Onyx Storm (The Empyrean #3) by Rebecca Yarros
Because the battle has truly begun, and with enemies closing in from outside their walls and within their ranks, it’s impossible to know who to trust.
Now Violet must journey beyond the failing Aretian wards to seek allies from unfamiliar lands to stand with Navarre. The trip will test every bit of her wit, luck, and strength, but she will do anything to save what she loves—her dragons, her family, her home, and him.
Even if it means keeping a secret so big, it could destroy everything.
They need an army. They need power. They need magic. And they need the one thing only Violet can find—the truth.
But a storm is coming...and not everyone can survive its wrath.
Review: This is the third installment in the Empyrean series and follows Violet Sorrengail and the man she loves, Xaden during a time of great uncertainty at Basgiath War College. Violet must journey to seek allies in unfamiliar lands and do all she can to save everything she loves - her home, her dragons, her family, and Xaden.
Just a note to say that I am not the best judge of this book because I thought the first book was just ok and did not really care for book two. But I got swept up in the great excitement and enthusiasm for this third book and decided to give it a go, despite knowing that it was not the right book for me. But I do so appreciate how much others love it! And I do love the intensity and passion between Xaden and Violet, as well as Violet's deep connection and bond with her dragons.
This series has a severe lack of character development. There are quite literally dozens of side characters. Most are referenced in passing with no physical description or otherwise defining features given. It's little wonder than that not only do I not feel any attention to them, but I cannot even remember who any of them are! I do wish the author would spend some time developing more of these characters rather than just throwing them into the narrative left and right. It's difficult to feel emotionally connected to them or be torn up if they are injured or killed when we literally know next to nothing about them.
I also was just generally not overly impressed with the world building here when compared to other high fantasy books. There is a lot that is unexplained and/or that I questioned. Why are they still going to class in the middle of a war? Why would students be the ones charged with saving this war and not more experienced adults?
Finally, there was a big shift in the relationship between Xaden and Violet in this book that I did not care for. In the previous books, he very much trusts her as an equal partner. In this book, he has become possessive and crazed with worry over her safety. The last book ends with a big cliffhanger, as we learn something huge about Xaden's character. Little to nothing was done with this revelation in this book, which seemed like a missed opportunity both for the characters, their relationship, and the movement forward of the plot.
I truly wanted to love this! I'm so happy that so many did. I do appreciate that this is book three of a total of five planned books and as such, it is providing a filler and no real conclusions to any of the major plot points yet. And I did enjoy the second half of the book more than the first. I alternated listening to this on audio and reading it on my kindle, which was a fun experience. But truly unsure right now whether or not I will continue with the next book in the series.
Stars: 2.5
Related Titles:
- Fourth Wing (The Empyrean #1) by Rebecca Yarros
- Iron Flame (The Empyrean #2) by Rebecca Yarros
- In the Likely Event by Rebecca Yarros
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