Title: Fourth Wing
Author: Rebecca Yarros
Series: The Empyrean #1
Genre: New Adult/Fantasy Romance/Dragons
Publisher: Red Tower Books
Publication Date: May 2, 2023
Edition: 664 pages, Kindle Edition
Source: Library
Purchase: Amazon US | Barnes & Noble | BAM | Bookshop | Powell's | Thriftbooks
Synopsis:
Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders.
But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away... because dragons don’t bond to “fragile” humans. They incinerate them.
With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter—like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant.
She’ll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise.
Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom's protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret.
Friends, enemies, lovers. Everyone at Basgiath War College has an agenda—because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die.
But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away... because dragons don’t bond to “fragile” humans. They incinerate them.
With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter—like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant.
She’ll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise.
Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom's protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret.
Friends, enemies, lovers. Everyone at Basgiath War College has an agenda—because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die.
****************
This book was so much fun.
The writing was pretty average, better than a lot of other Fantasy Romance in the same demographic (New Adult), but some things were just a little silly. The magic the bonding with a dragon gives doesn't always make sense. Unlocking doors, and refilling pens with ink is silly.
I did really like the characters, even though they were cliches. Everything was a little "on the nose". But that didn't bother me. The twist at the end wasn't that big of a shock, but also the groundwork for that twist was set up, so it didn't bother me that I wasn't surprised. The only thing that was a bit of a shock was one character's death. I wasn't expecting it, and it did make me a little sad. I liked that character.
The plot, outside of Violet trying not to die, took a bit to get it's legs. The romance was actually not rushed. They had a 'thing' for months before they dropped the L-word. Which is better than most Romance books I've read where it's a handful of weeks at best. This was a believable Hate-to-Love romance. The semi-love triangle also wasn't done poorly either. This is the other way I don't mind that trope. I like that Violet has a lot of agency, and stands up for herself, and others. Even though her kind heart nature kept almost getting people killed, including herself. The nickname Xaiden gives her, isn't as cringy as other nicknames in this genre.
I think people's reasons for not liking this book are 1000% valid, but I also think that some of them went into this book expecting a different type of story. I love this kind of fantasy romance. Is it a little cheesy? Yes. But I love it regardless. I initially wasn't going to buy this book, but I might now. This might be a book I'd re-read.
I would not recommend this book to people who prefer a book with a lot of political intrigue and an action-based plot. But if you're down for a good time this could be a book for you. This book is stupid, and I loved it.
The writing was pretty average, better than a lot of other Fantasy Romance in the same demographic (New Adult), but some things were just a little silly. The magic the bonding with a dragon gives doesn't always make sense. Unlocking doors, and refilling pens with ink is silly.
I did really like the characters, even though they were cliches. Everything was a little "on the nose". But that didn't bother me. The twist at the end wasn't that big of a shock, but also the groundwork for that twist was set up, so it didn't bother me that I wasn't surprised. The only thing that was a bit of a shock was one character's death. I wasn't expecting it, and it did make me a little sad. I liked that character.
The plot, outside of Violet trying not to die, took a bit to get it's legs. The romance was actually not rushed. They had a 'thing' for months before they dropped the L-word. Which is better than most Romance books I've read where it's a handful of weeks at best. This was a believable Hate-to-Love romance. The semi-love triangle also wasn't done poorly either. This is the other way I don't mind that trope. I like that Violet has a lot of agency, and stands up for herself, and others. Even though her kind heart nature kept almost getting people killed, including herself. The nickname Xaiden gives her, isn't as cringy as other nicknames in this genre.
I think people's reasons for not liking this book are 1000% valid, but I also think that some of them went into this book expecting a different type of story. I love this kind of fantasy romance. Is it a little cheesy? Yes. But I love it regardless. I initially wasn't going to buy this book, but I might now. This might be a book I'd re-read.
I would not recommend this book to people who prefer a book with a lot of political intrigue and an action-based plot. But if you're down for a good time this could be a book for you. This book is stupid, and I loved it.
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