Wednesday, 4 February 2015

Heir of Fire - Sarah J. Maas

Heir of Fire – Sarah J.Maas


*This review will contain some spoiler information for the previous two books in this series*


Heir of Fire is the third book in the Throne of Glass series. Still following the story of Celaena Sardothien, a young assassin who is now reluctantly the Kings Champion, all be it in hope to gain her freedom back. The story carries on where it left off with Celaena being sent to Wendyln in order to kill the royal family. However the twist Sarah left us with at the end of Crown of Midnight, certainly complicates matters. Even more so that Celaena hasn’t actually been killing any of the targets assigned to her by the king either, merely faking their deaths and ensuring they leave and start a new life. Not something easily done for a royal family…

I said this with Crown of Midnight, and I can only say it again with Heir of Fire. These books become even better as they go along. Each time I read one, I go ‘That’s my favourite book in the series’ then I read the next and think the same thing. Well, Heir of Fire didn’t disappoint and now I am saying that this is my favourite in the series…until book 4 maybe? Sarah J. Maas creates such a fantastic world; I honestly cannot get enough of it. I always worry that people think I am over exaggerating about a book, or that I’m just easily pleased. But this is honestly such a great series, and is so beautifully written and carried out. I would encourage anyone to give it a read.

The detail, in which the world is created, flows so easily off the pages. Created so well within your imagination that you don’t have to worry about keeping up or pondering what exactly this setting or even person may be like, there are never any questions about the world that are not meant to be asked as Sarah J Mass intricately creates it all so perfectly for us to delve into.

I absolutely adore the characters in this book; we have the old as well as some new characters, Rowan, Luca, Emry, Aedion and Maeve. Which I found incredibly refreshing to see Celaena’s development with these new faces as opposed to that of Chaol and Dorian. I thought it was brilliant of Sarah to veer away from focusing on romance with Celaena, and just that of friendship. More importantly the bond she develops with Rowan.

Rowan was a great character and i feel like there is more we can learn of him and his back story, perhaps a Novella of his past and his history with his Cadre would be needed so we could learn more. I have to say at first I thought I would detest his character, his allegiance to Maeve and his cruel and punishing training regime for Celaena. You really felt for Celaena, but over time he changes and you see what he is really like, and it is that friendship that you really root for, it was brilliantly executed by Sarah, throughout the whole story.

Another character I thought was quite interesting was Mahon, one of the iron teeth witches, Sarah dedicated the odd chapter from her perspective, not only allowing us to see what the King of Adarlan is planning and has been breeding. But also gives more of an insight into another part of the world. I again feel there is more we can learn from this character and The Thirteen.

Throughout the book Sarah keeps us up to date on all the other characters in Adarlan, keeping us informed as to what they are doing, their plans and uncovering how magic disappeared. We see Chaol veer away from his duties as Captain of the Guard as he prepares to leave for Anielle, as well as forming a bond with Aedion as they plot together about the king’s motives and finding Aelin. We see Dorian slowly learning how to control his growing power, and his new relationship with Sorscha. A lot seems to not only be happening back in Adarlan, but Celaena too has a lot on her hands to deal with keeping the whole book fast paced and action packed throughout, and yet never leaving you to fall behind on other events taking place in the world.

The entirety of this book is filled with pure emotion as we learn what really happened to Celaena 10 years ago. You feel her pain, her anguish and her exhaustion. We watch her grow into her powers, becoming ‘Fireheart’ and becoming even more bad ass than she already is. We see her confront Maeve, and show what she is really capable of, and we begin seeing the person she will become in the next few books.

Some of the monsters created in this book, Skinwalkers, the Valg and that thing in the lake!...Jeez, they are creepy, the idea of something lurking under a frozen lake poised and ready to enjoy the meat on your bones, is certainly something to freak you out when you are still reading the book at gone 1 in the morning! Sarah’s writing and imagination was brilliant here, to be able to scare and freak you out simply with her words is a real credit to her.

The ending to this book completely shocked me, I wasn’t expecting it all to kick off so suddenly, and become so brutal. We are left desperate to now know, what will become of Aedion, What will happen to Dorian, What about Chaol and Fleetfoot, are they going to survive? Then we have Celaena, about to head back to face the King of Adarlan, and you just know, book 4 is going to be completely explosive, and possibly even more jam packed with action than that of Heir of Fire. The title in itself being ‘Queen of Shadows’ just makes you desperate for September to get here as quick as it possible can!


I have given this book a 5 out of 5









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