Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros Narrator: Rebecca Soler, Teddy Hamilton
Series: The Empyrean #2
Published by Recorded Books on November 7, 2023
Genres: Fantasy Romance
Length: 28 hours, 16 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Publisher
Goodreads
Amazon,Ā Audible,Ā Libro.fm,Ā Barnes & Noble,Ā Apple
Everyone expected Violet Sorrengail to die during her first year at Basgiath War CollegeāViolet 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 Violetās already wondering how sheāll get through. Itās not just that itās grueling and maliciously brutal, or even that itās designed to stretch the ridersā capacity for pain beyond endurance. Itās the new vice commandant, whoās made it his personal mission to teach Violet exactly how powerless she isāunless she betrays the man she loves.
Although Violetās body might be weaker and frailer than everyone elseās, she still has her witsāand a will of iron. And leadership is forgetting the most important lesson Basgiath has taught her: Dragon riders make their own rules.
But a determination to survive wonāt be enough this year.
Because Violet knows the real secret hidden for centuries at Basgiath War Collegeāand nothing, not even dragon fire, may be enough to save them in the end.
After Fourth Wing it was a necessity to read Iron Flame. Both books are long but fly by when reading.Ā There are bound to be some spoilers for the first book here.
After two book, I still want to know more.Ā I don’t know nearly enough about dragons, griffins or wyverns.Ā I don’t know enough about the different kingdoms and their politics.Ā I don’t know hardly anything about the venin or dark weilders.Ā The magic and how people get it, the types and how they use it also – I need to know more.
In Fourth Wing, we do get some world building and learn about Violet, her family and friends.Ā Violet is our main character and 95% of our point of view.Ā She comes to the dragon riders after expecting she would be a scribe.Ā She is well studied and has a solid understanding of the world, politics, and languages. But at the end, she learns her learning and assumptions about some things were all wrong.
In Iron Flame, Violet is trying to figure out who and what she can trust.Ā That includes Xaden, who is the most secretive guy ever.Ā He has reasons and some secrets are not his own.Ā He wants her to just trust him because she loves him.Ā So he works to secure her love.Ā Violet works to learn more and feel like she can trust him.
The professors, classmates and her family, Violet doesn’t feel she can trust any of them. She actively avoids Dain because of his memory stealing ability.Ā She does have her dragons but Adarna is busy sleeping after the battle at Resson.Ā Violet does come to trust a few but finds out horribly how untrustworthy many others are.
Violet is also working hard to learn about wards and using her signet power.Ā She works with her scribe friend and also with Dain.Ā It’s a struggle to find information from hundreds of years ago when the wards were created,Ā and then translate it from a variety of languages,Ā and interpret it to create wards to keep people safe.Ā We do learn more of the history and politics of the kingdoms and even more about dragons as she studies the history.
At the end, of course, there is a huge battle. Throughout the book, more people die in this brutal world. The ending leaves me with some huge questions and excited about the next book.Ā The Empyrean series has wonderful characters, fast paced but brutal action, and burning desire and romance.
I read an interview with the author and it seems we will finally learn more in the third book ( and no doubt be left with more questions). The series is planned to have 5 books. The books will sadly be more like a year apart instead of the two books we got this year.
Narration:
The narrators, Teddy Hamilton and Rebecca Soler, were the same. I didn’t realize until now the narration is almost all Soler because nearly everything is from Violet’s point of view.Ā I will say Hamilton’s voice for Violet was strange because 95% of the audiobook is Soler’s voice for her.Ā Ā I really enjoyed the audio performances including the emotional tone in the tense battle scenes.Ā Ā I listened at my usual 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip:Ā HEREĀ
About Rebecca Yarros
Rebecca is a #1 New York Times, USA Today, Sunday Times, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over fifteen novels, including FOURTH WING, and is always ready to bring on the emotions. She’s also the recipient of the Colorado Romance Writerās Award of Excellence in New Adult for Eyes Turned Skyward from her Flight and Glory series.
She loves military heroes and has been blissfully married to hers for twenty-one years. Sheās the mother of six children and lives in Colorado with her family, their stubborn English bulldog, feisty chinchillas, and Maine Coon cat who rules them all. Having fostered then adopted their youngest daughter, Rebecca is passionate about helping children in the foster system through her nonprofit, One October.
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I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 23-COYER
I’m so glad you loved this! I have a copy but I might not get to it until next month.
Thank you Tammy. This series is just captivating on every level. Even though the books are really long, it’s hard to put them down at all.
I hope to pick up the series some day.
I hope you do Nadene. They are just incredibly good. Block off some time because they are longer books and you will want the next one as soon as you finish the first.
I just read the last part of your review because I’m going to be picking this up soon, but that’s a bummer the books will be a year apart now! Love seeing your 5 stars. š
The books are just so captivating.
I was recently chatting with my friend who owns a bookshop and she was so excited about this book that she preordered and then ran out to Target to get it when her copies were going to be delayed and then she stayed up all night reading it. Now, that is what I love to hear when a series grabs folks. š
yes, this series is a real grabber. It just has many good elements and pacing. You’d think a very long books would be difficult to get through but this 28 hour audio was fast.
Looks like you very much enjoyed the audio for this novel. I bought the hardcovers for book 1 and 2 I just haven’t read though I think I’m going to pick up the audio throw my library. Sounds like lots of readers are enjoying the sereis.
It’s definitely a hit. I love the audio versions.
Iām in an insanely long library queue for the first book. This series seems to be the hottest one out there right now. Thrilled youāre loving it, Anneš
The libraries seem to have a lot of copies though. Berls got it on release day from the library and was I think 74 in line with 74 copies. I got it the same day also at the library same way but then returned because I got it from the publisher also (who this morning offered me the next 3 in the series as they are available!)
I am late to the game with this series, but I just got the audiobooks and hope to listen soon. I didn’t read your review based on the warning at the start. I’ll have to chat once I finally read them.
yes I’d love to chat and look forward to what you think of them. They are long books but go fast because you won’t be putting them down.
I loved that one too! Less than Fourth Wing but it was still a very good sequel!
I really enjoyed both. This one was a little harder because Violet was re-examining everything she thought she knew.
Great review! A year between books will make this a HARD series to stick with. I forget a lot.
yes and they are LONG books to reread.
I still need to read the first book! I am waiting on the special edition I ordered at the beginning of October on Amazon to come in. They sent me an email saying now it might not be here till December. š
Put aside some time because you won’t want to put them down.
Teddy Hamilton is amazing.
Glad you enjoyed him. I thought his voice for Violet was odd.
I really enjoyed Fourth Wing and am so looking forward to Iron Flame. I’m not looking forward to losing more characters but in a world at war that can’t be helped.
yes that is the disadvantage in mysteries or fantasy people die
Great review! I’m impatiently waiting for the the library hold to become available. I really feel for Violet. She was thrown into a situation she was wholly unprepared for and she manages to keep her head above water, but only barely. As soon as she adapts to one thing, something else is thrown at her.
My library hold came through the first day because they purchased so many copies. I hope you get it soon. Be prepared to have it eat up the next couple days. Violet spends a lot of time dealing with the fact everything she thought she knew wasn’t true.
Mine has a lot of copies too, sometimes they add copies. And sometimes they make it available right now as a 7 day read. Then you get a week instead of the usual 21 days. I’m hoping that pops up.
yes it’s a long book but you’ll still be reading it quickly, less than 7 days if you can start when you get it.