Iron Flame, Empyrean Book #2

SPOILER ALERT: I try, but I cannot completely avoid mentioning things in this post that might reveal secrets from book 1! Read with caution.

In the follow-up to her best-selling book, The Fourth Wing, Yarros returns her readers to the exact moment where the first book left us: with Violet, Xaden and their fellow classmates hidden away in a village that should not exist, recovering from a brutal attack that nearly claimed their lives, and wondering if they should return to Basgiath war college or stay in hiding.

Recent events have forced Violet to completely reconsider information she thought to be fact: that her country’s leaders were the noble and benevolent, that her family is broken beyond repair, and that her love for Xaden would never dim. Shocked and unsure about how she will move forward when everything she believes in has crumbled; Violet faces the challenges this new year brings, but does so while she battles with fear, uncertainty, and heartache.

When the group returns to the war college, they cause chaos with their (partially true) story of harrowing battles and miraculous survival. The powers-that-be who sent the squad into battle hoping they would all die are shocked and furious to find this band of rebellious troublemakers back at Basgiath; most of all the college’s cruel and vindictive new leader.

Fellow students are hungry for information that the squad cannot share without risking the lives of thousands, but Violet’s secrecy means she feels isolated and bereft without friends she can be honest with; knowing to share her story would mean they would all be in danger.

Furthering her sadness and confusion, Xaden has left college and been stationed far away in a dangerous part of the country and the military leaders are doing all they can to keep the pair apart. Of course, even when they are together, Violet’s mistrust of Xaden means that their passionate love has now dimmed, leaving them both heartbroken.

When it becomes clear that the real enemy intends to invade and kill millions, Violet, Xaden and the rest of the Fourth Wing must decide if their loyalty is to their government or to their people.

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros (2022)

Book #1 Empyerean Series

In all honesty, I resisted reading this book. Despite the fact that numerous friends told me to give it a try, I was dissuaded by the summaries of the book such as “game of thrones meets 50 shades of grey.” However, I finally checked it out of the library and read the entire book in one day.

In her home country of Navarre, Violet grew up the least-liked child of her mother (a high-ranking military official) and the sister of two other military heroes. All three of her family members are famed dragon-riders; warriors protecting the country from its power hungry neighbors.

Violet — small, clumsy, bookish, prone to accidents and injuries — assumed her future lay in another career and is shocked when her mother announces that she has been conscripted to serve in the dragon corps. Given Violet’s lack of athleticism, this is tantamount to her mother having her executed; the dragon corps is so dangerous that it is known for killing most of its students during training.

Against all odds Violet survives her first day, then her first week, and slowly learns to become a warrior alongside her classmates, many of whom are openly plotting to kill her for her mother’s role in executing their families.

When it is time to find and bond with the dragon that will become her lifelong battle-partner and protector, Violet has little hope of success. Eventually though, it is her grit and her willingness to defend the downtrodden — not her skills as a fighter — that wins her a dragon partner.

Now Violent has new problems: her dragon is linked to another fighter at the school named Xaden. Xaden is dangerous, violent, sexy and well-known for being the child of a man executed for treason by Violet’s mother. Sparks fly as the two try to decide if they are going to sleep together or kill one another.