Iron Flame
The Empyrean #2
Rebecca Yarros
Publisher: Entangled
Publication date: Nov 7, 2023
Genre: New adult fantasy
Rating:
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 wondering how she’ll get through it. 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 is weaker and frailer than everyone else’s, she has her wits—and a will of iron. Leadership forgets the most important lesson Basgiath taught her: Dragon riders make their own rules. But determination to survive won’t be enough this year, because Violet knows the secret hidden for centuries at Basgiath War College—and nothing, not even dragon fire, may be enough to save them in the end.
My thoughts….
Ok, some of y’all are gonna hate me on this… but that book was too dang LONG. I felt like I just read 4 books in one sitting with zero break… and I WANTED a break. There was nothing horribly wrong with the story, but I just wanted to cleanse my palate, and the story just kept going.
There is literally so much that takes place in this book. From torture, to dream realms, to a taboo alliance, to relationship woes, to treachery. The author implements so many climaxes, twists and turns, that this was the roller coaster that never ended. There was always something else brewing in the background. This book did not have the usual “second book syndrome” where it’s a bridge/filler between the first book and a more climatic final book. This held it’s own very well in that aspect.
Now, I can’t go into too much so I don’t give any of the twists and turns away. However, I loved the addition of new characters, their new struggles, and how they learned to work together for a common goal. I do wish that this book was much shorter. There were a lot of things I felt like didn’t NEED to be there. All the back and forth with Xaden got old fast. I also honestly don’t fully understand Violet’s character. It’s emphasized so heavily how weak and frail she is. Everyone coddles her and is concerned for her physical health. I still have no clue what her condition is, but it’s jammed down our throats the moment she gets out of bed every day just how frail she is. Yet, she’s the MOST powerful wielder out there, with even more amazing dragons bonded to her. I am honestly just getting bored with the same female trope of “I’m so awkward and fragile in this world, but also, I’m so badass all of a sudden”.
I appreciate the work the author put into this story, but it was just too much to digest. When the ending came and hit me with the curve ball, I didn’t really care and just shrugged it off.
Previous reviews from The Empyrean series
Fourth Wing
