The highly anticipated sequel to last years stand out novel Fourth Wing is finally here and it does not let up for even one minute as Rebecca Yarros flys us into the thick of The Empyrean Series.
From the blurb;
'She survived her first year at Basgiath War College, but the danger is just beginning...
'Everyone expected Violet Sorrengail to die during the first year at Basgaith War College - Violet included. But threshing was only the first impossible test meant to weed out the weak-willed, the unworthy and the unlucky.
'Now the real training begins, and Violet's already wondering how she'll get through. It's not just that it's grueling and maliciously brutal, or even that it's designed to stretch the riders' capacity for pain beyond endurance. It's the new vice commandant, who's made it his personal mission to teach Violet exactly how powerless she is - unless she betrays the man she loves.
'Although Violet's body might be weaker and frailer than everyone else's she still has her wits - and a will of iron. And leadership is forgetting the most important lesson Basgaith has taught her: Dragon riders make their own rules.
'But determination to surive won't be enough this year.
'Becuase Violet knows the real secret hidden for centuries at Basgiath War College - and nothing, not even dragon fire, may be enough to save them in the end.'
While readers are desperatly excited to return to the epic lives of Violet and Xaden the blurb may leave many scratching their heads after where Fourth Wing left our main characters.
As Yarros finds a way to return our cast to Basgaith War College we are quickly thrown back into the immersive and edge of your seat world of Dragon Rider training, and the secret underbelly of politics which rules this enviorment.
Prepare yourself for an edge of your seat ride with Iron Flame. With the world already set out Yarros throws her readers straight back into the fire and dose not let up as the story races towards the final chapter.
While some readers may find Iron Flame dissapointing it must be rememberd the replicating the explosive experience of Fourth Wing is a hard bar for even the author to reach. Without the slow burn build up of the relationsip between Violet and Xaden the book still remains passionate but has lost the will-they-won't-they vibrancy that hooked so many readers. Furthermore as Yarros explores further into her world many readers may find themselves struggling to keep up with the history and information pouring out of the pages.
These changes however do not stop Iron Flame from being an emersive, exciting, must-read novel of 2023 and enusre that readers across the world will be waiting with bated breath for the next installment.
We Give Iron Flame Four Stars
ISBN - 978-0-349-43702-6 Hardback Cover Price - £22.00 First Published in the United States in 2023 by Red Tower Books, an imprint of Entangled Publishing, LLC