Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros Series: The Empyrean, #2, #2
Genres: Fantasy
Publication Date: November 7, 2023
Pages: 623
Also in this series: Fourth Wing
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“The first year is when some of us lose our lives. The second year is when the rest of us lose our humanity.” —Xaden Riorson
Everyone expected Violet Sorrengail to die during her first year at Basgiath War College—Violet included. But Threshing was only the first impossible test meant to weed out the weak-willed, the unworthy, and the unlucky.
Now the real training begins, and Violet’s already wondering how she’ll get through. It’s not just that it’s grueling and maliciously brutal, or even that it’s designed to stretch the riders’ capacity for pain beyond endurance. It’s the new vice commandant, who’s made it his personal mission to teach Violet exactly how powerless she is–unless she betrays the man she loves.
Although Violet’s body might be weaker and frailer than everyone else’s, she still has her wits—and a will of iron. And leadership is forgetting the most important lesson Basgiath has taught her: Dragon riders make their own rules.
But a determination to survive won’t be enough this year.
Because Violet knows the real secret hidden for centuries at Basgiath War College—and nothing, not even dragon fire, may be enough to save them in the end.
I’m still a bit traumatized by this book. It was going so well until the last 3 chapters…then…
Like many who read Fourth Wing, I was anxiously awaiting the release of Iron Flame. I’d pre-ordered WAY too many versions of this title, but I was ready. I re-read Fourth Wing the weekend before and was ready when it hit my Kindle app at 9pm. The story picks up from the immediate end of Fourth Wing. We get the full reunion between Violet and Brennan and then we jump right into WTF is going on.
A lot goes on in part one of the book (beware of Chapter 25 and Chapter 35). There were a lot of WTF moments that had me wondering how the hell I was going to make it through. The first half of the book is rough. ROUGH!! Things start to pick up in the second part. There are riders and flyers. Characters from Basgiath and Tyyrendor (so many new people to learn). New teams and new training. The battle of good versus evil was setting up.
On the relationship front, secrets (so many effing secrets) were revealed and Xaden proved to Violet that he felt for her what she felt for him. He made good use of a throne to prove his point.
“I love you. The world does not exist for me beyond you.” Leaning down, he rests his forehead against mine. “I couldn’t tell you that the last time we flew into a fight, and I should have.”
And then, just like with Fourth Wing, Rebecca Yarros punches us in the gut with the last 20% of the book. I’ve been formulating all kinds of scenarios in my head about what could come next, but what has been banging around the loudest is “Why him???”
We’re going to be OK when this isn’t so fresh. But for right now, I’m going to wallow and make up all kinds of scenarios for why this has happened and then pray something good happens at the end of this journey.
Shannon
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I have the Fourth Wing on reserve at my library. They have the above book also. BUT, after reading your review, maybe I should wait and read them all once the series is done. I detest cliff hangers.
They’re a doozy. It might be a bit less traumatizing if you can read the entire series at once. It’s supposed to be a 5 book series….we’ll see.
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I keep hearing about this book (and the series, which is new to me), everywhere. But you’re the first to mention that there is a not-so-nice ending…in *both* books. Thanks for the heads-up.
They definitely have surprises at the end. The Fourth Wing cliffy gets answered in Iron Flame. As for the IF shocker…we are waiting. 🙁
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I have this on hold at the library, and I just downloaded Fourth Wing to have a second read before I read Iron Wing. Man, it sounds like one of those books that put you through the ringer, but you’d do it all again if given the chance. Great review.
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