Title: Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass #3)
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Young Adult | Fantasy | Fae
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Publication Date: September 2, 2014
Format: Physical
Source: Library
Celaena has survived deadly contests and shattering heartbreak―but at an unspeakable cost. Now, she must travel to a new land to confront her darkest truth . . . a truth about her heritage that could change her life―and her future―forever. Meanwhile, brutal and monstrous forces are gathering on the horizon, intent on enslaving her world. Will Celaena find the strength to not only fight her inner demons, but to take on the evil that is about to be unleashed?
The bestselling series that has captured readers all over the world reaches new heights in this sequel to the New York Times best-selling Crown of Midnight. Packed with heart-pounding action, fierce new characters, and swoon-worthy romance, this third book will enthrall readers from start to finish(goodreads).
Heir of Fire is what happens when the author gets tired of writing her series, and attempts to create a whole new novel under the guise of plot ~development.~
Plot: After three books, I have finally come to accept that I am not meant for Throne of Glass. The first two books were interesting, but nothing to make me go out and buy my SJM membership (that wasn't until ACOMAF). I decided to read Heir of Fire with all the hype for the new book and because of the amount of hate the latest book was getting. As an outsider, I just had to know! Jebus Christ I could have gone my whole life without knowing.
Heir of Fire is over 500 unnecessary pages and was super boring for the first 250-or-so pages. Celaena has been thrust into a new land and ends up training and working with the fae there. Meanwhile, her friends Dorian and Chaol have their own shit going on. And let's throw in another character with very little backstory, because why the hell not?
Seriously, this book did not feel like the first two installments of the Throne of Glass series. The fae are a lot more promient in Heir of Fire than I expected they would be from reading both Throne of Glass and Crown of Midnight. And since these elements were vaguely touched on Crown of Midnight, it felt like I was thrown into a series debut with very warning.
Characters: All of these people are lukewarm at best. I thought Celeana was unbarable in the first two books, and she doesn't fare any better in Heir of Fire. I was hoping that the introduction of Aelin would make her more interesting, but Celeana's determination to blame herself for everything, continously doubt herself, and supress her fae powers made me roll my eyes. The introduction of Rowan wasn't any better.
From their initial meeting, Celeana and Rowan hate each other, like growling, scowling, and throwing punches. And then with a brief discussion and handshake they agree to become friends. Oh is that how it goes? I can hate someone so intensely to the point where we don't talk for days, but then become friends as long as someone inititates it? It's going to take more time than that. And they don't even become "beginning friends." No they fall into insta-besties which made them even more annoying.
Along with our friends from the previous two novels, Maas throws in no less than three more characters who will play significant roles in the series. Seeing how this is book three, I think she introduced theses leading characters far too late. For example, we have bad-ass Manon who is a murderous witch. She is introduced with very little preamble and her story line doesn't appear to have any connection to our other characters. I wouldn't have minded this as much if she were introduced in Throne of Glass, but with our villans outlined and significant characters growth (?), I found Manon's chapters to be distracting this far in the series.
Worldbuilding: We all know that Maas takes pride in creating her mystical world with equally mystifying creatures, and I have nothing but praise to give for her portrayal of the fey lands and creatures that go bump in the night.
Short N Sweet: I'll stick with the A Court of Thorns and Roses series thank you for much.
Labels: 2 stars, bloomsbury USA Childrens, book review, crown of midnight, heir of fire, review, sarah j. maas, Throne of Glass
