Last week, I reviewed the first four books in one of my favourite YA fantasy series, Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas (here), and I'm back with reviews of the final four books.
Today, I'll be fangirling over talking about Empire of Storms, Tower of Dawn, Kingdom of Ash, and The Assassin's Blade. I'm likely to get carried away as I'm a little obsessed with this series, so don't say I didn't warn you!
Empire of Storms
'I love you. I am in love with you, Rowan. I have been for a while. And I know there are limits to what you can give me, and I know you might need time-'
'I love you. There is no limit to what I can give to you, no time I need. Even when this world is a forgotten whisper of dust between the stars, I will love you.'
Plot: Aelin has made it home to Terrasen, but doesn't quite receive the welcome she deserves. A queen without a throne, she sets off with her court to prove she's worthy of her crown by continuing on their quest to stop the demon king, Erawan, enslaving the world. To stop him, Aelin and her friends must travel across land and sea, and through forgotten marshlands where monsters lurk to find the final Wyrdkeys and seek the answers they never knew they needed. But will their journey uncover more than they bargained for? Before everyone comes together, we also see Elide making an unlikely alliance with Lorcan as they both journey to find Aelin, who, surprisingly, proves to be the one you want nearby when the monsters start chasing you and you run out of linen for your period. Elide and Lorcan become a formidable team as they trek across the kingdom and hide out in the circus- but are they just allies or are Elide's street smarts and Lorcan's shirtless knife-juggling skills impossible to resist? Back in Rifthold, Dorian is all alone and struggling to piece himself back together after being enslaved by a demon, and get his head around being king when a surprise attack on the castle sees him at the mercy of the witches. Elsewhere, Manon finally goes head to head with her monstrous grandmother- but will either of them make it out alive? Lysandra proves herself a badass queen as she uses her shapeshifting abilities to wipe the floor with their enemies- and bring a certain blond to his knees. And fae warriors, Fenrys and Gavriel, are finally given more air time as Maeve orders them to find and kill Lorcan- but will they succeed? With war fast approaching, the characters will come together to find the keys, uncover ancient truths, and fight for their kingdoms, facing monsters, dark forces, and an armada of fae warriors. But will Aelin, Rowan, and their friends be strong enough to best their enemies this time, or is their luck about to run out?
Thoughts: This book had me on the edge of my seat with all its fast-paced action, brilliant battles, and shocking twists and turns, but I stayed for all the exciting new alliances, heartwarming and surprising romances and friendships, and witty humour. It's a fantastic read from start to finish, and it's one of those books I can't stop thinking about months after I finished it- mostly because of the cliff-hanger ending that's as shocking as it is sad. That scene on the beach still haunts me. There are just so many great characters, scenes, and sub-plots in this book that it's impossible to stop it getting under your skin. I adored Rowan and Aelin's bond as they grew even closer, learnt life-altering revelations, and showed their enemies exactly why you don't want to mess with them. Or be within half a mile of them when they get it on. I think I enjoyed Elide and Lorcan's partnership even more, and loved the way tiny Elide slowly began to tame the big grouchy beast with her street smarts and cunning plots while they pretended to be a married couple as they hid in the circus. Lorcan as a shirtless knife-juggling carny will be forever imprinted on my brain, and I'll never get over him sweetly cutting up his shirts for her to use for her period. *Sobs.* I loved seeing this softer side of him, and the two of them quickly became one of my favourite bookish duos ever. I love them! I also loved the relationship between Dorian and Manon in this book, and their back-and-forth as they flirted and seduced each other had me screaming. I was equally invested in Aedion and Lysandra's friendship, and couldn't help but root for them as they grew closer, too. The aftermath of the sea dragon scene, where Lysandra proves what a queen she truly is, was one of my favourites. It was also great to get more Fenrys and Gavriel scenes to get to know them a little better, and to meet some new faces (or old ones, if you read The Assassin's Blade first) as Aelin rallied allies for the war. While the ending wrecked me and made me fearful to read the next book to find out their fates, I loved this book so much, and it's full of pivotal moments for the series you won't want to miss.
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
Tower of Dawn
'Using the chair is not a punishment. It is not a prison,' he said. 'It never was. And I am as much of a man in that chair, or with that cane, as I am standing on my feet.'
Plot: After a major cliff-hanger ending in EOS, Tower of Dawn takes a break from Aelin, the cadre, and the main storyline, which I can only assume is because the author delights in torturing her readers. It instead follows Chaol and Nesryn as they journey to the southern continent of Antica to find a healer for Chaol's spinal injuries, and convince the Khagan royals to ally with Erilea in the war against Erawan and the Valg. Enter Yrene Towers (who you will recognise if you read The Assassin's Blade first), a gifted healer with a grudge against Adarlanian soldiers who is conveniently assigned to heal Chaol, the former Captain of the Guard. She refuses to go easy on him and they verbally spar day after day- with hilarious results- as they work to heal him. Much to Chaol's annoyance. Chaol is in a very dark place and has to learn to face his demons and find a way to navigate life with disability and chronic pain, while trying to win over the Khagans. But when dark forces start to chase Yrene, it seems the Valg have made it to the southern continent, and the two must team up to find the link between the healer's tower and the Valg before it's too late. Will they get to the bottom of it, and what might their quest for knowledge cost them? Meanwhile, with Chaol's attention elsewhere, Nesryn flies off on an adventure of self-discovery with the kind-hearted warrior prince, Sartaq and his giant eagle to get answers about the Valg to aid the war. Together they must face ancient fae-traps, risk their lives with giant demonic spiders, and uncover shocking truths that could change everything for Erilea. But will they make it out alive to tell Chaol and Yrene what they've learnt? And as Nesryn and Sartaq grow closer, and she sees more of his world, will Nesryn discover where she belongs and where her heart truly lies? Will Chaol ever walk again? Will he learn to face the darkness inside him? And how long will it take Chaol and Yrene to admit that perhaps they don't hate each other after all?
Thoughts: Tower of Dawn was probably my least favourite of the series, and it took me a while to get into as it started off quite slow, and I wasn't as invested in the characters as others in the series. However, I really enjoyed it by the end, and it's essential to the storyline, so you don't want to skip it or you'll be very confused in Kingdom of Ash. Many people tandem read it with Empire of Storms, to keep themselves interested, as they're set at the same time, which sounds like a more motivating way to read it. I couldn't tell you, though- I read it the regular way. It's told from three POVs- Chaol's, Yrene's and Nesryn's, and I particularly enjoyed Chaol's and Yrene's. I loved the verbal assault between Chaol and Yrene as they worked together, and how their relationship developed from enemies to... well, something entirely different. It was interesting to see Chaol learning to adapt to life with paralysis, and once he learnt to accept it, I found his outlook on life with disability inspiring. It was great to see a disabled main character portrayed in such a strong and positive light instead of just dying from illness, seen as someone to pity, or being used as inspiration p*rn. Despite the unrealistic fantasy healing of a spinal-cord injury, it was also wonderful to see an ambulatory wheelchair user portrayed, to help educate people about how most wheelchair users aren't paralysed, but rely on mobility aids as their pain and fatigue levels fluctuate from activity and flares. It's not something I've seen talked about much in fiction books, so it was positive to see that representation as Chaol's health improved. I also enjoyed Chaol's character development in this book as he finally faced up to his past and his self-hatred, and it helped explain his behaviour in Queen of Shadows. I was definitely back on Team Chaol by the end. I also loved meeting Yrene, and Sartaq for the first time, learning their stories, and discovering more of Nesryn's. The relationship which developed between Nesryn and Sartaq was so lovely and heartwarming, and the adventures that they went on were full of suspense. I could've just done without the giant spiders. Also, you'll learn something big about a supporting character in this book, and I was shocked, but somehow also not surprised at all. (Full review on Goodreads here).
Rating: 3 stars out of 5
Kingdom of Ash
One blink for yes. Two for no. Three for Are you alright? Four for I am here, I am with you. Five for 'This is real, you are awake.'
Plot: The epic conclusion to the series and an emotional rollercoaster of a finale. It's a race against time for Rowan and the cadre to find Aelin and save her from the iron coffin and horrific torture she's enduring at the hands of the evil fae queen, Maeve, and her sadistic minion, Cairn. While Rowan tears apart the world to find her with Gavriel, Lorcan, and Elide, Aelin is subjected to unimaginable pain, and Fenrys, bound by the blood oath and trapped in his wolf form, is forced to watch. Will they find a way to freedom before they break- or worse? Meanwhile, war has come to Erilea and everyone is fighting for their lives- but are Erawan and the Valg the only threats they must face? Can they take on their enemies and win? Will they find the final Wyrdkey and forge the lock before it's too late? And will Aelin ever make it home to Terrasen?
Thoughts: Told from no less than 13 POVs, this book follows all the beloved protagonists from the series as they fight for survival, and sees their stories wrapped up neatly in 980 pages. It sounds intimidating, but it was so good, I honestly wish it was twice as long. I couldn't get enough. It's an emotionally painful read at times, but it's also fast-paced and exciting, filled with funny and heartwarming moments, and all the bite-your-nails-to-the-quick-tension you could want. The torture and trauma scenes were hard to read and broke my heart, as did some of the deaths and strained relationships (Aedion, you idiot), but there were even more lovely moments that gave me all the feels, and plenty of hardcore fight scenes, too. There's also an epic race-against-time rescue scene on the battlefield with the threat of a breaking dam and it left me a white-knuckled, emotional wreck. It's one of my favourite scenes of the whole book. Aelin and Rowan and Elide and Lorcan were the stars of the show for me, but Dorian and Manon were both so entertaining and moving in this book (not to mention hilarious when together), and I love the bond that formed between Aelin and Fenrys after all they went through together. Yrene was an absolute queen, too, and I enjoyed the sweet stolen moments of happiness between her and Chaol in between battles. There's also a brief cross-over with Rhys and Feyre from ACOTAR, which was really fun to read, and I was so excited when Nox, Celaena's ally in Throne of Glass, made his return. I give it 5 stars out of 5, but if I could, I'd give it 10. Scratch that- it's my review and I make the rules here; this book is a 10. It's one of my favourites of the series, and easily one of the best fantasy novels I've ever read. However, I will forever wonder WHAT DID LORCAN DO?!
Rating: 10 stars out of 5
The Assassin's Blade
'When I'm scared out of my wits, I tell myself: My name is Sam Cortland... and I will not be afraid.'
'My name is Celaena Sardothien,' she whispered. 'And I will not be afraid.'
Plot: The Assassin's Blade is the prequel to Throne of Glass, and a series of five novellas that let you experience Celaena as a young, deadly assassin before she was sent to Endovier, and freed to be the King's champion. The five short stories finally let you see how some of her infamous adventures really went down, and how she came to know some of her old friends in the series. We see how she was abused and manipulated by the assassin master, Arobynn; how she fell in love with her first love, Sam, the betrayal that led to his tragic death, and the heart-breaking aftermath that changed Celaena forever. In The Assassin and the Pirate Lord, we get to see how she and Sam freed the slaves from Rolfe the Pirate Lord, and began to see themselves as friends. We learn how Celaena and Yrene first met In The Assassin and the Healer; how she saved Yrene from being assaulted, taught her her infamous self-defence moves, and gave her the brooch that changed her life. The Assassin and the Desert lets us see what happened when Celaena was sent to train with The Silent Assassins, and how Ansel of Briarcliff betrayed her. Then, In The Assassin and the Underworld, we see romance building between Celaena and Sam, her rivalry with the young courtesan, Lysandra, a near-drowning incident in the sewers, and Celaena unknowingly meeting Dorian and Chaol at a masquerade ball. The book concludes with The Assassin and the Empire- where both Sam and Celaena are set up and betrayed, leading to Sam's tragic death, a heartbreaking scene in the morgue, and Celaena being sentenced to slavery in the salt mines of Endovier. (Stock up on tissues- you will need them).
Thoughts: It was a harrowing but fun and exciting collection of stories that provided a new perspective on many of the characters in the series, tied up loose ends, and answered some burning questions the series created. It was interesting to see Celaena at 16/17 years old as such a violent and bratty assassin, and realise how much she changed by TOG, and how far her character had come by the end of the series. I particularly loved meeting Sam, and seeing their relationship blossom- even if I knew the novellas were counting down to his death, and it was one of the most heartbreaking things I've ever read. Seriously, I'm never getting over it. (Whyyyyy?) I also really enjoyed learning more of Yrene's past and how the two women crossed paths, and it was fun to read Celaena's adventures with Ansel and Illias in the desert, too. The only thing I felt was missing was a novella of her time in Endovier. I would've loved to have read about the day she snapped and killed a bunch of people as she tried to escape or seen her learning to survive there.
As it's a prequel, you can read this book at any point in the series after Throne of Glass- it was originally published after Heir of Fire (book three)- but I would recommend reading it last. You don't need to read it to understand the series, and ending the series by going back in time before it all began and learning these back stories was the perfect way to put it to rest. Except it just made me want to read it all over again, so it led to me rereading Throne of Glass before I let go. I've heard a lot of people have trouble getting in to this book, and I think reading it first could put you off continuing with the series, so at least read the first three books before beginning it.
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
So, there we have my low-down on one of the best fantasy series of our time. But don't take my word for it, go grab yourself a copy of the first book, Throne of Glass, and see for yourself why I won't stop raving about them. They're a Booktok favourite for a reason!
And once you've made it through all eight books, you're going to want to move on to A Court of Thorns and Roses, and Crescent City- two other fae fantasy series from Sarah J Maas, which she's beginning to intertwine.
Welcome to the Maasverse, guys! You're never going to want to leave.
Have you read Throne of Glass yet?
