The second part of the Empyrean series has been involved in controversies leading up to its release, from personal comments from the author on her social media platforms to printing issues of the book. But, even after all of this, the book has debuted for several weeks in the first position of the New York Times Bestseller list.
Having read the first book, I had high expectations for the story, and even when some parts delivered what the readers wanted, we saw other cliches we didn’t like.
Author
Rebecca Yarros, a USA Today bestselling author with over fifteen novels, is known for her exceptional storytelling. She received the Colorado Romance Writer’s Award of Excellence for “Eyes Turned Skyward.” When not writing, she can be found at the hockey rink or indulging in her love for playing the guitar while enjoying a cup of coffee. Her family resides in Colorado with their English bulldogs, chinchillas, and a Maine Coon kitten named Artemis.
Overview
Iron Flame picks up the story at the Riorson House after Violet finds out her brother, Brennan, is alive and the leader of the revolution. Now Violet feels betrayed by the people closest to her, but even more, she is aware that a war is coming and Navarre won’t defend people against venin. Mourning the loss of Liam and not knowing who to trust, Violet doesn’t know where her heart stands.
Since it is dangerous to stay at Riorson House without any wards, it is decided that the survivors will return to Navarre and complete their education. In the meantime, the revolution will continue their plan and keep smuggling weapons out of Navarre to use against venin.
However, returning to Navarre is not without consequence, and having survived her first year, Violet now must continue her training as a rider, having Dain as her squad leader and Xaden kilometres away in his new posting.
How many secrets can Xaden keep before he loses Violet forever? Will the revolution stand a chance against Venin with few riders and no hope of getting the wards up? Or will Violet find new allies within the walls of the Riders Quadrant?
A story of love, war, secrets, alliances, power and dragons. The rider’s quadrant is back and ready to defy their leadership to fight for what is right.
Personal Thoughts
I had high expectations for Iron Flame since Fourth Wing was a well-executed story, and though I think the author did find her pace on the last 200 pages of the book, the first half was a bit chaotic. People were killed without any reason; Violet and Xaden’s relationship was more like a teenage drama, and Violet’s character development disappointed me.
Even when I would be happy to get the next book in the following months, I would prefer the author to take her time crafting the plot for this one, especially after the ending of Iron Flame.
“I chose you not as my next but as my last, and should you fall, then I will follow.”
Plot & Structure 8/10
The structure of the book is the same as the first one; all is chronological, with some cards or book passages that let us know more about the backstory of the characters or contribute to world-building itself. When it comes to the plot, the majority of the story happens in the second half of the book, with alliances being formed and riders picking sides.
Personally, I think the first part of the book develops at a slow pace, and as I said above, I wasn’t a fan of Violet and Xaden’s relationship since it resembled more of a teenage romance.
Character Development 8/10
The character development for the first book was amazing, and I think the author lost a part of that during Iron Flame. Violet somehow seemed weaker after she had her signet and without Andarna by her side. On the other hand, Xaden, once invisible and moral in the first book, lost these qualities rather quickly during Iron Flame. Surprisingly, the secondary characters had a stronger development.
Dialogue 9/10
The book is told from Violet’s perspective, but we do get one chapter at the end from Xaden’s point of view. Tough, I love that we get lots of details through Violet’s narration since she used to be a scribe. I enjoy her internal dialogues with Tairn and Andarna more since that brings some comedy into the story.
Unanswered Questions 10/10
Spoiler Alert! I usually try to write my reviews without any spoilers, but to explain this section, I need to get into some details. There are many theories that are already circling around about who Andarna is and if she is able to cure venin. Further, what is Violet’s second signet and will Xaden still have his connection with Sgaeyl after turning?
Voice 9/10
The Empyrean series does have a distinctive voice now that just gets clearer in the second book. But I do think that with series, authors need to be careful because the story needs to remain relevant for the readers while keeping the moral qualities of the characters. Otherwise, the original purpose of the story would disappear, and I’m afraid this is what will happen with the series
Personal Note
I can’t wait to read the third part of this story, and I hope this gives the author a chance to explore more character development. And I would like for Xaden to restore his original values because even when she had the chance, Violet decided to die instead of turning venin. But, overall, if you like fantasy, the Empyrean series is a good place to start.