Heir of Fire

Shocked

I first started listening to this series because i found it was suggested on a "books similar to Harry Potter" search I did. I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting much.
The first book was good. It seemed a little cliche at first, and it felt like the narrator hadn't quite mastered her craft. And yet, I downloaded the second book immediately after I finished the first. The second was better. There were some palpable plot twists, more complex characters, and the boom wasn't afraid to get a little darker, which I loved.
But then, bam, this third novel hits you like a freight train. Intense, emotionally and psychologically gripping writing. And the narrator has really come into her own. She's like a different person!
Honestly, never thought I'd be recommending this series so strongly, but you should read it. I'm downloading the 4th one right now :)

21 of 22 people found this review helpful

Amazing Story, Just What the Series Needed

If you have read the other books... This is the book you have been waiting for. Not only was it a great story in itself, but it also provides a lot of the back story about Celaena, including flashbacks from her childhood as princess and early use of magic. The book is full of Fay, Demi-Fay, monsters, LOTS of magic, battles, betrayals, and on, and on.

If you haven't already read the rest of the series, then you probably won't get nearly as much from this book as you would have if you started from the beginning. Even if you haven't though, you will certainly still appreciate it.

Celaena spends the entire book in Wendlyn, where she was sent at the end of the last book. She goes through a great deal of self discovery and understanding while learning how to use (and more importantly control) her magic under the direction of a bitter yet likeable warrior Fay. Although she fears the power she hasn't been able to access since childhood, she none-the-less rediscovers how powerful and unique her gifts are, and how valuable and necessary they will be in defeating the King.
Chaol and Dorian tell the story from back in Rifthold where both of them, despite being at odds, plot against the King in their own efforts. One of the new characters, a cousin to Celaena and general to the king, joins the two of them in an attempt to destroy the King's ability to suppress magic.
A new character also gives a perspective of the kings plans from elsewhere on the continent, in a very interesting independent story line. Even though this character is completely isolated from the others, I have a feeling she will become a major player in the next book.

Another thing I liked about the book was that is wasn't just told primarily from Celaena's point of view (as in the last two books), but all the characters get an equal share of the story. In many other book series, I find this annoying because I really only care about what is happening with the main character, but the other story lines are interesting enough that I was just as happy to hear from them.

Although this book is (unfortunately) just as much of a cliffhanger as the last was, it at least left off in a good place. I also finished feeling satisfied given all that that happened, all the new developments, and all of the new material.

With as great a story as this was, and another excellent performance by the narrator, this is without a doubt worth the credit I spent...

31 of 38 people found this review helpful

Exactly Where the Series Needs to Go

Okay, so I am going to be 100% honest. I wasn't a huge fan of this series. I enjoyed the first book, but I felt like Maas focused too much on a possible love triangle than on this incrediblely awesome world she has created! It was also extremely frustrating that the characters didn't know what was going on like what "wyrds" were, and it seemed like we were never going to learn. Then the end of the second book happened...

I am absolutely thrilled with where this series is going. We are FINALLY getting some answers! I'm crazy about the world-building that is going on, and, yes, everything is starting to click together. I almost feel like re-listening to the first two now, so I can understand the hints at what is happening.

So, if you know me, you know what sets books apart from being "good" to "amazing" is character development. And, boy oh boy, did I get some character development. Let's break down by characters since it's a mixed POV:

1. Celaena
Poor Celaena. I will admit I really didn't care for her at first! I didn't find her arrogance charming. She seemed one-dimensional to me...Until now. She has so. much. depth. I loved learning about her past and why she is the way she is. I was a little weary that we, the listeners, were going to be bogged down by her despair (like in Mockingjay), but we weren't. Her fears are tangible, and it was thrilling to watch her become the woman she was born to be.
The training scenes were beautiful. The development of her magic was beautiful. Her friendship with Ronan was beautiful.


2. Ronan
I am always hesitant about the introduction of new males. Celanea was just coming out of a terrible break-up, and I truly did not want to have another book focusing on Celaena developing a new boyfriend. Ronan was not that. They had a wonderful friendship, where, if it developed into a romance, I would be completely fine. Ronan was broken, just as Celaena was. They healed each other. I'm still not over how beautiful there last couple scenes with Ronan were. My only complaint is that he probably won't be too prominent in the next book.

3. Manon
We are introduced to another new character...which, again, scary. But, Manon's POV ended up being my second favorite to listen to! She is a witch, but in a different clan than the only witch we have been introduced to - Baba Yellowlegs. She is a cruel creature that revels in violence. I've never read anything where you are hearing from a deeply mean person's perspective, so that was neat. Her development gave me chills. The witches are preparing for war, and they are given these creatures as their mounts. The mounts are supposed to be mindless killing, flying machines. However, Manon develops a relationship with her mount, Abraxos. Abraxos is a literal slave, and he shows Manon that she is a slave to her culture. I cannot wait to see where the series takes her - hopefully with an alliance with Celaena.

4. Dorian and Chaol
I didn't want to hear from these two. Is that bad? Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed them both in the past books. They just aren't as exciting as witches or fay. I'm sad for Dorian, and that is all I have to say on that front. Chaol was annoying. He could not chose a side; he felt like it was between Caleana and Dorian BUT THEY ARE ON THE SAME SIDE. That just annoyed me. Chaol ended up making his choice in the worst possible moment...I won't spoil it.

Overall:

Yes, I loved it. Yes, you will love it. Yes, you need to drop everything and listen immediately. You will laugh, and you will probably cry. It is worth it.

16 of 20 people found this review helpful

Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse...

What would have made Heir of Fire better?

An editor. A good editor would have used a red pen and removed more than half the text from this book. There were parts where the text went on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and when it was done the story hadn't moved a millimeter in any direction. Remove Celena all together. Her whiny attitude gets worse in this book, and I can't bear to go on with the series.

What do you think your next listen will be?

Definitely not anything Maas writes or Elizabeth Evans narrates. Both are beyond horrible. I ask myself how did I endure this long.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

She detracted from the book by simply narrating it. Elizabeth Evans is awful beyond awful.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

When it was over. I was ever so grateful that it was over. I should have stopped listening half way through, but didn't want to waste my money so I endured.

Any additional comments?

Don't do it! Don't buy! Stay away! Spare yourself the pain, the torture and agony of Maas's work and Evans's narration! You'll be a better person for it.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Heir of Greatness

In the third installment of the Throne of Glass series, Heir of Fire, Celaena Sardothien embarks on a life-changing journey. New alliances are formed as tensions run high in the kingdoms.

Though I don’t usually have a lot of luck with fantasy series, I do enjoy this character-driven series quite a lot. Celaena’s a great heroine who has grown a lot over the course of the series. And the stakes keep getting higher for her. With the action moved to unfamiliar territory and Celaena on a new path, this is a transitional phase for her. I did miss Celaena’s interactions with her friends from the first two books, but we do meet a kick-ass new character in exchange so that’s almost a fair trade-off.

The fantasy elements really ramp up in this installment, and we get more acquainted with fae and witches. The action shifts between three separate but related stories in Heir of Fire- Celaena’s journey, the characters left behind in Adarlan (Dorian, Chaol, etc.) and the Blackbeak coven. I have to admit the chapters with the witches went over my head. There is a new character named Manon Blackbeak who seems important but for the life of me I couldn’t keep up with that storyline. I will definitely have to read a Recaptains recap before the next book.

What kept my interest is Celaena’s personal journey and revelations. I liked her alliance with Rowan, the fae prince. The prickly Rowan is a great addition to the series, and I’m curious to see what role he takes going forward.

Back in Adarlan, Chaol and Dorian are quite downcast without Celaena’s company, though it’s not long before they get distracted other pressing matters. Chaol seemed kind of lost in this installment and I hope for more Chaol and Celaena in the next book. A new character causes some trouble for Dorian and Chaol and I’m interested to see how the situation in Adarlan shakes out. Dorian really got to me in this book – lots of character growth there.

The romance is downplayed in this installment compared to Crown of Midnight, but that makes sense considering the journey Celaena is on. The strong friendships that build in Heir of Fire make you (almost) not notice the lack of romance.

This series really shines in audiobook format, with the excellent performance by Elizabeth Evans. She pronounces all those tricky words for you so you don’t have to try to make sense of them on your own. Evans gives a strong and consistent performance here and doesn’t distract for the story. She brings many different types of characters to life and is especially successful with capturing Celaena’s essence. Since Heir of Fire is over 20-hours long, you’ll get your money’s worth of your Audible credit.

This installment is a game changer in a lot of ways with so much to ponder and digest. The slow-burn action pays off in the end and leaves you clamoring for the next book.

8 of 11 people found this review helpful

Great Series!

Easy to follow well written series really like the books right to the end of this one. The next one was Ghost written and a sickly sweet romance don't bother

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Very Long

I felt like some parts were just too long and drawn out. Strong start to Celaena's new adventure. She learns more about herself and her powers. She makes new friends and we learn about some new characters like some vital witches. I wonder what will happen with Rowan, Maeve, and Manon in the next books to come. Dorian tries to harness his powers and Chaol is not as courageous as he once was. There is just so much sad death in these books (tear).

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Why was this book even here?

I thoroughly enjoyed the first two books, and then I got to Heir of Fire. It is such a slog. I was worried I would blow through the first five books before I had new credits available to get new installments in the series. That was not a concern as I was dragging my feet every time I came back to this story like a cat who knows a bath is imminent.

I did not care about anyone or anything happening in this book until maybe the last 5 chapters. Everyone was moping or brooding.

I understand Celaena was mourning and that you have to show a character recovering from a traumatic experience, I just hate being there for that part of the story. She also has some weird platonic bonding with her broody mentor in a series of training scenes which I also hate reading/listening to. And then she pulled herself up, and started getting stuff done again right at the end.

I understand Chaol was coming to terms with his actions and the wedge they drove between him and those close to him, but I did not care.

I understand Dorian was making the best of his situation, and he even found some puppy love with someone who was far below his station, but I did not care, and the would-be punch in the gut at the end fell flat because I was not invested.

I understand SOMETHING REALLY IMPORTANT IS HAPPENING WITH WYVERNS, but the witch point of view we see everything through... makes me not care. And I care even less about her witch politics and relationship with her abusive grandma.

Points of view from minor characters were suddenly added without warning or transition. This is something the narrator is terrible about, by the way, she can do accents well, but is awful about assigning distinctive voices to characters and that has bothered me since Throne of Glass. There are so many POVs that can switch mid-chapter and I sometimes get lost for a few paragraphs.

I am on to Queen of Shadows now and back to the tightly paced, action driven narrative that the first two books had (even if Chaol is still being a little whiny). I am really hoping this was a one-off experience.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Overkill

OMG. Character development overkill. The amount of time spent developing the relationship between certain characters drove me crazy. This book could have been cut by a third... but that's just me. There was also development on a separate set of characters that never actually come to play in this book and that irritated me too. The author seemed to like making things confusing as hell when it comes to Salaena, specifically with giving her so many alias (4, I think?). The base story is still pretty cool and more magic is being used now. While it would seem that the next book is going to bring the direct conflict between Salaena and the King, I wouldnt be surpised if book 4 dwells on Salaena and her assassin story and getting the word key back.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

jumps all over

the main plot is good, but the author jumps between 5 or so barely related plots

1 of 1 people found this review helpful