I had a rare moment in which I read a few reviews of this book before I even picked it up. One of them mentioned that it was “slow” and that it kind of put them off continuing with the rest of the series. I bought it and read it anyway, because I usually ignore the opinions of others when it comes to books and films, and I think perhaps that reader was expecting it to be like the first two books. I found that there were equal amounts of down time and action, much less secrecy, more character growth. Also, a lot of the lure and history of the land was given through story telling by several new characters, which I personally enjoyed. I love it when a book gives you a ton of background information about the world, it makes the story so much more interesting. I am glad that I chose to not consider what others had said because we got to go to Wendlyn with Celaena, where magic still exists. We also get several different point of view chapters from characters we already knew, Dorian, Chaol, and Celaena, and new ones. There is more death in this book, more inner torment, and misery, but also a small glimmer of hope. I’m pretty excited to see what happens in the fourth book in this series, even though I have a feeling that things are going to get a lot worse before they start to get better considering that after Heir of Fire there are still four books to go.
Tag: Magic
Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas
I finished this book in three days, but I would have finished it in two, or less, if I didn’t have a full day of activities planned over the past weekend. I was reading this book up until I fell asleep at night, even though I wanted to slow down just so I could enjoy it longer.
I’m really glad that the brief insights into magic in Throne of Glass were explored more in Crown of Midnight, because I needed more information. The things I learned make the final duel between Cain and Celaena more satisfying and coherent now that I know the gravity behind the wrong person having the power to open a portal to another world and the serious consequences that could occur because of it. I found great satisfaction in how slowly Celaena finds new information and has to work through the clues she needs to piece together, but I am glad that by the end of the book she figures things out and a great deal of long awaited information is revealed. However, the book does end on a cliffhanger as a huge plot point is revealed as Celaena embarks on a new adventure to someplace quite far away. I am finding myself antsy as I try to distract myself while I wait for the next book to arrive.
Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
I’ve been seeing this book everywhere and I finally decided that I needed to see what all the fuss was about. I read it, and I get it. Throne of Glass is the first book in a seven part fantasy series following world famous assassin Celaena Sardothien, but the tale begins with her in confinement rather than discovering her on an exciting and secretive assignment to kill someone. We don’t find out the details of exactly how she got there but I imagine that the details will slowly come out in the next six books. I have already ordered the second book in the series, as I couldn’t find it in stores, and I have also already committed to purchasing them in very nice hardcovers because I have a feeling that this is a series I will thoroughly enjoy and want to reread in the future.
The only negative thing I have to say about the story is that I think the magical aspects were glossed over too quickly at the end of the book, the going between worlds part during the duel at the end specifically. I feel like a lot was thrown at us very suddenly without there having been a sufficient amount of supplemental information provided in earlier chapters. However, if that was the intent, to get us to wonder what the heck was going on and to anticipate more insight into the magic of this world in the following novels, then it worked.
Since the next book isn’t due to arrive at my house until Friday, although I am sure I will be able to read it and write a review before Tuesday, my next review will not be the sequel. If I’m feeling motivated I think you can look forward to a bonus review on Friday next week.
Fire Study by Maria V. Snyder – Chapters 18-36 and final thoughts
Fire Study comes to a clean conclusion, but not without a great deal of turmoil leading up to it. While I was reading, there were many passages I came across that made me feel similar to the way I felt when I was watching Infinity War. I just kept thinking, this isn’t going to end well, there is no way the people I want to live are going to survive. But somehow, some of the people I wanted to live do survive, but there are the expected casualties. Even with the deaths, I was left feeling satisfied, not desiring more from the story but I would of course welcome more.
I will say, the story moved a little fast for me. It seemed like there was a lot crammed into this one book without there being enough down time, time for the reader to breath and absorb what they had read. I enjoyed the book, but I would not have minded it being slightly longer so it could have had some moments for the characters to relax. The journey that the characters go on needs to be completed in a certain amount of time due to the dangers involved, and the pace definitely induces anxiety, which is what I imagine the characters would be feeling, so maybe this is intentional.
There are companion books to the series, another trilogy, along with three short stories. I think I am going to take a break from Yelena and the adventures she has in Sitia and Ixia, and begin a new series for next week’s blog. If you have been reading my entries and want to continue the series, the next book to read is Shadow Study. The short story, Assassin Study, follows Valek and takes place after the events of Poison Study and before the reunion of Valek and Yelena in Magic Study.
Fire Study by Maria V. Snyder – Chapters 1-17
Fire Study starts off slow, with Yelena continuing her magic lessons, but as of right now, the beginning is the only slow part in this story. A possible trail leading towards Cahil and Ferde is detected, and Yelena and a small crew leave the Citadel to seek them out. You will not get a break from the action and adventure for many, many chapters, the chase is fast paced and a little exhausting. I can’t imagine I would have survived this journey as well as Yelena and her companions did, but they do have magic on their side. So once again, Yelena’s magical training is put on hold as she tries to capture criminals, stop nefarious plans, and keep herself out of harm. Yelena’s life is always in danger, this being a constant since Poison Study, even more so now as her Soulfinder abilities are no longer a secret. The last Soulfinder lived over 150 years ago, and they had to be killed due to their lust for power. Magicians generally don’t trust anyone who possesses these skills as they have had a bad track record throughout history.
Yelena is supposed to be getting special training from Roze, the First Magician, but I’m starting to doubt that it will ever happen with the way things are going. Until I reached the midpoint of this book, I was starting to wonder if Yelena would ever make it back to the Citadel, the chase she was involved in lasted that long. Just when you think one plot point is going to reach its conclusion, another conflict is thrown in, effectively putting everything already in play on hold.
I’ll have finished Fire Study by next week, and we shall see if the story has a clean end. I don’t think it will, as it seems there is another trilogy chronicling Yelena out there waiting for me to read.
Nonfiction and Nonsense 