Tag: dragons

Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros-Book

From a Google Image Search – Apple Books

Rebecca Yarros’ Empyrean Series will eventually have five books. So far, we have two. The first book was Fourth Wing. The second is called Iron Flame. The kingdom of Navarre has isolated itself from the rest of the known world and Basgiath College is not only running the kingdom (although there is king), training up the citizens who will protect the kingdom militarily, but they are also hiding something. Violet Sorrengail, whose mother is one of the administrators who run the college, is estranged from her mom. Violet is now in her second year, and she has been chosen by not just one dragon, but two, although she only rides one. She came in as a frail girl who barely passed the rigorous admissions tests and has become strong by building physical strength and by learning how to lean on other skills that make her extraordinary. The college trains foot soldiers (infantry), and the dragons train the riders, there are scribes who keep the history, and healers who mend the wounded.

Xaden Riorson is one of 104 children of a rebel group from another kingdom whose parents were executed. The children are marked with tattoos along one arm and Xaden was cut 104 times on his back by Violet’s mother to remind him that he is responsible for the others. Although he sets out to make Violet’s life at the college difficult because he thinks she is too weak to be there, she has opportunities to show him that she can keep a secret. She is also dangerously attracted to Xaden. A fantasy with a hot romance combines two genres that have plenty of fans. Readers will get very invested in the love blooming between these two. 

The kingdom of Navarre is protected by wards that keep out enemies, but why are there enemies and who are they? Who is attacking the kingdoms on other continents where the wards have failed? Why are the college administrators so secretive about what is happening at the fringes of the kingdom? If the rebellion was quelled who are the enemies of Navarre? The riders sent to the fringes are battling flyers who seem to think that Navarre is their enemy. But something else is out there and Violet, who studied history with her father, knows what they are up against. She knows that the college administrators have hidden away books that would enlighten everyone, and perhaps show how to reactivate the failing and failed wards that used to keep evil away. 

Is there such a thing as unconditional love? Violet and Xaden are about to find out, in the next book. You might be tempted to unlove this series but perhaps the author has points to make, and you might want to hang in to find out. Will the people of Navarre have to vanquish all their enemies, or will they find a way to unite all the world in utopian tolerance and keep the lovers together to bring joy to the new world? How will the dragons deal with the changes that they must internalize? This is a series that has readers on an emotional rollercoaster and that gives it value if you like to read for entertainment.

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarrow – Book

Sometimes taking a break from reading about weighty subjects is good for the brain. We might return to a genre that has given us pleasure in the past, in a novel that flies by, the passing of time forgotten. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros promised to be just such a novel. It has been given a new genre classification, romantic fantasy. There are dragons, family intrigue, magic, power struggles, and love happening at a military college training kids to become soldiers to defend the kingdom. Some at the college are training to be infantry, some to be riders bonded to a dragon, some to be scribes to keep the books that record the history of Navarre, and some to be Healers. 

Violet Sorrengail is the newest cadet to walk the Parapet to gain entry to this school that is headed by her estranged mother. Violet has a weak joint disease and was trained by her father to be a scribe, but she decides to become a rider, despite the challenges her fragile body presents. Violet surprises everyone, especially the wingleader, Xaden Riorson who would like to see her fail but is drawn to her by a powerful sexual attraction. Violet, although not training as a Scribe, realizes that something is wrong with the Basgiath College archives. Books are missing. Parts of the histories of Navarre have been lost or locked away. And the wards that guard Navarre’s borders are weakening or falling.

It takes a while to put together a group of true friends when you are in a new school. There is a lot of social power jockeying and close friendships emerge along with personal enemies. The power of friendship and love to align the forces of good against the forces of evil is part of any good fantasy world and the Empyrean is no exception. It is these friendships, sexual attractions, and love relationships that bond us to the characters in a fantasy, even the dragons, and it is the animosities, the evil plots that inspire us to read further to see what unfolds. We always hope that good will win, that our heroes will grow and add to their talents. Until George R. R. Martin this outcome was predictable. Not so much now. 

This book is part of a projected series of fantasy books known as the Empyrean Series. Iron Flame is the second book in the series, but the last three books have not yet been written. If you like Nora Roberts and hot sex you may like Fourth Wing.