Heir of Fire (A Throne of Glass Novel #3) by Sarah J. Maas

Title: Heir of Fire
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Page Count: 562
Rating: A++++++++++++
Keywords: Fae, Magic, Kingdoms, Assassins, Amazing
Genre: YA Fantasy
Younger Readers: same as previous books in series

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Lost and broken, Celaena Sardothien’s only thought is to avenge the savage death of her dearest friend: as the King of Adarlan’s Assassin, she is bound to serve this tyrant, but he will pay for what he did. Any hope Celaena has of destroying the king lies in answers to be found in Wendlyn. Sacrificing his future, Chaol, the Captain of the King’s Guard, has sent Celaena there to protect her, but her darkest demons lay in that same place. If she can overcome them, she will be Adarlan’s biggest threat – and his own toughest enemy.

While Celaena learns of her true destiny, and the eyes of Erilea are on Wendlyn, a brutal and beastly force is preparing to take to the skies. Will Celaena find the strength not only to win her own battles, but to fight a war that could pit her loyalties to her own people against those she has grown to love?

Review:

   To say I loved this book would be an epic understatement. This was not insta-love. To begin I was not sure if I would even enjoy the hulking tome in my hands. It was so much longer than the previous book, Crown of Midnight, and the beginning was rather slow. I forced myself to go on, having faith in Maas' ability to weave an incredible tale. Never have I been so happy to have continued on reading. Heir of Fire is easily now one of my favorite books of all time, not an easy feat.
   As I said before, the first part of the book was a bit of a struggle to get through. It was not bad by any means. The style and story were as beautiful as ever but it was not as action packed as the previous installment. There was a lot of world building with new locations and introductions to new characters as well.
   New characters abound in this installment. This is both a good and a bad things. I'll start with the bad. Getting to know these new characters takes a bit of time, adjusting to who they are and what they represent. This time takes the reader away from Celaena. Frustration is present as the reader just wants to skip ahead to find out what is going on with Celaena. This does not last for the entire book though. Around the half way mark I began to actually enjoy the new characters and feel for them. Their chapters no longer filled me with dread. The Fae were a good example of this. Mauve was an intimidating character and I enjoyed that the realm she existed in what not entirely predictable. These characters' presence adds depth to the story and increases just how epic this series feels. I can't wait to see where many of them end up in the remaining books in the A Throne of Glass series.
   Below there will be no outright spoilers but I will discuss more specifics of the book. If you don't want to know anymore then stop reading after this paragraph! Overall I adored this novel and am beyond anxious to see where Maas will take the remainder of the series. I am also beyond devastated that I must wait over three months for the next installment! It is truly not that long, but once you read this book you will feel the same despair. I highly recommend this book and the entire series.
   Manon was a serious surprise. Initially I loathed her. She was just dripping evil and soulless. There was nothing redeemable about her. Her heartless actions are not saved by kind thoughts or regret for the first part of the book. Then we are introduced to Abraxos. I will not spoil anything, but their meeting was a major turning point for me in this story. Manon was transformed and the story as a whole began to gain speed and build. Now, I am excited to see where Maas takes her character. I sincerely hope that she and Abraxos continue to be a prominent contribution in future installments.
   I LOVE Rowan. Even before the full extent of Celaena's identity is revealed, I never felt like Chaol or Dorian measured up to her. They felt more like friends than true possibilities as life partners. It was not stated that Rowan was a romantic interest clearly but I certainly hope he is. I do not often ship characters but I absolutely ship he and Celaena. Rowan feels much more like her equal, someone that can stand up to her and be by her side. They're relationship grew slowly and I liked that it began as a friendship. They look out for one another, but are capable of taking care of themselves. He sees her as much more than a scared damsel and does not fear what she is. Rowan will become your next fictional character crush.

Best Closing Line Ever:

"She lifted her face to the stars. She was Aelin Ashryver Galathynius, heir of two mighty bloodlines, protector of a once-glorious people, and Queen of Terrasen...she would not be afraid."