Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros Series: The Empyrean #2
on November 7, 2023
Pages: 624
Genres: Fantasy, Romance
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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.
Iron Flame is the heart pounding follow-up to the breakout hit Fourth Wing. Here are my overall thoughts.
- Holy hell, why is this book so long? It took me forever to finish.
- The beginning drags due to the fighting between Violet and Xaden. It’s repetitive, and she comes across as whiny. There’s also too much military maneuvering that went over my head.
- I still love the relationships between Violet and her fellow students at the war college.
- The second half is stronger than the first, with nail-biting fight scenes, a mystery, and villains galore. The building anticipation is divine.
- Violet has two of the coolest dragons ever. Her bond with Tairn and Andarna is a joy, and they contribute to some lighter and touching moments.
- There are two more books planned for the series, and I can’t imagine why it’s necessary to drag the story out that much. Iron Flame ends on a doozy of a cliffhanger, but the next book is said to be released more than a year after this book’s release. With such a long period between publications, I’m not sure how anxious I’ll be to pick up the story again, especially if it’s as long.
Recommended for fans of:
Dragons
Magic
War
Underdogs
About Rebecca Yarros
Rebecca Yarros is a hopeless romantic and a lover of all things coffee, chocolate, and Paleo. She is the author of the Flight & Glory series, including Full Measures, the award-winning Eyes Turned Skyward, Beyond What is Given, and Hallowed Ground. Her new Renegade Series features Wilder and the upcoming Nova, and is sure to keep your heart pounding. She loves military heroes, and has been blissfully married to hers for fourteen years.
When she’s not writing, she’s tying hockey skates for her four sons, sneaking in some guitar time, or watching brat-pack movies with her two daughters. She lives in Colorado with the hottest Apache pilot ever, their rambunctious gaggle of kids, an English bulldog who is more stubborn than sweet, and a bunny named General Fluffy Pants who torments the aforementioned bulldog. They recently adopted their youngest daughter from the foster system, and Rebecca is passionate about helping others do the same.
This book really was too long, but I guess that kind of goes with the trend right now. I do hope her next books in the series don’t waste as much time in all of those pages. I know what you mean about the time between books. I’ll still pick them up, though.