Photo credits: Chris Rhoads
Edited by Vaishali
Title: ‘Empire of Storms'
Author: Sarah J. Maas Series: (Throne of Glass #5) Genre: Fantasy Fiction, New Adult, Romance Publisher: Bloomsbury Year of Publication: 2016 Version: Paperback ISBN: 978-1-4088-7289-5
Themes: Romance, love, oppression, slavery, faeries, friendship, hope, freedom, redemption, loss, revenge, war, grief, strength
R E V I E W...
“So he had won an army for her. Through the only things that Aelin had claimed were all she wanted from him. His heart. His loyalty. His friendship. And Rowan wished his Fireheart were there to see it as the House of Whitethorn slammed into Maeve’s fleet, and ice and wind exploded across the waves.”
How does Sarah J. Maas keep presenting us with these overwhelmingly inventive stories?
War is not just a detached concept, an obscure impending notion; it is tangible and already here. It's not over, and the world is primed for death and massacre. This isn’t just a war of armies and brute strength, but a campaign to rupture Aelin’s spirit. With her crown not promised, and refused the right to return to Orynth, Aelin is tested as a Queen, what it truly means to be one and struggles with the lives that will be lost in this war on her behalf.
“Would this be the cost? Not just in blood shed, but in dreams yielded?”
Plans are changing, threats are ever present, enemies are striking from all angles now that war is here and Aelin’s priorities are growing, but she never takes no for an answer. She must prove herself to her kingdom after ten years of abandonment. Aelin has to earn her broken people’s trust and has vowed to raise an army. She is on a quest all over the continent to form allies, collect debts and rally a force comprised of assassins, thieves and the oppressed. Intent on fixing her broken Kingdom, Aelin is willing to do anything, to use any means necessary and sacrifice herself to protect not just her people, but to bring peace to a shattered world in dire need of salvation.
“Aelin was no saviour to rally behind, but a cataclysm to be weathered.”
With the Dark King prepared to conquer all of Erilea, using fell, sentient creatures forged from nightmares, he cleaves the continent and establishes strongholds across the land, halting any chance that Aelin may have to form alliances. Erawan torments Aelin by tapping into her weaknesses and using her past to haunt her. Aelin is but one woman bestowed with the gift of fire against two ancient, ageless adversaries of darkness who have been playing this game centuries longer – before she was even born.
“Because destroying a symbol can break the spirits of men as much as bloodshed."
The heir of fire is not just in battle with the King of darkness , but the Immortal Queen of darkness too, poised to capture her at her weakest and break her essence for her own secret agendas. The evil forces in this book know that the good use hope and dreams to tolerate, and as well as the might of an army and dark magic, and wicked beasts, they know that to break a person’s spirit is to fracture and weaken them to ultimately rule them.
“Remember who you are. Every step of the way down, and every step of the way back. Remember who you are. And that you’re mine.”
Everything depends on Aelin, and every choice can shatter everything. She uses not just cunning, outlandish ploys and astute intellect but employs the strength of prophetic myth to build hope and coax necessary forces to join in their cause. With time being a huge limitation, Aelin must secure an army, instructed only by the cryptic messages of the long existing Gods and dead former royals. These characters are essentially hostages in the game of the Gods
“She had never contemplated what it would be like – to yield control. And not have it be weakness, but a freedom.”
No matter how huge the efforts made by Aelin’s cadre are, it never seems to be enough because the probabilities only amplify, and the scope of danger and sacrifice reach an all-time high. Aelin is daring and insane, but that combination of insanity and unruliness always serves her and crafts the best plans. She has to be callous in this war even at the expense of her own conscious; because consequences can wait but the world can’t. War can’t be won with pretty charm and negotiation, and Aelin has to become a nightmare to avoid the biggest one coming. 'Empire of Storms' is about the bigger picture, and doing the necessary to achieve those ideals in order to save the whole world. Aelin is hardcore and pure steel because there is no space for fear and panic in this irrevocable was.
“The fear of loss…it can destroy you as much as the loss itself.”
With a gift so vast and infinite, Aelin’s power has the capacity to destroy everything. Destroy Aelin, too. She is still discovering the extent of such a devastating power and the responsibility and pain that comes with it. Aelin makes many mistakes, which is bound to happen considering the enormity of her court’s aspirations, but with the help of her Fae warrior she always recognises them and does better the next time.
“I see you. I see every part of you. And I am not afraid.”
Aelin knows that her power can be used to serve evil, and though she is wild and unpredictable she has pure intentions and chooses to serve right, she chooses to forge and merge and revive. I’ve always believed that power should belong to those who don’t desire it/for immoral reason and those who aren't susceptible to the darker attraction of power because they’d know their limitations, therefore using it with caution. Aelin never wanted the weight of her power knowing it was calamitous in its nature, she was terrified of its facility - if it were to ever get out of control like it has in the past. But she claimed control, made it submit to her because in the end it wasn’t about her, it was about saving the world because she had great power to do so.
“I love you. There is no limit to what I can give to you, no time I need. Even when this world is a forgotten whisper of dust between the stars, I will love you.”
Rowan and Aelin: I have backed their relationship since ‘Heir of Fire’ (though I’m probably biased): Rowan guides her, grounds her and though they are a powerhouse together they are independent in their own right as being capable leaders. They are honest with each other and no task is ever too big for them as long as they do it together.
“I’ll always find a way back to you.” – Aelin
“I love you…I’d walk into the burning heart of hell itself to find you.” - Rowan
Lorcan and Elide: Elide is bold with Lorcan, unlike others. She doesn’t fear him and doesn’t shy away from the danger that he is. She is forthright and tells him exactly how it is. Elide plays Lorcan, using his own Fae arrogance against him. She treats him as absolutely unremarkable and puts him in his place. Lorcan has no moral code and doesn’t care to feel, but Elide slowly changes that without even intending to. Lorcan’s relationship with Elide opens up a new dimension in him and highlights that he is indeed capable of the exact opposite of death and destruction, and to see him in relation to Elide made me grow to like him.
“I made a promise to protect you. I will not break it, Elide.”
She made to pull away, but he gripped her a little harder, keeping her eyes on him. “I will always find you,” he swore to her. Her throat bobbed. Lorcan whispered, “I promise.”
Aedion and Lysandra: she is the cool and calm and sense of reason to Aedion’s short temper and irrationality. She is just as fierce and inserts an honest serene presence to his life.
“But he’d take his time. Enjoy every moment, as he had told her to do. Because this would be his last hunt. He had no intention of wasting each glorious moment in one go. Of wasting any of the moments that fate had granted him, and all he wanted to show her.”
Manon and Dorian: I don’t like Manon’s relationship with Dorian – They are both obviously attracted to each other and yes, some force keeps drawing them together. Initially they use sex to distract them both from the darkness they are trying to climb out of. I’m still not committed to them as a couple and I’m not really engaged in them as individuals either and I don’t know why… I would have preferred for Manon to be without a romantic interest or maybe someone that isn’t Dorian? Dorian's character gradually lost colour to me, and though Sarah J. Maas writes her so well, Manon isn't someone i feel inclined to like.
“Not a chance in hell of winning had now become a fool’s chance.”
'Empire of Storms' combustas at the seams with action. So many twists! So many secrets! So much battle! The settings are well described, and the atmospheres can be felt viscerally. Sarah J. Maas’s writing is smoothly edited, flows like a soft wind, and is as rich and stark as the colours of spring. It is still impeccable and enthralling, and her plotting is still on point. The story is paced well - alternating between fast and slow, and the language is concise, illustrative, yet wistful. Every moment was filled with a kind of engaging thrill and excitement, peppered with undercurrents of dread and anticipation – the story kept me wondering, kept me thinking and feeling even when I wasn’t reading. It is just as much character driven as it is plot driven, dealing with matters of the mind as well as matters of the world – a beautiful balance of internal monologues and external courses.
“The talk of young idealists and dreamers.”
“The world will be saved and remade by the dreamers.”
Amongst the tripping action, this story teaches of the value of time. Enjoying momentary delights and finding the laughter in those moments of evanescent peace in a world that is destined for destruction. That in a dark world, happiness can be found in those pockets of harmony.
“And she wondered if it were possible to love someone enough that time and distance and death were of no concern.”
I love reading stories that have heart and soul, where every chapter propels, explores, proves and establishes something. This story has so much heart, and life, and passion that I could do nothing but acquiesce to its immobilising grip. These characters have heart and purpose, and I believe that a tale has to reach a human level fundamentally to connect to its reader, needs to have and explore components of humanity in both its upsides and down, and Sarah J. Maas immerses herself in the stories of people. Bring on Kingdom of Ash! – I’ve already rated it a 5 star
“And Aelin Galathynius, Queen of Terassen, knew the time would soon come to prove just how much she’d bleed for Erilea.”
I gave this book 5 stars -
________________________________________________
R E L A T E D P O S T S: ● Book Review: 'The Assassin's Blade' by Sarah J. Maas ● Book Review: 'Throne of Glass' by Sarah J. Maas ● Book Review: 'Crown of Midnight' by Sarah J. Maas ● Book Review: 'Heir of Fire' by Sarah J. Maas ● Book Review: 'Queen of Shadows' by Sarah J. Maas ● Book Review: 'Tower of Dawn' by Sarah J. Maas ● Book Review: 'Kingdom of Ash' by Sarah J. Maas _____________________________________________________ --------------------------------------- M Y R A T I N G S Y S T E M: ★ - 1 star: I did not like the book ★★ - 2 stars: The book was okay ★★★ - 3 stars: It was a good, solid read ★★★★ - 4 stars: A great book ★★★★★ - 5: A phenomenal read ---------------------------------------
F A V O U R I T E Q U O T E S:
“Oh gods – this. This was what drove her out of her mind – this fire between them. They could burn the entire world to ashes with it. He was hers and she was his, and they had found each other across centuries of bloodshed and loss, across oceans and kingdoms and war.” “I would have fought for the rest of my life to find a way to return to you again.” - Rowan “You are mine,” Rowan breathed, and she felt the claiming in her bones, her soul. “I am yours,” she answered. “And you love me.” Such hope and quiet joy in his eyes, beneath all that fierceness. “To whatever end.” For too long – for too long had he been alone and wandering. No longer.” “Queen, and lover, and friend – and more.” “Fear is a death sentence.” “His Fireheart. His equal, his friend, his lover. His wife. His mate.” “Aelin Galathynius had raised an army not just to challenge Morath…but to rattle the stars.” “Grateful she had met them all, that she had seen some small part of the world, had heard such lovely music, had danced and laughed and known true friendship. Grateful that she had found Rowan. She was grateful.” “I am coming for you. Even if it takes me a thousand years. I will find you, I will find you, I will find you.
I love interacting with fellow readers, reviewers, bloggers and writers. Hearing about reader opinion is the fuel to my reader appetite, so get in touch and comment below!
SHARE ON FACEBOOK L E A V E A C O M M E N T A N D L E T' S T A L K A B O U T
|
VaishaliBorn in the UK Archives
February 2024
Categories
All
2019 Reading Challenge
Vaishali • [Vicarious Living] has
read 15 books toward
her goal of
30 books.
hide
2020 Reading Challenge
Vaishali • [Vicarious Living] has
read 1 book toward
her goal of
20 books.
hide
2021 Reading Challenge
Vaishali • [V.L. Book Reviews] has
read 1 book toward
her goal of
10 books.
hide
2022 Reading Challenge
Vaishali • [V.L. Book Reviews] has
read 0 books toward
her goal of
5 books.
hide
2023 Reading Challenge
Vaishali • [V.L. Book Reviews] has
read 0 books toward
her goal of
5 books.
hide
DisclaimerAll images of book covers on this site belong to the authors and publishers of the books.
|