into play. I was easily able to read it, because I just think Yarros has this easy, flowing type of writing that even though not alot might be happening on the pages, I am still able to continue on without many delays in my reading time and I was reading this section of the book like I do a normal book. It just wasn't making me abandon all of my responsibilities and make it a top priority to read like FW did, if that makes sense. I think we could have shortened the first 200 pages to make the pacing of the book better overall. However, let me tell you! Once you get about a fourth of the way through, we get that spark and the twists start dropping and then I became hooked til the final page. And whew, that ending! I was on an emotional rollercoaster for the last 50 pages or so. I'm so paranoid about spoilers with this series, especially after my horrible experience,so I don't even want to say anything else about how I feel or what I am expecting from this series as we continue on this journey for fear of spoiling anything. Let's just say there are lots of theories and it has been fun being able to safely navigate through Instagram, Goodreads, and TikTok without fear of the book being ruined now, and I'd recommend if you want to read book 2, you better do it asap before something gets spoiled for you! P.S. Still loving the dragons. They are seriously one of the best parts of these books and world. I love their sass, their snark, and just overall, what they bring to the table. 🐉 I love Ridoc's sarcasm and it helped bring levity to the book in general. I really enjoy the side characters in this series and you get really attached to everyone making it enjoyable, but also nerve-racking. 😅 I can't wait for news of book three's release and I've seen articles stating she would let us know 2 weeks after Iron Flames release date, so one more week hopefully and we will know how long we will have to wait for it. Here's hoping it'll only be another 6 months or so and we can have book 3 in our hands by spring. 🤞 I know I'll be pre-ordering multiples this time around and not from just one site, because I don't want the stress of what I went through waiting on Iron Flame to arrive on my doorstep. 🤣 ****************** 11/12 : 🤯🤯🤯 I need some time to gather my thoughts. I did NOT see that coming.
I am so in awe of both "Fourth Wing" and "Iron Flame" that I thought I would sit here staring at a blank screen for a long time while trying to find words to express my respect for Rebecca Yarros, author of both books. I just spent 3 days reading them and the only reason it took so long is that one still has to bath, eat, water plants, feed pets and sleep though I did not do much of the latter. What writers call voice in both books is so very perfect that I immediately want to reread both books! The voice is fresh and up-to-date and modern even for the dragons yet fits perfectly into whatever period of time this fantasy took place but clearly when there were dragons! Before proceeding, however, I need to hyperventilate briefly. First of all, it is totally immature and so unnecessary for anyone to post a critical plot point in a review especially on purpose and without first posting a spoiler alert. This happens not only with these books but others as well. Doing so is just another, although minor, example of how Homo sapiens have free will which they unfortunately can and often do waste on trivialities. So, then, here is how I deal with the review situation. I do not read them until after I read the book, then I read them to see how others felt about the book. Since one needs to know what the book is about before purchase, then reading the descriptive paragraphs at the listing along with reading the free chapters Amazon thankfully offers at the listing itself will provide that. Thanks Amazon. Reading those chapters and the description plus checking the star/purchase numbers are good steps to take to avoid learning too much in a review prior to reading the book. The second rant has to do with plot. Let me assure everyone there are NO NEW PLOTS. People have been murdering people since the beginning of time. It is how the author takes a plot(s) and makes it her/his own that matters to the reader. It is doubtful anyone knows how many dragon/people/rider fantasy books are out there so in the end it is a personal opinion as to which book(s) one chooses to like. Having so many to choose from means some plot points will seem similar. For instance how many ways are there to shove a dagger into someone's ribs, a plot point in a massive number of books? This author knew how to handle the plot she chose and then developed with aplomb. Both books kept my attention fully--page after page after page. I so love both books. What is so outstanding about both is that we learn most everything we need to know about each well developed character, not by telling, but by showing through their actions and their sharp and sometimes witty dialogue. It is beyond skillful at how on point the conversations are not only between the humans but the humans and their dragons especially Tairn and Violet and with Andarna--such a cutie and definitely my favorite dragon. The growing relationship between Violet and Xaden is razor sharp and on point. Violet gets wonky with her "having to know all the truth up front demands" regardless of how Xaden has put forth so much effort to show her he cares. Everyone has secrets but a book needs tension to advance so whoa and hold on the tension builds and builds between those two. Xaden is my favorite character out of many favorites. Their arguments are worth "eavesdropping" on and their love scenes are well done (Chapter 48 is mentioned by some reviewers). In this book Violet, in spite of her fragile bones and smaller size but because of her iron will and cleverness, and all those who made it through First Year at the Basgiath War College (covered in Fourth Wing") are now Second Years. Third years like my favorite character, Xaden, have graduated out and been assigned to outposts outside Basgiath. Thus begins an every other week trip for Violet and Xaden, him with her one weekend, her with him the next weekend. This is so their mated dragons can have time together each weekend. It is also in this book that Basgiath and all the outposts are put in perspective regarding the coming battle. The 'revolution' becomes a much larger focal point and Violet learns about Xaden's connection to the estate in Aretia. One can already see by this point how hard it is to give this book the 10 star, 100% review it deserves! Just read it and see what I mean. It is one well-done, well written heck of a book and do not forget "Fourth Wing first!! This book covers in more detail wards, the reason for them and the ins and outs of setting them up and what happens when they do not work (descriptive details I liked BTW). Details regarding the approaching battle then the battle itself are incredible. I am skimming plot points here since others have covered them very well but there is a lot of stuff left hanging at the end of this book and the end itself will floor you. It is like learning to fly on your own and suddenly losing that ability and plopping onto the ground and then fighting to just take a breath. It is shocking, promise. When an author has done their job, the reader will fantasize about what may happen next but this book leaves so much stuff hanging that there has to be another book. My favorite character deserves a better ending--the last two chapters still has me plopped on the ground breathless. So here's a partial list of the left-hanging questions. What happens between Violet and Xaden after the battle's aftermath? What happens to Aretia? Will Andarna's newly acquired fire play a role in the future especially in helping to set up wards? What happens to Basgiath after the war? What happens about the new dragon hatchlings? Will Cat's crew of riders play a future role? And, BTW, how did Jack get the way he turned out? So very many unanswered questions in addition to many, many not covered here. So, then, Rebecca Yarros, listen up: We readers have to have another book--please, please and thank you!!
Calling Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros a thrilling followup would be an understatement because I was bated from the very first page! This one carried on where fourth Wing left off and explored the Empyrean further, new characters and surprising turns kept me totally hooked. Combining exhilarating action with heart-rending emotional depth, Yarros has woven each word of the story to make every moment feel real. The stakes are higher, the relationships even more intense and this series is heavy on character development. Duck and weave my way through an extremely engaging storyline — gasping, hooting and cheering to myself trying not making a scene! There were a few moments that felt drawn-out to the point of wondering if necessary, but such detail given towards spicing up this world and storytelling rightfully wins in exchange. Buckle up for an emotional rollercoaster, but trust me you won't regret getting on the ride. I cannot wait for the next book!