Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros Series: The Empyrean #1
on May 2, 2023
Genres: Fiction / Fantasy / Dragons & Mythical Creatures, Fiction / Fantasy / Epic, Fiction / Fantasy / Romance
Pages: 528
Format: Audiobook
Source: Libby, Library
A #1 New York Times bestseller • TV series in development at MGM Amazon Studios with Michael B. Jordan’s Outlier Society • Amazon Best Books of the Year, #4 • Apple Best Books of the Year 2023 • Barnes & Noble Best Fantasy Book of 2023 • NPR “Books We Love” 2023 • Audible Best Books of 2023 • Hudson Book of the Year • Google Play Best Books of 2023 • Indigo Best Books of 2023 • Waterstones Book of the Year finalist • Goodreads Choice Award Winner • Newsweek Staffers’ Favorite Books of 2023 • Paste Magazine's Best Books of 2023
"Suspenseful, sexy, and with incredibly entertaining storytelling, the first in Yarros' Empyrean series will delight fans of romantic, adventure-filled fantasy." —Booklist, starred review
"Fourth Wing will have your heart pounding from beginning to end... A fantasy like you've never read before." ―#1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout
Enter the brutal and elite world of a war college for dragon riders from #1 New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Yarros
Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders.
But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away...because dragons don’t bond to “fragile” humans. They incinerate them.
With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter—like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant.
She’ll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise.
Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom's protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret.
Friends, enemies, lovers. Everyone at Basgiath War College has an agenda—because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die.
The Empyrean series is best enjoyed in order.
Reading Order:
Book #1 Fourth Wing
Book #2 Iron Flame
My Review
I am a latecomer to the world of Fourth Wing. Well, I say that with its publication date being back in 2023, and it is only 2025 now. I guess I am not too late, but when it comes to this book and all of its hype, I am way behind. I think what held me back was that it was so HYPED that I didn’t want to be disappointed. I can truthfully say now that this is not the issue. I have read this book, gave it five stars, and now I am plowing through the second book, Iron Flame.
Honestly, I am not even sure where to begin because I am sure everything has probably already been said about this book and its characters, especially the main characters. I will not go into much detail about such things, but I will give a quick overview of the story and talk about how it made me feel. This book definitely gives the feels.
A dragon without its rider is a tragedy.
A rider without their dragon is dead.
In this story, we follow Violet, a young woman with a chronic illness who is destined to go to the Scribe Quadrant, but her mother forces her into the Riders Quadrant at Basgiath War College. Yup, you read that correctly. A War College. This, Dear Reader, is no Hogwarts. You might be wondering what the heck riders are. Well, they are people who ride dragons. Dragons do not tend to choose the weak because, make no mistake, it is the dragon that chooses the rider if the rider proves to be worthy enough. If not, oh well, they go up in flames (literally, the dragons toast them). Oh, and did I mention if it isn’t the Dragons that kill you, then it can be the students or just the environment itself? This college is not for the weak. Seriously, why on earth would Violet’s mother force her into this college? It is almost like she is sending her daughter to her death. Violet learns to adapt quickly.
“The weak don’t survive here, especially not in the Riders Quadrant. The dragons make sure of that.”
Violet’s Mantra throughout the book:
“I’m not going to die today.”
Xaden is the typical bad boy in any swoon-worthy book. He is the one all the ladies look at and want. He is an incredible fighter and is beyond ripped with all his chiseled muscles. He comes off as a mean and arrogant prick but is a complete softie under it all. Xaden is the son of the Great Betrayer, who killed Violet’s brother. His father was killed by Violet’s mother, so you can imagine that the hate he feels for Violet and her family is strong. The same goes for Violet and the hate she feels for Xaden. Of course, there is tension, and of course, this is an enemies-to-lovers story, but that isn’t the point. The ride that you take in this story is winding and intense. I flew through this book because I NEEDED to know what would happen.
Everybody seems to have loved the romance and steam in this book, but that was not my love in this story. My love was the dragons. One in particular had my heart, and that was the one who behaved like a Curmudgeon. His humor and patience had me. He appears to be such a grump, but really, you just have to get to know him. He puts up with no crap, and he is the sweetest dragon if not one of the biggest and scariest dragons alive. He won my heart in this story. Words from my favorite character in the whole story, and I about died when I read them.
“You’re making us look bad. Stop it.”
Beyond the main characters in this story and the dragons, there was a pretty great cast of side characters. I enjoyed getting to know them as much as the main characters. They say not to make friends, but Reader, how do you go through something like this school without having someone you can trust and lean on when it gets rough because it will get rough? I loved the friendships made in this book and look forward to watching them develop in the next book. I also love how Rhiannon stuck by Violet the whole time. Everybody needs a bestie like her in their lives.
“Sometimes, the greatest battles are fought within our own minds.”
Reader, if you are looking for a book that will sweep you up into this world of dragons, violence, academia, and more, then give this one a go. I thought the world-building was great, and the skills that the Riders received from their dragons kept me interested. I had a hard time putting this book down when life got in the way because, as I said before, I NEEDED to know what was going to happen. This book is not just an enemies-to-lovers kind of read, in my opinion. It touches on topics of chronic illness and adapting/overcoming one’s surroundings to succeed or, in this case, stay alive. It is about what happens when truths are uncovered, and difficult decisions need to be made. It is about family legacy and expectations, along with personal growth. It is about what your body can handle both mentally and physically. I also can not forget to mention that it is about love and friendship and the importance of both being in your life. If any of this sounds good to you, then I suggest picking this book up because I think you might enjoy it. Until Next Time, Reader, Happy Reading.
Trigger Warnings:
- Mentions of Parental Death
- Murder
- Violence
- Blood
- Chronic Pain
- Mentions of Sibling Death
- Death of Friends
- Death of Animals
- Ableism
- Bullying
** I am sure that there are more, so please check trigger warnings for yourself **