Empire of Storms is released today! Emily Meredith and Sarah McDuling review this fifth book in the Throne of Glass series.
Review by Emily Meredith
WARNING: While this contains no spoilers for Empire of Storms, there will be references to some of the events in previous books in the series.
Empire of Storms was truly a rollercoaster ride. I laughed, I cried, I seethed in anger. There were so many feelings, and there was a lot of silent screaming. This gives you just a little indication as to what you’re in for.
There are quite a few additional perspectives to follow in Empire of Storms – I particularly loved being privy to Lysandra’s point of view; she is an absolutely perfect addition to the court of Aelin, our beloved ‘fire-breathing bitch queen’.
We learn even more about the depths of Aelin’s powers – and not just the magical. Some of her scenes with Rowan reminded me A LOT of A Court of Mist and Fury. *swoon*
Elide also really comes into her own as a character; she always felt a bit flat to me, but with her freedom comes the opportunity to develop her personality. I really loved her storyline in Empire of Storms and she comes pretty close to being one of my favourite characters. (With so many amazing characters in this series, even being close is an enormous achievement!)
The pacing of the book is perfect as always, keeping us on our toes, and culminating in an amazing ending which had me simultaneously wanting to fist-pump the air and curl up in a ball with my tears. I have never been so satisfied while also wanting to tear out my hair in frustration.
My one complaint is that one of my favourite characters didn’t feature anywhere near as much as I wanted him to, but I can’t say who… However, the characters Maas did focus on definitely distracted me in the moment.
This is a truly epic addition to the Throne of Glass series. For those of you disillusioned after Queen of Shadows, I can assure you that this book is a fantastic comeback. You won’t stop mulling over the events of this book; guessing what is to come will keep you entertained until the next book!
Review by Sarah McDuling
After reading A Court of Mist and Fury earlier this year it seemed clear to me that Sarah J. Maas had levelled up, big time. Her books have always been fast-paced, action-packed adventures full of endearing characters … but A Court of Mist and Fury seemed to take everything to a whole new level. Suddenly the stakes were higher, the characters were more complex and battles were fought on a grander scale than ever before. I devoured that book back in May, and only the knowledge that Empire of Storms was coming in September prevented me from suffering the world’s worst book hangover ever (even still, it was pretty brutal).
I knew I was going to enjoy Empire of Storms. Such is my faith in the storytelling prowess of Sarah J. Maas – there was never any doubt in my mind that I would relish reading the next chapter in Aelin’s epic quest to reclaim her birthright as Queen of Terrasen and bring peace to the world of Erilea (all while swaggering and wise-cracking like a boss.)
What I didn’t expect was that I’d find myself equally enjoying the myriad of subplots in Empire of Storms. The cast of characters in this series grows with each instalment. And somehow, every new character on the scene proves to be just as captivating as the old ones.
For me, the break-out characters in Empire of Storms were Elide and Lorcan. Also, Manon continues to bring a whole world of bad-ass attitude to the table. Her role in Empire of Storms was everything I hoped it would be since her first appearance back in Heir of Fire.
This is the fifth book of the Throne of Glass series and things are getting so intense! There is a lot of history and mythology revealed throughout the course of this book, making the world of Erilea even more richly imagined than ever before. Plus, THE ENDING! Oh boy! The final act of Empire of Storms is just so packed full of drama and tension and heartbreak and AAARGH! The stars are definitely starting to rattle!
In conclusion: fans will not be disappointed. Sarah J. Maas has done it again!!
Sarah chats about her books. Start watching the first of five videos below!
View all five videos!
Empire of Storms
Throne of Glass Series: Book 5
The long path to the throne has just begun for Aelin Galathynius.
As the kingdoms of Erilea fracture around her, enemies must become allies if Aelin is to keep those she loves from falling to the dark forces poised to claim her world. With war looming on all horizons, the only chance for salvation lies in a desperate quest that may mark the end of everything Aelin holds dear...
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REVIEW: The Girl on the Page by John Purcell
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