Title of the book(s): Fourth Wing & Iron Flame

Author: Rebecca Yarros

Publisher: Entangled Publishing & Entangled: Red Tower Books

Publication Date: 2nd of May 2023 & 7th of November 2023

Genre: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy

Why I picked up these books:

Simple answer? Bookstagram made me do it!

I couldn’t open my Instagram, personal or otherwise without being bombarded by everything even remotely related to the Empyrean series. Not to mention the fact that every time I set foot in my local bookstore - it was everywhere. Posters, books with beautiful shiny covers, dragon bunting. 

Now normally I am not all that sensitive to the whole marketing hoopla, but I suppose this time it worked. And seeing as Rebecca Yarros can cram 2 substantial books into a single year (gods, woman!), I can write a review cramming both books into the space of one. 

About the author:

Rebecca Yarros is a hopeless romantic and coffee addict. She is the New York Times bestselling author of over twenty novels, including Fourth Wing, The Last Letter and The Things We Leave Unfinished. She’s also the recipient of the Colorado Romance Writer’s Award of Excellence for Eyes Turned Skyward. Rebecca loves military heroes and has been blissfully married to hers for over twenty years. A mother of six, she is currently surviving the teenage years with all four of her hockey-playing sons.

Synopsis:

Fourth Wing
Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. 
Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders.
But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away...because dragons don’t bond to “fragile” humans. They incinerate them.

With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter—like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant.

She’ll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise.

Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom's protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret.

Friends, enemies, lovers. Everyone at Basgiath War College has an agenda—because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die.

Iron Flame

Everyone expected Violet Sorrengail to die during her first year at Basgiath War College―Violet included. But Threshing was only the first impossible test meant to weed out the weak-willed, the unworthy, and the unlucky. 

Now the real training begins, and Violet’s already wondering how she’ll get through. It’s not just that it’s grueling and maliciously brutal, or even that it’s designed to stretch the riders’ capacity for pain beyond endurance. It’s the new vice commandant, who’s made it his personal mission to teach Violet exactly how powerless she is–unless she betrays the man she loves.

Although Violet’s body might be weaker and frailer than everyone else’s, she still has her wits―and a will of iron. And leadership is forgetting the most important lesson Basgiath has taught her: Dragon riders make their own rules. 

But a determination to survive won’t be enough this year.

Because Violet knows the real secret hidden for centuries at Basgiath War College―and nothing, not even dragon fire, may be enough to save them in the end.

Review of the book:

I honestly don’t think I have anything to say about both of these books that hasn’t been said before and much more eloquently at that. So I will try to keep this as short and as sweet as possible with two behemoths of books freshly on my ‘Read’ pile.

Do I think that these books are objectively good? Considering worldbuilding, pacing, characters, history, depth, magic systems, internal logic and any other plot devices that you could think of - not necessarily. Don’t get me wrong, some of these were outstanding, while others felt a little lackluster. Thus making for an overall, average experience.

Do I still think that these books are incredibly enjoyable though? Absolutely yes! 

There were just a lot of little hang-ups for me as I made my way through the books. Violet’s constant selfless acts which bordered on being an absolute doormat were downright frustrating at times. Woman, not everything that happens in the world, ever, is your fault or has even anything to do with you! Bad shit happens, whether you like it or not, deal with it.

The palpable angst in Violet and Xioden’s relationship didn’t exactly do much for me either. It was a bit too much YA, and not enough Epic Fantasy to my taste. You both have admitted (several times) there are bloody communication issues - so how about you get over yourself and work on that, if you want to continue being with each other?! Either that or finally admit that you may not be the right fit for each other (right now) and get on with it.

Finally, the smut that was dripping from certain pages - it’s not for me. I can see why some people like it though, and at least in that respect, felt like it was well written. Without the use of clunky metaphors or outright cringe-worthy nicknames for body parts and actions. 

The thing that constantly kept me on the edge of my seat though - was this incredible, vast world. The inner workings of the dragons and their Empyrean. The antagonists that even two books in, we know so relatively little about. Though of course, that is exactly what the powers at be always wanted and planned for. I have been scouring the pages, looking for the smallest crumbs I might have missed. Anything that could help me unravel what is to come in a good 12 months. I am still coming up empty-handed though.

I will also add that the inclusivity that is running through this series is refreshing. No big song and dance, it just is. As it should be! There are people of different sexualities and gender identities, people of different racial backgrounds, and physical and mental abilities. All of which isn’t mentioned unless it is needed for the story. THAT IS HOW YOU DO IT! 

All in all - there is a lot to love about this series, and considering that it is Yarros’ debut when it comes to epic fantasy, it is utterly impressive. There’s no doubt I am anxiously awaiting the next installment and the two that will follow after. My only hope is that Rebecca can further grow into the genre, and deliver just a bit more. 

Now I appreciate I run the risk of inviting a deluge of responses - though given the blog’s popularity at present, that is not somethign I am particularly afraid of - what are your thoughts? I am sure I have missed some crucial plotpoints, which may or may not colour my opion in an entirely different light. Either way, let me know below, and until then - just one more page!