After finishing Fourth Wing, I could not wait to devour Iron Flame, and it did not disappoint! Rebecca Yarros raises the stakes with more action, deeper world-building, and twists that left me breathless.

Violet’s growth is inspiring, the romance between her and Xaden crackles with intensity, and the dragon lore adds rich new layers to this incredible world. The pacing is flawless, blending heart-pounding battles with emotional depth, making it impossible to put down.

This series just keeps getting better, and I already have Onyx Storm on pre-order—I cannot wait for it! If you love dragons, romance, and epic fantasy, this book is a must-read. ( )

Series Info/Source: This is 2nd book in The Empyrean series. I borrowed this on ebook from Kindle Unlimited.

Thoughts: I didn't like this nearly as much as the first book in the series. I still read it fairly fast and found some of the parts intriguing. However, this is at the heart a disfunctional YA fantasy romance, and it feels like a lot of the plot is woven between that romance element rather than standing on its own. There was so much back and forth between Violet and Xaden that it was exhausting and I wanted them both to just go away.

Violet wakes up from being gravely injured at a secret location where her brother appears to be leading a rebellion; a rebellion that all of the marked are part of. As Violet and her classmates are forced to return to Basgiath War College to keep up appearances, they are also trying to keep some big secrets and prepare for an even bigger threat.

I am just going to cut right to the chase here and say that this book is completely about Violet and Xaden not being able to communicate. They are back and forth and back and forth about if they can be truthful with each other or if they can trust each other. However, they have the hots for each other so badly that they keep forgetting that they have all these other real life issues. This is the epitome of a toxic relationship, and it got weirder and more inconsistent as the story went on. For example, Xaden is all about saving the people outside of Basgiath and then as time goes on he is all about Violet and only Violet. Is that really healthy? I would never want a person so attached to me that they are willing to let loads of other people die so I can be happy. That's a lot of pressure and bordering on flat out crazy.

Then there is Violet with her physical limitations. She is still constantly throwing herself in to danger, getting grievously injured, somehow making it out of an awful situation and doing it all over again. Part of having physical or mental limitations is having enough respect for yourself and others to know what those limitations are and plan for them. Constantly putting yourself in to situations where you are nearly killed and other people who care about you are forced to pick up the pieces is irresponsible and disrespectful and outright cruel to both you and those who care about you.

Still, I finished this..so what did I like? I loved the dragons here. The dragons are funny, and witty, and much wiser than the humans. I will also admit that the chemistry between Xaden and Violet is off the charts (when they are not being complete jerks to each other) and there are some hot sex scenes in here. The writing flows well and is very readable. I did enjoy the plot around the wards and around a mysterious additional type of dragon (although I still don't understand where this is going).

However, back to complaints. I did find myself skimming a lot of the back and forth between Xaden and Violet. I also found myself skimming through a lot of Violet's internal angsting. This book could have definitely used a lot more editing and cutting. It did not have to be 900 pages long; we could have gotten the same story done much better in half of that page space. Also, what was up with the ending and Xaden? I was rolling my eyes so hard at that reveal, seriously...oh what a plot twist (RME).

My Summary (3/5): Overall I finished this and did like parts of it but I have a lot of complaints as well. Xaden and Violet's relationship took up a lot of page space, and it was a great example of how not to make a relationship work and of how unhealthy relationships can be. Will I read the third book? I am on the fence. If this was a trilogy, I would probably read it to wrap things up. However, there are five books planned in this series. Yes it does look like Onyx Storm is only 550 pages, so maybe it is better edited. However, right now, I am leaning towards stopping with this book. ( )

CAWPILE: 9
STARS: 5
SPICE: 2 ( )

“The first year is when some of us lose our lives. The second year is when the rest of us lose our humanity.”
― Rebecca Yarros, Iron Flame

This is a reread for me, Which of course means I'm picking up on all kinds of foreshadowing. Its abundantly obvious now what Xadens second signet is... he refers to intentions alot. Lots of not so subtle hints. Speaking of secondary signets... Violet. Could it be that she can converse with the dead? Or was she truly hallucinating Liam due to days of torture. Andarna is obviously withholding some valuable information. I dont even want to talk about the ending or what it could mean - looks like were really going to be getting an enemy to lovers trope in the near future.. or i guess more likely... a lovers to enemies trope. ( )

omg i cried so many times reading this and i literally need onyx storm to come out now! exactly one more month of waiting to go! ( )

I know it is only two months unil Onyx Storm is released, but I don't want to wait that long! :(

There was so much happening in this book with Xaden's reveal, Dain's redemption, and the cave scene that I don't even know what Rebecca Yarros is going to bring to book three. I can't wait to find out. ( )

recommended by leigh ann

weon????? lloré al final ( )

“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

And that about sums it up. How many lives will be lost? Will I lose one of my favorite characters? Can the Fourth Wing stay whole?

Violet Sorrengail will be put to the test again and again, personally and professionally.

Once I started I didn’t want to stop reading. Unputdownable does not even begin to describe Iron Flame. It is riveting, engrossing, mind blowing, overwhelming…and looooooong, so be sure and put aside a lot of time. Lock the doors and hunker down in your favorite reading spot with your favorite beverage.

There is so much I want to say, but this is one of those times when I think less is more.

The cliffhanger ending is not unexpected. The problem is, waiting for my turn at the library.

See more at http://www.fundinmental.com ( )

So we'll written.. more story, less.... well, you know.
Another cliff hanger.... I need the third one NOW ( )

The second in the Fourth Wing series, and hoo, is it good. So, so good. Too many spoilers for the first book to actually talk about the plot at all, but I am loving this series. ( )

editing. fun! but editing. ( )

Soooo good. The ending was crazy and can't wait for book #3. ( )

WHAT IS WITH THAT CLIFF HANGER??? UNFAIR UNFAIR UNFAIR

BK2 of the Empyrean Series

It is the second year of the rider's training and it is even more brutal and demanding than the first. There is dismounting your dragon without them landing, there is surviving torture and interrogation and map reading on land (I've always found that the trickiest of the three!). However, Violet has a secret about the wyverns which the citizens do not know about and this has to be hidden at all times. This book definitely had the second in a trilogy feel (I don't know if this series is a trilogy, this book just felt like it was a bridge between the first and last book).

What did I like about it?

The action was constant and varied and we got to see new places

the build up to Violet starting to gain control of her skills

Violet starting to become a leader

What didn't I like?

repetitive romance - fight and then give in

stereotypical ex-girlfriend relationship with Violet

too long. I gave up about 2/3 of the way in and jumped to the end

some of the characters were a bit Harry Potterish - the baddie in the role of the new Vice Commandant

nothing very unexpected in the plot and you can see where the next book is going.

Not a great book. ( )

( )

I felt like it dragged on forever, no clue why this series is so popular. Why did I read this? Who knows. It's a mystery. ( )

Todos esperaban que Violet Sorrengail muriera en su primer año en el Colegio de Guerra de Basgiath; incluso ella misma. Pero la Trilla fue tan solo la primera de una serie de pruebas imposibles destinadas a deshacerse de los pusilánimes; los indignos y los desafortunados. Ahora comienza el verdadero entrenamiento y Violet no sabe cómo logrará superarlo. No solo porque es brutal y agotador ni porque está diseñado para llevar al límite el umbral del dolor de los jinetes; sino porque el nuevo vicecomandante está empeñado en demostrar a Violet lo débil que es a menos que traicione al hombre que ama. Aunque el cuerpo de Violet es más frágil que el de sus compañeros; su fuerza radica en su ingenio y voluntad de hierro. Además; los líderes están olvidando la lección más importante que Basgiath les ha enseñado: los jinetes de dragones crean sus propias reglas. La voluntad de sobrevivir no será suficiente este año; porque Violet conoce el secreto que se oculta entre los muros del colegio y nada; ni siquiera el fuego de dragón; será suficiente para salvarlos. ( )

Violet and Xaden's story continues with their mated dragons and an antagonistic Basgiath administration. The venin are coming with the wyverns and someone has to figure out how to raise the wards. It's been a rough second year and it's not looking to get better. ( )

Love, Love, Love. But man did she leave us on a cliffhanger. ( )

Ok. That ending.... I have no words. I can't stop thinking about it and it leaves me wanting to cry because I have to still wait till January to find out the next part. STOP DOING THIS TO ME. But, for real though, this book is absolutely amazing, I love Mrs. Yarros's writing style and can't wait for Onyx Storm. ( )

is a two-part, 700-page (digital edition) that continues the story of Violet Sorrengail’s efforts to survive her second year in the murderous Basgaith War College and her complex relationship with Xaden Riorson. Three issues lessened my enjoyment of this offering and my decision to discontinue reading at the end of part one.

Part One tells a complete story. It would have been better to end the book at that point. Part Two picks up the story after part one and ends with a cliffhanger designed to entice readers to purchase the next book in the series. The decision to include both stories in one volume was likely influenced by the original intent to create a five-volume series and reluctance to increase the series length by an additional book. However, the decision should have considered reader fatigue. While the story is interesting, I was ready to move on to other books on my reading list.

Another issue is the decision to emphasize romance and depict Violet as a naïve, immature young woman. Volume one ends with Violet deciding she can no longer trust Xaden because he cannot tell her everything. Both are dragon riders, a branch of the Navarre military service. Even rank recruits understand that varying levels of security are attached to critical information. Access to information requires the proper security clearance. Yet Violet spends the first half of part one pouting and punishing Xaden because he refuses to reveal top-secret information to her. That thread quickly became and lessened my respect for Violet.

Finally, many aspects of part one repeat aspects of book one, and nonsensical plot elements are included in the story. For example, it is thoroughly established that humans cannot tell dragons what to do. Yet Vice Commandant Varrish of Basgaith War College orders Violet to make a dragon appear for his inspection. When the dragon refuses to appear, Varrish charges Violet with disobeying an order and punishes her almost to death. Nonsense.

I may pick up Iron Flame again in six months or a year and read part two, but the shortcomings outlined above weighed heavily in my decision to move on at this time. ( )

This was a really fun read. There are similarities to other fantasy storylines, but I still really enjoyed it. The plot twists at the end caught me very off guard. ( )

Iron Flame is a Fiery Adventure

Iron Flame, the second installment in The Empyrean series by Rebecca Yarros, is a blisteringly hot novel that will take readers on an emotional rollercoaster, combining dramatic action with sensuous romance. The novel is a compelling voyage into Violet and Xaden’s universe, two characters whose chemistry ignites the pages and keeps readers engaged from beginning to end.



Iron Flame ♦ Rebecca Yarros

Opinion

The plot is nothing short of fascinating, mixing suspense, danger, and romance together. Yarros expertly builds a narrative that keeps readers on the edge of their seats, yearning for the next surprise in the story. The pacing is excellent, with each chapter exposing fresh dimensions to the characters and the events developing, ensuring that the plot never loses momentum.

Iron Flame’s rich characters, each with their own problems and flaws, are surely one of its highlights. Violet, the main female heroine, injects a sense of realism into the plot. While her tenacity and dedication are noble, there were times when her behavior and decisions irritated me, and I had to roll my eyes. However, it is her flaws that make her accessible and human, ultimately adding to the richness of her character and her age.

The male protagonist, Xaden, is a moody and intriguing man whose still partly unknown past provides an added dimension of mystery to the story. While his persona is unquestionably endearing, there were times when a little more openness towards Violet may have enhanced their bond. Regardless of this tiny quibble, the two’s chemistry is palpable, providing a magnetic pull that keeps readers immersed in their love tale.

Rebecca Yarros‚ writing is nothing short of wonderful, with vivid descriptions that immerse readers in the action. The dialogue is snappy and genuine, which adds to the overall immersive experience. The author’s ability to mix strong action passages with soft, intimate moments is admirable, resulting in a novel that speaks to the reader on numerous levels. The startling cliffhanger conclusion shattered my heart, ruined my soul, and frazzled my nerves.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Iron Flame is a must-read for fans of romance, suspense, and heart-pounding fantastical adventure. Despite my occasional frustrations with Violet’s character and the desire for more openness from Xaden, the overall experience is undeniably five-star worthy. Yarros has delivered a sizzling masterpiece that will leave readers eagerly anticipating the next installment in the series.


This review was first published at The Art of Reading. ( )

Im Gegensatz zum englischen Original kann ich der deutschen Version leider nur drei Sterne geben, und das liegt nicht per se an der Story.
Grund: Die Übersetzung ist GRAUENHAFT. Während an Fourth Wing nur eine Übersetzerin der beiden hier gearbeitet hat, sind die Stile beider bedauerlicherweise nicht kompatibel. Die eine nutzt hochtrabende Fremdwörter, die junge Menschen im Alter von 20–25 einfach nicht wirklich oder nur selten nutzen. Dann sind viele Sätze sinnfrei, weil die Übersetzung einfach schlichtweg kein Sinn ergibt, außer man hätte ein anderes Wort eingesetzt. Den Übersetzerinnen möchte ich auch gar nicht so viel Schuld geben. Denn ich denke, dass diese total unter Zeitdruck standen, so schnell wie der zweite Band erschienen ist, auch auf Deutsch. Ich vermute, dass der Verlag hier einfach das Weihnachtsgeschäft 2023 mitnehmen wollte und so alle Beteiligten einem gewissen Druck ausgesetzt wurden.
Das spiegelt sich sowohl in der Übersetzung, als auch der Korrektur und dem Lektorat wider.
Schade.

Für den dritten Band hoffe ich, dass man nur auf die ursprüngliche Übersetzerin zurückgreift, denn Fourth Wing hatte bei weitem nicht so viele Kritikpunkte in diese Richtung. Von beiden Übersetzerinnen hatte ich vorher schon Bücher gelesen, die sie getrennt voneinander übersetzt hatte und diese waren absolut in Ordnung.

Ob ich zum dritten Band in deutscher Übersetzung greifen werden, mache ich von der Übersetzerin abhängig. Denn solch einen sprachlichen Wirrwarr tue ich mich freiwillig nicht mehr an. ( )