Status
Available
Call number
Series
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Publication
Bloomsbury U.S.A. Children's Books (2014), Hardcover, 384 pages
Description
Royal assassin Celaena must travel to a new land to confront a truth about her heritage, while brutal and monstrous forces are gathering on the horizon, intent on enslaving her world.
User reviews
LibraryThing member A_Reader_of_Fictions
For more reviews, Cover Snark and more, visit A Reader of Fictions.
With Heir of Fire, I realized I was wrong about the Throne of Glass series. Not that I was wrong to think it was good. If anything, the opposite of that. It’s more that I realized that, even after Crown of Midnight, I sort of
The first thing you guys need to know is that Heir of Fire is a lot slower than I was anticipating. It’s over five hundred pages and they do not go incredibly quickly. For all that there was a lot of world building in Crown of Midnight, there is ever so much more here. Those of you who read epic fantasy novels know what I’m talking about; roughly the first half is set up for the latter part of the book. It’s like the first book in an epic fantasy series, even if it’s in the middle. I think the set up ends up paying off in this book and will pay off even larger dividends later, but it’s something to be prepared for.
The good thing is that by the Heir of Fire, I feel like my grasp on Maas’ world building is much stronger than it was at the end of Crown of Midnight. After CoM, I felt a bit awash, confused by the busy world building. Now, Maas is really tying things together and I’m starting to really get what she’s doing rather than just sort of shrug and keep going. Basically, the time she’s spending on world building is needed and useful. Also, though it is slow and dense, Heir of Fire doesn’t feel infodumpy to me. What we learn, the characters are learning and needed to learn.
Speaking of characters, there are a whole load of new ones in Heir of Fire. That was part of the slowness too. There’s a lot of time spent with Manon, this black-hearted, iron-toothed witch. Her sections were rather torturous for me at first, because I didn’t know her and I hadn’t bonded with her. I just wanted to get back to Celaena. However, Manon’s third person perspective gets really good in the end. My most emotional moment ended up occurring during Manon’s section, not Celaena’s, which I never would have predicted. As with everything else, my point is that Heir of Fire is worth it if you hold out and spend the time. Well worth it. Because wyverns.
You also need to know that there’s not going to be a massive showdown in Heir of Fire. There are definitely enemies to be faced and wars to be waged, but Heir of Fire is more setting the stage and moving the players than actually getting into that. The battles waged in Heir of Fire are primarily inner conflicts. Manon the witch is, without even realizing it, in conflict with a kinder nature than she’s meant to have and the expectations her clan has for her. Chaol’s torn between his duty to the kingdom, his desire to help Celaena, and his promise to his father. Dorian’s struggling with whether to resist or accept his magic. Celaena’s inner conflict is most obvious, as she’s figuratively divided herself into two. She is both Celaena Sardothien and Aelin Ashryver Galthynius. The problem is that she thinks of those identities as separate and not as parts of who she is as a whole. Without accepting both sides of herself, Celaena/Aelin (henceforth to be called by me Celaelin) will not have enough power to face what’s coming.
Speaking of Celaelin, I love her even more now than I did before. Though it’s third person limited, her sections pop with excitement no matter what she’s doing. Celaelin is vibrant and jumps off the page. What I like here is that we get to see new depths to Celaelin. We’ve seen her as the pretty girl who loves parties and dresses, a childish spirit with a love for candy, a fierce warrior and a true friend. Now we get to see her so intimidated by the pressure on her shoulders that she becomes a drunken, homeless wastrel instead of making a move. We see her so terrified that she pees herself. It’s a whole new Celaelin.
That said, Celaelin obtains a whole lot more power in Heir of Fire. An absurd amount of power. However, she works hard for every bit of it. Maas is very good about showing the training and the pain and the strain. The power feels earned and not like it comes to her easily, even if it is part of her nature. That does slow things down, but it was so necessary for Celaelin’s journey and for the reader to really get to know her and care about her even more. We also come to care for Rowan, her trainer, though I differ from the bulk of my friends since my new favorites characters are Aedion and Abraxos rather than Rowan. They’re all fabulous, but those two are where my feels really reside. Well, with them and Celaena.
So far as the romance, previously my favorite aspect of the series goes, there’s not actually too much of it in Heir of Fire. Celaelin and Chaol are apart and honestly not too sure how they feel about each other now. It’s not so much that they don’t think they love or at least loved one another, but that they don’t know if that means anything in the context of everything else and whether they can possibly be right for each other. Dorian has a romance, but I can’t say I ever got particularly invested, aside from being really glad that Maas seems to be moving him out of the list of possible love interests for Celaena. The romance could go anywhere and I’m really happy with that for the moment.
Heir of Fire isn’t the book I expected it to be and it’s got a slow pace, but I think that it’s the book that will turn this series from really good to incredibly amazing. Heir of Fire is a turning point and from here the scale gets so much more epic and dangerous. Prepare yourselves for Maasive pain, because it’s coming.
With Heir of Fire, I realized I was wrong about the Throne of Glass series. Not that I was wrong to think it was good. If anything, the opposite of that. It’s more that I realized that, even after Crown of Midnight, I sort of
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underestimated the series. I still thought of it as somewhere around a fantasy romance. In Heir of Fire, it’s clear that, though Maas likes romance and she know audiences appreciate it too, this is not just fantasy but epic fantasy. I think the broadening scope will be a surprise to many and ultimately an amazing thing for the series. Heir of Fire may not end up being my favorite in the series, but damn do I need the next book now. There will be spoilers for the previous books in this review, so keep that in mind.The first thing you guys need to know is that Heir of Fire is a lot slower than I was anticipating. It’s over five hundred pages and they do not go incredibly quickly. For all that there was a lot of world building in Crown of Midnight, there is ever so much more here. Those of you who read epic fantasy novels know what I’m talking about; roughly the first half is set up for the latter part of the book. It’s like the first book in an epic fantasy series, even if it’s in the middle. I think the set up ends up paying off in this book and will pay off even larger dividends later, but it’s something to be prepared for.
The good thing is that by the Heir of Fire, I feel like my grasp on Maas’ world building is much stronger than it was at the end of Crown of Midnight. After CoM, I felt a bit awash, confused by the busy world building. Now, Maas is really tying things together and I’m starting to really get what she’s doing rather than just sort of shrug and keep going. Basically, the time she’s spending on world building is needed and useful. Also, though it is slow and dense, Heir of Fire doesn’t feel infodumpy to me. What we learn, the characters are learning and needed to learn.
Speaking of characters, there are a whole load of new ones in Heir of Fire. That was part of the slowness too. There’s a lot of time spent with Manon, this black-hearted, iron-toothed witch. Her sections were rather torturous for me at first, because I didn’t know her and I hadn’t bonded with her. I just wanted to get back to Celaena. However, Manon’s third person perspective gets really good in the end. My most emotional moment ended up occurring during Manon’s section, not Celaena’s, which I never would have predicted. As with everything else, my point is that Heir of Fire is worth it if you hold out and spend the time. Well worth it. Because wyverns.
You also need to know that there’s not going to be a massive showdown in Heir of Fire. There are definitely enemies to be faced and wars to be waged, but Heir of Fire is more setting the stage and moving the players than actually getting into that. The battles waged in Heir of Fire are primarily inner conflicts. Manon the witch is, without even realizing it, in conflict with a kinder nature than she’s meant to have and the expectations her clan has for her. Chaol’s torn between his duty to the kingdom, his desire to help Celaena, and his promise to his father. Dorian’s struggling with whether to resist or accept his magic. Celaena’s inner conflict is most obvious, as she’s figuratively divided herself into two. She is both Celaena Sardothien and Aelin Ashryver Galthynius. The problem is that she thinks of those identities as separate and not as parts of who she is as a whole. Without accepting both sides of herself, Celaena/Aelin (henceforth to be called by me Celaelin) will not have enough power to face what’s coming.
Speaking of Celaelin, I love her even more now than I did before. Though it’s third person limited, her sections pop with excitement no matter what she’s doing. Celaelin is vibrant and jumps off the page. What I like here is that we get to see new depths to Celaelin. We’ve seen her as the pretty girl who loves parties and dresses, a childish spirit with a love for candy, a fierce warrior and a true friend. Now we get to see her so intimidated by the pressure on her shoulders that she becomes a drunken, homeless wastrel instead of making a move. We see her so terrified that she pees herself. It’s a whole new Celaelin.
That said, Celaelin obtains a whole lot more power in Heir of Fire. An absurd amount of power. However, she works hard for every bit of it. Maas is very good about showing the training and the pain and the strain. The power feels earned and not like it comes to her easily, even if it is part of her nature. That does slow things down, but it was so necessary for Celaelin’s journey and for the reader to really get to know her and care about her even more. We also come to care for Rowan, her trainer, though I differ from the bulk of my friends since my new favorites characters are Aedion and Abraxos rather than Rowan. They’re all fabulous, but those two are where my feels really reside. Well, with them and Celaena.
So far as the romance, previously my favorite aspect of the series goes, there’s not actually too much of it in Heir of Fire. Celaelin and Chaol are apart and honestly not too sure how they feel about each other now. It’s not so much that they don’t think they love or at least loved one another, but that they don’t know if that means anything in the context of everything else and whether they can possibly be right for each other. Dorian has a romance, but I can’t say I ever got particularly invested, aside from being really glad that Maas seems to be moving him out of the list of possible love interests for Celaena. The romance could go anywhere and I’m really happy with that for the moment.
Heir of Fire isn’t the book I expected it to be and it’s got a slow pace, but I think that it’s the book that will turn this series from really good to incredibly amazing. Heir of Fire is a turning point and from here the scale gets so much more epic and dangerous. Prepare yourselves for Maasive pain, because it’s coming.
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LibraryThing member Yogiboo
Well maybe she could have drawn out this book for longer. Yes sarcasm buf honestly this book was slow moving and dull in so many places. The witches especially. Even character seems to become moral and strong at the same time or they are all weak and indecisive. I think she needed to ensure another
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book deal but could have concluded it in this book. Nof impressed! Show Less
LibraryThing member wyvernfriend
Celaena has to try to find more help to defeat the king, to gain her throne. A throne she doesn't really want but realises that she will have to take for the sake of everyone. The King is using dark magic, Dorian is trying to discover more about his own abilities and everything is in flux.
I thought
I did find it a bit confusing as well as it has been a while since the last book in the series and I was somewhat lost with what was going on, but I caught up eventually. I do want to know what is going on and what is going to happen, but I'm not sure about my reading stamina with it. I really want occasional refreshers on what has gone before.
I thought
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this was the end of the trilogy, nope, part-way through and I realised that there weren't enough loose ends heading for tied up, there were ends forming as the book was progressing and more plots and complications finding paths through. I did find it a bit confusing as well as it has been a while since the last book in the series and I was somewhat lost with what was going on, but I caught up eventually. I do want to know what is going on and what is going to happen, but I'm not sure about my reading stamina with it. I really want occasional refreshers on what has gone before.
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LibraryThing member brandileigh2003
I wanted to read Heir of Fire because I really enjoyed the first two and really wanted to know what would happen with Celaena next. I love her with Chaol, but I also liked the scenes with her and Dorian so I am a bit torn there. I miss Nehemiah right along with C and am very wary of her chasing
We meet some new characters in this one as well as getting a different look at some old faves. I don't remember the last books being 3rd POV but it works for this one because of how it is tying so many things together. Although we don't stay exclusively with C in this one, I tolerated the other views because it gave me insight into what is going on with Chaol and Dorian while she is off.
Even though I skimmed a recap on Recaptains, I was still a bit lost. There was some really good and naturally incorporated recap in the first part, but I am just a little scatterbrained (okay, you got me, its a LOT) so I have a hard time with recall. It did effect my reading experience a bit for the first 10% or so and then I just kinda forgot or filled in pieces enough to really be immersed into the story. I admit though the witch POV in this one wasn't exactly my thing, but I did come to like her especially when the Abraxos wyvern plot came into play.
Rowan. Wow, Rowan. He infuriated me at first, just as he did Celeana who others call Aelin because of the whopper that was the end of Crown. But as the layers came back some while he was working with her, I came to like him more and more. There was some chemistry at times between them I though and then other times it was more like brother sister bickering but also the connection. So, speaking of this... I think that Dorian is out of the picture based on the ending of last book, and I am totally not sure about her and Chaol because of the ending of Crown again, but as much as she thought of him, I would say that he's still in the running. So it is a love square, or I guess a triangle again, since we're not sure about Rowan if he's more of a bro or possible love interest. I hope that this is solved, but another part is kind of savoring the build up.
A lot happened in this one, throwing more monkey wrenches into the plot but other things are starting to come together. Though I know this is only the third book out of 6 possibly 7, so that would account for some of the moving parts that are setting up instead of giving us revelation or answers just yet.
And holy explosive ending. So much happened, some of which left my mouth dropped to the floor and other that made me want to cheer because of the character growth and how they started to stand up for themselves, or begin to see the light about certain events and their responsibilities. I will be continuing this series and can't wait to read more. Hopefully with a bit more recap next time, lol.
Bottom Line: A bit harder in beginning to get into, but fell for Celeana plus other characters again.
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revenge and what that will take her into. We meet some new characters in this one as well as getting a different look at some old faves. I don't remember the last books being 3rd POV but it works for this one because of how it is tying so many things together. Although we don't stay exclusively with C in this one, I tolerated the other views because it gave me insight into what is going on with Chaol and Dorian while she is off.
Even though I skimmed a recap on Recaptains, I was still a bit lost. There was some really good and naturally incorporated recap in the first part, but I am just a little scatterbrained (okay, you got me, its a LOT) so I have a hard time with recall. It did effect my reading experience a bit for the first 10% or so and then I just kinda forgot or filled in pieces enough to really be immersed into the story. I admit though the witch POV in this one wasn't exactly my thing, but I did come to like her especially when the Abraxos wyvern plot came into play.
Rowan. Wow, Rowan. He infuriated me at first, just as he did Celeana who others call Aelin because of the whopper that was the end of Crown. But as the layers came back some while he was working with her, I came to like him more and more. There was some chemistry at times between them I though and then other times it was more like brother sister bickering but also the connection. So, speaking of this... I think that Dorian is out of the picture based on the ending of last book, and I am totally not sure about her and Chaol because of the ending of Crown again, but as much as she thought of him, I would say that he's still in the running. So it is a love square, or I guess a triangle again, since we're not sure about Rowan if he's more of a bro or possible love interest. I hope that this is solved, but another part is kind of savoring the build up.
A lot happened in this one, throwing more monkey wrenches into the plot but other things are starting to come together. Though I know this is only the third book out of 6 possibly 7, so that would account for some of the moving parts that are setting up instead of giving us revelation or answers just yet.
And holy explosive ending. So much happened, some of which left my mouth dropped to the floor and other that made me want to cheer because of the character growth and how they started to stand up for themselves, or begin to see the light about certain events and their responsibilities. I will be continuing this series and can't wait to read more. Hopefully with a bit more recap next time, lol.
Bottom Line: A bit harder in beginning to get into, but fell for Celeana plus other characters again.
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LibraryThing member shelleyraec
Pushed into a corner by the tragic events that concluded Crown of Midnight Celaena Sardothien is forced to face her past and embrace her future as Queen Aelin Galathynius in Heir of Fire, the third exciting installment of the Throne of Glass series from Sarah J Maas.
At just over 550 pages, Heir of
Though sent to Wendlyn by King Ardalan to assassinate the Ashryver royal family, Celaena, mourning the loss of Nehemia and the end of her relationship with Chaol, has her own agenda. She needs to confront Queen Maeve and convince her to help Celaena to destroy the King, or at the very least answer some of the many questions she has about the Wyrdkeys and her family. Maeve however will not entertain her niece until she has an idea of her worth and insists she proves her mettle by training at Mistwood, under the supervision of Maeve’s blood servant, fae warrior and prince, Rowan Whitethorn. And as Celaena works to control her magic at the remote demi-fae haven, King Ardalan makes his first move…
In confronting Queen Maeve, Caelaena earns herself a new ally in Rowan. It is not an easy relationship to begin with and later its boundaries are a little hard to define but I loved it. Rowan is exactly what Celaena needs to help her move past the self pity and stand up for all that has been lost.
While Celaena is absent from the Ardalan court, Dorian and Chaol struggle with what they have learned about the King. Chaol is faced with some difficult issues about trust, loyalty and friendship in his quest to protect Celaena. Meanwhile Dorian finally loses his heart, but in doing so risks losing everything.
The introduction of Manon Blackbeak, a fearsome witch readying herself and her kind for battle on the side of the King, was initially an unwelcome distraction, but I eventually found myself intrigued by her story. It is obvious Manon will play a crucial role in the battle to come and I look forward to witnessing it.
I have really been loving this series, I’ve become totally invested in the characters and lost in Maas’s world of magic and intrigue. I am assuming that the next book will be last in this series (though there is potential to drag it out) – I am both eagerly looking forward to its release and simultaneously dreading the approach of the series end.
At just over 550 pages, Heir of
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Fire is quite an epic with a stronger focus on character development and insight than story, though it still offers plenty of intrigue, danger, fast paced action and a touch of romance.Though sent to Wendlyn by King Ardalan to assassinate the Ashryver royal family, Celaena, mourning the loss of Nehemia and the end of her relationship with Chaol, has her own agenda. She needs to confront Queen Maeve and convince her to help Celaena to destroy the King, or at the very least answer some of the many questions she has about the Wyrdkeys and her family. Maeve however will not entertain her niece until she has an idea of her worth and insists she proves her mettle by training at Mistwood, under the supervision of Maeve’s blood servant, fae warrior and prince, Rowan Whitethorn. And as Celaena works to control her magic at the remote demi-fae haven, King Ardalan makes his first move…
In confronting Queen Maeve, Caelaena earns herself a new ally in Rowan. It is not an easy relationship to begin with and later its boundaries are a little hard to define but I loved it. Rowan is exactly what Celaena needs to help her move past the self pity and stand up for all that has been lost.
While Celaena is absent from the Ardalan court, Dorian and Chaol struggle with what they have learned about the King. Chaol is faced with some difficult issues about trust, loyalty and friendship in his quest to protect Celaena. Meanwhile Dorian finally loses his heart, but in doing so risks losing everything.
The introduction of Manon Blackbeak, a fearsome witch readying herself and her kind for battle on the side of the King, was initially an unwelcome distraction, but I eventually found myself intrigued by her story. It is obvious Manon will play a crucial role in the battle to come and I look forward to witnessing it.
I have really been loving this series, I’ve become totally invested in the characters and lost in Maas’s world of magic and intrigue. I am assuming that the next book will be last in this series (though there is potential to drag it out) – I am both eagerly looking forward to its release and simultaneously dreading the approach of the series end.
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LibraryThing member stefferoo
Few subsequent installments in a Young Adult series have lived up to the bar set by their first books, so color me impressed by the way Heir of Fire has managed to do this while at the same time helping me get over the bad taste that Crown of Midnight left in my mouth.
This is going to be a
Not only has Heir of Fire sparked my enthusiasm to follow Celaena on her adventures again, it’s also now my favorite book of this series. I noted as well that this third book was remarkably light on relationship drama and all that bullshit. Coincidence? Probably not. The incessant shoving of an unimaginative, hackneyed romantic side-plot down my throat in Crown of Midnight was what almost made me lose my patience with that last book. It’s a welcome change to be somewhat free of that stuff this time around, and I’m glad Heir of Fire switched gears to focus on more action and rigorous story-development.
Of course, there were a few close calls with Rowan Whitethorn, introduced here as the warrior tasked by the Fae-Queen Maeve to train and guide Celaena to control her magic, but Celaena thankfully manages to remember that the remains of her poor and battered broken heart still technically belongs to someone else. I honestly thought Rowan would be yet another blip in the long line of male-mentors-to-YA-female-protagonists, but rescued from being labeled as yet another possible love interest (boring!), he actually ends up becoming a formidable mentor, ally, and friend to Celaena (much more interesting!) Getting to that point was also quite the journey, their interactions punctuated by ups and downs, but then some of the strongest and most loyal partnerships are forged in this manner.
Back in Adarlan we also have a couple storylines threaded with mystery and intrigue, as Chaol does some sleuthing and uncovers several important revelations about Aedion, the newly arrived general at the royal court. Meanwhile, Prince Dorian struggles with his own secret, one that could cost him his life if his father the king ever found out about it. He strikes up a friendship and later a romance with a palace healer who tries to help him. It would cheapen the experience to give way any more detail than that, but suffice to say, both Chaol and Dorian’s storylines ended up converging in a shocking, gut wrenching climax that seriously knocked me for a loop. Looks like things in this series has started moving away from the predictable throwaway elements, and is instead focusing on working in bolder and weightier developments that might actually cause major ripples further down the road.
It also wouldn’t be right to talk about this book without mentioning the Manon Blackbeak, another character who makes her first appearance in Heir of Fire. The King of Adarlan’s latest plans for domination involve Manon and her people, the wyvern-riding witches. Vicious, bloodthirsty and completely determined to prove herself as the most capable Wing Leader, Manon became an instant favorite, despite her role thus far as an accessory to a tyrant. I loved the side story in here of how she ended up with her wyvern – kind of like How to Train Your Dragon, except considerably less heartwarming and with 500% more brutality. But the bond between rider and mount is well-written and convincing, and the circumstances behind how Manon actually ended up with her wyvern made for an amazing sequence, and it’s one of my favorite scenes in the book.
This one’s much longer book than its two predecessors, but almost everything in the story was important, with hardly any dithering around. It’s a step up from both Throne of Glass and Crown of Midnight, dealing with heavier and more developed themes. We also go deeper into each character, with the new players like Rowan, Aedion and Manon getting the introductions they deserve, and even familiar characters like Celaena, Chaol and Dorian getting much love and attention from the author when it comes to building up their stories and personalities. So whaddya know, looks like a series can indeed mature with time and subsequent novels, and Heir of Fire is exemplary.
This is going to be a
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difficult review to write without stomping all over spoiler territory for the previous books, but I’ll do my best not to divulge anything beyond what’s already in the book’s description. So much has happened in the series since the beginning. We last left Celaena on a ship bound for Wendlyn, sent there by her former lover and captain of the King’s Guard Chaol Westfall. Significant events as of late have also marked Wendlyn as her destination for answers to her past, and a way to thwart the King of Adarlan’s nefarious plans.Not only has Heir of Fire sparked my enthusiasm to follow Celaena on her adventures again, it’s also now my favorite book of this series. I noted as well that this third book was remarkably light on relationship drama and all that bullshit. Coincidence? Probably not. The incessant shoving of an unimaginative, hackneyed romantic side-plot down my throat in Crown of Midnight was what almost made me lose my patience with that last book. It’s a welcome change to be somewhat free of that stuff this time around, and I’m glad Heir of Fire switched gears to focus on more action and rigorous story-development.
Of course, there were a few close calls with Rowan Whitethorn, introduced here as the warrior tasked by the Fae-Queen Maeve to train and guide Celaena to control her magic, but Celaena thankfully manages to remember that the remains of her poor and battered broken heart still technically belongs to someone else. I honestly thought Rowan would be yet another blip in the long line of male-mentors-to-YA-female-protagonists, but rescued from being labeled as yet another possible love interest (boring!), he actually ends up becoming a formidable mentor, ally, and friend to Celaena (much more interesting!) Getting to that point was also quite the journey, their interactions punctuated by ups and downs, but then some of the strongest and most loyal partnerships are forged in this manner.
Back in Adarlan we also have a couple storylines threaded with mystery and intrigue, as Chaol does some sleuthing and uncovers several important revelations about Aedion, the newly arrived general at the royal court. Meanwhile, Prince Dorian struggles with his own secret, one that could cost him his life if his father the king ever found out about it. He strikes up a friendship and later a romance with a palace healer who tries to help him. It would cheapen the experience to give way any more detail than that, but suffice to say, both Chaol and Dorian’s storylines ended up converging in a shocking, gut wrenching climax that seriously knocked me for a loop. Looks like things in this series has started moving away from the predictable throwaway elements, and is instead focusing on working in bolder and weightier developments that might actually cause major ripples further down the road.
It also wouldn’t be right to talk about this book without mentioning the Manon Blackbeak, another character who makes her first appearance in Heir of Fire. The King of Adarlan’s latest plans for domination involve Manon and her people, the wyvern-riding witches. Vicious, bloodthirsty and completely determined to prove herself as the most capable Wing Leader, Manon became an instant favorite, despite her role thus far as an accessory to a tyrant. I loved the side story in here of how she ended up with her wyvern – kind of like How to Train Your Dragon, except considerably less heartwarming and with 500% more brutality. But the bond between rider and mount is well-written and convincing, and the circumstances behind how Manon actually ended up with her wyvern made for an amazing sequence, and it’s one of my favorite scenes in the book.
This one’s much longer book than its two predecessors, but almost everything in the story was important, with hardly any dithering around. It’s a step up from both Throne of Glass and Crown of Midnight, dealing with heavier and more developed themes. We also go deeper into each character, with the new players like Rowan, Aedion and Manon getting the introductions they deserve, and even familiar characters like Celaena, Chaol and Dorian getting much love and attention from the author when it comes to building up their stories and personalities. So whaddya know, looks like a series can indeed mature with time and subsequent novels, and Heir of Fire is exemplary.
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LibraryThing member MattM50
In the third of the Throne of Glass series, main character Celaena is beset with many difficult challenges in the face of a growing evil back in her homeland. In this novel, Celaena struggles to come to grips with her dual identities of human master assassin Celaena and an Elf, heir to a throne
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long destroyed by the evil tyrant whom she now calls master. Being across the sea and away from the evil King's land, she finds herself capable of now transforming between her human and elf self. But just because she can transform, does not mean she has the will, or control to do so. In this novel we see Celaena struggle with her responsibilities as the last heir of a dead throne and potential leader of a rebellion growing back in her homeland. The freedom that once came from being the human assassin has lost it's luster as she comes to realize there is only so far you can run before you have to turn and fight. But fighting is't as easy when you have no control over something that could change the tide in any battle. Overall the central theme of this book centers around responsibilities that we both take on and ones that are thrust upon us and how we handle them. All in all this book was very good if a little slow at times. The chapters not centered around Celaena were interesting though they could get boring after a while when we didn't get back to Celaena's own story in time. Show Less
LibraryThing member Mirandalg14
This book had a bit of a different feel to it than the others. I know there have been multiple story lines before, but this one felt like it could almost be 3 separate books as the story lines were so independent of each other. I especially enjoyed the story of Manon and the witches, and I could
A great continuation to the story, but there better be more as they still haven't defeated the King and tied up all the loose ends. How many love interests can one girl have? And where are the witches coming into play here? I need to have that all wrapped up to be perfectly happy with this.
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have read an entire book about her without having to go back to the other threads. Her parts were just too short for me. I found myself becoming just a little bored with Chaol and his story, although it picked up towards the end and brought it back together with the other piece. A great continuation to the story, but there better be more as they still haven't defeated the King and tied up all the loose ends. How many love interests can one girl have? And where are the witches coming into play here? I need to have that all wrapped up to be perfectly happy with this.
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LibraryThing member Kellyangel77
I LOVED this book. One of the best in the series so far - definitely because of the plot line, it's just getting better and better. My favourite part of this book though was Rowan and Celaena's relationship. They were so cute in a brother/sister way. Contrary to other reviews I did not think that
Apart from that the rest was fantastic, high violence, high drama and just all round excitement
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there would have ever been(or will be) a romantic side to their relationship. I just thought that Rowen's character was exactly what the story needed and was a welcome break to all of Celaena's other romantic interests. Most of the other reviews have pretty much covered my thoughts and the description of the book as a whole. Some parts worth mentioning - I also enjoyed the witch's point of view even though it was quite brutal. In this stage of the plot I can see how some people maybe confused why they were included at all - but I have a feeling that we will see more of the witches in the future book(s?). One part I would have liked to have seen was the outcome of Celaena and Chaol. Even though I said I enjoyed a break from them I kind of felt that that part of Celaena's life was very unfinished and needed dealing with. Just even some contact with each other to judge their emotions would have been good. It was just a little confusing that's all.Apart from that the rest was fantastic, high violence, high drama and just all round excitement
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LibraryThing member stameifuna
OH MY GOD!!!!!! SOOOOOO AMAZING!!!!!!!!!! This author truly has a talent for putting in perspective Celaena's self-pity and torturous yet conflicting emotions. At these terrible, wallowing-in-the-worst-points-of-yourself moments, I was kinda waitin' for her to jump back up and THWACK that jerk
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King!!!! At points it brought me to tears and at others... let's just say people in the Galapagos islands could have heard my brash, yet slightly wheezy, laughter! The book was seriously awesome... and yet, it definatly needs a pick-me-up afterwards. Celaena was actually making ME depressed when thinking about Nehemia. But it really puts into perspective what the author wants us to REALLY see about Celaena: she is human . I know that kinda sounds a bit wacko, but hear me out. When everyone was saying she was a monster, when she HERSELF was describing HERSELF as a monster, she was doing the most humane thing possible: blaming herself and grieving. Yeah, I know it went on for nearly the WHOLE BOOK, but it just goes to show how much she cared for her friend!! So don't mean and inconsiderate and think that she just NEEDED TO GET OVER IT, which she kinda did, but be thoughtful and think about WHY the author would write her that way. Soz for the long comment but this is a seriously good book!!! GO READ IT!!! Show Less
LibraryThing member JillKenna
Loved it and can't wait to start the next one!
LibraryThing member alsparks324
Celaena (Aelin) continues her quest to battle magic and unwordly forces to upset the King of Adarlan's plans. Fast paced and picks up where the previous book left off. Lot of action and intrigue as the plot thickens. This book leaves us ready for the fourth in the series and what appears to be the
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ultimate, final battle. Show Less
LibraryThing member Alissa-
Sarah J. Maas definitely does it again: the prose is elegant, the characters are fascinating, the plot flows nicely, there's some tying up of loose ends and the opening of new possibilities; you can really feel the story fleshing out and a broader destiny awaiting the protagonists. This book's
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theme is waiting and preparing, both for the characters and the readers, it seems, since the next one won't probably be due before a year or so. I liked Heir of Fire. The wait-for-more-part, which is deliberately intrinsic, is really its main downside. Show Less
LibraryThing member krau0098
Originally I picked this book up thinking it was the final book in the Throne of Glass series. However, it looks like there will be six books in this series (I am actually thrilled to find that out...I love this series). This was a wonderful, wonderful book.
Celaena is broken from the events in
Meanwhile in Adarlan we hear from Chaol, who is trying to figure out what one of the King’s generals, Aedion Ashryver, is up to. Prince Dorian is also still in Adarlan and fighting to control his newly discovered magic. We also meet a new set of characters led by the Ironteeth witch Manon, who is going to be part of King Adarlan’s evil army.
The book switches between a lot of characters in typical epic fantasy fashion, and this series definitely has grown into an epic fantasy of vast proportions. Mostly we hear from Celaena, Dorian, Chaol, Aedion, and Manon.
I still enjoy Celaena as a character. We learn an absolute ton about her past and I enjoyed watching her learn to use her magic. She is pretty darn whiny and self-pitying in this book, so that was a bit annoying. But she does grow some as the story continues.
More interesting than Celaena are some of the other characters we meet. Aedion Ashryver is truly fascinating, talk about a complicated history...he has a lot of backstory involving Celaena and is very interesting to read about. Then there is the Ironteeth witch Manon, at first I didn’t like her sections of the book...however her determination and fierceness really made her grow on me and ended up truly enjoying her as a character.
Of course there is Rowan the fae whose job it is to train Celaena. Finally we have a lead male who doesn’t take Celaena’s whining or her crap. I loved him to pieces. He is a complex, fierce, and absolutely intriguing character. Seriously let’s get rid of Chaol and Dorian and just keep Aedion and Rowan around...they are both way more intriguing characters.
There is a lot going on in this book. However the main plot revolves around Celaena trying to figure out how to break the King of Adarlan’s hold on magic and on King Adarlan trying to build an army to conquer the world.
The book ends at a good spot and given all the complicated developments and new characters introduced in this book I am incredibly relieved to hear that this wasn’t the last one in the series.
Overall a fantastic continuation of this series. The plot takes some amazing turns, the world building is fantastic, and we meet some truly fascinating new characters. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series when it releases. This whole series is highly recommended to fans of fantasy/epic fantasy.
Celaena is broken from the events in
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Crown of Midnight and has gone to the only place she can hope to to find answers about the King of Adarlan’s dark magic, Wendlyn. There she will meet the Queen of the Fae, Mab, and finally train to get her wild magic under control. Meanwhile in Adarlan we hear from Chaol, who is trying to figure out what one of the King’s generals, Aedion Ashryver, is up to. Prince Dorian is also still in Adarlan and fighting to control his newly discovered magic. We also meet a new set of characters led by the Ironteeth witch Manon, who is going to be part of King Adarlan’s evil army.
The book switches between a lot of characters in typical epic fantasy fashion, and this series definitely has grown into an epic fantasy of vast proportions. Mostly we hear from Celaena, Dorian, Chaol, Aedion, and Manon.
I still enjoy Celaena as a character. We learn an absolute ton about her past and I enjoyed watching her learn to use her magic. She is pretty darn whiny and self-pitying in this book, so that was a bit annoying. But she does grow some as the story continues.
More interesting than Celaena are some of the other characters we meet. Aedion Ashryver is truly fascinating, talk about a complicated history...he has a lot of backstory involving Celaena and is very interesting to read about. Then there is the Ironteeth witch Manon, at first I didn’t like her sections of the book...however her determination and fierceness really made her grow on me and ended up truly enjoying her as a character.
Of course there is Rowan the fae whose job it is to train Celaena. Finally we have a lead male who doesn’t take Celaena’s whining or her crap. I loved him to pieces. He is a complex, fierce, and absolutely intriguing character. Seriously let’s get rid of Chaol and Dorian and just keep Aedion and Rowan around...they are both way more intriguing characters.
There is a lot going on in this book. However the main plot revolves around Celaena trying to figure out how to break the King of Adarlan’s hold on magic and on King Adarlan trying to build an army to conquer the world.
The book ends at a good spot and given all the complicated developments and new characters introduced in this book I am incredibly relieved to hear that this wasn’t the last one in the series.
Overall a fantastic continuation of this series. The plot takes some amazing turns, the world building is fantastic, and we meet some truly fascinating new characters. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series when it releases. This whole series is highly recommended to fans of fantasy/epic fantasy.
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LibraryThing member kmartin802
I finished Throne of Glass on July 11, 2012, and Crown of Midnight on August 16, 2013 so I found myself floundering as I began reading this book. There were so many characters and not enough information to refresh my memory about earlier events. I did keep reading because there were some shining
My favorite pieces, and the pieces that ripped my heart out, were the sections where Celaena is trying to learn her magic, get over her crushing guilt, and overcome her sense that she is worthless. Personally, I think she is depressed but that isn't something that residents of her fantasy world would know. It was very interesting watching her relationship with Rowan change through the book even though it was sometimes the reason for Celaena's heartbreak.
Speaking of relationships, it was also interesting watching Manon form a relationship with her wyvern Abraxos. Manon was an interesting character to me because of her background as a witch and the way she saw herself, and valued herself, as mean, cruel, and heartless. It will be interesting to see how her story plays out in the next book.
While Celaena and Manon are far distant from each other, watching the stories of Darion, Chaol, and Aedion interweave since they are in the same physical location was also interesting. Chaol is the character who seems most ambiguous to me. I had a hard time figuring out what he was about. He seemed to be trying so hard not to commit.
I will be eager to read the next book in this series. I hope I don't have such a long wait!
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nuggets of beautiful writing to carry me until I caught up with the world. This book definitely reads like the middle book of a trilogy to me. Much of the action in the story is internal. Characters are growing and changing.My favorite pieces, and the pieces that ripped my heart out, were the sections where Celaena is trying to learn her magic, get over her crushing guilt, and overcome her sense that she is worthless. Personally, I think she is depressed but that isn't something that residents of her fantasy world would know. It was very interesting watching her relationship with Rowan change through the book even though it was sometimes the reason for Celaena's heartbreak.
Speaking of relationships, it was also interesting watching Manon form a relationship with her wyvern Abraxos. Manon was an interesting character to me because of her background as a witch and the way she saw herself, and valued herself, as mean, cruel, and heartless. It will be interesting to see how her story plays out in the next book.
While Celaena and Manon are far distant from each other, watching the stories of Darion, Chaol, and Aedion interweave since they are in the same physical location was also interesting. Chaol is the character who seems most ambiguous to me. I had a hard time figuring out what he was about. He seemed to be trying so hard not to commit.
I will be eager to read the next book in this series. I hope I don't have such a long wait!
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LibraryThing member mountie9
Wow this one was dark, really exciting and awesome, but very dark. I am not a huge fan of series dealing with the Fey, but I am so loving this one. Great character development, intriguing secondary characters and dark humour. Celaena is a truly intriguing and flawed character. Cannot wait to see
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where this series goes with the inclusion of Manon and Rowan. Heads up there is some content that might be too much for younger YA readers. Show Less
LibraryThing member wagner.sarah35
So, there's going to be another book, right? For some reason, I was under the impression the Throne of Glass series was going to be a trilogy, but I am certainly delighted to realize there must be another book in the works (at least!). The writing at times seems slightly immature and I had mixed
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feelings about the first book, but I have certainly fallen in love with this series and the characters. I can't wait to see what will happen next... Show Less
LibraryThing member DarkFaerieTales
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: Amazing book filled with action, suspense, and magic. I love this series and would highly recommend it to everyone.
Opening Sentence: Gods, it was boiling in this useless excuse for a kingdom.
The Review:
Warning if you haven’t read the previous
Celaena Sardothien is the King of Adarlan’s Assassin and therefore she has to do whatever he orders of her. Her current mission is to kill the king and prince of a neighboring kingdom in hopes of creating unrest. But Celaena has different plans that don’t involve killing anyone. She has finally decided to stop the king once and for all. To do that she will have to join forces with the mysterious elves and finally come to accept who and what she truly is. I love Celaena, she is one of those kick butt heroines that you can’t help but want to be like. She is beautiful, strong, and very intelligent, but she is nowhere near perfect. She has a lifetime of pain she has had to deal with and she has some scars that may never heal. She is very broken and lost in this book, but it was wonderful to watch her grow and finally except who she really is. I love her more and more with each book I read and I am sure that this will continue throughout the rest of the series.
Chaol is the Captain of King’s guard and best friends with Prince Dorian. He has spent years protecting his country and will do anything to protect the people he cares about. That is why he suggested the King send Celaena away; he knows who she is and what she is capable of. By protecting her he is betraying his king, but in his heart Chaol knows that it is time to choose a side and he wants to make sure it is the right one. Every time I think about Chaol my heart starts to beat faster. He is one of those men that you fall madly in love with because he is just so amazing. He is loyal, sweet, caring, and just all around perfect. He is easily one of my all time favorite book boys and that will never change.
Dorian is the Crown Prince of Adarlan and he just recently found out that he has magic in his blood. Magic has been absent in the land of Adarlan ever since the current king came to rule, and Dorian has no idea how he is going to learn to control his powers. It is extremely important that no one else beyond his small group of friends ever discover he has these powers or the consequences could be very grave. I love Dorian and I felt really bad for him. With the absence of Celaena and his now awkward relationship with Chaol he feels very alone and lost. He has so much he has to deal with and it was interesting to see how he handles everything. He is a great character and I can’t wait to see what happens with him next.
There were a few new characters that I am going to briefly mention because they were a big part of the story, but if I gave each of them a paragraph this review would be way too long. First up there is Rowan. He is an elf that is tasked with the job of training Celaena. He is the strong and silent type that has a million walls you have to break through to get to know him, but as the story progressed I really came to love his character. Next there is Manon. She is a member of the Blackbeack Witch Clan and she is a vicious character. You only get to see glimpses into her life and story, but she was an extremely interesting character and I am very intrigued to see what happens with her in the future books. Lastly, there is Aedion. He is part of the king’s army and is one of the last surviving heirs from the kingdom of Terrasen. At first he comes off as a cocky jerk, but as you get to know him you realize there is so much more to him then you thought. I think he is going to play a much bigger role in the upcoming books and I can’t wait to see what happens with him.
Heir of Fire was both amazing and slightly disappointing for me. I feel like I can’t quite judge this book fairly because I had ridiculously high expectations for it and it didn’t quite live up to them. The reasons my expectations were so high was because the previous book in the series, Crown of Midnight, was so phenomenal there are no words to explain how much I loved it. So following that was a big feat to take on and unfortunately, I didn’t quite get what I was wanting. But that doesn’t mean that this wasn’t a great read and a wonderful addition to the story because it was. I think the reason it wasn’t quite as good as I had hoped was because in many ways I felt like I was starting over. You meet so many new characters, and for the most part all the things I loved about the first two books were missing. Like the romance, there was very little romance in this one which made me really sad because Maas writes amazing romantic scenes. The other thing I really missed was the friendship between Chaol and Dorian. It’s not that they weren’t friends, but they just weren’t as close as they have been in the past and I missed that. Lastly, I missed the Chaol and Celaena moments. They aren’t together at all in the book and that made me really sad, but I hope that they will be reunited in the next book.
I am now going to stop talking about the things I didn’t like because for the most part this was an amazing story. While I didn’t like the feeling of starting over, I did love meeting all the new characters. They added a whole other element to the story and I can’t wait to learn more about each of them. Like in true Maas fashion she likes to take you on an emotional roller coaster ride in her books and this one was no exception. There were some horribly heart breaking moments and some super intense moments as well. The story was a little slow at first but it soon picked up and was impossible to put down. The world that Maas created is so magical and captivating it is hard not to get lost in it. While there were a few things that were disappointing this was still a fantastic book and I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book. If you haven’t started this series yet you really should, it is one of my all time favorites and I highly recommend it to everyone!
Notable Scene:
Manon walked into the field, sucking the blood off her nails as she went. She slipped through the grasses, no more than shadow and mist.
She found the farmer lost in the middle of the field, softly bleating with fear. And when he turned, his bladder loosening at the sight of the blood and the iron teeth and the wicked, wicked smile, Mana let him scream all he wanted.
FTC Advisory: Bloomsbury provided me with a copy of Heir of Fire. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: Amazing book filled with action, suspense, and magic. I love this series and would highly recommend it to everyone.
Opening Sentence: Gods, it was boiling in this useless excuse for a kingdom.
The Review:
Warning if you haven’t read the previous
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books in the series I would recommend you not read this review. While there are no spoilers for Heir of Fire, there are spoilers for the previous books.Celaena Sardothien is the King of Adarlan’s Assassin and therefore she has to do whatever he orders of her. Her current mission is to kill the king and prince of a neighboring kingdom in hopes of creating unrest. But Celaena has different plans that don’t involve killing anyone. She has finally decided to stop the king once and for all. To do that she will have to join forces with the mysterious elves and finally come to accept who and what she truly is. I love Celaena, she is one of those kick butt heroines that you can’t help but want to be like. She is beautiful, strong, and very intelligent, but she is nowhere near perfect. She has a lifetime of pain she has had to deal with and she has some scars that may never heal. She is very broken and lost in this book, but it was wonderful to watch her grow and finally except who she really is. I love her more and more with each book I read and I am sure that this will continue throughout the rest of the series.
Chaol is the Captain of King’s guard and best friends with Prince Dorian. He has spent years protecting his country and will do anything to protect the people he cares about. That is why he suggested the King send Celaena away; he knows who she is and what she is capable of. By protecting her he is betraying his king, but in his heart Chaol knows that it is time to choose a side and he wants to make sure it is the right one. Every time I think about Chaol my heart starts to beat faster. He is one of those men that you fall madly in love with because he is just so amazing. He is loyal, sweet, caring, and just all around perfect. He is easily one of my all time favorite book boys and that will never change.
Dorian is the Crown Prince of Adarlan and he just recently found out that he has magic in his blood. Magic has been absent in the land of Adarlan ever since the current king came to rule, and Dorian has no idea how he is going to learn to control his powers. It is extremely important that no one else beyond his small group of friends ever discover he has these powers or the consequences could be very grave. I love Dorian and I felt really bad for him. With the absence of Celaena and his now awkward relationship with Chaol he feels very alone and lost. He has so much he has to deal with and it was interesting to see how he handles everything. He is a great character and I can’t wait to see what happens with him next.
There were a few new characters that I am going to briefly mention because they were a big part of the story, but if I gave each of them a paragraph this review would be way too long. First up there is Rowan. He is an elf that is tasked with the job of training Celaena. He is the strong and silent type that has a million walls you have to break through to get to know him, but as the story progressed I really came to love his character. Next there is Manon. She is a member of the Blackbeack Witch Clan and she is a vicious character. You only get to see glimpses into her life and story, but she was an extremely interesting character and I am very intrigued to see what happens with her in the future books. Lastly, there is Aedion. He is part of the king’s army and is one of the last surviving heirs from the kingdom of Terrasen. At first he comes off as a cocky jerk, but as you get to know him you realize there is so much more to him then you thought. I think he is going to play a much bigger role in the upcoming books and I can’t wait to see what happens with him.
Heir of Fire was both amazing and slightly disappointing for me. I feel like I can’t quite judge this book fairly because I had ridiculously high expectations for it and it didn’t quite live up to them. The reasons my expectations were so high was because the previous book in the series, Crown of Midnight, was so phenomenal there are no words to explain how much I loved it. So following that was a big feat to take on and unfortunately, I didn’t quite get what I was wanting. But that doesn’t mean that this wasn’t a great read and a wonderful addition to the story because it was. I think the reason it wasn’t quite as good as I had hoped was because in many ways I felt like I was starting over. You meet so many new characters, and for the most part all the things I loved about the first two books were missing. Like the romance, there was very little romance in this one which made me really sad because Maas writes amazing romantic scenes. The other thing I really missed was the friendship between Chaol and Dorian. It’s not that they weren’t friends, but they just weren’t as close as they have been in the past and I missed that. Lastly, I missed the Chaol and Celaena moments. They aren’t together at all in the book and that made me really sad, but I hope that they will be reunited in the next book.
I am now going to stop talking about the things I didn’t like because for the most part this was an amazing story. While I didn’t like the feeling of starting over, I did love meeting all the new characters. They added a whole other element to the story and I can’t wait to learn more about each of them. Like in true Maas fashion she likes to take you on an emotional roller coaster ride in her books and this one was no exception. There were some horribly heart breaking moments and some super intense moments as well. The story was a little slow at first but it soon picked up and was impossible to put down. The world that Maas created is so magical and captivating it is hard not to get lost in it. While there were a few things that were disappointing this was still a fantastic book and I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book. If you haven’t started this series yet you really should, it is one of my all time favorites and I highly recommend it to everyone!
Notable Scene:
Manon walked into the field, sucking the blood off her nails as she went. She slipped through the grasses, no more than shadow and mist.
She found the farmer lost in the middle of the field, softly bleating with fear. And when he turned, his bladder loosening at the sight of the blood and the iron teeth and the wicked, wicked smile, Mana let him scream all he wanted.
FTC Advisory: Bloomsbury provided me with a copy of Heir of Fire. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
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LibraryThing member Ericanneri
If I could give this book all the stars in the world, I would. It was so beautifully written and exquisitely developed that I fell into the world of Throne of Glass. I practically devoured this book even though I had been in the middle of reading another book. The moment I got my hands on this one,
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I knew there would be no sleep. The character development is by far one of the best I've seen in a long time. New characters are introduced such as Rowan, the elven warrior, and the ties and bonds that forge are amazing. The raw emotion as tragic events pile up against them is so real and powerful. I was knocked off my feet by the turn this book took, it reminded much of Game of Thrones. My favorite book in the series so far and I think one of my favorite books of all time! Show Less
LibraryThing member cathishaw
I loved Book 1 and Book 2 of the Throne of Glass series. Typically for me I get bored of a series after the first couple of books but Sarah Maas has been able to enthrall me to date! I've been pleasantly surprised by the continuing character and plot development in this series. At present I'd have
Maas' ability to weave this tale continues to surprise me (in a good way!). I really have no critiques for this series - in fact, now I'm eagerly anticipating Book 4. I highly recommend the Throne of Glass series to anyone who enjoys Young Adult fantasy with strong female characters.
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to say it is my favourite fantasy series out there.Maas' ability to weave this tale continues to surprise me (in a good way!). I really have no critiques for this series - in fact, now I'm eagerly anticipating Book 4. I highly recommend the Throne of Glass series to anyone who enjoys Young Adult fantasy with strong female characters.
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LibraryThing member ellsie98
WHY MUST YOU DO THIS TO ME AGAIN, SARAH MAAS? This book broke my heart. Into a gazillion pieces. And then stomped on it.
All in one short chapter.
If you've read it, you know which chapter I'm talking about.
In all seriousness, this book only had one downfall - it made the others feel like
Having said that, the book itself I loved - the drama, growing sense of doom, the new characters (Sorsha, Manon, Abraxos, and ROWAN). All in all it was a great book, with a few good twists and a compelling storyline that makes me long for the next one!
All in one short chapter.
If you've read it, you know which chapter I'm talking about.
In all seriousness, this book only had one downfall - it made the others feel like
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exposition, and there was a lot of information revealed all at once; almost as if the author suddenly realised we needed to know it all so wrote a book with convenient plot points to reveal the information.Having said that, the book itself I loved - the drama, growing sense of doom, the new characters (Sorsha, Manon, Abraxos, and ROWAN). All in all it was a great book, with a few good twists and a compelling storyline that makes me long for the next one!
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LibraryThing member mtlkch
My favorite one yet. Loved Abraxos and Manon!
LibraryThing member dkgarner95
Oh. My. Wow. That was INTENSE.
LibraryThing member nbmars
Note: Spoilers Ahead for Books One and Two
This young adult fantasy series has the usual mishmash of familiar themes from other fantasies and dystopias, ranging from Harry Potter to the Divergent series to Hunger Games. But Maas takes these elements and adds remarkably original plotting, great
Book Three adds a couple of new plot threads to the series with the introduction of some additional main characters. One is Aedion Ashryver, the infamous General of the North for the King of Adarlan, and cousin to the mysterious heir to the throne of Terrasen, Aelin Ashryver Galathynius. We know from the previous book that Celaena is actually Aelin, but she has disavowed her identity and legacy, at least, thus far.
We also get to know Manon Blackbeak, heir to the Blackbeak Witch-Clan, who has been raised to respect only obedience, discipline, and brutality. Emotions like friendship, love, sympathy and empathy were considered anathema, so much so that the witches were taught they did not even have hearts. The witches were all summoned to the Ferian Gap to learn to ride the wyverns - huge and deadly dragon-like winged beasts created by the King of Adarlan to help him conquer the rest of the kingdoms. The witches and wyverns were to be the King’s aerial cavalry. When they completed their task, he said he would let them reclaim their ancestral homeland.
Each witch gets to select a wyvern, and Manon picks Abraxos, for whom she forms an attachment, even though she is reluctant to admit it.
Celaena, now at the fortress of Mistward to seek with Fae Queen Maeve, is met by Fae Prince Rowan Whitethorn, a nephew of Maeve’s who has sworn a blood oath to serve Maeve. Celaena, now called Aelin, wants to know from Maeve more about the wyrdgates and wyrdmarks, but Maeve refuses to answer until Aelin is deemed “worthy.” To that end, Rowan is charged with training Aelin to master her magic. Only then can Aelin enter Doranelle, Maeve’s home, and get answers.
Back at the Glass Palace, we meet Sorscha, a healer who helps repair Dorian’s heart. And we follow Chaol on his quest to become a man, by resolving his ethical ambivalence and choosing to work for what is right, no matter what that entails with respect to his previous commitments.
However, the King has gotten even stronger with the aid of evil beings from beyond the wyrdgates, and it takes the combined efforts of Aelin, now 19, and Rowan (very very old but, like all Fae, eternally young-looking and beautiful) to make a stand, an effort that reveals new truths to each of them. They also solve some mysteries about Maeve. But is it too late? Even Dorian can no longer hold back the King, and as the book ends, a heartbreaking turn of events ensues, and all of the remaining good characters are in incredible danger.
Evaluation: Maas impresses me a great deal. Each of her books in sequence has shown better writing, and a realistic treatment of character development. Unlike so many YA books, the characters don’t undergo sudden personality changes, but when they do evolve, they do so thoughtfully and after undergoing trials and tribulations.
Another impressive aspect of the series is that rather than triangles, the main heroine has a series of relationships with different people. She approaches each new possible liaison with good feelings from previous relationships and with a nice mix of wariness and eagerness.
Friendships between members of each sex, with the opposite sex, and even between members of different species, play a large role - another welcome feature.
Finally, the world-building is excellent, and is well-integrated into the plot.
This young adult fantasy series has the usual mishmash of familiar themes from other fantasies and dystopias, ranging from Harry Potter to the Divergent series to Hunger Games. But Maas takes these elements and adds remarkably original plotting, great
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characters who actually grow as the series progresses, and epic themes - in short, all elements of stand-out fantasy.Book Three adds a couple of new plot threads to the series with the introduction of some additional main characters. One is Aedion Ashryver, the infamous General of the North for the King of Adarlan, and cousin to the mysterious heir to the throne of Terrasen, Aelin Ashryver Galathynius. We know from the previous book that Celaena is actually Aelin, but she has disavowed her identity and legacy, at least, thus far.
We also get to know Manon Blackbeak, heir to the Blackbeak Witch-Clan, who has been raised to respect only obedience, discipline, and brutality. Emotions like friendship, love, sympathy and empathy were considered anathema, so much so that the witches were taught they did not even have hearts. The witches were all summoned to the Ferian Gap to learn to ride the wyverns - huge and deadly dragon-like winged beasts created by the King of Adarlan to help him conquer the rest of the kingdoms. The witches and wyverns were to be the King’s aerial cavalry. When they completed their task, he said he would let them reclaim their ancestral homeland.
Each witch gets to select a wyvern, and Manon picks Abraxos, for whom she forms an attachment, even though she is reluctant to admit it.
Celaena, now at the fortress of Mistward to seek with Fae Queen Maeve, is met by Fae Prince Rowan Whitethorn, a nephew of Maeve’s who has sworn a blood oath to serve Maeve. Celaena, now called Aelin, wants to know from Maeve more about the wyrdgates and wyrdmarks, but Maeve refuses to answer until Aelin is deemed “worthy.” To that end, Rowan is charged with training Aelin to master her magic. Only then can Aelin enter Doranelle, Maeve’s home, and get answers.
Back at the Glass Palace, we meet Sorscha, a healer who helps repair Dorian’s heart. And we follow Chaol on his quest to become a man, by resolving his ethical ambivalence and choosing to work for what is right, no matter what that entails with respect to his previous commitments.
However, the King has gotten even stronger with the aid of evil beings from beyond the wyrdgates, and it takes the combined efforts of Aelin, now 19, and Rowan (very very old but, like all Fae, eternally young-looking and beautiful) to make a stand, an effort that reveals new truths to each of them. They also solve some mysteries about Maeve. But is it too late? Even Dorian can no longer hold back the King, and as the book ends, a heartbreaking turn of events ensues, and all of the remaining good characters are in incredible danger.
Evaluation: Maas impresses me a great deal. Each of her books in sequence has shown better writing, and a realistic treatment of character development. Unlike so many YA books, the characters don’t undergo sudden personality changes, but when they do evolve, they do so thoughtfully and after undergoing trials and tribulations.
Another impressive aspect of the series is that rather than triangles, the main heroine has a series of relationships with different people. She approaches each new possible liaison with good feelings from previous relationships and with a nice mix of wariness and eagerness.
Friendships between members of each sex, with the opposite sex, and even between members of different species, play a large role - another welcome feature.
Finally, the world-building is excellent, and is well-integrated into the plot.
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LibraryThing member elizabeth1929
Wow...okay. I had mixed feelings about this book, so I guess I'll separate my review into two sections.
Heir of Ash
The first half of the book was incredibly boring. Well, it was okay, but compared to the first and second books, it really failed to bring much needed action. It took me forever to read
Heir of Fire
Now this was where it finally got interesting. When I reached the halfway point, I was constantly reading. It was so much better! It was so much more exciting, and things were finally picking up, and going at a much more desirable pace. This was the section where Celaena or Aelin finally embraced her destiny...and it was awesome.
I should mention that my opinion of Rowan changed dramatically between the sections. Mostly because I got to learn more about him. I also wished that Chaol and Aedion could have met Celaena in this book...ah well...
I can't wait to read the next book, Queen of Shadows!
Heir of Ash
The first half of the book was incredibly boring. Well, it was okay, but compared to the first and second books, it really failed to bring much needed action. It took me forever to read
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through teach page. Although I did get lots of character development, I still would have preferred more action. Heir of Fire
Now this was where it finally got interesting. When I reached the halfway point, I was constantly reading. It was so much better! It was so much more exciting, and things were finally picking up, and going at a much more desirable pace. This was the section where Celaena or Aelin finally embraced her destiny...and it was awesome.
I should mention that my opinion of Rowan changed dramatically between the sections. Mostly because I got to learn more about him. I also wished that Chaol and Aedion could have met Celaena in this book...ah well...
I can't wait to read the next book, Queen of Shadows!
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Awards
Best Fiction for Young Adults (Selection — 2015)
Language
Original publication date
2014-09
Physical description
384 p.
ISBN
1619630656 / 9781619630659
Local notes
Celaena must travel to a new land to confront the dark truth about her heritage that could change her life--and her future--forever. Meanwhile, brutal and monstrous forces are gathering on the horizon, intent on enslaving her world.
A massive disappointment. Fractured between several points of view, with some (i.e. the witches) just tedious to get through. A bridging book I guess.
A massive disappointment. Fractured between several points of view, with some (i.e. the witches) just tedious to get through. A bridging book I guess.